Fifty percent

Right now I'm batting about .500.  My goal was to get on here once a week to share a recipe (or something fun), and I think the reality is it happens every 2 weeks.  Not too bad, but I promise (myself?), I'm working on keeping things moving along a little more regularly.  Part of my problem is we really aren't eating all that exciting these days.  Don't get me wrong, we aren't resorting to peanut butter sandwiches yet, but I haven't made too many things that seem extraordinary.  I have also made several things that came from someone else's blog.  At first I thought it wouldn't be fair of me to blog about someone else's blog recipe, but then I thought, why not?  As long as credit is given where credit is due, maybe it makes sense to share someone else's recipe with you too.  After all, it's not like I make up everything I cook up anyways.  Cookbooks, passed down recipes, etc. are all to thank for all of the goodness that we create.  So here it goes...

Tuesdays have become crock pot days in our house.  Cooper has gymnastics on Tuesdays, which means we aren't home until after 6:00 to even begin thinking about dinner.  We have been good about having something in the crock pot ready to go so that we don't have to worry about hurry scurrying to get something together in the witching hour.  This week's recipe came from You're Too Crafty.  She's not kidding when she says this is the Best Pot Roast ever.  Neither Ryan nor I are big pot roast fans, or so we thought.  But this little number is pretty good.  It's easy peasy, requires only a few ingredients, and delivers a pretty delicious meal.  I won't bore you with pictures (since I didn't take any since her pictures nicely depict the process), but know that you won't be disappointed if you try this out (even if you don't think you like pot roast!).  I added some carrots, onion, and fingerling potatoes to the bottom of the crock pot before putting in the meat and I think it made a very nice touch!  Also, don't forget to put your meat fat side up (if possible) to keep it moist and delicious.  Happy crock potting!

While You Were Out

Last weekend, I went up to Chicago for my good friend's bachelorette party.  And while I was gone, my husband (and the grandparents) did this:

This was some of the most amazing grilled chicken I have ever tasted.  There is a whole lemon, along with some herbs from the garden, stuffed up inside those bad boys.  I can't even share the recipe on here because this was the work of my dear darling husband (and he tends to fly by the seat of his pants - reading multiple recipes and using a medley of various ideas).  Now while I missed out on this action while it was fresh, let me tell you about the leftovers.  On Sunday night we enjoyed some very simple chicken sandwiches, with good 'ole white bread, a little mayo, a dab of stone ground mustard, and several slices of that savory, juicy, lemony chicken.  It didn't disappoint.  But seeing as how they cooked two whole chickens for five people, we had even more leftovers.  And since this week meant back to school for the kiddos, I took advantage of these leftovers and made them into a delicious lunch that I can grab as I walk out the door in the morning:

Most of my work colleagues are well aware of my habit to bring jarred meals to work.  Overnight oatmeal and salads in a jar are usually the only way I have nutritious and delicious meals at work.  Have you ever tried to get two small children up and out the door by 6:45 on a daily basis!?  My husband and I both have early work schedules so we have to be on the move EARLY.  If my breakfast/lunch is not 100% prepared the night before, then I find myself sipping on my chai all morning to tide me over until I make it to the drive thru line at Wendy's (or God forbid the local gyro joint) mid day.  So far that has only happened once this week (I know what you're thinking - it's only Wednesday, but that is progress for me from last year!).  And I have my breakfast and lunch all ready to go for tomorrow.  Here are two days of my salad in a jar:

1.  Chicken salad made from leftover grilled chicken (especially delicious lemony grilled chicken).  I just dice my chicken, mix with diced onion and celery and a bit of mayo and stone ground mustard.  I put the chicken salad down first, then diced tomatoes and a hard boiled egg and top with your lettuce (or arugula for me - my go to green).  I didn't bother with the dressing on these babies since the chicken salad was so flavorful.  I took half an avocado on the side to dice up and eat with the salad.  It was pretty good (save for the not so ripe avocado).

2.  Chicken, burrata, and tomato salad.  I started with my dressing in the bottom of the jar - just a little olive oil and a dab of some aged balsamic vinegar.  Then I added a layer of diced tomatoes and some diced chicken (from a can - shhhhh we didn't have any grilled chicken).  That's ok though, the layer of burrata (the next layer) will make up for it  I topped it again with several handfuls of arugula.  This gem is my lunchtime treat tomorrow, so I'll let you know how it turns out.

What are your favorite quick and easy but still delicious breakfast/lunch ideas?

Postscript

P.S. The blog name has changed.  The previous name was too long and easily confused with other blogs.  Our #dining408 started with a foodie post on Instagram several months ago and has continued over the months as we have shared our culinary experiences via photos.  The new name just seems to jive well with the overall intention of the blog.  Here's to the new name, new posts, and new culinary experiences!

Upgrade Your Caprese

Today's post is not so much a recipe as grocery store advice.  Earlier this week, I realized we had a local grown tomato and overgrown basil plants in the garden that I could easily turn into a great caprese salad for dinner one night.  The only missing ingredient was the mozzarella.  When I went to the store, I was overwhelmed with the choices for fresh mozzarella - small bite size pieces, cherry tomato size balls, your standard large mozzarella chunk, etc.  But my eyes were quickly drawn to the container next to all these labeled burrata.  My cousin is a chef (like, an amazing chef) and I remember the first time I heard about burrata while visiting his restaurant.  The waiter described it as a very wet mozzarella cheese with a creamy inside.  We, of course, loved it that first time, but that doesn't really say much since we love every bite of food we eat when we visit him.  I was somewhat leery about buying burrata in the grocery store (there's no Whole Foods or Fresh Market here, folks), but I gave it a whirl.  The result was the best caprese salad I have ever had (at home or at a restaurant).

This picture really doesn't do it justice.  The burrata looks like a poached egg there, but trust me, when you bite into that creamy deliciousness, you won't be disappointed.  So next time you go looking for some fresh mozzarella, think twice about finding some burrata instead to upgrade your recipe!!

Summer eating, had me a blast!

Why, hello there.  Yes, it certainly has been awhile.  I would tell you about how busy I have been, but I don't think you even want to hear that since I haven't been working since mid-June.  I really thought with summer would come nap-time afternoons full of free time - time for reading, blogging, napping, etc.  Instead, I just finished the same book I had been reading since before school was out, I haven't blogged since the kids' birthdays, and I have not napped at all ok I have snuggled up a few times with Cooper for nap time.  But on the whole, I am amazed at how busy we have been and how the days have just flown by.  Today may be the first day all summer we do not have anything on the agenda (I can't shake this feeling that I am missing an appointment either...).

As a reintroduction to the blog, I thought I would share a few summer favorites for each meal.  Summer cooking/eating is oh so different around here.  Instead of planning out the meals for the whole week and going to the store on Sundays, I mosey to the store 2-3 times a week with the kids (and also try to hit up the farmer's market or local produce stands) to pick up whatever seems the most fresh around here.  Things aren't nearly as thought out as they are during the school year, but we still manage to have some pretty delicious tasting things.  And the best part is, I actually get to make/eat breakfast since I don't have to be out the door before 7 am.

My new favorite breakfast dish:  Avocado Arugula Toast

I realize this is really trendy right now and I do not claim to have made this up, but the important thing is, it's delicious!  The idea for this came from a combination of Williams-Sonoma IG posts (Do you follow them? You should!) and my July Birchbox (which included 12 challenges for improving yourself, one of which was to incorporate more vegetables into breakfast).  I just use a sourdough bread (or any bread, bagel, english muffin) and lightly toast.  I top with sliced avocados, arugula and finish with a little oil (I use a delicious truffle oil) and sea salt.  So easy and oh so tasty!

For lunch, we usually have leftovers from dinner the night before and I have been happily enjoying them (and keeping our refrigerator relatively clean).  One of my favorite dinner options, though, that doubles as a great lunch option is Chicken Salad with Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato.

I have been getting daily emails from allrecipes.com with recipe ideas and this was winner, winner, chicken dinner for us one night.  We have tried it more than once, using grilled chicken once and roasted chicken the other time, and it was delicious both times.  The grilled chicken does add a little bit more flavor (tip: While grilling something else for dinner the night before, throw the chicken on the grill; after it is cooked and cools, put it in the refrigerator and it is ready to go whenever you want it!), but is not necessary.  I have also made with real bacon and packaged bacon bits, and while the real bacon may be a bit tastier, it is not necessary (and so much easier to just use the prepackaged pieces!).  The key things for us on this is using a good butter lettuce as the base for the salad.  We also like to drizzle some truffle oil over the top as a finish.  I'm looking forward to making this again soon with fresh local tomatoes as they are starting to surface around here.

One of my all-time favorite summer dinner meals is Five-Herb Grilled Chicken with Green Aioli.  

I found this gem while browsing Food & Wine magazine last summer.  It appealed to me 1. because I love good, grilled chicken with the skin on (I always prefer thighs to a breast, quarters or whole chicken) and 2. because I always have most of the herbs needed on hand in the garden.  The most amazing part of this meal, though, is the grilled bread that goes on the side.  Trust me when I say, the chicken, bread and aioli will be a complete and satisfying meal together; no additional sides needed the only additional thing needed is a glass of crisp sauvignon blanc to go with it.  Sorry for the poor photo on this one but we usually aren't wasting any time once this meal comes off the grill.

Happy Monday, friends.  I hope these meals give some inspiration to your meal planning this week.  And my goal is to try to share at least one recipe per week going forward from here - feel free to hold me to it!

Birthday Twins

Tomorrow is a very special day around here.  It's the anniversary of the two best days of my life - the day my kids were born.  And we spent the weekend celebrating with our wonderful family and friends.

Since the kids share a birthday, we had to come up with a theme/scheme that appealed to both genders.  Which basically means we didn't have to steer Cooper away from a cheesy theme like Disney Princesses or Doc McStuffins.  We went with a bright colored, general party theme with multi-colored balloons and sprinkle cupcakes.  

I spent the day making 40 cupcakes, of which we still have 20 left.  Good thing we are on spring break this week.

And of course Camp had to have yellow cake with chocolate icing, as Wilson men typically do.  And he really had no interest in eating it. Just putting his hands in it and squishing it around in his fingers and wiping it on his clothes.  I'm not sure he took even one bite.

This girl, on the other hand, was eager to lick the icing off the top of her cupcake and dig in to some strawberry ice cream.  She never turns down a sweet treat.  

Now that the big shindig is over, it's time to prepare to celebrate their actual birthday.  We are on spring break this week, which means we get to celebrate by sleeping in, staying home, and playing with all of our new toys.  It's like Christmas vacation all over again here.  We have some serious spring cleaning to do to make room for all of our new fun things.  

Apparently, we didn't check with mother nature, though, before investing in several serious outdoor toys.  Despite the cold weather, we plan to bundle up at least once a day to venture outside and test out our new things.  Near the top of the list is this gator, which you can see both kids are equally skilled at operating.  Can your one year old walk?  Not yet, but he's figured out how to operate this power wheel.

Don't worry - Cooper's favorite new toy, her jump rope, rides along in the back of the gator so it's never out of sight.  Who would have thought?  A jump rope?  She sure is old school.  Sorry, Aunt Mimi and Uncle D, apparently Aunt Juju won the best gift award this year.

Now can we get rid of this frigid weather so we can spend more than 10 minutes outside at a time!?

Same favorite place, new favorite lunch

 What up?  I've been rather MIA for awhile.  And it's because we were gearing up for a trip south to one of my favorite place ever.  And then we came back to the eternal winter.....so I had to get over my depression.  But I'm back.

Sanibel is my happy place.  In my childbirth class, they told us to think about a place that makes you happy and relaxed, and for me, that's Sanibel.  I love every minute of being on that island.  I love the lack of stoplights and commercialism.  I love that it is perfectly acceptable, normal, and in fact expected that you eat dinner at 5:00 pm and go to bed by 8:30.  I love that you can get around fastest on bike.  And I love that we have already had the fortune to introduce our children to this happy place.

And they thought it was pretty rad too.

But every once in awhile we had to drag them ourselves away from the salt and sand to nourish our bodies.  And we put together a tasty little dish, which has become my new favorite go to for lunch.

Even though it was best the first time we made it in Sanibel (#everythingtastesbetterinsanibel), I am loving this dish (and closing my eyes and picturing myself returning to the beach as soon as my plate is clear).  

Avocado Egg Salad (measurements are approximations; I don't like to measure)

6 hardboiled eggs (diced)

1 avocado (diced)

1/4 c. chopped onion

1/4 c. chopped celery

1 T. relish (or chopped pickles)

2 T. dijon mustard

2 T. mayo

salt

pepper

dill

any other herbs (parsley, chives, tarragon, etc.)

Mix all ingredients together; serve on a bed of arugula (or on a sandwich topped with arugula).

Then return to the beach for more fun in the sun.

Just a dad and his little mermaid.

Gone.

We have had enough of this winter and decided to jump ship.

Yesterday, this happened...

...and we were champions.  Morning flights and the last row of the plane are the way to go with kids.

Yay for us!

The rest of the afternoon looked like this...

and this...

and we are loving it.  

We are so happy to introduce Camp to our favorite place!!!

Weeknight Done Right

I've already mentioned how obsessed we are with this collection of cookbooks, but really we think any Williams-Sonoma cookbook is well worth the investment.  The majority of our favorite recipes come from said cookbooks, and from them we've learned so much about cooking techniques and unique ingredients that elevate our culinary skills in other recipes as well.  Some time ago we scooped up this gem, since we are a fan of tasty food and even more so meals that are quick and easy.

By the way, this book is $1.99 via Barnes and Noble right now.  You should do yourself a favor and add it to your bag.  The recipe I'm sharing tonight is worth ten times that (and there are some other good recipes in there as well!).  

But back to the good stuff.  We made this deliciousness for dinner last week; it was our second go around with this meal and I think we were even more in love with this dish the second time.

Lucky for me, this recipe is also found on Williams-Sonoma's website, so I don't even have to type it out for you.  Seriously, it's good stuff.  We used a spicy turkey sausage (we have been trying to return to our no-mamal week nights; we haven't totally eliminated beef and pork from our week night meals but I would say we have poultry, fish, or vegetarian dishes 75% of the time) and it was great.  This meal is super easy and is full of flavor.  I always love dishes that call for wine in the cooking process because it validates my urge to have a glass the rest of the bottle with dinner.  The first time we made this, we were fortunate to find some arugula to go on the side (and scoop up with bites of sausage and beans), but this time we weren't so lucky.  The arugula I had purchased earlier in the week went bad before we could make this, and despite my best effort at sending Ryan all over town, we were unable to find any.  He came home with a leafy blend (spinach, radicchio, etc.) that we used instead.  Since they don't tend to have as much flavor in themselves as arugula, we lightly dressed it with one of my new favorite dressings.  

Ever try this?  It's delicious!  Light and flavorful it is the perfect dressing for a simple salad.  The lemon flavor was a great addition to the rest of the dish.  We ended up scooping up bites of salad, beans, and sausage all together.  It was divine!  

More bread, please?

Cooper had been asking to spend the night at grandma and grandpa's house, and we obviously thought Camp was thinking the same thing (and would have said it if he could).  So we took advantage of the opportunity for a night out sans kids.

(When was the last time we had a picture of the two of us!?)

The latest Food and Wine magazine showcases steakhouses around the country and helped remind us that one of the nicest steakhouses around is a mere 70 miles away (and somehow we had never been there before).  We tossed the idea out to my brother (who was on board before we could even finish our sentence) and before we knew it, we had a reservation for 8:30 on Saturday night at St. Elmo Steakhouse.  We spent the early part of the night at the bar/lounge above the restaurant (1933 Lounge) before being led down to the basement for dinner.  My review?

• The bread at the table was amazing.  These little onion rolls, filled with sautéed onions inside?  Delicious.  Crispy, cheesy flatbread crackers?  Even more delicious.  It's not a slam on the restaurant when I say these were some of my favorite things of the night.
• The shrimp cocktail (perhaps the thing I heard most about prior to Saturday night) did not disappoint.  That sauce is amazing (and can be used to clear your sinuses if you're feeling a little stuffy) and I would have liked to have piled a few more spoonfuls on top of my shrimp!  
• The wedge salad was delicious - amazing blue cheese dressing.
• The steak was decent.  Mine was well prepared (always bonus points - nothing makes me more angry than going to a restaurant and having your steak served not as ordered).  I partook in the Devour Downtown menu, which was a steal of a deal ($35 for shrimp cocktail, filet with mashed potatoes and green beans, and creme brûlée).  That being said, there was nothing about the steak that made it stand out among other steakhouses I have eaten at.  And when you make these delicious steaks in the comfort of your own home, it sets your expectations pretty high for dining out.  Where was the savory herb butter to top off my filet??

Overall, I'm so glad we went.  I'm thankful the Devour Downtown festivities were going on and we were able to enjoy a delicious meal at a very decent price (mental note: Do this again next January).  If I went again, I would want to try something different (other than filet) and also some other sides (King Crab Mac 'n Cheese??  Not sure how that slipped through my fingers.  I'll blame the ridiculously priced dinner option).  

The best part of the night, though?  The company for sure!

Cold days, hot meals

So I'm obviously not very good at the whole working, being a mother, doing housework, and keeping up with the blog thing.  It took an unexpected day off work (due to the extreme temperatures we're experiencing here) for me to get a new post out.  I think about my posts often, but only about 1/5 of my ideas actual make it to the publish button.  Bear with me; I'm hoping to become more efficient with all of my roles/responsibilities and maybe (eventually) I'll be able to find the balance needed to keep up.

We like to eat seasonally around here.  Which means grilled meats and fresh fruits/vegetables in the summer and lots of hearty soups, stews, roasts, and slow-cooked meals in the winter.  When we lived in Chicago, we started acquiring a collection of Williams-Sonoma cookbooks that really elevated our culinary skills.  They discontinued these books sometime ago, but not before we acquired 17 of them.  I have never been disappointed by a single dish from this collection and some of my favorite meals of all time come from them.  My husband will tell you his favorite dish I ever made was from the Mexican book, and for some reason I only made it one time.  When the weather turns particularly cold (as it has for the entire month of January), I like to resort to this gem.

The best Beef Stew recipe of all time can be found in here (what's not to like about a stew that has over a cup (I'm heavy handed) of red wine in it!?).  On the menu this week was the White Bean and Sausage Stew.  This dish (also containing a good amount of wine) will not disappoint the stew lover in you.  I used a garlic and asiago chicken sausage, which tasted pretty good; a nice spicy sausage would be a great alternative as well.  Serve up with a glass of white wine and some tasty bread and butter (I sent Ryan to Jimmy John's for a day old baguette loaf) and you've got a taste of our week-night winter meals.  Enjoy!

In other culinary news, we have a resi at St. Elmo's in Indianapolis on Saturday night and I could not be more excited!  

White Bean and Sausage Stew

2 c. dried white beans (Great Northern), picked over, rinsed, and drained

2 T. olive oil

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 c. chicken stock

1 c. dry white wine (I use Sauvignon Blanc - my favorite and what's usually in my fridge)

1 c. drained canned diced tomatoes

1 lb. cooked sausage (chicken, lamb, garlic, etc.), cut into 1/2 inch slices

3 T. balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

1/4 c. parmesan (freshly grated)

1/4 c. toasted bread crumbs

1 T. finely chopped Italian parsley

Place beans in a bowl with cold water to cover and soak for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.  Drain and set aside.

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil.  Add the onion and saute until softened, 5-7 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute longer.  Add the stock, wine, tomatoes, and drained beans.  Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the beans are tender and beginning to fall apart, about 1.5 hours (I say closer to 2 hours+).  Mash some of the beans with a back of a spoon to create a creamy consistency.  Add the sausage, return to a simmer, and cook until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.  Add the balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste; cook for 3 minutes longer to mellow vinegar flavor.

Preheat the broiler; place in flameproof baking dish (I kept mine in my trusty Le Creuset).

In a small bowl, combine parmesan, bread crumbs, and parsley.  Sprinkle evenly over the stew.  Slip under the broiler until the bread crumbs and cheese are browned but not burned (3-4 minutes).  Serve in warmed soup bowls.

Confessions of a working mother

I'm walking into work with one less bag these days...

..which is significant when I still have three bags to take in to work some days.

Peace out pump; don't let the door hit you on the way out.  Its been real (a real pain, headache, bore, etc.).

My Christmas gift to myself was the gift of no longer pumping at work.  I set out on my nursing journey with baby #2 with no long-term goal or expectation, and things just happened very easily with Camp.  By the time I returned to work (when he was five months old), I had exclusively nursed, had successfully introduced cereal, and had a whole freezer full of milk.  Tomorrow, we will use up the last of my frozen milk and transition to formula for daytime feeds.  I am so thankful for the 9+ months we have had to share in this experience together.  Although as the months passed, I'll admit I started to think (and hope) I could make it through the entire first year nursing.  But in recent weeks, it seems Camp and I have both lost interest in this time together.  He is entirely too busy and interested in everything else around him to successfully nurse when any noise, movement, etc. is nearby.  And ultimately, it's not worth pushing if it becomes a forced experience for both of us.  So for now, I'm treading a little lighter on my walk into work.  I'm more productive throughout the day, not worrying about having to sneak away to pump.  And I think we both value our morning and evening nursing sessions even more.  We'll continue this for as long as it works (which may not be as long as I would like given the laws of supply and demand).  It's all very bittersweet for me.  I am so grateful I don't have to clean, organize, and pack pump parts and bottles on a daily basis, or worry about what clothes to wear to work that will make me easily accessible.  But I am devastated to think my little man is growing up so fast, that he now eats more table food than milk, and that he will soon be one year old.  How did this even happen already?

In other news, don't mind that mess of folders in the corner of my desk.  That's organized chaos right there.

Need inspiration to start or continue your journey as a nursing mother?  Visit The Breastfeeding Diaries.

Meatless ?day

Two years ago I made some New Year's resolutions related to our cooking/eating habits, one of which was Meatless Mondays.  In an effort to reduce grocery bills (since meats tend to be the more costly items) as well as increase our healthy eating habits, we decided on Mondays we would prepare a vegetarian dish for dinner.  It resulted in us finding some really fantastic vegetarian dishes that we would find ourselves choosing over other meaty options.  We kept it up for a good six months, and then I got pregnant again and we I kind of threw that baby out with the bathwater.  We would still make an occasional vegetarian dish, resorting to our favorite Meatless Monday recipes, but were not religious about seeking out said option on a weekly basis.  We have resolved to return to this way, though slightly altered.  We do our grocery shopping for the week on the weekend (it takes us 1 hour at the store with all of us working together so it is a weekend must for us!).  Since we are purchasing several meat/protein options for the week, I prefer to use those up as quickly as possible to prevent spoiling/waste.  Therefore, our meatless option may not be confined to Mondays, but rather will happen later in the week (or whatever day makes sense given our activities for the week).  Last week was a crazy week with all of the weather related issues that kept us confined to the house for the early part of the week, but we rounded out the week with two delicious, meatless options.

The first was Quinoa, Black Bean, and Corn Tacos (above).  This was a Pinterest find, and since we eat Mexican at least  once twice a week, I couldn't pass this option up.  This is a moderately easy dish to make and tastes great!  The recipe makes a ton, resulting in enough for our dinner, lunches the next day, and extra to make a Quesadilla for Cooper the following day.  There is so much flavor and substance to this dish that you won't even miss the meat!

The next was Eggs in Purgatory (above).  This dish was shared by Ryan's cousin, Ali; her husband is a vegetarian, so she is always on the prowl for good meatless dishes (try the quinoa tacos Ali!).  Ryan and I both enjoyed this dish immensely (though we weren't so honestly vegetarian with this dish since we left in the pancetta).  This dish has a ton of flavor and some heat (we used diced tomatoes with habenros which were oh so spicy!).  We served over warm corn tortillas with avocado slices since we're half Mexican (Ok, not really, but rumor has it my brother is Chilean...).

Happy Sunday everyone!  Hope you enjoy some delicious food while you take in all of this football action.  Only a few more football Sundays this season!!

I'm here too!

I've realized I've shared lots of photos, quotes, and activities about Cooper, but not too much about my happy Camper.  I often use his nap time as an opportunity to do fun activities with Cooper (not because I have a favorite child but because he is still too young to experience/enjoy many of the things Cooper is into).  But rest assured this little fellow holds a special place in my heart.

This guy is the type of baby everyone dreams about when they are first pregnant.  He was born knowing how to nurse (and was always a quick eater), started sleeping through the night (12-13 hours) at 10 weeks, and has generally been Mr. Content throughout the first 9 months of his life.  In the last few months, he has learned how to crawl, and he cannot get anywhere fast enough.  He is starting to show some stranger danger ("I don't know you, don't touch me, where's mom," etc.) and can have a mean temper when you take something away from him (particularly small toys, stickers, crayons, and paper for which his sister has an affinity for leaving lying around).  But overall, I could not love this kid more.

                        

What a charmer!  He's sure to be a heartbreaker in 15 20 years.  One thing is for sure, right now, there is only one girl who has his heart....

Just look at the way they look at one another.....could they love each other more??

Alright, enough of me swooning over my own kids.  Back to some good recipes tomorrow!

Cabin Fever

We haven't left the house since Saturday night.  Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying being able to stay inside (in my pajamas) all day every day, but it is getting difficult to keep the kids  Cooper occupied.  We have resorted to trying a variety of things as seen on the internet.

When Cooper gets bored, she resorts to her standby, "I want a snack."  She has difficulty narrowing it down when given choices, which usually leads to her toddler table covered in a variety of different food and drink options (as well as several bowls and plates for us to wash later).  I saw this on IG (or Pinterest or somewhere) and thought it was an ingenious idea to give her healthy snacks while meeting her need for options/variety.  She absolutely loves it!  I can leave it on her table all day and she constantly has healthy snack choices on demand.  Plus it drastically reduces the number of dishes I will later do, as well as the number of times I hear, "I want a snack," throughout the day.  

We also decided to give Snow Cream a try, since we seem to have a healthy supply of snow at our doorstep.  I was out of vanilla from our holiday baking sessions, so I substituted almond extract instead.  I love almond extract, but I think I was a little heavy handed (I don't usually have the patience for measuring).  Snow Cream was....interesting.  It was very cold (colder than ice cream) and had a bit of an outdoor taste that couldn't be masked by the milk/sugar/almond flavors.  But Cooper loved making it topping it with sprinkles.

We have also logged some serious teepee time this week.  It seems like we are constantly bouncing from room to room, trying to keep ourselves occupied with different toys and activities; the teepee serves as another room (within a room) to keep us busy!

On the menu for tonight, one of our favorite all time meals - Chicken Pot Roast.  Ryan actually texted me today (at 10:30 AM) that he was already looking forward to it - good to know I am not the only one constantly thinking about my next meal (or the one after it).  A family friend made this for us our first week home from the hospital after Cooper was born, and I absolutely loved it!  It really hit the spot for me when I was needing lots of good food to support my nursing habit.  I asked for the recipe several months later and now make it at least once a month.  We all love it (even Cooper and Campbell), it is relatively easy, and requires very few ingredients (most things we already have on hand/in the pantry).  If you are struggling for dinner ideas, do yourself (and your family) a favor and give this a try!

Chicken Pot Roast 

Ingredients:

Chicken thighs (bone-in)

Salt

Pepper

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

2 c. carrots

1 large onion (sliced)

2 T. minced garlic

Egg noodles

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Combine oil and butter in dutch oven and brown chicken over medium-high heat (8 min/batch).  Remove chicken.

Add carrots, onion, and garlic and stir over low heat - 5 minutes.

Return chicken and juices to pot.  Cover and bake in the oven for 1 hour.

Serve over cooked egg noodles.

So easy and oh so delicious!!!  I always make lots so we can have leftovers for lunches and the kids.  I even puree excess into baby food for Camp.  I'm already salivating.

Back to....nothing?

Today was supposed to be a sad, disappointing day.  I always dread returning to work after a long break.  I get into the routine of staying home with my kids, playing all day, getting housework done thinking I am going to accomplish so much throughout the day, etc.  But since our backyard looks like Elsa came and turned our world Frozen, I get one two extra days home with my kiddos.  Yay!

This is what we've been dealing with here.  Cooper is obsessed with the snow, and wanted to spend all day outside yesterday walking around, making snow angels, attempting to build a snowman, etc.  It is difficult to explain to a two year old why she can't go outside and play when the air temperature is -10 F and wind chills make it feel like -30 to -40 F.

                                                 

Dad even built her a snow slide to enjoy the fun.  Camp and I have been perfectly content holed up indoors the last few days.  Neither of us complains about spending the day in our pajamas.  I only wish I could partake in his two naps per day routine.

With the storm of the century approaching, we decided to test out a new recipe from one of my new cookbooks.  I really have been looking towards healthier eating habits with the turn of the new year, but we just couldn't pass up the opportunity to try a winter weather favorite, BBQ pork and beans, (this recipe from a previous version of his book).  Since the store was out of just about everything, we had to use black-eyed peas instead of the usual great northern or navy beans; Ryan and I agreed the black-eyed peas were ideal in this recipe (since they seemed to hold up to slow/all day cooking).  We also used a combination of three different sample size barbecue sauces, since we received some in a gift set for the holidays.  We cooked it in a dutch oven in a low oven all afternoon, rather than in the slow cooker as the recipe calls for, because everything tastes better in a Le Creuset.

On the docket for tonight, turkey tacos and the national championship game!

Hope you are all enjoying the weather as much as Coop is!

Blessed.

My husband and I always talk about how blessed we really are.  I am sure many people feel the same way, but we truly ask ourselves day in and day out how we have managed to be so fortunate (blessed, lucky, etc.) in our lives.  We started dating in the middle of high school and haven't looked back.  We attended college together, moved out on our own and started first jobs together, got married, and in recent years were blessed with the two most amazing children we could have ever asked for.  Different, unique, and awesome in their own ways, our children really have been the icing on our blessed cake.  We remain extremely close with our parents and siblings, who share a bond with not only us, but our kids too, richer than we imagined possible.  Though we might not always feel we have the most money in the world, in terms of our family, friends, and our relationships, we consider ourselves among the wealthiest.

That being said, I'm looking forward to making 2014 count by reveling in each blessed moment, and taking the extra time to document these blessings through words and pictures.  I read several blogs (I am inspired most by Little Baby Garvin) and love to admire the awesome photography skills of others, but I rarely take a moment to document how blessed my life really is.  With this blog and perhaps some extra effort to advance my photography skills (advice is surely welcomed!), I hope I can begin to make a permanent mark by which I can remember these blessings.

Here's to a great year, full of fabulous (and documented) quotes, pictures, and memories!

Virgin Blogger

A gift to myself as this new year begins; a resolution to give myself some regular, quality "me" time - my goal is to document all of my memories of motherhood (including my quotable kids) and my successes (and failures) in the kitchen.  I hope this may humor and inspire others in their endeavors in the kitchen and in motherhood.

My first thoughts - a reflection back on the most wonderful time of the year and all of the goodness that came this year.  We had such a blessed holiday season; here are the top 10 highlights to remember:

10.  Taking Cooper to her first movie at the theatre - Frozen.  She later received a Frozen dress as a Christmas gift and she now likes to dress up like Elsa, walk around the house and sing Let it Go while watching the You Tube clip.

9.  All of the wonderful gifts we received from family and friends; near the top of my list is my personalized copy of Girl in the Kitchen signed by Stephanie Izard herself.  We are obviously best friends now and I can't wait to start trying out some of her dishes!

8.  Watching our family and friends open their gifts from us.  More than receiving gifts, I always look forward to seeing how everyone enjoys the gifts we picked out for them.  Following #9, I gave a dear friend a signed/personalized copy of Girl in the Kitchen too and watched as it nearly brought tears to her eyes as she opened it.  Best feeling ever!

7.  Having two friends from college visit to ring in the New Year with us.  Our fellow Hoosiers helped us cheer on our team at the game and stayed for a few days to visit too.

6.  Hosting a fantastic New Year's Eve party with some wonderful friends, complete with a day adventure to the Illinois/Indiana basketball game (unfortunately resulting in a loss for my Hoosiers), a fabulous meal with the most delicious steaks ever, and an impromptu visit to my parent's house (our fantastic babysitters for the night) to examine a split lip and soothe my rambunctious Cooper; thankfully one of our party guests was a PNP who didn't mind doing a little off duty consultation.  Fortunately her lip seems to be healing (without the need for stitches); all's well that ends well!

5.  Cooper finally deciding she was brave enough to sit on Santa's lap.  Two days before Christmas, she asked to go visit Santa and sit on his lap.  She's not afraid anymore.....did you hear me, she's not afraid anymore!

4.  Watching the kids open presents and enjoy playing with all of their new toys (and boxes, paper and bows).

3.  Two weeks off work - of course time for holidays/celebrations but also several days of nothing but snuggles and fun with Cooper and Camp!

2. Quality family time, complete with visits from Uncle D, Mimi, and Gah!

1.  We made a concerted effort to keep Christ in Christmas this year, since it is the first year Cooper was really able to understand Christmas and all of the wonderful anticipation.  We constantly talked about it being Jesus' birthday and planned to make a birthday cake for Baby Jesus to help remember and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas (in the eyes of a toddler).  I think our preparation paid off because when I showed Cooper the outfit she would be wearing to Church on Christmas Eve, she said, "Oooohhhh, Baby Jesus is going to love it!"

Cheers to 2014 and sharing a year full of fun, grace, and happiness!