Love Sandwich: Croque Madame

You guys I am killing it this Valentine's Day.  It's February 5th and I've already got presents for all three of my guys.  I'm never usually this on top of it.

I've even got our Valentine's Day menu already planned out, important since Thatkid is off school for the day and if you have kids you know they turn into eating machines when they're home.  I honestly don't understand it.  He often comes home from school with his lunch, still untouched in his lunchbox.  I have to convince him to bring snack for snacktime.  And yet, when he's not at school, he's "hungry" every 15 minutes.

So my goal for Valentine's Day is filling meals to keep him from complaining all day.  That, and putting him in charge of making it himself.  A croque madame has different components that he's already familiar with, put together in a new way.  It's got the white sauce he uses when he makes macaroni and cheese, along with a fried egg - one of his favorite things to make for dinner.  Plus it seems extra Valentine-y to make a French sandwich, doesn't it?  As they sing in the age-old classic, Anastasia, "The French have it down to an art."

Croque Madame

2 Tbsp butter, divided

1 Tbsp flour

1/2 cup milk

2 Tbsp Parmesan

1/2 cup shredded Gruyere, divided

4 slices sourdough bread

4 slices ham

2 eggs

1. Make the white sauce.  Melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat.  
2. Add in the flour and stir to create a paste.  Cook for 1-2 minutes until bubbling.
3. Stir in the milk.  Continue to stir and cook until the milk is thick.
4. Stir in Parmesan and half of the Gruyere and remove from heat.
5. Top 2 of the slices of bread with 2 slices of ham. 
6. Top the ham with half of the cheese sauce.
7. Top with the remaining 2 slices of bread.
8. Heat the remaining Tbsp of butter in a pan over medium heat.  Toast the sandwiches in the pan, about 2 minutes per side or until browned.
9. Place the sandwiches on a baking pan and top with remaining cheese sauce and Gruyere.  Place in broiler and broil until the cheese melts.
10. While the sandwiches are in the broiler, fry 2 eggs. 
11. When cheese has melted and eggs are fried, top each sandwich with one of the eggs.

Crave Wednesday: Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

I can't believe it's been a week since Valentine's Day.  I swear it was yesterday. And I know if I blink, it's going to be right around the corner again.

We ended up having a really nice and relaxing day.  I prepped breakfast the day before, so in the morning I just needed to make some cocoa and plate!

Typically, the boys each get a Valentine's Day book.  This year I picked up a couple other little things for them too.

 Thatkid has been very into making Valentines this year. Thatboy helped both kids make cards for me.

 Apparently, every year Thatboy brings me Irises on Valentine's Day.  And because I'm a terrible wife,  I didn't even realize.  I only found out because he apologized for just bringing a "regular" bouquet home for me.

 He also apologized for failing to find a Valentine's Day card.  But they did have birthday cards at the store he was at,  so he brought one of those instead.

For dinner, we headed out.  Which is always a gamble on Valentine's Day.  But there's a restaurant near us that provides babysitting while you dine, and being able to have adult conversation during dinner is the most romantic thing I can think of.  You can see into the playroom behind us in this picture.

 They take care of your kids, give them things to play with,  art to create, and they even feed them dinner.

 We brought the boys to the table to share dessert with us, because it's not Valentine's Day without a sweet treat.

Which is what I'm sharing with you today.  Chocolate cookies,  filled with ice cream. I mean,  you don't HAVE to fill them with ice cream.  They're chocolate cookies, they're fantastic on their own.  But if you've got chocolate cookies and ice cream,  why wouldn't you combine them?

Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches (from Cooking Light) 

1 cup flour 

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup dark brown sugar 

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 egg whites 

2 1/4 cups cookies and cream light ice cream

1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. 
2. Place brown sugar and butter in an electric mixer.  Beat at medium until creamy. 
3. Gradually add sugar, beating well. 
4. Add cocoa and egg whites, beating well. 
5. Gradually add flour, beating well. Drop by funded teaspoonsful 1 1/2 inches apart on bashing sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on pan 2 minute,  remove from pan and cool on wire rack. 
6. Spread 2 Tbsp of ice cream on flat side of 18 cookies,  top each with another cookie and freeze for 2 hours. 

Crave Wednesday: Red Velvet Cupcakes

 Happy Valentine's Day friends! I hope you are surrounded by people you love, and who love you in return.

We had a series of several changed and canceled plans this past weekend, which left us with an unexpected free Sunday.
We decided to take the boys to the Air and Space Museum because they'd never been, and they love the airplane museum in Palm Springs.

There's a special exhibit right now on "Speed" and Thatboy just couldn't pass it up.

The boys loved racing their cars down various ramps set up.

They rode motorcycles the only way I'm comfortable with them doing so.

They learned to change a tire, just like a pit crew.

 Of course, this was the Air and Space Museum, so we did eventually move on to the airplanes and space shuttles.

 We watched a 4D movie on the Apollo moon landing, which Thatbaby did not appreciate.  So while Thatboy and Thatkid stayed for some more 4D fun,  the little guy and I went to the kids' playroom where he flew planes, controlled a wind tunnel,  played with legos, and did some photo ops.

After the museum, we headed over to the grass for a picnic.

 And then it was time to fly our own planes.

I love spending time with my family, and that's going to continue today.  Gone are the Valentine's days with just Thatboy and I. Now we celebrate as a family.  And I have lots of family fun in store for my boys today.  Including special Valentine's Day treats.

I know red velvet on Valentine's Day is cliche.  But I'll be honest with you,  I love red velvet any day of the year.  So the excuse of Valentine's Day?  Red! Rich! Velvety!  I'll take it.  Trite doesn't have to mean bad.   Besides, aren't you looking for an excuse to eat cream cheese frosting?

Red Velvet Cupcakes (from Cooking Light) 

2 cups cake flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened + 3 Tbsp 

2 egg yolks

1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract 

1 cup buttermilk

1 oz red food coloring

3 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

8oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, 1/2 tsp salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa. 
2. Place 1 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup butter in large bowl and beat at high speed until blended. 
3. Add egg yolks, one at a time,  beating well after each addition. 
4. Stir in 1 tsp of vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low. 
5. Add flour mixture and buttermilk amending between the two, beginning and ending with flour. Beat until just combined. 
6. Stir in food coloring. 
7. Using clean, dry, beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed until stiff peaks form. 
8.  Fold 1/3 of egg whites into batter,  then gently fold in  remaining egg whites.
9. Place 24 paper muffin cup liners in muffin cups. Coat with baking spray. Spoon batter into cups and bake for 23 minutes.  Cool in 1n pan for 10 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely. 
10. Place remaining 3 Tbsp butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and beat at medium high speed until smooth. 
11. Add powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp vanilla, and a pinch of salt.  Beat until smooth. 
12. Place frosting in a ziplock bag.  Snip the corner off and pipe frosting on top of cupcakes. 

Crave Wednesday: Cherry Almond Crisp

Having grown up in Pennsylvania,  Groundhog's  Day holds a special place in my heart.  In fact,  during many of my formative years I was only a stone's throw away from Punxsutawney,  which wasn't great during KKK meetings,  but was fun whenever Punxsutawney Phil was the reason for gathering.

Growing up in California, my children do not have the same appreciation for the day.  They know not the seemingly endless days of winter, when you become a prisoner of your own home.  They do not hold out hope for the arrival of spring and return of outside activities.  They don't even realize that swimming is not a year round activity most places.

So I do what I can to bring the magic to them.  Most years we watch Phil's prognostication on YouTube.  But this is my year of planning in advance.  So I recorded the entire event coverage on the weather channel.  All 5 hours.

A little bit of fast forwarding,  and my children were right there in Punxsutawney, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Phil.

Of course, a special day calls for a special breakfast.  Groundhog pancakes for all! 

And to really get in the spirit, I let them have hot chocolate.  But you'd never know to look at them.

 And now that Groundhog's Day is over,  I can officially start prepping for Valentine's Day.  I told you, I am on the ball this year.

And of course, prep work is even easier when you go to the supermarket and find bags of cherries everywhere.  And they are so good!  Sometimes I forget how early cherry season starts, but I'm not missing out on any.  A bag barely lasts a day in this house,  shorter when you're using them in baked goods.

But cherry,  paired with almond,  gives you this deep,  rich,  red dessert that's perfect for an upcoming holiday. Serve it warm,  because I hear we've got 6 more weeks of winter left to go.

Cherry Almond Crisp (from Cooking Light) 

1 cup dried tart cherries 

2 lbs cherries, pitted 

2/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup + 3 Tbsp flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats 

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/2 tsp salt

5 Tbsp butter, melted

1/4 tsp almond extract

1.  Place dried cherries in a bowl with 1 cup of boiling water.  Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. 
2. Preheat oven to 375. Combine dried cherries,  soaking liquid,  pitted cherries,  sugar,  3 Tbsp flour,  vanilla,  and and cinnamon in a large bowl and mix well.  Let sit for 15 minutes. 
3. Coat a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.  Pour in cherry mixture and bake for 40 minutes. 
4. While it's baking,  combine 3/4 cup flour with oats, brown sugar, almonds,  and salt in a bowl.
5. In a separate bowl,  combine melted butter and almond extract. 
6. Drizzle butter mixture over flour mixture,  stirring until clumps form.
7. Remove cherry mixture from the oven and sprinkle with the topping. Bake an additional 20 minutes. 

Crave Wednesday: Grilled Tomato and Brie Sandwiches

 

Happy Belated Valentine's Day!  Only a week late really, and I had the best of intentions on sharing this last week, but, well, keep reading and you'll find out why that didn't happen.

My balloon plan worked out perfectly!  Each guy in my life awoke to 10 balloons with 10 things I loved about them.  Some of them woke a little earlier than others.

Thatbaby dug right into his book - Corduroy's Valentine.

When both boys and Thatboy were awake, they presented me with a gift the three of them had made for me - a new cork board to hang up all my favorite art the boys make or bring home.

And then it was breakfast time!  Because it was a school day, I had made heart shaped pancakes the night before, so I just needed to reheat them in the morning.

 

And then it was time to get dressed and head to school.

 

Thatkid has gotten too old for homemade Valentine treats.  He just wanted to pick out a box of cards from the store.  He did bring in strawberries cut like hearts for his school party though.   Thatbaby isn't too cool for school yet, so his classmates got playdoh - a BIG favorite.  Those kids are playing with playdoh about half the time when I pick him up.

It's hard to work out romance with 2 small kids at home, so Thatboy and I came up with a plan - we both skipped out of work early and headed to the fancy movie theater to see a movie.   He met me outside the movie theater with a rose.  "I picked you up a whole dozen roses on my way here!"  "Where are the other 11?"  "In the car."

 

After the movie, we headed home to pick up the boys.  Years ago, we tried to figure out how to celebrate Valentine's Day with a 4 month old and decided to take him to dinner at a place where a baby wouldn't be totally out of place - Old Spaghetti Factory!  We decided for a reprise this year.  Italian (if you can call it that) seems fitting for Valentine's Day, and this is about as family friendly as it gets. 

Then we came home and put the boys to bed.  Despite the fact he usually sleeps in much less, Thatkid was anxious to put on his new Valentine's Day pajamas.  And read his new Valentine's Day book.

The kids asleep, Thatboy and I curled up on the couch....and fell right asleep.  And so failed my plan of posting this recap. I know, we're terribly romantic.  But romance isn't always about wine and roses.  Romance is easily expressed through food, which is probably why Paris is considered so romantic.  The bread, the chocolate, THE CHEESE!  There's something about cheese, isn't there?  Wine and cheese, fondue, there's just a natural association between cheese and love. This simple grilled cheese sandwich couldn't be any more Parisian, any more romantic.  It's so simple, brie and tomatoes, grilled until the cheese melts, and melds it all together.  The toasty bread doesn't hurt either.  And what's most important is how quickly it comes together.  Because the real secret to romance, is the time you spend together, so the less time cooking, the better.

Grilled Tomato and Brie Sandwiches (From Cooking Light)

8 slices whole grain bread

1 tsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, halves

2 tsp country-style Dijon mustard

4 oz Brie cheese, thinly sliced

1 1/3 cup packaged baby arugula and spinach mix

8 slices beefsteak tomato

cooking spray

1.  Preheat grill to high heat.  Brush 1 side of each bread slice with oil.
2. Rub cut garlic over oil.
3. Spread 1/2 tsp mustard on each of 4 bread slices, oil side down.
4. Top each bread slice with 1 oz cheese, 1/3 cup greens, and 2 tomato slices.
5. Top with 4 bread slices, oil side up.  Place sandwiches on a grill rack coated with cooking spray.  Grill 2 minutes on each side.

Mommy Mondays: Gearing Up for Valentine's Day

I love the fact that Thatkid is as gung ho about holidays as I am.

As soon as one holiday ends, he's ready to start prepping for the next.  The only problem is, they don't really have the same selection for boys in holiday wear that they do for girls.  It's always a search trying to find appropriate holiday shirts.

This year I have the added issue of the holiday pajamas Thatkid requested.

Valentine's Day is especially troublesome, because most of the shirts say things like "Ladies Man" or "Heart Breaker."  Neither of which I really want my sons wearings.  Because 5 year olds are not "ladies men" and I don't really want to encourage my boys to break hearts.

Here's my round up of what I did dig up for the boys.  This is the second year in a row we've gone with a bacon themed Valentine's Day shirt.  Thatkid picked out the shirt for him and his brother.

I also usually give the boys Valentine's Day gifts - books.  Last years are pictured above, I haven't picked out the ones for this year yet, I should probably get on that.

I also saw this great idea on Hostess with the Mostess, tying 10 notes on 10 balloons with 10 things you love about the balloon recipient.  The boys love balloons, so I think they'll get a big kick out of this.