{Resolution Recaps} January & February Edition

Remember that time I revealed my New Years Resolutions in February? 

Here is the January & February issue recap. 

{CREATING}

I made mini-baked donuts for my new recipe in January. They looked cute but the recipe could use some work. But they look cute - that's the important part!

In February I tried Minestrone Soup with Kale -- this is seriously a tasty recipe, super simple, healthy and chalk full of vegetables! 

 Become more crafty

Would you believe this took me on & off two months to crochet and I swear it's 10,000 feet long! But I love it. On to the next project now! 

{ENRICHMENT}

I am doing really well with pushing the H20

I must say I am having a hard time with reading the Bible daily

{MINNESOTA}

Curly Locks and I had a great St. Paul date including great food, twinkling lights & city views.

Stay tuned for more fun Minnesota adventures in March. 

{hint: think north}

It's the little things in life

"Enjoy the little things in life...

... for one day you'll look back

and realize they were the big things"

- Robert Brault

Sometimes I forget that it's not always about the big - gigantic things in life that make everything wonderful - sometimes it is the small things in life that make it all worth while. 

I went to the farmers market after work and picked up some gorgeous produce. Big beautiful fragrant bouquets of basil, sweet peas, rhubarb stalks & chocolate oatmeal. Every time I open the fridge the smell of basil waifs out and it's heavenly, simply heavenly! I would have loved to get more produce but knowing that I was busy most of this week in the evening I knew I should not.  

Tonight we had a family dinner just the four of us, my parents just got back from a trip. It was nice to eat together again, sometimes we are all so busy going in different directions. I made sweet peas from the farmers market & Carolina-Style Barbecue Chicken from last months Food Network magazine. I was attempting to master the grill - it mastered me. We ended up with some crispy looking chicken but after peeling away the burnt skin it was juicy and tasty inside not at all the dry leather I was worried about. But this recipe was delish - seriously it is a must try! 

After super we went in search of black licorice chip ice cream for dad. We ended up at Nelson's in Stillwater - this place is famous! The blurry cell phone picture above is a $3 kiddie cup - no joke! 

The little things in life make up the big picture. Today was a day for the record books, absolutely beautiful and wonderful - maybe it's the warm fuzzies of birthday eve taking over? I am not sure but wonderful none-the-less. 

Tomorrow is the big changer. 

26 to 27

I will be spending the day working and celebrating in the evening with my grandparents.

26 over & out! 

Oh Martha, you did well

Do you ever get in the mood to bake or cook? I often am in that mood but sometimes life gets in the way, and other times lets face it, you don't want to do anything but veg out after a day of working. Being that it's summer now I'm not turning on the oven less as I typically would. But with the weekend forecast being in the 60s it was pretty safe to bake.

I was craving a bit of chocolate and stumbled upon this great recipe from Martha. 

Black & White Cheesecake Squares, they are pretty tasty. 

Yes Martha, these are a good thing. 

Recipe can be found here. 

Christmas Stollen

There is something about eating this year after year, the yeasty smell in the air, the kneading of bread dough. I just can not get enough. 

For the record Christmas Stollen is NOT Fruit Cake

Just for the record.

Thanksgiving in Rewind

Thanksgiving was wonderful. Grandma always outdoes herself. 

This year I tried my hand at a new recipe, Nantucket Cranberry Pie. 

It was a HUGE hit, tasty tasty. And of course Thanksgiving would not be complete without a homemade apple pie. 

Pumppie Cake

via

What is this suger-laddened thing you ask? This my friends is a Pumppie and is sold in Philadelphia at The Flying Monkey. This is a cake and a pie put together. 

The first layer is a pumpkin pie dipped in chocolate cake batter, and then baked. The top layer is a apple pie dipped in vanilla cake batter and baked all iced with homemade buttercream. 

Would you like a slice? It will cost you $8 and will feed four people. If that wasn't enough for you how about this...

It's 1,800 calories a slice!

Tofu 101

Tofu 101

Via

One of the reasons I like eating Tofu is because if is so versatile as well as a protein source that is low in calories. I especially like eating tofu in asian inspired meals.

There are several types of tofu.
1. Silken
2. Soft
3. Firm
4. Extra Firm

I typically use extra firm tofu and then press the water out of the tofu by putting a napkin or towel on top of the tofu and stacking something on top to press more of the water out. The great thing about tofu is that it takes whatever flavor you decide to give it.





To the left quinoa with Garlic Chili tofu stirfry

Tastes of Fall

When you think of Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter what are some of the first thoughts going through your head? For me I think of the food during that time, Thanksgiving brings mouth watering memories of hearty helpings of green bean casserole, and Easter dozens of deviled eggs, it does not get any better than that. Just as holidays make me think of the wonderful foods I will partake in seasons do as well. Winter is full of hearty meals that will fill you up and take the edge off of the winter chill, Summer is full of grilling, non-oven meals and scrumptious salads and fall is full of hearty soups, and the tastes of the season; pumpkin, squash, and lots and lots of apples.

{Zucchini + Oatmeal}

I whipped up some Zucchini Bread Batter Oatmeal for breakfast. I've been meaning to try this recipe for a while now, it's been book marked & on my "must try" list for a month now. I was a bit hesitant about this recipe, who has ever heard of mixing an egg into their oatmeal? Don't worry the recipe didn't disappoint it was tasty and filling. I think there really might be something to mixing a beaten egg into oatmeal.

{Ginger Molasses Cookies}

For some reason this recipe makes me think of fall, a spice filled ginger filled goodness and great to dip in your coffee or tea. My family is quite fond of Molasses cookies. I grew up on my Grandma Sweetie Pies iced cut out molasses cookies that her boys still beg for today. At some point along the way she discontinued making them, and in stepped my mom who found a wonderful recipe that you roll in swedish pearl sugar and started making these for her family.

When I stumbled upon this cookie recipe in the latest Taste of Home magazine I knew I had to try it. The recipe was unique and different because of a few of their ingredients, now don't be scared, it's alright - but a few of their unique ingredients are cayenne pepper, white pepper and cardamom. The "special" ingredients set off the cookie just right and help the spice of the ginger and molasses come out. To finish off the cookie you roll it in turbinado sugar giving it just the right crisp, to the outer edge of the cookie and a glitter like shine.

I knew these were a winner after taking the first bite. I've now made this recipe twice and don't plan on stopping anytime soon.  I brought a HUGE container of these cookies to share with Fiery C & Curly Locks when we went up north, they were a huge hit I came home with an empty container. 

Recipe can be found here

What reminds you of Fall? What are the tastes of your season?

Burgers PW Style

PW? Maybe you have heard of a little blogger called Pioneer Woman, she is insanely funny, loves butter and discusses her husbands chaps all the time? Yes you have? Wonderful!

I happen to droll over her recipes and subsequently gain 5Ibs everytime I look at them. The other day I made Pioneer Womans' Mushroom & Swiss Sliders with Spicy Fry Sauce. They were tasty!

Tasty!

The spicy fry sauce is DELISH!

Dinner Party

Welcome to my dinner party! 

Sit back and relax

Earlier this week I prepared supper for my roommates and a friend. Just a simple meal that's all I wanted. Simple and healthy, something I could feed some friends. To the cookbooks and internet I went. I knew some of the sides I wanted, a green salad with walnuts and blueberries with a raspberry vinaigrette. But what to make for the main entree... I decided upon Chicken with fire roasted tomatoes topped with feta cheese. But what else? I threw in some sweet potatoes ( LOVE THEM) and some MN farm fresh green beans.

I really wanted roasted pears for dessert. But of course pears are out of season. I decided to go with the same idea but with peaches. Oven roasted peaches with a slight drizzle of butter and a bit of brown sugar roasted in the oven topped with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Simple and delicious. The way dessert should be.

Scoop of Hagan Daz ice cream makes everything better 

I am pretty sure I came close to using every bowl, spoon, pot & pan in the house.. erh apartment. But the fun of my first dinner party at my own apartment? Using fun bowls and sets of plates that you don't normally use. 

I droll

How amazing does this look? 

.... droll ....

Buttermilk Cupcakes in a Jar

Oh Martha you out do yourself

Make it for yourself here

(and me - if you're generous) 

Homemade with Love

Granola Making 101

Small group was hosted at my home this week and being me I wanted to make something tasty for people to snack on as they wished. I love making food for people and trying new things but my apartment is the home to three women, we don't always need a whole pan of brownies, cookies, or cake for the three us, actually we perfer that not sitting around tempting us. I'm not around enough half of the time to even eat my own food so what better way to enjoy cooking & baking as well as sharing it with others than to make food that I too get to enjoy but am not left with a ton of it later {hopefully}.  I also desired to make something that was not all sugar & sweets something a bit healthier. As I was talking to small group friend Amanda Sue she suggested make your own parfaits with homemade granola! What a wonderful idea! No wonder she is the culinary queen.

Easy Homemade Granola

from "Baked: New Frontiers in Baking" by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup whole almonds [Note: I used slivered almonds, and they worked fine.]

1/3 cup whole hazelnuts

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup dried cherries

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, toss the oats with the cinnamon and salt.

In a medium bowl, stir together the oil, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until completely combined.

Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture and use your hands to combine them: Gather up some of the mixture in each hand and make a fist. Repeat until all of the oats are coated with the honey mixture.

Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out evenly, but leave a few clumps here and there for texture.

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a metal spatula to lift and flip the granola. Sprinkle the almonds over the granola and return the baking sheet to the oven.

Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a metal spatula to lift and flip the granola. Sprinkle the hazelnuts over the granola and return the baking sheet to the oven.

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven. Let cool completely. Sprinkle the raisins and cherries over the granola transfer into an airtight container. Granola will last about 1 week. 

{Yogurt Parfaits}

For the Build Your Own Parfait Station I provided vanilla yogurt, as well as several different flavors of other yogurts in smaller personal sizes. I offered pitted cherries and blueberries as well for fruit in their parfaits. Days later I'm still eating yogurt and homemade granola. But that's ok, it's a much better combination than cookies and other sweets. 

The homemade granola would look so cute in a little decorated bag or small jar with a cute tag and a bit of raffia and given away as a present. Maybe around the holidays or as a housewarming present for a new neighbor.

ps. I omitted the raisins. Raisins only belong in oatmeal raisin cookies and hot oatmeal with brown sugar. 

Chobani

source

Chobani Greek Yogurt

I am LOVING this greek yogurt at the moment.

The texture is what makes this amazing I think. So tasty and yummy. 

And better for you than most other yogurts. 

The downside?

 it is a bit more expensive but I am hoping to catch some great deals and clip some wonderful coupons. 

{This is one of my favorite things at the moment}

I'm a Everything Type Girl

If anyone is familiar with the tv show the Bachelorette or Jillian Harris you have probably heard of the Hot Dog Theory. Basically Jillian had a theory of what favorite type of condiment said about a guy. Now I'm not a guy, far from it but I am an everything girl when it comes to hot dogs and burgers but hold the sauerkraut please!

Now Jillian never wrote a Hot Dog theory for women but if I had to wonder maybe this is what it would mean for me.. 

Ketchup: a little bit sweet, all american girl, down to earth

Mustard: likes a bit of spice in her life

Onion: likes it spicy (but no kissing later right?)   

Relish: a little bit on the fun and adventures side possibly?

Source

You can find out more about Jillians' theories about hot dog toppings here and here.

What do you think the hot dog theory would say about me (if you know me) or what would it say about you?

Tasty!

A few food items I've enjoyed recently and in no particular order.

I LOVE this Indian Summer Chili by Rachel Ray. So tasty and good. I love how you can change the flavor by the barbeque sauce you use. I make mine super spicy.

Homemade Tofu Stir Fry

I love me some stir fry and decided to try and use tofu. It was excellent!

(with some Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce - best stuff ever!)

Dinner with the Family at Smash Burger

Twin Cities SmashBurger

Smashfries with rosemary, garlic, and other herbs

J got haystack onions which seemed pretty good too. Everything is ordered a la cart. You can totally share the fries and haystacks, that's what we did.

Steel Cut Oats

Totally loving these at the moment, so much better than regular oatmeal and has almost 3 of the servings of whole grains you need in a day in one portion. I ate mine with some fresh cut mango mixed in, mighty tasty!

Curry is Tasty!

I went to a new restaurant with my bestie last night, the food was marvelous! The restaurant was Bambu in Maplewood and served Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai food. I got a wonderful Penang Red Curry. I will definitely be visiting again. An added bonus? Not a chain :)

After supper I headed to Half Price Books and bought the Birth Order book for a $1.07! As well as bought two new shirts! The joys of discount shopping. 

Other Thoughts

On another note... my email box is so full with new messages and I don't want to go through it. Sadly it's all junk mail or mail I should look at but need to be in the right mood. It depresses me just looking at it and knowing I need to go through it. I get so excited when I log on and see 23 New Messages. And then I scan through them quickly and none of them are worthwhile.

I'm waiting for this book to come in the mail to me. Very excited for it!

Flowers and Pies in the sky!

A few months ago I bought a pack of mini tart pans from Albertville! Monday was the first chance I got to use them. I LOVED working with them. I made mini pies and mini quiches. They were fantastic! So much fun and fast and easy!

For the pies I used canned filling and store crust... I personally like making my own crust - I enjoy it but I was constrained on time. I did enjoy doing the "semi-latice" and other decorating on the pies to make them a bit cuter. I also made smaller pies in muffin pans. They were definitely shorter and smaller but great! The quiche I whipped up on my own. Just eggs, pepper, cheese, and sour cream. I would have liked to use some sort of veggies and/or meat but the pans are a pretty tiny and I wasn't sure if I would be able to fit everything in the pan. 

Como Conservatory

I had a huge to do list for myself on Monday (as I had the day off) and I got pretty much all of it done. Since I got so much done I wanted to get out of the house and enjoy myself, I took a little trip to the Como Conservatory. I feel like I grew up at Como Zoo and Conservatory. I went there so much as a kid and always had a blast and I loved going there on Monday. I could walk around at my own pace. I did not go to the zoo though this time. e.

all pictures taken by me

Weekend in Rewind

Alice in Wonderland - Through the Looking Glass
The movie was pretty good. It may only be PG but it is NOT a movie for children. I was suprised how many children were there, and the theater was PACKED! I thought everything looked gorgeous! This movie would have been wonderful in 3D. I am considering going to see it again in 3D because I think it would we even better in 3D!

Today went grocery shopping after church. Note to self... not a good time to go grocery shopping. But it always seem so convenient. I picked up some avocado spring rolls for lunch and made a bit of stir fry to go with it. It was SO yummy!

Supper was wonderful as well. A spinach salad with chicken, mandarin oranges, veggies and some sesame ginger salad dressing. So yummy. It's very similar to the salad I eat at work most days. But not quite as good as I don't have the fabulous salad bar at home and the wonderful homemade dressing.

Happy Monday to you all tomorrow!

It's a Good Thing

Mmm Muffins :)

It was 43 degrees today. SPRING is in the air... mark my words. I have been trying to wear my "spring" jacket so I would feel more springy. But it doesn't work so great when you're still wearing gloves and a scarf :)