Linked | {in the} Quiet {time}

This afternoon I stepped away from my computer and work to take a break and make some lunch.

I remembered the brussel sprouts waiting for me in the fridge, so I turned on the oven and pulled out a cutting board to prepare them for roasting.

That’s when I became inspired to photograph them.

As I took in the kitchen preparing and photographing those little green brussel sprouts, I realized something –

It was quiet. I mean REALLY quiet.

I had been so busy creating that I wasn’t even cognizant of it at first.  But it struck me as I stood in the warm sunlight of the kitchen; my home was empty and quiet. I breathed in the contentment of that moment. 

Sometimes I forget just how powerful and healing the quiet can be. When there is no TV, no music, no family members talking and most of all – no noise in my head of what needs to get done, where I should be, what is next, who needs to be where. Just   QUIET.

I prepared the brussel sprouts for the oven by marinating them in a couple table spoons of olive oil, some Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. 

They roast in the over at 400 degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes.  It’s ironic, I've gone from swearing I would never eat brussel sprouts – ever again, to loving the smell of them roasting in the oven. 

They end up dark and crunchy outside, flavored by the salt and pepper and soft on the inside with a more mild taste when roasted long enough.

Within the hour I was back to work, the noise in my head turned  back up  to full, albeit I longed for more of those yummy little balls of crunchy green. I’m telling you, it’s a serious new love affair! I actually make a conscious choice to BUY brussel sprouts!

Brussel Sprouts?
Seriously, I’m not in my right mind.
But I just want MORE!

 

 

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linked | breakfast

When I think of breakfast I think, “The Most Important Meal of the Day”. I’ve spent most of my life eating cereal – hot and cold.  The older I get the less of a morning person I become.  The more tired I am, the less chance  I have at making a good bowl of hot oatmeal until I’ve had my first cup of coffee and awoken a bit more.  Heck,  just the other morning, in my tired state, I poured orange juice over Harrison’s cereal.

Now if I’m starving when I first wake up I can always manage a bowl of cold cereal (as long as there is no orange juice near by).  But I love breakfast and I always eat more later… when my body is awake.

Some mornings when I’m really lucky, the G.I.D. will make us eggs (once he’s first-cup-of-coffee awake). Let me tell you, he makes Awesome eggs.

Still, I tend to romantically wish every morning started out relaxed and tranquil, sitting at the table bathed in soft sunlight, drinking tea and eating homemade toast with fresh strawberry jam.  Then I realize where that sweet dream comes from. Mornings at my grandparent’s house during childhood. Precious memories that I want to recreate with my own child.

And for a long time I really tried to make Harrison well-round breakfasts. Then Grade School happened.  The rush to get ready, to get him breakfast, dressed, shoes on, teeth and hair brushed, lunch made and out the door for school.   He eats his fair share of cereal.

After all that, I quickly grab my coffee mug (which has been lovingly filled by the Guy-I-Dig with coffee he set to brew that night before). The one I use EVERY day, day-in, day-out.  It’s not a cool photographic retro mug or a colorful, fun mug that doubles as a food photography model.

Oh no…
it’s an old travel mug that I am literally lost without. I mean go-through-withdraws lost without. Like OCD lost without.

Lovely, isn’t it.

Luckily, we have a backup copy.

Oh wait, I LOST that one.

 

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“They had me at Fresh” Part II

I finally came clean about my passive relationship with the kitchen and how that all changed back in September. 

Looking back, here’s a few things I discovered after only one month of pre-planned meals:

• I REALLY am a messy cook .
• My fridge is  chuck-full of fresh, unspoiled vegetables, herbs and fruits for the first time in… EVER.
• Electric burners really do have more than two settings {HIGH and LOW}.
  Who knew cooking over MEDIUM  heat would do wonders in saving my food AND pans.
• I can make food fly.
• I can still burn a decent sauce even over medium heat .
• I can MAKE a decent sauce.
• That REALLY BIG knife in the block {that I rarely used} is NOT just for psychopaths in horror flicks – it’s FREAKIN’ AWESOME!
• I ♥ kitchen gadgets
• Fennel!
• For the first time in my life, I have made dressings, lasagna, chicken dumpling soup, beef stew and alfredo sauce - from scratch.
• COOKING FROM SCRATCH – GET OUT!
• I still don’t like brussel sprouts, period.
• On any given evening my kitchen is an even balance of Ratatouille
  

  tasting fireworks
• and Julie & Julie
  
• I want NEED more BIG, sharp knives! Bwahaha!!
• How have I lived without a salad spinner this long? 
• Apparently three sets of measuring spoons are not enough for me. 
• blanching – who knew?! I love fresh meat and fish wrapped in brown paper
  
• I have  never chopped so many onions in all my life.
• I make soup from scratch!
• Okay, maybe I like brussel sprouts – a little bit –  roasted in the oven with Sea Salt and Olive Oil.
  I know I like how they come on a stalk...
  
• And Above All – I REALLY need an apron before I ruin all my clothes!! (told ya I was messy)

 

Seriously though, we are eating better, fresher less processed foods and Harrison tries everything put in front of him.

That’s what really counts in the end.

They had me at “Fresh”

On our wedding day, I had promised the Guy-I-Dig that I would learn to cook – it was written down on the little index card that was clutched tightly in my joyfully, nervous hand – my vows {in addition to  traditional vows} that I read to him like a laundry list: I promise to always cheer for Florida State, I promise to laugh at all your jokes, I promise to learn to cook for you...
At that moment I think I heard a chuckle rise in unison from those sitting in the church who knew me too well, as if saying , “yeah, like that will ever happen”.

But let me clarify, I really did KNOW how to cook.

For the most part.

My mother was a great cook and had taught me a thing or two in the kitchen,  my brother is also a self-trained chef and I picked up some tips from him along the way.  And I love cooking.

Until I HATE it.

So skip ahead a decade from that day to four weeks ago today.  I came home from a long day at the office - tired, with no plan for dinner, no back-up… and NOTHING in the freezer to fall back on in a pinch.  An all too-common phenomenon in recent months.

I was in a bad way. 

I served up a nice heaping on the self-loathing, guilt and shame for myself; but that doesn’t feed the  family.  Although a quick trip to Del Taco by the hubby did.  {But let’s NOT go there.}

You see, I  STINK at meal planning…  and forget it if I don’t have a recipe in front of me for anything other then spaghetti!  I’m a rules girl – give me EXACT measurements, please!

So as I sat down and got online that Friday evening, over-stuffed from Del Taco burritos  - I stumbled onto a blog, that led me to another blog that led me to a website that moved me to a different website and that’s when I discovered it…  The Fresh 20. [insert angels singing here]


I really wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said the Fresh 20 saved my life! (Okay maybe just a little… but not much.)
I had checked out other meal planning services in the past, but they just didn’t capture me. I either didn’t want to pay the large  fee or I didn’t like the how the planning was laid out.  Then I would forget about the whole idea of pre-planning meals for the week and continue my fantasy of winning the lottery and paying a person to cook dinner every night.

But let me tell you when I got to this website, they had me at Fresh. It’s a clean, inviting website with pictures of beautiful food in the home page. [I LOVE pictures of beautiful food!] They offer Classic plans, Gluten Free and Vegetarian Meal plans. I love the convenience of the shopping list that breaks down the items by what day they are used and an estimated price. The menu page includes a prep guide that can be done ahead of time and then the recipes for 5 days.  All this for a great LOW price! Best of all, REAL ingredients, REAL food, no short cuts.

I had been CRAVING, I mean CRAVING!,  more vegetables in our {my} diet. We had become so sloppy in recent months with our eating – not UN-healthy,  just not healthy enough.  And with the exception of an occasional roasted asparagus, vegetables had been reduced frozen green beans or corn. 

We have moved into our fourth week of planned dinners, the Guy-I-Dig darts into the kitchen excitedly asking, “what’s for dinner tonight!?” Harrison has tasted everything, complained less and eaten more plus I have been completely stressed-free in the kitchen, even enjoying the process of  shopping for and preparing my fresh ingredients for dinner.

In fact,
I think I LOVE cooking!{again}




























Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Feeding a Cold

It has been a tough week, my head is still killing me. I HATE colds. And the cold & flu season is just beginning.

But I feel better every time I bite into one of these warm and yummy triple-berry bran muffins. I can't get enough of them. And when they cool, I reheat them because they truly taste better warm with a bit of butter on them. Top it off with a nice cup of coffee this morning and I'm in heaven.

Until that blasted sinus headache comes back.


Can't win them all. 

Here's a peek at my 365 Project - I was sick but I still got a few shots in.

Have a nice weekend! Happy Halloween.

When You Don't Want Banana Bread

We buy bananas with good intentions - to make smoothies, specifically green smoothies. It's one way I can guarantee the dark greens in our diet; and Harrison is well aware of spinach or kale in his smoothie, as he is often helping me make it.

But I often don't get to the bananas in time before they turn. When that happens, we plan for loaf of banana blueberry bread.

Although that's gets old too.

Then last year I found this yummy recipe for "healthy cookies" that uses bananas. No sugar, no flower, no butter - all goodness.

And all gone in a flash.

It's a perfect mix of our favorite flavors - banana, coconut, almond, dark chololate (I use Ghirardelli Chocolate chips).

These are so good, they are worth posting again. I've included the basic recipe below or go grab the recipe with additional details and tips from 101 Cookbooks.com; send some time over there. You won't be disappointed.

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm - so it isn't solid (or alternately, olive oil)
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 - 7 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.
In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks/chips.The dough is a bit looser than a standard cookie dough, don't worry about it. Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment (or Silpat) lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes. I baked these as long as possible without burning the bottoms and they were perfect - just shy of 15 minutes seems to be about right in my oven.

I also bake mine for about 15-16 minutes.

Happy Wednesday

...And She Bakes

Sometimes.

It is easier since I moved the baking supply cabinet next to the mixer. All I have to do is reach over, open the door and grab the flour, etc.; and yet I have often let many an over-ripe banana go south due to my procrastination. 

 Today there was success!

Unfortunately, since I bake SO SELDOM, I keep stepping around that huge [big as an elephant] cabinet to get to -- the cabinet [where it used to sit].

I'm also quite proficient at making a whirlwind of a mess in the kitchen.

But it all turns out good in the end!


Like this yummy Banana Blueberry Bread.

Easy-peasy - try it!

1 3/4 cups flour, whole wheat sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup bananas mashed
1 cup blueberries

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs one at a time. Add flour mixture and banana alternately in three parts. Gently stir in blueberries.

Pour into oiled 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Turn out of pan to cool.



Can you believe it's already gone?

Photo Story Friday - Just One of Those Days

On Sunday the G.I.D. left for work, (yes, for those of you who are new here, The Guy I Dig works on the weekends) while Harrison and I got in the car to go to church.

Only we didn't get far.

It wouldn't start. The battery is fine, the alternator is fine, the starter is - not so fine.

Gah!!

Harrison cried. He wanted to go to church. Now I'm home all day with a Preschooler that won't nap and is whiny. Just my Luck. (Did I mention it was cold and wet outside from a light rain - not park weather. Not for me at least.)

What do you do with a Preschooler on a long cold day when you both wanted to be somewhere else? Feed him.

Better yet - have him help make not one, but two batches of Pumpkin Muffins.

From scratch.

That worked. He was in foodie-heaven.



But He still didn't nap.

Photo Story is Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Oh and if you want the recipes, there are here (for the bumpy muffin - as Harrison calls it) and here. Next time I think I'll try the recipe from Angry Chicken.



Shalom!

BSM - Seeing Red

The Guy-I-Dig and I aren't really big Valentines Day people. We both think that it's a highly over-rated Hallmark holiday that promotes expressing your unconditional love pressures you to shell out all kinds of dough on over-priced flowers, candy and jewelry.

So, we're not Valentines people; except for the fact the my female genes kick in and I have a longing desire to be the recipient of a lovely over-priced box of chocolates. Yes, I secretly LOVE heart-shaped boxes of candy. I can't help it, I love the red decorative wrapping that holds within it a selection of sweet chocolates filled with secret little yummy surprises inside each bite.

So, true to form, the GID gave me a box of chocolates. That is why I love that Guy-I-Dig.

I made a Red Velvet cake for him. I planned for days to bake this cake- it is such a yummy cake - except that I didn't do something right and my version just doesn't taste the way it SHOULD. And I won't even tell you what a comedy of errors my day was trying to make a cake for my husband! I mean, come on, it's. a. cake! How hard can it be?
When all was said and done, at least it looked good, and it was still really tasty despite the miss in flavor - but heck, I'm not a baker. If you want to give it a go, you can find a really great recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes here. This is my best shot this week.


I also made these sweet wax paper hearts. The funny thing is, when I was a little girl, I made wax paper easter eggs and I have always remembered the way they looked in the window of our living room, filled with all the different colors of shaved crayons. Since having a child, I've been waiting to do that craft with him. After all Easter is coming up! But then I got my Martha Stewart email (yeah, I'm on her mailing list) and right there in the body of the message were crayon hearts. Heck, I didn't need to wait for Easter and the window of my new creative space was calling our for someting pretty to be hung there!



Unfortunately, being that we were all feeling under the weather, we ate comfort food and went to bed early. So there is our Valentines day. Quiet, simple, perfect.

My best shot this week would be that delicious -looking Red Velvet Cake. Heck maybe next year I'll have it down to perfection! Stop by Mother May I to see more color this late Winter day.

But We Don't Drink Espresso...

Right before Christmas we got a call from an old friend letting us know he was sending us something. A few days later we got a Espresso Machine delivered to our front door! It was beautiful - even in the box - I immediately fell in love. I was so excited! I wanted to open it right away and then the GID reminded me... "We don't drink espresso"

I was deflated.

Then I reminded him of all the money we have laid out for Starbucks
[or was that mainly me?]

Well, apparently that means I like espresso.

[or maybe I just love the IDEA of espresso, served in those cute little petite cups and saucers, in a cozy little coffee house, looking a giant coffee-table books on a crisp cool evening...]

So there it sat, as it was left to me to ponder the possibility of returning it for an exchange.

I pondered.

All through Christmas I pondered. It waited for me to open it to hold it and love it and use it. It still sat there after the Christmas decorations came down and were packed away.

After a couple weeks I said to the GID let's just keep it, it'll be fun! I can make lattes. He frowned. "We don't really drink espresso, I thought you wanted a juicer?"

It sat there longer. Let's see, a big stainless steel, veggie and fruit juicer that I could make lots of yummy mixed juices to feed my family and and add to smoothies. Mmm, greens and oranges mixed with reds and blues... but exchanging it was not settling well with me.

I said again, let's just keep it. He frowned. [or so I felt] Once again, I deflated. "Do you want to go and do an exchange?" I suggested. No, he didn't. I didn't think so...

So that was that, it was coming out of the box! The BIG, BEAUTIFUL ESPRESSO MACHINE IN ALL IT'S COMMERCIAL-LOOKING GLORY was mine!

Can you feel the love I'm feeling here...


It's so shiny and new! I just want to hug it!


Oh baby, Look at that latte!

Yah, a juicer would be nice, but sometimes it's all about ME!