What if?

These are my IF girls.  I love them so.  We do LIFE together.

In February 2014 I attended the IF:Gathering conference here in Cville that drastically altered the course of my life.  I'm not saying that to be dramatic, I'm just speaking truth. The basic premise: If God is real, then what?  It spurred me on to open my Etsy shop to raise money to fight against hunger (kind of perfect since: a) I'm always hungry, and b) food is my love language).  And it planted the seed for this little tribe of women.

During IF:Gathering they introduced the concept of IF:Table.  Now food.  I love it so anything referencing spending time eating with friends?  YES.  Just YES.  Shauna Niequist (also: LOVE) spearheaded this and my friends and I ended up starting an IF:Table.  The idea is that community happens around the table.  You go deep when you are sitting around the table.  I have always felt this when we have friends over - we spend most of our time languishing at the table, long after we have finished eating.  Have you read Bread & Wine? You should.  My friend Shauna (stalker much?) wrote it and it was beautiful and lovely and all the things I love about food and people.  I feel like it is our manifesto/bylaws for our little IF:Table.

This was the day Graham was supposed to arrive in my arms.  But he is instead in Jesus' arms.  My girls celebrated me and my baby with a beautiful lunch at Pippin Hill.

So we started our If:Table Spring 2014 and we meet once a month around the table and share life together.  These beautiful women have become such a huge part of my life: encouraging me, supporting me, crying with me, and praying with and for me.  I am honestly crying as I write this because I'm just so thankful and blessed by these women.  I want us all to move onto the same culdesac and live out the rest of our lives in community.

So one of our loves is moving.  I am so heart broken but I know this what her family needs and I know she didn't make this decision lightly.  I will miss her desperately but the Lord has built a friendship that will last despite the 2000 miles that separate us!  I love you Amy and here's to Fort Hood to bring us back together :)

And now for the food.  In celebration of Amy's Texas roots, to which she returns, we had a Texas inspired meal.  Alas, I don't have the recipes and or the pics of the brisket that Cari made (Pioneer Woman - it was amazing) but I do have Amy's sangria recipe and Mere's Brussels Sprout Hash.  This meal was DIVINE!  (During dinner, btw, I received a call that my dad had been rushed to the hospital with chest pains and they stopped everything and prayed over my dad.  I mean.  I honestly can't even figure out what to say here. BLESSED.)

Amy's White Sangria

{Ingredients}
750 milliliters  dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc) chilled
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2  Tbsp superfine sugar
1 1/2 cups  peach nectar (Knudsen) or passion fruit nectar, chilled
1/2 cup  brandy
1/4 cup  amaretto
16 ounces  frozen peach slices
8 ounces  frozen mango slices
8 ounces  frozen strawberries
1 1/2 cups  club soda, chilled

{Instructions}
Dissolve sugar in lemon juice, brandy, and amaretto.  Add chilled white wine, peach nectar, and frozen fruit slices.  Let sit overnight. Add club soda just before serving.

Horrible pic, but don't hold that against this dish!

Mere's Brussels Sprouts Hash with Sweet Potato and Bacon
Serves 2 - (I suspect Mere doubled if not tripled this recipe since there are 7 of us!)

{Ingredients}
4 strips of bacon cut into 1" pieces
1 small onion diced
1 small sweet potato cut into 1/2" pieces
1 clove of garlic, chopped (have you tried the frozen garlic from Trader Joe's?  It makes my cooking so much faster and my hands far less stinky!)
1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced
salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs (this was served as a side dish to dinner so we omitted the eggs but I bet this would make a yummy breakfast!)
**UPDATE** Mere just informed me she adds a splash of balsamic vinegar right before serving!  I'm going to try it with the divine balsamic glaze from Trader Joe's!**

{Instructions}
1.  Cook bacon in a pan over medium heat and set aside.
2.  Add onion and sweet potato to the pan and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. (Everything cooked in bacon fat is better.)
3.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4.  Add Brussels sprouts and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.  Let sit until the bottoms start to caramelize, about 5 minutes.  Throw the bacon back in and season with salt and pepper to taste. **Add the balsamic vinegar at this point, should you so choose!**
5.  Create 4 small wells and in the hash and add the eggs, and cook until desired doneness.  You can also finish in the oven!

Thank you Jen, Mere, Amy, Cari, Bethanyanne and Karen for enriching my life in so many ways.  We will miss you Amy but there is always IF:Gathering Austin 2016!

I Heart Farmers Markets

First of all, this baby is coming sooner than I thought.  We rolled right over the one month mark yesterday and I might have thrown up in my mouth a little bit.  Is that gross to say on a food blog?  Sorry for those of you who are feint of heart.  Seriously, who moves at 32 weeks pregnant with a toddler??  This unpacking thing is for the birds.  Hopefully B2 is nice and cozy in the womb and gives us at least another three weeks so we can feather the nest!

Second, we took a break from unpacking and checked out the C'ville Farmers Market - AMAZING.  And it is not just because I am used to the v. sad Little Apple Farmers Market.  This market rivals what we used to see in the DC Metro area - it was huge!  There were a plethora of vendors and a fabulous selection of fruits and veggies!  My one complaint is that there isn't a single organic stone fruit farmer.  As peaches and nectarines are on the "dirty dozen" list, I try to buy organic.  Alas, I resorted to organic California stone fruit from Whole Foods...not my first choice, obvi.

Anyfood, I made this YUMMY corn salad tonight from corn and basil we bought at the market.  I used my new "Food Network" app for the iPad - so fun!  And of course it is an Ina gem :)

Fresh Corn Salad

The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook ~ serves 4-6

Instructions
5 ears of corn, shucked
1/2 cup small-diced red onion (one small onion)
3 Tbsp cider vinegar
3 Tbsp good olive oil (do you think my Kirkland Brand EVOO qualifies as "good?")
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned fresh basil (I didn't use such a large amount and it was still delish)

Directions

In a large pot of biling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone.  Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and set the color (I'm not too concerned about setting the color - but apparently Ina is...).  When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cop, cutting close to the cob.  (The best way I've found to cut corn off the cob is to stand it on the stem end in a bowl and cut down - avoids a serious mess.)

Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Just before serving, toss int eh fresh basil.  Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temp.

Tomorrow I will share the recipe for these yummy chicken burgers!  Owen even liked them :)

Girlfriends' Weekend, Part 3 and Finale!

Okay, final installment of Girlfriends' Culinary Weekend! To go along with the Grilled Stuffed Peppers, Meg made Crispy Fried Potatoes and Pork Tenderloin.  The pork tenderloin recipe I am very familiar with as it is my mom's recipe (and the yummiest, easiest marinade ever).  But the crispy fried potatoes - what the what??  SO AMAZING.

I shy away from frying.  I am a nervous nelly about: a) all the grease; b) the amount of oil you have to use (for some reason, it seems so wasteful to me); and c) it is just not a healthy option.  HOWEVER, I will be making giant exceptions for these babies!  They were salty and crispy on the outside and tender and delish on the inside.  YOU MUST TRY THESE!!!

Crispy Fried Potatoes  

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 medium baking potatoes (Meg likes Yukon Golds)

3 cups oil (This is Meg's best guess at the amount; enough to cover the potatoes in the pan. She use a combo of canola and extra virgin olive; canola fries better but she loves the olive oil flavor and so did I!)

2 – 3 cloves fresh minced garlic

Salt (Meg prefers kosher or sea salt)

Instructions

Heat the oil over medium high heat in a wide sauce or sauté pan until very hot. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Add garlic to oil and cook briefly and then add potatoes.  Cover and cook on medium high/high for approx. 15 minutes.  Then take the cover off and finish frying until dark golden brown, about another 5 – 10 minutes. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.  Put potatoes in a brown paper bag and add salt to your liking.  Shake potatoes in the bag and then serve immediately.

Meg says that the KEY is to re-use the oil 3 or 4 times, as it retains the flavor and gets better each time!

Meg carving up the piggy for our feast!

Okay, if you don't normally grill pork tenderloin, you need to get on board.  It is the easiest weeknight or dinner party main dish that takes little to no time but has the most amazing flavor.  You need to add this to your repitoire!   

Pork Tenderloin/Chicken Marinade

Ingredients

1 cup oil

1 cup soy sauce (I use low sodium)

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (substitute red wine vinegar and use on chicken!)

4 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp rosemary

Tons of pepper

2 pork tenderloins

Instructions

Dump all the ingredients, save the pork, in a zip top bag and mix it together.  Add the two tenderloins and marinate overnight.  I have done it the morning of, but it is really better if you can let it soak up all the flava flave overnight.  

When you are ready to grill, pull it out of the marinade and pitch the juices.  I live in the world of pink pork, so this recipe is geared towards medium.  Heat your grill to medium.  Sear for one minute on all sides and then cook for 20 to 25 minutes.  (We check the temperature of the meat at 20 minutes.)  When meat thermometer reaches 137* in the meatiest portion, you are dones-o.  Pull it off and cover it with foil and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.  Cooked to 137* in the meatiest part will make the ends more done with the center more pink.  (Thank you Ina Garten for that little tip!)

**The perfect side (besides the crispy fried potatoes, of course, is Garlic Roasted Cauliflower!

Funny Face

Sometimes while Owen eats lunch, we make funny faces.  On this particular day, I was making a funny grunting sound and he was trying to mimic it - my personal favorite is the first picture.  It shows his little quirky personality.  I LOVE this phase!!!

We have been down for the count this week.  Well, actually, I have been down and Owen has really been a trooper!  He's been great at entertaining himself with his tractors, cars, blocks and new fire truck from "Gamma" Di.  Occasionally this sick momma has allowed a little Thomas or Elmo so that I can rest my eyes!

I did rally for a bit yesterday and made a yummy dinner for the Jman and me.  He has been working really hard and combined with first trimester blahs/head cold, we've been having too much take out!  So I made a yummy, fresh, couscous dish that was even Owen approved!  Now, it has a bunch of steps and takes a bit of time for a "salad" - but it is TOTALLY WORTH IT!  I warned J that if it wasn't fabulous it would be the one and only time I make it.  Well, I will be making this one over and over again, despite the time commitment!

This was my left over lunch serving and I wasn't feeling the chicken, so I added a few more beans.  However, I did eat the chicken the night before and it was delish!

Couscous Salad with Grilled Chicken and Spicy Mustard Vinaigrette

Adapted from Zov, Recipes and Memories from the Heart
~ serves12 to 14 ~ (I cut it by 2/3s when I made it!)

Vinaigrette

6 garlic cloves
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp salt
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Chicken and Couscous Salad

1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp ground black pepper, plus more to taste
7 Tbsp olive oil
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pound Israeli couscous*
2 large onions, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
1 1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut diagonally into 3/4 inch lengths and blanched 30 seconds**
4 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/3 inch pieces and blanched for 2 minutes
4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced diagonally and blanched for 30 seconds
2 red bell peppers and 2 yellow bell peppers, roasted, seeded and cut into strips (I roasted mine by cutting in half, pulling out the seeds and membranes and broiling for about six minutes, skin side up.  I then popped them in a ziplock to steam them a bit and peeled most of the skin off!)
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry
1 cup golden raisins or currants (As this is a recipe from a Middle Eastern inspired cookbook, of course there are golden raisins!  LOVED the sweet pop in every other bite!)
3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives (If you have an aversion to olives, I get it.  However, the Kalamata olives added a wonderful saltiness to the dish that might be lacking if left out - just take note that you may need salt if you leave them out!)

Instructions

1) To make the vinaigrette: Mince the garlic in a food processor (I didn't want to dirty one more hand wash only instrument, so I used my garlic press and threw everything in a bowl and whisked it.  I bet the vinaigrette would have emulsified better if I had...).  Blend in the vinegar, mustard, salt, seasoned salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper.  With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil.  Cover and refrigerate the vinaigrette. 

2)  To grill the chicken:  Prepare the barbecue for medium-high heat.  Whisk the garlic, rosemary, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of oil in a small bowl to blend.  Rub on the chicken breasts.  Grill the chicken until they are just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.  (I did this on my grill pan and made the mistake of not evening out my chicken breasts - be sure to use a meat mallet and even them out or cooking time may vary!)  Transfer chicken to a platter and refrigerate until it is cold.  Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into thin slices.  Cover and refrigerate the chicken. 

3)  To make the couscous salad:  Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat.  Add the couscous.  Return the water to a boil and cook until it is al dent, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Do not over-cook the couscous, since it will soften further as it cools.  Drain the couscous well, then transfer to a large bowl, and toss it with 2 tablespoons of oil to coat.  Cool to room temp.  (I used a box of Trader Joe's Israeli couscous and followed the directions on the box which were much more like cooking regular couscous.) 

4)  Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat.  Add the onions and saute until they are brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes.  Cool completely.  (You may need to adjust the heat because you don't want the onions to cook too quickly or they won't caramelize, they will just burn.)

5)  Add the onions, asparagus, carrots, zucchini, peppers, beans, and raisins to the coucous.  The vinaigrette, chicken and couscous salad can be made up to this point at least 1 day ahead.  Cover each separately and keep them refrigerated.  Re-whisk vinaigrette before using.

6)  Just before serving, toss the salad with enough vinaigrette to moisten.  Season to taste with more salt and pepper.  Transfer the salad to a large serving bowl or platter.  Arrange the sliced chicken atop the salad.  Garnish with the olives and serve!

* Israeli couscous is larger than regular couscous, with a diameter about the size of black peppercorns.  It is sometimes called pearl couscous.  If you can't find it, you can substitute regular couscous or orzo. 

** Blanching is the process of tenderizing veggies and brightening their colors.  To blanch, simply bring a pot of water to a boil and dump the veggies in for the recommended time.  Pull them out with a slotted spoon and immediately dunk them in ice water to stop the cooking process.  I LOATHE uncooked zucchini, so I was dubious that this would work.  I was pleasantly surprised - loved blanched zucchini!

And one more funny "tape-o" (potato) head face!

Cleansing...

First, how cute is this family pic? It is so hard to find family pics where Owen is a) not sucking on a foffy, b) looking on the camera, and c) smiling! Since I can remember, my family has always worn the Old Navy 4th of July T-shirts, and this year was no different!

Second: we are starting a cleanse from the 4th of July through the 4th of August. I don't know why the 4th, but it seemed like a great place to start. And, no, we aren't doing the traditional cleanse of lemon juice, cayenne and maple syrup. We are just cutting out that which is superfluous: dessert (boooooo - we are actually just cutting back and only having it 3x/week!), fast food (we eat WAY too much fast food - it is kind of gross), and alcohol (I am going to miss my Skinny Girl Margaritas!). So basically we are just trying to eat whole foods for one month, and then be more intentional after this month about eating healthily.

So we started out our month of "cleanse" with this DELISH dish! I pulled this "Grilled Vegetable and Chickpeas with Couscous" out of the 2006 Cooking Light Annual Recipes. We are committed to have Meatless Mondays and this will definitely be in the rotation, along with the Quinoa Taco Salad!

Grilled Vegetables and Chickpeas with Couscous
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 large zucchini (about 8 ounces)
1 large yellow squash (about 6 ounces - I actually used eggplant)
1 small green bell pepper, quartered
1 small red bell pepper, quartered
1 small onion (I used red), cut into 1/4 inch thick slices (about 1/2 cup)
Cooking spray
1 cup water
3/4 cup uncooked couscous (I used Trader Joe's wheat couscous)
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce (I used Sriracha)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Dash of ground cinnamon
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (I used a whole tomato left over from burgers on the 4th!)
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp EVOO (I didn't add this and I didn't miss it either!)
1 (15 1/2 oz) can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 cup (1 oz) crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

1. Prepare grill. (I used my All Clad grill pan because it was WAY TO STINKING HOT to even consider lighting up the grill and standing outside.)

2. Cut zucchini and squash lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices. (I cut the eggplant in 1/4 inch rounds. I also splashed a little EVOO on the zuc and eggplant.) Place zucchini, squash, bell peppers and onion on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until well browned. Remove veggies to a cutting board; cool. Chop veggies into bite-sized pieces; place in a large bowl.

3. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in couscous and next 5 ingredients. Cover, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.

4. Add couscous, tomatoes, and next 4 ingredients to veggie mixture; toss well. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Yield: 4 servings (1 3/4 cups couscous and 1 tablespoon of feta).

*We topped ours off with extra Sriracha sauce!

Here's to a healthy and fresh July!

Party of One

One year for my sister's birthday, she got a PA system - the most random gift ever. I really don't remember why she wanted it or what she planned on doing with it. What I very clearly remember is the constant tormenting from dear sissy and my dad. When I would be in the front yard either washing the car, weeding, planting flowers, etc., they would position the PA system in the upstairs bathroom window and would turn the volume all the way up and repeat the following over and over, "Megan, party of One. Your table is ready." I do not know why they thought this was so funny or why I found it so irritating, but alas, that is what they did. And to this day when I sit down to a meal by myself, I hear my dad saying, "Megan, party of One. Your table is ready." The End.

Anyfood, J man was out of town for a week and so I had to motivate to cook for myself. When I was a "party of one" in Tacoma I often would have a glass (or two) of vino with Mission Tortilla Strips and Pace Picante Salsa - dinner of champions! Alas, as I am eating for two (no, not pregs, just breast feeding) I thought I'd step it up a notch and make something a wee bit healthier!

This fed me for several days, and then we used it as a side salad when my sissy and her fam came to visit us in the Little Apple! (Pictures to follow the recipe!)

Orzo and Roasted Vegetable Salad
Serves 6 (or a "party of one" several times) - Barefoot Contessa Parties!

Ingredients
1 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta
* For the veggies I just threw in what I had - get creative! As for the Orzo - don't go crazy, that stuff multiplies like you've never seen!

For the dressing:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:

4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts), toasted
3/4 pound good feta, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.

~
For your viewing pleasure, some pics from my sister, brother-in-law, and favorite nephew's visit this past week!

Um, of course the boys are Angels fans! My sister and I grew up going to games with my dad. He had season tickets for years and years. My very favorite part of the game was getting ice cream sundaes in the little helmets. Or watching my mom cross-stitch...

How ferocious are O's swim trunks?! The Little Apple has a fabulous splash park. The boys were maybe a little too small for it, but they still had a great time playing in the water!

There was much time spent digging through cabinets we accidentally left open. I don't know why I still leave cabinets open when at the back of my mind, I know O will pull everything out. To me, it looks like Owen is saying to Will, "Can I get you anything else while I'm up here?"

And then Will had to go there with a ring in the face. Big bully. HOWEVER, I will concede that O has become a foffy (our family's term for pacifier) stealer, or, for that matter, a stealer of anything that Will had in his adorable little hands.

In the end, the boys had some good cousin time. I think O misses his big cousin; he has been a bit mopey in the morning. Sad for him. Maybe he needs a little brother or sister?! Or we need to move back to California!

Looking for a side dish?

Obviously, I do not mean that Owen would make a great side dish. I just thought this was a cute pic of my little buddy. The J Man is out of town this week, so Owen and I are going to take the time to really get to know one another...as if that isn't a daily occurrence as a stay-at-home mommy! I will admit that I'm a little freaked out that I am "it" for the week - esp'lly because little man is a) teething, and b) has a terrible cold. The second point means no play dates or time with other adults :( Alas, I am sure we will triumph over what appears to be a daunting week!


Alrighty then, this is the side dish that takes the cake! We made it when my mom was in town a few weeks ago and it is DELISH. (I feel like my descriptions of food are getting a bit redundant as everything is "DELISH" - alas, I am in a funk as I've officially been a stay at home wife/mom for a year now and I lack the outside academic stimulation that was a constant for 5.5 years!) Anyfood, it is super easy and quick and was the star of the show. We served it beside some yummy pork tenderloins that the J man barbecued and dinner was done!

Garlic Roasted Cauliflower
From "Barefoot Contessa - How Easy is That?"
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 whole head of garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
1 large head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into large florets
4 1/2 Tbsp good olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
3 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions
Preheat oven to 450*.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the garlic cloves. Boil for 15 seconds. Drain, peel, and cut off any brown parts. Cut the largest cloves in half lengthwise.

On a sheet pan, toss the cauliflower with the garlic, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Spread the mixture out in a single layer and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing twice, until the cauliflower is tender and the garlic slightly browned.

Scrape the cauliflower into a large bowl with the garlic and pan juices. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the parsley, pine nuts, and lemon juice. Sprinkle with another 1/2 teaspoon of salt, toss well, and serve hot or warm.

Bon Appetit!

The Monster Mash

The boys will be celebrating their first Halloween this year and it was SO FUN to get them together for a photo shoot! And check out those beanies! Aren't they just the cutest?? And I promise this post relates to food eventually...the mash part of Monster Mash is a Mashed Butternut Squash recipe, stay tuned. I just had to show off the little men in my life!

Bat Boy! Owen is still a tinge nocturnal, thus for Halloween, we discussed it and he decided he'd like to be a bat. Obviously he won't be trick-or-treating (although Jeremy thought he'd take Owen out and get some candy for himself...), but he had to have a costume for his first Halloween!

Alright, now on to the food. Yes, I made the Arugula Salad with Fennel, Grapes and Gorgonzola - its hard to resist. I also made the most delectable Mashed Butternut Squash - seriously delish. And my dear friend Ina strips this squash of all of its nutritional value by adding copious amounts of butter, brown sugar and cream - oh my! SO GOOD.

Mashed Butternut Squash

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

Ingredients

2 medium butternut squash (4 to 5 lbs total) - I used 1 3 pounder and adjusted everything accordingly.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/4 cup half and half - I used heavy cream because that is what I had in the fridge.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400*.
2. Cut off and discard the ends of the squash. Peel the squash, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into 3/4 inch cubes and place them on a baking sheet. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Toss all the ingredients together and spread in a single layer. Roast for 30 minutes, or until the squash is very tender. While roasting, turn the squash once to be sure that it cooks evenly. Do not let it brown.
3. Transfer the squash and the pan juices to a large mixing bowl, and mix with an electric mixer until smooth. It should have the consistency of mashed potatoes.
4. Season to taste and serve hot. If the squash is too thick, thin it with milk, orange juice or water.

Owen in the Kitchen

These days, if I want to cook, the little man wants to cook too...or maybe I am the type of mother who doesn't like to leave him alone for one minute because I'm addicted to him? Either way, I've been cooking with the little man either in the baby papasan or the Moby - as pictured above :) It is still fairly warm in Kansas, so the only way the Moby works in the kitch is if the little man is stripped down to his diaper, otherwise he sweats up a storm. And he LOVES his wubbanub! And so do I...it makes it way easy to find the foffy* when it inevitably drops in the Moby, or the infant car seat, or the swing, etc...and it is far less likely to fall out because the little puppy has beans in its paws, so it tends to stay put if he is reclined...

* "Foffy" is our family's name for pacifier. When I was young that is what I called it, and apparently all my cousins thereafter called it the foffy as well. Thus, the foffy is back.

Anyhow, during our little cooking school, I taught O how to make the above salad - Arugula Salad with Grapes, Fennel and Gorgonzola from Cooks Illustrated. I didn't make it exactly as it called for as I live in the Little Apple and I'm limited on ingredients...like arugula. And apricot jam. And celery root - but that is for a different recipe...

Arugula Salad with Grapes, Fennel and Gorgonzola

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients

4 teaspoons apricot jam (I used apricot preserves)

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons EVOO

1 small shallot, very finely minced, about 1 tablespoon (I used 1/2 of a large - O doesn't take kindly to onions and garlic so I've been trying to cut back!)

1/2 small bulb fennel, cored, trimmed of stalks, and sliced very thin, about 1 cup; fronds chopped coarse, about 1/4 cup (I forewent the fronds)

5 ounces lightly packed stemmed arugula, about 8 cups (I used mixed greens, and just enough for J and me for dinner and then me again for lunch today!)

6 oz red seedless grapes, halved (Again, I eyeball this, we love the grapes so I probs do more)

3 oz gorgonzola cheese crumbled, 3/4 cup (I forgot this last night, but I couldn't tell the diff)

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1. Instructions:

   Whisk jam, vinegar, oil, shallot, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Toss fennel with vinaigrette; let stand 15 minutes. Add arugula, fennel fronds, and grapes; toss and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Top with gorgonzola.

   
   

   Bon Appetit!

Delicious and Nutritious

Seriously, this little salad is delish and nutrish!! I was just home for a week and collected quite a few recipes from my mammers - but this is the only one that didn't include several sticks of butter and or cream cheese...Don't worry, those will be posted soon as well! I made this Quinoa Taco Salad on a whim last night and CANNOT wait for lunch today!

My mom quilts with her friend Elaine quite regularly at Elaine's house (Elaine has all the fancy machines). And my mom has come home, not only with wonderful projects, but with a handsome collection of recipes from Elaine. This is one of the tasty little delights...she also has this amazing bread salad that I will have to add soon!

Quinoa Taco Salad

Elaine Miller and my mom ~ serves 4 to 6 depending on how hungry you are!

Ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa (I buy my quinoa at Trader Joe's; I will have to find a new source when I move to Kansas...like the US Postal Service and my mom...I cooked 1/2 cup quinoa in 1 cup water and I had plenty. In fact, it made about 1 3/4 cup and I just added all of it)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp chili powder

dash cayenne pepper

1/2 each red, yellow and green bell pepper (I just used one full yellow and 1/2 red. Obviously you can go crazy and add as much pepper as you want!)

1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

3/4 cup tomatoes, diced (I did about 1 package of cherry tomatoes)

2 limes (I ended up only using one)

Salt and pepper to taste

6-8 ounces baby spinach

1 bunch cilantro

1/3 cup cheddar or feta

1 avocado, diced

Instructions

Add seasoning to water when cooking quinoa. (I'm not sure what seasoning the recipe is referring to - I didn't add a thing and I didn't think anything was missing. If I had an open can/container of chicken broth, I would have cooked the quinoa in chicken broth.)

Heat evoo in saute pan over medium heat. Add onion, cook for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne and peppers. Saute 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in the black beans, tomatoes and juice of 1 lime. Stir in quinoa. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill. (I didn't make it enough in advance, so ours was slightly warm and yummy!)

Roughly cut baby spinach into strips. (Okay, I thought this step wasn't necessary, until I tried to eat the quinoa mixture - it was a pain with the larger leaves. I'd recommend NOT skipping this step!) Remove about 1 cup of cilantro leaves, wash, dry and toss with spinach. (I chopped mine and just sprinkled it on top of the feta.) Divide mixture among 4 salad plates. Top with scoop of quinao salad. Top with cheese and diced avocado. Garnish with lime.

Bon Appetit!

Choppin' Broccoli

Do you guys remember that Dana Carvy "Choppin'Broccoli" skit? I've linked it if not; basically Dana sings about choppin' broccoli, and that is exactly what I was doing when I was making Broccoli Soup! Seriously, so easy and delish. And if you live in DC, you can store the leftovers on your balcony during Snowmageddon 2010...

This recipe is inexact, but I will give the list of ingredients anyhow. It comes down to taste really. We ate it with a loverly butternut squash sally - I will give the ingredients for the salad dressing as well!

Broccoli Soup

Serves a ton - from My Mom's Kitch (who I think got it from my Aunt Wink)

Ingredients: (Note, I always, always, always, double this recipe)

1 lb. broccoli or 2 10 oz. packages frozen broccoli (I've also used the precut bags from Trader Joe's - just be sure to cut off the bad bits)

3 cups chicken broth (2 cans) (Again, inexact, I basically poor in enough broth so that just the top layer is not submerged - then I cover and the steam will reduce the bulk of the broccoli. You can always add more broth later if you like a soupier soup!)

1/8 tsp pepper (I used freshly ground from my new mortar and pestle!)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp lemon bits or rind, or 1 tsp fresh lemon zest

1/4 tsp Tabasco

Olive oil (for those who need an amount, I usually eye ball it, its for sauteing the onion...I'd do no more than a tablespoon)

1 onion, finely chopped

Milk (optional - I never add it) until creamy consistency

Yay, how fun is my new mortar and pestle?? I laaauuuuuvvvveeee it!

Instructions:

Saute onion with some olive oil (again, inexact). Add broccoli and broth (like I said earlier, add enough to leave the top layer of broccoli un-submerged - the picture above is after it has been cooking with the lid on and the broccoli and cooked down a bit.) Simmer until broccoli is soft. Add remainder of ingredients. Process with a hand held blender to desired consistency. Serve immediately because it is so good!!

Do you have a hand held blender? I also love this little kitchen gadget. Very handy for soups!

YUMMMMMMMMM!

Dinner is served! The salad is a butternut squash salad that I copied from my cousin Jamie - who adapted it from our girl Ina (Back to Basics)...It is a bed of arugula, bacon, roasted butternut squash, toasted pecans, and a dab of goat cheese! The dressing ingredients and instructions are as follows:

3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice (I actually used white grape juice and couldn't even tell...)

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons minced shallots (I just used onion because that was all I had)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Combine juice, vinegar and shallots in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Bon Appetit!

Fall Fave

So I am trying out my new fancy pants camera - I'm still working on taking awesome pics of food. I kind of like th focuse of this one on the garlic. Thoughts? Anyfood, I forgot to take pictures in stages, and literally only caught the last mouthful of this fabulous butternut squash recipe. YUMMMMMM. This one is brought to us by my friend Ina, out of "Back to Basics." Super easy, super yummy, and *somewhat* healthy.

Maple Roasted Butternut Squash
Serves 6 ~ Back to Basics

Ingredients
1 large butternut squash (mine weighed in at 2.8 pounds - I wish I had a little bit more - ours only served 4)
1 head garlic, seperated but not peeled
2 tbsp good olive oil
2 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 oz thinly sliced pancetta, chopped (Trader Joes sells it already diced - excellent time saver! You can also use thick, center cut bacon)
16 whole fresh sage leaves
French bread, for serving (we skipped the carbo loading, kind of. We had an app that involved bread, so we took it easy here...)

Instructions
1) Preheat over to 400 degrees.

2) Peel and seed the butternut squash and then cut it into 3/4 to 1 inch cubes. Place the squash and the whole unpeeled garlic cloves on a sheet pan in one layer. Toss with the olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the squash begins to brown, turning once during baking. (I only baked for 15 minutes, I have a real aversion to mushy butternut squash and prefer mine a little more firm.)

3) Sprinkle the pancetta and sage leaves evenly over the butternut squash and continue to bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the squash and garlic are tender and caramelized. (Again, to avoid mushiness, I only baked for 20 minutes.) Season to taste and serve hot with French bread for guests to spread with the roasted garlic. (Aaahhhh, didn't read this last part re: the importance of bread with the lovely melt-in-your-mouth buttery garlic. I cannot tell you how many times my mother has instructed me to read the recipe all the way through - lesson learned.)

*Note: the maple syrup makes a bit of a mess in the second round of baking. If you don't want to make a huge baked on syrupy mess, line your pan with foil. I used a Wilton nonstick jelly roll pan and it came off fairly fast with a little soaking over night.

All Dressed Up - Part Deux

No pictures today - but that doesn't mean this recipe isn't worthy! This is one of my favorite dressings (and salads). However, the dressing recipe makes a boat load, so I end up using the dressing on just about every salad. SO YUMMY.

Poppy Seed Dressing and Spinach Salad

Makes 3 cups of dressing ~ from my mom (who got it from Bon Appetit)

Spinach Salad

1 pound fresh spinach, torn into bite sized pieces (I used baby spinach, it tastes better to me and it doesn't need to be torn up)

1 pint fresh strawberries or other seasonal fruit

1/2 cup each - walnuts and blue cheese or gorgonzola

Toss together and add poppy seed dressing just before serving

Dressing

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon dry mustard

2 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 onion - finely chopped

2 cups salad oil ( I use canola)

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Mix together sugar, mustard, salt, vinegar, and onion in a blender. Process until onion is super small (almost liquified). With blender running, slowly add oil and continue blending until thick. Add poppy seeds and whirl a few more seconds.

Bon Appetit!

All Dressed Up

Isn't summer wonderful?!  I am simply addicted to anything I can get my hands on at our local Farmer's Market or our farm co-op!  This yummy Salad Nicoise was made with potatoes and tomatoes from our local farmer's market, and amazing, I mean simply delish, green beans from our farm co-0p.  This salad is so satisfying, we had it again today for lunch, sans salmon.  Yummy!  

The dressing we used was from the Silver Palate - I've only made a few things out of this little gem and, oh my heavens, it has all be great!  I used chives and parsley straight from our balcony herb garden :)

Our Favorie Vinaigrette

Makes 1 Cup ~ The Silver Palate

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Minced fresh parsley and/or snipped fresh chives to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

1.  Measure the mustard into a bowl.  Whisk in the vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and herbs.

2.  Continue to whisk the mixture while slowly dribbling in the olive oil until the mixture thickens.  Adjust the seasoning to taste.  Cover until ready to use.  (Vinaigrette is best if made just before it is to be used.)  If necessary, whisk again before serving.

**For our tasty Nicoise we had red potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, eggs, salmon, olives, a little lemon (for the salmon).  But you can add whatev you want!  For lunch today we added cucumbers, green onions, and yellow bell peppers - all locally grown :)