Weekend Cooking: Potato Leek Soup, Apple Nut Bread Pudding, and Apple Cheddar Scones

Let's get right down to it....

First up Potato Leek Soup. This is a Julia Child classic recipe.  I was the only one eating it Saturday night (uh mom... it looks weird....) and by Sunday I had a 2-year old, a 12-year old, and a 5-year old all singing praises for this simple soup.  I forgot to take a picture, but, seriously, do you doubt Julia?

Potato Leek Soup
serving 6 or 8

4 cups sliced leeks – the white part and a bit of the tender green
4 cups diced potatoes – old or baking potatoes recommended
6 or 7 cups of water
1½ to 2 teaspoons of salt, to taste
Optional: ½ cup of more sour cream, heavy cream or crème fraiche

In a heavy-bottomed, three-quart saucepan, bring the leeks, potatoes and water to a boil, uncovered. Salt lightly, cover partially, and simmer 20 or 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Taste and correct seasoning.

Puree the soup through a vegetable mill or in a blender or food processor. Serve with optional cream.

Apple Nut Bread Pudding
(from Fix it and Forget it)

8 slices raisin bread, cubed (pumpkin spice swirl bread is great too!)
2 large tart apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1/4 c raisins
1 c sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
3 eggs
2 c milk
1/4 c apple juice
4 T butter, melted

Place bread cubes, apples and raisins in greased slow cooker and mix gently. In a separate bowl, combine sugar and spice. Add in egg & mix well. Add milk, apple juice and melted butter and combine thoroughly. Pour this mixture over bread mixture in slow cooker and gently stir. Cover. Cook on high for approximately 2 hours or low for 3-4 hours.

Apple Cheddar Scones
(Smitten Kitchen, of course!)

Click HERE for the recipe (seriously... everything on this blog is delicious!)

Weekend Cooking -- Birthday Food!

On Saturday we had a birthday celebration / Halloween party for Atticus and Hope.  It was wonderful!  It took a great deal of pep work, but it really all paid off.  The guests were relaxed, we had plenty of food and the weather was glorious.  We sat up a few tables outside for the drinks and food to sit on, but then everyone just milled about -- indoors and outdoors -- enjoying the food and chatting.  Of the 34 people who RSVP'd we had about 25 people (including us). 

Today I'll talk about the food and tomorrow I'll detail some of the crafts and other aspects.

The Menu

Brown Sugar Chili
Wintertime Vegetable Chili
Fixins (sour cream, cilantro, chives, cheese)
"Mummy" dogs
Peanut Butter on Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Peanut Butter on Pumpkin Swirl Bread
Jack-o-Lantern Veggie tray with dip
Pretzels
Spooky Clementines

Applesauce Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting
Funfetti Birthday Cake
Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Coffee ~ Soda ~ Water ~ Apple Juice
 

My goal was to make food that was easy to prep somewhat in advance, crock-pot friendly, and something toddlers would like.  The chili was more for the adults, but the kids annihilated the sandwiches and mummy dogs. 

Brown Sugar Chili
(from Fix it and Forget it Lightly)

1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 medium onion
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. mustard (bottled or prepared, not dry)
2 cans kidney beans (15 oz.)
1 pint low-sodium tomato juice or V-8
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. chili powder 
 
1. Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and mustard.
2. Combine all ingredients in a 3-4 quart slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on high 2-3 hours

Wintertime Vegetable Chili
(from Fix it and Forget it Lightly)

1 medium-sized butternut squash, peeled and cubed (I roasted the squash first at 350 for 45 minutes... I HATE cutting squash!)
2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium-sized onion, diced
1-4 Tbsp. chili powder, depending upon personal taste
2 14-oz cans diced low-sodium tomatoes
4-oz can  chopped mild green chilies
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fat-free, low-sodium vegetable broth
2 16-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup fat-free sour cream

1. In a slow-cooker, layer all ingredients in order given—except sour cream.
2. Cover. Cook on low 6-8 hours, or until vegetables are tender.
3. Stir before serving.
4. Top individual servings with dollops of sour cream

Folks went back for seconds and thirds of chili and I had maybe 2 cups left of the veg chili and 1 cup left of the brown sugar chili at the end of the night.

The sandwiches were easy, I bought the bread at Publix on sale and cut the crusts off. 

The mummy dogs, Jack-o-lantern veggie tray, and spooky clementines were all Pinterest inspired.

Impossible Pumpkin Pie cupcakes were also found on pinterest and they were my favorites.

Applesauce Cupcakes were from Martha Stewarts' Cupcake book (but I used store bought cream cheese frosting).

The birthday cake was from just a simple Halloween funfetti box cake (hey, it was on sale for less than $1)!

Hello, Autumn!

Most Sundays I have some "mom time."  A cafe and a book for a few hours for this introvert mom to recharge her batteries.  Every once in a while this is flipped;  I stay at home and Sam takes the kids out.  This is my favorite mom-time mode.  Today was all about celebrating autumn:  some baking during nap time and some soup and reading while the kids and Sam are out.

I know it is blurry, but this was too cute.  Atticus was making soup for his Rupert Bear while I threw split pea soup in the crock pot.

I found some plates for our "friend Thanksgiving" this year.  Even better -- 50% off!

This afternoon is overcast and grey.  Perfect.

Baked a cranberry upside down cake during naptime.  I'm having friends over for dinner tomorrow and I knew I wouldn't have time to bake after work.  Oh yeah, that kickin' owl tea towel was also 50% off at JoAnn.

Split Pea soup for a nutrient dense snack.  Recipe coming tomorrow!

New warm, bulky yarn!

Of course, a big mug of milky Irish Breakfast tea and Harry Potter.

Now I'm off to do the less glamorous mom tasks (i.e. dishes). 

Oh My... How Pinteresting: 08/02/2012

I have decided to sign up for the Pin it and Do it Challenge this month.  I decided to to this when I made a pinboard of completed pins and realized I've only done two pins... one in October of 2011 and one this past July.  Sheesh!  Hopefully this will compel me to actually do something.  I signing up for the second level, Pinterested which is to complete 4-7 pins in the month of August.  I've shared some of the things I want to to here and here, but here are a few more things catching my eye:

Veggies make me puke right now, but I think I could eat this!

Homemade baby wipes

Washcloth patterns... this is quick way to use up yarn!

I'm thinking this would be great in my room or in the living room

Atticus's burp cloths were used to death.  I need to make a bunch before baby #3 arrives

Whelp.  I think I have enough on my plate for now.  Time to actually get my butt in gear and make stuff.

Join in with the fun!

Oh My.... How Pinteresting: 07/19/12

What's catching my eye this week on Pinterest

Another lovely embroidery pattern

This is a brilliant idea!  Freezing fresh herbs with butter or olive oil in an ice tray.  Bag it, freeze it, and use it later.

YES PLEASE.... Banana Pudding Cake!

I'm looking at my dull craft table lamp and getting inspired

I need to do this.  No more digging around for wee jars of cloves!

Oh My...How Pinteresting!

I've tried to figure out this Pinterest craze for nearly a year.  After a couple days of pregnancy lethargy and reading apathy I figured I'd give it another whirl (the whole third times a charm thing).  I get it.  I completely get it.

I thought I'd share a few pins that have caught my eye recently. Instead of linking you guys to the actually pins, I've gone to the original source of the pin in order to give credit to the artists and creators and not just the "pinners."

Crocheted mug cozy

I love this simple pattern and it will really help me practice my French Knots.

A super easy baby blanket.  Since baby #3 and Atticus will be sharing a room I plan on making two coordinating blankets of different sizes. 

I love this idea.  I'm forever passing up vintage embroidered linens because of stains.  Now I have a reason to buy them anyways, salvage the good parts, and make a quilt.  Genius!

I'm not gonna lie.  I *HATE* summertime.  I found this recipe for pumpkin biscotti and I cannot wait to make it as a companion to my pumpkin spice lattes.  Oh, Autumn, I long for thee!

That's it for now.  Maybe I'll actually do a post like this again.  If you'd like to follow me on Pinterest click the button!

 

Strawberry Almond Cardamom Cake

This a combination of a basic cream cake recipe, a Joy the Baker recipe, and my own ideas.  So I guess you can say I finally grew the ovaries to experiment with cake recipes. 

I made it the first time the Sunday before Memorial Day and it was a disaster.  I pored it into a largish, springform pan (last time the cake before being paired with berries worked wonderfully like this).  The strawberries leaked through the bottom of the pan and there was smoke everywhere.  I finally cleaned every thing and stuck the cake back in the oven with a cookie sheet on the lower rack to catch any strawberry drips.  Then the cake didn't cook through.  I had a ring of done cake with a gloppy center.  I may or may not have stood in the kitchen with Hope eating the done bits.

Early on Memorial Day morning I attempted the cake again using 2 9-inch cake pans.

Behold!

Strawberry Almond Cardamom Cake

Ingredients:

For the topping:

2 T unsalted butter

1/2 C brown sugar

1 C strawberries, sliced

1/3 C toasted slivered almonds

For the cake:

 

4 eggs

1.5 C of sugar

1.5 tsp of vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp ground caradamom

3 C all-purpose flour

4.5 tsp baking powder

1.5 tsp salt

2 C heavy cream

Strawberry Jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

After the oven is heated place the butter in ONE of the cakes pans and pop it in the oven.  When the butter is melted, carefully remove the pan with pot holders and tilt the pan around so the butter coats the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle and evenly distribute the brown sugar.  Now layer the strawberries and then the almonds.  Set aside.

Go ahead and grease the other cake pan with your preferred method and I added some parchment paper for good measure. 

Beat the eggs until very thick.  Add sugar, almond extract, and vanilla.  Beat well.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. 

In 3 parts add flour mixture alternating with heavy whipping cream into the eggs and ending with flour (cream, flour, cream, flour, cream, flour).

Pour batter into the pans.  I would advise measuring the batter out to avoid the mess I made.  I put about 1/2 to 3/4 of cup LESS batter into the pan with the strawberries and I had approximately 1.5 cups of batter left over.  DON'T OVERFILL YOUR PANS. 

Bake for 30-40 minutes.  Check your cake at the 30 minute and 35 minute mark.  I stick a toothpick in the middle and if it comes out clean the cake is done.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 - 15 minutes.

Next flip the cake out onto the cooling rack.  I do this my putting a piece of parchment paper over another rack, sticking the rack upside-down on the cake and then flipping the cake over. 

Allow to cool about 2 -3 hours. 

Place strawberry-free layer on your cake plate.

Spread on as much jam as you like.  It will ooze out depending on how much you use, but it is delicious.

Top with strawberry layer (strawberries up, of course).

Allow to set in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Enjoy!

I brought this cake to a memorial day gathering and Catherine -- with no pre-planning with me -- made a cinnamon cardamom ice cream that paired well the cake.  You could also whip-up some heavy whipping cream.  Hope loved it and Atticus said "mmmmmmmmm...... mmmmmooooorrrreeeeee..... " so it must be good.

Making Monday, #2

A glance at what I'm working on and what I've done...

Bean Burgers and Summer Squash:

Granny Square Pillow cushions:

Peas are sprouting in the garden!

Blueberry Orange Muffins:

A Quick Update...

My week off of work ended heavenly.

Sam finished my owl tattoo.

I squeezed in reading and coffee.

I baked whole wheat banana chocolate chip muffins.

I also had lunch with my Dad and he came over to help us build our raised bed for the garden.  I went on a few walks and I enjoyed a lot of sitting back and relaxing.  It was lovely.

Now it is back to work.  I'm tired.  I'm always tired after a vacation.  It is hard to get back to the go go go go go.  I've mountains of work to catch-up on, a huge strategic planning meeting on Thursday (retch), and it is about time to round up graduation holds for folks who have crazy unpaid library fines.

I promise, honest to blog, that I will post my nerdy bookshelf post next time I blog.  I'm hoping that will either be tomorrow or Thursday.  We'll see how things go.  

Making Me Crazy: a Plea to Crafters, Bakers, Stitchers, and Yarn Wranglers

Yes, the cat bed is on top of the craft table.

My beautiful craft area has become a veritable nightmare and the place where we put everything we don't want Atticus to chew on.  I am overwhelmed by the mess and all the projects.  I don't know where to start (or maybe it is when to stop!).  I have quit Pintrest temporarily because I am collecting more ideas and then doing nothing with them. 

My goal this week is to organize this wreck.  Then I am going to figure out February projects.  I think I need to limit myself to one project in each area a month.  I feel like a list may be in order. 

My question to all the creative types out there: how the hellfire do you organize /manage your projects?  Is this some sort of odd OCD?  Please help! 

The Difference between Cookie and Cookies

So I haven't blogged about this yet, but I'm on a weight loss mission.  I signed up for a weight-loss challenge last year, but that was kinda silly because I was nursing Atticus like crazy and it is never a good idea to diet whilst nursing full-time.  I'm hesitant to blog about weight loss because I actually have a lot to say on the topic and it is a bit overwhelming.  Way at the bottom of my blog is a weight loss ticker and that's pretty much all I've done publicly. 

I have a lot to say.  About why I'm fat.  The weight I have loss.  The weight I gained back.  Eating Disorders.  How weight has impacted my love life, my parenting, and other areas of my life.  Until I get up the gumption to write it all down, I thought I'd start with baby steps.

I'm going to write about cookie.  That isn't a typo.  I meant cookie.  One of the reasons I'm fat is because of cookies.  Cakes.  Breads.  Slices of pizza.  Not a cookie, cake, bread, or a slice of pizza.  I'm fat because I ate too much really good food.

Here's something you may or may not know about me.  In 2003, while battling depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from sexual violence, I was hospitalized in a mental health facility.  Given my intense fear of men and frequent flashbacks I was placed in a wing of the hospital for women.  That area of the hospital happened to specialized in eating disorders.  So there I was, at that time over 350 pounds, sitting around with 60 pound women; some of the women were in wheelchairs, some about to be whisked to the hospital for feeding tubes, a couple with kidney failure, and more than a few with esophageal erosion and other health problems.

What I learned from these women suffering from anorexia and bulimia was that we were the same in so many ways.  They all thought they looked like me.  They had some of the same issues -- secrecy eating, low self-esteem, cutting and other modes of self-harm.  And yes, all the food issues.  As one of girl remarked to me, "Amanda, you're just like me, you're just all binge and no purge." 

Tuesday's was Challenge Day.  We were all ushered into a private dining area.  The same dining area where we recorded what we ate and how we felt at each meal.  A tiny, wee slice of cake was placed in front of each of use.  The anorexic girls who didn't want to eat and the bulimic girls who wanted to eat tons only to throw it back up had to take one bite.  ONE BITE.  I can recall several of the girls weeping.  This awful piece of cake would kill them.  That one bite would make them fat, disgusting, ugly, ill.....

My challenge was to take one bite. ONE BITE.  Slowly.  Not wolfing it down.  But I wanted all of the slice.  And everyone else could give me the unwanted slices.  Cake was good.  Cake made me feel happy, calm, loved, satisfied, fulfilled.  I needed cake.  So. much. cake.  I took one bite and the cake was carried away.  I cried.  I cried because I realized those many many many bites of cake would make me fat, disgusting, ugly, ill.....

I had the same problem as many of the other women at the facility.  I had disordered eating.  Not a single one of us could easily have cake as a reasonable part of our lives; an occasional treat in a realistic portion size.

Part of my disordered eating is that I identity my eating as being "good" and "bad".  When I'm good I'm very very good.  I eat rabbit food and exercise and think about calories constantly.  When I'm bad I'll eat a sack of cheeseburgers and a half-gallon of ice cream.  Both types of thinking are extreme and certainly not normal.

That being said, I've realized that I've slipped back into celebrating with a dozen cookies, rather than enjoying one cookie.  I'll bake a batch and have one out of the oven, one with lunch, one for snack, one after dinner, one before bed..... Back in December I even promised myself a cookie every time the baby woke up in the middle of the night (I had three cookies between 10pm and 6am that night). 

My goal is to lose weight, but my ultimate goal is to relearn my healthy eating habits.  Eat when hungry. Quit when full. Healthful exercise.  Reasonable portions. 

Tuesday night I baked a batch of cookies.  I wanted something chocolaty. I much rather indulge in a homemade something rather than a store bought something.  I baked Martha Stewart's Surprise Cookies.  I omitted the frosting.  I made sure I did an hour of exercise that day instead of 30 minutes.  The cookies came out of the oven. 

I had one cookie.  Slowly.  With a small glass of fat-free milk.  I was full and perfectly satisfied.  I enjoyed that one cookie so much more knowing that I was eating reasonably.

Hooray, for cookie!

An early Merry Christmas!

After some dreadful days at work and a bout of strep throat last week I decided to take a blog break.  Then I went of holiday vacation.

I found myself missing this blog.  I've had such a marvelous few days.  I feel refreshed and renewed and I'm back to loving my life.  While I want my blog to reflect my real life what I don't want is for it to become a place of constant bitching.   Balance.  And balance to me 90% joy and 10% drudgery.  My 10% blah for this week is that my oven is totally broken and Hope is visiting Grandma and I miss her like crazy.

Here is a list of the wonderful things making this blogging mama smile:

• Saturday:  Breakfast out with Sam and Atticus.  Santa was at the cafe and, of course, Atticus screamed bloody murder.  We did learn that Atticus is nutso for cheesy grits.  Good boy.  A long afternoon nap.  Baking sausage cheeseballs for our friends at Atlas Pizza.
• Sunday:  A trip to my parents' home.  My sister lives about 5 hours south of us and it was great to see her any my little niece Evie Rose.  Atticus was so sweet and hugged Evie every chance he could and Hope, as always, is so great with the little ones.  We opened gifts.  Mom and Dad gave Hope a digital camera, Atticus a car set, and Sam a Michael's gift-card.  I was spoiled --a Le Creuset tea set, a vintage Christmas book, some holiday ornaments, a tea ball, owl pajamas and a cookbook.  Dinner was superb (so. much. food.).  After dinner I helped my brother put together some legos; it is a family tradition.
• Monday:  I cuddled with Atticus in the morning and then we went to my friend Michelle's house.  Her little boy, Eli, is a few months older than Atticus and they had a pretty good time playing.  We were home at lunch and Sam came home from work for the day.  We all took a nap.  Then the boys went to Michael's and I spent some time at Inman Perk reading.  Monday night was spent prepping the rest of the holiday cards and stitching.  
• Tuesday:  A rainy day.  Atticus and I ran some errands in the morning.  We bought Beau Kitty's Christmas gift --a new scratch post and some catnip.  Atticus loved looking at the birds at PetSmart.  While Atticus was napping I stitched and drank too much coffee.  Then I had a surprise visit from friends Catherine and Spencer.  It was so great to see them!  That night after dinner I baked oatmeal cookies with chocolate covered Craisins.
• Wednesday:  I spent the morning playing with my darling little boy.  He fell asleep on the floor while watching Winnie the Pooh and it was precious.  I tried baking browned-butter sugar cookies and that was when my dying oven died.  The repair guy came out and we will need a new oven.  Even that couldn't dampen my mood.  That afternoon my friend Alison and her little boy, Sam, came over to play.  Sam is just a few weeks older than Atticus.  That night Sam stayed home with Atticus and I went out for some coffee for a few hours.  I normally work Wednesday nights and so it is best if I let Sam do Atticus's bedtime routine on Wednesdays so there aren't problems when I go back to work.  
• Today:  Sam was home from work today.  Yay!  We took Atticus out for Thai food and to visit his adopted Thai family:  Grandpa JB, Grandma Na, and Auntie Kik.  Atticus had Tom Ka for the first time and LOVED IT.  Then home for another nap.  Right now Sam and I are out for the evening while Shannon hangs out with the little guy.  Sam is drawing while I write and we've plans for a pasta dinner and seeing The Muppet Movie.  

 In addition I've finished two great books, The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck! both by Brian Selznick.  I'm in the middle of rereading Susan Hill's The Woman in Black.  I've nearly finished a stitching project and I'm about to start some more knitting.  Good times.

Okay, now for a few pictures:

Big Sister helping Atticus.

The Tree!

Halls are certainly decked.

Yes!  Tea set!

I loved looking at this book as a child.  I'm so happy mom bought it for me!

Blurry picture, but such a happy one. 
 

I hope all of you are having a joyous holiday season; I know I am!

Photo Friday: Wednesday

On Wednesdays I take Atticus to daycare at his regularly scheduled time (7:30) even though I don't go to work until noon (I work a split shift).  I typically use the four-plus hours to run errands, but this past Wednesday I had a little baking fest.  Actually, I just made 90 sugar cookies.  I had other cookies in the freezer because I've been doing my holiday baking a bit at a time.

It was a lovely day: coffee, Bing crooning Christmas tunes, a steady rain, and rolling out cookie dough.

The trays and treat-bags were a hit at work, so I guess everyone wins!

Blog Vacation -- What I did

I must say I need to take planned blog-vacations more often.  To pick a week and say I'm going to to devote it to my family and doing things I love was wonderful.  I feel ready to write and share again.  Normally, I try to MEGA-BLOG when I'm on vacation and that never works.  I can stitch with the wee ones playing, but writing... well, that just isn't going to happen.

So here is what I did on my my Thanksgiving break from work and from blogging

Amassed more embroidery floss...

Hung out with this silly girl.  We caught the Muppets' Movie on Saturday and she got her hair cut...

Finally finished Wolf Hall (more on that later)...

Took advantage of an AMAZING holiday sale and bought more Harney Tea...

Started making the kiddos stockings for Christmas...

Hope helped out a lot... she even raked leaves...

Enjoyed a Thanksgiving day with my family...

Made some chicken stock for the freezer...

Chased one inquisitive toddler and discovered he has a penchant for felt...

baking, of course...

Hope even got her craftiness on and made some holiday ornaments...

Halls are decked and fa-la-la-laing is in full-swing....

Cat cuddles....