A Homemade Life: Bread Salad with Cherries, Arugula and Goat Cheese

I have such fond memories of summers growing up.  Not that they were terribly different than the school year.  My parents taught year-round, so daycamp took the place of school.

But the long days meant dinners outside on the picnic table in our backyard, and not having to go to bed quite as early.  And once, because it was still light, we headed to the movies AFTER dinner.  Since our bedtimes were usually around 8pm, this summer reprieve left a lasting memory for me.

I've been anxious to give Thatkid similar memories.  Especially since nowadays summers means movies in the park, which is way better than going to a theater.  But he's never been old enough to stay up late and sit through a movie.  Until this summer.  We've been taking advantage of both movies in the park as well as the drive in.

The first movie in the park we brought our chairs and blankets and watched The Box Trolls.  Which was fabulous and dark.  I love dark cartoons.  I could definitely add this to our Coraline and Nightmare Before Christmas collection.  Because it was free, it was our test run before shelling out money for a late night (8:30) movie.  Thatkid did great!

Thatkid has been asking to see The Minions movie for the past month.  But going to the theater doesn't really work for us right now with an infant.  The drive-in is definitely our solution.  Thatbaby slept the entire time, and Thatkid laughed his little butt off.

Our next stop is another movie in the park.  Big Hero 6.  Which would not be my pick given that Thatkid owns the movie and watches it nonstop at home.  But he really wants to see it in the park, and it does provide a nice family outing for us.  Plus, I do love picnics in the summer. Spread out on the blanket, easy cold dinners in the warm weather.  This bread salad is the perfect accompaniment to a summer picnic.  The toasted bread gives a little more bulk than your average salad, and the cherries celebrate all the best flavors of summer. 

Bread Salad with Cherries, Arugula, and Goat Cheese (From A Homemade Life)

6 oz rustic white bread

olive oil

1/2 lb cherries, halved and pitted, preferably Bing

1/8 tsp pressed garlic

balsamic vinegar

salt

arugula

goat cheese, crumbled

black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400. Trim the crusts from the bread with a sharp knife.  Tear the bread into rough, bite sized pieces.
2. Dump bread onto rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss to coat. Bake 8-10 minutes.
3. Put 1/3 of the cherries in a small bowl and crush them lightly with a fork.
4. Turn the bread into a large bowl and while it's still hot, toss with the garlic. Set aside to cool.
5. Add the smashed and unsmashed cherries and toss.
6. Add 2 tsp balsamic vinaigrette and toss.
7. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil and a pinch or two of salt and toss again.
8. Add 2 handfuls of arugula and toss one last time.
9. Finish with crumbled goat cheese and a few grinds of the pepper mill.

A Homemade Life: Tarte Tatin

Poor poor second children.  Little Thatbaby gets dragged all over town because how do you explain to a 3 year old that you can't do something because of the new baby?  You don't.  Instead you strap on the infant and head out.  Really, it's partly his own fault for being born in the summer, when there are so many activities we usually do as a family.

Like the fair.  It wouldn't be summer without our annual trip to the fair! 

The first thing we did when we got there was head for the animals!  Thatkid fed and pet cows, sheep, and goats.  But before long he was itching to head over to the rides.


He started slow with the carousel.

Although of course he chose the least tame of the carousel animals.  Maybe partially because we're going through a "How to Train Your Dragon" phase right now?


Thatkid's big milestone was that he rode all the rides by himself this time!

And he did some major thrill-seeking rides.  This balloon ride spun and went up pretty high in the air.  Thatkid got to ride it several times, because it had to keep stopping to let off crying, scared kids.  When he first got on, we were worried he'd be scared, but he surprised us with his bravery.

And proof that he will be quickly joining Thatboy on the big rollercoasters at amusement parks, his last and favorite ride was his very first roller coaster!

He had the biggest smile plastered on his face the whole time this fast coaster whipped him around.

After the rides, we headed over to "The Farm" where Thatkid made me identify every vegetable or grass that was growing out of the ground.  And World of Horses where they had every horse imaginable.  We also made our usual stops at the photography exhibit and the gems and minerals.

And of course, no trip to the fair would be complete without our annual stop at the photo booth!  This time with  our newest addition!

Four years of family fun!

Thatkid may be into the rides, but Thatboy and I always look forward to fair food.  We let Thatkid pick out ANYTHING he wanted for dinner.  And in classic Thatkid fashion, he went with pizza.

A sausage for me, because where else can you find a giant link like this?

Thatboy wins for weirdest fair food.  And friedest fair food.  The triple decker krispie kreme cheeseburger. 

I was not impressed.  I was even less impressed with his other choice, a deep friend peanut butter pickle.

I love fried pickles, but adding the peanut butter ruined them for me. 

Don't feel too bad for me, Thatkid and I split an even better fried fair concoction - funnel cake!

There were so many fruit toppings available, I just couldn't decide and went with the plain, unadulterated version.


It didn't hurt my decision making that I had this beauty at home.  Wizenburg's tarte tatin has all the benefits of funnel cake, but is so much easier to make.  I'm guessing.  I've never actually tried to make funnel cake at home.  But using pre-made puff pastry gives that same doughy goodness.  And it's topped with caramelized apples, making it even better than anything I could find fair-side.

Tarte Tatin (From A Homemade Life)

Juice of 1 lemon

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 to 6 Golden Delicious Apples

6 Tbsp butter

14 oz puff pastry

1. Stir together the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a large bowl.  
2. Peel and quarter the apples, trimming away the cores such that the quarter has a flat inner side.  Put the apples in the bowl with the lemon juice and sugar.  Toss well and let sit for 30 minutes.
3. In an 8 or 9 inch ovenproof pan, melt 4 Tbsp butter over medium heat. 
4. Add remaining 1 cup of sugar, along with 3-4 Tbsp of the lemon sugar juices.  Cook over medium low heat, stirring regularly, for 15 minutes.
5. Remove pan from heat and carefully arrange the apple pieces, rounded side down, in a decorative pattern.  Arrange a second layer of apples on top.
6. Dice the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter and distribute them evenly over apples.
7. Preheat oven to 375.  Cook apples over medium low heat for 20 minutes, frequently spooning the bubbling caramel over them.   Remove pan from heat.
8. Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface, until it is 1/16 thick.  Using a sharp knife, trace a circle in the pastry about 10 inches in diameter. Trim away the excess dough.  Carefully lay the pastry circle over the apples in the skillet, tucking the overlap between the apples and the side of the pan.
9. Place the skillet on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 25 to 35 minutes.  Remove skillet from the oven and let it rest for a minute. 
10. Tilt the pan slightly and pour as much of the juice as you can into the sink or trash can.  Place a serving platter upside-down over the skillet and invert the tart onto the platter.

Crave Wednesday: The Can't Beat This Combo

This is a twist on the roasted beet pizza I've already shared.  A much simpler, more mild version.    Quiet, unassuming goat cheese takes the place of sharp, aggressive feta.  Both provide a complementary tang, but I always think of goat cheese as the "little sibling" of cheeses.  And yes, I do personify cheeses, doesn't everyone?

It just seems to have a hidden allure.  Not quite as "in your face" as bold, brash cheddar.  And when used in a dish, it tends to meld and melt right in.  Even its texture is malleable, soft, eager to please.

Roasted beets have similar qualities.  Pairing the two together works really well, as anyone who has ever had a roasted beet salad, with roasted goat cheese already knows.  Just a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of walnuts, and you have a light and easy pizza, with flavors that just seem to "get it."

The Can't Beet This Combo (From Cooking Light)

1 lb refrigerated pizza dough

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

8oz roasted beets, sliced

1/3 cup walnut halves, toasted

1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese

2 Tbsp flat leaf parsley

1. Preheat oven to 425. Roll dough into 14 inch circle.  Brush with olive oil.
2. Top with beets, walnuts, and goat cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes.
3. Sprinkle parsley over pizza and cut into 8 wedges.

Mommy Mondays: Thatbaby's Nursery

Nursery tours are so much fun, aren't they?  I posted before about my inspiration, but here's how it all came together.

 The print in the middle was where we started.  And the guest bed is where we ended!  I knew I wanted to work with primary colors in the room, coming from the rocket print, but it's a little hard to find colors to match!  All the yellows were golds, the blues were navies, and no oranges or greens could be found.  So red it was.  

I contacted an etsy seller about the smaller rocket prints.  I sent her the colors from the print, asking if one rocket could be blue/green/yellow and the other rocket pink/red/orange.  I love how they turned out.  When I was bringing in some baby stuff from the garage I found these little Rainbow Brite sprites I had made when I was a kid.  I thought they'd be perfect with the room and colors. 

I really didn't want to get a bedding set, since I knew I'd only be using the crib skirt, since I wanted white sheets.  But I could not find a crib skirt that matched the colors I wanted for the room.   Except in a set - MiGi Rainbow.  (Which is funny, because  Thatbaby's bedding was also MiGi).  When the whole set went on sale for less than $50, I caved in and got it.  And the matching window valence.

I wanted a rocket mobile for the crib, but didn't want to pay etsy prices.  So for about $10 I made my own.

We kept Thatkid's crib and dresser, but I wanted to spruce up the dresser a bit, so I got wooden knobs and painted little rockets on them.

For long nights, I made myself a nursing corner.  The little nightstand holds breastpads and pump supplies and also works to hold my water/snack while I nurse.  Then of course the glider I end up sleeping in a lot of the night!

Paint: Barking Creek by Valspar

Furniture: Graco Sarah Crib, Ikea Hemnes Dresser, Best Chairs Glider (already owned), Straight and Narrow Book Ledge by Land of Nod $24.95

Night table: SELJE - Ikea $29.99

Sky Blue Rug with Clouds and Rain:– HawkerPeddler - Etsy $99.99

Nursing Table: Brimnes– Ikea $39.99

Curtains: Matilda – Ikea $29.99

Window Valance: MiGI Rainbow from Baby Super Mall - $14.99

Crib Skirt: MiGi Rainbow -$48.95

Rainbow Rocket Stacking Toy: Land of Nod (Discontinued)

Lamp shade and base:  - IKEA $24.99

Pillows: Ross - $9.99

Changing Pad cover: Land of Nod $35

“Rainbow Rocket” artwork: Yumalum– Etsy $55.00

“Rocket” artwork:TRMDesign - Etsy $35.00

Sprites: DIY

Stuffed Koala: Cloud B from Zulily $17.99

Mobile: DIY

Rocking Horse: Rockabye Rockers (already owned)

Crib sheets: Tadpoles from Amazon $29.99

A Homemade Life: Arugula Salad with Pistachios and Chocolate

I hope your Fourth of July was filled with friends and fireworks. Mine was!  We actually started off on the 3rd of July, when the city of Oceanside holds their own fireworks show to celebrate their incorporation anniversary.  The HorseWhispers get together with their neighbors for a little potluck to watch the show and we crashed.

The two small blondes wasted no time in causing havoc.  Chasing each other, running around, and playing whatever games kids play these days.  They kept each other entertained all evening.

I was going to bring headphones for Thatbaby's ears, but I completely forgot.  Not to worry, the little guy slept through allllll the fireworks.

The next morning, we got up and got ready for our own Independence Day celebration.  Thatboy decided it was the perfect time to test out the new tent I got him for Channukah.  While I threw some watermelon in the freezer, he spent the morning turning our backyard into a campground.

 

A campground with a swimming pool, playground, and firepit.  

 

Once everything was all set up, the boys got good and wet.  With Thatbaby to take care of, I stayed out of the pool.  But I did find an errant water gun, and decided to wage war.  Which was pretty effective, until the gun got wrested from my hand.  Even having an infant strapped to my chest didn't protect me!

Late in the afternoon, our guests arrived.  The HorseWhispers showed up with hot dogs, chips and salsa.  Our neighbors provided freshly smoked tritip and more water guns.

 

We made hamburgers, buffalo wings, and Wizenburg's arugula salad with pistachios and chocolate.  I was a little nervous about serving a salad with three ingredients, especially when one of them was chocolate, but it was a huge hit.  Everyone loved it.  I tossed all the ingredients together rather than letting people add their own, because I'm controlling like that.

After dinner, Thatboy started the fire while I attempted to put Thatbaby to bed while HorseWhisperer entertained the blonde ones.

 

And then it was time  to make smores!  This was the first time HorseWhisperer had ever made smores!

 

The kids  especially enjoyed the treat!

jjj

When it got dark, we headed across the street to watch the fireworks with my neighbors.  Then the boys headed back out to the tent while I stayed inside with Thatbaby.

The next morning we joined the rest of the family in the tent.  They had a great night out there!

 Arugula Salad with Pistachios and Chocolate (From A Homemade Life)

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

3 Tbsp Banyuls vinegar (I used sherry vinegar)

1/2 tsp salt

5 Tbsp olive oil

8 oz arugula

2 Tbsp finely chopped pistachios

2 Tbsp finely chopped bittersweet chocolate

1. Whisk the mustard, vinegar, and salt in a small bowl.
2. Whisk in the olive oil.
3. Put the arugula in a large bowl and add a spoonful or two of dressing. Toss.
4. Divide the arugula between plates. Serve with small bowls of pistachios and chocolate.  (I tossed them all together)

A Homemade Life: Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Ganache

A couple months back, I noticed a new addition to one of my favorite shopping centers - A Lost Abbey tasting room, "The Confessional."

 Lost Abbey is my favorite San Diego craft brewery, and this tasting room was close enough for an after work get together with my friends.  The only problem?  You're not supposed to drink when pregnant.

So I made plans with M that when we were both done being pregnant, we would plan a girl's night there.

The new tasting room is also very close to our pediatrician.  So after one of Thatbaby's doctor's appointments, Thatboy and I headed over to check it out.

It's a small place, but I love the way the interior has an organic feel, with curved lines, and wood everywhere.  There's even a tree right inside the entrance.   The menu has two components, "drink here" and "drink later."   There's the slew of regulars on draft, and you can get a growler to take home of any of them.  They also sell bottles - some hard to find, their classics, and seasonal brews.

We started off with a summer seasonal - the Lemon Yellow Sun by Port Brewing Co., the counterpart to Lost Abbey.  It was brewed for the National Homebrewer's conference, earlier in the month.  A pale ale imbued with citrus, it's the perfect summer beer.  A step up from throwing an orange slice in a hef.

Next Thatboy tried the Serpent's Stout, a classic stout with flavors of coffee and chocolate.  I went with one of my all time favorites, Red Barn Ale, an herby, fruity saison. I've been waiting months for this one!

 For round 3, I tried their seasonal saison, Carnevale.  A fruity, spring saison, this one was lighter than Red Barn.  Thatboy had the Lost and Found.  Lost Abbey uses raisin in many of their beers, which gives a very interesting flavor.  Lost and Found makes good use of this technique.

We rounded out the tasting with Judgment Day and Avant Garde.  Judgment Day is another raisin-y ale, but darker and more full bodied than Lost and Found.  Avant Garde is a warm "drink with anything" kind of ale.

We ended up taking a bottle of Agave Maria, a seasonal beer aged in tequila barrels home with us.   The Confessional doesn't serve any food, but they're located right beside a "pizza by the slice" store, so you won't go hungry.  Want something lighter?  Sambazon Acai is across the way.  Or you could pick up something a little heavier and more diverse from nearby Seaside Market. 

I didn't ask, but I would bet money you could also bring your own snacks in.  Like how we go wine tasting.  Beer goes with just about anything- meats and cheeses are always popular, or french fries.  Or cookies.  Like these macaroons.  I've made macaroons before, but this is definitely my new favorite macaroon recipe ever.  First, because it's easy.  And I'm a sucker for easy.  Second because it tastes so fresh and light!  Being Jewish I've had my fair share of macaroons.  A can makes their way to every Passover, until I grew up.  They're my least favorite Passover treat, those heavy balls of sweetness and not much else.  This version still has some sweetness (coconut will do that) but not the heavy feeling.  And the bittersweet chocolate is a welcome addition.

 Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Ganache (From A Homemade Life)

3 cups lightly packed sweetened shredded coconut

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup egg whites

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Place the coconut, sugar, and egg whites in a heavy saucepan and stir well.  Cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently, 10-15 minutes, until it no longer looks creamy but is sticky and moist.  Remove from heat
2. Stir in the vanilla.  Scrape the mixture into a pie plate or small baking sheet, spread it out a bit to allow it to cool quickly, and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 300.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Scoop mixture into small domes and space evenly on baking sheet.  Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden.  Cool completely and place on rack over baking sheet.
4. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl.
5. Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat, until it is hot and steaming.  Remove the pan from heat and pour cream over chocolate.  Let sit for one minute, then stir until smooth.
6. Spoon warm ganache generously over the macaroons, shaking them gently to coax the ganache down their sides.
7. Refrigerate the macaroons on the rack until the ganache sets, at least 2 hours.