A lemonade kind of day.

I apologize for not updating more often lately...I just haven't felt up to it but for some reason, knowing that I have promised a recipe on Wednesdays helps me at least once a week. But I'm hoping to be better soon. I promise :)

I just ate the yummiest pecan pie-ish bar except more crumbly than gooey from Chef's Table a little restaurant here in town that I love. And I wish I had a recipe for it because I would share it with you...it's really good. I am not in a sweet mood very much (a total shock, I know!) during the first few months of pregnancy...but the pecans were just calling to me...and I gave in!

I am feeling the best today that I have in a few weeks now; I'm hoping that this is a new trend! Cause I was spoiled with Hadleigh and Nathanael not being sick all day...but as someone told me, sometimes baby #3 has to make sure you know that they are their own unique little person too...and not just #3! Tomorrow is my first doctor's appointment...but I still have to wait a few weeks before they do the first ultrasound...darn. I love ultrasounds. Can't wait.

Okay, so since it is 81 degrees today, yes 81 on the last day of February (and poor Hadleigh was talking about wanting to build a snowman at her house this morning!) here is a recipe for one of my favorite lemonade recipes...yup, I have several...but this is a good one. (Photo courtesy of Martha...but not her recipe!) Enjoy! (And if it's not warm enough where you are for ice-cold lemonade...try warming it up! Hot lemonade tastes yummy too and is great for fighting a sore throat and cold!)

Southern Lemonade

4 lemons*

4 oranges*

4 limes*

1.5 to 2 cups sugar, depending on your taste

1 gallon water

Squeeze juice from fruit and combine juices in a one-gallon container.

Add sugar and water; mix to dissolve sugar.

Refrigerate until chilled.

*I like to have a few extra to slice and float in the pitcher...so pretty!

Getting warm here

The last two days have been in the 70's, which is amazing since we had snow exactly one week ago...but I digress.

I do love the feel of the approach of spring...it makes me want to go on picnics, take long walks, and buy lots of fresh fruit. So, since fruit sounds good right now (and Hilary mentioned I post lots of desserts), here is an old favorite (acquired from Pampered Chef) I look forward to making soon...you know when I am feeling like cooking again :) It is light and delicious and addicting! (and you can substitute some with the fruit selection to suit your taste.)

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

Chips:
1 Tbsp. sugar plus 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, combined
4 flour tortillas

Salsa:
1 cup frozen (or fresh) raspberries
2 peaches, peeled and chopped
2 kiwi, peeled, sliced, and quartered
1 tsp. lime zest
2 tsp. lime juice
1 tsp. sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray tortillas with water; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Cut each tortilla into eight wedges. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.

2. Combine all salsa ingredients and mix gently.

Yield: 2 cups salsa and 32 chips.

Enjoy--I'm off to make a snack...popcorn maybe...because I'm getting hungry and that isn't good for this mommy-to-be! Thanks for all the well-wishes for this sweet baby...we are so very excited to meet her/him...and very anxious for this first trimester to be over...

Happy Valentines Day!

It is a cold and snowy Valentines Day here...well, flurries, but that counts!

This is a recipe that I have wanted to make for a long time...since February 2003 when it appeared in Martha Stewart Living as the Dessert of the Month (one of my favorite features of the magazine, by the way!) And I would probably be making it tonight if I felt much like cooking...but I don't...due to our tiny, little Valentine who will make their arrival in October :)

I hope that all of you have a wonderful day today...and enjoy this!

Chocolate Hazelnut Meringue Cake

10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for pan
All-purpose flour, for pan
1 cup hazelnuts (about 4 ounces)
3/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
6 large whole eggs, separated, plus 4 large egg whites
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled, plus 4 ounces roughly chopped (1 cup)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rum (optional)
Pinch of salt
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup superfine sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. Line bottom with parchment. Butter parchment, and sprinkle with flour; tap out excess. Set aside.
2. Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and skins start to crack, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; rub vigorously with a clean kitchen towel to take off skins. Let cool; roughly chop. Set aside.
3. Make cake batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and smooth. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate, vanilla, and rum, if using; beat until combined. Set aside.
4. In a clean mixer bowl, combine 6 egg whites and salt; using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Stir one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining beaten egg whites just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, make meringue: Combine hazelnuts, chopped chocolate, and cornstarch in a small bowl, and set aside. Place remaining 4 egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean mixer bowl; using a clean whisk attachment, beat on high speed until frothy. With mixer running, slowly add superfine sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Fold in hazelnut mixture.
6. Remove cake from oven. Using an offset spatula, spread meringue mixture on top of cake, and return to oven. Bake until meringue is lightly browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let stand 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, and release sides of pan. Let cool, about 30 minutes, before slicing and serving.

Makes one 9-inch cake

Note: Use the largest spatula you own and as few strokes as possible to maintain the egg white mixture's light, airy consistency when folding it into the chocolate batter. Hazelnut skins will come right off when you toast the nuts; rub them vigorously inside a folded kitchen towel while they're still warm. 3 An offset spatula lets you reach easily into the springform pan to gently coax the meringue over the half-baked cake layer.

Peppermint Clouds

The wait is over! Here is the recipe I tempted you with before Christmas, thanks to my sweet Mom for emailing it today!

This is really so yummy and can be made somewhat ahead of time. You could use store-bought hot fudge if you must, but really, this is the best hot fudge EVER. And while we always have this at Christmas, if you can still find Peppermint ice cream, it would make a great Valentines dessert too!

I wish I had a picture to share with you...because they are so pretty! Enjoy!

Peppermint Clouds

Meringue Clouds (recipe follows)
Heavenly Hot Fudge Sauce(recipe follows)
Peppermint Ice Cream (my favorites are Blue Bell and Braums, but Mayfield is good too!)

1. Place each meringue cloud on a serving plate. Top each cloud with 2-3 small scoops of peppermint ice cream. Top with homemade hot fudge sauce and serve immediately. (You can garnish the tops with a few pieces of crushed peppermint candy, if you like.)

Meringue Clouds

3 egg whites (room temperature)
Red food coloring ( a few drops- you want it pink not red)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Dash of salt
Parchment paper

1.Beat egg whites until stiff. Add a couple of drops of red food coloring. You want a pink color.
2. Add sugar slowly; then add the rest of the ingredients.Beat until well blended. 3. Cut parchment paper the size of your cookie sheet. Take a glass or coffee cup and trace circles on the parchment paper. This recipe makes 7-8 meringue cups.
4. Take 1-2 spoonfuls of meringue and place on each circle. Build up the sides of each cloud. It will look like a nest.
5. Bake at 275 degrees for one hour. Turn the oven off and leave in the oven for 2 more hours. (Keep the door closed.) Using a spatula, gently remove the meringue off of the parchment paper. Store in an airtight container until serving. (We sometimes make these the day before serving.)

Heavenly Hot Fudge Sauce

1/4 lb butter
4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate squares
3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup evaporated milk

1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler until melted.
2. Stir in sugar 4 Tbsp. at a time. Sugar mixture will be thick and dry. Add salt and slowly stir in evaporated milk. Stir until smooth and satiny.
3. Fudge sauce will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. Yields 5 cups of sauce. You can make the hot fudge while cooking the clouds or ahead of time.

Cap-pu-tino

Technically, that picture is just espresso...but it's the only shot of coffee I have at the moment, so I think it will do. (Besides, it was taken in France and you just can't beat a cup of cafe or chocolat, or vin for that matter, in France! Right, Hilary?)

About two months before Christmas (you know, when you should be putting things you want on Christmas lists instead of just buying them) Brent came upon a great sale at Starbucks for their Barista espresso machines. And so he researched it...talked to the manager at our store...talked to some managers at stores in Asheville...talked me into it :) And even got an upgrade with the sale!

My parents gave me a capresso machine as a first-apartment-warming-gift my sophomore year in college. We used it probably 3 times in college. Then I married Brent, and he was so excited about this machine...he used it a lot. But it just wasn't performing as well in the last few years. And so he had resorted back to the normal coffee maker. So, knowing how much he likes to make cappuccinos and lattes and the like (and I enjoy drinking them) I was very happy to be able to get this great and easy to use machine! (And I was very happy to send our old one back to Baylor for my sister Katy and her roommates to enjoy...and they do...a lot more than we did in college!)

And just how easy is it to use? Well, Hadleigh helps him. For a long time she would help Daddy make "Super coff-coff" as she called it. A few weeks ago, Brent taught her to say cappuccino, hence the title of this post. It is really cute to hear her say it. And to see her get so excited to make it with Daddy...just so you're not scared she might be scalded, she just pushes the buttons...but she knows the order of the buttons and when to wait and when to run to the other side of the kitchen while Daddy tests the steam...like I said, it's just so cute.

I have a request...does anyone know of a good source to buy frosted mint syrup...the kind that you add to coffee drinks? Brent had it over Christmas and I'd love to surprise him with some!

Things to be happy about.

I have this book.

I don't remember where (or why, even) I got it. Sometime in highschool. It begins "A stream of consciousness list" and includes a 612 page list of little things in life that are happy moments. I thoroughly enjoyed going through this book, entry by entry highlighting things happy things that I shared with Barbara Ann Kipfer. I went through it again a few years later, this time dotting and starring entries that caught my eye and smile. It has been awhile since I picked it up (probably college), and I probably owe the book another read-through, as I am now married and a mommy and will probably apppreciate new, happy things.

I thought I would share a few of these happy moments from my book with you:

the "snuggle right in" feeling
seeing the moon rise
brand new notebooks
uneven parallel bars
getting carried away
braking for rainbows
the brisk dusk of a late October evening
when friends drop in
the moon on the snow
cartwheels
the smell of the sea
cold hands
saving almost everything
letters from close friends in far places
being a night person
the last crumpled leaf quivering on the oak
Prince Edward Island
rain at night, if you're safe in bed
cobblestone streets
lighthouses and piers
wanting your teddy bear
the silence of close friendship
homecoming
memory lane
two-handed backhands
lip glosses
laughing til you cry

For those of you who didn't know I was a romantic, now you know! I think the author and I might be kindred spirits...I really need to read through that book again...it's a great exercise for the heart and mind!

And here are a few things (of my own) that are making me happy today:

Nutella and graham crackers
cloudy and cold
a kiss of encouragement from my all-of-a-sudden wise three year old baby girl
a cuddly head on my shoulder
seeing my baby boy suck his thumb and hold his blankie
three days of emails from Marianne that make me laugh and smile
a scrapbook project waiting for me on my desk
a new Pottery Barn catalog
new shampoo
anticipating the arrival of Shannon tomorrow night for a weekend visit
planning on getting into an exercise routine with the help of a friend
the promise of a fire and movie tonight with Brent

What is making you happy today?

Day-by-Day Vegetable Medley

Today's recipe is six-fold! I found this recipe...I think...in Cooking Light a few years ago. The recipe is called Day-by-Day Vegetable Medley and it makes enough to create 5 meals! Which is great for me because I am not a big fan of dicing onions...and to get onions for 5 meals at one time is great!

So, I will post the original recipe, followed by five recipes (a good variety of meals) that use a portion of the vegetable medley. So without further adieu,

Day-by-Day Veggie Medley

3 medium onions, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 large eggplant, unpeeled and chopped
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 (10 oz) cans tomatos and green chiles (I like Rotel)
1/4 cup Greek seasoning (Cavender's)

1. Saute onions and peppers in 1 Tbsp. hot olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high hear for 5 minutes. Place onion mix in large bowl and set aside. Saute eggplant in 2 Tbsp. hot olive oil over edium heat for 5 minutes. Add to onion/peppers. Saute mushrooms in 2 tbsp. hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, Greek seasoning, and cooked vegetables to dutch oven and cook 5 minutes until heated thoroughly.
2. Spoon 3 cups of the mixture into each of 4 freezer bags; seal and freeze up to one month. There will be 3 cups remaining to cook for that night, or you can freeze 5 portions.

Black Bean Soup

2 (15 oz.) cans black beans
3 cups Veggie Medley, thawed
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup lime juice
1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder

1. Bring beans, veggies, and broth to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in lime juice, cilantro, cumin, and chili powder. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Serve with sour cream and fresh cilantro.

Beef and Vegetable Supper (This was my least favorite, mainly because I'm not a huge fan of most tomato-based sauces with pasta. But Brent liked it.)

1 pound ground beef
3 cups Veggie Medley, thawed
1 cup chicken broth
1 8 oz. can tomato paste
cooked egg noodles

1. Cook ground beef in large skillet. Drain grease. Stir in veggies, broth, and paste. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes. Serve over noodles.

Greek Chicken Stew (This was my favorite of all the recipes!)

4 cups cooked chicken, chopped
3 cups Veggie Medley, thawed
1 can chicken broth
1 cup cooked diced potatoes
1 cup whipping cream
salt to taste

1. Bring chicken, veggies, and broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in potatoes and cream.
2. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Salt to taste. Serve with Greek pita bread!


Individual Pizzas

6 pizza crusts
6 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cups Veggie Medley, thawed
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
other pizza toppings of choice

1. Place crusts on baking sheet. Brush each with 1 tsp. olive oil. Spread 1/2 cup veggies over each crust. Sprinkly each with 1/4 cup cheese and your choice of toppings.
2. Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted.

Shrimp with Rice

3 cups Veggie Medley, thawed
1 cup vegetable broth
16 oz. pkg. peeled frozen shrimp, thawed (I use fresh!)
hot cooked rice

1. Heat veggies and broth in a large saucepan; add shrimp and cook until thoroughly heated. Spoon over rice and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

And the Peppermint Cloud Recipe I tempted you with in December is soon coming! Can you wait a little while, Marianne? :)

Just a few things today

1. I don't recommend taking two children by yourself to have flu shots administered. It exhausted this mommy.

2. I have scrapper's block...but I'm trying to shake it this afternoon.

3. My dream house will have a fireplace in almost every room (maybe not the laundry room or the kiddo's rooms) but everywhere else sounds good. I like fires. Cozy. I think I could live in a climate that has warm(ish) afternoons but year-round cold nights for fires.

4. I can't believe that February starts this week. I wonder how old I was when I realized that February had an extra "r" in it, because I do remember spelling it Febuary for a long time...and I am a pretty good speller, if I do say so myself.

5. I like having a routine...but sometimes having "mandatory" places to be on a given day bugs me. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings we have to be somewhere...and Thursdays every other week...but that's my Mommy's Morning Out day...which means I can go back home if I want to! I miss my days of just hanging out at home with my babies...

Jillian tagged me to share 6 weird or quirky things about me...hmmm...here goes:

a. I am obsessive-compulsive about one thing: if I am typing (even emails) and I notice a typo of any sort (even an extra space between words) I MUST change it immediately. I try to tell myself that's it is just an email and I can leave it...but I always end up changing it.
b. I am very picky about the kind of pens I use...when I was teaching, there was only one brand of felt-tip pens I would use for everything...I am not a big fan of ball points. (My fave pen right now is the Pilot G-2 07 in black!)
c. I like to organize things by color...my closet...my cardstock...my daughter's crayon box (shhh...don't tell!)
d. I have never really watched American Idol...but we really liked Rockstar INXS!
e. The hair on the left side of my hair holds curl really well but the right side does not.
f. My husband would say this qualifies: I love and have no problem watching a favorite movie over and over and over and over...I can't count how many times I have seen You've Got Mail or Pride & Prejudice (Colin Firth version, of course.) or Gone With The Wind or Breakfast at Tiffany's. That reminds me...it's been awhile since I've watched Audrey Hepburn...will have to remedy that!

I am tagging: Hilary, Kelli, and Dot !

Oatmeal Brulée

This is oatmeal at its finest!

Last October, my dearest friends from college and I all got together for a weekend in Norman, OK. While there, Shannon (our host) took us to a restaurant called Turquoise Cafe for breakfast. It was there that we had this wonderful dessert. I mean breakfast. It is THAT good! So I decided to try and replicate the oatmeal at home, and this is what I have come up with!

It tastes great, it looks pretty, and it uses a culinary torch (the fun part!) So give it a try this weekend and let me know what you think!

Oh...this recipe can be catered to your serving needs. The Crème Anglaise serves 6-10 and the rest of the ingredients (based on how you purchase them) will serve even more than that. You can make the sauce in advance and keep chilled so that everything is ready to assemble when you're ready to eat!

Oatmeal Brulée

oatmeal (I use Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal)
walnuts, chopped and toasted
dried cranberries
1-2 slices of dried mango per serving (I like the Mariani brand)
brown sugar
Crème Anglaise (recipe follows)

1. Cook the oatmeal according to package directions and according to the number of servings you need. I like to add the walnuts to the oatmeal towards the end of cooking, but you can add them on top later if you prefer.
2. While oatmeal is cooking, slice the dried mango into thin strips.
3. Distribute each serving of oatmeal onto deep plates. Top with cranberries and walnuts.
4. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar on top of each serving of oatmeal and slightly flatten with the back of a spoon. Using a culinary torch, pass the flame evenly over the brown sugar until the sugar melts and turns light brown in places. The sugar will harden when cool.
5. Sprinkle dried mango slices on top of the melted sugar. Pour crème anglaise in a pool around the oatmeal. Serve immediately.

Crème Anglaise*

6 large egg yolks
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla

(You can substitute 2 cups whole milk OR 2 cups half-and-half for the milk and cream above.)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until slightly thickened.
2. In a medium saucepan, pour milk and cook over medium heat, stirring, until bubbles form around the edges. Slowly whisk the hot milk into the bowl of egg yolks and sugar. Return this mixture to the saucepan.
3. Rinse out and dry the bowl, then set a fine sieve over the top.
4. Place the saucepan over low heat. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir the sauce gently but constantly, reaching the entire bottom of pan. As soon as the sauce is slightly thickened, remove the pan from the heat and stir gently for 2 minutes to complete the cooking. The sauce should be the consistency of heavy cream and read around 170° on a thermometer. Pour the sauce through the sieve and let cool for 10 minutes, stirring periodically to prevent a skin from forming on the surface.
5. Stir in vanilla. Serve warm with Oatmeal Brulée.

Yields about 2 cups, 6-10 servings.

*Recipe is from The Joy of Cooking. This sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Allow to completely cool before covering and placing in refrigerator. To warm the sauce, set the container of sauce in hot, but not boiling, water and stir until warmed through.

Variety is the spice of life

So they say.



1. It's been awhile since I posted anything scrappy, so here is a layout from awhile ago...I love the pictures of Hadleigh in it!
2. I cleaned off my desk/scrap space in our office and I'm feeling better and more organized and productive already!
3. I am so glad that socks are easily and inexpensively come by these days...if I had to darn every sock that got a hole in our family, I would have no time for anything else. And it makes me sad, because so many of my favorite socks are just about ready for the trash can...or to be recycled by Brent for staining wood projects.
4. I have yet another cold...so does Brent...so we're starting to wonder if we have allergies...oh, to be able to breathe through my nose!
5. There are children playing outside my window on our cul-de-sac. Fun! It's been awhile since anyone stayed outside for very long...the temperature report on my desktop says 49 degrees.
6. Hadleigh really enjoys wearing tights...I worried that she wouldn't because she loves taking off her socks all the time, but if we take them off for naptime or something, she always asks to put them back on....I'm glad, since I like her in dresses so much!
7. Speaking of which...what is it about Gymboree dresses that make them unwrinkley? I never have to iron those...and that, Martha, is a good thing.
8. We're having Chicken Enchilada soup tonight...yummy!
9. I got a sweet surprise in the mail today from Kelli...some Rhonna Farrer stamps she talked about here. Thank you, sweet friend!
10. My sister Katy is coming to visit us this weekend...and I am SO excited!
11. What a great response to the mascara dilemma! Jillian and Hilary, I have tried that brand and it just doesn't work for me. Marianne and Kelli...I will have to try out your recommendations and let you know!
12. Tomorrow I'm sharing a fabulous breakfast recipe with all of you...so stay tuned! It's yummy and fun to make!