Tightening the strings

There are a lot of changes in our lives this 2011. Thathouse is all topsy turvy. And pretty much all of those changes are going to involve money. It's the cold hard truth that nothing in life is free, and all the good things that come into your lives are going to come with a price.

Which means we're very cognizant of all the funds that leave our pockets right now. Which just makes sense no matter what your status in life.

The inlaws are a PERFECT example of what NOT to do. TFIL hasn't held a permanent job in the past 30 years. So you imagine our surprise when he announced that he was retiring a couple years back. TMIL has been complaining about the fact that even though their budget is small, TFIL insists on spending a ridiculous amount of money on groceries. And now her car is on its very last legs. When I suggested that perhaps they should just be a single car family, given that TFIL doesn't, you know, have a job, I was railed against. How on EARTH would TFIL prepare dinner if he didn't shop at the market every day? I mentioned he could do what most other people do, shop once a week. That didn't go over well either. So although they are working with a budget that they complain about to everyone within 5 minutes of meeting, they continue to spend way too much money on groceries and are about to take on a second car payment so TFIL can make daily supermarket trips.

That's not how we work. We try to make rational economic decisions, even if it means making compromises. This week's topic on Eat.Live.Be. are tips for staying within your shopping budget.

1) Shop Farmer's Markets if you have them available to you. I attend every week, and as long as I'm not picking up honey or olive oil, I manage to spend $20 or less on fruits, veggies, bread and eggs. This is far less than I would spend at the supermarket. Bags of beans, carrots, or peppers for a dollar, a giant bag of oranges for $3.00.

2) Going along with tip number 1, try to eat locally and seasonally. I know, me and my tomato mouth should shut up. But for me, tomatoes are the exception. And I make some compromises. Tomatoes are more expensive when it's not summer, so I don't waste money buying gorgeous heirlooms in the winter when I know they won't taste as good. And as much as I love melon, I also try to refrain from buying it off-season. I've declared my birthday "Watermelon Day" and use that to mark the first day I'll consider buying it. It's more than just taste - because we know things taste better when they're in season, but it also costs grocers more to ship things in when they're not in season. Which means those grapes during the winter? Well it costs a lot to bring them in from Chile, and you're going to end up paying the costs.

3) Utilize your freezer. I keep an eye on proteins when they're on sale and buy them then. Then I stick them in my freezer. Proteins can get expensive, but you'll find that post-holidays those gorgeous rib-eyes and cuts of beef are marked down substantially. I got a goose for under $10! And in the summer, we can get shrimp for insane low prices. You don't want to leave them in your freezer forever, but it does buy you some time.

4) Shop around. After I hit the farmer's market, I pick up household goods (toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies) at the supermarket and head to Trader Joes for other groceries. Things like jams, dairy products, dried fruits and nuts, nitrate free bacon, etc. Trader Joes is a GREAT place to go for pork tenderloin. I can usually pick one up for under $5.00 which makes it a very budget friendly meal. I've included an easy recipe below.

Broiled Pork Tenderloin
1 pork tenderloin
2 strips of bacon

1. Preheat broiler. Tie bacon in place on top of tenderloin with some cooking twine.
2. Place pork in a shallow broiling pan.
   
3. Cook 12 minutes, slice, and serve.
   

Next week's topic follows up on our habit breaking from last week.

And here are a list of the other bloggers participating:

• Sarah - www.sarahscucinabella.com
• Cate - www.sweetnicks.com
  
• Maris - www.ingoodtasteblog.net
• Chris - www.melecotte.com
• Faith - www.clickblogappetit.com/
• Kristen - www.dineanddish.net
• Emily - http://andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/
• Jenna - http://stopdropandblog.com/
• Joanne - http://www.joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/,
• Casey - http://www.thestarnesfam.com
• Patsy - http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/
• Tri-Fit Mom - http://trifitmom.blogspot.com/
• Claire - http://cookiedoc.blogspot.com/
• Allison - http://sweetflours.blogspot.com/
• Jen - http://njepicurean.blogspot.com/
• Leslie - www.thehungryhousewife.com
• Rivki - http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/
  
• Claudia from Journey of an Italian Cook
• Jennifer - http://lick-a-plate.blogspot.com/

Happy Mother's Day!

To all you moms out there - for everything you do. All the late nights you've stayed up with nightmares and fevers. All the homework you've looked over. All the little league games you've attended. All the dinners you've cooked, the lunches you've packed, and the breakfasts in bed you've prepared. I hope someone close to you told you how much that meant to them!

We spent the weekend with Thatmom, celebrating her. Saturday we went to the farmer's market where I found the first peaches of summer. They are SO delicious. We've having them broiled tonight for dessert. I love summer peaches!

Thatbrother and UDubb came over for a fabulous lunch spread. And then we watched a messload of movies.

We saw Thatbrother and UDubb again this morning when we met for brunch. Brunch was not as fabulous as lunch the day before. Both the service and the food were pretty bad. We probably should have taken it as a sign when they brought Thatmom curdled milk for her coffee.

After brunch - which took so long we chose to forgoe the free dessert just to get out of there, Thatboy and I headed back home. I like coming home early on Sundays so I can get more things done. Although it still usually means an easy dinner, since the last thing I want to do when I get home is make an elaborate meal.

Broiling is my method of choice on easy nights. I pulled some lamb chops out of the freezer on Friday before we left, so they were all ready to go tonight. Then all I had to do is turn on the broiler. Which I can then use to make those broiled peaches. See how nicely things work out?

Broiled Lamb Chops
3 lamb chops
salt and pepper

1. Preheat broiler and broil chops 4 minutes per side.
2. Salt and pepper to taste.
   

TMD's Guide on how to host a houseguest

So Thatboy and I went on a lunch date today and he informed me that he believes he has caught whatever bug I am trying to get over. Which means I am now sick, and taking care of another sicky. Between you and I, I think his back is beginning to feel better and he's afraid he might actually have to do work around the house.

When she heard how busy I am, TMD offered to do a guest blog for me. And I'm taking her up on it.

Hi Friends! (HA Cate) Thatgirl was telling me about her latest trip to visit her inlaws and it made me realize that many people don't know the appropriate behaviors when hosting house guests. Since I am an excellent hostess I thought I would help out and cover some tips you might want to use next time you have people come to stay with you.

Do: Grab a toy as soon as they enter the home. It helps to control the excitement. If that's still not enough, try doing a lap around the living room. Once they bend down to say hi, you can give them as many kisses as you like.
Don't: Jump all over your houseguests. It scares some of them and it will probably hurt your knees more than you realize.

Do: Think of your houseguests' needs. Have they been traveling for a while? Maybe they would like something to drink or eat. And remember to think about your guests the entire time they are there. Don't be selfish! These people are your guests and as such, it is your duty to make sure they're taken care of.
Don't: If there are only two bathrooms in the house, and you and your spouse usually don't share bathrooms, don't continue this habit while your guests are staying with you. Especially if you each spend an hour in the bathroom in the morning while you're guests are left crossing their legs and wondering if they're better off going outside.

Do: Make your guests feel comfortable by sharing your favorite toys with them.
Don't: Leave your favorite toys out if they're the kind of toys that one of your guests like to tear apart. (I'm looking at you Thatdog. I like my stuffies stuffed.)

Do: Wear pajamas. Even if you don't normally. Maybe have a pair especially for when guests come over.
Don't: Go running around the halls naked at night when the bathroom is directly between your room and the guest room and you're sharing that bathroom.

Do: Make sure your guests are warm and snuggly. Help them by sitting as close to them as possible. Maybe even on top of them if they seem okay with the idea.
Don't: Mistake their feet under the covers for monsters. Houseguests get very annoyed at having their feet snapped at.

Do: Take your guests eating habits, restrictions, likes and dislikes into account when it comes to food. Maybe ask them for some things they normally eat so you can have them in the house.
Don't: Have absolutely no food in the house. Especially if one of your guests is on a specialized diet for a religious holiday. The same specialized diet she has been on for the past 10 years every Easter. And happens to be eating more often than usual because of a certain baby she's growing. And don't make excuses that you can't shop in advance because you "only go food shopping the day of and the stores are closed."


On that last note - food preferences are very important when it comes to house guests, and not even guests who are spending the night. Thatgirl makes a big point of talking to all her dinner guests before they come over to make sure she doesn't make anything they don't like. This can be as basic as "I don't like broccoli" all the way to "I think veal is cruel and inhumane." I know Thatgirl is going to a full post about veal a little later, so I don't want to spoil anything. Instead, for those of you who are good with eating veal, here's delicious way to enjoy it.

Veal in Onion Sauce
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup heated milk
1 onion, chopped
nutmeg
3 Tbsp heavy cream
2 scallops of veal
canola oil

1. Preheat oven to 350. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
2. In a saucepan, melt butter in a sauce and stir in the flour.
   
3. When it's paste-like add the hot milk and stir. Bring to a boil, salt and pepper to taste and
4. Throw the chopped onion in the boiling water. Cook for one minute and then drain the onions.
5. Add the onions to the saucepan and cook until tender.
6. Place sauce in baking dish with a sprinkle of nutmeg, cover and bake for 10 minutes, until the onions are mushy. Let cool while you cook the veal.
   
7. Reduce heat to 325. Rub the veal with oil and place on a shallow rack in the oven. Bake 30 minutes per pound.
8. Place the sauce through a food processor till it is nice and creamy. Stir in the heavy cream and heat through. Serve over the veal.
   

Not Your Mama's Casserole

When I was growing up in Small Town, Pennsylvania any "life event" would involve the neighbors bringing over a covered casserole. These casseroles were always kind of gross. Basically they were some form of meat (usually chicken) coated in cream of soup with potato chips sprinkled on top.

It made me start dreading casseroles. In my head they always looked like something congealed.

But this, this casserole is probably my favorite casserole of all times. I found it in the Fannie Farmer Cookbook (natch). No cream of anything soup, instead this casserole features a tomato sauce. And add in some feta and brown rice and it's almost *whispers* healthy. Well, as healthy as any casserole can be. I love the tang the feta and olives add, tempered by the sweet mellowness of the tomatoes and Parmesean. It's like Italy and Greece got together with your favorite hippy friend to create this dish.

Beef, Brown Rice, and Feta Casserole (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 cup canned tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 /2 cups cooked beef, chopped
3 oz feta cheese, crumbled
6 black olives, pitted and sliced
2 Tbsp grated Parmesean cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400. Saute onion in oil for 5 minutes and add the tomatoes and garlic. Cook 10 minutes.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste, then mushrooms. Cook another 5 minutes.
3. Line the bottom of a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with 1 cup of rice.
4. Add the cooked beef and sprinkle feta over. Then sprinkle olives and half the sauce.
5. Add the remaining rice and the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesean. Bake 20 minutes.
   

An ode to baking

To be perfectly honest, the first week of my blogging absence was probably all for the best. Pre-Passover I have every intention of being as creative as Cara in my meal choices. But by the time the week rolls around and I've driven all over Southern California for seders, that creativity is always sapped right out of me.

Which means that week you would have been enthralled with the vast array of salads featured in Thathouse that week. Salads and slaws. It was veggie overload around here. Except for the one night I attempted to make reuben sandwiches with matzah. Although Thatboy proclaimed it the best thing he's ever eaten on Matzah, I wasn't impressed with the gooey mess that required eating with a fork because heating the sandwich caused the matzah to disintegrate.

I don't know what it is about Passover that brings out the absolute worst in my eating desires. 18 weeks of pregnancy and not a single craving, and yet 1 week of Passover makes me drool over the thought of cheez-its. Or doughnuts. Or cookies. Things that don't even begin to cross my mind the other 51 weeks of the year.

I've more than made up for it since Passover's ended. Both eating and baking all those delicious things I couldn't have. I've made 3 different kinds of cookies since Passover ended, and the aforementioned "angel food cake of death" (or at least death of my poor chin.) Most of these delicacies are sweet based, so it's only fair to give some equal play to a more savory baked good. Heck, who am I kidding - these rolls are still nice and sweet. All the best rolls are.

Swirly Rolls
4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
2 cups warm milk
1 package yeast
6 cups flour
softened butter

1. Mix the butter, sugar, salt, and milk in a large bowl and let cool till lukewarm
2. Stir the yeast into 1/4 cup warm water and let it stand for 5 minutes.
3. Add 3 cups of flour and the dissolved years to the first mixture and beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk (remember the oven trick?)
4. Punch down and knead for a minute or two. Let rest 10 minutes.
5. Resume kneading until the bread is nice and smooth.
   
6. Roll out until it is 1/4 inch thick and spread with softened butter. Roll the dough like a jelly roll lengthwise. Slice into 3/4 inch slices and place on a greased cookie sheet.
7. Cover and let rise again until double in bulk.
8. Preheat oven to 425 and bake for 13-14 minutes.
   

Take Good Care of My, Baaay-bee

Can I whine for a bit? All that running around the past 2 weeks has taken it's toll. Last Thursday I got hit hard with whatever it is that seems to be taking San Diego by storm. It's something upper respiratory which leaves me coughing like an emphysema patient. On Friday I knew it must be bad, because my coworkers started giving me little hints like dropping off cough drops on my desk and saying things like "Hey, I think maybe you should head home."

Saturday added insult to injury when I managed to get awful sunburn on JUST my left forearm. How does that even happen? And speaking of burns, can I tell you about yesterday, when I leaned over the angel food cake pan as I was inverting it and managed to burn the bottom of my chin on the searing hot pan.

Obviously this little bug is affecting my ability to take care of myself. Which brings me to my "habit I'd like to break," this week's topic for Eat.Live.Be.

I know, I bet you thought I forgot about Eat.Live.Be. It has been 2 weeks. Anyway, my super bad habit is not taking good care of myself when I'm not feeling well. Especially with upper respiratory stuff. I'm fairly good about drinking loads of fluids, but not so good at taking it easy. I'm trying to do better now. I've even taken off from running since Friday. Which is killing me. But I think I need the extra fifteen minutes of sleep. And maybe the added exertion isn't exactly what I need right now. And there will be plenty of time for running later, right? What I need to do though is stop piling so much on my plate right now. Not a good time for it at work, but maybe when I come home I need to put my feet up more. (Have I mentioned how much I'm looking forward to Thatboy being healed?)

At least I've been working with some super easy dinners this week and last. Super easy dinners that involve picking up some pre-cooked meat from Trader Joes and using it to create meals that are ready in minutes.

Mushroom beef and peas
2 slices of bacon, cooked till crisp.
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 lb mushrooms, cut in half
1 cup cooked peas
3/4 cup cooked beef (I use the roast sirloin from Trader Joes)
1/2 cup gravy
2 Tbsp red wine
salt

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add onions and mushrooms and cook until onion is soft.
2. Add the beef, peas, gravy and wine and simmer 10 minutes.
3. Add salt to taste and sprinkle with bacon.
   

Next week's topic is how to stay healthy on a budget.

And here are a list of the other bloggers participating:

• Sarah - www.sarahscucinabella.com
• Cate - www.sweetnicks.com
  
• Maris - www.ingoodtasteblog.net
• Chris - www.melecotte.com
• Faith - www.clickblogappetit.com/
• Kristen - www.dineanddish.net
• Emily - http://andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/
• Jenna - http://stopdropandblog.com/
• Joanne - http://www.joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/,
• Casey - http://www.thestarnesfam.com
• Patsy - http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/
• Tri-Fit Mom - http://trifitmom.blogspot.com/
• Claire - http://cookiedoc.blogspot.com/
• Allison - http://sweetflours.blogspot.com/
• Jen - http://njepicurean.blogspot.com/
• Leslie - www.thehungryhousewife.com
• Rivki - http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/
  
• Claudia from Journey of an Italian Cook
• Jennifer - http://lick-a-plate.blogspot.com/
  

Why Hello There!

On the off chance that anyone is still there. There has been a decided absence round these parts, as unintentional as can be, although I warned you things would be a bit hectic around here. Let's break it down a bit.

Monday - I knew it was going to be a long day, since we were supposed to head up to LA for the first night of Passover seder. Except as we were leaving the house, Thatboy did something to his back that had him laying on the floor screaming in pain. So the night was instead spent in urgent care. And Thatboy's injury kept me running around breathless for the past two weeks.

You don't realize how much marriage is a partnership until one of you becomes injured. That injured party contributes to all the mess of the house, but none of the cleanup. So laundry for 2 was still being created, but not done. Dishes for 2 were still being dirtied, but not washed. And I was left in charge of all the little chores we usually split - garbage, dog walking, etc. on top of the things which are usually my purview completely - making meals.

Tuesday was dinner with Thatmom for the second night of Passover, which also had us getting home later than the time we usually turn in for bed.

Wednesday I grabbed dinner with Prez. And eating out during Passover is never fun. Especially when Prez orders pizza for her meal. Then I got to come home and take care of the invalid, dog, housework, and lunches for the next day.

Thursday was my night to "take care of it all." As Thatboy sat in his "my poor back" chair, doped up on drugs, I spent the night making dinner, lunch, egg custard tarts for our coworkers, and packing for the weekend - both Thatdog's stuff for "camp" and our stuff for actual travel.

Friday through Sunday I spent a miserable weekend with the inlaws. No big surprises there. I should save all that good time for its own special post. But needless to say, a lot of bad information was given by the inlaws who think they know everything, another last minute invitation was given to a party that was probably known about before we packed for the trip, and being pregnant did NOT, as one might think, increase my tolerance for selfish and thoughtless behavior.

Of course, we came home about a week behind. I thought I would be officially caught up on everything by Wednesday. But I apparently failed to take into account that I would be trying to catch up on 2 people's stuff, with only one person. (Can I just say that I am really excited for Thatboy's back to be better?) Here it is Sunday night and I am just now almost caught up - but not quite. The dishes are done, the laundry is clean, and I finally got a chance to dye my Easter Eggs I had hardboiled specially for the occasion:

But I didn't quite get a chance to do the major cleaning overhaul that this place desperately needs. I guess there's always a goal for the next week.

Playing Catch-up

We've been fairly busy this past month, using our weekends to work out elaborate meetings with friends to share our news. I don't even want to tell you how long it's been since I've folded laundry. Since next week proves to be another busy one with Passover about to begin tomorrow night, we used today to get really caught up.

I made a bunch of relishes (tomato, coleslaw, and mustard slaw) for some healthy veggie Passover snacks. I cut up fruit and tupperized it for easy snacking. I made our lunches for tomorrow and dinner for tonight. Thatboy vacuumed and did dishes. And of course, I folded laundry.

Of course, we took some time out to head to the beach. Since it was so lovely yesterday. But, as a surprise (or not) it was cold and windy at the beach. So I sat, wrapped in a sweatshirt and windbreaker while Thatboy fought some choppy waves.

It was great to get caught up, since tomorrow morning we're going to start falling behind again. With dinners Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday night, I'm really not going to be seeing much of my home until Thursday. And of course we leave Friday for Easter with the Inlaws. Can I tell you I'm already looking forward to May?

With the dip in weather, I wanted something warmer for dinner, which gave me a chance to use those tomatoes and green bell peppers I picked up at the farmer's market last week.

Gratin of Beef (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 tomato, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leave
1 tsp rosemary, chopped
salt and pepper
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 Tbsp capers
1/5 Tbsp gravy
sliced roast beef
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 Tbsp melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 400. Saute the onions and green bell pepper in canola oil about 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook 10 minutes until liquid has evaporated.
3. Add the bay leaf, rosemary, salt and pepper, parsley, capers and gravy.
4. Spread on the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Slay sliced beef on top, enough to cover.
5. Sprinkle the breadcrumps over the beef and drizzle butter over. Cook 15 minutes.
   

Too Darn Hot

I've mentioned before that Thatboy and I live fairly coastal - running distance from the beach. Which means it's a little cooler here than other parts of the county.

Today Thatboy and I traveled east 20 degrees. I'm not kidding. At some point, we passed one of those digital thermometers that read "95 degrees." Can I please point out we are in April right now?

When we finished our errands in Hades, I begged Thatboy "Please - drive west. Just go until the water starts coming in through the windows." (I tend to be a bit melodramatic.)

And so he did. Our errands including picking up lots of chocolate and candies for Thatniece and Thatnephew's Easter Baskets, which we had to leave precariously in an oven-like car while running into the supermarket. (Disclaimer- no chocolate bunnies were injured during this escapade.)

When we finally finished and had brought our bags of movies and candies and sundries back home, we both peeled off our clothes and (get your minds out of the gutter) threw on our swimsuits and headed down to the pool.

Obviously we were not the only ones with this idea. It seems like the pool is an excellent substitute babysitter for actual parenting. I mean, sure it seemed like some of the adults sitting along the side must be related to the screaming and running children, but surely one of them would have spoken up had it been their child who was casually throwing himself backwards into the corner of the shallow end of the pool. (Given that this is the same child who was tearing around the edge of the pool, just skimming the corners, I'm tempted to think he was actually gunning for some form of head injury. Perhaps they give out prizes for such a feat in his home.) I'm also not quite sure which adult belonged to the three year old who was sitting in the hot tub during our entire time there. Perhaps she belonged to the nine year olds who would race from the hot tub to the pool jumping in both? Or perhaps I'm the only one who doesn't quite see why a child would need to ride a bicycle around the edge of a pool.

Whatever the case may be, the pool was not quite as relaxing as I had hoped, although it was a welcome relief to cool down a bit. And of course, now that we're back home and the sun has set, it's back to normal night chilliness. And there was no way I was going to ruin the chill with something from the oven. If it's hot where you are, let me suggest something stovetop and spicy. Stovetop because....it's not going to heat up your whole kitchen/home. Spicy because it'll make you sweat a bit which will then evaporate and cool you off. Same idea as drinking hot tea or soup on a hot day. As a word of caution - drinking something cold on a cold day does not have the effect of warming you up.

Firecracker Shrimp
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup panko
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 cup sweet chili sauce
1 tsp Sriracha
1 tsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil

1. Dip shrimp in buttermilk and coat with panko.
2. Heat oil in skillet until hot. Fry shrimp 3-4 minutes, until crispy.
   
3. Whisk chili sauce, sriracha, fish sauce, and sesame oil.
4. Toss shrimp in sauce and serve hot!
   

Foggy Day

Thatboy and I are commuter buddies every now and again. We work across the street from each other, and aside from the fact we have different hours, it works out for the most part. A couple of weeks ago I was the cause for the commute as my car was getting some work done. Today, Thatboy brought his moneypit of a car in.

You have to understand, Thatboy LOVES this car. It was his first purchase when he got his first out of school grown up job. And he has since sunk a ridiculous amount of money in it. It's almost as if he is rebuilding it, one piece at a time. Last weekend, the driver side door stopped working. It no longer opens from the outside. So he made plans to drop it off at his mechanic (otherwise known as the Highway Robber) to get the door fixed.

Which means we were carpooling to work this morning and leaving at an insanely early hour so we could drop his car off and still get him to work on time. Too early for me to get in my morning run. And when the alarm went off, I was not ready to get up. I felt like I had taken Benadryl last night and it hadn't fully worn off. It was so bad, that I was afraid I was going to fall asleep in the shower, so instead of blowdrying my hair, I crawled back into bed for a couple extra minutes while Thatboy took his own shower. Except, he didn't bother to cancel his usual morning alarm, and I was too lazy to turn it off, so mostly I just laid there and listened to his alarm for 10 minutes.

Needless to say, I was exhausted all day. Thatboy blames it on the fact that I didn't get my morning run in, since that gets me up and at 'em in the morning.

When we got home, I was supposed to hit the gym with Thatboy - our usual pattern when we're both home at the same time. Which really only happens when we carpool. Otherwise he hits the gym and I hit a pilates video at home. Tonight, he hit the gym, and I hit the bed to grab those extra few minutes I missed out on this morning.

Dinner was obviously a bit late and being that it's Friday night, I wanted something with little effort. So a reinvention of leftovers it was! Hash is a typical way to use up leftover corned beef (although I will never turn down a nice corn beef sandwich). It really works for all meat though. And although this roast beef hash was used for dinner, it would be fantastic for breakfast with a nice poached egg atop.

Roast Beef Hash
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup cooked roast beef, chopped
1 baked potato, peeled and chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 cup gravy
salt and pepper

1. Melt the butter in a skillet and add the beef, potatoes, onion, and gravy. Cook until brown underneath, about 7 minutes.
   
2. Add salt and pepper to taste. Flip the hash and cook the other side for an additional 7 minutes.
   

When the market gives you lemons...

Guess who got all their veggies at the Farmer's Market today! Take that beet lady! Of course she had some gorgeous red and golden beets today, so I could take advantage. I've got tomato relish chillin' in the fridge. (I know, I know, no more tomatoes...) I used some cabbage in some sweet potato and cabbage soup for lunch tomorrow. Because when you have fresh veggies, it's hard for me not to use them right away.

Broccoli and carrots got used as a side dish (with some cauliflower thrown in because I really am trying to get us to eat more). And of course lemons create a perfect sauce to top chicken. They're also great for lemonade, but this recipe has a lot less sugar.

Chicken with Lemon Sauce
1/4 cup flour
1 clove garlic, minced
2 chicken breasts
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 cup chicken broth
juice of 1/2 lemon
chopped parsley

1. Combine flour and garlic. Use all but 1 Tbsp to coat the chicken.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken 6 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove from skillet.
3. Add broth, lemon juice, and remaining flour to skillet. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 5 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.
4. Pour sauce over chicken and sprinkle chopped parsley over top.
   

More Bites - of Balls

This weekend we had lunch with The Ks. Thatboy ordered a meatball sandwich. I have this fantasy that meatball sandwiches are should be like bites of pure joy. A soft, fragrant meatball covered in sweet tangy tomato sauce and ooey gooey cheesy. All wrapped in nature's favorite carbohydrate - a crusty roll.

This was not that sandwich. The meatballs themselves were nearly completely flavorless and disappointing. Meatballs should never be disappointing. Meatballs should never be boring. As I have oft stated, there is just so much that can be done with those little balls of meat.

And to emphasize my point, everyone go to your fridge and pull out a pound of ground meat. (turkey, chicken, beef, lamb - whatever you have handy) It's okay. I'll wait.

Back? Okay. Now divide that ground meat into two piles. With the first we're going to make your basic Italian meatballs. You know, the kind that go in meatball sandwiches, or on top of spaghetti. This is not the first meatball recipe I've shared, and it definitely won't be the last. I love experimenting and playing around with them. These are a great balance of herbs, garlic, and meat.

Italian Meatballs
1/2 lb ground meat
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp parsley, minced
1 Tbsp basil, chiffonade
1 egg white
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp oil
2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce

1. Combine the beef, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, basil, egg white, salt and pepper.
2. Mix thoroughly and shape into balls.
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan and brown the meatballs on all sides.
4. Drain the oil and add the tomato sauce. Cover and simmer 40 minutes.
   

Alright, still have that other half pound of meat? Of course you do! Where would it go? It hasn't had legs or a heartbeat in at least a day or two! We're going to use the remaining meat to make Swedish Meatballs. These are fabulous as appetizers, but equally fabulous when served over noodle. They do come in their own delicious sauce, after all.

Swedish Meatballs
1/2 lb ground meat
1 slice of bacon
2 slices of bread
1 egg white
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 325. Combine the meat, bacon, and bread in a food processor, pulsing twice.
2. Add egg, sugar, allspice, nutmeg, salt , and pepper with meat mixture. Shape into 1 inch balls.
3. Melt butter in ovenproof skillet and brown meatballs.
4. Add the beef broth, cover, and bake 45 minutes.
5. Add the cream, cover and cook another 15 minutes.
   

Bite Size Treats

Thanks for all the good wishes guys, you certainly know how to make a girl feel warm and fuzzy inside!

Don't worry, I can promise you that this is not about to become a baby blog, or a mommy blog, or anything like that. I have another blog specifically for that! I haven't been boring you with pregnancy trivialities up to now, and I don't plan on starting any time soon.

And I can guarantee you'd be bored.

I have been ridiculously and incredibly lucky on all aspects of this pregnancy - and trust me, I'm aware that it's not the norm. Not a day of nausea, no cravings, no aversions, not even a minute of fatigue. Which is why there hasn't been a break in your regular blog reading! I've been eating just the same as I did 15 weeks ago, with the exception that there has been a marked decrease in my alcohol intake. Now I only use it in cooking. Which explains why I've been using it a lot in marinades and sauces. (Notice I said decrease, not absence!)

But in honor of our expected bundle of trouble, I'll share with you a very special recipe. How many of you grew up with TGIF like I did? You know, Full House, Family Matters, Step by Step. Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. You ALL remember Full House. Okay. Now that we're all on the same page, do y'all remember how Becky told Uncle Jesse she was pregnant? She served him a meal of "baby" food - baby corn, baby carrots - you get the idea.

Well I present to you - Baby Steak Sandwiches! Now that Trader Joes carries slider rolls, there's no reason to eat full size anything anymore! Bite size food is not only cuter, but I'm pretty sure it tastes better. And for some reason you feel less guilty eating it. Pan fry a thin steak, throw it on a slider roll, and you're pretty much done. Which is perfect for moms, non-moms, and moms-to-be!

Baby Steak Sandwiches
1 lb thinly slices boneless top round meat
1 bottle of your favorite dark lager
1/4 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
3 Tbsp shredded parmesean
1 clove garlic, minced
salt
1 egg
1 Tbsp milk
olive oil
slider rolls

1. Cut meat into 2x3 rectangles. Marinate in beer overnight.
2. Dry meat with paper towels. Mix together the bread crumbs, parmesean, garlic, and just a smidge of that salt.
3. Mix eggs and milk in shallow bowl.
4. Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in large pan over medium high heat. Dip meat in egg, then in bread crumb mixture.
5. Fry meat 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
6. Serve on slider rolls.
   

This is the one Jonesy

I haven't been entirely honest with Eat.Live.Be. I've been kind of a cheater. This is the post where I'm coming clean.

My first cheat was in picking my goals. I purposely picked things that would be pretty easy for me to do. Drinking more water? Drinking less alcohol? Yeah, those were very specific goals. Nothing nearly as difficult as "watching what I eat" or "losing 15 lbs."

Speaking of the losing 15 lbs, here's my second cheat. Every month we're supposed to post how much weight we've lost. I haven't been posting this. And there's a reason for this. I haven't been losing weight. In fact, since Eat.Live.Be. has begun, I've actually gained 2 lbs.

Whew. It feels good to finally confess. Although, I'm sure you're expecting a little more from me. You know, like an explanation for my sneakiness? Well, let me try to explain.

Today on Eat.Live.Be. we're supposed to discuss vitamins and supplements we take. I get most of my vitamins from the food I eat, but I do supplement - I take these every night.

Not quite getting the full picture yet? Maybe these cookies will help. My friend Wan made them for me. Isn't she incredibly talented? If you need cookies for any occasion, I would definitely get in touch with her.

Still not there? Maybe Thatmom can put it into words best.

Next week's topic we share our playlists. I love music, so expect some good times!

And here are a list of the other bloggers participating:

• Sarah - www.sarahscucinabella.com
• Cate - www.sweetnicks.com
  
• Maris - www.ingoodtasteblog.net
• Chris - www.melecotte.com
• Faith - www.clickblogappetit.com/
• Kristen - www.dineanddish.net
• Emily - http://andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/
• Jenna - http://stopdropandblog.com/
• Joanne - http://www.joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/,
• Casey - http://www.thestarnesfam.com
• Patsy - http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/
• Tri-Fit Mom - http://trifitmom.blogspot.com/
• Claire - http://cookiedoc.blogspot.com/
• Allison - http://sweetflours.blogspot.com/
• Jen - http://njepicurean.blogspot.com/
• Leslie - www.thehungryhousewife.com
• Rivki - http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/
  
• Claudia from Journey of an Italian Cook
• Jennifer - http://lick-a-plate.blogspot.com/

Where's the Beet

Okay, now I can start sharing where those beets were supposed to go. The other night Thatboy told me he was craving red meat. It must be related to the full moon or something. Usually he's pretty nonverbal about requests, eating whatever I give him. Even his requests are a little "vague."

"what kind of red meat do you want?"
"I dunno"

Helpful, right?

So I closed my eyes, opened my Fannie Farmer book and pointed. And when I saw this recipe not only had beef, but also beets I was all in. It also had capers which is an inside food joke in our family. Everyone has those, right? This is pretty much a hash, even though it's not titled as such. And like most hashes, mine have a tendency to fall apart. It's a weakness of mine. Good thing I'm good at so many other things!

Beef a la Lindstrom(From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
2 potatoes, boiled and mashed
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 roasted beets, diced fine
2 Tbsp minced onion
3 Tbsp capers
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp oil

1. Mix the potatoes, beef, egg yolks, cream, beets, onion, capers, salt and pepper.
   
2. Shape the mixture into 6 patties. Melt the butter and oil in a skillet and fry patties over medium heat, turning as they brown.

Les Pomme Frites

Have you ever noticed the fries you make at home aren’t as good as the fries you get at restaurants? Well I’m going to tell you the secret right here. Are you ready for it?

Fries in restaurants are so good because they are dipped in a giant vat of old oil with a timer that tells you exactly when to pull them out. The old oil definitely helps. It’s why fries taste so much better at midnight than they do at 4 in the afternoon. (and the four or five beers you’ve had since 4 in the afternoon don’t hurt with making the fries taste so good.)

Now, chances are, most of you don’t have an industrial grade French fryer in your kitchen. (And be thankful you don’t – can you imagine the cleanup on those puppies?) So we home cooks need to come up with other ways to make our fries sinfully delicious. One of the bars Prez and I go to gives you fries with parmesean, garlic, and truffle oil on top. These are some serious fries. (Again, the 2-3 martinis we drink alongside might influence our palettes a little bit.)

I don’t have truffle oil, but it’s something I need to pick up – Thatboy and I also love it on our popcorn. These fries, however, definitely take advantage of the parmesean aspect of our bar fries. This is a recipe for baked French fries, because in Thathouse, all our fries are baked. If you want to make them the stovetop way, just fill a pot/pan/metal dancing clog with oil and cook the fries that way before adding the “seasoning.” Remember, the thinner you cut the fries, the crispier they will get.

Eat these plain, or use them for steak frites. Leftover fries always get turned into steak frites in Thathouse.

And if you have truffle oil at home, a drizzle on top definitely isn’t going to hurt the flavor of these puppies. In fact, I encourage it. And then send me some!

French Fries
2 potatoes
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp grated parmesean
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp chopped parsley

1. Preheat oven to 425. Cut potatoes into thin strips and toss with olive oil
2. Bake 30 minutes, or until crisp.
3. Mix parmesean and seasoned salt. While the fries are still warm, toss with cheese/salt mixture.
4. Top with parsley.
   

Missed out on my beets!

Let today serve as a lesson to everyone. I went down to the farmer's market and saw some beautiful beets. I know they are fantastic, because I picked them up 2 weeks ago and used them in just about everything.

Making a mental note to return for the beets, I headed to pick up a quick lunch. On my way back the beets were gone. GONE! Sold out. Not a one left. I was so sad. Next week the beet lady will be my first stop.

Instead I picked up some more mandarins for my ever dwindling supply. How is it that even though I am constantly buying them they always seem to disappear. More tomatoes (you're not really surprised are you?) and some green peppers. My egg guy wasn't there this week, which is a little sad since I love buying my eggs at the market, watching him go through each dozen to find me the "best" one.

I have plans for all those produce, but of course, none will be featured tonight. I have to keep you guys coming back, don't I? I know right now you're sitting on the edge of your seats just wondering what tomato dish I can screw up next. Many of you will toss and turn tonight over my disappearing citrus dilemma. I get it, it's slow on television right now. Although, tonight marks the return of new Vampire Diaries AND America's Best Dance Crew, so Thathouse is full of happiness.

Happiness and mushrooms. Normally the two of those together lead to far different connotations. And one day I'll tell you the story about my crazy dream that involved mushrooms and the Beatles. Well, nevermind because that's pretty much the dream right there. I guess I'm not so good at previews.

Tonight I'm presenting a dish that uses a lot of mushrooms, in a sauce that coats a flavorful ground beef. So much better than your average meatloaf. I served them aside some mushrooms and peas, just in case the sauce wasn't mushroomy enough for you.

Cannelon of Beef (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
2 lbs ground beef
grated rind of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp minced parsley
1 egg
2 Tbsp minced onion
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
4 slices salt pork
Mushroom Sauce (recipe to follow)

1. Preheat oven to 400. Combine the beef, lemon rind, parley, egg, onion, melted butter, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix until very well blended. Chill and then shape into a roll.
2. Place on rack in roasting pan, arrange slices of salt pork over the top and bake for 30 minutes.
3. Serve with mushroom sauce.

Mushroom Sauce (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
5 Tbsp butter
1/2 lbs mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp flour
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup heavy cream
salt to taste

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes until they darken a little.
2. Stir in the flour, blend to smooth, and cook 2 minutes.
3. Slowly stir in lemon juice, cream, and salt, and cook until hot.
   

Prepping for Pesach

Passover is just a few weeks away. I don't normally plan in advance, but this year I am. There are two reasons for this. The first is that when I went shopping this week, the people in front of me had an entire cart full of their Passover shopping. And that was last week! Am I already behind? Last week was the first week my store had the Passover section open - 5 rows of Passover food. The second reason is Cara's Seder Plate Challenge.

Cara's challenge is based upon the traditional Passover Seder Plate - the ritual centerpiece of the ritual meal for Passover.

Let's start with the egg and work our way around, since all of you are familiar with an egg.

Egg - this is a symbol that pretty much everyone recognizes. It's the idea of rebirth. The circular shape represents the cyclical nature of life. (You know "The Circle of Life") I have yet to have one person explain to me the relationship between the Easter Bunny and eggs, since rabbits are mammals and therefore don't lay eggs. I have a theory this is one of the "borrows" from another religion the Catholic church is over so found of. (Oh HI Christmas tree!)

Okay, go in either direction from the gg and you'll find:

Green Vegetable - I can't explain why, but every single seder plate I've seen has an extra "spot" on it, this one fills the spot with a green veggie, but you can just as easily put a cup of tea in the extra space. Anyway, back to the green veggie. This is another symbol of newness - regrowth, hope, and all that good junk. But just in case you get a little too hopeful, the green veggie is parsley 99% of the time. Not exactly tasty. And in case parsley is your thing, we also dip it in salt water, to remember the tears of our ancestors.

Lamb Shank - This is representative of the Passover offering, or ritual sacrifice. I grew up in a very small town (hi Rene!) and they were not really familiar with Jewish traditions. I remember every year having to convince my friends that the Jews do not eat Christian babies at Passover. Somehow the idea of the 10th plague (the killing of the firstborn Egyptians while "Passing Over" the homes of the Jews) has been twisted and translated into something very...weird. Frankly, I'm tempted to say that the eating of Christian babies goes against a number of Jewish tenets such as "thou shalt not murder" and the whole idea of "kosher."

Charoset - Somehow Jewish holidays always involve apples. Interesting since apples are definitely not spring fruit. These apples are mixed with red wine, nuts, honey, and spices. In the Passover story the Jews were slaves in Egypt and had to do slave things like build pyramids. So next time someone tells you about the aliens or Mayans being in charge of the pyramids, you tell them that my people broke their backs making those suckers. Anyway, long story short, the charoset represents the mortar between those bricks.

Bitter Herb - horseradish! Because man y'all, that slavery time? So not fun. And in case you forgot about how much is sucked, a bite of this will remind you. Yeah, we're still bitter. Ask anyone whose people have been enslaved. We hold grudges.

Anyway, Cara has started a challenge in which we use one of the items from the seder plate to create a Passover friendly dish. I'm expecting loads of really creative dishes. Especially considering Cara has always been my inspiration for Passover meals. She introduced me to quinoa which has been a Passover staple in Thathouse ever since.

This is not one of those creative recipes. BUT it is a fabulous way to get a lamb shank for your seder plate. (Although, my supermarket gives them out for free - they literally stick a basket in the meat section and you can just grab them - but maybe you don't live in such an awesome place.)

First you braise the lamb shanks.
Then you eat the lamb.
Then you throw them back in the oven to roast off any remaining meats on the bone.

Oh you want more of a recipe? Try this:

Braised Lamb Shank
4 lamb shanks
2 fat cloves of garlic, each cut into 8 slivers.
3 Tbsp margarine (butter is a no no for kosher preparation because the dairy and meat)
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp grated lemon rind
juice of 1.5 lemons
salt
pepper
4 carrots, chopped
8 small white onions, peeled

1. Cut four slits in each lamb shank and insert a sliver of garlic.
2. Heat the margarine in a dutch oven and put the shanks in. Brown on all sides.
3. Add the bay leaf, lemon rind, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup water.
4. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the entire thing. Simmer for 1 hour.
   
5. Add the carrots and onions and cook 40 minutes longer.
   

Using those rotten tomatoes

Today is the week I complain about tomatoes. Have you picked up on that yet? I consider it part of the martyr complex I'm nurturing. I'm running for sainthood and since I'm Jewish, I need all the help I can get!

In reality, I hit the nail on the head yesterday when I told you that I can't live without tomatoes year round. Even when they are no good. In the summer, I eat them like apples, sliced, or bitten right into them. The rest of the year I use them raw only when I get desperate. The rest of the time I cook them into meals - sauces, stirfries, and casseroles. Throw them into soups and omelets.

Baked tomatoes are almost salvageable. Because baked tomatoes take on so many of the flavors of what you're cooking with. They add to that rainbow of fruits and veggies we were talking about yesterday and are a great easy way to bulk up a meal. Tomatoes are one of those fruits that are just filled with water. Which makes them a great choice for filling up without adding a lot of calories.

This dish is loaded with color- red(ish) tomatoes, yellow corn, green peppers. I probably should have posted it yesterday since it is such a rainbow. It's also a total comfort dish, with a healthy twist. No cheese! You won't miss it.

Tomato Casserole
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 green bell pepper, chipped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 lb ground beef
1 cup corn (shhhh I used frozen)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tomato, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in skillet and cook peppers and onions until translucent.
2. Add the ground beef and brown.
3. Stir in corn and salt.
4. Place everything in an 8x8 baking dish and cover with the tomato slices.
5. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over and bake 25 minutes.
   

From the Earth

This week's topic on Eat.Live.Be. is creative tips to make sure you're getting in all your fruits and veggies.

This one is just a no-brainer for me. I completely attribute it to my parents. Both of them were veggie eaters, and my mom even liked the "weird" veggies - like brussels sprouts. Thatmom is also a fruit fiend. So we had a variety of vegetables and fruit in the house year round.

Vegetables were always served with dinner. And stories are told about how one had to watch their lima beans when dining with me. I was a lima bean fiend. I would steal them right off your plate. Know why? Because lima beans in my house were served with a generous serving of butter and salt. It's considered bad form to eat butter straight from the stick, so even at that age I was happy to find any acceptable vessel to get the butter into my mouth.

Salads were served every night - usually filled with fresh vegetables from our garden (during the summer). Thatbrother and I would be sent out to pick something fresh which made us feel empowered and like we were contributing to dinner.

As for fruit? Well I can hardly remember a day without fruit salad in the fridge. In the summer it was melon and berry. In the fall, pears and apples. Winter had citrus and grapes. If you were hungry after dinner, an apple was placed in your hand. "If you're hungry, then this should help fill you up." Fruit was treated as dessert - and when you treat it like a treat, that's the way it's viewed.

So my tips for working fruit and veggies into your diet?
1) Buy seasonal. Food in season tastes so much better when they're in season. I mentioned it the other day with tomatoes, but it really holds true for everything. I don't buy strawberries until I can literally smell them at the farmer's market. Never buy a melon before June. And zucchini and tomato are just perfect by end of the summer.

2) Work them into every meal. I'm not a proponent of using juice as a "fruit" because it's more sugar than anything else. It's too sweet for me, so I tend to water it down. I've gotten Thatboy to water down his insane amounts of juice too. Instead of orange juice at breakfast, try sliced oranges. Berries and grapes are perfect for breakfast. At lunch, throw some carrot sticks, celery, jicima, or cucumber for snacking. And at dinner, make sure you're using veggies in and around your main dish. I always throw some fruit into my salads along with the veggies.

3) Keep them handy. As soon as I buy strawberries, I chop them up so they're easy to grab. Same with carrots and celery. Keep them in some water and they'll last - except for the fact you'll be much more likely to grab a handful. I keep grapes in the freezer for anytime I want a cold, sweet snack.

4) Use them mercilessly. Throw some carrots in your smoothie for some added sweetness - and of course, the smoothie in general is a great way to add fruits and veggies into your diet. Add veggies into soups, stirfries, omelets, and pastas. There is really no dish that couldn't benefit from some added fruit and vegetables. Take grilled meat. Sure you could make a meal out of just meat and potatoes, but if you've got that grill growing, throw on a couple skewers of veggies. Even better, veggies AND fruit. I like pineapple, but peaches and apples also grill beautifully.

Lamb Kebab with Veggies
1/2 leg of lamb, cut into cubes
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup sherry
1/2 Tbsp canola oil
oregano
2 small onions, parboiled
2 large mushrooms
1 tomato, quartered
4 squares of green pepper
4 pineapple chunks

1. Mix lamb, sliced onions, slat, pepper, sherry, oil and a sprinkle of oregano in a bowl and mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Place the lamb on skewers and grill until cooked to your liking.
3. While lamb cooks, skewer the veggies and pineapple. Brush with a teaspoon of oil and grill 2 minutes per side.

Next week's topic is Vitamins and Supplements.

And here are a list of the other bloggers participating:

• Sarah - www.sarahscucinabella.com
• Cate - www.sweetnicks.com
  
• Maris - www.ingoodtasteblog.net
• Chris - www.melecotte.com
• Faith - www.clickblogappetit.com/
• Kristen - www.dineanddish.net
• Emily - http://andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/
• Jenna - http://stopdropandblog.com/
• Joanne - http://www.joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/,
• Casey - http://www.thestarnesfam.com
• Patsy - http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/
• Tri-Fit Mom - http://trifitmom.blogspot.com/
• Claire - http://cookiedoc.blogspot.com/
• Allison - http://sweetflours.blogspot.com/
• Jen - http://njepicurean.blogspot.com/
• Leslie - www.thehungryhousewife.com
• Rivki - http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/
  
• Claudia from Journey of an Italian Cook
• Jennifer - http://lick-a-plate.blogspot.com/

You're Hot and You're Cold

It was supposed to rain this weekend. Which of course means it was sunny and beautiful out. Still a little chilly yesterday. H made fun of me when I showed up at her house for dinner last night in a skirt. Good thing we were eating inside.

Today was warmer though. So much so that around 8pm tonight, Thatboy said it felt like a summer evening. Hey Mother Nature? You wanna make up your mind? I have no idea what to make for dinner these days. Menu planning seems like a waste since sometimes it's freezing cold and the sound of a cold salad sounds less than appealing. Other times that warm lentil soup you've been looking forward to all day just seems a bit out of place.

Luckily, I'm a fruit and veggie-holic. Which means at any given time there are boatloads of fruits and veggies, just waiting to be used and abused. So when the weather takes an unexpected turn for the beautiful, and we want to eat outside, it's easy enough to convert any meal to "salad night!"

Dressing is simple, just some vinegar and oil, because it can be tossed together quite easily at the last minute. And I already used up the garlic red wine vinaigrette I made to bring to H's last night. The rest is just made up of what we have. I know it's not tomato season, and frankly, these were not the best tomatoes. BUT I need fresh tomatoes year round, I can't help it. And I can buy them year round at the farmer's market, even if they are less that stellar. You can feel free to leave them out until this summer. You'll probably be just as happy.

Simple Spring Salad

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 chicken breast or several chicken tenders
2 cups of mixed baby greens
1 tomato, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
2 tsp cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper

1. Whisk together olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
2. Combine tomato, avocado, onion, and artichoke hearts with mixed baby greens.
   
3. Toss with the dressing and salt and pepper.
   
4. Saute chicken breast/chicken tenders stovetop. If using a chicken breast cut into slices.
5. Top the dressed salad with sliced chicken and cilantro.
   

The Best of Both Worlds

No, not like that silly.

I have quite possibly found the world's greatest chili idea. I know, chili, right? I mean, just two days ago I was complaining about the heat. But, as I often state, don't look twice at the thermometer in California because it will be completely different. We're back to the typical spring chill, as though this past week was just nature's April Fool's joke.

Anyway, back to one of my favorite meals - chili and corn bread. Have you ever thought of combining them into one dish? Well some smart person did. I wish I could say it was me. It wasn't. But once I heard about it, it was very easy to create my own recipe. And you can easily make it your own too by using your favorite chili and your favorite cornbread.

There are a variety of similar dishes. Kathleen just recently posted a "tamale pie" which is a very similar concept. But this, this is a "cornpone pie."

Corn bread baked atop chili so that one scoop gives you that sweet corn flavor atop delicious chili. Sure you can call it a casserole, but have you ever had a casserole this fabulous? Even the name brings joy to the tongue. If it doesn't yet, then a few verses from Stubby Kaye will have you hummin' as you combine the ingredients and bake it.



Try it. I swear by the time you have it in the oven, you'll be kicking your heels in the air. Of course, that's only half the excitement you'll be feeling once you take a few bites. You may never have chili the regular ole way again.

Corn Pone Pie
Ingredients for your favorite chili (if you don't have one, this one from Cooking Light works well.)
Ingredients for your favorite cornbread (if you don't have one, you can use the ingredients from these corn muffins.)

1. Preheat oven to 400. Cook the chili according to whatever chili recipe you're using.
2. Spread the chili into a 2 qt. baking dish.
3. Combine the ingredients for the cornbread batter and spread overtop of the chili.
4. Bake 20 minutes.