Christmas Edition!

My favorite Christmas present!  (Don't judge with the "fof," as Owen calls it.  It was late in the evening and it allowed us to stick around the party a little longer!)

Well, no Christmas recipes, just Christmas pictures!  Although I have a yummy Peppermint Oreo Truffle recipe that I need to post.  I just haven't taken the picture yet and I've been fighting off Jeremy as he wants to finish them.  I finally had to hide them in the freezer in the garage!

Owen LOVED opening presents!  LOVED.  Look at his excitement!  It was so cute!  Please also note his Lions t-shirt - I think they made it to the playoffs because of how cute he looked :)

One of the best Christmas surprises we received this year was our new nephew Hudson!  He was born on Christmas morning!  Owen and Grandma had some bonding time over Skype!

So, besides loving to open presents, Owen went nuts for Christmas lights!  And Grandpa was a sport and took him for several walks around the block to check out "Sansa" (O hasn't quite gotten the "t" into Santa, but any time you say Santa Owen responds with "ho, ho, ho") and the lights.  It was a bit cold so we layered him up!  But that didn't stop him from saying and signing, "mo, mo!"  Seriously, I am obsessed with this kid!!

The cold weather (actually, today it was in the 60s, but let's pretend it is actually winter in Kansas) inspired some delish tomato soup!  I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen - if you haven't checked out this website, why not??  She makes delightful food.  This tomato soup recipe is like french onion in that you get a deliciously soggy bite of toast with sharp cheddar with every bite.  Amazing!

Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar

Soup Ingredients

3 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise  (I can never find plum tomatoes, so I normally use Roma)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large or 4 small cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon (or more to taste) dried crushed red pepper
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Cheddar Lid Ingredients
4 1-inch slices from a large loaf of rye bread, whole wheat sourdough or bread of your choice (or 16 1-inch slices from a baguette), toasted until hard and lightly buttered on one side
1 tablespoon grated raw onion
1 cup coarsely grated cheddar (or more to taste

Soup Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap garlic cloves in a tight foil packet. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on large baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper (SK used 1 full teaspoon of Kosher salt). Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil. Add foil packet of garlic to tray. Roast until tomatoes are brown and tender (garlic will be very tender), about 1 hour. Cool slightly.


Unwrap garlic packet and peel cloves. Transfer cloves, tomatoes and any accumulated juices to a blender or food processor and pulse machine on and off until tomatoes are a chunky puree. Transfer tomatoes to medium pot and add thyme, crushed red pepper and stock and bring to a boil Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings to taste.

Cheddar Lid Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange four ovenproof soup bowls, crocks or large mugs on a large, foil-lined baking sheet. (I have adorable soup bowls from Crate & Barrel - I just wish they were a teeny tiny bit bigger!)  Stir grated onion into the warm soup.  Float toast slice(s) in each bowl, buttered side up and divide grated cheese generously over top. (If you’re using a wide bowl, you might find that you want more cheese to create a thick, broiled lid.) Bake soups on tray for 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese on top is bubbling and brown at the edges. If you’d like it even more bronzed on top, preheat your broiler and finish soups for a minute or two under it. Serve immediately.  (Be careful, the bowls are so hot and so is the soup!  So maybe not *immediately*.)

We've hired someone to clear the driveway...

He removed his mittens specifically to play with his new shovel.

So, do you think this violates any child labor laws in Kansas??  We had our first real snow this season and O took full advantage (and so did I) of being outside!  Why is there such a difference playing in the frigid windy weather versus the snow?The picture above was taken when daddy got home and introduce O to his new snow shovel.  It would be an understatement to say he loved it.

His first steps in the crunchy snow - he motored all over!

We played for quite a while in the backyard: we marched all around, played on the fort, made snow angels and snowballs, and finally he was worn out!

This was right before he headed down the snowy slide!  He got stuck a few times, but enjoyed it none the less!

I love how bright blue his eyes are in his blue snow gear!  He worked up quite the appetite after our little snow day and I made him this:

He goes back and forth with eating veggies.  The only sure way to get him to eat them is to incorporate them into a dish.  He not only gobbled this up, but stood on his stool, in between my arms, as I chopped the peppers and rosemary and kept stuffing chopped peppers in his mouth.  I refuse to have a picky eater!!!

Orzo with Rainbow Veggies

Adapted from "Cooking for Baby"
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

Salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 cup orzo
1 Tbsp EVOO
1tsp minced rosemary (yay, my rosemary plant is still thriving - in the basement no less!)
1/2 cup diced red and yellow bell peppers (I used orange instead of yellow, obvi)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 tsp fresh lemon juice (oh how I wish I lived in CA where I would have my very own lemon tree and wouldn't be forced to pay up to $.50 for a lemon.)

Instructions

• Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add a large pinch of salt and the orzo.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 10 minutes, or according to package directions.  Drain.
• In a frying pan, over medium heat, heat the EVOO.  Add rosemary and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add bell peppers and peas and saute until tender, about 3 minutes.
• Add orzo to the pan and toss with veggies.  Sprinkle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bon Appetite for your little ones!

Giving the Beef a Break

Oh my, these boys melt my heart every time!  Aren't they just the cutest?  My mom bought them little knives at Sur la Table (don't worry, they are for kids and are more blunt than a spoon!) so they can help her cook!  They had a ball chopping lettuce and mushrooms - and Owen also enjoyed snacking on the mushrooms.  My little herbivore.  Love that kid!  Anyfood, the little men like helping in the kitchen.  While adorable, it can take 5x longer to get a meal done!

My latest Weeknight Gourmet meal involved lamb.  I am NOT a lamby fan.  At all.  J loves the little sheep.  It tends to be too gamey for me, so I leave it to J to order it from a restaurant as I will not cook it.  However, a friend of ours from DC raved about Ina's lamb kabobs.  Like 3 years ago.  And I finally looked it up - partly because I wanted to give it another shot, and partly because I'm beefed out.  Holy cow (haha), have I been missing out!!!!  This little lamby was DELISH!!!  Maybe it was because I marinated it for 2 days, or maybe because it was cooked perfectly by the Jman.  Either way, I am a convert.

Lamb Kabobs

Barefoot Contessa at Home - Serves 8-12 (I modified it for 2)

Ingredients

4 pounds top round lamb (I had some issues procuring some top round lamb.  I ended up with lamb stew meat which was perfect as it was already cubed.)
2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 to 5 cloves)
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1/2 cup mild olive oil
1/2 cup dry red wine
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
4 small red onions
4 pints cherry tomatoes
Skewers


Directions

Cut the lamb in 1 1/2-inch cubes. You should have about 40 cubes. Combine the garlic, rosemary, thyme, olive oil, red wine, vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl. Add the lamb cubes, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days. Toss occasionally.

Heat a charcoal grill with coals. Spread the coals in 1 tight layer on the grill.  (We followed our Weber gas grill directions for lamb and it was perfect!)

Cut the red onions in quarters and separate each quarter into 3 or 4 sections. Loosely thread 3 or 4 pieces of lamb alternately with sections of onion on skewers. Sprinkle both sides of the lamb with salt and pepper. Next place 4 or 5 cherry tomatoes on skewers, threading them through the stem of the tomato. Rub the tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

First, place the lamb skewers on the hot grill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times, until the lamb is medium rare. Approximately 5 minutes before the lamb is done, place the tomato skewers on the grill, turning once, until seared on the outside but still firm inside.

We ate it with Zov's rice pilaf - TO DIE FOR.  I will share this recipe later as I am currently sitting in my hotel bed in Denver and don't have my cookbook with me :)

Bon Appetit!

Thanksgiving AAR

In the Army, when you host an event, field exercise, organization day, etc., you are required (or maybe it was just me?) to draft an AAR: After Action Report.  I have found the AAR to be particularly useful in my everyday life as well.  Specifically when it comes to cooking and trips home! 

This Thanksgiving was quite possibly the best Thanksgiving yet!  Not only did we spend it at my Aunt Wink and Uncle Mikey's house, but friends from Fort Lewis were able to join us!  My dear friend Jenn and her family recently moved to California from Hawaii and didn't have Thanksgiving plans.  My auntie immediately said to bring them!  I haven't seen Jenn since Jeremy and I got married 3 1/2 years ago!  Since then we've both moved twice and had babies!  So fun to meet her little one Hannah!

It was so fun to see my aunties and cousins.  My Auntie Val and Cousin Tori finally got to meet Owen who was quite the Turkey.

Every year, my sissy makes the very best apple pie I have EVER consumed.  And this year was no different.  Except for the fact that I helped peel the apples and then promptly clogged my parents' plumbing thus requiring a plumber on Thanksgiving Eve at 9 PM.  SWEET.  You MUST try this pie, it is AMAZING!!!!!!

Autumn Apple Pie

Ingredients

Pastry for single crust 9" pie

3/4 to 1 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind (optional)

6 cups sliced, pared tart cooking apples, 1/4" thick (Em always uses Granny Smith)

Topping

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup grated Cheddar Cheese (The secret ingredient!!  Amazing!!)

Instructions

1.  Prepare pastry and line a heatproof pie dish.

2.  Mix together sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and grated lemon rind.  Add to prepared apples, tossing lightly to combine.

3.  Fill pastry with apple pie filling. 

4.  Prepare topping by cutting butter into dry ingredients until crumbly.  Stir in cheese.  Sprinkle evenly over apple filling.

5.  Bake at 425* for 50 to 55 minutes.  Cover topping with aluminum foil during last 10 minutes of baking to prevent over browning.

Serve with real whipped cream - Bon Appetit!