The Two Girlies

A First and A Last

2011-06-14T05:31:00.000-07:00

Well, this is my first post in a long time. Like two years. And, it will be my last on here. Please check out my new food blog

www.emmiesedibles.blogspot.com

Enjoy :)

The Electric Company

2009-12-07T07:28:00.001-08:00

Do any of you watch The Electric Company on PBS? Well, it is a wonderful show for the kiddos. I like it because it is very educational. Amelia likes it because of him........

Meet "Hector" (real name Josh Segarra). He's cute, sweet, and can sing and dance. And, according to Amelia "has great eyebrows and teeth". These physical attributes have lead Amelia to her all time, biggest of biggest, crushes. She even calls him "her handsome man". Oh goodness. If this is what 4 looks like, what is 13 going to look like??!!!! I'm sad to say, it looks like she is following in my footsteps. I remember having my first major crush around this age! This, is why she will ALWAYS go to an all girl school.

The sweetest thing

2009-09-24T05:27:00.001-07:00

Introducing....... Fisher Elise Glasgow!!!!! She is here! She decided to make her grand entrance a couple of weeks early Sunday morning. She is, of course, perfect, and sweet, and exquisite, and beautiful :) I was lucky enough to make it to Nashville and spend some time with her, Heather, and Noel. I gotta say, I miss her already! She is such a sweet baby!

This is the day

2009-09-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

I grew up singing this song while at St. Mary's and I love to see that the tradition has continued. I wasn't even aware Amelia knew the song until we were in Whole Foods (our home away from home) yesterday, and she decided to give a mini concert to the cashiers (who are like family now). She was so proud of herself as she got tons of claps and cheers :)

Ameliaisms - Part 2

2009-09-11T14:49:00.000-07:00

A - Mom, I just spilled water on my boobs.

Me -You don't have boobs yet Amelia

A -Then, what are they? Nickels?

Hey, Mom, did you know I was married to a Doctor?

Mom, look, I'm making my Troy and Gabrille dolls "princess kiss". They're 30, so they're allowed.

Why does my heart have to beep all the time?

I tried to tell her that was a good thing, but she insists it does it just to bug her!

Whew.... this has been such a hard day for me.... (apparently, going to school+playing = HARD)

You know why I'm crying, Mom? Because my heart loves you so much.

Makes me cry every time she says it!

Kind of like wearing a man's T-shirt, right???

2009-08-17T11:33:00.000-07:00

I was walking behind Amelia at church yesterday when I noticed that her underwear was really showing through her dress. Hmmm, she only has pastel ones, I thought to myself. So, I asked what underwear she had. She then, in true Amelia fashion, pulled up her dress and told me that she had put on a pair of Cooper's Thomas the Train underwear!! She was so proud!

Summer....

2009-08-03T05:42:00.000-07:00

Where have you gone? Since I have been seriously slacking in blogging this summer, I thought I would catch yall up a bit!! It has been a fun summer of swimming lessons, SMS camp, VBS, spider bites, beach vacation, Amelia's first kiss, summer concerts and of course LOTS of cooking!

This was three weeks after Amelia got bit by a spider. It was horrible! She had blisters all over her hand that blinked red. Seriously. Not kidding. I had my own little E.T.

Scooting along

This is Alex. This is the young man that Amelia decided to plant one on in front of everyone. Here she is dragging him around the grocery. He looks thrilled, right?!

Swimming lessons were great! In two weeks, she was running and jumping in, swimming across the pool, and swimming under water. I was so excited for her!!!

Mom and I before the Keith Urban concert. We had a blast! Mom is now officially a groupie:) Really, we have a poster of him now!!!

Love fresh summer veggies!!! I made a million egg white omelets this summer with homemade salsa... sooo good!

Amelia in her Hannah Montana wig

She wanted to lay out.....

This has been a wonderful summer! I can't believe Amelia will start preschool next week! Ahh!! I am ready to get into a routine though. I am so sad to not be returning to Hope. I will be thinking of you all!

Ummm.... Yeah, its really been over a month

2009-06-09T11:21:00.000-07:00

Bad news. Very bad news.... my camera is BROKEN :( So, so sad. That has contributed to my lack of posts. I had to post something though because I was afraid if I waited any longer, this blog would be kaput. Why is my camera broken??? Well, you see, there is this precious little 4 year old who just loves to take pictures. Tons of them. All the time. I hope I have learned my lesson to not let her play with such expensive toys....

On a happier note (and I do mean happy)... I came across this earlier and it has made my day. A HUGE smile spread across my face. Any children of the 80's should be smiling big too :)

Check it out:

http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/blogs/2009/06/zack-attacks-late-night-signs-on-for-the-reunion/

FINALLY..... I get to share the good news!!

2009-04-28T18:14:00.000-07:00

So, for a few months now, I have been dying to share some very exciting news!!!!!

Needless to say, Amelia is very excited as well!! She thinks its a boy and that his name should be Baby Colton!! Boy or girl, this baby is going to be so very blessed to have Heather and Noel as his/her parents! We love you and can't wait to meet Baby Glasgow!

You know your daughter is following in your foot steps when....

2009-04-26T18:11:00.000-07:00

At three years old, this is what she wants for dinner........

A much needed day off

2009-04-25T18:28:00.000-07:00

Working three jobs + not seeing enough of my sweet angel = a day of hooky!!!!!!!!!

The day went something like this :

11:15 - Pull up at zoo. It is crazy crowded and once again, I had to park in a field far, far away.

11:20 - Amelia starts begging to get her face painted. She doesn't want to see any animals until this happens. Definitely on the verge of a meltdown.

11:30 - After 10 minutes of searching, find a face painting booth that is open, which of course, is right by the entrance.

11:30 - Start waiting in line. Stand in awe of all the people......

12:00 - This women cuts in line with her five grandchildren. The woman behind me and I start discussing our options to get rid of her. Finally after five minutes of FRUSTRATION, an employee asks her to get in the line - back of the line. She leaves mad. I stay happy.

12:30 - My good friend, Ashleigh, calls!! She and Alexandra are at the zoo too!!! YAY!! They join us in line.

12:51 - Amelia FINALLY gets her turn to get her face painted. That's right, we waited an hour and 21 minutes. This face painting better be the best eva....

1:00 - Begrudgingly, give the face painter $16.95 for her work. WHAT???!!!!!!!! I am so in the wrong business. Molly, can you train me??

1:00 - Amelia and Alexandra start running around the zoo, with their faces painted. They would run up to random groups of people, pose, and wait for the "awe!! how cute!! aren't they just precious!!!"" compliments. They know how to work it.

3:45 - You know its time to leave when, the girls faces are streaked from tears.

4:00 - You know its true friendship when, Amelia's new panda gets a hole, Alexandra so kindly opens her stuffed animal to give Amelia some batting. That, everyone, is being a great friend!!

4:30 - Two BIG glasses of red wine. It was 5 o'clock somewhere....

All in all, this day was very successful!!! There is no other way I would rather spend my time!!

Lesson learned.....

2009-04-06T06:21:00.000-07:00

From now on, I will never, ever post something with the title being Boobs. I am beyond grossed out about how many people have come to this sight after googling :

- boobs

- funny looking boobs

- amelia's boobs

- two girls/boobs

- etc

Ewe!!!!! Stay away!!! Lesson learned the hard way. I'll be praying for all of you that searched! And I am changing that title right now!

Check these out!!!!

2009-03-29T16:48:00.000-07:00

Everyone needs to go to Paige Miller Photography !!! Click on proofs to see some of the pictures of Amelia from the other day. All I have to say is "WOW"!!! Paige is super talented!! They really are just beautiful. I want all of them!!! Thanks, Paige!!!

Like Mother, Like Daughter

2009-03-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

I don't want to brag - but, did you know that I had my OWN language when I was little. That' s right, my very own. My sister, Sara, was the only one who could understand me, although she herself could not speak it. My family still likes to remind me of the words I would say. I liked adding a syllable or two to my words. Apartment became aparatment, banana became banannana, cinnamon became cinnamomon..... you get the idea. Amelia does the same thing. I can't believe how much we are alike (remind me of this when I write a post about her throwing a fit or something ;) It's is crazy - we look alike, we talk alike, we have the same mannerisms. Some of the things that come out of her mouth are just plain funny.

Here are a few favorite "Ameliaisms" from lately :

"When I was just a little born" - when I was just a little baby

"Yesteryear" - a while ago

"Ballina" - banana

"I'm so full of walking" - i'm tired of walking

"Beauuuty" - booty

"It's too fit" - if something is too big or to small and doesn't fit

"Awe, Mommy, I won't ever hit you" - Mommy, I love you a alot

"When I turn four I'm changing my name to Elizabeth" - umm, okay??

Look at these pictures!!! These were taken when I was the same age as Amelia is now...... and, yes, I enjoyed being naked when I was her age too.....

These are the Days of My Life....

2009-03-27T13:42:00.000-07:00

I grew up watching soap operas. I loved them from an early age - too early. You could say I was border line obsessive. I would actually fake sick when I was young so I could camp out on the couch and watch Days of Our Lives. Sad.

I l-o-v-e-d Patch - who wouldn't like a guy with a pirate vibe going on?

Oh, how I loved to watch them with my Grandma. She appreciated them as much as I did. It took years to wean myself off of them, but I am happy to say I haven't watched one in years. I am now wondering if this is because I don't need to watch them anymore, because I can just sit back and reflect on my own life. Sad. Funny. Maybe a little dramatic?? (Umm, yeah) One thing it is, is entertaining....

My daughter, who was still three just a few weeks ago has seemed to all of a sudden turn into a teenager overnight..... just like in the Soaps. Smocked dresses? Hair bows?? Nope, no longer. After all, that's what "babies wear". My little girl who loved, loved, loved princesses has moved on to bigger things - two, in particular, named Troy and Gabriella.

She loves to think she is already a teenager. I like to think I still am. Anywhoo ... In some ways, this works to my advantage. Like when I am trying to bribe/encourage her to do something. Case in point - Yesterday, my friend Paige, asked if she could take some pictures of Amelia for her website. Now, if you remember my post from a few weeks back, getting a decent picture of Amelia is nearly impossible these days. She is either being silly, putting on her best fake smile, or naked - her new fav. So, I had one of these "encouraging" talks with Amelia before the photo session. I told her if she listened well, didn't act too silly, and smiled, we would take a trip to Target and buy the Troy and Gabriella dolls. Well, my hard-to-take-a-decent-picture-of-daughter, soon turned into a future super model. I was impressed. She had smiles and "candid" poses that I had never seen before. She really new how to turn it on. I got a peak of a few of the pictures and all I can say is I can't wait! You KNOW I will post them soon!

Recipe Round Up -Coq-Au-Fin ( the healthy version)

2009-03-23T08:54:00.000-07:00

This is so delicious!! The chicken is so tender it falls right off the bone. The sauce is great spooned over the couscous as well! Enjoy!

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned
2 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
2 chicken drumsticks, skinned
1 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons dry gin
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped peeled carrot
1/2 cup chopped shallots (about 3 medium)
1 (8-ounce) package mushrooms, halved
3 sprigs fresh thyme - removed from stem and chopped
3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley; chopped
1 bay leaf
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup whole-milk Greek-style yogurt
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1. Combine first 3 ingredients; sprinkle evenly over both sides of chicken. Heat butter and oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove pan from heat. Pour gin into pan. Cook until evaporated. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

2. Add celery, carrot, shallots to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms. Place thyme, parsley, and bay leaf to pan. Return chicken to pan, nestling into vegetable mixture. Stir in wine; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. (Breasts may cook more quickly. Check them after 35 minutes, and remove them when they're done; keep warm.)

3. Take bay leaf out - throw away. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Place pan over medium heat; stir in yogurt. Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated (do not boil, as the yogurt may curdle). Remove from heat; stir in vinegar. I served mine with Roasted Haricot Verts and Whole Wheat Couscous.
This is the Greek-style yogurt I used. You can get it at Whole Foods

Silly, funny questions....

2009-03-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

Seriously, what is the fascination??? I'm 30, and STILL don't get it. I have found myself talking a lot about them lately, only because there's this cute, little, almost 4 year old, that is asking lots of questions about them.

Today, in particular, seemed to almost revolve around them. I needed to get a new, heavy-duty strapless for my now less than perky ones (thanks Amelia). While in the VS dressing room trying some on, Amelia wanted to join in the fun of looking at yourself, half- naked, in horrible lighting. It took her all of 5 seconds to strip down and start trying on her bras. Because after all, "she has boobs too". Then during a bathroom trip during ballet class today, she asked me if she squeezed her boob, would it pop? And what was in there anyway? I thought quickly and answered "tissue". I thought that was a good, simple answer, but no. The only tissue a 4 year old knows about is the tissue you blow your nose into. I think I might have just encouraged a future bra stuffer??

Today came in a close second to when Amelia asked me one day when I was changing :

A-"What are those Mom"?

E-"They're boobs"

A-"What are those things on your boobs"

E-"Uhhh, they are called nipples" (hehehe, trying soo hard not to laugh)

A-"Well, your boobs look F-U-N-N-Y!"

E-"They look like that because of you darling!"

Needless to say, I quickly made an appointment to see a plastic surgeon to see if there was anything we could do about my "funny" looking boobs. He said there was - it was called a breast lift and some implants. I was really hoping he would say, "No, you look great!" But, no, he agreed with Amelia........

Recipe Round Up - Poached Salmon with Grapefruit Basil Relish

2009-03-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

Poached Salmon with Grapefruit Basil Relish

(I served it with Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Roasted Asparagus)

1 1/4 cups grapefruit segments ( i used ruby red & regular grapefruit)
3 tablespoons chiffonade (cut into thin strips) basil
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup orange juice

1 cup grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 cup white wine
6 salmon fillets

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients for relish and mix well. Set aside. Combine orange juice, grapefruit juice, orange zest and white wine in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. As liquid is simmering, gently lower salmon fillets into poaching liquid with slotted spoon one at a time. Allow liquid to return to a simmer, cover and remove pan from heat. Let sit for 10 minutes. Check salmon for doneness and remove from liquid with slotted spoon. Serve 1 salmon fillet with 1/4 cup relish.
Serves 6.

Gotta love George....

2009-03-12T17:31:00.000-07:00

Foreman that is.......

Here is a different kind of burger that I had planned on cooking in the wonderful, warm outdoors. Then, of course, it turned cold and rainy, so I turned to my trusty George Foreman Grill. It was perfect :) Serves 6

1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 Granny Smith apples , peeled and diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 pounds ground turkey or chicken breast
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. black pepper
2 tsp. Tabasco® chipotle pepper sauce
1 lemon , juiced and grated zest
1/2 bunch parsley , finely chopped
1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney , pureed

Sauté the scallions, celery and apples in the olive oil until tender. Let cool.

Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.

The leftovers are great the next day!!!

I served mine with a Fresh Corn and Basil Salad and Roasted Potatoes

Recipe Round Up - Grilled Halibut with Sauteed Snap Peas & Cherry Tomatoes

2009-02-26T15:40:00.000-08:00

Here's another healthy and super easy recipe!!

4 halibut steaks( 1 inch thick) - I buy frozen at Schnucks

1/4 cup pine nut plus extra for garnish

2 lemon; zested and juiced

1 orange; zested and juiced

1 cup fresh basil leaves

2 oz FRESH parmesan cheese - cut into chunks

2 whole garlic cloves

1 bag Sugar snap peas

1 small container cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil - divided

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pound angel hair whole wheat pasta

Kosher Salt & Pepper

In a food processor, combine basil leaves, parmesan, 1 garlic clove, orange zest and juice, lemon zest and juice, and pine nuts. Mix all together. Then add 1 tablespoon oil. If mixture is too thick, add 1 teaspoon of oil at a time.

Bring your water for the pasta to a boil.

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. I used my wonderful George Foreman grill!! I encourage you to get one because it is so easy and you can grill inside. Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil onto halibut. Season both sides with salt & pepper.

Put you ww pasta in the pot and cook according to the directions.

Place the halibut on the grill and cook (without moving it around) 3 minutes on each side.

While fish is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 whole garlic clove in a saute pan over medium heat. Let the garlic cook in the oil for about two minutes - just enough to flavor the oil. Remove garlic and add snap peas, cherry tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Saute for 6-8 minutes.

While fish is resting, drain the pasta. Put it back in the pan and add the juice and zest of 1 lemon. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and mix.

Make a small bed of pasta on each plate. Place halibut on top and spoon citrus pesto on top of the fish and garnish with pine nuts. Serve snap peas and cherry tomatoes on the side.

Amelia's Posse

2009-02-22T07:53:00.001-08:00

Amelia loves a lot of things! But, she definitely loves her stuffed animals more than anything else! Her old crib is FULL of them. She tends to pick out a different one every week to be her main sidekick. Whoever is the "chosen" one, will get to sleep with her, go to school with her, grocery store, bathroom, EVERYWHERE!! The other night she was feeling kind of sorry for all her animals piled up on each other, so she decided (like at 9:00 pm) that some of them needed some fresh air. She was very particular about who got placed where. It was so fun to watch!

Guess who's back, back again.....

2009-02-22T07:46:00.000-08:00

Princess Glitter is baaack!!!

She thought it was time to bring it back out after she got a new fancy nightgown from GiGi and PawPaw for Valentine's Day. And, what better to accessorize the nightgown with than rain boots, gardening gloves, her movie star sunglasses, her dog Pinky, and a Cinderella figurine!!

A+ for creativity!!

The BEST cookies & gelato EVA!!!!!

2009-02-16T12:26:00.000-08:00

We lucked out this weekend!! Noel is the GM of Christie Cookies and Bravo Gelato

So, we were lucky enough to eat some treats in the store as well as out of their super stocked freezer!

All I can say is yum, yum, yum!! It really is the BEST! I now am hooked and hope they offer some kind of 12-step program! I am in luck that they will deliver both. Wooo Hoooo :)

Amelia LOVED it, to say the least! And, she probably has never eaten so much before!

Amelia diggin into her Chocolate Lovers Gelato Cone

Are those not the sweetest lips you have ever seen?

The girl loves a chocolate face!

WARNING - this might happen after consumption

Water Fights 101

2009-02-16T12:16:00.000-08:00

What a fun trip!! Amelia and I went to Nashville this weekend to visit Heather and Noel. We were both super excited about seeing them. I'm not sure what Amelia liked the best - seeing Lola(our old dog), loving on "her Heather", or playing with her new BFF - Noel. While "washing dishes", Noel and Amelia started splashing each other with the water. After a few minutes, it turned into a full-on waterfight!! SO fun! Amelia was in heaven. She got to play in the water and make a big mess - is there anything better? To say she was soaking wet at the end would be an understatement!!

Thanks Heather and Noel for everything - we had a blast!!

SpongeBob Band Aids

2009-02-16T12:08:00.000-08:00

Our conversation :

Amelia - "mom, may I have some spongebob bandaids

Me - "sure, why not"

Amelia - "mom, can I put these on my stuffed animals?

me - "no"

Amelia - "can I put them on me"

me - "that would be fine"

(Amelia then puts them all over her legs

and then she's over in about 10 minutes)

Amelia - "mom, will you cut these off me?"

me - "just pull them off"

Amelia - " I can't!! JESUS told me that I had to cut them off"

me - "ummmm, did you say Jesus told you"

Amelia - "Yes!!! Jesus told me in a story that I HAD to cut them off with sissors!'

me - "whateva"

I love pictures

2009-02-01T19:51:00.000-08:00

I love pictures. And, of course, love pictures of Amelia. I have them all over my house and about 15 8x10 pictures of her in my room. Borderline obsessive. I know. I have really beautiful pictures of her. Things, however, have started to change. Amelia's sweet smile has turned into a "fake" smile. Oh, and she can't take a picture without posing - which is pretty hilarious, because I think (no, I'm sure) I have pictures of myself at that age doing the same thing. Actually, it kind of scares me. Just the other day, Amelia was dressed for ballet and while looking at herself in the mirror, pulled the sleeves down so that now she had an off the shoulder leotard. Oh goodness. I have pictures of me doing the same. I always thought showing a little shoulder was fun. Here are some of the pictures lately.....

Nice hair

This is her posed smile these days

She came in to show me her "new boobs" - Christmas return labels

She thought it was hilarious - and so did we!!

I'm not really thinking these are going to make my 8x10 wall of photos. Maybe when she turns four, I'll have another acceptable one to add!!!

When will I learn?

2009-01-20T12:46:00.001-08:00

Will I ever learn??? I was out of the den for just a couple of minutes when this happened. Amelia told me she was a tigress - roar!!! We are still trying to get all the makeup off. Again, she had to admire herself in the mirror for a few minutes before we could start the cleaning process!!!

Recipe Round Up - Spinach

2009-01-18T14:56:00.001-08:00

Spinach and Goat Cheese Penne

1 pound penne pasta
2 garlic cloves
4 ounces goat cheese

Juice of 1 lemon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the penne and cook about 12 minutes.
Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the goat cheese, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, lemon juice, and half of the spinach leaves. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set the cheese and spinach mixture aside.
Place the remaining spinach leaves and cherry tomatoes in a large bowl.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Spoon the pasta on top the spinach leaves in the bowl. Scrape the cheese and spinach mixture over the pasta mixture and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the Parmesan over and serve.

Spinach and Sundried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 clove garlic, minced
6 sun-dried tomatoes(in oil), diced
1 (10-ounce) bag of frozen spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese - room temp
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 lemon, zested
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Splash white wine

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix the spinach, goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic together in a bowl.
Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the thickest portion of the chicken. Stuff each pocket with 1/4 of the spinach and sun-dried tomato mixture.. Season the outside of the pork with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl combine the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mustard.
Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil

in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add the pork. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Put chicken in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Add the chicken broth mixture to the skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan as the chicken broth simmers. Reduce the broth by half to make a light sauce, about 8 minutes.Keep warm. Spoon some sauce over the chicken before serving.

Asian Salmon over Wilted Spinach(sorry no pic!! was too hungry to stop and take one!!!)
6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
4 salmon fillets
4 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
8 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 lime, quartered
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Cut 4 (12-inch-square pieces) of aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Working with 1 foil sheet at a time, place the foil sheets on the work surface. Place 1 1/2 cups of spinach in the center of each foil sheet. Top with a salmon fillet. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of ginger and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic, then drizzle 2 tablespoons of Marsala, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil over the fish and spinach. Gather the foil sheets over the fish. Fold in the foil edges and pinch tightly to seal. Place the foil packages on a heavy large baking sheet.
Bake until the spinach wilts and the fish is just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Open package and squeeze the lime juice over the fish. Sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Popeye the Sailor Man

2009-01-17T19:32:00.000-08:00

So, I have been called out.... by more than several people now. Friends, co-workers, and even family. Over my taking a "sabbatical" , and not posting any recipes lately. Well, I have been informed that "lately" has really been a couple of months. Whoops. Its not that I haven't been cooking, but I have been lazy or busy - whatever you want to call it!!!! I could give you some excuses, but we are all in the same boat. Busy with life, busy with family, busy with job, busy with trying to find time for ourselves etc,etc. I will make you happy (maybe) and post a couple of recipes soon. They all have an ingredient in common - SPINACH!!!! My fav - seriously. I used to eat it as a snack when I was young. And, yes, I do realize that is not the norm. I promise you these recipes will change your opinion (if its a bad one) about spinach. They are super yummy!!! We are always trying to eat healthier and make good food choices, so I hope I can help you enjoy it more!!!

Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, and vitamin B6. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, protein, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin E. In addition, it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, niacin and selenium. There is just sooo much you can do with it. Why wouldn't you want to eat more!!! I will try to convince you with the pictures and recipes in my next post!!!!!

Christmas Fun!

2009-01-14T20:49:00.000-08:00

You can now call her DJ AM

Most everyone knows how much Amelia loves to dress-up. It is an all day affair at my house - from the moment she wakes up. Literally. Christmas morning was no different, of course! We got to see Amelia in her cute Christmas PJ's, then Amelia as Cinderella, then Amelia as a Bride, and finally Amelia as Ariel. She spent a good 45 minutes "swimming" around on the floor. Thought my little sweetie was going to fall asleep right in the middle of all her hard swimming. She loved all her new outfits and have grown especially fond of the bride one which she wants to change into when she wakes, when she goes to bed, etc.

Taking a swim across the floor

Admiring herself in the mirror - no shocker there

Impromptu dance courtesy of new Scary Singing Barbie Head(see 2nd pic below)

Her new Chihuahua

Scary Singing Barbie Head

Her Barbie Dreamhouse

Making memories.... of any kind!!

2008-12-22T14:36:00.000-08:00

Last night, some friends and I were discussing how who ever made up the phrase, "the terrible two's", must of not made it to the 3's and 4's. From what I've been told, and experienced thus far, the closer the girls get to 4, the more dramatic they become. They are sooooo right. Case in point, our lovely trip to the Enchanted Forest today.

The Happy Girl
At first, Amelia was super excited and ran around in awe of the animals, fake snow, and lights. Yeah, that lasted about 5 minutes!!! She quickly became very frustrated and mad because I would not allow her to climb over the white fence to join the animals in the snow. Now, I kind of understand this. Who wouldn't want to go play in the beautiful snow with all the fun animals??!!! Then, my excited little angel turned into a foot stomping, crying, trying to scale the fence almost-4 yr old - girl!!! So fun, right!

   Stomping my foot
   Pouting face - look at that lip!!!
   Trying to scale the fence

Full-on meltdown!!

Gigi and I should have wasted no time getting Amelia out of there. But, the blogger that I am now (hahaha), had to get pictures of her, before I could carry her out of there! That's another thing - my "blogging friends" and I were talking about... How, if we catch our children doing something funny, precious, or naughty, we quickly go get our cameras. We all think to ourselves, "this would make a great post on the blog'!!! Today was no different, which I think just infuriated Amelia even more. I think we like to capture all moments... the good, the bad, and the ugly!! Because they all do make great memories!!!

The day has finally arrived

2008-12-19T11:28:00.000-08:00

Finally, I was able to watch Amelia during her ballet class. Her teacher, Ms Mary, invited the mommies in for the last 15 minutes of class. I have been waiting "patiently" for this moment. All the girls in Amelia's class are just precious and she has loved going to see all her "ballet friends", as she refers to them!! We are definitely going to sign up for the Spring!!! I think I took over 150 pictures. It was just too cute!!

Happy Birthday???

2008-12-14T17:55:00.000-08:00

The finished product
Happy Birthday!!
Hard at work
Another Happy Birthday
So careful
Ahhh, Christmas time!!! It is the best, isn't it?? Decorating the house, ornaments on the tree, buying gifts, making cookies. Amelia LOVES all of it!! Every morning when she wakes up and every night before she goes to sleep, she greets all the decorations. "Goodnight tree", "Goodnight reindeer", "Good morning Baby Jesus". "Good morning Nutcracker"!! She has really enjoyed listening to Christmas music and dancing to it. Amelia and GiGi were busy making cookies tonight. Amelia continues to impress me with her baking skills. She might already be better than me :) She made me laugh so hard tonight as she would throw flour into the air and shout out "Happy Birthday"!!!!!!!! I tried, unsuccessfully, to tell her to shout "Merry Christmas", but no, she insisted (man, I use that word a lot!) it was "Happy Birthday"! In my head, she is saying Happy Birthday to Jesus.... that would be so sweet! And, I am including a picture of our Extreme Makeover Gingerbread House. After I read the directions, I was able to put it back together. Thanks for the helpful hint Amelia!

The Nutcracker

2008-12-08T07:24:00.000-08:00

We had such a wonderful time at The Nutcracker!! Amelia loved it as much as I hoped she would. She has been pretty obsessed with Clara and her "Cracky Nut" for a while now. She loves to watch the movie, hum the music, read the stories, and play with them :) My sister, Sara, and I grew up going to The Orpheum to see The Nutcracker. Sara was actually Clara in the same ballet 15 years ago! Its hard to see anyone else in that role now. Amelia watched with her mouth open. She even waved to the mouse king when he came out!! I am so excited to start this tradition with her!!

Next time we will listen to Amelia

2008-12-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

The roof caving in
Bring on the sugar
This is all for me
Working hard
what it was supposed to look like
Gigi and I were so excited to make a gingerbread house with Amelia... So excited, that we, and by "we", I mean GiGi, started squeezing frosting everywhere in attempt to get the house put together as fast as possible. The candy was already open, and Amelia was digging in. After a few minutes, the roof started to cave in, then the walls, and then it collapsed. Amelia could have cared less, because she was still stuffing candy in her mouth. She just looked up at us and said, "You should've read the directions..."

This almost 30 year old is TIRED...

2008-11-29T19:47:00.001-08:00

Make a Smilebox photobook

You shall now refer to Amelia as "Princess Glitter"

2008-11-22T17:43:00.000-08:00

Amelia is such a girly girl - and as a girly girl she loves princesses and loves glitter!! So, what did she pick out as her "Indian" (I know, not really politically correct) name?? "Princess Glitter", of course! She got to enjoy a great Thanksgiving feast at school on Friday and has been wearing her headband and necklace ever since. When I was talking to her in the car today, she would not answer me( I can't tell you how much this bothers me when she does this!!!!) Finally, she told me her name was not "Amelia", it was now "Princess Glitter". As soon as I called her by her new name, she happily answered me! There's no doubt, she makes me laugh every day!!

Recipe Round Up - So far, so good!!

2008-11-19T18:31:00.000-08:00

Here 's are few pictures of the dinners I have cooked this week - Roasted Pork Tenderloin with an Apple Cider Reduction, Braised Beef Short Ribs over Blue Cheese Grits, and Southwestern Pork Soup. When I went to the grocery, I only spent around $45.00! That was eight dinners worth of groceries! I will post the rest of the pictures and recipes this weekend!

There are just no words.....

2008-11-17T16:28:00.001-08:00

Step One... check

2008-11-16T16:59:00.000-08:00

Items found when cleaning the pantry out :

-19 boxes of rice

-20 boxes of pasta

-13 boxes of expired pudding

-Bubbles

-Dot dot markers

Fire Extinguisher - hidden behind everything, helpful, huh?

-Bug Spray

-A dustbuster

-And.... a hairdryer, no joke

Everything comes with a price. In exchange for me cleaning the pantry out, I told my Mom that I would be calling her out on my blog and posting pictures. It's only fair, right??

The BIG Challenge - Me vs Myself

2008-11-16T12:11:00.000-08:00

I am just getting back from church and am inspired, excited, and ready for the challenge!!!

Craig Strickland, our pastor, has been preaching a wonderful series on getting out of debt and living financially free. The challenge? Spend less money. What do I spend the most money on? Groceries!! Like I said in my last post, I love food, love shopping for food, love buying food. Honestly, I don't think I go too crazy at the grocery. My average a week is somewhere around $100 - sometimes more, sometimes less. However, I'm not the only one that goes to the grocery every week. My Dad usually makes a trip to the grocery and to Costco. And, my Mom will venture there to grab a few things too. I'm sure it all really adds up. From church today, I headed to Costco to stock up on meat. I bought two whole chickens, four pork tenderloins, eight chicken breasts, and ten short ribs for $52.83. My plan? To see how many meals I can prepare with the meat I purchased. My goal is to make leftovers from one meal into a wonderful, completely different meal. I am about to clean out and organize the pantry to see what's in there I can use. I hope to only have to buy fresh vegetables at the grocery this week. I will keep up with my shopping lists and totals and will post that as well as the recipes. Here is my meal planning so far -

-Braised Beef Short Ribs over Blue Cheese Grits

-Shredded Beef Short Ribs and Roasted Vegetables over Egg Noodles

-Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Thyme Apple Cider Reduction

-Southwestern Pork Soup

-Grilled Whole Chicken

-Ginger Chicken Wonton Soup

-Lemon and Garlic Roasted Chicken Breasts

-Chicken Enchiladas

This may be a tiny step, but I hope I'm headed in the right direction!!!

Recipe Round Up - Making a meal out of leftovers

2008-11-13T15:40:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I know I haven't posted a recipe in a while. Actually it has been a few weeks ( at least that's what I was told by a friend :) Well, I have not made it to the grocery this week which is way out of the ordinary for me. I'm usually there a few times a week - I love it, really... I love to go grocery shopping. I'm telling ya, I am obsessed with food, even when its not cooked yet. I really wanted something good for dinner tonight, but did not want to spend an hour cooking. So, I started thinking of what was in the fridge.... half a container of pesto, leftover roasted chicken (from my french roasted chicken), cherry tomatoes, and leftover green veggies ( a mixture of edamame beans, asparagus, & broccoli). I made a quick trip to the grocery and bought some fresh linguine. I sauteed the the cherry tomatoes, and green veggies in a little garlic and olive oil for about 10 minutes. Then added the shredded chicken. I cooked the fresh pasta, which only takes three minutes. After draining the pasta, I put it back in the pot and mixed in the pesto. Then I added all the veggies and chicken and topped it off with some freshly grated parmesan. Took me all of 10 minutes (maybe) and I spent $5.00 - not too bad!!! It was delicious!!

I'm a cowgirl, baby.....

2008-11-09T14:12:00.000-08:00

This has been a great, fun week for Amelia - western day at school, ballet, play dates with friends, shopping and lunch with GiGi and Mom, and going to see Madagascar 2... twice!!! I am pooped!! Apparently, she was too!!

Girls Trip to KY

2008-11-06T17:52:00.001-08:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Ummm.... really??

2008-11-05T12:41:00.001-08:00

This is what happens when you are enjoying a nice bath and thinking, "Wow, I am so lucky that Amelia is old enough to entertain herself when I take a bath and get ready......" Oh so cute and oh so hard to get off!!! Again, please click on the pictures to get the full effect!

Your wish is my command!

2008-11-02T18:50:00.000-08:00

Amelia had picked out what she wanted to be for Halloween a couple of months ago. There was no doubt that she was going to be a princess, but she had some decision making to do when it came to picking which one. We got on the Disney website and looked through all the costumes. She very carefully made her choice - it would be Jasmine from the movie Aladdin. I ordered the costume, then hid it in my closet. Mean, I know. But, for one, I wanted it to be special for her, and second, I knew if I were to open it and show it to her when it arrived she would be begging and pleading to wear it morning, noon, and night. Not a battle I wanted to take on!! She was SO excited when she got to wear it to school for her Halloween party. A couple of days before Halloween, her PawPaw really wanted to take her to the pumpkin patch and pick out one to carve. We picked out a good one and asked Amelia what she wanted to carve. Well, her answer was, of course, Jasmine. Not an easy task, but I must say between her PawPaw and myself, we created a masterpiece. You might want to click on the picture to see it in all its glory!!

Mice on Main...

2008-10-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning in Greenville, Sara and I decided to take the girls on a fun adventure downtown. The adventure was based on the book, "Mice on Main". Uncle Jeffy read the book to Amelia the night before, so she was super excited to go.
"Mice on Main” is a sort of scavenger hunt that was the idea and school project of a local high school student who wanted to do something good for the community. It is also a fun way for families to entertain their kiddos. The bronzed mice were placed in “hiding places” and the children are invited to search, with the help of a list of clues, for nine bronze mice. Each mouse has a name, and the sculptor has given each mouse a number, so they can be easily identified. Some are up from the ground, others at street level. You just never know where they will show up! I think we might have started a tradition when we visit Greenvile! Check out the slideshow below!!

The Great Adventure

2008-10-29T11:14:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Recipe Round-Up - Turkey Chili

2008-10-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

Here we go again - another soup. This one could not be more simple, or delicious!! I have been making this one for years and, in my opinion, there is nothing better than this on a cold day. It also freezes great. So, if you do have leftovers, freeze it and save it for another cold day.

Turkey Chili

2 pounds ground turkey (or ground chicken) *i have found that the flavor of ground beef overwhelms all the other flavors*

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

20 oz. whole tomatoes

1 small can diced tomatoes

2 - 15 oz can kidney beans; drained and rinsed

32 oz chicken broth

2 cloves garlic; minced

2 green bell peppers; chopped

1 small yellow onion; chopped

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon kosher salt

Dash of cayenne pepper

Heat a pot over medium heat. When it is hot, add the vegetable oil. Add the ground turkey, chili powder, and cook through. Add the green peppers, onion,

garlic, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes. Then add the whole tomatoes(with the juice). I use a potato masher to gently break them up. Add the diced tomatoes (with the juice), kidney beans, and chicken broth. Bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 1 hour. Feel free to add your favorite toppings. Enjoy !!

2008-10-26T20:58:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

What a great trip!!!

2008-10-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

We are in the SC!!

2008-10-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

Amelia and I are in Greenville right now visiting my sister, niece, and brother-in-law. I just had to go ahead and post some pictures I took of Amelia and Ella. They were so excited to see each other!!! We have already had a fun-filled weekend and are getting ready for a BBQ tonight. More pictures (and stories.....) to follow:)

Recipe Round Up - Chocolate Pumpkin Balls

2008-10-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

I have just recently started baking again. Mainly because Amelia loves to bake, and loves eating sweet things!!! I'm not sure why I stopped baking. Probably because their is a science to it (which I don't like) and involves some math (which I hate!) Like I've said before, I don't use recipes. And, when you bake it is very necessary to follow a recipe. When I went to culinary school, baking & pastry arts was originally my major (yes, you can even change in culinary school!). I first fell in love with baking when I worked at Erling Jensen's. I loved the creative process. I, however, don't really have a sweet tooth. Don't get me wrong, I like sweets, but there are a million other things I would rather eat. Well, this week Amelia and I made some delicious cake balls and I thought they were worth sharing!!

Chocolate Pumpkin Balls

1 box french vanilla cake mix

1 can pumpkin

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 can cream cheese frosting

2 bags chocolate chips

1 T. vegetable oil

chocolate sprinkles

Mix the cake mix, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, water, vegetable oil, and eggs together. Bake in a 9 x 13 pan according to package directions.

Cool completely.

Crumble the cake with your hands in a large bowl and add the cream cheese frosting. Rolls mix into balls. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Put in the fridge for 3 hours.

When ready to dip, melt the chocolate and vegetable oil together over low heat. Rolls the balls in the chocolate and put on another parchment lined baking sheet. Scatter on sprinkles while the chocolate is still hot. ENJOY!!!

Who doesn't want to be fancy at 8 in the morning???

2008-10-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

Amelia cracks me up! At 3 1/2 she definitely already has an opinion (one different than mine) on what she should wear. I am still thinking big bows, smocked dresses, and monogrammed outfits. This is what Amelia is thinking... hair that is not brushed " I do not want you to make my hair pretty", princess costumes, high heels, and sunglasses at all times. She is quite the diva. They say pick and choose your battles... and I think I am losing this one. Here are a few pics when she won. Mind you, her eyes were barely open when she insisted she could not get up and go to breakfast without her heels, purse, and sunglasses on!!! Love my girl!

A day trip to the Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-14T13:55:00.000-07:00

What a day!! My friend, Jennifer, and I decided yesterday that we wanted to take the girls to a pumpkin patch. Originally, we were going to go to one in Arlington, but then I decided that

Cedar Hill Farms would be a better choice because of all it offered - pumpkin patch, petting zoo, hay rides, etc. It was going to be a little bit of a drive, maybe 30 minutes. We decided that we would carpool and Jennifer wanted to drive, a decision I know she must regret now. Those that know me well are fully aware of my bad, very bad, sense of direction..... But, I was going to be prepared this time. I printed off the directions from Mapquest and directions from Cedar Hills website. Thought we were good to go. Leave it to me to get us lost, not once, not twice, but three times!!!!! Uggg!!! We had such a wonderful time!! Emma and Amelia had a blast! It was much hotter than expected though - 86 degrees! Here are some pics from our fun day!!

Recipe Round Up - Seared Steaks with Wild Mushroom Demi Glace

2008-10-13T16:37:00.000-07:00

So I'm letting you in on one of my cooking secrets. Really it's just a short cut, but a great one. This recipe will knock your socks off . This one is definitely one that will impress your company. Like I've said previously, I don't use recipes. So, tonight was quite a challenge for me as I prepared this meal. I was busy trying to write down exact amounts and cooking time. I am including a picture of the finished product as well as a picture of little secret - packaged Demi Glace, so you know what you will be looking for. Demi-Glace is a French brown sauce. It is quite a lengthly process if you make it from scratch. It is heavenly. I served these steaks with mashed potatoes and balsamic glazed baby carrots - it was yummy! Enjoy!!

Steaks

4 - 6 oz steaks ( I always buy them from Charlie's and remove the bacon)

Kosher Salt

Ground Pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Demi Glace Sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter

1 shallot; minced

4 oz. assorted mushrooms; sliced (i used a mixture of baby bella, shitake, and oyster)

2 teaspoons fresh thyme; minced

1 pkg of Demi Glace(you can find this at Wild Oats - on the same isle as chicken stock)

Kosher Salt

Ground Pepper

Heat a sauce pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil and butter. After the butter is melted, add the shallots and cook for 1 minute. Then add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, add the demi glace to the pan. You will add it and then four parts water. Follow the directions on the back of the package. Stir and turn down to medium low heat. Let cook until steaks are done, then add the fresh thyme.

For the steaks, preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Rub the olive oil onto both sides of the steaks, then season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat an oven proof saute pan over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the steaks and sear on each side for 2 minutes. Then, transfer the steaks, in the pan, to the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve the demi glace sauce over the steaks.

New Recipe Soon....

2008-10-11T21:01:00.000-07:00

So, I feel like I've dropped the ball a bit this week!! I think it must be from working several jobs. Why do they take up so much time?!! Time that I could be sitting here sharing all of these wonderful meals. I promise to make up for this, I will be posting several recipes this week, with pictures for all of you to enjoy!!! If you have a sec, please let me know if you have tried any of the recipes I've posted so far and how you've liked them!!!

The Man in the Moon

2008-10-11T20:49:00.001-07:00

Being three must be a blast!!! Life seems to be to full of fun at this age. Amelia seems amazed at everything and very inquisitive. Tonight, she asked me about the man on the moon. "Where was he" and " why couldn't she see him"?? I told her that just because we couldn't see him, doesn't mean he's not there. We could talk to him, and he would most definitely be listening. A few minutes later, I peek in my rearview mirror and see her looking at the moon through the sunroof. She had her hands folded like she was praying and was telling "the man on the moon" how happy she was. She said it over and over again.... " I am so happy". I am so happy (and tearful) that my little love is happy, because that is what we all want for our babies.... Especially during this time in my life, it is so reassuring that the "man on the moon" is always looking out for us. He wants all of us to be happy and for our life to be fulfilled.

Recipe Roundup - The Best Meatloaf Ever..... no, really!!!

2008-10-02T17:05:00.000-07:00

Meatloaf, potatoes, green beans.... sound like a perfect Southern meal, doesn't it?? I think you will love this meatloaf . Its not your typical meatloaf and its also a good way to sneak in some veggies!!

1 pound ground turkey

1 carrot - shredded

1 small yellow onion - diced

1 red bell pepper - diced

2 garlic cloves - minced

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 egg

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1 cup Italian style breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon Herbs de provence

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon Kosher Salt

Black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add the red pepper, carrot, onion, and garlic. Saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool a bit. In a mixing bowl, mix the ketchup, mustard, egg, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper together. Add the vegetable mixture, ground turkey, and Herbs de provence. Mix together, then add the breadcrumbs. Form into a loaf and place on a sheet pan. Cook, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes. ENJOY!!

Bonus Recipe - Farro Soup

2008-09-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

Love, love, love this soup. First off all it's delicious, it's easy, and it makes enough that I can bring it for lunch at work. I love a good lunch. I think I may have a little soup obsession going on here. Its like the very first signs of fall arrive and I'm wanting to stock up on soups. Farro is an Italian grain and one of the healthiest grains there is. It is firm and chewy and has wonderful flavor. I'm included pics with the recipe this time.

Farro Soup

4 oz diced prosciutto

1 container cherry tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 carrots, sliced

3 celery stalks; sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 zucchini, cut into big chucks

Kosher Salt; Pepper

Fresh Parmesan

3/4 cup farro

3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil - divided

64 0z Swanson's Vegetable Broth

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a hot pan, Add the prosciutto and sauteed for 2-3 minutes. Then add the two tablespoons of olive oil, the carrots, celery, onion, zuchini, and cherry tomatoes. Season with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and black pepper. You may wan to squish the cherry tomatoes with the back of your wooden spoon a little to get the juices out. Add the farro. Mix. Add the veggie stock and bring to a boil. After it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 25 -30 minutes. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

2008-09-27T20:56:00.000-07:00

Fun Times at the Zoo

2008-09-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

The Memphis Zoo is great - we love it!! Unfortunately, we let our membership run out and went for the first time having to pay. As great as it is, it is also expensive. And, to top it off, Amelia seems to want to do more of the things that cost money (merry-go-round, face painting, food, treats, etc..). So, our usual hour trip to the zoo turned into a three hour adventure! Today, we weren't 20 feet in the zoo doors when we came face to face with a giant stuffed panda. Amelia was beyond excited. I'm not sure when/ where she became obsessed with pandas, but she loves em! Maybe its because she saw

" Kung Fu Panda"?? Literally she was shaking with excitement. After spending a few minutes with him, I suggested we move on. We didn't make it very far. Amelia insisted (i.e. started to throw a fit) that we go back to see him and that she didn't care to see any other animals, live animals, at the zoo today. So, went spent out day at the zoo stalking this giant panda. We made brief stops to spend money and ,of course, to get her face painted. I suggested just getting a butterfly on her cheek, but again she insisted on something else..... As we walk away, I did the dreaded lick my fingers and rub the purple paint off her lips - it was just way too much for me to handle. A fairy princess with too much make-up is one thing, a fairy princess gone goth is a completely different thing.

Recipe Round Up - Roasted French Whole Chicken

2008-09-25T18:46:00.000-07:00

My recipe choice this week is French Roasted Whole Chicken with Winter Veggies. Simple enough for a weeknight dinner, and delicious enough to serve at a dinner party. After you make this chicken, you will no longer overpay for a shriveled up roasted chicken you buy at the grocery. You will be surprised how delicious this is!!!

1 (4-5 pound) whole chicken. Washed with water and dried completely.

2 tablespoons Herb de Provence (in the herb & spice section)

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

5 carrots, peeled, seeded, and cubed

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

5 whole. peeled garlic cloves

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

Ground pepper

1 apple; quartered

1 lemon; cut in half

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.In a large roasting pan, mix the chopped vegetables, garlic cloves, wine, and chicken broth together. Season with 1 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt and ground pepper. Add the roasting rack. Place the chicken on top and rub 1 tablespoon olive oil, herbs de provence, and 1 tablespoon kosher salt on the chicken. Stuff the inside of the chicken with the apple and lemon. Cook, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Then, lower the temperature to 350 degrees and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Let rest for 10 minutes after you remove the chicken. Mix the vegetables together and taste for seasoning. ENJOY!!

2008-09-25T18:34:00.000-07:00

Ballet...

2008-09-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

This is a very exciting day.... Amelia had her first day of ballet!! She has been counting down the days since I told her last week. On Tuesday, we went to Barbara's to get her a "tard" (leotard), ballet slippers, and "legs" (tights). Things really have come full circle. Barbara also fitted my sister and I many times as children. My Mom and I were so delighted that Amelia would have her turn too!! This semester, their theme is " The Nutcracker" - which Amelia has already seen many times. I spent all day eagerly waiting to watch Amelia experience this. My camera was charged and I was ready to over document this wonderful day!! Well.... I was about to be let down! Apparently, they don't let you stay and watch!! I was a little in shock at first. What?? No pictures of my little ballerina on her first day of ballet lessons?? How could this be!!!! They actually make you wait two months until you are allowed to observe. Ahhh!! So very frustrating to me!! Trying to get your daughter to show you what she learned when you get home is just not the same - funny, but not the same!!!! I managed to get a couple of pictures, putting my life in danger in the process as I snuck into the hallway (also off limits) and held my camera inside the room and just pushed the button. Anyway, hope you enjoy the few pictures I got today of my beautiful little ballerina. And don't worry, in two months when I get to observe, I will be posting an obnoxious amount of pictures!!!

Recipe Round-Up - Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup

2008-09-18T11:26:00.000-07:00

I get asked for recipes all the time!! I usually respond with " Ummm, sure, let me see if I can write something down for you." The reason?? I don't use recipes. So I never have the actual amounts of the ingredients. I may get an idea from a recipe, picture, or article, but I always modify the ingredients and amounts. Well, in order to help those who might be "challenged" at cooking or tired of the same recipes they always make, I'm going to post an Emily original recipe a week that I think people will enjoy. Most of the time, they will be simple and delicious. Sometimes, a little more gourmet. We all want to impress at times don't we?? As it is starting to get a little cooler and colds are coming on, I thought it would be appropriate for my first recipe to be :

Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup

Makes 4-5 cups

4 1/2 cups chicken STOCK (not broth)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup chopped yellow onion

3/4 cup chopped carrots

3/4 cup chopped celery

2 minced garlic cloves

2 tablespoons chopped Italian Parsley

1 store bought whole, cooked roasted chicken (skin off; shredded)

1 cup egg noodles

Kosher Salt

Black pepper

Heat a large pot over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Then add the chopped carrot, onion, celery, and garlic. Saute for 5-6 minutes until just tender. Then add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil and add the egg noodles. Reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the shredded chicken, Italian parsley, and season with kosher salt and pepper. This recipe also freezes well. ENJOY!!

Little Chef-in-Training

2008-09-17T06:31:00.000-07:00

I love the fact that Amelia loves to cook as much as I do!! I was introduced to cooking when I was a young child. My mom exposed me to cooking and different kinds of cuisine. In kindergarten, she took me out of extended day so we could try a restaurant a week. At that time, my favorite snack was steamed artichokes with lemon butter! I'm sure all of this played a big part in setting my path in life! Amelia and I try to cook something together at least once a week. She loves to help me in the kitchen and even loves washing dishes (although I don't expect that to last long!!)

On Grandparent's Day this year, we made homemade pizza, a wonderful orange salad, and parmesan crisps for GiGi and PawPaw. Encourage your kids to cook with you - they are more likely to eat something that they created and cooked!