kiss my butter

i couldn't have electricity in the house, i wouldn't sleep a wink!

2012-02-11T19:20:00.000-08:00

gluten free, easy peasy...

gluten and dairy free chex mix 'snow' (recipe at end of post)this feta dressing is sooo yummy. for the gluten eaters in the fam, i made these greek grass-fed beef sammies on trader joe's delicious middle eastern flatbread. (i just quick-cooked the 'burgers' with a little olive oil, worcy sauce, and s/p in my cast-iron pan, and they were so flavorful!)
i still can't get enough of avocados...yum. pancakes. (gluten free pamela's mix)
another quick and easy - gluten free pasta, sockarooni sauce, my favorite bacon, fresh basil, shaved parmesan, and grape tomatoes.
and some pomegranate lemonade to wash it all down...
chex mix snow

3-4 cups chex mix
2 tablespoons butter (or a butter alternative like coconut oil)
1/3 cup peanut butter
2-3 tablespoons almond meal
dash vanilla
a few tablespoons powdered sugar

melt the butter and peanut butter together in the microwave, then add the vanilla. stir in the chex mix and almond meal (or whatever you want!), then the powdered sugar. be careful, this stuff is sooo addicting!

no englishman would dream of dying in someone else's house.

2012-02-01T09:40:00.000-08:00

what we're munching...

gluten free caramel brownies

sammies on sprouted bread

LOTS of avocadoes

sky specifically asked for an ice cream pie for dessert last week (similar to this one), and it was quite a challenge figuring out how to make this with his allergies. enter: coconut milk ice cream and gluten/dairy free cookies! also, i will post a dairy-free caramel recipe soon!
and a few pseudo-summertime drinks

i'll be your guide in the morning, you cover up bullet holes

2012-01-25T17:18:00.000-08:00

orange you glad there's cupcakes?
in light of our recent health news, today i made these gluten and dairy free 'orange, baby' cupcakes using bob's red mill vanilla cake mix. i like this particular gluten-free mix for two reasons - because it uses sorghum flour instead of rice flour (rice flour makes baked goods too grainy), and it has potato starch to keep them light. i modified the mix a bit because i was craving an orange-infused treat, and sharkey named them for me.
honestly? they are DELISH, baby!
'orange, baby' cupcakes
1 bag bob's red mill vanilla cake mix
3 eggs, room temperature (or use Ener-G egg replacer if you can't tolerate eggs)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup FRESH SQUEEZED orange juice (do NOT use orange juice from a carton! it won't taste the same)
a few tablespoons orange zest

follow the directions on the bag, but substitute the orange juice for the water and add the zest. bake at 350 degrees till tops are puffy and done. cool, then frost with orange buttercream frosting.
makes 12

orange buttercream frosting
2 sticks butter, softened
(you can use something like spectrum organic shortening for a true dairy-free alternative, but according to my mother, some dairy-allergic folks can tolerate a good quality butter. don't ask, her answer is too complicated. but we are letting sky still have butter for now, and i'm going to ask the doc about it.)
3-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup FRESH SQUEEZED orange juice
a few tablespoons orange zest, for garnish

beat the butter for about 30 seconds, then add in 3-4 cups of the sugar. add the orange juice a little at a time. add more sugar if needed, or more juice. (it's frosting, you know what to do.)

the irish would go out with forks

2012-01-11T10:35:00.000-08:00

ever since i had the tummy flu over Christmas (one that messed me up for 3 whole weeks, btw, and included a trip to urgent care, a doctor scheduling me an ultrasound, and days of intense pain), i haven't been able to eat like i usually do. 'usually' meaning, huge quantities of yummy stuff. so...it's been a soup-and-toast kind of diet for me lately. bor-ing. i am finally able to eat somewhat normally again, but i can't eat a lot in the early part of the day and am trying to seriously limit gluten and dairy. i'm hoping i can get back to baking in the next few weeks. ironically, i'm still doing a lot of cooking...but it is very sad to make something fun like pizza margherita and not be able to eat hardly any of it! wah!

a typical lunch these past few weeks - soup (this one was trader joe's tomato) and gluten-free raisin bread:i still can't drink some of my favorite things, like hot chocolate or chai tea:
but thankfully, a cup of joe in the morning is still ok!

in one year and out the other

2011-12-29T12:50:00.000-08:00

more december yummies...

i will always be a coffee-and-cinnamon-toast kind of girl.
pumpkin spice muffin tops. lots and lots of muffin tops. (i made these for sky's holiday class party.)hey, have you heard of e-mealz? i subscribe to the 'natural, organic' plan, and they have some good ideas. and dave ramsey told me to do it! so far we've done a few meals like smoky corn chowder:
and asian pork stir-fry:

nelly wants a storybook, she thinks dolls are folly

2011-12-25T15:32:00.000-08:00

treats for the neighbors...sharkey and i made 'reindeer bark' last weekend. we crushed up a bunch of oreos and pretzels, then melted white chocolate over the top, and sprinkled the whole thing with green and red candy canes. when the chocolate hardened, we broke it into big and little 'bark' pieces. yum.

why is that reindeer wearing red boots?

2011-12-25T15:18:00.000-08:00

so, the boys and i wanted to make a gingerbread house. i bought a kit and extra candy, and then i tried to 'glue' the walls of the house together. and OH.MY.GOSH. talk about frustrating! i was about ready to throw those stupid gingerbread walls across the room. so i was like, ok boys! on to plan B! we ended up scrapping the actual gingerbread and just cut off the top of an old orange carton to use for the 'house'. and you know what? it worked great!

under construction...
progress...
cute little details...completion! not the prettiest house, i admit, but the boys had SO much fun making it!

it's that once a year when the world's sincere

2011-12-24T14:50:00.000-08:00

Christmas eve goodies...

gluten-free brownies
twice-baked potatoes
gluten-free cinnamon rolls
my first attempt at homemade gluten-free cinnamon rolls turned out so-so. sky liked them, but pants and i didn't like the texture. the icing, however, was DIVINE. (i used pioneer woman's recipe for the filling and icing.)
Christmas eve smorgasbord

a pair of hop-along boots

2011-12-22T12:17:00.000-08:00

a cutie eating a cutie...

those whos are hard to frazzle, max.

2011-12-09T16:17:00.000-08:00

i made some whoopie pies for a friend the other day. they were only slightly addicting. i did try to combat the sugar high with a few things of the more healthy variety...

tomatoes, avocado, cornstarch chicken with rice and corn salsa

i'll let this little guy have the sweet Christmas drinks.while darling pants gets a simple sunday breakfast:

and this...oh my, how did this get in here? hey, sometimes you just need to bake a cute little cake with some bright pink frosting to get you through the day, um, right?

there's a giblet in my goblet

2011-11-29T20:53:00.000-08:00

thanksgiving 2011!
our good pals michael and jill arrived here wednesday night, where i greeted them not only with homemade sliders (topped with cranberry goat cheese, yum!), but also an oven fire. (um, i don't want to talk about it!) aaaanyway, early thanksgiving morning sweet marissa drove down and brought us some homemade pumpkin cinnamon love for breakfast:and then it was turkey go time! oh, let's also not talk about how michael and i thought the turkey was thawed, but in the morning discovered it actually wasn't...hey, all's well that ends well: anyway! sharkey was sooo excited to decorate our traditional 'blessing box'. on the outside of the box, he wrote all the things he is thankful for, all by himself: he also decided to write everyone's names on their plates in his 'fancy' writing. (yes, we used paper plates. i don't have a dishwasher right now, wah!) unfortunately that resulted in a few blue-colored turkey bites, but no one seemed to mind.
i have no idea what sharkey is doing in that picture. apparently providing the entertainment. at any rate, it was a lovely meal and i was happy my good friend wendy and her two kiddos could join us, too!
so, can we just talk about the food for a minute? here is the official menu...

for appetizers, i made a spinach/artichoke dip and deviled eggs, and also set out a cheese tray:
the main meal:
- turkey, smothered in butter, lemon, and herbs, cooked breast-side down in red wine and stock (michael)
- cranberry orange relish (me)
- red wine gravy (me)
- mashed potatoes (me)
- sweet potatoes with crumble topping (me)
- super cheesy mac-n-cheese (marissa)
- parker house rolls (jill)
- super cute little corn muffins (wendy)
- french-onion soup based onion and bacon stuffing (michael)
- goat cheese risotto (michael)
- green bean casserole (michael)
- creamed corn (michael)
desserts:
- apple bread cake with sticky brandy sauce (marissa)
- sour cream apple pie (me)
- pumpkin cheesecake (me)
LOTS of prep for this small kitchen! jill in her scottie dog pj top:
and marissa just chillin' and stirrin':
i did a lot of prep the night before so i could have a little time to do some table-scaping on the big day:after the meal, it was pretty much a couch-a-thon for oh, a few days:we did manage to wake up enough for a fun game of pictionary one night. the boys' team - michael, sky, and pants:sky is actually really good at this game.
the best was when he got the word 'punk rocker' and drew this:
gotta love this cat.
also? i love pants' forearms:
anywho, we went downtown on friday morning after pants amazed us all by making the most delicious waffles ever:
and of course we had to keep up our post-turkey day pizza making tradition:
and what thanksgiving weekend is complete without a s'more-toastin' bonfire?hmm, someone's enjoying being the center of attention:
and now, a photo tribute to people holding their hands up really weird:
and my favorite one, laundry ala jill:
so much to be thankful for!!

for kitchen, kettle's croon, kith and kin expected soon

2011-11-23T17:03:00.000-08:00

thanksgiving prep, the day before...

first, a homemade chocolate chip cookie for nourishment:
now on to cooking! here's what i did today:

prepped mashed potatoes
- all ready to go in the oven tomorrow!
prepped sweet potatoes
- first i roasted them, then scooped them out of their skins and mashed them up with salt and pepper. then topped them with a crumble topping (brown sugar, butter, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg). also all set to pop in the oven tomorrow!
made cranberry/orange relish
- just boiled a simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water) with some orange zest and juice, then added 2 bags of whole cranberries and cooked till the berries were split and mashable.
assembled spinach/artichoke dip

made deviled eggs

made sliders (for dinner tonight)

made a pumpkin cheesecake
- i did this in a 9x13 foil pan, and am going to serve it in squares instead of the traditional circle pie.

made a sour cream apple custard pie (pictured at the top of this post)
- i used this recipe, but cheated for the crust:
the rest of the sides/desserts will all be done tonight and tomorrow, mostly by our friends michael, jill, and marissa, while i assume my usual role of kitchen drill sargeant and turkey sous chef. (speaking of which, have you seen this? sooo funny!) stay tuned!

want a plane that loops the loop

2011-11-22T08:32:00.001-08:00

soccer-themed cupcakes for sharkey's team party:
the cupcakes were chocolate with a butterscotch/toffee chip filling, and then frosted with cream cheese frosting. sky said he thought this 'curly q' frosting technique looked better than just a regular swirl, so i went with that. the jersey/flower toppers are fondant, and the soccer balls are actually cookie molds that i filled with white chocolate and a vanilla oreo cookie, decorated with milk chocolate to resemble a soccer ball.
i won't tell you how many soccer balls i messed up before i had eight decent ones...or how i had to make the frosting twice because i messed up the entire first batch...but it all turned out cute and yummy in the end, thank goodness!

she said she saw me in the record stores

2011-11-15T11:47:00.000-08:00

what we've been munching...

homemade sliders
washed down with an orange julius pesto. lots and lots of pesto...

pants actually made this chicken parmigiana by himself last week. (so what if i had to mildly force him to do it!)

sharkey and i cut up these pears

and made a pie out of them

there may or may not have been another pie floating around, too
piled high with way too much homemade whipped cream

there was never a good war, or a bad peace.

2011-10-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

a couple weeks ago i did a cookie table at the kids' school's fall festival:
i set up next to the coffee guy, and made three kinds of cookies, all from scratch:
the whoopie cookies (a chocolate cake cookie sandwich with marshmallow cream cheese filling) sold out - they were really good, if i do say so myself!
i made the the nutmeg-flavored sugar cookies soft but thick enough to decorate, and since i'm addicted to fondant, i frosted and fondant-ed them with flowers and aliens:

i also made chocolate toffee bars, which were good, but not quite as ooey-gooey as i would have liked. next time i make them in bulk, i will add another toffee layer!it was a LOT of work, especially on friday afternoon when i had to cart all my table decorations/cookies/big umbrella/etc by myself with two kids in tow, and i definitely do NOT recommend trying to run a table at a festival with two wild kids underfoot while your husband is stuck at work till late! (thank goodness a friend came by to get dinner for the kids - thank you, wendy!) i don't know if i would do something like this again, but i did make a few bucks and get my business name out there, so i guess it was worth it!

ps - the reason i didn't make cupcakes was because the festival already had a cupcake booth, so they asked me to do cookies instead. i will say that it sure felt great when someone who bought both told me they liked my cookies better than the gourmet cupcakes at the next booth!

each monster dances in the park

2011-10-11T21:20:00.000-07:00

kitchen happenings this past week...

experimenting with puff pastry
pasta puttanesca (recipe coming soon!)
mmm...homemade greek
pants actually made me this quesadilla for lunch after church on sunday...yes, miracles do happen!
i'm slightly obsessed with vegetables and fruit right now
and still can't get enough grapes these days!
my boys, on the other hand, are slightly obsessed with a few other things...

like pumpkin breadand the only decent hot fudge this side of sander's

the moon laughs and whispers

2011-10-11T20:44:00.000-07:00

halloween cookies for the soccer team...
we did some not-so-cute ones...
and some super cute ones...

the bangers in the mash, the negatives for cash

2011-09-27T21:29:00.001-07:00

breakfast saturday morning waffles with a side of xbox

lunch
my current obsession - a bowl of hummus, avocado, and almonds, topped with olive oil and s/p

dinner
pizza margherita

french roast with carrots and baby potatoes
roasted cherry tomato and garlic pasta

drinks
green tea in the afternoon
pumpkin spice latte, courtesy of pants

iced tea margarita (recipe below) and sunday night tacos

iced tea margarita
combine in blender:
a couple cups of SWEETENED iced tea
juice of a lemon
a few fresh basil leaves

add in:
a couple shots of tequila
a bunch of ice

blend a few seconds till ice is crushed and drink is slightly frothy. salt rim and garnish with lemon, if desired. (this drink was a very refreshing complement to our spicy tacos!)

fast songs and jigsaws raking me over the coals

2011-09-27T20:46:00.000-07:00

apples, apples, everywhere...served with just a little ice cream...

when the wind comes blowing across the meadow, it sings your name.

2011-09-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

things i'm loving...

lunching alone
cooling off with our new favorite 'special drink'
and eating bowl after bowl of this:around here, this is what we call a 'yum bowl'. oh my gosh, you guys! these are sooo good. here is the link to the original 'yum' bowl recipe i saw over on www.yourhomebasedmom.com (an amazing and beautiful blog, btw!) that started my love affair with this. it's basically a meat/rice/veggie bowl with a 'secret' sauce. but the secret sauce is so amazing!! i even omitted a few things from the sauce the last time i made it because i didn't have all the ingredients on hand, and it was still delicious! you HAVE to try this!

coldwater morning, take off your nighttime shoes.

2011-09-07T10:50:00.000-07:00

since it was the last weekend before school started, the boys decided to make a celebratory cake.since it was the last weekend before pants left for another trip to china, he requested eating 'anything except chinese food'. um, how about...greek?
i made rosemary chicken and wanted tabouli to go with it, but i didn't have any couscous. so i got a little creative and made my own version with wild rice instead. (recipe at the end of this post!)
these are the BEST cukes, btw - sweet and crunchy!
or how about some all-american barbecue?
or just good old-fashioned breakfast?the secret to yummy pancakes - add a little lemon zest and juice, lots of vanilla, and a little sugar to the batter!
my kids are a little messy...

wild rice tabouli
mix together in a big ole' bowl:
cooked wild rice (i use a brown rice/wild rice mix from trader joe's that i get in the frozen section)
2 heaping tablespoons of greek yogurt
a couple squeezes of lemon juice
some hearty drizzles of olive oil
a couple teaspoons cumin
a couple teaspoons dried oregano
salt/pepper
fresh cilantro, chopped
fresh rosemary, chopped
a couple tomatoes, chopped
a couple small cucumbers, chopped
some feta cheese

this makes a light rice 'salad' that is a great accompaniment to any meal!

april in paris, chestnuts in blossom

2011-08-21T21:07:00.000-07:00

sometimes you just need a cookie.

there's a runaway spaceman on this magic carpet ride.

2011-08-19T16:18:00.000-07:00

last saturday night my good pals michael and jill hosted a fancy schmancy 5-course dinner party for 8. i came along as michael's sous chef, and he and i cooked all the food from scratch. we were going for a fresh, seasonal, rustic-but-still-slightly-upscale theme, and i'll write out our exact menu below.
i drove up to LA early saturday morning so we could all go to the farmer's market together, then we spent the rest of the day shopping/prepping/cleaning/pow-wow-ing/furniture re-arranging for the big night.

first stop - farmer's market! someone's excited...
jill is just the cutest. but who wouldn't be excited over these:or this glorious display:
or, help me, these:i am an heirloom tomato lover through and through. jill, on the other hand, is more of a lavender and french bread kind of girl:
here's michael, our own sweet dapple dandy:
(i have some more farmer's market pictures of some of the heavenly flowers they had there, but i'll post those over at my other blog.)

now...on to the prepping!and...the table setting! (jill took these next 2 pix and did the tablescape)and...the, um, pouring of drinks into pretty containers-ing!
here are the lovely hosts. i don't know what michael thinks he's doing.
most of the night for michael and i was spent in the kitchen. unfortunately, i don't have pictures of each individual course yet because i was way too busy to take pictures, wah! but i am hoping to get a few snaps from some of the guests, and i'll post those asap when i get them.

here's the menu we served:

hors d'oeuvres - heirloom tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella cheese on baguette slices, drizzled with olive oil and s/p
i set out a platter of my most favorite appetizer, and michael served drinks when the guests arrived. some guests who were from england brought pims to make an english sangria-like drink, which was delicious, by the way! we also had different wines served through the sit-down courses.
after about a half hour of mingling, everyone sat down for the first course.
first course - caesar salad
michael wanted to do a deconstructed version of a salad, so we fanned out lettuce leaves and topped them with a whole piece of apple-smoked bacon, shaved parmesan cheese, a long toasted olive bread crouton, and michael's homemade caesar dressing.
second course - broccoli soup
sorry i don't have a picture of this yet! michael made a fresh broccoli soup (served hot) and at the last minute we added some cumin and apple cider vinegar for a kick, and it turned out amazing! we served it in glass bowls each on their own small bamboo platter, with a curl of sharp cheddar cheese on top.
palette cleanser - dark ale
after the soup, we did a palette cleanser, which was a mini cup of a strong, dark ale. (which i can't remember the name of right now!)
third course (appetizer) - fried sausage and goat cheese ravioli with homemade marinara
this was the hardest course to get out - we made the ravioli from scratch (there may or may not have been a panicked moment from michael during this process since we had never done this before!) and filled it with spiced sausage and goat cheese. then what the heck, we breaded and deep-fried it. we served it with a small slice of mozzarella and spooned marinara sauce on top and on the side. the ravioli was pretty good, but it was kind of a learning process, so next time will be even better. the sauce though, was amazing! it stewed on the stove all day and was a perfect accompaniment to the pasta.fourth course (main) - grilled rosemary chicken with lemon-garlic cream sauce on a bed of wilted wasabi arugula, roasted parsnips and purple carrots
this dish was just perfection! we used my standard recipe, and grilled thin-sliced chicken breasts with rosemary, olive oil, garlic, and lemon. the lemon-garlic-bacon-cream sauce was sooo good - i used half-n-half instead of cream so it was rich but not too rich. the chicken and sauce looked really pretty on the bed of greens, too. we boiled the parsnips and purple carrots till tender, then put them in a skillet with butter and herbs to bring out some carmelization. they tasted like sweet potato fries -delish! man, i really need a picture of this dish!
palette cleanser - pomegranate sorbet and a small wedge of gouda cheese
after the main meal, we did another palette cleanser. we passed out little plates that had a spoon of sorbet on it next to a small wedge of gouda cheese. it looked cute and was a nice segway between dinner and dessert.
fifth course (dessert) - vanilla bean cheesecake with peach-basil sauce and 'knock you naked' brownies
i took over dessert since michael isn't a sweets lover. the peach-basil sauce was such a hit, and the fresh peaches combined with the savory basil were sooo good with the cheesecake! (i basically just amped up a paula deen cheesecake recipe - i'll post it later.) i did have a little problem with the brownies - i made a batch beforehand but i ended up not liking them, so i had to whip up another batch really quick in their place. so they weren't the best i've ever made, but still really good. i mean, it's a fudgie chocolate caramel brownie, how can you really go wrong?

everyone had a GREAT time, and we took our time for each course so the party ended up being several hours long. there was constant laughter and flowing wine and jill was a great hostess while mikey and i worked fast and furious in the kitchen. speaking of which, here's me and mister lloyd at the end of the night. (i was one tired cat, but it was so much fun!)

to live in the colors that were given by the mothers

2011-08-19T11:46:00.000-07:00

these are, hands down, the BEST brownies ever. oh my gosh, you guys. they are from the pioneer woman blog, and they're called 'knock you naked' brownies. these are so, so yummy! i did change up the recipe a little bit to make it a little bit easier, and i'll post my version below.
knock-you-naked brownies
adapted from pioneer woman

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

in a bowl, mix together:
1 box german chocolate cake mix
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter, melted

dough will be thick. divide in thirds and layer 2/3 dough in bottom of greased 8x8" pan, and bake for 8-10 minutes.
then on top of dough in pan, add:
an 8-10 ounce jar of caramel sauce ( i use this glorious kind from trader joe's)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
the rest of the dough, dropped on top by spoonfuls

bake 20-25 more minutes. (you know they are done when the sides look baked and start pulling away from the pan, but don't overbake -they are supposed to be pretty soft in the middle.) now, this is important: DO NOT TOUCH THEM for about 3 hours! the caramel really needs to rest and meld together with the chocolate, so i just let them sit on the counter all afternoon. (i don't like putting them in the fridge - i think it destroys some of the integrity of the brownie.) trust, the wait will be worth it!!

taking pleasure in the flower of truth

2011-08-07T12:25:00.000-07:00

i made some homemade ice cream the other day, and topped it with another pioneer woman recipe, a peach-basil sauce. this is really good, a little different, and slightly fancy. i'm going to try it over a vanilla bean cheesecake this weekend.
but i promise it's not all treats around here.
it is pretty much tomatoes all the time around here...and cheese...and basil...

melancholy is incompatible with bicycling.

2011-07-27T19:48:00.000-07:00

i made these cupcakes in a total rush, and they are definitely not my best work, but i thought i'd post them anyway. we went to a tour de france party on sunday (pants is a little obsessed with cycling these days), so i had to do the green, yellow, and polka-dot jerseys, which are a big part of the race:
i always double up the liners on my cupcakes because i think it looks better. (the cupcakes are double chocolate filled with butterscotch pudding, topped with a cream cheese frosting and a little fondant jersey.)

i'd see the summer garden in rainbow clouds

2011-07-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

around here, lazy summer evenings are just begging for fun cold drinks.

i'm learning how to make a mean margarita...
the kids are on another fruit smoothie kick...shark loved this one full of mango, pineapple, and banana, blended with a little orange juice concentrate and ice.
sky's favorite is more of the 'homemade soda' variety - blended fruit juices mixed with club soda.
oh, and here's my recipe for piña coladas. i honestly never really liked coconut-y drinks until i made these. they are sooo easy!
super easy piña coladas

(measurements are approximate)
3 cups pineapple juice
1/2-3/4 c cream of coconut (you can find this in the liquor aisle at the grocery)
a few splashes of rum
a couple cups of crushed ice
pineapple wedges, for garnish (optional)

blend everything in the blender, add more of anything if you think it needs it, and serve in a fun cup garnished with a pineapple. (or an umbrella!) close eyes and dream of an island paradise...yum...

be like the flower, turn your face to the sun.

2011-07-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

things i love in my kitchen...
(the once-in-a-blue-moon when pants is actually IN the kitchen!)
a little italia for you...
these girls on the windowsill make me smile...
...and so do these pizza-making boys.
man, i load these things up:my friend mb is encouraging me to make more salads:
and naughty pants is encouraging me to make more of these:

i would start a revolution, but i just bought a hammock.

2011-07-10T17:53:00.000-07:00

we went to a friend's birthday celebration on saturday night, and for a gift, i brought these:our friend is german (and very proud of it!), hence the german flag colors of the fondant circles. the fondant-topped cupcakes are toffee-filled chocolate, and the other ones are strawberry 'cheesecake'. yum.
pre-fondant topped:
strawberry-glazed filled, just waiting to be topped with cream cheese frosting and graham cracker crumbs:

sweetheart, you can't buy the necessities of life with cookies.

2011-07-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

i posted all about our july 4th celebration over on my family blog, but i just wanted to recap the menu over here. i got lucky this year, since my pal mikey took over the bulk of the cooking. and of course everything was mouth-wateringly delicious!

here's what was on the menu...

main dishes (these were all made by michael)
* boerewors, a south african sausage, served with pap en sous (a tomato/onion sauce)* spicy and teriyaki style chicken wings
* bacon blue cheese burgers

sides
* baked beans (made by jill)
* cheesy potatoes (requested by pants, made by me) recipe below* grape leaves served with a mint yogurt sauce (made by mariam)* wasabi arugula salad with michael's homemade peppercorn ranch dressing
* kicked-up coleslaw (made by me)
* chili-rubbed corn on the cob (we actually forgot to make this, so michael fired up the grill around 6pm-ish and we all had it for a pre-firework evening snack. totally hit the spot and soooo good!)

desserts
* s'more cheesecake (made by marissa)* strawberry cream pie (made by jill and i) have you made this yet? you MUST!* snickerdoodles (made by me)
* ice cream

drinks
i whipped up some pina coladas (recipe coming soon) and pomegranate iced tea (recipe coming soon), mikey did some cocktails, and we also had vino on hand for the evening. hey, it's the 4th of july!my aunt phyllis' cheesy potatoes
(these are the BEST cheesy potatoes, in my opinion!)

ingredients:
2 lbs hashbrowns (they are supposed to be thawed, but i just put them in frozen)
1/4 cup melted butter
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
pepper to taste

mix all together in a 9x13" UNgreased pan, and cook at 350 for about an hour or until top is nice and browned. (i actually put mine under the broiler the last few minutes to give the top a little more color, since i cooked mine at a lower temp because of other stuff that was in the oven at the same time. )

venkman, get a sample of this.

2011-06-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

i'm so bummed! we went to a friends' house for dinner on saturday, and they made the entire meal in their new dutch oven in a fire pit in the backyard, and i totally forgot to take my camera! wah. now let me tell you, THAT was a good meal! they even did dessert in a dutch oven, too - an apple crisp full of warm caramel-y goodness. hands down the best apple crisp i've ever had in my life. nothing beats campfire cooking for this girl!

anyway. since we are socking a bit of dough into the house at the moment with a few larger patio and kitchen projects, i am trying to offset that by using our pantry to come up with some budget-friendly yummies in the kitchen. i also don't feel like doing any major meal cooking now since hey, it's summertime, baby!the old standby - spaghetti with fire-roasted tomatoes and meat marinara sauce:
i usually hate coleslaw, finding it way too bland, so i was determined the other day to make a more kicked-up one that i would like. basically i added together all sorts of crazy stuff i found in the fridge, let the flavors meld together for a few hours, and holy moley...i could not stop eating this stuff! i'll have to post the recipe as soon as i remember what i actually put in it!
i'm trying to be a smidge healthier in the afternoons, so things like these little olive-tomato-goat cheese munchies have become my new 3 o'clock snackie:i found these crackers in my pantry, and they are crispy with a little chewiness (from the raisins in them), making a perfect little base for any hors d'ouevres:
my friend janna introduced me to these 'brown tomatoes', and now i'm addicted to their rich earthy flavor:and this little kitchen helper made our favorite chocolate chip cookies with me this week. (is he not the cutest thing ever, btw?)and since i've been craving mexican lately.... last week i whipped together a can of vegetarian bean chili with a few different salsas (my absolute favorite corn chili salsa from trader joes and a sweet pineapple one), some carmelized red onions, corn, cheese, and tomatoes, then baked it in the oven till it was bubbly and the cheese was melty...just add sour cream and guac and eat it on chips or taco shells or over rice. yum!

like an angel passing through my room

2011-05-13T12:16:00.000-07:00

a few choice meals...

breakfast
gluten-free waffles made with my new waffle maker!

sharkey's new favorite all-fruit smoothie: oranges, mangos, banana, apple.

i feel like my tummy has fully repaired itself, so i am easing up on my dairy ban. welcome back, my beloved greek yogurt...
lunch
guess we've been on a soup kick...
(this is actually a picture of sharkey's favorite lunch.)
dinner
lots of salad around here lately...
...made ten times better by the addition of italian dressing and some good blue cheese:and what's the point of eating a potato if it's not loaded?
dessert
want to make your husband happy? turn the best homemade chocolate chip cookies......into these:

diary of an easter cupcake

2011-05-13T11:52:00.000-07:00

cheer and song above hoarded gold

2011-04-16T22:03:00.000-07:00

i made some easter-y angel food cupcakes this week for some sweet gals at pants' office.yes, i'm in love with making fondant toppers. i also baked up some of these ooo-ey gooey chocolate toffee bars for pants' to take with him when he went out of town earlier this week. these are our absolute favorite cookie bars. yum.but it's not all treats around here. the other day i made randy's chicken parmigiana: and sharkey and i are munching lots of these...and making fun drinks out of these...

just throw yourself at the ground and miss

2011-04-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

alright, can't resist. i have to put up a few pix of some cute little individual double-layer cheesecakes i made for a neighbor. (recipe coming soon...)

that disco dancer is courthouse approved

2011-04-11T10:06:00.000-07:00

wow, i'm really bad at keeping up with this blog! here are a few catch-up pictures of some kitchen happenings from the last few weeks...

i was eating lots of brown rice/veggie/meat combos for awhile because i couldn't come up with any other gluten and dairy-free lunch ideas.
then i let myself have a few breakfast sammies for old times sake.
i made a curry a few weeks back, which sharkey and i loved and pants and sky did not.(the secret is in the cranberries - you plump them for ten minutes in hot water before serving.)
pants and sky did enjoy my homemade gluten-free brownie dessert, though.
last week i was in the mood for some old favorites. like taco salad.
and fries.i love making pants fun little things, like his absolute favorite dessert - angel food cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting. (yes, his actual name is andy. or technically, andypants.)
and i may or may not have made a super delicious double-layer cheesecake last week.
which was sooo good, but totally killed my dairy-sensitive tummy. so now it's back to things like this instead:

all swallowed in their coats

2011-04-02T13:58:00.001-07:00

lunch.these are definitely the best ribs i've ever made. sooo amazingly sticky sweet and tender - even pants liked them, and he is definitely not a rib guy. i can't believe how easy they were to make, and i like that there are no bones to deal with. just serve with a side of waffle fries and a redneck strawberry white wine cooler.

amy's country-style licky sticky short ribs
a bunch of country-style (i think that just means boneless?) pork ribs
about two cups barbecue sauce (i used kc masterpiece)
a cup of ketchup
4 splashes of red wine vinegar
1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
lawry's seasoned salt
s/p
olive oil

salt and pepper the pork ribs, pour on a little olive oil, and put in a greased baking dish.
cook in 350 oven about half an hour to 45 min.
drain most of the fat, then mix together the rest of the ingredients and pour over the ribs. (i added a little water at this point, too.)
bake in the oven another couple of hours - basically, till the meat is totally fork-tender. you can also make up more of the sauce to add in at the end, if it's not saucy enough for you. soooo good...

amy's redneck white wine cooler
white wine (i used a strawberry-infused white zinfandel)
a melted strawberry popsicle (i used an all-natural real fruit kind)
sparkling water (optional)
a strawberry dipped in sugar, for garnish

mix together and garnish with a strawberry. enjoy in your front yard next to an old rusted pickup truck sporting no tires.

eighteen miles wide on this country drive

2011-03-28T21:19:00.000-07:00

i am officially out of control, but i couldn't resist...i had to make some gluten-free cupcakes, too!

these are made from the betty crocker gluten-free chocolate cake mix, and i added in some mini chocolate chips before baking. after they cooled, i filled them with butterscotch pudding and topped them with cream cheese frosting, graham crumbs (use s'morables brand for gluten-free), and a fondant flower. talk about rich! but sooo good. pants said, 'they don't even taste gluten-free!' which is the highest compliment of all...

i also made some with crushed up peanut butter cups inside instead of butterscotch, frosted with a cream cheese swirl. the neighbors are going to love me.

2011-03-27T15:04:00.000-07:00

the finished product...harry potter cupcakes!

what is patriotism but the love of cupcakes one ate as a child?

2011-03-23T12:19:00.000-07:00

it's cupcake central over here this week! which isn't making my gluten/dairy/sugar-free diet very easy to follow, i must admit. i made some sweet angel food cupcakes topped with lemon buttercream and little fondant tulips for a friend at pants' work (of course i totally forgot to take a picture of them, duh!), and i just finished making 40 harry potter-themed cupcake toppers out of fondant for a friend's son's party this weekend. i like to get the fondant work done early in the week, since it will keep a long time, and then bake the cupcakes the day before and frost/assemble them right before the party. hopefully they will look cute once they're all put together! here's a few ron weasleys, harry potters, and some brooms: and some dumbledores, sans wizard hat:

johnny five alive

2011-03-14T22:16:00.000-07:00

for sharkey's fifth birthday party, he requested a star wars jawa guy cupcake instead of a cake. i stacked two cupcakes (gluten-free, btw!), frosted them, and covered the whole thing with fondant: and then made these for his friends:five-year-olds are easy to please.

slowly we unfurl

2011-02-26T12:30:00.000-08:00

so...lately i've been feeling a little...not so good. mainly just tired. like, exhausted tired. like, ready to go back to bed, but oh wait, it's only 9:30 in the morning tired. a lot of people suggested to me it was maybe my thyroid, but then my mom and dmoms kept mentioning that maybe i should stop eating gluten for a bit. and maybe dairy. i already knew i was probably a little sensitive to the casein in dairy since my own son is gluten and casein free and half my extended family seem to have food allergies, but since i always felt pretty good overall, i never wanted to take the plunge. and i did go gluten free a few years ago for a few months, but it didn't seem to have much of an effect on me. (i probably cheated a lot, though.) BUT wednesday night i was feeling sooo worn down and tired like an old lady, i decided to just go ahead and see if changing my diet would make a difference. i cut gluten, cut dairy, and even cut out white sugar. i was really bummed about cutting dairy and sugar - i am in love with greek yogurt, eat cheese every single day, and love a sweet treat in the afternoon. (the gluten isn't as big a deal for me since we already eat a lot of gluten-free stuff because of sky.) a quick trip to my favorite sprouts market on thursday morning to stock up on udi bread and more fruit and veggies definitely helped. fast forward to today (saturday) and i am feeling AMAZING! on friday i told andy 'it's like a fog has lifted.' (the classic gluten free line, i know. but that's exactly what it feels like!) i feel SO much better, even after just a few days, and i swear my face looks ten years younger. i don't think i have a technical 'allergy' to gluten and dairy, but a definite sensitivity, so i am for sure sticking with it. cutting sugar was more just to kickstart me back into eating a little healthier, but i'm going to keep it up, too. oh, and i am taking a really good multivitamin, and going to start taking probiotics and omega 3's next week. i'm still a bit tired, but it's more the i have two kids who wake me up a lot in the night tired than um, am i dying? kind of tired. so yeah, my mother was right. again. this means a hearty goodbye my very favorite greek yogurt i used to eat almost every single day. (that i now realize contributed to the bloaty feeling i always got about ten minutes after i would eat it. i just thought that was normal. oops.) hello to yogurt-less 'tropical sunrise' smoothies (recipe coming soon).goodbye, pants' famous lattes. (rest assured, i am NOT giving up my regular daily coffee, though. EVER!) goodbye, ranch dressing that i love so much...although i do love me a good vinaigrette, so i guess it's ok. hello to fruit and veggies...oh wait, i already eat you all the time and you have never done me wrong. so, never mind.it's not quite goodbye, chocolate cookies and apple cinnamon muffins. i'll still make you for my hungry boys, since you are gluten and dairy free (dairy free dark chocolate from trader joes!). maybe i'll give you a sweet nibble sometime when i'm feeling all the way better.

the ships. tell them about the ships.

2011-01-16T08:18:00.001-08:00

these...
were made with the BEST gluten-free pancake mix ever invented:these pancakes are soooo good that no one can even tell that they are gluten-free! i ALWAYS use this mix for pancakes, and add a little sugar and vanilla for some extra deliciousness. um, ok, i just decided that we are having breakfast for dinner tonight because now i really want pancakes. (incidentally, this mix also makes really good gluten-free chocolate chip and snickerdoodle cookies, too. i just buy a big ole' bag of this mix and use it as the base for so many different things for my little gluten-free dude.)

anywho, here's a few other yummies from the past couple of weeks...
my new apron from target. (thanks, mom!)pants was craving butterscotch pudding, so i slaved over the stove and made a double batch of my usual david lebovitz butterscotch pudding, all fancied up with whipped cream and toasted coconut, only to have pants tell me afterward that he really just prefers the instant jello kind from the box. sigh.
at least my pitas are always a hit. have you made these yet? you MUST. they are so worth the time it takes to make them!hmm...i'm noticing a sour cream/yogurt trend in a lot of my dishes...
oh, and i can't live without making these at least once almost every week. this pizza is so good it has totally turned me off of any other pizza!

i don't think he knows about second breakfast.

2011-01-16T07:10:00.000-08:00

so...a few weeks ago i really wanted to make a soup. which is weird for me, since i'm not a huge soup girl. but i think all the holiday treats were starting to catch up to me, so i wanted something a little more on the healthy side like a simple vegetable soup. but then at the market i saw all these onions...and i remembered there is one soup i love - french onion soup. so i decided to skip the veggie fest and instead make something i really like!
for some reason i decided not to use a recipe, and i just made it up. it was so easy, and turned out delicious! sky had a friend over when i made it, and his pal ate two whole bowls of it, which made me feel good. pants was also pretty excited about it. so here's what i did...

french onion soup
2 big onions, sliced in half circles
3 cloves garlic, chopped
box of GOOD QUALITY vegetable broth (i actually tried to make this again last week with beef broth, but didn't like it at all! so definitely use the veggie broth.)few good shakes worcestershire sauce
2/3 bottle of beer
2 tablespoons sugar
lawry's seasoned salt
cumin
paprika
s/p
sourdough bread, cut in circles
parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese

STEP 1
saute the onions and garlic in olive oil in the bottom of a big pot for a couple minutes.

STEP 2
add in the cumin, paprika, some pepper, and some lawry's seasoned salt, and saute a few more minutes. (just season to taste. i'm pretty generous with my seasonings.)STEP 3
add the broth, worcy sauce, and beer. go easy on the worcy and beer at first, and then add more later on if you need to adjust the taste. i ended up using about 2/3 of a bottle of beer and was pretty generous on the worcy. i also added some regular salt, too.
STEP 4
bring to a boil for a couple minutes, then cover and turn off the heat and leave on it on the burner for an hour and a half. i actually did this by accident - i had to leave to take the kids to the park, so i just turned off the burner and left it. when i came back, it was PERFECT.

STEP 5
when you are ready to serve it, cut out a few circles from a good bread (i used some trusty sourdough slices and just cut a circle with the top of a glass), top them with mozzarella and parmesan cheese, and broil them until the cheese is all melty. serve the soup in mugs with a cheesy bread circle on top. YUMMMMMMM!

how can anyone govern a nation that has 240 different kinds of cheeses?

2011-01-08T07:15:00.000-08:00

(sharkey, helping chop in the kitchen with a butter knife)

two meal plans in a row, if you can believe it! once again, i made pants' help me, and here's what we came up with for this week:

saturday (today)
vegetable soup, butterscotch pudding

sunday
chicken pockets made with champagne chicken, green salad
(this is a yummy recipe from my friend mary beth, and i had forgotten about it for a long time. pants' loves it, so i'm gonna kick it up a bit and make it for him. i'll post the recipe later in the week.)

monday
french onion soup, apple tarts
(french onion has always been my favorite soup, so a couple weeks ago i made some from scratch without a recipe, and it was easier than i thought and really delicious!)

tuesday
hamburgers, cheesy potatoes, homemade 'soda'
(i HATE regular soda and never buy it, so the kids are really into making their own version - we just mix a little berry fruit juice or frozen juice concentrate with sparkling water, and they think it is the BEST treat.)

wednesday
rosemary chicken with lemon garlic pasta

thursday
omelets (with bacon and leftover veggies from the week), orange julius'
friday
chicken gyros
(we had these last week but they were so good we want to make them again! i made a double batch of the pita bread dough and froze it, so it should be easier, too. also, my folks are coming into town and i wanted to give them a good meal. i am on the hunt this week for good gluten-free pitas for my mom and sky.)

as swift as a cloaked tyrant shuffling through the moor.

2011-01-03T09:29:00.000-08:00

pants is nice. and makes me things like this:
yum. he also has been helping me meal plan the last couple of weeks. this is a first for him, but i LOVE having help with it - for some reason, i can plan a menu for a huge party or event in just a few minutes, but the thought of having to come up with 5-7 meals for the week just for our little family leaves me lying on the floor in a puddle of cold sweat.
or more accurately, i get totally overwhelmed by planning out ALL the meals (breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for the four of us), when they aren't all the same. (sky is back on the gluten-free diet, is EXTREMELY picky, and takes a lunch to school, for example.) so it's kind of a pain figuring it all out for the week by myself.
anyway. we won't mention how i had to guilt/beg/twist pants' arm to get him to help me with this, but in the end, all i had to say was the magic words: 'you know, if we meal plan, it will save us a lot of money!' and then he was totally on board. hee hee.

** oh, and i meant to post this on the weekend, but didn't have time, so that's why it starts on saturday.

saturday
pants made kabobs on the grill (kielbasa, green peppers, tomatoes, pineapple, red onion) with rice, and we had pumpkin-eggnog pie for dessert. (i just added a little eggnog to my pie batter, and it made it sooo delicious!)sunday
i made chicken gyros with homemade pita bread yesterday, and we had apple crumble pie for dessert. (guess i was in a pie-making mood last week!)
monday
it's really rainy and chilly here today, so i'm thinking some sort of comforting cheesy mexican burritos or enchilada bake.

tuesday
lasagna
(i will admit that sometimes i just buy a pre-made one, or i use the recipe from my old worn red-and-white checkered betty crocker cookbook. but my favorite lasagna is the 'best lasagna ever' from pioneer woman - so delicious!)

wednesday
chicken salad on homemade rolls (this is the first time i've made these particular rolls - i'll post the recipe if they turn out!)

thursday
breakfast for dinner

friday
pizza margherita (gosh, i love this pizza so much! i HIGHLY recommend making these in individual sizes for an informal party or weekend with friends.)

guardian angels without number watch you as you sweetly slumber.

2010-12-24T15:53:00.000-08:00

more holiday yummies...

a 54 convertible too, light blue.

2010-12-17T15:27:00.000-08:00

it's that time of year again...

mother always taught me, 'never eat singing food'.

2010-11-28T13:50:00.001-08:00

our thanksgiving was pretty much an all-out food fest that turned into a 3-day slumber party with our friends mikey, jill, and marissa. and i loved every minute of it.
i have to say that this was honestly the BEST-tasting thanksgiving meal i have ever had. every.single.dish was really flavorful and delish. and the turkey! oh, the turkey...we cooked it upside-down and basted it in wine for four juicy hours. mmm...this four-year-old cat loved helping out in the kitchen.
we pretty much put bacon or a stick of butter (or both) in every single side dish.oh man, we had so many good desserts, too. the funny thing was that we were all SO stuffed from dinner, we barely even touched any of the sweet treats on thursday! here's a peek at jill's fab pumpkin bundt cake with buttermilk icing:since pants doesn't really like to cook, he spent lots of good time with the boys while the rest of us were whoopin' it up in the kitchen.
sharkey is in LOVE with jill. he kept trying to impress her with his orange-peeling skills.
marissa, jill, and the kids created the traditional 'blessing box' for us. (we originally stole this idea from mikey's family, and his mom insists we keep it up!) we all write what we are thankful for, then put the notes in the box and take turns reading them aloud. marissa made to-die-for pumpkin cinnamon rolls for breakfast on thursday. they were so yummy!
and sharkey and i whipped up some flaky apple turnovers (using leftover baked apples from thanksgiving dinner) and chocolate turnovers (using nutella) on friday morning.
we spent our evenings watching Christmas movies and playing games by the fire, we made pizzas on friday night, and pants and i even snuck in a quick date since we had some free babysitters around. hope your holiday was as happy as ours!

i celebrate thanksgiving the old-fashioned way. i invite the entire neighborhood to my house for an enormous feast, and then i kill them.

2010-11-24T10:06:00.000-08:00

the day before turkey day... i've been up since 6:30am baking pies. three of them, to be exact - pumpkin, pecan: and apple-cranberry: i am way too proud of my lattice crust, even if the dough strips are a bit uneven. (it was 6 in the morning, what do you expect? and i had to use a glass to roll out the dough strips, because i washed my rolling pin in the dishwasher and then pants unloaded it and i now have no idea where my rolling pin is!) i also made the kids some pumpkin tarts for breakfast made out of leftover pumpkin pie batter, and started on some sides for tomorrow. i made two different kinds of cranberry sauce:candied nuts:and bacon and onions to put on top of green beans:(by the way, i don't think there is anything more satisfying than cooking up some bacon and onions in a cast-iron pan!)i also made a baked apple/puff pastry/brie appetizer. in hindsight, i see that i should have made this appetizer the day of, but i wasn't sure how it would turn out and wanted to do a little trial run. it looks really good - i think i will just fridge it and then throw it under the broiler a few minutes tomorrow to warm it up. (it's brie cheese and baked apples wrapped in a puff pastry, and you serve it with crackers.) the 'before baking' shot: obviously, i try to do a lot beforehand so on the actual thanksgiving day, i can just focus on the turkey and heating up the sides in the oven. mikey and jill are coming tonight, so i'm just going to do an easy mexican dinner and we'll work on the rest of the sides. i also have a glorious rum cake i made on monday:so we'll munch on that tonight with some spiced cider...or maybe a mojito or two...oh, and i also need to somehow convince pants to peel the five pounds of potatoes i have for mashed potatoes, since i hate peeling those things... alright, i have the boys busy with some holiday crafting while i get a few un-interrupted minutes, but i know that won't last! have a happy turkey day tomorrow, everyone!

the expense of hiring grandmothers for the axe work

2010-11-15T19:27:00.000-08:00

i am currently wrapped in a big sweater and wearing my geeky glasses while nursing a super bad sore throat with cough drops, honey lemon tea, and cheap popsicles. ok, and maybe a bite or two of one of these:i promise it's medicinal.
anyway, even though i am definitely under the weather at the moment, i am getting really excited for thanksgiving! my friend mikey and i finalized the menu this afternoon, and i am so anxious to get cooking with him and his girl jill next week for our collaborate feast! tomorrow i am going to get a few more items for the tablescape. (yes, i 'm a dork and think way in advance about how i want my thanksgiving table to look!) ok, so even though some of this will probably change, here is our tentative thanksgiving menu...

appetizers
pumpkin cinnamon rolls (made by a friend)
baked brie with apple compote served with crackers

main
um...i'm thinking turkey...

sides
stuffing (made by mikey)
corn (made by mikey)
baked apples (made by mikey)
a sweet potato dish (made by a friend)
mac-n-cheese (made by jill)
mashed potatoes (a must-have for pants!)
french green beans w/bacon and carmelized pearl onions
rolls with herb butter
a duo of cranberry sauces, one sweet and one spicy
gravy

desserts
apple cranberry pie with sour cream topping
pumpkin spice bundt cake (made by jill)
pecan pie with whiskey sauce
pumpkin pie with homemade whipped cream

drinks

LOTS of eggnog
spiced cider
wine

hot toddies
'izze' drinks for the kiddos

our pals will be staying with us for a bit, so i am planning the day-after goodies, too. i might make some chocolate or apple turnovers for breakfast the next day, and grab a couple loaves of good sourdough for those yummy turkey sammies.
more turkey talk to come!

just a minor quibble with a muggle.

2010-11-07T20:24:00.000-08:00

and so the season begins...
i made the best cookies the other day - i just used my favorite chocolate chip recipe and substituted heath chocolate toffee chips instead of chocolate chips. YUM. (the picture makes it look like a crisp cookie but they aren't - they're soft and chewy. i hate hard cookies so i only make soft ones!)oh, and i have to show you my two new kitchen additions. my lovely french press, which puts all other forms of coffee-making to shame:
and my cast-iron skillet. this baby is huge and heavy and i am loving using it! i don't know why i took so long to get one - it cooks things so evenly and you can use it on the stovetop, the grill, or the oven. and super easy to clean, too. (i made burgers in it the other night when i was too lazy to start the grill, and i swear they were the best ones i've ever made!)

which way to pepperinge eye?

2010-11-03T09:29:00.000-07:00

so what do you guys do with halloween candy? what works for us is to let the kids have a 2-day gorge-fest (halloween and then the day after), then pants takes the rest to work after that. so far the kids have been fine with this strategy, and i like it because i don't like keeping candy in the house. (because, um, i eat it!)i have been on a cream cheese kick lately. sharkey is loving cream cheese and jam sammies (cut into shapes with fun cutters, of course!) for snacks, and this morning i was naughty and spread cream cheese and a little bit of nutella on a toasted 'everything' bagel, and it was pretty much as close to heaven as you can get on this here earth. oh nutella, how i love thee. i also made this easy, fabulous shallot chicken the other day, and i'll post the recipe as well:

easy shallot chicken

2 large chicken breasts
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 large shallots, peeled and minced (these made my eyes water more than regular onions do, i don't know why!)
s/p
fresh parsley for garnish, optional

preheat the oven to 400 degrees. in a baking dish, combine the olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and shallots. season the chicken with salt and pepper and add it to the baking dish, tossing it in the mixture to coat. bake till chicken is done and the shallots are soft and carmelized. let the chicken rest 5 minutes, then serve with the shallot/sauce mixture on top. garnish with parsley.

this isn't the junior chamber of commerce, brad!

2010-10-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

ok, this pizza margherita was SO GOOD. i found this recipe on tasty kitchen, and i think it is officially going to become my go-to pizza recipe. pants, shark, and i LOVED this pizza, and even picky eater sky asked for seconds on the one i made for him (same crust, but with mozzarella cheese ONLY and just a hint of sauce). the crust is thin with a good crunch around the edges, and it's just plain yummy. you can link to the website for the original recipe, or follow what i did, which is just slightly different.classic pizza margherita

ingredients:
for the crust:

3/4 cups lukewarm water
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 cups bread flour (i think the original recipe called for whole wheat bread flour, but i just used regular)
1/2 teaspoon salt

for the toppings:
olive oil
artichoke hearts, canned
2-3 tomatoes, chopped or sliced
fresh basil (definitely use FRESH basil, not dried)
fresh or dried oregano
ricotta cheese
mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese
pizza sauce or pesto, optional

preheat oven to 500 degrees. if you have a pizza or baking stone, put it in the middle of the oven. i don't have one, so i just used a baking sheet placed upside down on the middle rack as a substitute.

in a bowl, add the lukewarm water and the yeast, and stir thoroughly. set aside and let the yeast dissolve for a few minutes. in a mixing bowl with a dough hook attached, mix together the flour and salt, then add the water-yeast mixture. combine a few turns with the dough hook till mostly mixed together, then turn onto a floured surface and knead a minute or two till all the flour is incorporated.
roll out crust with a rolling pin** and brush dough with olive oil and add all the toppings except for the cheese (i also added a little natural pizza sauce and liked the added flavor). put crust on baking stone and bake for 5 minutes, then rotate 180 degrees. bake 3 more minutes, then add cheeses. bake a few more minutes till the edges are golden and crispy, and cheese is melted. cool on a wire rack or wooden board for 5 minutes, then serve. ** i actually doubled the batch and made individual pizzas, but you can also make one big pizza if you want. i also refrigerated some dough before baking (in a ball shape in plastic wrap) for a few hours and it made it easier to roll out.

the ghouls all came from their humble abode

2010-10-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

it's halloween cookie time, baby...

hitch a ride on a broomstick, my galvanized friend.

2010-10-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

so i made pioneer woman's spaghetti and meatballs yesterday after church, and WOW. they were delicious! pants said it was the best spaghetti and meatballs he ever had, and i definitely agree. it took a bit of time, but was worth it. and it made the house smell like Christmas, somehow - i think from all the basil i used. i will print the recipe below, noting the couple of variations i made, or you can just link to her website for the original recipe (and a way better step-by-step instruction with awesome pictures).oh, and don't all good october meals need to end with a halloween cakeball?pioneer woman's spaghetti and meatballs
ingredients:
for the meatballs:
3/4 pound ground beef (i used 1 pound)
3/4 pound ground pork (i used 1 pound ground pork sausage)
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup fine bread crumbs (i just used a mix of italian-seasoned breadcrumbs and panko that i found in my pantry)
2 eggs
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced (i used dried basil instead)
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper
splash of milk

for the sauce:
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes (the whole thing)
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (the whole thing)
1/2 cup red or white wine, optional (i didn't add this)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (i actually ended up adding a bit more)
pepper
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced (i used fresh basil instead)
8 whole basil leaves, chiffonade

2 pounds spaghetti, cooked to al dente

to make the meatballs, combine all ingredients in a big bowl, and mix together with your hands. roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. (don't make these too big or they won't cook through.) place cookie sheet in freezer for 5-10 minutes to firm up.
to brown the meatballs, heat olive oil in a heavy pot or large skillet over medium-high heat. (definitely use a LARGE pan - this recipe makes a lot!) add about 8 meatballs in the pan at a time (i added more), turning to brown. remove and drain on a paper towel after each batch, and set aside.now make the sauce. in the same pot, add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes until translucent. add the rest of the ingredients, and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. (i only cooked this about 5-10 minutes before adding the meatballs.)gently add the meatballs to the pot, and stir. reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring very gently a couple of times during the simmer. (i think i cooked this a little bit longer just to be sure the meatballs were cooked through.) cook spaghetti while waiting for the sauce.

just before serving, stir in the basil. serve over cooked spaghetti and sprinkle with more basil (if you are a fresh basil lover like i apparently am) and fresh-grated parmesan cheese (do NOT use the kind in the can! EVER. it's worth the price to buy the real thing, i promise). devour.

professor marvel never guesses.

2010-10-23T17:40:00.000-07:00

just popping in to finally post another menu plan! i feel like today (for once!) i actually did really well with menu planning/grocery shopping. and the kitchen is all organized and i even got the fridge cleaned out! it makes me feel all googly inside to have the cubbies full (but not overly so) but to still have (mostly) stayed on budget. so here's what's on the menu this week:

saturday (today)
appetizer - homemade tortilla chips and 'texas caviar' (this is a recipe i just got from my sis-in-law - i'll post it soon)
dover sole with homemade aioli, steamed veggies, mashed potatoes
dessert - warm spiced cider and homemade chocolate chip cookies
sunday
pioneer woman's spaghetti and meatballs
monday
roast chicken with shallots, steamed broccoli, mashed potatoes
pumpkin spice (halloween-themed!) cupcakes
tuesday
pizza margherita
wednesday
stir-fry chicken, veggies, and rice
thursday
breakfast for dinner
friday
not sure yet...probably some combination of leftovers!

i'm also attempting to make my own sourdough bread starter, so i will keep you updated on that! i'm hoping to make lots of yummy bread later in the week...

ah blankenship, you lousy curmudgeon.

2010-10-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

it's no secret. i'm in love with fondant. not the gross-tasting store-bought kind, but the easy, yummy homemade kind. i love to cover cakes with it, and i REALLY love making fun edible decorations out of it. i'm not an expert or anything, but i have made it quite a bit, so i thought i'd do a little tutorial...actually making the fondant is really quick and easy. the only thing is that it can be kind of messy the first time or two...or if you're me, the fifth or sixth time...homemade fondant ingredients: 16 oz. bag marshmallows, regular size 3 tablespoons water 2 lbs. confectioners' sugar, divided 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, optional (i actually never use any) pinch salt vegetable shortening, for greasing bowls/spatula

STEP 1 using the shortening, grease a large microwave-safe bowl, a stand mixer bowl, the dough hook for the mixer bowl, and a spatula. (basically, you want to grease anything the melted marshmallows will touch, since they will be SUPER sticky!)STEP 2 put the marshmallows and water in the prepared microwave-safe bowl, and melt for 60 seconds. stir with the greased spatula. if not all the marshmallows have melted, just microwave them again for about 20-30 seconds. STEP 3 in the stand mixer bowl, add together the confectioners' sugar (reserve 1 cup for later) and the salt. make a well in the center, and pour in the melted marshmallow mixture. mix with the mixer on the lowest setting (you can turn the speed up one notch if it sounds strained) until the sugar is all incorporated. if the fondant is still sticky, add the reserved sugar 1/4 cup at a time until it is no longer sticky (sometimes i have needed to add more than the reserved 1 cup).see how this batch was still a little sticky? i just added more confectioners' sugar and it was fine. STEP 4 form the fondant into a loose ball (or a couple balls) and put onto a piece of plastic wrap. rub a bit of shortening on the outside of the ball, and wrap up tightly in the plastic wrap. place in a ziploc bag and let rest 2-3 hours. **homemade fondant can be left out for up to 2 weeks on the counter until you are ready to use it. if it becomes too stiff, you can microwave it for 20 seconds at a time until it becomes pliable again. HOW TO COLOR FONDANT what you need: fondant edible coloring gels (these are different than regular liquid food coloring, and you can get them at any craft store) toothpicks first, ready your workspace. the coloring gels can stain your countertop (although they will usually come out after a vinegar/baking soda scrub...don't ask how i know that!), so i just put waxed paper down to work on. it is also important to rub a little shortening on the waxed paper in case the fondant sticks a little bit. the main thing to remember with the coloring gels is that a little goes a long way. just dip your toothpick in a color, and brush it on the fondant. i only used 3 little toothpick swipes to get a medium turquoise-y blue. to mix in the color, the best way is to twist the fondant into a fat rope, and just knead it together. it takes a few minutes of kneading, but at least it's a good arm/hand workout, right?ok, almost there...(yes, the gels can stain your skin, too!)done!once the color is fully incorporated, you can roll out the fondant or start making it into shapes. if your fondant feels a little sticky, just put a little shortening on your rolling pin and the countertop. (for some reason, i stopped taking pictures of the blue fondant, and started on pink instead.) i am not afraid to admit that i love pink! and pink fondant is sooo cute! sometimes i have a helper in the kitchen. my kids love playing with fondant and all our little cutters. i have the kids use the lower counter part of the island and i work on the higher top part, so they are doing it with me, but not actually touching the stuff i'm working on. again, you can store the extras in plastic wrap in a ziploc bag on your countertop for up to 2 weeks.

here are a few of the shapes i've done so far... cute little flip flops and flowers (for this project)apples (cherries?) for these cupcakes and some halloween decorations:

i daresay we were invaded by chicken monkeys.

2010-10-19T15:27:00.000-07:00

this weekend my old college friends josh and susan were visiting, and it was sooo fun! we lounged around, ate a bunch of good food, and they took some time exploring our sweet little socal universe. oh, and my friend josh made beer bread. like, really good beer bread - the best i've ever had, actually. and it was so easy to make! so of course i had to steal the recipe and post it here. i'm bummed because i took some funny pictures of josh making it, but it was nighttime and the pictures didn't come out at all. wah! (um...so i guess you guys will have to just come out and visit again then, right?)

josh's beer bread
ingredients:
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
12 oz. beer
a few squirts of honey
butter

preheat oven to 375 degrees. mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and beer together, stirring till just mixed. put dough into a greased loaf pan (the dough will look kind of batter-like). mix together some honey and butter, and spread on top of the uncooked loaf. pop it in the oven for about an hour (it took longer in my oven), till a fork through the middle comes out clean. let cool a little while, then slather with butter. the honey butter on top makes for a sweet crust, and it is YUM. i just had some today with some corn chowder (this would also be great with my new mexican soup) - perfect for a rainy afternoon!

it's bad enough picking on a straw man

2010-10-16T14:30:00.001-07:00

hey, 2 posts in one day! a miracle, i know. but i wanted to post this along with my yummy pumpkin post, so you know it's not just treats all the time around here! (although it does kind of seem like that when i read through this blog, hmm...) anywho, here are some other falltime faves we've been indulging in, including a delicious mexican tortilla-type soup that i made the other day to share with a sweet friend visiting from michigan. (recipe below) i am not a huge soup gal, and i just made this one up on the spot, but it turned out really good! and it also possesses my favorite kitchen quality - lots of flavor with very little effort!
unlike me, sharkey loves soup, and prefers it for lunch in a 'fancy' bowl.
amy's mexican soup
some really flavorful chicken, shredded (i just used a rotisserie chicken from the market)
a can of kidney beans
a can of tomatoes
a can of green chilis (mild)
about 4 cups good-quality chicken broth
1/2 a can of salsa
1-2 cups corn
1/2 an onion, chopped
a few cloves of garlic, minced
a couple teaspoons cumin
a teaspoon of chili powder
a couple teaspoons paprika
a teaspoon of oregano
salt/pepper

in a large pot, saute the onions, garlic, and spices in some oil over medium heat till soft (about 5 minutes). add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil, then simmer for awhile.
serve with side bowls of sour cream, cilantro, shredded cheese, avocado, frito chips, and anything else you like on top. that's it!

i found a green grass love

2010-10-16T13:08:00.001-07:00

so...i am constantly in the kitchen, but actually blogging about said kitchen time is getting pretty low on the priority list right now, unfortunately. i just don't have a lot of time to spend holed up on the computer in our office upstairs. i need a new laptop, stat - then i could blog away from the kitchen like i used to.
anywho. i'm on a total pumpkin kick right now. i found an AMAZING recipe for pumpkin cream cheese muffins, which is now my new favorite muffin, ever. (i'll post the recipe below.) i also made a super easy pumpkin cheesecake last week - i just made up the ingredients for a regular pumpkin pie, but upped the spice and sugar amounts a bit, then added 16 oz. of softened cream cheese to the batter. it was really good! try it, i dare you!oh, and pants has been making some pumpkin lattes this week, too - he just adds a little canned pumpkin - kicked up with some sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg - and steams it with the milk. the pumpkin just kind of melts into the milk and gives it that starbucks-y holiday flavor. one night we actually whipped a piece of leftover pumpkin cheesecake (without the crust) into our lattes, and put whipped cream on top, and OH MAN. sooo good. and naughty!anyway, here's the muffin recipe...

pumpkin cream cheese muffins
(makes 24 muffins)
ingredients:
for the cream cheese filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar

for the muffins:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (you can just add more of the other spices plus some allspice if you don't have this)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

for the streussel topping:
1/2 cup sugar
5 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

make the filling first, since it has to harden in the freezer for an hour or two. just combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a bowl, and then transfer the mixture to a long piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, reinforce with a piece of foil, and freeze till at least slightly firm (about 2 hours).

to make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line 2 muffin pans. in a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients EXCEPT for the sugar. in another larger bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil. mix the dry ingredients into the wet, and stir till just combined. as much as i love my kitchen-aid (and i DO!), i still love mixing batters by hand.for the topping, combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl, then add in the butter. you can use a fork or a pastry blender or just your fingers to mix it all into a crumbly topping.

to assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (like 1-2 tablespoons). slice the cream cheese log into 24 equal pieces, and place a slice of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. sprinkle some of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.

bake for about 20-25 minutes, and let cool. these are even better the next day!

well howdy, miss gulch.

2010-10-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

i had every intention of posting this weekend, but then i had some major trouble with uploading my pictures. and i just can't do food posts without pictures! so now that the problem is finally fixed, it's time to play catch-up. let's start with...apples, baby.i have 3 yummy apple recipes to share: my mom's apple crisp, a super-rich caramel apple cheesecake, and some fun apple muffcakes (i couldn't decide if they were more like muffins or cupcakes).my mom didn't bake that much when we were growing up, but there was one sweet treat she would always make for us - apple crisp. so it has pretty much become our family's go-to dessert. i have made lots of variations of crisps over the years, but i always come back to this one. it's really simple, and in my opinion, the best crisp ever. (although that could just be the nostalgia talking.)

my mom's apple crisp
ingredients:
8 granny smith apples (sometimes i use other kinds, but i prefer granny smiths)
a few squirts of lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ginger (optional)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 stick of butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oats or flour
oh gosh, i've made this soooo many times. what's funny is that out of the millions of times i've made this, i don't think i've even once taken a picture of it after it's baked. i don't know why. anyway. just peel and slice your apples, and throw them in a 9x11 baking dish. add the lemon juice, spices, and white sugar, and toss to coat. in a small bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and oats (or flour) together, then crumble on top of the apples. bake at 400 degrees till apples are tender (i just stick a fork in the middle to test), and the juices are bubbling. let cool a few minutes and serve with with homemade whipped cream. have fun tasting my childhood. yum.

********
this next recipe i found online, and it was really good. it was actually almost too rich when i made it, so i'm adjusting the ingredients a little bit. it has lots of steps, so definitely not a dessert to make when you're pressed for time, but it keeps well and looks really pretty when served.
caramel apple cheesecake
ingredients:
for the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
5 1/3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup caramel (recipe below)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

for the caramel:
8 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup brown sugar

for the apple filling:
5-6 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

for the cheesecake:
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice

for the topping:
3/4 cup heavy cream
3-4 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup caramel
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

step 1
make the caramel. combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat. bring to a boil, stirring constantly. once it reaches a bowl, lower the heat a little bit and boil till thick, about 5-8 minutes. remove from heat and cool.
step 2
make the crust. preheat oven to 375. in a bowl, combine all the crust ingredients together except the caramel and chopped pecans, and stir till moistened, then press into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round springform pan. you want the crust to go about 3/4 of the way up the sides. bake for 6-8 minutes, and let cool about 10 minutes. pour 1/2 cup caramel onto the crust (more or less, depending), and sprinkle on the chopped pecans. (i actually didn't add any nuts when i made this.)
step 3
make the apple filling. melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, the mix in the brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute, until bubbling. add in the apple slices and toss well to coat. cook over medium heat till the apples are tender and most of the liquid has been reduced (about 15-20 minutes). let cook a few minutes, then layer on top of the caramel.step 4
make the cheesecake. reduce the oven to 350 degrees. combine the cream cheese and sugar in an electric mixer bowl, and beat on medium speed till smooth, about 1 minute. add vanilla, egg, and lemon juice, and beat 1-2 more minutes. spread the cheesecake filling on top of the cooked apples and cook about 30 minutes or till set in the middle. let cook on a wire rack to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 3 hours.
step 5
make the topping. right before serving, beat the heavy cream and confectioners' sugar on medium-high speed till stiff peaks form (do not overbeat, though!). spread gently on top of the chilled cheesecake layer, and drizzle with more caramel sauce and chopped pecans, if desired.

********
ok, back to another easy recipe! these are a variation of the zucchini muffins i make, and i topped them with frosting and a fondant apple. they were really good! well, except when sky ate one, and he said, 'i like these - especially the cherry on top.' oops, guess i better work on my fondant skills!
apple muffcakes
ingredients:
for the muffins:
2 cups shredded granny smith apples
1 1/2 cups + 1/3 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 of 1/3 cup water (i know, there's some weird measurements in this recipe!)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/4 nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves

for the frosting:
1 stick butter, softened
3-4 cups sifted confectioner's sugar (or less)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup water (or less)

line or grease muffin tins, and preheat oven to 350 degrees. stir all muffin ingredients together in one big bowl, then fill muffin tins about 3/4 of the way full. bake till done, then let cool.
for the frosting, mix everything together, adjusting the powdered sugar and water amounts as you go, till you have the consistency you want. frost your muffcakes and add any apple-icious decoration of your choosing. (i made the apples - cherries? - out of balls of homemade colored fondant, then just made the stem shapes by hand and cut the leaves out with a leaf cutter.)stay tuned...pumpkin recipes are next!

gilbert said it wouldn't bite

2010-10-07T21:51:00.000-07:00

arrrgh! i am sooo behind with this blog! i have so many fall baking (and cooking) projects to post about, but i just don't have enough time at the computer these days. i will try to write lots this weekend, including a fondant tutorial. anyway, here's just a quick sneak peek of a few fun fall things i've been making... lots more details later, i promise!

not easy to do without servility to mobs or monarchs.

2010-10-02T21:24:00.000-07:00

ok, i am so excited about something i did last week...i made pita bread! from scratch! and it was AMAZING. see, i was craving some chicken gyros (probably because i am in love with tzatziki sauce), and found a recipe online for them, and the recipe was saying how they taste so much better with homemade pitas. so i decided to just go for it! and oh my gosh, you guys - it was sooo good! seriously one of the best meals i've had in a long time. at first i was kind of intimidated to make the pita bread, and it took a lot of time (mostly waiting for the dough to rise), but it was actually pretty easy. foolproof, really. and they were delicious - pants said they tasted like they were from a restaurant. if you are a gyro fan like me, then you HAVE to try these!

here's the recipe...

super yummy gyro chicken
marinate in a ziploc bag for a few hours:
a couple chicken breasts
4 cloves of garlic, smashed
the juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 heaping tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
salt and pepper

after marinating, cook chicken however you want (i just cooked it in a pan on the stovetop), then let rest a few minutes and cut into slices.

my favorite tzatziki sauce
drain 16 ounces of plain yogurt (i used a little less) in a strainer over a bowl for about half an hour or so, then add:
half a large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and shredded
2-3 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
a little olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

let the yogurt sauce sit in the fridge about an hour or so to let the flavors meld together.
** also, be sure to slice some red onion and chop some tomatoes to sprinkle over the top of the sauce when you assemble your gyros.

pita bread
ingredients:
(this makes about 8 pitas)
3 cups flour, plus 1/2 - 3/4 cup more as needed
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
1 packet instant yeast
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups water, room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter

STEP 1
in a kitchen-aid mixer bowl with a paddle attachment, mix together the yeast, flour, salt, and sugar. add in the olive oil and 1 1/4 cup of water and stir together till the ingredients for a ball. add more water if your ball doesn't come together right away.
STEP 2
switch out the paddle attachment for a dough hook, then let your kitchen-aid knead the dough for 10 minutes. as the dough is mixing, continue to add flour - a few tablespoons at a time - until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and is tacky but not sticky. (i added quite a bit more flour.)
STEP 3
form the dough into a ball, and place in a bowl that is lightly coated with oil, butter, or a pam-type spray. roll the ball around once so it gets coated in oil, as well. let the dough rest in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel for about 90 minutes (or till double in size). STEP 4
when the dough has doubled in size, punch it down once or twice, then divide into 8 equal pieces. roll each piece into a ball, and cover with a damp towel. let rest 20 minutes.STEP 5
spread a little flour on the counter and roll the dough balls out flat. they should be about 1/4-1/8" thick. (if the dough doesn't stretch easily, cover it again and let it rest another 5-10 minutes.) place your cute little pita discs on a lightly greased surface and let rest, uncovered, about 30-45 minutes. STEP 6
finally! preheat your oven to 450, and if you have a baking stone, put it in the oven to preheat, as well. if you don't have a baking stone, just turn a cookie sheet upside down and place it on the middle rack of the oven while it's preheating. this will be the surface you will bake your pitas on. when your oven is ready, put 2 pitas on the baking stone/sheet, and cook ONLY for 3 minutes. they might not look done, but they will be! make sure to have all your ingredients ready to assemble (chicken, tzatziki sauce, slices of red onion and chopped tomatoes) so you can eat them warm right out of the oven. so, so good! definitely worth it!

don't let them shoot my kite down

2010-09-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

so...i think i might have accidentally started a business. there was a guy at pants' work who really liked the cake balls i made a few weeks ago, so he asked me to make 50 cupcakes for a party he was having. and i did! it was a beachy theme, and not really the kind of decorating i typically do, but making these little guys was probably the most fun i've had in a long time! i made everything from scratch, including the fondant toppers. incidentally, it took me 3 tries to finally get the fondant right. yes, that means i made 3 separate batches of fondant, and made 50 decorations with each batch. um, yeah. i've worked with fondant before, but this time i was doing it 'for real', so i wanted it to be perfect. and i'll be the first to admit that sometimes it takes me awhile to work out the kinks. the good news is that i finally figured out how to make a killer fondant, and am really confident working with it now. (i will try to post a little fondant tutorial later on in the week.) i made 3 different cupcake flavors - sour cream vanilla, red velvet (recipe below), and pudding-filled chocolate: the vanilla ones were frosted with buttercream and topped with a fondant flower: and the other two kinds got graham cracker crumb 'sand' covering their cream cheese frosting, topped with beachy fondant decorations and cute little umbrellas: incidentally, i could not find those umbrellas ANYWHERE. that and the 'sand' were the 2 things the client told me he really wanted, so i literally searched for those little umbrellas all over town. unfortunately, it's fall and NO ONE had any left. but guess who did happen to just randomly have some? and in the EXACT amount i needed? my next-door neighbor. yes, that's right. isn't it funny how God works things out... (i just used 2 of these trays with covers to transport the cuppies - they were on cupcake stands at the party.) pants remarked (in all seriousness) that he thought these flip flops were adorable, which made me kind of giggle.i initially made these surfboards with just a plain white stripe down the middle:but due to a few cracks in the icing (which happened when the hardened icing on the fondant had to bend over the cupcake shape), i had to throw a few strategic dots on last minute. although i personally am completely sugared out from this week, my taste-testers don't seem to be complaining... and here's the red velvet recipe i used. it's honestly the best red velvet i've ever had! red velvet cupcakes ingredients: 2 1/2 cups cake flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon cocoa powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil 1 cup buttermilk 2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon white vinegar preheat oven to 350 degrees. line 2 cupcake pans with paper liners. in a bowl, sift dry ingredients and set aside. (it is really important to sift! you don't want any icky lumps in the batter.) in a mixer bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and beat on medium speed till well blended. add in the dry ingredients, and mix on low speed for about 2 minutes. divide the batter evenly between the pans. bake till done, about 18 minutes. let cool in the pans about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. cream cheese frosting (i actually used a different cream cheese frosting with these, but this one is tasty, too) ingredients: 8 oz cream cheese, room temp 5 tablespoons butter, room temp 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed till smooth, about 2-3 minutes. add vanilla. gradually mix in sugar till incorporated, increase the speed, and beat until smooth. frost cool cupcakes. try not to devour too many in one sitting!

we elves try to stick to the four main food groups

2010-09-21T11:02:00.000-07:00

oh my gosh, you guys. i am so excited! i have a super big baking project this week that i am DYING to tell you about, but unfortunately you'll have to wait till my next post for all the details. but here's a hint...it involves 50 cupcakes, cash exchanging hands, and a whole lotta this kind of thing:

tinkering will get you only as far as mollycoddling

2010-09-16T17:33:00.000-07:00

i was kind of a baking fool this week... i had some leftover batter from a cake i had to make for my class, so i whipped up some cupcakes and practiced a few piping designs: i also did a simple breakfast for pants' to take to his office on wednesday morning. i made pants promise to make the table all fall-time pretty:and here's what i made: - my mom's apple crisp with homemade whipped cream - banana flax muffins - cherry almond buttercake muffins - sugared bacon (this was SO good!) - and a mango-strawberry-orange fruit salad and some oj.and here's a few random snaps from the rest of the week...

there's a pale drooping maiden who toils her life away

2010-08-31T18:25:00.000-07:00

it all started simply enough. see, tomorrow night i start my cake decorating classes, so a few days ago i figured i could get a jump start by practicing a few things on my own. i had already bought my new fancy decorator set, so i whipped up a few cake balls to decorate, made a batch of homemade buttercream icing, and bought some candy melts:with cake balls, you basically just make a cake, chop it up into a bowl (i know - so weird) and mix it with frosting, then roll it into little balls. after you freeze them a few minutes so they harden up, you spoon melted candy melts over the balls, and then you can decorate them. no prob, right? as always, the one step that was supposed to be super easy was a real pain in the butt for me. i had no problems making the cake and icing, or even teaching myself how to do some simple decorative piping. no, the one thing i couldn't do was get those darn candy melts to melt correctly. all i needed was to spoon a little over the cake balls, but for some reason, the melted white chocolate candy consistency was just way too thick. so i decided to scratch that batch, make up some more cake balls, and try again. (which required another trip to the grocery store, by the way.) after getting everything baked and ready, those stupid melts wouldn't work AGAIN. i tried adding vegetable oil, melting them different ways, etc. they just would NOT work. the little balls were supposed to be smooth, but instead ended up looking like this, which was NOT what i wanted:not super horrible after i decorated them, but because they were so lumpy it was almost impossible to get a consistent piping line:so i gave up and decided to make ANOTHER new batch and just cover them with some homemade fondant instead of using the melts. (grocery trip #3.) a happy note about this whole debacle is that i realized i LOVE working with fondant. i actually went a little overboard and went into an obsessed fondant craze for oh, like two days straight, where i barely even came out of the kitchen...but that's a whole other post. so my cake balls were finally smooth, but i was disappointed because i really wanted to use the melted white chocolate. but they were kind of cute: by this point, pants was going out of his way to avoid talking to me, since every single sentence i was uttering started with, 'my cake balls...' you can only imagine the one-liners he was coming up with. anyway. i still wanted cake balls covered with melted white chocolate, dammit! i decided to try ONE LAST TIME just using some plain white chocolate chips instead of those hateful candy melts. (yes, that would be grocery trip #4.) and heaven help me, but IT WORKED. those little white chocolate chips melted like a charm (in the microwave, no less!), i finally had smooth-covered cake balls, and i could pipe my little heart out on top. which i did. and apparently, my heart looks like a bird:or a tree:or...an octopus? oh, and somewhere in there i made a bunch of sugar cookies, and i may or may not have made two cakes and covered them entirely in fondant...yeah, i know. i need help. ps - these little cupcake papers i put the cake balls in are SO CUTE (and available for like two bucks at michael's): pps - ignore my grocery list on my hand. yes, it says 'candy melts'. sigh, if only i knew then what i know now...

we get speeches from our skipper and advice from tokyo rose

2010-08-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

despite my next post which will basically showcase an all-out sugar fest, i promise we mainly eat fresh, whole food around here.
i made dmom's bruschetta last night. definitely a hit.
should have probably chopped some of those onions smaller, but i was kind of in a hurry. grass-fed beef, baby, the only way to go.
pants absolutely HATES brussels sprouts, which i did not know until this week. i roasted these minis with some balsamic, olive oil, and a few other ingredients to mask their cabbage-y flavor, but he still gagged and spit them out in the garbage when he tried them. um, drama queen? i thought they were alright, though.

i'd let the old earth make a couple of whirls

2010-08-24T16:34:00.000-07:00

i can't stop eating...
summertime fruit
meatball sammies
mexican foodand a few too many of these:
all washed down with lots and lots of my favorite iced tea (recipe below):amy's easy iced tea
step 1 - boil 4 cups of water and put it in a pitcher.
step 2 - steep 8 tea bags in the water for 10 minutes. (flavored teas are super yummy for this!)
step 3 - dispose of the tea bags, add 4 cups water, 1/2 cup of sugar (or less if you prefer it less sweet), and let it cool in the fridge.
step 4 - fill a pretty glass with ice and tea and enjoy!

i come from detroit where it's rough, and i'm not a smooth talker.

2010-08-17T14:03:00.001-07:00

this weekend mikey and jill came down, and it was pretty much an all-out food and lounge fest. i loved every minute of it.

on saturday michael made a killer rosemary lemon chicken on the grill. he's very proud of his marinade.he tucked the lemons from the marinade under the chicken while it grilled, to give the chicken more flavor. who does he think he is, anyway?jill and i put together a creamy pasta dish, but for some reason my parmesan cheese melted into clumps in the sauce. delicious creamy bacon-y clumps, but clumps nonetheless. maybe i added it in too soon? i don't know. i roasted and carmelized some raw cashews and added them to this dreamy salad.and of course we had to have a cheese tray.sunday after church pants and i whipped up our favorite nachos (recipe coming soon) and jill made some guacamole.these babies were GOOD. although pants was all, easy on the cilantro already! what can i say? it's my second favorite herb.at least this cat approved.

my favorite breakfast.

2010-08-17T13:44:00.001-07:00

i feel 100percent better ever since i've been breakfasting like the french - a big mug of coffee, some fabulous bread (i prefer fresh sourdough cinnamon toast or an egg on gluten-free udi instead of the traditional baguette, though), and a daily read. i usually eat breakfast a little later in the morning, alone, after i've fed the kids, cleaned the kitchen, and had a glass of water. aaaahhh.

what about rudy from the capri lounge?

2010-08-01T21:32:00.001-07:00

so i made a version of this mexican meal again, but instead of the chicken, i used pork tenderloin, and i cheated a bit on the salsa ingredients to make it easier on myself. and oh my word! honestly, this is probably one of the yummiest things i have made in a long time. it was sooo satisfying! you have to make these pork tacos!

amy's quasi-mexican style pork tenderloin
put the following ingredients in a large ziploc and marinate a few hours:

a nice-sized pork tenderloin rubbed with olive oil and s/p
a few generous splashes of worcestershire sauce
a couple cloves of garlic
juice and zest from half a lime

after marinating your meat, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
heat up some olive oil and butter in a oven-proof pan over medium-high heat, then sear the tenderloin in the hot oil for a few minutes on both sides. (i usually cut the tenderloin in half so it fits in the pan easier.)
when it's nicely seared, de-glaze the bottom of the pan with a splash of red wine vinegar and about a 1/4 cup water, then stick the pan right in the oven. i usually turn the tenderloin over a time or two while it's cooking. when the internal temperature is about 155 degrees or so, take it out, pour the juice over it, and let it rest. (it's perfectly fine if the middle is still pinkish - that's what you want, actually, else it'll be too dry. the meat will also slightly carry-over cook, as well.) after a few minutes, cut against the grain into THIN pieces, add a little more salt if it needs it, and pour any extra juice over top. put in a grilled tortilla with honey lime salsa (recipe below) and lots of guacamole (recipe below). YUM!

(easy version) honey lime tomatillo corn salsa
just add together:
half a red onion, diced
1/2 cup corn chili salsa from trader joe's (i LOVE this stuff! it is my favorite non-tomato salsa ever)
1/4 cup tomatillo salsa (again, from trader joe's)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
a handful of cilantro, chopped
a few drizzles of honey (to taste - depends how sweet you want it)
juice and zest of half a lime

my new favorite guacamole
gently fold together:
2-3 super ripe avocados, mushed with a fork
1/2 a red onion, minced
juice and zest of half a lime
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sour cream
salt, to taste
cilantro on top, for garnish

(my little avocado tip i've learned recently: keep the pits in the guacamole bowl, and it will stay green!)

grilled tortillas
you can just grill these on a grill (duh), or do what my friend mikey does - put one over a gas burner on the stovetop on medium heat (just lay it directly on the burner - no pan) and let it get crispy and dark-spotted on one side, then CAREFULLY flip it over with a pair of tongs and crisp the other side. i LOVE the way they look and taste with this method. even worth all the burnt fingertips i got before remembering to use the tongs.

you can't just walk out of a drive-in

2010-07-31T18:42:00.001-07:00

do you cook your bacon this way? sharkey seems unsure about it. i just throw it on a baking sheet in the oven at 400 degrees for maybe ten minutes or so till done. i do drain the grease halfway through so it doesn't spill in the oven. i learned that the hard way.

anywho, it's meal planning time once again...and this time i'm actually starting somewhat near the beginning of the week!

saturday
lettuce-wrapped bleu cheese and bacon burgers, french fries
(on a side note, after some ill-timed sarcasm from pants, i have decided never to make lettuce-wrapped burgers again. fine pants, you win. i give up on trying to make this family healthy. you can have your damn gluten-infested, white bread buns.)
sunday
this mexican meal, but with pork tenderloin instead of chicken
monday
chicken parmigiana, cranberry-cashew-bleu cheese-bacon saladtuesday
BBQ chicken, biscuits, fried zucchini strings
wednesday
indian food (i'm not sure what yet, exactly)
thursday
bean burritos, rice
friday
homemade pizza

i also just made a carrot-pineapple cake (except i substituted dates since i didn't have any crushed pineapple on hand, which was fine, but i definitely like it better with the pineapple), and am probably gonna make some other sort of dessert later in the week, too.

i'm judging the dance contest

2010-07-27T07:32:00.000-07:00

there seems to be a whole lotta love for pudding around here, which is funny because until i started making it myself, i couldn't stand the stuff. i still love the butterscotch best, but this quick vanilla pudding tastes just marvelous, and i love to top it with homemade whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg. if i wasn't so lazy, i'd make both kinds and layer them, then top the whole thing with chocolate shavings.
vanilla pudding
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon butter

heat the milk until it bubbles, then pour in combined sugar, cornstarch, and salt, a little at a time. cook WITHOUT BOILING for a few minutes until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. remove from heat and add vanilla and butter. chill a couple hours in cute glasses, then enjoy!

knocking at the moonlit door

2010-07-26T18:40:00.000-07:00

i used to work for a caterer, oh, like, 12 years ago. the woman i worked for was about 5 feet tall and barely weighed 90 pounds, but God help you if you got in her way. this woman was TOUGH. and oh gosh, i loved her. i learned sooo much just in the short time i worked there. namely things like what a heel her ex-husband was, how catering aprons are flattering to no one, and that 2pm in the afternoon is definitely not too early for businessmen at a red cross charity event to start drinking. BUT. the woman could cook. i totally stole a bunch of her recipes when i left, and since i think i might have signed something that said i can't reprint them or she will kill me, i will just put up this one, since it's more of a concept than an actual recipe. this is an old standby, but with a few add-ins to make it really stand out. i make it all the time, and everyone who tastes it loves it, i promise.

the best chicken salad ever
a couple chicken breasts, shredded (i love to use leftover cornstarch chicken or rosemary chicken for this recipe. or you could just cook the chicken in the oven if you want, but be sure to spice them up so they have lots of flavor)
a couple green peppers, chopped (you could use celery instead)
a red or yellow pepper, chopped
half a red onion, chopped
dried cranberries (this is actually the secret ingredient! you MUST use these!!)
mayo
a few squirts of a fun mustard (a lot of times i just use regular old yellow)
paprika
oregano (dried or fresh)
chives
s/p

toss the chicken and veggies in a bowl, and add enough mayo to your liking. (i use quite a bit, since i like it pretty creamy. the picture at the top of the page is not really an accurate representation, since i took that pix before i added the mayo.) then add a few squirts of mustard. (be generous if you are just using regular mustard - you're going for some tang here. but not too much.)
then add whatever spices/herbs you have lying around (also be generous with the seasonings) and the dried cranberries, and mix it all together. s/p to taste, and top with chopped chives. let sit in the fridge a few hours till the flavors really meld, then serve on a really nice toasted sandwich bread (we prefer sourdough around here). YUM.

the enemy burned the golden bridge

2010-07-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

this is the BEST recipe for chicken parmigiana, ever. we got it from pants' boss, and the funny thing is, i have never even liked chicken parm until trying this version. and now i LOVE it and want to make it all the time!

randy's chicken parmigiana

pasta of your choice (i prefer angel hair)
pasta sauce (i am lazy and usually just get sauce in a jar if it's on sale, but sometimes i'll make my own)
chicken breast(s)
mozzerella cheese (i like the soft, fresh stuff the best. i get it from trader joe's and it is SO good!)
parmigiano-reggiano cheese, shredded
a few handfuls of italian breadcrumbs
a couple cloves of garlic
olive oil
s/p

while the pasta is cooking and the sauce is heating up on the stove, i make the chicken.
here's the steps:

1 - pound a chicken breast or two till flat

2 - coat the chicken with olive oil, s/p, and garlic (i just grate the garlic with my box grater), then roll in the breadcrumbs
3 - lay the chicken on a piece of foil on a baking sheet, and put it under the broiler for a few minutes till one side of the chicken is done, then flip

4 - add some mozzerella cheese on top of the flipped side, then cook till chicken is done and the cheese is bubbly and golden and melty on top

5 - plate up the pasta and sauce, top with the cheesy chicken, and toss the shredded parm cheese over the whole thing
6 - devour!