Rhubarb and Egg Hunts

Since before Jett could start eating, I have been on a mission to entice and expand his tastebuds to include all kinds of interesting and diverse flavors.  I believe that it is important for children to try, try, and try again new foods so that they are able to eat a variety of colorful and wonderful foods. (And let's be honest, so that someday Jett will like many of the same foods that his mama does.)

Currently his growing list of favorites includes red pepper, garlic, mango, spinach, pears by the fist full, chicken Alfredo pizza, tandoori chicken, and add a new food to the list...drum roll please, this is a good one...rhubarb! 

My parents just moved to a beautiful new house that has an abundance of rhubarb growing in the back yard.  My mom sent home a bunch for me to use, and I've only gotten through half of that harvest.  Jett helped me bake, and as I was chopping, he was begging for a taste.  Knowing how bitter and sour raw rhubarb is I gave him just a little teenie tiny piece to try, and to my surprise he loved it.  Even better than the raw fruit, he loved the dessert that I made from it, a recipe from none other than The Pioneer Woman.  I can only begin to describe this rhubarb cobbler by saying that the recipe (like many from the Frontier) is not afraid of butter or sugar, but after all this is dessert.  The rhubarb itself doesn't get much dressing up, just simple granulated sugar, which gives the fruit's zippy tanginess a chance to shine through.  The cobbler part is like biting into a sweet fluffy biscuit and the two together yield almost a pudding like consistency.  Amazing!

(By the way, did you know that rhubarb is actually a vegetable, but is largely considered a fruit in the U.S.  You can wow your party guests with that one.)

I'm also excited to share some adorable pictures of Jett's first egg hunts!  Last week we joined in the fun of my dad's company egg hunt, which was fantastic for a beginner.  Lots of eggs, few kids in the 0-2 age category, and great weather.

Today we were invited to join my best friend and her daughter in Tekamah for their annual community egg hunt.  It was a huge event complete with a petting zoo, pony rides, and a train.  The 0-3 category was the opposite of the week before.  Nearly a hundred parents and kids lined up on both sides of a field and when the guy said "go", they went!  Our inexperience shone through, yielding no eggs until a kind man revealed one that he had hidden under his foot, for the pathetic hunters. It was literally over in about 20 seconds. But not to worry, it was really the petting zoo that our kiddos were most excited about.

Reagan with her egg!

 Happy Easter everyone!

Crockpot Confession and a Great Use-It-Up Night

I have a confession for you.  My crockpot scares me.  Okay - it's not just my crockpot, and it's really not like "Ooh I'm so scared I'm going to sleep with the lights on!" That would be really weird. It's more like I'm intimidated by the idea of using a crockpot.  I know the whole point is that you leave them plugged in all day, and tada when you get home supper is ready.  But you know what, they get really, really hot.  I'm not sure how I feel about leaving something  that hot on my counter all day while I'm gone.  And I feel like the idea of slow-cooking is unpredictable to me.  When I put something in the oven at 350 I know how long it will take to cook depending on what it is that I'm baking.  When I cook in the skillet, same thing.  But the crockpot I have to trust...

All of that to say, that I used my crockpot today.  I put my qualms about it aside, plugged it in and left for eight hours (you see it sounds really weird when you see it in print, very unnatural.)  But the results, I will admit were very good.  I had one final package of pork chops to use-up, so I put those in the pot with half of a chopped yellow onion, a can of cream of mushroom soup, and equal parts water to reduce the gravy a bit.  Even though I loath having to use cream of something soup (see Use-It-Up Post 25) in this case it worked.  The chops fell apart and had a really great dense meaty flavor, and they stayed very tender, which can be a tricky thing for pork chops to accomplish.

The whole meal was a great example of a Use-It-Up night.  In the morning before I left for work I also made a batch of bread dough and put it in the refrigerator.  I'm learning the tricks of baking as I go, and today was a really good lesson; while it may seem convenient to make a batch of dough ahead of time, you must give ample thawing and rising time if you intend to make bread.  I did not, and tried to hurry it along with no luck.  So when life hands you cold dough, make breadsticks.  I buttered a 9x13 pan and pressed the dough along the side, as if I was making a pizza crust.  I then drizzled a tablespoon of butter on top and sprinkled garlic and oregano.  The breadsticks then went into a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.  About half way through I used-up some Parmesan cheese and sprinkled that on top while they finished baking. 

The results. Yumm!

On the side we had coleslaw and snow peas.  Dessert was an extra special treat because I also had apples to use-up.  Apple crisp on a Monday does not usually happen in this house, but it must have been fate because it did.  Here is the recipe:

Apple Crisp

6 peeled and sliced apples

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 stick of butter (or 8 tablespoons)

Coat apples in granulated sugar and put into a 9x13 pan.  For topping, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Using a fork or knife cut cold butter into small chunks and combine with topping mixture until you have small granules of butter incorporated into mixture.  Pour topping over apples and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.





Friday Frivolity

It's Friday, the end to a week that was full of long, heavy, somewhat stressful meetings.  So how does one unwind from a week like this?  For starters a short fast run before the rain, and then a long stroller ride with my favorite guy after the rain.  Jett and I were fortunate that just as we stepped out the door a beautiful spring rainbow appeared.

The unwinding continues with a little Friday frivolity. We all have those things that we do that are dorky or edgy, slightly weird, unconventional, in certain company perhaps a little bit salacious, and that if done excessively may put us in the same category as the people from the "My Strange Addiction Show." These guilty pleasures get us through this kind of week when we just need something light to preoccupy our attention for a bit.

For me this list includes watching The Real Housewives or Bethenny Ever After, making my own Girl Scout cookie blizzard with mint chip ice cream and Thin Mints, munching on chocolate covered popcorn, reading People Magazine, or perhaps the worst, listening to teenie bop music by Ashlee Simpson (yes, she recorded a very crappy album about a decade ago before the whole Pete Wentz thing and child named after a Disney character) and "Party in the USA" by Miley Cirus. No judgement people!

But let me add another to the list that has jumped to the top of things I do when real life is bogging me down, a blog that my sister told me about, Suri's Burn Book.  This is perhaps the most hilarious blog that I have ever read.  It's written from the perspective of Suri Cruise, framing her as a celebrity toddler hater and professional criticizer of all things TomKat.  Her post about Jessica Simpson's recent cover of Elle Magazine made me laugh so hard I was almost crying.  So incredibly funny! A truly great way to salute the week goodbye and ring in the weekend with a few laughs.

Tonight we had Indian Food. Don't tell my husband!

Tonight we had Indian inspired food.  Do not, I repeat, DO NOT tell Kevin! He had no idea.  You see I have this theory that if I just slowly introduce new food styles and flavors and pair them with old standbys like smashed potatoes and green beans, that over time my family's taste bud profile will expand.

I am a huge fan of Indian food and Indian inspired food, but I don't get to eat it enough.  Living in a moderately small Midwest town, we can barely find authentic Chinese food (the best is at Hy-Vee) let alone Indian food.  That's one challenge.  The other is that very few people in my immediate circle like Indian food.  I think I need to get some new friends! (Kidding of course.  Well, mostly.)

I love you Hamburger-Plain-Ketchup-Only-Thank You, and I'm-Allergic-To-Peas, well you know you have my heart, but sometimes a girl has got to step out and have some flavor!  So I'm slowly introducing it in hopes of an eventual menu revolution.

Tonight's new recipe was one that I had been dying to make since I saw it in Everyday Food Magazine, Tandoori-style chicken.  This simple marinade was easy to make and the flavor profile was not overwhelming, just incredibly delicious.  Slight sourness from the yogurt and lemon juice, with a nice kick from the spices, paired with a beautiful fragrant aroma from the ginger. 

I picked up on a step from Aarti Sequeira that Indian food often calls for ginger and garlic, and that you can save a couple of steps by dicing the two ingredients in a food processor with some vegetable oil, and save the extra in an air tight container in the refrigerator for future recipes, up to about two weeks.  If you have not caught Aarti's new show on the Food Network on Saturday mornings at 7:30 a.m., it is definitely worth setting your alarm for.  She gracefully battles the misconception that Indian food is complicated to make with a lot of airy charm and quiet wit, and is very good at teaching helpful tricks that anyone can use.

In addition to my old standbys I also tried something new for me - braised kale.  Kale has been hailed as one of the new super foods and has made headlines in most of the major health and fitness magazines and food publications over the last 12 months.  It's high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, calcium, and a host of other nutrients that I can't spell.  I cooked it like I would wilted spinach and flavored it with a bit of lemon.  I wouldn't say that it was on my top ten list for vegetables, but it wasn't too bad.  I'm definitely going to try a couple of different methods of cooking it, so stay tuned.

What kind of food do you love, that no one else will eat with you?

The First Signs of Summer?

You know how after a long holiday break or vacation, you have to consciously remind yourself which day of the week it is. Or after daylight savings time, what time it really is. Well that's exactly what I have to keep doing with the calendar date, because it can't possibly be March 27th.

It's been a beautiful range of high-70s and low-80s for nearly three weeks or better. Yards have been mowed, the baby has been sunblocked, the dog is laying sunny side up in the grass, and I've even worn shorts! The flowers even think it's summer, not spring, but summer. I have iris in full bloom!

This is truly a miraculous event, as iris do not usually bloom until May. (It's also pretty miraculous because I'm not exactly the best gardener in the world.) But here it is, proof that the ozone is weakening, global warming is upon us, and that someday our grandchildren will have to Google what a penguin is.

These iris are really special, beyond their early arrival. These are transplants from my Grandma's garden, where she has a rainbow of beautiful varieties. She helped me plant a row of iris along the walkway of our house and in the front flower bed last fall. My grandma is truly a gifted gardener, and has true love for the plants that she cares for. Her yard is the talk of Cuming County when it is in bloom, and people drive from all over just to see the beauty that she has diligently and artfully created.

Not only are these blossoms special because of my Grandma, I also love the symbolism of the flower growing up among the rocks. For me it is a great reminder this Lenten season of God's mercy and grace. As I see these flowers emerge and blooming among rocks and hard places, in the middle of March, I'm reminded that nothing is impossible with God. If He can make something beautiful come from the most unlikely of places where it would seem like nothing could grow, I know that by His grace he can bring forth something good in my life too.

When Your Husband Buys a Semi

When your husband buys a semi truck, this is what you should do.
1. Start mixing up a pan of brownies as bribery for the neighbors and to soften the blow of their new view for the next 48 hours.
2. Say a prayer for grace and good naturedness.
3. Pull out the Borsheims and Coach catalogues you have stashed away, and put them on the kitchen table.
4. Give your husband a hug and if you've nothing nice to say, say only,"Wow, you bought a semi."
5. Start a Google search for "semi truck and car seat safety."

My husband bought a semi.  A real, really big semi truck.  I didn't believe him.  He told me while I was at Walmart.  His strategy was wise, to tell me when I was in public, with only 20 minutes to get groceries, get through the check out and be on my way for a meeting in another town.  I had a very short window to flip out.  I used that window very effectively.

As I drove home I still didn't really believe that he bought a semi.  But here it sits.  I'm getting out the Borsheim's catalogue now...

It's Here!

It's here!  My new Pioneer Woman cookbook that I pre-ordered from Amazon months ago!  I can't wait to read what delicious recipes Ree has in store.  I really find Ree, her food, and photography absolutely delightful.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I really think if given the chance we would be best of friends.  There is something about her story and writing style that clicks with me (and about 2.5 million other people - hence the Food Network show.)  But any ways, it is here!

In honor of Ree's new cookbook release I decided to make a PW favorite, fried round steak or in my household minute steak.  Now I would really like you to believe that I'm so organized that I planned to prepare this meal, but the truth is my plan was to go to Walmart.  And then this happened...

He is so gorgeous, isn't he!  My sweet little one fell asleep in the car on the way home from Grandma's.  They had a super day playing!  And so when I opened the door of the car in the Walmart parking lot, I couldn't bare the thought of putting him into an uncomfortable cart and begging him to be good.  So we went on home, and I prayed we wouldn't run out of TP before the morning.

And so, minute steak was on the menu for the night.  A great use-it-up dish served with whole wheat mac 'n cheese, green beans and fresh strawberries. 

I'd like to think that Ree would have done the same thing!