Day 101: Chicken & Goat Cheese Salads

Here's a healthy and flavorful lunch or dinner for you!  It was our dinner tonight.  The salad consists of lettuce (usually I like spinach, too, but we're out), red pepper strips, goat cheese (crumbled), and grilled black pepper chicken.  For flavor, before I grilled the chicken, I loaded it with black pepper and a little salt.  It really adds a kick to the salad.  Balsamic vinaigrette was the dressing.  Yum!

Day 100: Pulled Pork Ragu (in case you missed it!)

So it's Day 100 and this process definitely has become habit--it feels like a regular part of my life for sure right now.  However, I'm disappointed that I have nothing new or exciting to share for this milestone.  I didn't realize that it was going to be my 100th day this week while I was planning the menu.  Tonight we had the pulled pork ragu I made a few weeks ago.  So it wasn't my first time making it, but it WAS our first time having it as a family.  (Actually, I haven't even had it yet, I just got back from the gym and am looking forward to having it in a little while!)

I buy a pork roast for this meal and both times I've made it, the meat has completely fallen apart--it's so tender and wonderful!  Tonight I couldn't even get it out of the slow-cooker with a fork.  I love that!  If you missed this recipe the last time, take a look.  It's so good and a great alternative to the sometimes boring spaghetti and meatballs. :)

Market Basket vs. Hannaford (Plus Day 99: Tacos Round 2)

So, I totally failed on one of my goals for the use of this blog!  We had tacos for dinner tonight (quick, easy, needed while we regroup from vacation) and it's only the second time we've had them since I started this blog.  The first time was Day 39.  When I posted the link to facebook, I asked people to post tips they have for taco night, or different things they like to try.  I think one of the ideas was to use ground turkey instead of beef.  Well, I should've gone to look for that post and used some people's ideas.  That was one of the points for starting this blog!  (Of course, it would've been a little easier if the comments were on the blog itself, but that's okay.)  Anyway, I forgot to do that and just made tacos the way I always do, as you can see if you follow the link to Day 39.  Oh well, next time!  And if you have any of your own tips for taco night and want to share them on my blog, please do so!!!  So tomorrow is the 100th day and we've only had tacos twice!  That's pretty good, I'd say! :)

Update on Grocery Shopping
On Day 75 I announced a new experiment I would be conducting in the realm of grocery shopping.  I usually do my shopping at Hannaford, but I had been wondering if by shopping at Market Basket, I could actually reduce my grocery bill.  Percentage-wise, I believe we have about the right amount of money budgeted for groceries (maybe a little under), but we are always going over budget.  So many people are always talking about how cheap Market Basket it, I couldn't help but wonder...

But what I don't like about the Market Basket near me is that it's always crowded.  Very crowded.  Parking is bad, it's hard to navigate through the store, etc.  I've even arrived there 20 minutes after opening, and it's still bad!  You might say, "Hey, that tells you something!  It MUST be cheaper if everyone is always there!"  I've thought that, I really have.  Thus, this experiment.  I calculated how much money I spent at the grocery store (only) for 2 months.  In March I did my usual shopping at Hannaford, but in April, I shopped only at Market Basket for groceries.  (Except when I couldn't find the pita pockets or sandwich wraps ANYWHERE--deli department, bread department, organic, etc. Fail.)  It was frustrating.  Grocery shopping always took longer because 1) it was crowded and 2) I didn't know where anything was!  If time is money, I definitely lost some here!  And time is pretty precious to me right now!

There were other things I had to consider, also.  We went on vacation in April, so normally our grocery bill would be lower since we wouldn't need to buy for the time we were away.  However, Easter was right before our vacation and I spent a lot on Easter ingredients.  So I figured that kind of balanced out.  The result?  Do you want to know if I saved money?  (Market Basket is also running a 4% off all groceries all year, so you would kind of expect to save money, right?)  Okay.  Did I save money?  Yep.  A whopping $11.  Actually, I came in $10.80 lower than I did last month on groceries.  That is roughly a 2% savings.  You could take this to mean that if Market Basket was not running it's 4% special all year, I would actually save 2% by shopping at Hannaford.  Interesting, isn't it?

Now, my official experiment might be over, but my investigation isn't.  You see, I've also just started changing some of my buying habits.  For one thing, I'm buying more Greek yogurt and almond milk for protein shakes.  This started just in the last week or two.  These things could be cheaper at Market Basket, meaning, I could have saved a few more bucks if I didn't start buying those products recently.  I'm not sure.  But both stores are so close to me that it won't be hard to do some specific comparing.  I'm not one to sit in front of the computer for hours searching for coupons.  I don't have time for that.  But I am a good multi-tasker and make quick trips to the store(s) often.  I can easily make a mental note of specific prices and mark them down somewhere.  For instance, I have already noticed that milk and eggs are pretty much exact in their pricing between stores.  (Sure, sometimes Hannaford has a sale.)  Most produce is the same, too.  But mozzarella cheese comes in bigger packages at Market Basket and I THINK it's cheaper.  I haven't compared exactly, yet, but Hannaford doesn't have a store brand mozzarella and MB does, so it would stand to reason.  I thought blueberries were expensive this week at MB, so when I ran quick to Hannaford after school for some raspberries (Hannaford is closer to my house, easier for me to navigate, so much better for a quick run), I noticed that blueberries were actually $1 more at Hannaford.  They're just not in season yet, so I guess they'll be expensive everywhere.  I've also noticed that meat is far less expensive at Hannaford.  So anyway, I plan to keep making a mental note of these things and if I can stand to shop at 2 places on occasion, if it's worth it, I'll do it.  I'm honestly not sure where I'm going this Saturday when I shop, it will probably depend on my menu and my hunches for pricing.  As far as keeping us on budget, I have some other ideas for that, and am working on it.  It's not a dire situation, mind you, just something I'm keeping my eye on. ;)

Days 94-98 (Wed-Sun): Sonoma Valley Vacation & Recovery

There are no new recipes in this post since I haven't cooked anything for the past 5 days!  But, I got some ideas and learned a lot about wine!  (To read more about this trip, see my page on What Inspires Me.)

The first thing I tried that I knew I had to write about was the pizza.  Traditional West Coast pizza is very different from our style of pizza.  Sure, you can order a plain cheese, pepperoni, or many other similar types of pies, but they won't taste as good, I imagine.  We did have a more "traditional" East Coast pizza one night, and it was sub-standard.  The dough was flat and not flavorful at all, the cheese was barely melted, and the marinara sauce tasted pretty awful.  So, my theory is, if you're on the West Coast and you want pizza, eat a traditional West Coast pizza!  This pizza had loads of toppings, that actually worked with the more "flatbread" style crust.  It was loaded with a ranch dressing-type sauce, pepperoni, bacon, chicken, mushroom, tomatoes, basil, red onions, mozzarella cheese, and I believe Jack cheese, and drizzled with barbeque sauce.  It was delicious!!!

This was Wednesday, Day 94, and a recipe I will be re-creating in my own kitchen sometime soon!  (We arrived in Sonoma Wednesday evening.  Most wineries and fine dining places there close between 5-6 pm.  We opted for a more casual dining experience, The Round Table, open until 11.  We had wine in our room that night!)

The Merlot was Randy's favorite selection from Chateau St. Jean.

Day 95 was filled with wine-tasting, driving, site-seeing and simply enjoying being husband and wife.  We had a very relaxing trip, and though I wrestled with the "ethics" of it--missing my children, wondering if I was being selfish, etc, I know how worth it it really was!  You need that time to just be husband and wife.  And sometimes the occasional "date night" isn't enough.  It's no secret that Randy and I have very busy lives at the moment.  How fortunate we are to have family close willing and able to help out in various ways.  More specifically, to have my parents live close enough to see our kids regularly and be willing to "keep" them for 4 days and 3 nights while we were on the other side of the country.

Rest is not only necessary, it's Biblical.  And it comes in many forms.  It's very hard for parents ("working" AND non) to come by rest.  I have such an energetic personality, have traveled a lot, and have many places I still want to see and things I want to do.  So it was difficult for me to keep this trip casual and restful.  While planning it, I had to work hard not to over-plan.  And while experiencing, yes, we gave up doing a few things that I would've liked to do because they may have been too much trouble to be worth it.  This trip was about rest.  Rest that comes from knowing your children are well taken care of (even though Abby refused to talk to me the 2 times I called her--she's 2.  Whatever.)  Rest that comes from knowing you are with your best friend in the whole world, you have forgotten all responsibilities, and can just do what you please when you please.  Even rest that comes from knowing that when the vacation is over, you are still with your best friend, have beautiful, well-behaved children, and almost everyday can feel like a vacation if you look at it the right way.  That is what we got--rest.  And it was wonderful.

Part of Chateau St. Jean

In a way, I was able to relate the idea of rest to a fine wine.  We learned a lot about wine while in Wine Country.  Our first stop was the Chateau St. Jean.  I know I've bought their wine here, before.  And it's good.  We had a nice tasting in their estate room and explored the grounds a little bit.
Our next stop was the Benziger Family Winery.  Here's where we learned the most.  We had a guided tour of their vineyards and farm and learned about the different types of grapes, what they need as far as sun, temperature, rain, etc, and how they are fermented (i.e. rested).  It is essential for the grape "juice" to just sit in barrels and just rest.  Anywhere from 3 months to 2 years before heading to bottle.  (By they way, these huge barrels we saw hundreds of--produce about 288 bottles each!  And selling for no less than $20 a bottle at a winery, that's a pretty hefty pay-day!  We also tried a taste of a $100 bottle of wine.  Yeah, it was that good.)  Without the resting period, the wine does not have that amazing effect (no, not drunkenness)--the one where it tickles your taste buds with only a whiff.  A wine-bound
grape needs rest in order to ferment and become what it's meant to become.  Just like we need rest in

order to be our best in the day-to-day.  Yeah, this may be cheesy, but c'mon, you know it's true!
After the Benziger Family Winery (where we also picnicked with wine and sandwiches and snacks from Whole Foods), we were given free vauchers to taste at their "sister" winery, the Imagery Family Estate.  How can you pass up free wine-tasting???  These wines can only be bought there, at the winery.  They were very good, also.  Our dinner that night was at Saddles Steakhouse, and it was excellent.  And that would be Day 95.

Day 96 consisted of a bit more tasting (Schug Winery and Robledo Family Winery) and then it was back to San Francisco.  The plan was to do a lot of site-seeing, but we only did some.  It was raining and cold and rather miserable.  Here's where that tough decision to not site-see came into play.  Randy is not a city-boy.  I feel like a city-girl at heart.  This trip was his gift, though, and I was fine just relaxing as much as he didn't want to be in the city one more minute, dripping wet.  We headed straight for our "airport" hotel and what?  That's right, rested.  Sure, we got to see the Golden Gate Bridge, but what we didn't do is all the more reason to go back, right? :)  By the way, our dinner that night, was not good.  Yep, this was the pizza I was talking about earlier.  Oh well.  It happens.

Saturday we headed home.  Day 97 was filled with airport food, good stuff at the Atlanta airport!  Day 98, today, was recovery.  Grocery shopping before church, pastries for breakfast, mac & cheese for lunch, and Chinese food for Randy & my dinner.  Let the vacation continue, just one more night!  Tomorrow it's back to the grind, but we will be sure to remember to keep resting when we need it!  And yes, I can't wait to make dinners worthy enough to be paired with some of the wine we took home, and I'll be re-creating that pizza sooner rather than later, I think!  :)

  

Day 93: Dijon Chicken, Ham, & Cheese Wraps

A friend came over for lunch today and we ate while the kids were napping.  For spring or summer lunches, I love to make wraps.  They are perfect for picnics because you can wrap them in foil and pack them and they are easy to eat wherever you are!  Folding wraps can be tricky to learn, but once you've practiced, it come naturally.  Just be careful to not overstuff your wrap--that's probably most people's downfall.  Here's one of my favorite wraps, and the one I made today.  I originally got the idea from a Pampered Chef recipe book, but I've changed it a little.

Dijon Chicken, Ham & Cheese Wrap

makes 3-4 wraps

2 large chicken breasts
1 TB dijon mustard
1 1/2 TB Pampered Chef dijon mustard rub (or another dijon mustard powder, or just more dijon mustard--I've done it all ways)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup mayonnaise
salt, pepper
2 slices of ham per wrap
2 slices of cheese per wrap
2 pickle slices per wrap
*You can really use any kind of wrap you want, wheat, white, green, etc.  I would probably avoid the honey wheat, though, since it might mess with the flavor.  I use white wraps in this recipe.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, and about 1 TB of the dijon mustard rub (divided among the sides of the chicken).  Grill on both sides until cooked through.  Cool slightly.  Cut the chicken into small cubes.

In a medium bowl, mix the garlic, dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and remaining rub (or extra mustard).  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add the cubed chicken and stir.

Clean the grill pan used to cook the chicken and return to a burner over medium heat.  On a counter or cutting board, lay a wrap out flat.  Layer the pieces of ham and cheese on the wrap.

Spread some of the chicken mixture over the cheese--here's where you need to be careful not to stuff it too much!!!  Lay a sliced pickle or two over the chicken.

To wrap it, start with the ends and fold them both in.

With the ends tucked in, roll the wrap and finish it seam-side down.

Transfer it to the grill pan and grill a few minutes on each side.  Start with the seam-side down to really "seal" it and melt the cheese.  Press down with a spatula before flipping.

Day 92: Honey Teryaki Salmon (the easy 1), Green Beans, Brown Wild Rice

On Day 50 I made a honey-teryaki salmon with a homemade sauce.  Tonight, I got a little help from Tastefully Simple.  They make a honey-teryaki sauce.  It comes in a jar.  So simple!  So tasty!  Tonight I just spread that on my salmon and grilled it in a pan with grill-lines.  I then finished it off in the oven.  Remember, salmon is to be cooked 90/10.  That's 90% on the skin-side, and 10% of the cooking time on the flesh side.  So I start on the flesh side to get those nice grill marks on the fish.  Once they're there, I turn the salmon to the skin side and finish it in a 350* oven.

First night this year with fresh green beans!!!  I so look forward to fresh vegetable season.  My favorite way to make summer vegetables is to saute them with a bit of butter in a fry pan with the lid on and season with salt and pepper.  That's exactly what I did with the fresh green beans after I cut the ends off and washed them.

I served the salmon and green beans with Zataran's brown wild rice.  Brown rice takes much longer to cook than white rice, about double the time.  But it's healthier and, in my opinion, better-tasting!

Day 91: Easter Sunday: 3 Appetizers & 3 Desserts

For Easter Sunday, I made a few appetizers and desserts.  Here are the recipes:

APPETIZERS
1. Cheese Platter
I apologize that there's no picture!  I put together a quick platter with brie cheese and a port cheese.  I also put out red grapes and some crackers.  This is a simple way to put together an elegant-looking appetizers.  Picking good cheeses really steps up the "class" for this idea.  A port cheese is always a good choice, especially if you know there will be wine served at your event.

2. Sun-dried Tomato Dip
This was a great dip--good with vegetables or crackers.  I served it with carrots and broccoli.

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 jar of sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry
3 scallions, chopped and divided 2 & 1
salt, pepper

Place the cream cheese, yogurt, mayonnaise, tomatoes, about 1 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp of pepper in the bowl of a food processor.  Blend until smooth.  Add 2 of the scallions and pulse a few times to incorporate.  Transfer into a serving bowl.  Sprinkle the 3rd chopped scallion on top.

3. Kielbasa Wrapped in Puff Pastry (Glorified "Pigs in a Blanket")
This recipe should originally be lamb sausage, which I thought would be perfect for Easter, but I couldn't find any.  I used kielbasa instead, and it was a huge hit!  As you can see, by the time I remembered to take a picture, they were almost gone!

2 sheets Puff Pastry
1 lb sausage or kielbasa, coiled
Dijon mustard
1 egg for egg wash

Place the sausage on a baking sheet and bake at 400* for 20 minutes.  Pull it out and turn it over and bake for another 5 minutes.  Cool to room temperature.  Unfold the 2 sheets of puff pastry and cut them each in half.  Cut the sausage into 4 equal parts.  Spread Dijon mustard on each section of pastry (about 1 TB or less for each section).  Place the sausage on the pastry sections running lengthwise and roll up.  Place on a baking sheet seam side down.  Brush the tops with the egg wash.  Score each sausage with a knife so there are 6-7 sections.  Bake for another 20-25 minutes.  Then fulling slice each sausage so there are 6-7 slices from each rolled sausage.  Serve immediately.

DESSERTS
1. Coconut Cream Pie
Sometimes you need a little help from the store.  I used a frozen pie crust.  Guilty.  It was definitely a time-saver and sanity-saver, though!

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted (Simply put a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350* about 5 minutes.)

3 cups half & half
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 9-inch pie shell, baked
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

In a medium saucepan, combine the half & half, eggs, sugar, flour, and salt and mix well.  Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.  Then remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and 3/4 of the coconut.  Pour the filling into the pie shell and chill until firm, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.  Spread the whipped topping on top and sprinkle on the remaining coconut.

2. Raspberry Tart
(I made this crust!)

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
pinch of salt
1 cup raspberry preserves
2 packages (1/2 pints) of raspberries (*The original recipe (Ina Garten) says 1 1/2 pints, 3 packages.  I didn't even use an entire 2 packages, but my pan was the right size and my raspberries were pretty close together--I'm not sure what happened there.)

Preheat the oven to 350*.  Mix the butter and sugar together to just combine.  Add the vanilla.  Add the flour and salt and mix until the dough starts to come together.  Dump the dough onto a floured surface and form into a disk.  Press into a 9 or 10 inch tart pan.  Chill until firm.
Butter one side of aluminum foil to fit into the tart pan.  Place it on the crust, butter side down.  Place some rice or beans on top and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and rice.  Prick the crust with a fork and bake for 20 minutes more.  (I only baked mine for another 8-10 minutes because it was already darkening, so watch carefully!)  Cool to room temperature.
Spread the crust with the preserves and place the raspberries on top.
This goes great with the pastry cream I made (also an Ina Garten recipe):

3. Pastry Cream

6 egg yolks at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 TB cornstarch
2 cups whole milk
2 TB unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 TB heavy cream
1 tsp brandy

Beat the yolks and sugar until light yellow and falls back into the bowl in a ribbon.  Slowly beat in the cornstarch.  Bring the milk to a boil in a large saucepan and then slowly pour it into the egg mixture and continue mixing on low speed.  Then pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is thick, about 10 minutes.  Bring to a boil and cook on low 2-3 more minutes.  Taste to make sure the cornstarch is cooked.  Remove from heat and stir in the butter, vanilla, cream, and brandy.  (Strain into a bowl--I skipped this step since I didn't have a fine strainer or cheese cloth!)  Place plastic wrap directly on the custard and refrigerate until cold.

4. Croissant Bread Pudding

3 whole eggs
8 egg yolks
5 cups half & half
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsps vanilla
6 large croissants (or 10 small)
1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350*.  Whisk together the eggs, yolks, half & half, sugar, and vanilla.  Slice each croissant in half horizontally.  Place all the bottom halves in a large casserole dish.  Sprinkle the raisins on tops and cover with the croissant tops (brown side up).  Pour the custard over the croissants and gently press down.  Place in a large pan with 1 inch of hot water.  Cover with tented aluminum foil so it doesn't touch the pudding.  Cut a few holes in the foil to let steam escape.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake 40-45 minutes more until the custard is set.  Cool slightly before serving.

Days 88-90: Gearing up for Easter/Too Busy "Celebrating" to Commemorate?

So let me get the dinners out of the way first:
Day 88 (Thursday)--Maundy Thursday dinner at church.  Our task was to bring something to drink.  Pretty easy, we brought seltzer water.
Day 89 (Good Friday)--I had the day off today!  Brought the kids to Carter's in Millbury then met my parents (and the other daycare kids) at McDonald's for lunch.  My cousin babysat for the afternoon so I could get some fun errands done, then we met Jenna's friend and my aunt at Applebee's for dinner.  Noah pretty much ate half of my penne dish!  I love how he puts away food! :)
Day 90 (TODAY!)--My brother is home for Easter from Atlanta, GA!  After Abby had a "proper" birthday tea party to go to (SUPER cute, little girls dressed in tutus and straw hats!) we met up with my parents and brother (and Randy and Noah) and we went to Mezcal for supper.

It's been quite a busy few days!!!  So busy, Randy couldn't even remember at first why we were going to church on Thursday.  So busy, I cried over the fact that I didn't color eggs with Abby (yes, she's only 2 but she would still love it--she LOVES art!).  Then I reminded myself that she doesn't even know about coloring eggs, therefore isn't missing anything, and that's not the real meaning of Easter, anyway!  After that, I cried because I haven't talked with Abby about the true meaning of Easter.  I think I'm a bit emotional/hormonal or SOMEthing.  I've got a lot going on, and the weight of the stress of getting my kids and myself ready not only for Easter but for our trip coming up this week is bearing down on me.  I'm really excited, but also really scared.  I smile at the thought of BEING in California with Randy and able to sleep in and just be.  But I tear up at the thought of dropping the kids off and saying "good-bye."  So yeah, a lot going on!  But back to Easter...

"'Don't be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.'" Mark 16:6

Abby has been walking around the house singing her "Jesus is Alive" song she learned in Sunday School.  I'm sad that she won't be able to sing it in front of the church with her class since we'll be at my parents' church.  I'm also disappointed that I didn't spend more time talking with her about the song.  I should've bought a book about Resurrection or something.  :)  I was so concerned with getting a few things for her Easter basket and wondering how far I wanted to go this year and what that would mean for how far I go next year (as in, how high do I fill it and with what?).  I was trying to figure out the direction I wanted to take the "basket" tradition.  I'm fairly certain it's NOT in the direction of loading it to the brim with candy.  This year I bought her a sticker book, some chalk, a beanie baby, and I filled a few eggs with some M&Ms.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2a

Instead of worrying about her basket, I should've been more concerned with reading to her the Resurrection story, singing that song with her more, or how about the fact that Randy and I were both so busy that we didn't have time to reflect on Holy Week ourselves???  That's more concerning.  Usually at this time of year, I have a "quiet sadness" leading up to Good Friday.  My soul aches for the suffering I remember my Savior endured.  I didn't feel any of that this year.  Lent snuck up on me, and before I knew it, it was Good Friday and I was panicked about getting all the food prepared that I planned for Easter Sunday.  I need to learn how to be a "Mary in a Martha World."   Is it too late?

"She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's fee listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made." Luke 10:39-40a

The simple answer is "no."  But it's time to re-group.  Yes, we missed some of the opportunities of Holy Week this year--commercialized and spiritual ones.  But this doesn't mean my daughter won't know that Jesus is her Savior or that God made her.  Not only do I have to battle my own guilt and insecurity, but it doesn't help when I feel or wonder if others are judging me based on what Abby knows or doesn't know yet about God.  I have to remind myself that she is a young child, and she has lots of room to grow.  Praying for her, praying with her, and reading her Bible to her are wonderful things that we do.  We could do more, of course, and we will.  I'm not going to beat myself up over this year's Easter.  I would rather fall at the feet of my Savior, allow Him to pick me up and brush me off, and look forward to next year when Abby will sing with her class at Hope Chapel and will be able to declare that Jesus is Alive with just a little more confidence and a little more knowledge about her Creator.

"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." Deuteronomy 6:7

Day 87: Chicken Parmesan & Ceasar Salad

Well I'm in month 4 of this journey and I cannot believe I haven't made chicken parmesan yet!  I feel like I should be writing "I make this all the time!" because honestly, I do--or did.  I guess that just goes to show how my cooking really has branched out since starting this blog.  This meal has become second nature to me.  The most annoying thing about it, though, is the clean up.  Whenever I bread chicken, I hate having to wash the extra bowls, cutting board, and clean up any mess on the counter.  But it's worth it!  I think the most important thing to a really GOOD chicken parmesan is seasoning.  Season well with salt and pepper every step of the way, and use fresh herbs and fresh garlic.  You can't go wrong!  I read a quote one time (I can't remember where) that said, "If you salt as you cook, your food tastes well-seasoned.  If you salt after you're finished, your food tastes salty."  I think that's true and something I keep in mind while I cook.

Chicken Parmesan
2 chicken breasts (I'm using the measurements I used tonight for our small family, not a "normal" recipe quantity.)

1/2 cup flour
1 egg + a little water
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese + more for sprinkling
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
a few basil leaves, chopped
salt, pepper
1/2 lb pasta
spaghetti sauce
4-6 slices of mozzarella cheese

Get a pot of water heating on the stove for the pasta.  Warm the sauce in a pan on the stove.  Prepare the bowls to bread the chicken.  In 1 bowl: flour, 1 clove of minced garlic, a little salt and pepper.  2nd bowl: eggwash, salt, pepper. 3rd bowl: breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, remaining garlic, salt, pepper.
Pound out the chicken breasts so they are 1/2 inch thick.  Preheat the oven to 350* to finish cooking the chicken when needed.
Heat an oven-safe skillet on the stove with some olive oil.  When the water starts boiling, salt it liberally and add the pasta.  When the skillet is nice and hot, dredge the chicken in the flour, egg, breadcrumbs, and then place on the skillet.  Do so with the other chicken breast.  Let one side of the chicken turn brown/dark brown before flipping.  Flip the chicken when ready.  Cook about 1 minute on that side and then turn off the heat.  Ladle some sauce over the chicken and place the mozzarella slices on top.  Place the skillet in the oven to finish cooking the chicken and melt the cheese.  When the cheese is golden brown and bubbling, the chicken should also be done.
Serve the pasta with the chicken and cheese on top, and extra sauce if desired.  This goes great with ceasar salads with homemade dressing and bread.  (We skipped the bread tonight!)

Day 86: Let's Talk about Protein Shakes

Seriously, join my conversation!  Here's an example of a blog-post where the blogger doesn't claim to be the "expert" in the topic he/she is blogging about.  I'm actually looking for advice/ideas here. 

I guess I'll start by talking about the food I ate today.  This morning was rushed (as all mornings are in this house).  I aim to be in the car by 7:00 but that seldom happens lately.  Randy and I are both so tired and we have to get 2 kids ready plus ourselves and all on very little sleep.  I was actually feeling really good about having us all packed in the car a few minutes before 7 today and then I looked at my lunchbag.  Empty.  Crap.  So THAT'S why we were on time--I didn't make my lunch!  I usually try to do it the night before, but night's are getting hard, too, with so much to do and so much fatigue at the end of the day.  Last night I went to bed a little early feeling proud of myself and saying I would be able to get up early to make my lunch since I'm going to bed early.  Why is it that when I go to be "early" to get "more" sleep, Noah decides to wake up EVERY HOUR???  Literally.  So much for "more sleep."  I felt like I was being punished for making what I thought was a good decision!  Well, I left the house anyway and picked up Subway for lunch.  "Well that's not on your menu!" joked a friendly coworker as she eyed my plastic Subway bag.  I responded by saying that dinner was all that mattered.  Well Nicole, I failed at that, too! ;)

Randy and I had a hectic afternoon as we had a last minute appointment come up to which we both had to attend (and drag our 2 kids along--who were actually VERY well behaved)!  (Let me have my proud parent moment, please. :) )  And although I had thawed chicken and sauce in anticipation of chicken parmesan for dinner; while driving home at 5:15, the thought of cooking dinner and cleaning up after it was more than daunting.  We stopped at Wendy's.  While we were eating our chicken sandwiches I said, "What am I going to blog about tonight?"  But hey, no pressure, right?

Well, neither of those meals compare to my typical breakfast.  Did I mention how chaotic my mornings are?  Making sure Abby goes "pee", Noah nurses if he needs to, all socks stay on, no blood is shed during the Mommy/Abby "I want to do it!" battle, and oh yeah, getting that coffee firmly placed in my hand--these things and more add up to a whole lot of morning stress.  What's the one thing that doesn't affect whether or not we all get in the car on time?  Mommy's breakfast.  You see, the kids eat breakfast at daycare (my mom's daycare, where she feeds them exceptionally well!).  My kids have to be dressed.  I have to be dressed.  Noah needs fruit for his baby cereal.  I (need) my lunch and school supplies.  And everyone has to pee or have a clean diaper.  Those are the essentials.  My breakfast is not an "essential."  I mean, I know a good breakfast is "essential" but I hope you know what I'm saying here.  So my typical breakfast consists of 1 of these options (and here's why they're bad choices): 1) a scone or baked good that's leftover from something I made over the weekend (tons of carbs, not much else), 2) a piece of fruit (healthy, but not satisfying--taking care of a class of 1st graders sucks the life out of you!) 3) just coffee  (umm, is any explanation really needed as to why this is a bad choice?)  I buy breakfast cereal.  I'm used to eating breakfast cereal.  I just don't do it anymore because I don't get up in time because I go to bed too late because I have a lot to do and not much energy and end up wasting time sitting around or staring at the wall trying to remember what I have to do because I'm so tired all the time! :)  So now I wonder why I waste my money on breakfast cereal.  And I'm stressed out all over again.  Can you relate?  Please tell me I'm not crazy!

In theory, I'd love to have a hot breakfast more often.  I'd love to make eggs (protein-packed, good for you EGGS!).  I'd love the occasional bowl of oatmeal, or cold cereal with fruit.  A breakfast sandwich, my orange juice, fruit, and a vitamin.  I love all this stuff!  I love breakfast food and I love making it!  But that's not my reality right now and it's taken me a long time to realize that.  At the beginning of the school year I WAS getting up and making breakfasts.  I thought I could hold out all year long.  I've probably been doing "breakfast" my current way since October.  What a delayed reality check.  The foodie in me and cook says, "I don't believe any meal should be replaced with just a beverage."  But that snob has a hard time coming to terms with the real disheveled morning-me.  So I guess the 2 are finally colliding and the real me is winning out.  A protein shake would be the perfect thing to grab on the go on my way out the door.  Duh!

Randy and I like to exercise (okay, him more than me, but I still like it).  And with this nicer weather, it's getting easier to get those workouts in.  And it's much easier to leave the gym when there's still a little daylight out there.  So yeah, we've been exercising more.  But it's not enough.  I do have "baby" weight I want to lose, and probably a little more.  But it's not so easy when you're not terribly overweight to begin with.  Besides the breakfast thing, we basically live healthy lives.  I'm always sucked in by the articles or news reports about "fast and easy ways to lose weight" but I ALWAYS feel let down when I realize we already DO all those things.  Listen, there is no "fast and easy" way to be in good shape all the time.  It takes work and commitment.  I don't have the time to do major workouts 5-6 times a week.  I know what my bad habits are (breakfast is just one of them).  THOSE are the things I need to let go of.  I need more healthy snack options in the house for me, not just my kids.  I can already see myself falling victim to the mommy syndrome--the one where you take care of your kids and let yourself completely fall apart.  I refuse to let that happen.  So yeah, I'm exercising more, but keeping my mouth shut is the harder part.  But Randy and I are both trying to do it.  And although I don't feel like there are any other major lifestyle changes that need to be made over here, breakfast is such an important one.  But have you seen how expensive protein powders are???  Not only are we trying to makeover our bodies, but our budget, too.  And it's hard to do both!

So here's what I want from you, my readers.  Let me have it... all the recipes or ideas you've tried for homemade protein shakes for breakfast!  I already have a few ideas floating in my head: Dark-chocolate almond milk with peanut butter, oats, and non-fat Greek yogurt is one.  But I need more!  I know using Greek yogurt is a good option, and maybe some oats and seeds.  A tablespoon or so of peanut butter and a 1/4 cup of oats are good options too, I think.  But I don't exactly have time to do a lot of research and I'm not interested in the "programs" or powders at the moment, just good old homemade shakes for breakfast!  Hopefully then I can have a little more energy, a satisfying stomach, and can really start whipping this butt into shape.  (That way I can be prepared for baby #3!)  :)  Ok, that's a little ways away, I think, but still...  :)

Please leave a comment with your recipe, idea, or something you've tried along these lines.  Thank you!!!

Day 85: Mediterranean Paradise: Lamb Meatballs, Cous Cous, Tomato-Feta Salad

I know I've mentioned before how much I love Greek food.  Well, I LOVE THIS MEAL!  The flavors are beautiful and each dish combined with the next makes more an amazing and cohesive dinner.  The cous cous and tomato-feta salads are inspired by Ina Garten, but the meatballs are mine.  Actually, the truth is I thought I had made lamb meatballs before and searched and searched for a recipe and couldn't find one.  But Ina does have a recipe for lamb kebabs in one of her cookbooks.  However, I already had it in my head that I wanted to make meatballs, not kebabs, and since I couldn't find a recipe I thought I had, I just made it up myself, using some of the ingredients I knew would work.  They were delish!

Today was our first trip back to the playground this year, and I wanted to spend as much time there as possible.  So dinner was a little rushed, and I didn't measure everything like I intend to do when I know I will be writing a post about the recipe.  I will do my best here.

Lamb Meatballs

1 lb ground lamb
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 TB chopped shallot
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
2 TB red wine
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 TB bread crumbs (to hold the meat together)
1-2 TB fresh rosemary, minced
salt, pepper, fresh parsley to taste

Combine the ingredients and shape meat into balls.  Drizzle a skillet with olive oil and brown the meatballs on 1 or 2 sides.  Finish them off in a 350* oven, for about 10 minutes or until desired temperature.

Cous Cous
Cous Cous is a snap to make!  The hardest part is just having the ingredients ready ahead of time (toasting the pine nuts and chopping the parsley) but it's really no big deal.  This is a great recipe for a simple dish that is the perfect complement to the other dishes tonight that have such a bold flavor.  The recipe makes A LOT of cous cous, we always have plenty leftover for lunches!

3 cups homemade chicken stock
1 1/2 cups cous cous
1 chopped shallot
3-4 TB butter
1 cup dried cranberries (or currants)
1/2 - 1 cup toasted pine nuts
3 TB (or a handful) of fresh chopped parsley
salt, pepper

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and saute the shallot.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the cous cous and cover and turn off the heat.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and add the pine nuts, cranberries, and parsley.  Stir to combine.

Tomato-Feta Salad

There are some bold flavors in this salad.  It's very yummy.  In the summer, I like to find the heirloom tomatoes so there's a color "pop" in the salad.  It also makes a great next-day lunch!
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
5-6 oz feta cheese, cubed
2 TB chopped red onion (or you can keep with the shallot theme)
2-3 TB fresh chopped parsley
2 TB fresh chopped basil
2-3 TB olive oil
1-2 TB white wine vinegar
salt, pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Day 84: Cheddar-Dill Scones, Roast Chicken, Mustard-Roasted Potatoes

Everyone needs this recipe!  It's a fantastic scone and a great way to use up an ingredient you may buy for one thing and then typically throw out the rest: dill.  I buy dill for very rarely.  When I do buy it, it's for salmon burgers or something, and I never use the whole amount in the package.  Here's a great way to use the rest and have a terrific breakfast item all week.  The original recipe belongs to Ina Garten, but I use much less dill than she does.  Where she calls for 1 cup of chopped dill, I used about 1/4 of a cup.  The flavor is more subtle, but we like it!

Cheddar-Dill Scones

4 cups of flour (plus 1 TB)
2 TB baking powder
2 tsp salt
3/4 lb cold, unsalted butter, diced
4 eggs
1 cup cold heavy cream or milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
1 egg, beaten, with water for egg wash

Combine 4 cups of the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Carefully beat in the diced butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.  Mix the eggs and milk together and add them to the flour and butter.  Mix the cheese, dill, and remaining 1 TB of flour.  Add this mixture to the dough and mix just until combined.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead a few minutes.  Roll it out to about 1 inch in thickness and cut triangles out.  Transfer triangles to a baking sheet and spread with egg wash.  Bake at 400* for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

For lunch we had another roasted chicken.  I will use the chicken stock to make homemade cous cous tomorrow night.  We also used the leftover chicken to make chicken salad for sandwiches this week.  I feel like I have posted my recipe for that before, but I couldn't find it.  So, I'll explain it easily here:

Chicken Salad
leftover white meat from the chicken (whatever's left)
a few spoonfuls of mayonnaise (to taste)
fresh chopped parsley
a few shakes of dried tarragon
salt, pepper

Most of the ingredients are to taste, everyone makes chicken salad differently.  These are just the ingredients I use.    

Day 83: Easy Stromboli

I love stromboli!  It's easy to make and so versatile.  I have to admit, though, that tonight's version is nothing exciting.  Stromboli is an Italian-American dish (American origin with Italian influence) that is really just a rolled "turnover" that is traditionally filled with Italian cheeses (mostly mozzarella), meats, and vegetables.  You can use pepperoni, salami, chicken, roast beef, spinach, tomato, olives, feta, etc.  The possibilities are endless!  I will definitely make a more "hearty" version sometime in the near future.  Tonight I was in a pinch and simply wanted to use up some leftover ingredients we had in the refrigerator.  We had plenty of mozzarella cheese and some pepperoni.  So that's all I used.  It's like a pepperoni pizza turned inside itself.  You can serve pizza sauce or marinara on the side for dipping.  I used Pillsbury pizza crust tonight because it's easy and delicious!  They really make a great pizza crust.  Just unroll it, put in your "toppings", and roll it the long way.  I prepare a mixture of olive oil and garlic powder to brush along the edge of the dough to seal it, and then to brush on the outside of the dough.  Use a knife to insert little slits in the dough.  Bake in a 400* oven for about 10-15 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes before cutting and serving!  Serve along side a salad.  Enjoy!

Day 82: Almond Bread, Brownies, Cookies, Sangria

Tonight was my Thirty-One Party and I was serving dessert and sangria!  For dinner, we as a family ordered pizza, but here's the menu of dessert items I served:

1. Homemade Brownies  Follow this link to find the recipe.  They are absolutely decadent!

2. Chocolate-Chip Oatmeal Cookies  I wrote this recipe myself.  You can find it (and super cute bathtub pictures of my kids) here!

3.  Scandanavian Almond Bread  (I got this recipe from my grandmother.  It's super easy to throw together when you don't really know what to make and you don't want to have to buy any obscure ingredients.)
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsps almond extract
2/3 cup milk
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 stick butter, melted

Beat the sugar, egg, almond extract, and milk well.  Add the flour and baking powder and mix.  Pour in the melted butter and MIX WELL.  Pour into a prepared almond bread pan (butter & floured) and bake at 350* for 40-50 minutes.  Cool completely in pan before turning out.  Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

So I don't have a pic of the sangria, but we also had fruit salad!

4. Homemade White Sangria  (I borrowed this recipe from my Aunt Cheryl, though I added a bit more peachtree schnapps than she did!) :)
1 1500 ml bottle of chardonnay
1 cup peachtree schnapps (I used a little more)
1 can frozen lemonade
1 liter gingerale
1 liter club soda
frozen raspberries & peaches

Combine all ingredients and let the frozen fruit and lemonade serve as the "ice" until melted.  This went quick--it's delicious!

Fluorescent flowers make me think of summer and they match my straws nicely!  Great spread, great night!

Day 81: Turkey Club Supermelts (take 2)

Another round of supermelts coming up!  Haven't had these since February!  Randy makes a great supermelt, so it's a perfect excuse to make him cook dinner!  Tonight he made them with barbeque sauce and sourdough bread.  I always plan to make a couple loaves of bread over the weekend but before I know it, I'm always out of weekend!!!  So we went with Pepperidge Farm in order to save my sanity.  Still excellent!

Day 80: Chicken Ceasar Salads, Homemade Croutons

Group Ride is at 6:30, so I want to eat before hand or I'll pass out in class, but it can't be too heavy or I'll throw up! ;)  The solution?  Hearty salad!  I'm so glad my husband loves a good salad.  He came home all excited tonight to see chicken ceasar salads on the table.  (Ok, it might have something to do with the homemade ceasar dressing and the homemade croutons.)  I'm so thankful that he's not like, "Oh, good, we're having salad, but what are you serving it on the side of???"  Sometimes, a good salad is all you need and he totally gets that!  Plus, we're both doing a 30-day push-up challenge and he says the 30-day ab workout is next, then he wants to combine them.  (We'll see if I can keep up!)

Anyway, I'm so sorry I forgot to take a picture!  Especially since these salads looked awesome.  But, I've included a repeat picture from another night that we had ceasar salads with homemade croutons and dressing.  So picture that, but with grilled chicken added in--YUM!

Day 79: Sausage Pecan Pesto Shells

I originally got this idea from one of my Real Simple magazines.  (Follow that link to the exact recipe.)  I made it once or twice last summer, I think, and we all loved it!  However, the original recipe calls for a parsley pesto, rather than basil.  (You can really make any kind of pesto since the word in Italian means "to pound, or crush" referring to how they originally started making basil & pine nut pesto.)  I've made a parsley pesto, spinach pesto, of course basil pesto, and next will make a broccoli pesto, I believe.  All good, but basil (the original) is definitely the most flavorful.  Because I wanted to save some pesto for tomorrow's paninis for lunch, I made this pesto with a combination of parsley, basil, and even some spinach.  I started with several cloves of garlic in the food processor, added handfuls of basil, parsley, and spinach, and some parmesan cheese.  Sprinkled in some salt and pepper, and began to pulse the processor.  I drizzled in some extra virgin olive oil and even added some pasta water to this batch.  When it came to my desired consistency, I stopped.

Here's a more literal recipe for pesto:
3-4 cups of greens (basil, parsley, or spinach, or a combination of the 3)
4-5 cloves of garlic
1 cup grated parmesan cheese (*usually when I say parmesan cheese, I mean parmesan/romano combo from the store)
1/2 - 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
optional: 1/2 cup pine nuts

Combine all dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times.  Turn the processor on and drizzle in the olive oil while the pesto comes together.  Use more olive oil as you desire.

For the entire meal, I:
1. Cooked 3/4 lb shells according to package instructions.
2. Made a pesto in the food processor.
3. Brown a little less than 1 lb of sausage. (You can use Italian sausage, but I used breakfast sausage and added some Italian seasonings such as dried basil, oregano, parsley, onion flakes, and 2 cloves of minced garlic.)
Combine the shells, pesto, and sausage, and add some whole or half pecans if desired.

Day 78: Breakfast for Supper

Well, I had a staff meeting at work today and had to stop at 2 stores on my way home.  Randy went hiking with a co-worker and stopped at 1 store on his way home.  I thought we would have leftovers tonight from our weekend meals but it turned out we had nothing leftover!  Dinner in a pinch?  Breakfast!  We had chocolate chip pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon.  Comfort food for all!

Here's my pancake recipe:
It's so easy because it's basically just "1" of everything but the sugar.  Tonight we doubled it, put some leftover batter in the fridge, and who knows, I might be ambitious and get up early tomorrow!

 Pancakes
1 egg, beaten
1 TB vegetable oil or melted butter
1 cup of milk
2 TB sugar
1 cup of flour
1 TB baking powder
1 tsp salt

Beat the egg, oil and milk together, add the sugar.  Combine with the flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix well and pour onto a hot griddle or fry pan.  Flip when the surface of the pancake is covered with bubbles.

Day 77: Devil Skillet Chicken, Sun-dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Although tonight's meal was delicious, it wasn't exactly a fun experience to eat with the family.  It was one of those nights where I had to actually put some of my discipline philosophies about table manners into action, which is never fun, but necessary.

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."  Proverbs 22:6

For more of my thoughts on children, mealtime, and table manners, see Day 68.  My goal is not to embarrass my daughter or speak of her disobedience on such a public forum, so I won't go into details about our dinnertime.  I will simply say that we had a busy and fun afternoon (lunch at "Five Guys" and frozen yogurt at "Orange Leaf" plus a lot of outside play) and she missed out on her nap.  Her father and I let her down a cup of "Hi-C" (full of things you should "never" give your child and we probably won't do it again) and we suffered the consequences.  But, what goes up, must come down, right?  Abby was dismissed from the table early and I read her a story and put her to bed.  But besides those things, dinner was great!  Here are my recipes:

Devil Skillet Chicken
6-8 pieces of chicken legs/thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
2-3 TB dijon mustard
1-2 TB freshly chopped rosemary
1-2 tsp dried oregano
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine

Heat a cast-iron skillet with some olive oil over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in the skillet, skin-side down.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Turn the chicken to cook 5 minutes on the other side.  (You may want to cook them longer depending on how hot your skillet is/how brown the skin gets.)  Mix the mustard, rosemary, oregano, and red pepper flakes together.  Spread over the skin of the chicken pieces.  Remove the skillet from the heat for a minute.  Pour the white wine into the skillet and place in a 400* oven for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.  Serve with a pasta salad to counter the heat of the chicken.  Crusty bread is always a great option, too!

Sun-dried Tomato Pasta Salad
3/4 lb pasta (cork-screw or penne, or your choice)
1 jar of sun-dried tomatoes, drained
8 oz feta cheese
fresh chopped parsley
fresh chopped oregano (or dried)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 TB white wine vinegar
option: black olives  (These would be a great addition to this salad if you like them.  Randy does and I don't so I don't put them into the salad, but I always buy them for Randy to add to his on his plate.)

Cook the pasta according to package instructions.  Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.  Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and add them to the pasta.  Crumble and add the feta.  Put in the parsley and oregano and garlic.  Drizzle in the olive oil and white wine vinegar.  Mix together well to combine.  Serve cold or at room temperature.