traditions

When we first got married, husBen and I used to go every Sunday night for ice cream (or frozen yogurt). That first summer of marriage was full of free time, so we would walk Quimby to the ice cream shop in our neighborhood. Then we both started school and we switched to driving there instead. Somewhere in between our 3rd year of school starting back up and moving to this new house, that Sunday night tradition was lost. I used to really appreciate that date time, that intentionality, and obviously that sweet treat. I think it is important for married kids (since that is what we are after all) to have traditions. For me, that routine seemed to bring each week full circle and allow me to reflect both on how quickly the time passed in between Sunday nights and how fortunate I was that life was in order enough that I could indulge in those few happy moments with Ben. 

coffee ice cream with dark chocolate toffee crunch

5 eggs, well beaten

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 12 oz can evaporated milk

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup strong coffee, cooled

2 tablespoons espresso powder

2 cups whole milk

2 bars dark chocolate, chopped (I used dark chocolate with toffee bits in it, but you can use whatever mix-in sounds good to you!)

ice cream maker

Stir together the coffee and espresso powder until dissolved. Next combine all ingredients except the whole milk in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth and well blended. Stir in the whole milk. Pour the mixture into the canister of your ice cream maker, add the chocolate chunks, and freeze according the manufacturer's instructions.

high hopes

One day I will be a natural at dinner parties. I will be capable of a beautiful spread in under 30 minutes. I will make my kids fetch the table cloths from a linen closet and set a proper table. I will effortlessly have a photograph-worthy meal on the table when Ben calls on his way home from his adult job to tell me he invited a coworker over for dinner. I will have candles burned low because of all the hours spent at the dinner table in good conversation. I will be so confident that I will be no more flustered by hosting a party of two than a party of ten. One day. 

But these days, dinner parties are a gem to me. They are my favorite challenge and one of my most rewarding joys. I lovelovelove to sit around a table with Ben and our friends or family. I know I can get food on the table and I know Ben can carry the conversation (he is, after all, the coolest person I know).  I know that these moments are to be cherished because I do not always get the time off or inspiration to cook and cook well. For now, I am grateful for each opportunity. "One day" will come. 

Last Sunday we had some friends over for dinner and they brought their two handsome boys. Quimby dog was on his worst behavior that night, too enticed by the food always so precariously poached on the end of the youngest boy's fork. Quimby's head is level with the table so he was taking every opportunity to help clean up any food dropped onto the tablecloth (what a good host?). After admonishing Quimby for nearly licking directly onto our little friend's plate, I look over just in time to see our little friend bend his adorable head down to lick the table cloth himself, clearly following Quimby's good example. This is my type of dinner party!

I served chicken with herb roasted tomatoes and pan sauce over goat cheese polenta and roasted asparagus as a side. I also made some coffee ice cream with chopped dark chocolate toffee bits (recipe later). Here is the chicken recipe if anyone is interested: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chicken-with-Herb-Roasted-Tomatoes-and-Pan-Sauce-51108240

Cheers!

blondies... like brownies but more fun

These little treats carry a punch...consider yourself fairly warned!

Browned Butter & Bourbon Blondies

½ cup walnuts

¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned and cooled

¾ cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons bourbon

½ cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

In a small pan, melt the butter (stir occasionally and watch it!) until browned and golden brown.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Spread the walnuts on a cookie sheet and toast (at 350 degrees) until golden brown and fragrant (8ish min). Allow to cool and lightly chop.

Cut a length of parchment paper to fit a 8x8 baking dish allowing the paper to come up to the top of the pan on both sides.  Cut another sheet to fit in the opposite direction also trimming at the top of the pan.  Spray the parchment paper lightly with cooking spray.  Set aside.

Mix flour, baking powder, cornstarch and salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine well.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the browned butter and brown sugar until blended.  Add the egg and beat until incorporated.  Add in the bourbon and vanilla and again mix just until incorporated.  Add in the dry ingredients and beat until just barely combined (don’t over mix).

Add the chocolate chips and toasted walnuts to the batter.  Fold in gently.  Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.  

Bake until the top is golden brown and shiny, about 22-24 minutes.  

Cool the Blondies in the pan then lift out using the parchment paper. Slice into bite sized pieces, as these little treats are rich!

(slightly adapted from http://www.savingdessert.com/2012/09/browned-butter-bourbon-blondies.html )

whats your story?

Last week at our bible study, I had to give my life story. In preparation for this epic personal narrative, I drew a timeline of my life thus far, consisting of a simple line with several ups and downs, sharp turns and gradual slopes. In my own mind, I was aware of all the events that comprised these turning points, but when I initially showed the picture to Ben, he (who knows me best of all) even inquired about some of the ascents and descents. After sharing this story of why I am who I am today with the others in our group, I felt bared but content, like I had just related not a story of myself, but more importantly (hopefully) painted a depiction of how awesome God is, of how well He has written my book.

When I got home that night, I chatted with a friend on the phone and casually mentioned that I had to tell my life story earlier. He replied that he would like to hear that sometime, a comment that has really kept me thinking over the past few days. You see, I grew up with this guy and as a close friend, he has really been present for most of the important points on my timeline. He saw my high school self party then change allegiance over a summer, he saw me go off to college and fall in love with Ben, and he even now goes to my same medical school. Since I have not discussed in depth with him how God was using these occurrences along the way to change me, to love me more wholly and bless me so completely, this friend has probably not really been aware of these super integral, but all important (to me) parts of my story. Those more reflective truths or my personal perception of what the actual events in my life stand for, are what make my story, or your story, or anyone’s story. That is God’s story. And that deserves to be told.

I found myself wanting to ask people I know, even know really well, to tell me their life story. These conversations probably need to be had around a table or over a glass of wine, but I truly know that I could learn more about my God by hearing these depictions of His work. 

1% embarrassing

HusBen and I caught a little something on Halloween. He had been feverish the night before, then I woke up on Wednesday feeling nearly intoxicated. I tried to distract myself from the nausea at work by staying busy, and then even thought it wise to step into the operating room. Let’s just say I had to politely excuse myself from the table while quickly passing off my tools before allowing myself to feint (sitting on the floor helped me circumnavigate that embarrassment….sort of). By the time I finally drove home, I could already see the little tricker-treaters starting to hit up the neighborhood. Ben and I could not bring ourselves to get into the spirit, even to the point of having to tell the first kids that knocked on our door that we had no candy. Yes, we are that terrible, and our bodies felt just as bad. We discussed our options at that point: A) go to the store and buy some candy (errrr, wrong answer) or B) turn off all our lights and pretend we were not home (why did that sound so appealing at the time?).

We indeed turned off all the lights, put a sticky note on the door that said “Out trick or treating, sorry!” and snuggled our viral selves into the couch with our dinner. This seemed like a good plan at first….until the relentless little people kept coming up to our door despite our best efforts to stave them off! Each time we heard them traipsing up, we had to jump off the couch and hide behind the furniture before they would be able to see us through the glass-windowed front door. We had a good laugh, all the while affirming each other that we really are not this terrible in real life…we were just sick.

Salmon with Pepita Cilantro pesto

I made this for dinner as my one and only effort to celebrate Halloween (it has pumpkin seeds in it!).

Salmon with Pepita Cilantro Pesto, over goat cheese polenta

extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1/2 cup (firmly packed) cilantro leaves and stems

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

2 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lime juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 (or 4 because you will have plenty of pesto) 6-ounce salmon fillets

1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Heat 3 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds; sauté until beginning to brown and pop, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Pulse the cooled pumpkin seeds, cilantro, coriander seeds, and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. With machine running, gradually add 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/4 cup oil, then 1/4 cup water, blending until coarse purée forms. Season pesto to taste with salt, pepper, and more lime juice, if desired.

Heat oven to 475. Make each piece of salmon a pouch out of foil by first putting olive oil in the center of a large piece of foil, then laying your salmon on top (drizzle some olive oil over the salmon, 1 good squeeze of lime juice, salt and pepper), then crimping up the edges of the foil together to seal the pouch. Put the pouches directly in your oven and cook for 12 minutes. When they are done, place salmon on plate and spoon pesto over. Serve with lime wedges.  

Adapted from Bon Appétit , November 2011

butternut squash turnovers and how to keep the right plates spinning

“It’s not hard to decide what you want your life to be about. What’s hard…is figuring out what you’re willing to give up in order to do the things you really care about.”

I started reading Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist over my break and although I now have the time to zip through the whole book in one sitting, I find myself wanting to slow-march through it in order to allow some of the real gems of her thoughts to sink in. The phrase above has been especially poignant in my mind this week as I have been considering what it means to practice beliefs and live life out of properly ordered priorities. I have been still with Ben without my mind wandering to 1000 other places and tasks. I have dined well with people I love. I have spent time with God in a non-hurried manner. I have sat and laughed and shared good wine with family. I have been able to do all these things because I have time. So what will I continue to do when I no longer have the time? In this chapter of her book, she makes a list of things she does not do in order to save time for the things she does do (those she views to be most important and encompassing of her beliefs).  I picture a lady frantically keeping 10 plates spinning instead deciding to spin only 5, and spin them well (this lady seems far less frazzled in my head).

There is only so much time. What will we capitulate in order to really stand for the thing we want to stand for? What will we be most proud of accomplishing when we are willing to sacrifice those other petty accomplishments?  

Butternut squash and caramelized onion turnovers

(adapted from Food & Wine)

these would be a good appetizer...
they also served us well as a late night snack
after biking home from Little Matt's margaritas

One 3-pound butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

Salt and freshly ground pepper, olive oil

1 medium sized sweet onion, roughly chopped

1 ½ cups grated Gruyère cheese

1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme

All-purpose flour, for rolling out the pastry

2 package puff pastry

Egg wash (2 large egg yolks lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons whole milk)

Preheat the oven to 400°. Drizzle the squash with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 30 minutes or until tender. Allow it to cool, then scoop out the flesh and discard the peel.

Next, heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Add your onions and sprinkle over salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Stir occasionally until they loose their moisture and start to look caramelized and crispy. I had a moment in the kitchen during this part, as the onions-in-a-hot-skillet aroma is truly one of the most satisfying and good-memory-provoking smells for me. When your onions are done, add the roasted squash, thyme, and Gruyère and gently mash all these components together.

On a floured surface, roll out the thawed puff pastry to about a 2 mm thickness. Use the top of a wide rimmed glass (or a large cookie cutter) to cut circles out of the dough. Top each round with 1 tablespoon of your squash mixture and fold in half (like a moon). Press the edges together with a fork to seal. Refrigerate these as you make them until you are ready to bake.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brush the turnovers with the egg wash and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm!

better than PB&J

I could get used to this vacation thing, although I will admit it is far more fun with other vacationers by your side. husBen slept through his alarm this morning, and I could not have been more delighted (sorry B). I made him a quick lunch to reward his, errrr, good behavior. It was at least one step above his usual PB&J anyway…

Steak and Asparagus croissants

1 bunch asparagus, olive oil, salt and pepper

Gruyere  cheese (9 thick strips)

 1 can croissants

1 steak (flat iron worked well), butter

Cut the tough ends off the asparagus. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Heat a skillet over high heat with butter then sear both sides of your steak. Slice into 9 pieces. In each croissant, place one strip of gruyere, a few pieces of asparagus and a strip of steak and wrap it up. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.