This week was a bit of a struggle...Brian had to work all through the weekend so neither of us really had a break. Finally yesterday he had a day off and I got to get out of the house and he got to spend quality time with Hazel. It was a win win. But during the week we did have a small break from the rain so Hazel and I took a walk, I baked a cake and got to try out a new lunch place. So even though I was beyond exhausted we still had a good time.

Crab Legs and Rolls for Days

TGIF everyone! Hazel went to bed early and I just finished eating my Thai takeout for 1 because Brian will be coming home late. 

This week has gone by so fast surprisingly. Every January when Brian is working so many hours the month can tend to drag on but now I have a new time consuming distraction :) 

 

 Enjoying coffee (lately 1 shot of espresso topped off with brewed coffee and half & half) in my new mug & banana bread. My favorite recipe is from the Good Housekeeping book

I made and ate crab leg for the very first time. It was even better than I imagined. Here's how I seasoned the water...

3 tbsp old bay seasoning

1 tbsp garlic powder

3-4 bay leaves

10-15 whole black peppercorns

salt to taste

water to fill the pot

Boil crab legs 4 minutes

 Trying on her new hat

 Eating sweet potatoes for the first time

 Always smiling at mama

Baby rolls are the best!!! 

This Week

Hey I'm back! I am thinking 1 post a week seems about the speed at which I will be writing. If I commit to more than I will feel my over commitment looming over my head and then I will feel guilty because I am only posting once a week. So... 

For the very first time EVER I tried to make sunny side up eggs and they actually turned out. I was always intimidated because it's too easy to mess up (or so I heard). But there is a show called America's Test Kitchen that I love and I used their method. It's pretty easy actually and great for making multiple eggs at once. Here's what you do...

• Put 2 eggs in a small cup (if you are making more than place other 2 eggs in another small cup) Season with salt and pepper. Set aside
• Heat pan on low for 5 minutes
• Once it hits 5 minutes crank up the heat to medium high
• Pour the eggs in the pan
• Cover the pan for 2 minutes (no peeking!) 
• Take the pan off the heat still covered anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes depending on how runny you like the yolk. 
• Tada! It's ready! See? Easy peasy. 

I used the eggs for tacos

I also made a roast chicken in my new dutch oven. I love all the different colors!

Today we had Hazel's 6 month checkup and she had 2 shots. She cried for 3 seconds. THREE SECONDS. She's an angel. She checked out perfectly and funnily enough she has a rather large noggin. haha! 

Baby Girl

Most of you already know I had Hazel back in July. That's nearly
six months ago already! I love looking back and seeing how much she has changed. Currently...

-laughing all the time

-rolling over any chance she gets

-smiles at me EVERY single time I smile at her

-sleeping through the night most nights 

-almost outgrowing her 6 month clothes

newborn

1 month old

2 months old

3 months old

4 months old

5 months old

Today! 

Hello again!

It's been a VERY long time since I have posted. Way before I was even pregnant. I have decided to start blogging again because I was reminiscing the other night going over past blog entries and remembering how much fun I had doing it. Only this time another little person will be included...miss Hazel. I will still be sharing delicious recipes, adventures and day to day activities that I find amusing. I hope this time I will remain consistent in posting!    

Spaghetti a la Carbonara

Are you ready for the indulgence of all indulgences in the pasta world? Yep, it's carbonara and good Lord it's good! I sort of put off making this dish only because it's worthy of clogging the ol' arteries but after several requests for it I decided to make this little treat. It really is super easy and this recipe came pretty dang close to the carbonara we had in Rome. The only thing I would change is to not add any extra salt since the pancetta has plenty.

Ingredients:

• 1lb pancetta, diced into 1" cubes
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 6 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan 
• 1lb dried pasta, I used spaghetti
• 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

 Directions:

• Heat a large saute pan, until hot. Add pancetta and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Season with black pepper and remove from pan from heat.
• In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and cream together. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in parmesan, reserving 2 tbsp for garnish. Or just grate extra for garnish like I did. Set aside.
• Heat a pot of water and cook pasta until al dente. Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse the pasta with water; you want to retain the natural starches so that the sauce will stick.
• While the pasta is still hot, return it back to the pot. Add the pancetta and mix well. Add the egg and cream mixture and coat the pasta completely. It's important to work quickly while the pasta is still warm so that the cream mixture will cook, but not curdle. Add the remaining parmesan and parsley leaves to garnish. 
• Ready to serve! 

I made this dish for a small dinner party so I didn't have time to take pictures so here's the picture from Giada 

Baked Doughnuts

Recently I have seen a few different posts on pinterest and other blogs about making your own doughnuts. My whole pregnancy I have really craved a dang doughnut but have successfully dodged them up until this point. These recipes are baked rather than fried and have a few substitutes that make them a little healthier. Here are 2 different recipes that caught my eye. I think my doughnut hiatus is over!

http://www.theskinnyfork.com/blog/skinny-vanilla-bean-donuts

http://www.designlovefest.com/2015/03/baked-doughnuts-almond-breeze/

Pork Chops with Corn and Jalapeno Salad

Here's a dish to put you in the mood for summer! I needed that yesterday and this meal really hit the spot.

Ingredients:

• 4 bone in pork chops
• 1 tbsp (or less if desired) salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 4 ears corn, remove kernels
• 2 limes, zested and juiced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 pint sweet tomatoes, diced
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

• Combine the sugar, salt and coriander. Rub each of the pork chops on both sides with the mixture, and refrigerate overnight. I didn't buy them ahead of time so I just seasoned and waiting 30 minutes and then cooked them. If you do it this way, I would add less salt. 
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• In a large bowl for the salad, add the lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, tomatoes, scallions and garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. 
• Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat with olive oil. Once hot add the corn and jalapeno. I cooked for about 5 minutes. Toss in the salad bowl and mix everything together.
• Add a little more olive oil to the pan and add the pork chops. Brown both sides. Once browned, throw in the oven for about 5 minutes or until completely cooked inside. I had my trusty meat thermometer to help me. You can cook the pork chops solely on the cook top if you want...I just decided to finish them off in the oven. 
• The original recipe calls for a bbq but I had to improvise seeing as how we are still pretty rainy here.

Ham & Cheese Danish

Anyone else always on the hunt for easy and filling breakfast ideas? I have the luxury of eating whenever I'm hungry, and trust me it's a lot these days, but Brian always eats in the car on the way to work or at his desk at work. So it's nice for him to have something in his stomach to fuel him for a few hours. I know I make a lot of things from The Chew but seriously, they make so many good things! Enter: the ham and cheese danish. This one is as easy as layering and assembling but feels a little extra fancy because it's in a puff pastry. Side note, I made these Monday night and refrigerated them overnight to serve each morning...trust me, you want to reheat. It's not that great cold. Lesson learned.

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup gruyere, shredded
• 4 slices cooked ham, you can use deli meat
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche
• chives, finely chopped for garnish

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• In a medium saute pan over medium low heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil. Add sliced onions and cook until onions turn golden brown and release their natural sugar, about 30 minutes. Add a bit of water to the pan as necessary if brown bits begin to form on the bottom. Not too much though! Season with salt and pepper. Allow onions to cool.
• To form the danish, on one half of the pastry, place half of the caramelized onions, half of the cheese and half of the ham, leaving a 1" border around the edges. Repeat with remaining ingredients, seasoning each layer. 
• In a small bowl, beat 1 egg. Brush the 1" border with the beaten egg and then carefully fold the pastry over the ingredients, like you are closing a book. Crimp the edges all around the border to seal and transfer the pastry to a parchment lined sheet pan. Brush the entire pastry with the beaten egg. Using a sharp knife, cut a few slices on top of the pastry. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. 
• Top the danish with creme fraiche and chopped chives.

Fried Chicken & Smoothies

I know I said last week that we are trying to eat better...well yesterday we decided to cheat and have something wonderfully indulgent. I made oven-fried chicken with cornbread and broccoli slaw. It hit the spot! I also made smoothies which I guess are slightly healthier however it still is quite a bit of sugar. After being married to Brian if there is 1 skill I have acquired it's definitely nutrition knowledge. (Do put that good knowledge to use? Of course not!) "Sugar is sugar" he would say, doesn't matter what the source is. On the plus side, this smoothie has no added sugar. Hooray!

Oven-Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

• 8 pieces of chicken (thighs, drumsticks, breasts, whatever you prefer)
• 1 quart buttermilk
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp freshly ground pepper
• vegetable oil or shortening

Directions:

• Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Take the chicken out of the buttermilk and coat each piece thoroughly with the flour mixture. Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottomed stockpot (I used my dutch oven) to a depth of 1 inch and heat to 360 degrees F on a thermometer. 
• Working in batches, carefully place several pieces of chicken in the oil and fry for about 3 minutes on each side until the coating is a light golden brown (it will continue to cook in the oven). Don't crowd the pieces. Remove the chicken from the oil and place each piece on a metal baking rack set on a sheet pan. Allow the oil to return to 360 degrees before frying the next batch. When all the chicken is fried, bake for 30-40 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink inside. 

Truth be told I am obsessed with Safeway's broccoli slaw and boxed cornbread. YUM

Fruit Smoothie

I chose this particular smoothie because it is exactly what I had on hand. The blueberries I used were from our yard last summer...thank you freezer!

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup yogurt (I used plain greek yogurt)
• splash of almond milk (or whichever milk you prefer and only if needed. I don't like my smoothies too thick)

Directions:

Throw everything in your blender and voila! 

Roasted Garlic and Chicken Soup

Anyone else have a go to food when sick? Mine is a family soup recipe that I make myself usually in the midst of the sickness storm but even in the middle of feeling like death, the ritual of making the soup and then being able to eat it somehow helps. Maybe it's just mental. Whatever works right??

This week Brian and I decided to start eating a bit healthier. Not that we really eat that much junk food but I definitely tend to indulge a bit more than usual when it comes to cooking dinner. Anyways, I mention the sicky part because this soup could easily become a new "sick soup." It's got loads of garlic, jalapeno and lemon, etc...all wonderful for you when sick. And it's delicious and filling. A win in my book!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups farro (rinsed)
• 2 heads garlic
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, sliced into coins
• 1 jalapeno, sliced
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 cups leftover shredded chicken
• 1 lemon, juiced

Directions:

• Cook farro according to package instructions and set aside
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut garlic bulbs crosswise to remove the tops and expose the cloves. Place the bulbs on a large piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Gather the edges of aluminum and press together to completely encapsulate the garlic like a little tent. Bake for 30 minutes. 
• Remove garlic from oven and carefully open up the package. Garlic cloves should be soft and golden. Squeeze out the softened cloves from the bulb, discarding the skins. Blend garlic into the broth using an immersion blender or traditional blender. Set aside. 
• Heat a large dutch oven over medium with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Saute the onions and carrots, seasoning with salt, until soft and translucent. Add sliced jalapenos and cook for 2 minutes or until soft. Stir in ginger and cook until fragrant. 
• Stir in the garlic chicken broth and parsley. Add cooked farro, shredded chicken and lemon. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary and serve warm.   

Shroom Stifado

I made this Greek stew Monday night which is a healthier version of beef stifado. Both recipes were made on The Chew (I love them!) and so I thought it's probably better I go with the healthier version considering I don't want to gain all my baby weight in one night. Honestly, I couldn't have even told you it was "healthy" because it was super hearty and full of flavor. Definitely keeping this recipe on hand.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 lbs cremini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms, cleaned & cut into bite size pieces
• 1 lb shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 cups tomato puree
• 4 cups mushroom stock (can also use veg or chicken)
• 1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped to garnish
• greek yogurt, to garnish
• kosher salt and pepper

Directions:

• Place a dutch oven over med high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. About 8 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
• Add the shallots and season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned. Then reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for an additional 20 minutes. 
• Next, add the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, allspice, and nutmeg. Stir to combine and toast everything for 30 seconds. 
• Next, add the wine, tomato puree, stock and bay leaves. Add the potatoes and cooked mushrooms. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. 
• Remove from the heat. Garnish with parsley and a dollop of yogurt.

Picture is from The Chew...as usual I forgot to take a picture of my own :)

Bacon Pancakes with Maple Bourbon Butter Sauce

Sunday morning I woke up before Brian (never happens) and decided that making him pancakes would be a nice surprise. So I put my jacket on, headed to the store to get a couple missing ingredients and even got a couple boxes of girl scout cookies on my way out. I was off to a good start! After seeing this recipe I thought that these have to be amazing based on the title alone. And they were!! Delicious! It makes eating pancakes just a little more special.

Ingredients:

For the pancakes

•  8 slices bacon
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 4 tbsp melted butter

For the sauce

• 2 tbsp bourbon
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 cup maple syrup

Directions:

• fry the bacon until crispy and set aside
•  chop the bacon into bits and separate into 2 sections
• in a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar, whisking together to thoroughly combine
• add the buttermilk, butter, half the bacon, and eggs and whisk together until combined but still slightly lumpy
• drop spoonfuls onto pan and cook both sides
• transfer to a warm oven while cooking the rest and the sauce
• in a small sauce pot, combine the bourbon and maple syrup, whisking together over medium heat until thoroughly combined and hot
• cook until reduced slightly, about 5 minutes, then whisk the butter in 1 tbsp at a time until fully incorporated
• serve a stack of pancakes covered in syrup and sprinkled with the reserved bacon crumbs 

I Live For Pasta

It's been a few months since I have posted and I figured I would start back up again eventually...it just took a darn good recipe to do the trick. Tonight I made pasta puttanesca for the first time. It was incredibly easy and very tasty. Give it a whirl!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces pasta (any variety you prefer)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup pitted spanish or greek olives
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1 tsp anchovy paste
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper (i added more because i like a kick)
• 1 14oz can diced tomato
• 3/4 cup arugula, chopped
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan 

 Directions:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta and cook accordingly
• While the water is heating up, heat the oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat
• Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute
• Add the parsley, olives, capers, anchovy paste, oregano and red peppers. Saute for about 2 minutes
• Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes. 
• Stir in the arugula and simmer for 1 minute more, until the greens wilt slightly.
• When the pasta is done, drain and toss with the sauce. 
• Top with grated cheese

I ate mine with buttered bread

If you've never tried these olives, they are delicious!

 

I don't condone violence in any way but when I saw this video I literally laughed out loud several times because I watched it like 10x in a row. We have all been there...we patiently wait for a parking spot even with our blinkers on and some jerk swoops right in a steals it. It gets my blood boiling just thinking of it. I better watch this video again.

 

 

Tuscan "Wine" Tour

During our stay in Florence we signed ourselves up for a "wine tour." Just an fyi, it's not really a wine tour, it's a bus tour that takes you to 3 small towns and 1 wine tasting at the very end. Regardless it was fun and relaxing. We were mixed in with a tour bus full of tourists from everywhere and our tour guide gave the whole thing in 3 languages. She was a riot! There were at least a handful to times that we all giggled at her because she was extremely loud, theatrical and just a real character.