Just ignore the blustery cold wind today.
I have some more proof.
I love the rhubarb though--that bright pink is so hopeful.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
It's coming.
Just ignore the blustery cold wind today.
I have some more proof.
I love the rhubarb though--that bright pink is so hopeful.
Monday, April 21, 2014
A Ham Dinner is as easy as...Making a Ham.
Happy day after Easter if Easter is your flavor.
We had the bunny thing in the AM, went to church, had the families over to eat, and then some easy clean up.
All with enough time to take a short walk to wiggle off our super healthy, low calorie 'Linner'.
Then hosed off the kids before bed , and were ready for the DVR replay of Mad Men.
A productive day I would say.
Many contributions were made to the meal we had, which made hosting very low-stress. One of my responsibilities was the ham, and I wanted to share that if you ever are in need of a large hunk of meat--making a ham is the way to go. So easy.
This is what I did.
In true cave family style, the man of the house procured a ham large enough for 15. It was a fancy spiral sliced kind.
I then unwrapped it, put it in a roasting pan, tented it with foil, and put it in a 325 oven while we went to church (approx 2 hours).
When we got home, I made the glaze and poured my determined right amount over it. I also turned the heat down to 300 and took off the foil tent. I repeated that every 20 minutes--about 2 or 3 times. (I ended up turning the oven off before the last installment as the ham was getting a nice 'crackle' on the outside but there was concern that it was perhaps going to burn).
We then hoisted the beast out of the oven, and set it on the stove. I gently placed the foil back on top of the ham, because it seemed like the right thing to do, and twenty or so minutes later it was laid on a platter and ready to devour.
Really. That easy.
I used a recipe from The Pioneer Woman (www.thepioneerwoman.com) for the glaze.
The glaze was a mixture of 3 cups of brown sugar, 1 can of Dr Pepper, 1/2 cup grainy mustard, and 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. I pretty sure that was it--checking the website never hurt.
It was delicious.
It was easy.
It made Easter for four kids and a house full-ish of people possible.
We had the bunny thing in the AM, went to church, had the families over to eat, and then some easy clean up.
All with enough time to take a short walk to wiggle off our super healthy, low calorie 'Linner'.
Then hosed off the kids before bed , and were ready for the DVR replay of Mad Men.
A productive day I would say.
Many contributions were made to the meal we had, which made hosting very low-stress. One of my responsibilities was the ham, and I wanted to share that if you ever are in need of a large hunk of meat--making a ham is the way to go. So easy.
This is what I did.
In true cave family style, the man of the house procured a ham large enough for 15. It was a fancy spiral sliced kind.
I then unwrapped it, put it in a roasting pan, tented it with foil, and put it in a 325 oven while we went to church (approx 2 hours).
When we got home, I made the glaze and poured my determined right amount over it. I also turned the heat down to 300 and took off the foil tent. I repeated that every 20 minutes--about 2 or 3 times. (I ended up turning the oven off before the last installment as the ham was getting a nice 'crackle' on the outside but there was concern that it was perhaps going to burn).
We then hoisted the beast out of the oven, and set it on the stove. I gently placed the foil back on top of the ham, because it seemed like the right thing to do, and twenty or so minutes later it was laid on a platter and ready to devour.
Really. That easy.
I used a recipe from The Pioneer Woman (www.thepioneerwoman.com) for the glaze.
The glaze was a mixture of 3 cups of brown sugar, 1 can of Dr Pepper, 1/2 cup grainy mustard, and 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. I pretty sure that was it--checking the website never hurt.
It was delicious.
It was easy.
It made Easter for four kids and a house full-ish of people possible.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Heat
Heat.
There is a reassuring sound in the boiler flame wooshing alive.
The strange noises of the water creeping into the pipes. Clink. Tap. Tap. Clink.
'What's that noise?' she asks.
'It's your heater turning on to keep you warm.'
'Ooooh.'
'Now snuggle in and go to sleep.'
We rest thankful for that heat.
There is a reassuring sound in the boiler flame wooshing alive.
The strange noises of the water creeping into the pipes. Clink. Tap. Tap. Clink.
'What's that noise?' she asks.
'It's your heater turning on to keep you warm.'
'Ooooh.'
'Now snuggle in and go to sleep.'
We rest thankful for that heat.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
A Dad
A dad can be an interesting character in ones life. They are made up of so many differing pieces, they can be silly 'boys', serious task masters, safe havens, and rule makers. They can believe their kids can do no wrong, and they can believe more often than not that their kids are involved.
As an only child with a single mom, that notion was not discovered until my later years when my mom married, and Grandpa Pop Pop (as my kids call him in memory) was quite a character.
At that point in my childhood I was lucky enough to have a great guy that wanted only the best for me, trusted me to be the person that I was growing up to be, and yes, spoiled me on a few occasions.
I have gotten to know many a dad since then, and been able to experience through my kids what a dad means to a small person, and how that relationship is one that cannot be replicated--nor should anyone try to.
Now, this is not a post to proclaim some sort of moral judgement on what family and parenting should look like. This is one to honor fathers that do their best, love their kids, and never want to say goodbye. It's a special and unique job, one not to be taken lightly and one to be admired.
Thanks Dads.
As an only child with a single mom, that notion was not discovered until my later years when my mom married, and Grandpa Pop Pop (as my kids call him in memory) was quite a character.
At that point in my childhood I was lucky enough to have a great guy that wanted only the best for me, trusted me to be the person that I was growing up to be, and yes, spoiled me on a few occasions.
I have gotten to know many a dad since then, and been able to experience through my kids what a dad means to a small person, and how that relationship is one that cannot be replicated--nor should anyone try to.
Now, this is not a post to proclaim some sort of moral judgement on what family and parenting should look like. This is one to honor fathers that do their best, love their kids, and never want to say goodbye. It's a special and unique job, one not to be taken lightly and one to be admired.
Thanks Dads.
Monday, August 27, 2012
The Stinky White Broccoli
I have often overlooked cauliflower as the stinky white broccoli type vegetable. Despite it's snowy white appearance, I never choose it on a veggie tray. However after hearing that roasted cauliflower is just 'so delicious' even for those that don't have a natural love affair with it, and seeing a recipe for a macaroni and cauliflower cheese bake (not to mention the cauliflower dying a slow death in the fridge), I went for it.
I shook up a recipe from Jamie Oliver, mixed it with the way my mother in law makes cheesy potatoes at Easter, and viola.
Here's how it goes....
Cut up a head of cauliflower, lay it out on a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, roast at 375 for 30mnts or so....until golden.
In a large bowl mix together approximately 8oz. cheddar, 4oz parmesan (although I only had about 2 so used about 1/4 cup mozzarella too), a handful of chopped parsley, a box of (under al dente because it will continue to cook while baking and you don't want soggy pasta...eeeww.) cooked macaroni, and 2/3 to 1 cup sour cream.
Once the cauliflower is roasted, stir that in too. If at this point it looks a little too sticky, add a bit more sour cream and a tablespoon or two of milk if desired. Because your pasta is under al dente it needs moisture when baking, so you don't want it too sticky or dry.
Pour into a buttered 9x13, place in 375 oven covered with aluminum foil for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until bubbly and golden.
It was yummy.
Next, roasted cauliflower, naked......with some bacon. Everything tastes better with bacon.
I shook up a recipe from Jamie Oliver, mixed it with the way my mother in law makes cheesy potatoes at Easter, and viola.
Here's how it goes....
Cut up a head of cauliflower, lay it out on a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, roast at 375 for 30mnts or so....until golden.
In a large bowl mix together approximately 8oz. cheddar, 4oz parmesan (although I only had about 2 so used about 1/4 cup mozzarella too), a handful of chopped parsley, a box of (under al dente because it will continue to cook while baking and you don't want soggy pasta...eeeww.) cooked macaroni, and 2/3 to 1 cup sour cream.
Once the cauliflower is roasted, stir that in too. If at this point it looks a little too sticky, add a bit more sour cream and a tablespoon or two of milk if desired. Because your pasta is under al dente it needs moisture when baking, so you don't want it too sticky or dry.
Pour into a buttered 9x13, place in 375 oven covered with aluminum foil for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until bubbly and golden.
It was yummy.
Next, roasted cauliflower, naked......with some bacon. Everything tastes better with bacon.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Oh Honeycomb
With the eldest gone for the weekend, 'daddy and the girls' went on adventure after adventure. Saturday entailed three local festivals filled with cardboard swords, enchanted forests, brass bands, food trucks, local brews (of the yeast and root kind), and an evening of crawfish, meatballs, and Bannock with honey butter.
Sunday was restful....in that we only did some catch up grocery shopping, checked on our two gardens, and went to the farmer's market. And that brings me to what I want to share--honeycomb. Ever tried it? The actual comb.
First let me say that buying real local honey is amazing. It's nothing like the kind that you find at generic grocery store X from some generic company Y--that quite possibly imports it from China. And I have heard that it is better to use honey with children (obviously over the age of 1) that comes from local beekeepers as the bees have been in contact with local vegetation which is something that the young persons body is 'used to'.
So back to the market. We needed some honey to sweeten the rhubarb that our 6 year old wanted (rhubarb in August you say? I know, I was skeptical too.) The woman at the honey stand asked if we had ever tried honeycomb. We had not, and needed some guidance.
So last night we gave it a whirl. A water cracker, blue cheese, and a small 'slice' of honeycomb. My 'dear' was a little iffy, seeing as he is not so big on sweets (for shame) I wasn't surprised. So I made him another one heavier on the blue which he found much more satisfying.
It is pretty amazing how much honey is actually in there! It looks so solid, and is very dense and heavy. And when you slice off just a small piece, the honey just oozes out. Sweet oozing honey. So good.
He also mentioned that there was no loss in texture when eating honeycomb, which I agree-but enjoy. We then tried it with goat cheese which was yummy too.
Then breakfast came and it was placed on peanut butter toast much to my delight.
The little ladies and I even stopped for a donut while out and about and I might have smeared a bit on a plain donut when we got home.
Now I might just have to look up a recipe for bannock because that was really yummy too--and I can use more honey.
Sunday was restful....in that we only did some catch up grocery shopping, checked on our two gardens, and went to the farmer's market. And that brings me to what I want to share--honeycomb. Ever tried it? The actual comb.
First let me say that buying real local honey is amazing. It's nothing like the kind that you find at generic grocery store X from some generic company Y--that quite possibly imports it from China. And I have heard that it is better to use honey with children (obviously over the age of 1) that comes from local beekeepers as the bees have been in contact with local vegetation which is something that the young persons body is 'used to'.
So back to the market. We needed some honey to sweeten the rhubarb that our 6 year old wanted (rhubarb in August you say? I know, I was skeptical too.) The woman at the honey stand asked if we had ever tried honeycomb. We had not, and needed some guidance.
So last night we gave it a whirl. A water cracker, blue cheese, and a small 'slice' of honeycomb. My 'dear' was a little iffy, seeing as he is not so big on sweets (for shame) I wasn't surprised. So I made him another one heavier on the blue which he found much more satisfying.
It is pretty amazing how much honey is actually in there! It looks so solid, and is very dense and heavy. And when you slice off just a small piece, the honey just oozes out. Sweet oozing honey. So good.
He also mentioned that there was no loss in texture when eating honeycomb, which I agree-but enjoy. We then tried it with goat cheese which was yummy too.
Then breakfast came and it was placed on peanut butter toast much to my delight.
The little ladies and I even stopped for a donut while out and about and I might have smeared a bit on a plain donut when we got home.
Now I might just have to look up a recipe for bannock because that was really yummy too--and I can use more honey.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Something out of nothing
Today I am a bloggin'.
Yesterday was a day at home...all day....with my 3 year old and 7 month old. Did I mention all day, never left?
Oh wait, I did break down and do a stroller ride after I heard that there was a snowstorm coming and that it could be a lot of snow and that I would really be stuck in the house most of the time and it was thirty something degrees and I did just get a hand me down double baby jogger stroller that I wanted to try out and well, I digress....
What I did end up doing part of the day was taking what was in the freezer and cupboards and making 'something out of nothing'. I had a turkey carcass sitting in the freezer waiting to be boiled up and made into some soup. It was a pretty yummy turkey that my in-laws had made when we went out there for dinner one Sunday, and I thought, well, what better day than today to add about 8 cups of water, salt, and pepper and a lovely spice blend from Penzey's called Mural of Flavor. I started up the heat and let it bubble away for hours.
I know, cardinal sin in making a decent stock, no carrots, celery, onion, or what have you--I was going purist. Plain turkey. I was willing to suffer (or have my family suffer) the lack of flavor consequences that could ensue.
My next rummage around creation was to hit that container of oats hard and make some granola. Again, I went for super simple as I knew it would be used with a 'flavored' yogurt and fruit. I decided to work with a half cup measure and my palm.
Four cups of regular oats, one cup of stone ground, 1/4 cup molasses, 1/4 cup maple syrup, salt, 2 jars of pear baby food (I said I was using what I had and applesauce was not available) cinnamon, cloves, and a low and slow visit to the oven produced a soft granola fit to add to anything. My 3 year old approved.
Back to that stock at dinner time, sauteed up some veggies with Rosemary, Thyme, tarragon (some sweet potato was in my veggie mix and I LOVE tarragon with sweet pots) S and P, with some chicken thighs, some rice (already cooked and leftover in the fridge) and a grain blend I like from TJ's and we had dinner. A dinner that everyone enjoyed. The plain stock that would have perhaps disappointed came through with flying colors.
That along with the usual washing clothes, reading books, feeding small people, actually getting out of my jammies, made up my stay at home day. It's a glamorous life I lead, I make nothing days something days.
Yesterday was a day at home...all day....with my 3 year old and 7 month old. Did I mention all day, never left?
Oh wait, I did break down and do a stroller ride after I heard that there was a snowstorm coming and that it could be a lot of snow and that I would really be stuck in the house most of the time and it was thirty something degrees and I did just get a hand me down double baby jogger stroller that I wanted to try out and well, I digress....
What I did end up doing part of the day was taking what was in the freezer and cupboards and making 'something out of nothing'. I had a turkey carcass sitting in the freezer waiting to be boiled up and made into some soup. It was a pretty yummy turkey that my in-laws had made when we went out there for dinner one Sunday, and I thought, well, what better day than today to add about 8 cups of water, salt, and pepper and a lovely spice blend from Penzey's called Mural of Flavor. I started up the heat and let it bubble away for hours.
I know, cardinal sin in making a decent stock, no carrots, celery, onion, or what have you--I was going purist. Plain turkey. I was willing to suffer (or have my family suffer) the lack of flavor consequences that could ensue.
My next rummage around creation was to hit that container of oats hard and make some granola. Again, I went for super simple as I knew it would be used with a 'flavored' yogurt and fruit. I decided to work with a half cup measure and my palm.
Four cups of regular oats, one cup of stone ground, 1/4 cup molasses, 1/4 cup maple syrup, salt, 2 jars of pear baby food (I said I was using what I had and applesauce was not available) cinnamon, cloves, and a low and slow visit to the oven produced a soft granola fit to add to anything. My 3 year old approved.
Back to that stock at dinner time, sauteed up some veggies with Rosemary, Thyme, tarragon (some sweet potato was in my veggie mix and I LOVE tarragon with sweet pots) S and P, with some chicken thighs, some rice (already cooked and leftover in the fridge) and a grain blend I like from TJ's and we had dinner. A dinner that everyone enjoyed. The plain stock that would have perhaps disappointed came through with flying colors.
That along with the usual washing clothes, reading books, feeding small people, actually getting out of my jammies, made up my stay at home day. It's a glamorous life I lead, I make nothing days something days.
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