Swedish Meatballs ~ A Fall Welcome

In our house, Fall is “where it’s at”.  Pretty sure my husband and I started daydreaming about Fall in mid-June of this year. My hubs, who has always been a huge fan of the Fall-into-Winter Season, has definitely influenced my love of the cooler months, but even more so, the birth of our son in November 2012 really formed my Autumn devotion.  Nowadays, just the mention of warm soups and yellowing leaves sends waves of nostalgia over my body.  

During my entire pregnancy with Noah my afternoons would almost always include a lingering walk . Sometimes I would sing to him, but mainly I would talk about how excited I was to meet him, how things were coming along with his nursery, or just that particular day’s goings-on.  These walks were measured and slow but I was dedicated.  It became my ritual, and on days that I didn’t walk, I felt as if I had missed out on a conversation with my son. 

Our walks became even more languid as my pregnancy rolled on and my belly became considerable, but as the cooler weather signaled the entrance of Autumn, our conversations became more excited.  After all, it was nearing time for Noah and I to meet face to face.  Leaves began to gather in the streets that we had walked the many months before, and pumpkins and other fall décor started to pop up here and there in our neighborhood.  Our conversations turned to Halloweens to come, watching Football games over hot chili, S’mores in the backyard, trips to the mountains, and Thanksgivings with “Our Nation of Three”. This was such a special moment in time for me.  This small bit of time when Noah was all mine and I didn’t have to share him with anyone.  This time during the Fall of 2012 will forever dance upon my heart each and every Autumn for the rest of my life. 

As Fall once again makes her entrance, I start to think about cool weather foods.  I know many minds wander to foods such as pot-roasts or meatloaf, and I love those as well, but one of the first things that comes to my mind when thinking of cold weather meals are Swedish Meatballs.  The fragrant nutmeg and allspice scented meatballs coated in brown gravy over egg noodles are just what’s necessary to finish off a gray sky day full of colored leaves and football games.  With the holidays just peeking right around the corner, it’s time to eat at home, enjoy your loved ones, and worry just a bit less about the waist-line. 

One side-note; this recipe is a take on my mom’s recipe, which I can only assume came down from my Grandmother.  I add a little more allspice and nutmeg than the recipe calls for most times because I love the flavors, and instead of making small ½ inch - 1 inch meatballs which is the norm for Swedish Meatballs, I like to make 1-2 inch meatballs.  Making a larger meatball can make the browning process a bit cumbersome, but it’s just how I prefer them, and its how mom made them.  You can make small meatballs, but make sure to cut down on your baking time so that they are not dry.

 

Ingredients & Instructions:

2 Slices White Bread
¼ C. Milk
8 Tbsp. Butter
½ C. Finely Chopped Onion
¾ Lb. Ground Chuck
¾ Lb. Ground Pork
2 Eggs (lightly beaten)
½ tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Salt
¼ tsp. Allspice (plus extra for sauce)
¼ tsp. Nutmeg (plus extra for sauce)
¼ C. All-Purpose Flour
3-4 C. Beef Broth
¼ C. Heavy Cream
1-2 Tbsp. Ketchup
¼ tsp. Chili Powder

Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees.

Tear bread into very small pieces and set aside in a large bowl with the milk to soak.

Melt 1-2 Tbsp. of butter in a sauté pan on medium heat and sauté the onions.  Once they onions become translucent, add to the bowl with the bread and milk.  Add pork, beef, eggs, salt, pepper, allspice and nutmeg to the bowl and gently mix all ingredients together with hands.  Knead, but don’t “squish” the meat or the meatballs may end up being tough.  Form 1-2 Inch meatballs and place on a sheet pan. 

Add 3-4 Tbsp. of butter to the sauté pan and cook meatballs a few batches at a time turning every minute or two until the outsides are browned.  Remove the meatballs from the pan, and place back onto the sheet pan and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes. 

While the meatballs are baking, add an additional 2-3 Tbsp. of butter to the sauté pan that the meatballs cooked in and then add the flour to make a roux.  Once the roux has turned blonde, add in the beef stock, ketchup, chili powder, and additional nutmeg and allspice, salt and pepper to taste.  When sauce is thickened, add cream.  Remove meatballs from the oven and place in the gravy to coat. Serve family style or on plates over egg noodles.

I have read a few recipes that call for adding sour cream instead of heavy cream at the end.  I have not tried this, but how bad could it possibly be?  I might have to try out this substitute next time, but thought I’d put the suggestion out there in case anyone would like to try it, or maybe has already tried it.

Happy Fall Everyone!

 

 

Chicken Fajitas

My husband and I make fajitas at home pretty often.  Back in the day, we used to go out and eat at a Mexican joint once every week or two (and enjoy some adult beverages), but now that we have our little guy, we don’t get out much.  This recipe is super easy, fast, and delicious which is great for those nights when you are STARVING, but have to feed the baby, do some laundry, bathe the baby, vacuum, and 10 million other things that you didn’t accomplish over the weekend because you were too busy watching tv and lounging around.  Not that I would ever dream of putting things off, but just in case you all do.

There are two secrets to making awesome fajitas.  I implore you to try the following two tips as they make for the most flavorful and authentic restaurant style fajitas.

1. Use limes in your marinade.  The limes help to break down the chicken a bit even when only marinating for an hour or so, plus they give a wonderful flavor that cannot be matched with any other acid.

2. Add a diced tomato into the sauté pan along with the re-addition of the cooked bells and onions.  Once the tomato is allowed to cook down (and this only takes a matter of minutes) it gives the fajita filling a most awesome consistency and flavor.

Granted, I suggest you follow the entire recipe, but I tend to bend recipe rules myself, so if you change a type of pepper, or use less or more spice, I am sure we will all live to see another day. 

Ingredients & Instructions:

Tortillas (I like to use whole grain, but whatever tickles your fancy)
2 Large Chicken Breasts (cut into strips)
1 Yellow Bell Pepper (cut into strips)
1 Red Bell Pepper (cut into strips)
1 Red Onion (cut into strips)
1-2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
1-2 Tbsp. Butter
1 Small Tomato (diced)

For the Marinade:

3 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
Juice of 2 Limes
1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Garlic Salt
1 tsp. Chili Powder
½ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes (more or less depending on your spicy preferences)

Mix all marinade ingredients in a zip lock bag and throw in the chicken.  Marinade for at least an hour or up to 6 hours.

Place a sauté pan on med high heat, add a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil and another tablespoon of butter and sauté the bell peppers and onions.  I like to add a touch of chili powder and garlic salt to the veggies while they sweat to add flavor.  When the vegetables have softened, remove them from the pan and set aside.  Add the chicken with marinade into the sauté pan and cook chicken for about 5 minutes, turning once to cook through.  Add the peppers and onions back into the pan along with a diced tomato, and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until tomato is cooked down.  Serve in warmed tortillas with salsa, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, or whatever toppings you enjoy.

Cindy's Tarragon Chicken Salad

They saying goes that “Good Friends are Hard to Come By”.  If that saying is true, then Ryan and I must be truly blessed.  We have made so many wonderful friends that have become like family to us over the few short years we have lived in Charlotte, and our friends Randy and Cindy Gartz are a perfect example of just that type of relationship. 

We met Randy at a NY Jets football club here in Charlotte not long after Ryan moved up from FL.  We became instant friends in green, and after a while, I guess Randy concluded that we were good enough folks to meet his wife and daughters and of course, we fell in love with Cindy and their beautiful girls.

Randy and Cindy were the signing witnesses to Ryan's and my wedding vows.  Vows that we took quietly in front of our fireplace in the house that we had moved into and spent the almost year prior renovating.  Cindy also listened to me as I would go on and on about the trials and fears of pregnancy while we were awaiting our son Noah’s arrival, and although the few days after Noah’s birth are a bit blurry for me, I am quite sure that Randy was one of Noah’s very first visitors in the NICU.

We’ve spent quite a bit of time with the Gartz family over the past 4 years having drinks, or meeting up for quick outings.  Then of course, there is football season.  Ryan and Randy turn into animals once the season begins and then once it’s over, they just as quickly morph right back into the sweet lugs they were before as if nothing happened.

Randy and Cindy recently had us over to their place for a little pool fun-in-the-sun, and Cindy made one of the BEST chicken salads I have ever had.  I don’t think Cindy knew at the time how much I LOVE chicken salad, but I asked for her recipe and have since made it about 20 times.

What can I say, I love chicken salad?  I love it in every single shape and form that it can possibly be served in.  I love it on top of a green salad, on a croissant, or even just on its own. I adore it baked into a potato or scooped onto nice toasty English muffin topped with tomato a cheese and set under the broiler to warm.  Whether it has fruit, or nuts, celery, or onion, or all of the above, I ADORE it. 

Sorry, I digress….

Anyways, Cindy’s Tarragon Chicken Salad has pretty much become a staple in my fridge, and as I type this blog, my mouth is watering just thinking of it.  The licorice flavor of the tarragon, the sweetness of the raisins, the pop of grapes…..ahhhhhh.  I cannot wait to make another batch later this week so that I will have something to look forward to when I rush home from work to grab a quick bite of lunch before racing back to the grind of my day.

 

Gartz Family

Ingredients & Instructions:

2 Boneless Chicken Breasts
¼ C. Celery (chopped)
¼ C. Raisins
1 C. Red Seedless Grapes (halved)
½ C. S. Cream
½ C. Mayonnaise
Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Dried Tarragon
Garlic Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Coat chicken breasts in a little olive oil, and then season with garlic salt and pepper (I also like to sprinkle some of the dried tarragon on the chicken for extra flavor).  Bake on a jelly roll pan for 35 minutes.  Remove from the oven and then cube chicken into small bite sized pieces.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, garlic salt, pepper, sour cream, and tarragon in a small mixing bowl.  I like to keep the sauce in a separate bowl so I can add it accordingly to the chicken mixture.  If I have any left over, I just refrigerate and use it for my next batch.

Place the chicken, celery, grapes, and raisins in a large bowl and then pour over the mayonnaise mixture.  It seems everyone has their preference as to the dryness or wetness of their salad, so add as much or as little of the mayo mixture as you like and enjoy.  

Pizzelle ~ For My Gram M.

I can’t tell you what joy it brought me to see my sweet little guy eating his very first Pizzelle last weekend.  He took in its pretty lacy design for just a moment before happily gobbling up the cookie in what seemed like only a matter of seconds.  It took me back to my childhood days, making countless batches of pizzelle with my Gram, and then eating one after another, after another.  I will never forget our many shared afternoons spent over her fancy pizzelle iron. 

Gram and I used to always make the classic “anise” flavored pizzelle.  We would use anise extract, but we would also add anise seeds so that each pizzella was flecked with little black specs that would pop with licorice flavor when you bit into the light, crispy, snowflake shaped cookie.   

I love the classic anise flavored pizzelle, but because my hubby is not big on licorice flavor, I made these wonderful almond flavored pizzelle last weekend, and they did not disappoint in flavor, or in taking me back to my childhood.  I watched, just as I did as a child, as the pizzelle iron’s light went from red to green to indicate that my cookies were perfectly browned and ready to be removed from the iron and set to cool. 

One of these days in the very near future I plan to make some chocolate pizzelle or maybe even try wrapping the warm pizzella around the little dowel that came with my iron (a gift from my sweet Gram a few Christmases back) and then stuffing them with something creamy, or nutty, or chocolaty (or all of the above).

The recipe below is for the almond flavored pizzelle that I made last weekend (which I decided to decorate a bit with some ganache and almond pieces).  The decoration was completely unnecessary as these cookies are made beautiful by the iron, but who doesn’t like a little extra flair from time to time?

 

Ingredients & Instructions

1-3/4 C. King Arthur’s All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3 large eggs
3/4 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp. Almond Extract
1 tsp. Vegetable Oil (to coat the iron from time to time in between cookies)

Preheat the Pizzelle Press on Setting 3 while preparing the batter. Place flour and baking powder in a small bowl, stir and set to the side. Blend eggs and sugar in a medium bowl with a hand mixer for about a minute. Add the melted butter and extract to the egg mixture and blend until combined, about 15 seconds. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined; do not over mix. It may be necessary to lightly brush both the top and bottom grids of the pizzelle iron with vegetable oil or melted vegetable shortening before baking. Use a teaspoon to scoop the dough, about 1 ½ - 2 teaspoons, onto one of the patterned cookie grids; repeat to make a second cookie. Close the lid and lock. The red indicator light will come on. When the red indicator light goes out and the green indicator light comes on, the pizzelle are ready. Remove pizzelle from the press using a heatproof plastic spatula and place on a rack to cool completely. Completely cooled pizzelle may be decorated with chocolate or dusted with powdered sugar before serving.

Ham & Split Pea Soup (New Years Day in July)

All around the world, people join together with their friends and families to celebrate the arrival of the New Year.  Many traditional foods are consumed by one and all in the hopes that the coming year inspires health, wealth, and happiness.  In Asia, noodles are eaten to bring a long life, in many countries across the globe, pork is consumed for progress, and in Italy legumes are served to gain wealth, similar to the tradition of eating black-eyed peas here in the Southern United States.

I personally am not a huge fan of black-eyed peas, and since I usually have this beautiful ham bone left over from Christmas, or in this case, "Christmas in July", we eat Ham (progress) and Split Pea (wealth) soup.  I guess we are leaving the longevity of life up to the long nap that is taken after the meal

Sooooo, as promised in my "Christmas in July" blog, we had our “New Year’s Day in July" dinner of Ham and Split Pea Soup last night.  It was AWESOME and even my not-quite two-year old gobbled it up.

I was so excited yesterday morning before work, as I threw the split peas in a big bowl to soak.  I knew they would be ready to go when I got home and started chopping up the carrots and such.  Those little green gems did not disappoint as later in the day they were added to a hot pot of ham-infused water and cooked down to become one of my favorite soups in this world.  Alongside the soup, a beautiful crusty French batard to aid in sopping up the last delicious drops from each bowl. 

 

Ingredients & Instructions

8 C. Water
1 Lb. Dried Split Peas (soaked for at least 6 hours and drained)
1 Ham Bone
5 Tbsp. Butter
1-2 C. Ham (finely chopped)
¾ C. Celery (finely chopped)
¾ C. Carrot (finely chopped)
1 C. Onion (finely chopped)
2 tsp. Garlic (minced)
¼ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tbsp. Dried Thyme
Bay Leaf
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Place ham hock in a large stock pan with 8 cups of cold water.  Bring to a boil and simmer for one hour.  Pour off water into a large bowl and reserve (this will be used as your “ham juice” or base).  With ham hock still in the stock pot, add butter and saute the onions, carrots, celery, garlic and additional chopped ham.  Once vegetables are softened add the peas and the red pepper flakes and stir for a couple of minutes.  Add the “ham juice” back to the pot, along with the bay leaf and thyme and simmer covered for 1-2 hours or until the peas have almost completely melted and the soup has thickened.  For thicker soup, just remove the lid for 20 minutes or so near the end of the cooking time.  Salt and Pepper to taste.

Scalloped Potatoes (Christmas in July)

Sometimes during the dog days of Summer, one just needs a little pick-me-up to make it through another week.  A small reminder of the cooler weather to come in the not-so-far off distance.  Don’t get me wrong, walks in the sun, playing in the pool with the fam, and grilled food are such joys, but sometimes it’s fun to spice things up a little bit with a ‘Christmas in July’.  Okay, well, we didn’t do the gifts and tree and such, but we did do the dinner.  Honeybaked ham, green beans, and deliciously ooey-gooey scalloped potatoes.  There’s only one potato preparation that can top scalloped potatoes in my mind, and that’s mashed potatoes, but when enjoying a ham, in my opinion, the potatoes most definitely must be of the scalloped variety.  The only ingredient that I altered in the recipe below from the recipe that I use at Christmas-time, is the substitution of parmesan cheese for gruyere.   After all, some things are sacred, and only the true Christmas dinner deserves the gruyere splurge.

The wonderful thing about ham besides the fact that it’s, well, yummy ham, is that later this week, I know we will be enjoying New Year’s Day in July with a big bowl of split pea soup made with that beautiful ham bone. 

Merry Christmas everyone (and next week if my life gives me time to blog) it will be Happy New Year)!

 

Ingredients & Instructions

2-3 Lbs. Yukon Gold Potaotes (thinly sliced using a mandolin or very handy husband)
1 ½ C. Heavy Cream
2 Large Garlic Cloves (minced)
1 Bay Leaf
5-6 Sprigs of fresh Thyme (tied)
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
2 C. Parmesan or Gruyere Cheese
Approximately ¼ C. Chopped Scallions
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Place a small saucepan on medium heat and add heavy cream, garlic, rhyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and bay leaf to the pot.  Let simmer for about 20 minutes.  Remove bay leaf and thyme bundle and set cream aside.

Layer potatoes in a shallow 2 quart baking dish.  Top with ¼ of the heavy cream mixture, ¼ C cheese, and 1-2 Tbsp of Scallions.  Repeat this layering 3 more times and bake uncovered for 45 minutes.  Potatoes will be bubbling and delicious!!! 

Did I mention that these go great with ham?

Candied Bacon

 

There has recently been a sad and scary circumstance happening within my extended family that has me rattled a bit, while at the same time has made me appreciate and cherish my physical and mental health so much.  I won’t go into the details, but it's gotten me to thinking about how strange it is that life hands us “wake-up calls” from time to time, as if to say, “I’m just making sure you're paying attention.”  When these "calls" happen, it’s the little things in life that start to come into focus, that seem brighter and bolder. 

Like an unhurried and peaceful Sunday morning with my boys.  No plans ahead for the day, except to catch a nap, and maybe hit the pool if we are feeling motivated to lay on our backs and float in the cool water.  It’s so easy to take these moments for granted, but since I have had the recent “wake-up call”, I decided last weekend that I would make a little treat for breakfast.  Something we could all enjoy, while listening to some music, and starting our morning.  What would be better than french toast with strawberry compote alongside sweet and smoky candied bacon? 

The hubs and I used to often have breakfasts like this before Noah came along, and we still try to have a nice breakfast most weekends, but it’s no longer done in the leisurely fashion that it used to be, over languid cups of hot coffee and hours of quiet conversation.

I don’t mind the change in lifestyle a bit though really.  It’s fun to have a third person to converse with in the morning.  Even though Noah doesn’t really talk much yet, everything he says is riveting to me, not to mention adorable.  I love to watch him shove strawberries and small bits of bacon into his mouth, half of which somehow end up in his beautifully blonde hair made even blonder by the summertime pool antics.  There’s nothing like this time in our lives, these very moments, when we can all be together, eating Sunday breakfast.

 

Ingredients & Instructions;

3/4 Lb. Thick Cut Bacon
3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Black Pepper
½ tsp. Cayenne
1 tsp. Chili Powder
1 tsp. Smoked Paprika

Preheat oven to 380 degrees.

Make a rub by mixing brown sugar, cumin, black pepper, cayenne, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Dredge bacon strips in the rub to ensure full coverage and lay the bacon on a cooling rack inside of a baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes, turn the bacon, and bake for another 10 minutes.  Watch the bacon as it will burn quickly near the end of the baking time.  Allow bacon to sit for a few minutes on the cooling rack before eating.

Triple Threats

Whoever said “Three’s A Crowd” did not know what they were talking about.  So many wonderful things comes in threes.  I mean, who doesn’t relish a BLT sandwich, or enjoy a good hat trick in hockey?  There was the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria, and of course, the written rule of three.

You don’t have to tell my little family how wonderful the number 3 is.  My Nation of Three knows for a fact, that 3 is the best number out there.  Daddy, Mommy, Noah, what else do you need in life?

So, why wouldn’t you include all three wonderful types of chocolate in one cookie?  I have asked many scholars and they have all turned away dumbfounded.  Okay, so I haven’t really asked any scholars, but only because I don’t know any offhand.  I’m pretty sure that they would react as described though if asked.

I’ve been making these cookies for a few years now.  I like to make them all year around, but usually will include them on my “Christmas list of cookies to bake”.   They are soft and pillowy and just as chocolatey as they want to be!  I like to add pecans to the mix, but if you prefer just the chocolate yumminess without the nutty texture, hey, who am I to judge?

Ingredients & Instructions

 

½ Lb. Unsalted Butter (at room temp)
1 C. Brown Sugar
1 C. Granulated White Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp. Brewed Espresso
2 Eggs (at room temp)
2/3 C. Special Dark Chocolate Cocoa
2 C. King Arthur’s All Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
½ C. Bittersweet Chips or Chunks
½ C. White Chocolate Chips or Chunks
½ C. Milk Chocolate Chips or Chunks
½ C. Pecans (chopped)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Cream butter and sugars in a standing mixer (or with handheld beater) for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla, espresso, and then eggs one at a time, blending well.  Add cocoa and blend.

 

Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda.  Slowly add dry ingredients to chocolate mixture.  Once blended, fold in the chocolate and nuts.

 

Using an ice cream scoop, drop dough onto non-stick baking sheet and pat down the tops of the cookies with fingers just a little bit. Don’t flatten the cookie, but just give it a little loving pat on the head.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove cookies from the oven, allow to cool and transfer to a cooling rack.

Peach Muffins With Cinnamon-Nut Streusel

Family has been on my mind a lot lately, specifically, my mom. I found an old picture that my Dad sent to me a while back of my mom and I when I was just a little Bean, and it, along with some other life events, have had me thinking of her. This is not to say, I don't think of her and her absence every day of my life, but lately, it's been very near to the surface.

A lot of it also has to do with my little boy who is turning into a toddler.  I so wish she were here to see him, love on him, and spoil him. Admittedly, I also wish she were here to help us out from time to time.

As summer arrives, I begin seeing pictures of my friends and their kids joined by their parents on trips to the beach, and I am green with envy.  I know my little Nation of Three will never have a lot of these same experiences that I see in the pictures, but I try tell myself that we are so lucky to have many, many people that love us.  That the love of these people will at least, partially fill the hole that is left in our lives by the absence of both mine and Ryan's mothers.

I try not to let that ugly green monster take over, especially on weekends such as this one when I have been so blessed with gifts all around me.  Although my little man is going through what seems to be the early onset of the terrible twos, I have received quite the bounty of happiness to distract me from little hitting hands and temper tantrums.

A new life has entered the world as one of my closest friends gave birth to her little peanut on Friday morning.  When I went to visit, I held that new little life in my arms, and for the first time since I had my own baby, I knew I was looking into a face that I would look into for the rest of of my life.  What a gift friendship can be.  What a joyous gift.

My hubs and I also spent time with some wonderful friends that just so happen to live next door, and have awesome friends that we have adopted, and who have adopted us.  The fact that we live next door to people that already feel like family to us after only three years in our community is a huge blessing.

Another gift I received this week was the gift of food.  After some slightly obvious hints on my part, a co-worker of mine brought me the gift of fresh eggs from his chickens.  I know it may sound silly to some, but to me, it was such a cool gift because I had never tasted fresh eggs before.  What else could I do on an emotional weekend like this one, but to bake one of mom's recipes using some of the beautiful eggs that were given to me?  So, I pulled out one of mom's recipes, dusted it off, and gave it a whirl. 

It was perfect timing to find mom's Peach Muffin recipe because the first fresh peaches of the year have  ripened and are on the shelves here in the Carolinas.  I admit, I made a couple of alterations along the way, but for the most part, this is the same recipe that mom wrote down on that old card so many years ago.

Ingredients & Instructions

Muffin Mix:

1 ¾ C. Flour

2 Tbsp. Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Cinnamon (½ tsp. for muffin mix, ½ tsp. for baking peaches)

1 tsp. Fresh Grated Nutmeg  (½ tsp. for muffin mix, ½ tsp. for baking peaches)

2 tsp. Lemon Zest

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 egg (beaten)

½ C. Corn Oil

1/3 C. Milk

½ C. Baked Pureed Peaches (approximately 3 peaches)

½ C. Finely Diced Peaches (approximately 3 peaches)

Streusel Topping:

½ C. Flour

¼ C. Brown Sugar

½ tsp. Cinnamon

3 Tbsp. Cold Butter

2-3 Tbsp. Pecans (chopped)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice 3-4 Fresh Peaches, sprinkle with ½ tsp cinnamon and ½ tsp nutmeg and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and puree.

Spray 12 muffin pans or place baking cups in muffin tray.  Combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt.  In separate bowl, mix oil, milk, pureed peaches, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and eggs.  Add dry ingredients to wet and blend until just mixed.  Fold in diced peaches.

Meanwhile, combine streusel ingredients in another bowl using a pastry blender until it has the consistency of wet sand.

Fill muffin cups with muffin mix 2/3 full and top each with a generous spoonful of streusel.  Bake for 20 minutes, cool, and enjoy.  Refrigerate in airtight container.

Vanilla Extract

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about patience and perseverance.  These two traits have often eluded me in life, but as a mother, I am trying to adopt and embrace them more and more, not only for my own sanity, but so that I can be a good role model to my son.  I often think on these two words as I am on my nightly run.  I started to run regularly about 2 ½ months ago and although I feel fantastic, I often find myself expecting and wanting more.  I ask myself, “why can’t I run farther, faster”, “where is my endurance and perseverance”?

Over the last months I have made small strides towards being a better runner, but I always seem to feel let down that I didn’t run 5, 6, 10 miles. 

This last week, I decided to start giving myself a break.  I’m almost 40.  Later this year, I will be 40 YEARS OLD!  I was 16 when my mom turned 40 and my son will only be 2 as I pass into this fourth decade of my life, but I can run.  I can probably outrun many 20 year olds.  I WILL be able to keep up with my son as he grows into a toddler and beyond.  I won’t give up!  It may take me a little longer than it would have 10 or 20 years ago to persevere beyond the 3 mile marker, the 7 mile marker, dare I say, a 10 mile marker, but I will do it.  I have the patience now that I did not have twenty years ago. 

I can run.

That said, in thinking about patience, I began a batch of vanilla extract.  I thought it would be a nice gift to have on hand for Christmas this year (my 40^th Christmas), not to mention, good vanilla extract is EXPENSIVE!  It may take a little time for me to see the fruits of this small labor, but I have the patience.

I can make extract.

Just a quick note, vanilla extract can be made with vodka, rum, or bourbon.  I decided to go with vodka this time around, but I do plan to play around with other alcohol bases in the coming months. You can also use any variety of vanilla bean.  I am using Tahitian and Madagascar beans but there are MANY types out there so experiment and have fun with it.  I plan to make lemon and orange extracts in the coming months as well which I will post as I get to them.

To be unbelievably cliché, patience is a virtue, and good things come to those who wait, sooooo let there be extract!

 

Ingredients and Instructions

1 C. Vodka (I used an 80 Proof Mid-Grade Vodka)
3-4 Vanilla Beans (split down ¾ of the bean with a knife)
Clean Glass Bottle (I am using a dark brown beer-type bottle with swing-top lid)

Pour 1C. of vodka per 3-4 vanilla beans into your clean glass bottle.  Place bottle/bottles into a cool, dry place for 3-6 months shaking the bottle up once every week or two.

Orange Chicken & Snow Peas

My mom and her boyfriend used to take my brother and I out for Chinese a lot when we were kids.  I remember that mom and I would almost always share the Mu-Shu Pork.  I will never forget those little wraps stuffed with pork, mushrooms, and the Plum Sauce, ohhhh, the Plum Sauce.  As a little girl, I didn’t know what the sauce was called, and I certainly didn’t know there were mushrooms hidden in that sweet and tangy little wrap, but I loved them.  Those memories, along with my mother’s love for cooking Asian food has sealed the deal for me.  Whether it be Chinese, Thai, or Indian food, I love it all.  The depth of flavors, the textures, the sticky rice or rice noodles, and the egg rolls.  The curries, the ginger, crunch of water chestnuts, all of it is so wonderfully satisfying.

My mother had a huge electric wok that she used to make stir fry in.  I had it for a few years after she passed, but unfortunately, it got lost in one of my many moves, so nowadays, I use a wok shaped pan that works just great! 

I normally make this orange dish with boneless pork chops and edamame over rice noodles, but for some reason, I just felt like chicken and snow peas the other night, so I changed things up a bit.  I’ve been making a lot of recipes lately that include ginger, and as I minced a large grainy chunk of it to make this recipe, I decided that its aroma is definitely one of my favorite things in life.  The spicy citrus scent is intoxicating and makes my mind wander to places that are exotic and green and beachy.  I’m not sure who the first person was that saw beyond ginger’s woody exterior through to the sweet, pungent soft interior, but props to that guy!

Ingredients and Instructions

2-3 Large Boneless Chicken Breasts (cut into bite sized pieces)
½ C. Corn Starch
2 Large Eggs (beaten)
1 C. Orange Marmalade
½ C. Chicken Broth
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
2 Tbsp. Ginger (minced)
½ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
2 Tbsp. Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
1 tsp. Toasted Sesame Oil
1/4 C. Peanut Oil
2 C. Snow Peas (strings removed)
Chopped Green Onions for Garnish (optional)
Sesame Seeds for Garnish (optional)
Jasmine Rice In a small mixing bowl add marmalade, chicken broth, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, and soy sauce and whisk to blend.  Allow to sit for an hour or so for flavors to marry.

Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large sauté pan on medium heat.  When a droplet of water sizzles in the oil, it is ready.  Drop chicken pieces first into the egg mixture and then dredge in the corn starch to coat.  In batches, fry the chicken in the peanut oil about 2 minutes and then flip and cook for 2 more minutes. Set cooked chicken aside on a plate lined with a paper towel.  Carefully dump oil from wok leaving just a few droplets of oil and return to heat.  Add snow peas to wok and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add the marmalade mixture and chicken to the wok with the snow peas and heat for just a few minutes  Serve over Jasmine rice garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.

Spicy Sweet Rosemary Chops

I make these pork chops whenever I am in a pinch for something super easy and super delicious for dinner.  I tend to serve them with my neighbor’s roasted potatoes since they both include rosemary as ingredients, and since my neighbor’s potatoes are “DELISH” as she would say. 

I adore Rosemary!  She does come in second to my first love, Basil, but it’s such a close competition that it’s hard to admit that she takes the silver.  My sweet little Rosemary plants work hard for their status! They always have some edible green to give forth, even in the dead of winter, even when there is a rare sighting of snow here in the south, my tough little woody ladies always have something for me to snip and savor. 

Ingredients & Instructions

3-4 Boneless Center Loin Pork Chops

Rub:
1-2 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary (minced)
3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
½ tsp. Cumin
½ tsp. Paprika
¼ tsp. Chili Powder

¼ tsp. Cayenne
½ tsp. Garlic Salt
¼ tsp. Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pork should be around room temp when preparing to sear. 

Place a pan over high heat and allow it to become very hot for the sear.  Mix all rub ingredients in a small bowl and then coat the pork chops rubbing the mixture into the meat.  Place the pork chops in the hot pan and allow to sear for 2 minutes per side.  Place the pork chops on a baking pan and roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes depending on how thick your pork chops are.

PBCC Granola Bars (Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip)

I like to pack a lot of food when I go on trips with my boys, whether it be to the mountains, the beach, or even just a park outing.  Snacks can save your sanity on excursions  with little ones.  Food always takes my little man's mind off of the boring car ride, or a bad case of the “sleepies”.  As a mom, I always have a snack on hand.  I can’t tell you how many times I have reached into my purse at work, looking for a pen or my checkbook, and came up with a bag full of nuts or a granola bar. 

Planning ahead and packing snacks and meals for vacations can save time and money that would otherwise be spent searching for a halfway decent restaurant or store.  When you are on vacation, it's all about time spent together, right?  Having food and snacks on hand means getting to your destination more quickly, or getting out there onto the beach, or up and out onto your mountain hike.  Plus, it can be a much healthier alternative to the "food" and "snacks" sold at most restaurants and gas stations.   

Granted, if you are staying at a hotel, it can be more difficult to take a full meal, but if you have an in-room mini-fridge, there’s plenty of room for snacks and drinks. 

I made these granola bars for our beach trip last week as one of our snack options, and they were a huge hit!  We snacked on them during our trip, between meals, and my son had them with fruit in the morning for breakfast and loved it! 

Ingredients & Instructions

 
1/3 C. Honey
¼ C. Maple Syrup

1 C. Natural Peanut Butter
½ Tsp. Cinnamon
¾ Tsp. Vanilla Extract
½ C. Semisweet Chocolate Chips
¼ C. Sunflower Seeds
2 ½ C. Oats
½ C. Roasted Cashews (chopped)
¼ C. Dried, Unsweetened Coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Whisk together the honey, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl.  Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until oats are thoroughly coated.  Dump granola mixture into a parchment lined 9x9 baking pan.  Using your clean hand utensils, push the mixture tightly into the pan making sure to evenly distribute.  Bake for 25-30 minutes and then place in freezer to cool for at least an hour or two.