Thyme For Summer

This Memorial Day began with a sweet start as I dusted off one of my first ever kitchen items (and one of my favorite wedding presents) a Villa Ware heart shaped waffle maker. I don't typically do a lot of waffles (shocking since I'm such a fan of both breakfast and anything that can be made from batter), because I have a memory of them being a slight pain in the ass. With batter spilling out of the iron, having to scrub off the the burnt on pieces conveniently lodged in the little crevices, having to be careful not to actually submerge any part in water (nearly impossible), it was always tricky stuff. Luckily, none of that was an issue, and I turned out some really swell waffles! The key is to thoroughly grease the iron and not put more than about 1/3 of a cup of batter in there at once. This is a good lesson to learn... always try, try, again and never let past disaters prevent you from future successes, especially in the kitchen. The only mishap was that, true to form, I forgot to make my compote the night before, and since it really needs a couple of hours to allow the fruit to break down, my mango, strawberry compote wasn't very compote-y, and was more like fruit tossed in sugar- still super yummy of course, but not quite the same.

The children and I took our morning sugar high off to the swimming pool where we did what all good Americans do on warm whether holidays- have BBQ. Samuel had his very first swim, in the buff, and regrettably I wasn't able to take photos to embarrass him with later. Isabella and Josephine, I am proud to say, have taken to swimming this year like little fishes which made it all the more enjoyable. Once we were all sufficiently pink I brought the troops home and began working on dinner.

First things first, roast chicken. This bird was well taken care of, dressed in wonderfully aromatic fresh herbs an lemon, after going through the requisite anatomy lesson with the girls- they always like to ask "So where was his little head?", "Where were his wings?". Funny how chickens in our house are called 'little guys', when, really, they are all female. Anyway, he/she went into the oven and I made the rolls while Isabella worked on 'veg-prep', cutting the squash for the casserole (I score the squash with the tip of my sharp knife, so that she sees where to chop and can use a simple butter knife to cut through it). I decided to whip up some apple butter to go with our rolls for dessert, and Isabella was happy to help, as she loves to get to use the peeler. So with minimal complaining as to how this would all be SO much easier if I had double ovens, I managed to turn everything out, on time, and at the same temperature (relatively), to the table. And so, we had an All-American meal to end this Memorial day, and to begin the start of our summer, which I hope, will be a delicious one.

Weekly Menu No. 4

Monday
coconut waffles with mango strawberry compote
BBQ poolside
fresh herb roasted chicken with yellow squash casserole and homemade rolls

Tuesday
sesame orange granola
lunch 'o' leftovers - last night's dinner
grilled chicken burgers with tomato chutney
dessert chocolate pan-cake with chocolate pecan frosting

Wednesday
fluffy yeasted biscuits with honeyed yogurt and fruit
zucchini, potato, and parmesan soup with butter lettuce, pecans, blue cheese, and pears
southern smothered chicken with rice

Thursday
baked eggs with garden veggie hash
picnic at the zoo turkey tea sandwiches with orange slices and thumbprint cookies
italian wedding soup

Friday
sweet potato pecan waffles
best ever grilled cheeses
baked salmon in parchment with julienned vegetables
dessert apple and raisin bread pudding with orange butterscotch sauce

Redeamed By Cream

Fridays are my days to accomplish things. Tasks around the house, deep cleaning rooms that need it, putting on fresh bedding.... the little things that will allow you to actually enjoy being home as a family on the weekend. Today was fraught with such tasks, so much so that instead of sitting down for Isabella's school lessons I had her verbally spelling and doing math problems in different rooms of the house as I was working, poor thing. Amid the frantic Friday clean up I realized I had forgotten to make the croquette dough for our lunch, which, since it requires a four hour rest, I knew wasn't going to be. I instead whipped up some nachos that could pass for last minute lunch stand in and was secretly greatful for it, as it afforded me that much more time to conquer laundry mountain before Wes came home from work.
For those who haven't noticed the pattern, Friday evening's dinner is the one I attempt to elevate ever so slightly among the rest, spending a bit more time and/or money to give the week that elegant endpoint, which is why I am particularly dismayed when they fall flat. I typically do not buy seafood often, because when I do, it comes with it's wild caught, never frozen, sustainable price tag, and tonight's dinner was no exception. I spent $18.00 a pound for crustaceans that ended up tasting like feet (I choose to believe this is purely the shrimps fault and in no way a reflection of my cooking ability). I know it is always best to cook seafood the day of purchase, however I figured there couldn't be too much harm in letting them chill out in the fridge for a night, especially since I had them put on ice. Their fishy fragrance hit me however when I began my 30 minutes of tedious and much loathed deveining (I don't care what anyone says, there is no 'quick and easy' way to peel and devein a pound and a half of shrimp). I went ahead and sauteed them up in olive oil and garlic, adding lemon juice, parsley, and red pepper flakes and served them with couscous and a tomato/vegetable broth I pureed. Ironicllay the girls loved it. Me however, not so much. Not at all actually, which is rare. I was so thankful for the great redeemer of the night - the fancy fruit salad (fruit salad is the typical berry and/or banana medley, however once you add kiwi into the mix it is officially 'fancy' in my book) that was topped with the most etherial combination of whipped cream, ricotta, sugar and cinnamon. It must be said that after I took the photo of the dish I heaped on another 1/2 a cup! And so, dear reader, I bid you adieu with the culinary highlight of my day, while I attempt to rid my kitchen of the smell of scampi gone bad.

Cannoli Cream

1/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (Polly-O is a good brand)
3 TBS cream
1/3 cup cream
3 TBS powdered sugar
dash of cinnamon

in a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta and 3 TBS of cream
in the bowl of an electric mixer whip the 1/3 cup cream, sugar, and cinnamon until medium to stiff peaks form
fold the whipped cream into the ricotta mixture and use immediately or store covered in the fridge up to a day in advance
serve atop fruit salad (add a few TBS of sugar and a squirt of lemon fresh lemon and let sit for 15 minutes or so to really get the juices flowing)

Pint Sized Tortilla Factory and other events of Tuesday

Making homemade tortillas might sound rather intimidating, but they are really no trouble at all, I promise. It is something so fun to do with children and Isabella and Josephine have such a blast whenever whip some up. The recipe we use is foolproof... 3 cups of flour mixed with 1 TBS sugar, then add 1 cup of water mixed with 3 TBS vegetable oil, stir until it forms a ball, knead a couple of times, then separate into 12 little balls and roll out, cook over med heat for several minutes per side until they look like tortillas! While my Sunday menu post said I would be making a quick pico, I deviated from that slightly and made a mango salsa that went over great with the kids- just diced mango, onions, tomato, and cilantro.... amazing what can be from a few fresh ingredients. : ) To see the girls in action making their tortillas, visit our Confections & Confessions page on Facebook and find the photo album under 'kids confections'.

This morning's breakfast of Easiest Ever Oatmeal Smoothies is actually my personal favorite thing to have (and make) for breakfast. You make the base the night before in about 15 mintues, and then put in a blender in the morning- it doesn't get easier than that! Without even having to think about it, you've made a lightly sweet, nutritious breakfast in a flash, that is surprisingly filling and much easier to get down that a bowl of hot oatmeal in summertime.

After our coconut curry dinner this evening, I skipped the homemade dessert and took the children out to a new little independent self serve frozen yogurt shop called Cassie's, where I let the girls pile on all the fruit toppings they would like and one type of candy just for fun. It is so enjoyable to break away from the usual evening routine that comes with having young children and go out for dessert after dinner... it's a great way to feel spontaneous and get kids excited with really minimal effort and cost!

Easiest Ever Oatmeal Smoothies

bring 6 cups of whole milk and 2 cups old fashioned oats to a rapid simmer over high heat
reduce heat to low and stir frequently until thickened, about 10 minutes
add 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla, and a dash of cinnamon, cool slightly and pop in the fridge overnight
in the morning, blend up with a few ice cubes!
feel free to experiment... I love mine with some frozen blueberries tossed in the blender with it.

The Secret To Perfect French Toast, Cutest Ever Children's Snack, and The Best All-American Dinner... Not Bad For A Monday :)

I consider myself to be somewhat of an expert on the subject of breakfast, especially in the realm of pancakes and french toast. It was with great skepticism then, that I put a recent tip into practice.... Cook your french toast in oil as opposed to butter. Don't you need butter to lend flavor? I decided to leave that to my hot buttered rum raisin sauce and found that the new frying method made this dish fantastically good, with a crisp outer texture and a soft slight chewiness in the center... everything you never knew you always wanted in french toast.

French Toast with Hot Buttered Rum Raisin Sauce

the toast
8 slices challah bread, sliced 3/4 in thick
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups of milk
1 TBS sugar
canola oil for frying

the sauce
2 TBS butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 TBS rum
1/3 cup raisins

mix the egg, milk, and sugar in a large bowl or a sqaure pyrex type dish that will allow you to soak the bead in it for 30 seconds or so per side
heat a large pan over med high, add the oil, and heat until a drop of batter spatters when dropped in
cook the bread for 1 to 2 minutes per side and allow to rest on paper towels until ready to serve.
to make the sauce, remove the pan from the heat and drain the oil
add the butter, syrup, rum, and raisins, and swirl in pan until combined and heated through
pour over french toast and devour


Humpty Dumpty sat in a pot, Humpty Dumpty got really hot, we colored his shell, and then when he fell, we really enjoyed him a lot! This is a snack idea that I came up with that is super easy, fun, and nutritious. Hard boil an egg or two per child (something that can be done days in advance), have them decorate the eggs like little Humpty Dumpties (Isabella decided to make a Mrs. Dumpty as well) and then have them peel and eat! If you add some fruit or perhaps a few crackers and cheese, voila, you have lunch done! This also is a great picnic combo, or, if your child old enough to be school-aged and young enough to not be embarrassed by you, make your own little 'mom' picture or message on the hard boiled eggs and send them off in the lunch bag.


Most of us love good ol' American homecooking....there is so much comfort (and calories) that can come from a piece of meat and two side dishes that everyone seems to have their favorite recipes in this genre. After you try these sides however, you'll never look back! I had my mother and a good friend of mine over for dinner last night and they both commented on the green beans, saying "I never knew green beans could taste like that". Macaroni and cheese is one of my all time favorite foods- anytime is is featured on a menu, in an aritcle, or in a cookbook, I have to try it out. What I leave you with is what I have found, through all of those taste tests and my own personal experimentation, to be the ultimate macaroni and cheese. Super creamy, slight crunch on top, and if you opt for the drizzle of white truffle oil, a symphony of I-don't-know-what.... it is superb.

Jenna's Best Ever Green Beans

2 TBS olive oil
1 to 1/2 lbs french green beans (hericots verts)
scant 1/4 cup small diced onion
3 cloves or garlic, mined
1 TBS fresh chopped basil, or 1 tsp or so, dried
1/2 cup hot water
scant 1/4 cup sugar
1 tps sea salt
a few grinds of fresh pepper

heat the olive oil over med high heat and sauté the garlic and onion until soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
add all other ingredients and let cook for 15 to 20 minutes until beans have desired tenderness


Jenna's Best Ever Macaroni and Cheese

1 and 1/2 cups macaroni (I prefer a whole grain pasta I this recipe)
1 1/2 cups of evaporated milk
2 eggs
1 tsp tsp whole grain or dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
dash of hot sauce
2 TBS butter
2 1/2 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese (preferably raw-milk for ultimate creaminess, Alta Dena is a great brand)

1 cup fresh white bread crumbs*
1 TBS butter

*To make fresh bread crumbs, simple remove the crusts from some fresh white bread and blend in a food pocessor for a few seconds. Make a big batch and store in a ziploc in the freezer- they keep great! If you purchase bread crumbs from the grocery store READ THE LABLE as most of the brands have all manner of fortified nastiness in them.

mix the egg, milk mustard, hot sauce, salt and pepper in a small bowl
in a medium saucepan, cook the noodles in salted and oiled boiling water al dente, 7 or 8 minutes, drain and return to pan
add the 2 TBS butter to the pasta, then add the milk and egg mixture along with the cheese and allow to thicken, stirring occasionally for 3 or 4 minutes
meanwhile, make taosted breadcrums...
put 1 TBS butter in a pan over medium heat until it stops foaming
add the breadcrumbs, stir for a few minutes until golden
serve atop the macaroni and drizzle with white truffle oil

The Weekly Menu No. 3

Monday
french toast with hot buttered rum maple syrup
humpty dumpties with fruit salad
'meat love' with best ever mac and cheese and best ever green beans
dessert cherry galette

Tuesday
easiest ever oatmeal smoothies
kid's confection homemade tortillas
spinach and cheese quesadillas with guacamole and quick salsa
chicken and vegetable curry

Wednesday
sausage and cheddar muffins
picnic at the park 'lightened up' tuna tea sandwiches with clementines and walnut thumbprint cookies
roasted pasta primavera
dessert fresh peach crisp

Thursday
maple granola with dried fruits
ham and cheese croquettes with fig dipping sauce
fully loaded lentil burgers
dessert rice pudding with vanilla, orange, and rum

Friday
rise and shine smoothies with buttery toast
lunch 'o' leftovers- roasted pasta primavera
scampi on couscous
dessert fancy fruit salad with cannoli cream

Family Movie Night - Get Poppin'!

There is something I must confess... It is an action so bold, so unusual, that the mere mention of it has been known to elicit gaping stares, harassing questions, and in better moments, applause. We do not have T.V.. To clarify, we have a television, it is simply not capable of showing anything other than DVDs we choose to play. The reasons for this are many, and no, we do not live in a compound or belong to a cult that forbids any form of cultural influence past 1865. We have simply opted out of life's biggest time-suck next to Facebook (which for the record, I was VERY so slow to get). Because of this we get an extra 4 1/2 hours in our day. That is the 4 1/2 hours that the rest of the nation spends (on average) not connecting or communicating with their families, not spending time outdoors, not cooking, not exercising, not reading, not living. This is not to say that curling up on the couch and vegging has no place in life, but hey, we all know there is too much time spent watching programs we don't want to watch just to fell tuned into something, or being only mildly fulfilled when watching a favorite program because more time was spent watching advertisements than the characters. This is where the beauty of Family Movie Night comes into play. Instead of having T.V shows (or movies) on all the time, acting as constant background noise, we have turned it into a fun and special weekly (twice a week if we can squeeze it) ritual that our whole family gets to enjoy together. It goes something like this: We have an early dinner so as not to completely throw off bedtime, we have either a special dessert or make homemade popcorn that we get to eat in the living room (gasp), and snuggle in on the sofa, where no one is allowed to take calls, check email, or be otherwise distracted from the special evening. As far as what we watch, I am a firm believer that children's entertainment should be good natured and enjoyable for the whole family- if you fee like you are getting dumber as you watch it, or are horribly annoyed by it, then WHY are you allowing to be played in YOUR house, having influence over your kids? You are the parent and you have first right of refusal- remember that! I love that my girls enjoy watching classic films in black and white and, if it weren't for some well meaning neighbors, wouldn't even know who Dora the Explorer is. There is just so much meaningless, valueless, swill that is advertised to children today, that by breaking free of T.V. my kids get to be kids just that much longer.


The Hamiter Families Top 10 Movie Picks

1. Matilda
2. The Sound of Music
3. Mary Poppins
4. Finding Nemo
5. The Wizard of Oz (or, as my daughters say it, The Wizard Kabboz)
6. Hook
7. Old Yeller
8. To Kill A Mockingbird
9. The Secret Garden
10. Anything Shirley Temple

Poppin' Homemade Popcorn

Making popcorn at home is ridiculously easy and does not require any sort of special popcorn popper (I have no idea why such appliances even exist- you don't need one) and is much healthier than the fortified nastiness that you will find prepackages at the grocery store.

Simply heat 1 TBS corn oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add 1/3 cup of popcorn kernals and cover with the lid. Shake the pan frequently until the popping subsides and, viola, homemade popcorn. Drizzle with some melted butter and sea salt and enjoy the show!

Break free from T.V.! **However please tune into MasterChef premiering July 27th on Fox to see yours truly. ; )


ABOUT THIS ENTRY'S PHOTO When I was taking the picture for Wednesday evening's (a family movie night btw) from scratch chocolate and whipped cream pudding cups she said there needed to be a smile in the picture.... I completely agree : )

Salted Carmel Sauce Recipe

As promised, here is the recipe for the best best carmel sauce you will ever taste.... Spoon it over ice cream, use it as a filling in cakes or pastries, or just lick it from the bowl.

2 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1 TBS light corn syrup (I know, it's a rare moment)
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 1/2 tsp fluer de sel*

*fluer de sel is a gourmet French sea salt that just sings. It is easily found at Whole Foods and other similar stores in bulk so you can purchase as little as you need with very minimal cost. If you must, substitute sea salt, but if you use regular old calcium chloride table salt, do not expect the carmel to be nearly as remarkable (yes, it does make a difference).

Heat the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a saucepan over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the syrup is clear. Clip a candy thermometer** onto the side of the pan, stop stirring, and cook until syrup comes to a boil. Let boil, gently swirling the pan occasionally, until the mixture is caramelized and reaches just 360 degrees. Remove from the heat and slowly pour in the cream (it may spatter) and stir until smooth. Stir in salt. Can be stored in the fridge for a week or so and reheated as necessary.

**A candy thermometer is an inexpensive device that, while sounds technical, is simply an unobtrusive little gadget you attach to your pan to monitor the precise the cooking temperature (something that is especially important in candy making). They are handy to have, and surprisingly gets a lot of use. Get one!

Oats and Olés

Monday morning's oatmeal was requested specifically by Isabella, who very well might be the first child in recorded history to put oatmeal above pancakes in the breakfast favorites category (I am very proud of this). This is not, mind you, the tutti fruiti, turn your milk neon blue, prepackaged children's "oatmeal" that marketers push as a healthy morning meal for America's youngsters. This is pure old fashioned rolled oats that take the full 6 minutes to cook on the stove (as opposed to their "ready in the microwave in 45 seconds" counterparts), that are a whole grain superfood, full of fiber, and keeps you feeling full (great if you are trying to loose weight). Admittedly, plain oatmeal is grueling to get down.... knowing how to dress it up makes all the difference in world. Here are some super easy (and quick) ideas to get real oatmeal back on the breakfast table:
- Add some chopped apple, raisins, a few walnuts, a tablespoon of sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon shortly after adding oats to the water
- While the oats cook, slice some strawberries into a bowl and toss in tablespoon or so of brown sugar. The berries will release their juices and get deliciously syrupy, add as a topping to your bowl of oats
- Eat plain, with a drizzle of real deal pure maple syrup*
- We top all of the afore mentioned combinations with a splash of whole milk, to give it that extra oomph of flavor and texture

* Maple syrup makes a wonderful sweetener, and naturally contains vitamins, minerals, and folic acid, so feel free to indulge! No offense to Aunt Jemima, bless her heart, but her syrup is nothing more than artificially flavored and colored corn syrup, as are most brands of 'maple syrup' on the market. Be sure to look for "100% pure maple syrup" on the label.


Mexican Night got off to a discouraging start when I realized at the beginning of dinner prep that I had forgotten to soak my pintos overnight for the borracho beans. That is unfortunately a blunder that I am familiar with. Moving on, I decide to scrap the mexican rice as well, and take solace in the two beautiful avocados I happened to have picked up, by turning them into the most delicious and simple guacamole ever, with just chopped onion, lime juice, cilantro, sea salt, and a touch of plain yogurt, which adds to the tang and smoothes out the texture just slightly. My chili con carne sauce that will be topping my cheese and onion enchiladas takes an hour and a half of simmer time, which is fine, because it allows me to get all of my other dish components prepared. The long simmer time (and a ridiculous amount of spices) allows everything to really break down, which is the secret to that perfect, smooth, super flavorful sauce that seem to be an art only Tex Mex restaurants have mastered (there are a depressingly low number of authentic Tex Mex cookbooks on the market and I'm glad I finally found one!). The queso was as good as I have had anywhere, despite me skipping the 15 minutes it would have taken to roast the poblano peppers before sautéing them, and was incredibly simple- just chopped onion, poblanos, and tomato with american cheese (something I typically disdain, but made an exception for), with a little water to thin it out. The flautas were slightly disappointing flavor wise, falling a little flat as I filled them only with shredded chicken, jack cheese, and onion (I should have added a bit of seasoning), but I was impressed and pleased that they managed to hold up their roll in the pan. The salted caramel sauce which I pared with homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert was spectacular... Look back for the recipe tomorrow!

The Weekly Menu No.2

Monday
oatmeal with apples and raisins
lunch 'o' leftovers- veggie soup
Mexican Night chicken flautas with queso, cheese & onion enchiladas, texmex rice and charro beans
dessert very vanilla ice cream and salted carmel parfaits

Tuesday
sweet popover pancake with strawberries
easy korean bbq with rice and broccoli
croque monsieur with caesar salad
dessert peach and blueberry crostata

Wednesday
eggs benedict
chicken and white bean chili
whole wheat linguini with hericots verts, ricotta, and lemon
dessert chocolate striped pudding cups

Thursday
herbed baked eggs with buttery toast
peanut butter, banana, and honey sammies friend in butter
Pizza Night homemade dough topped with 1) mozzarella di bufala, sweet italian sausage, fresh tomatoes, and torn basil 2) roasted mushrooms, spinach, and goat cheese
dessert best ever brownies

Friday
granola with plain yogurt and orange blossom honey
lunch 'o' leftovers- homemade pizza
scallops provencal with a vegetable tian
cour la creme with raspberries

Hot Dog! (and the meaning of 'fortified nastiness')

Now it should be said that, before last night, I had never actually consumed a chili cheese dog. Treasonous I know, being an American and all (and a Texan at that), but, well, yuck. Consisting usually of overly processed, super soft, extra white non-bread, a weenie chocked full preservatives and nitrates, topped with mystery meat chili and 'American cheese', these things are pure fortified nastiness*. That is why, when I found a gourmet recipe for this edible piece of Americana, I was anxious to see if I could finally get on board. Our whole family LOVED them! With grilled pain au levin hot dog buns, organic all beef franks, bison chili, and raw milk cheddar, the chili cheese dog, an American favorite, has been redeemed.

Chili Cheese Dogs- Gourmet Style

for the chili:
extra-virgin olive oil
one onion, chopped
1 lb. ground bison (or BEST quality ground beef)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 cup ketchup (get some real deal organic ketchup, NOT the syrupy Heinz nastiness)
2 tsp. yellow mustard

pack of pain au levin hot dog buns, or other freshly made bun
pack of organic, preservative free franks
freshly grated raw milk cheddar, for sprinkling on top (Alta Dena is a GREAT brand... and please don't buy pre shredded cheese- it is coated with anti caking agents and mold inhibitors that affect taste, meltability, and mouthfeel)

Heat skillet on medium and add a two count of olive oil
Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes
Add ground beef and cook until nicely browned, about 10 minutes
Add chili powder, ketchup, and mustard and simmer until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes

Grill the hot dogs
Lightly drizzle or brush some olive oil on the inside of the buns, and grill to lightly toast

Assemble dogs and eat up!



* The Meaning Of Fortified Nastiness

Fortified Nastiness is a phrase I came up with several years ago, when trying to describe junk foods to my daughter. Nastiness was an adjective I would use frequently, but to give that little something extra, I added the word 'fortified' to depict all of the enriched, preserved and otherwise 'fortified' products available. :)

Tuesay's Events and Jenna's "Mistake Cake" Ideas

This morning I prepared polenta and egg casserole, which was a recipe I found that sounded terrific, only to turn lackluster in it's delivery. I won't bore you with details of the recipe, only tell you what would have made it better.... First of all, the secret to great polenta (or grits, for us southern folks) is using chicken broth instead of water in the cooking process (which I DID do). This gives the corn a heightened flavor and depth that just make it out of this world. There was really no need to spend the extra time baking the eggs in the polenta; some simple fried eggs seasoned with salt and pepper would have been lovely served atop a steaming bowl of the corn and would have saved myself roughly 15 extra minutes and the need to wash a casserole dish!
Dinner took an unexpected turn, as I received a last minute solicitation to create some cupcakes for a small graduation party that was taking place this evening. I, of course, jumped at the chance, and got to work making mini salted caramel chocolate cakes, which consisted of a devils food batter baked in mini muffin tins, which once cooled were individually hollowed out and filled with a homemade salted caramel cream sauce, piped with a dark chocolate frosting on top, and garnished with a sprinkling of fluer de sel. They turned out beautifully, even amid a mini crises by which the entire first batch had to be scrapped- I had filled the tins a tad too full, causing the batter to rise up and form unattractive flattened disks topping the cupcake, which would have hindered the hollowing out process. The assembly line with all of the different components was enough to swallow up my tiny kitchen, rendering it useless for making dinner. The lack of Classic Chicken Parmesan aside, I consider the evening a complete success, even though my family was obliged to dine on the veggie supreme from a local pizzeria.

Jenna's "Cake Mistake" Solution

When you have a situation like mine earlier this evening, and for some reason a cake doesn't look as it should, became stuck to the pan and broke while trying to remove it, or perhaps got a touch overcooked, don't fret (and for heavens sakes don't waste)- simply create a new dessert as if you had intended it that way all along! You can create a show stopping trifle by alternately layering crumbled up cake, some homemade sweetened whipped cream, and fresh berries, or for a fun children's dessert make a dirt cake with a layer of frosting, sprinkling of crumbled cake and (if you are feeling extra playful) some gummy worms peeking out from the 'dirt'. Another fun idea is to simply make one giant ice cream sundae- in a large serving bowl put several scoops of strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate ice cream, add large broken up chunks of "mistake cake" , add some fudge and/or caramel sauces, and top with some whipped cream and a cherry.
"Mistake Cake" just might go over even better than that traditional tree layer one you had in mind. ; )

Enjoy!

Better Late Than Never....

OK, well, in my defense, I AM trying to chase a lot of rabbits.... between parenting, chefing, attending to all manner of domestic duties (I am admittedly OCD, and everything MUST be clean and tidy at all times), homeschool lessons for Isabella and Josephine, and the ever necessary husband/wife evening time, I'm finding I have definitely not scheduled in enough time to actually write about all of these said activities (are there actually enough hours in a day?). I am determined however, that this will get easier. To sum up, last week went relatively smooth... The biggest blunder being a batch of homemade mayonnaise that I absentmindedly mixed in the blender (I must of had Hollandaise on my mind), instead of the food processor, wasting about 6 dollars worth of premium olive and canola oils in the process. The family favorite of the week would be be awarded to the Bacon, Apple & Stilton Omelet that was our Friday morning breakfast.... very rarely does my husband make overtly obnoxious yummy noises so I took this as an excellent sign!
As for Mother's Day on Sunday, it was delectable, as any Mother's Day should be. I hosted a small brunch for my mother, my cousin Cristin and her son Jayden, and of course my family. I prepared my first soufflé- it consisted of mushrooms, herbs, and cheese, with cinnamon/thyme/apple and potato latkes and my ultimate buttermilk biscuits (my mom's FAVORITE). The latkes were alright, the biscuits were as usual, but the soufflé was enough to bring tears (and, no I'm not kidding). It was not terribly difficult to prepare, and seeing the risen beauty of it as I took the preparation out from the oven was akin to watching my one of my children take their first step. Oh, and it tasted flipping fantastic. The most lovely aspect of the table, however, was that I used my great-grandmother's Haviland china for the first time since inheriting it last year. It is pre-WWI, hand painted, and edged in 24 karat gold... In short, the type of thing most people would never use- EVER! But why? It is so wasteful for couples to register for china, only to have it sit in a cupboard unused, and bring out chinette and plastic ware at parties- I DON"T GET IT! I also have my grandmother's china from the 50's that I pull out ANY time we are having company of any kind for dinner, the only exception is if we are grilling out. Anyway, I digress... more on that topic later...

The menu for this week is as follows:

Monday
blueberry buttermilk pancakes with banana yogurt
bowtie pasta with ratatouille puree
out to dinner

Tuesday
eggs baked in polenta casserole
lunch 'o' leftovers- mexican from last nights dinner
classic chicken parmesan
dessert chocolate soufflé

Wednesday
my ultimate buttermilk biscuits with pineapple banana smoothies
mushroom, onion, and bacon, quiche
chili cheese dogs, gourmet style
dessert homemade blueberry pie with my 'very vanilla' ice cream

Thursday
cinnamon bun stuffed pancakes
lunch 'o' leftovers - quiche
whole roasted African spiced chicken with green olive sauce and apricot herb couscous
dessert baked butterscotch puddings

Friday
cheddar scrambled eggs in tortillas with tomato avocado salsa
New Mexico pork posole
Mama's night out!

So Far, So Good

The mid week check in
I failed to mention in 'The New Deal' that 99% of everything posted in my weekly menus will be NEW dishes that I have chosen in an effort to step out of the kitchen comfort zone so many busy moms find themselves in. When everyone is hungry and and the kitchen is a mess, it's almost impossible to resist resorting to the same ol' tried and true meals that can be made on autopilot with minimal energy. Not that there is anything wrong with this, everyone has "those days", but if too many of them are strung together, it's inevitable that everyone at the table will be a) burned out on said same ol' dishes and b) still be hungry for a key ingredient- inspiration. With a little bit of creativity and planning, "those days" can be kept to a minimum.... I'm here to show you that if I can manage to accomplish 3 new from scratch dishes every day, with a baby on the hip and two more at my feet, in my cramped little kitchen, ANYONE can. Get motivated, get cooking, and SHARE! :)
My Monday morning breakfast of poached eggs on hash was super yummy and a victory in it's own right, as it was the first poached egg dish I have ever prepared. When sliding the egg into the water, I had a temporary moment of panic, as it looked as though I was going to end up with egg drop soup. They did, however, come together quite nicely, not perfect, but quite nice indeed and tasted wonderful on the tiny cubes of potato, onion, red pepper, and roast beef that were sauteed with fresh rosemary. The Sesame Chicken was a culinary revelation- at least for my household. Bare in mind that I have never attempted Asian cuisine in my own kitchen before, so this was something entirely new and different. Spicy and sweet with a sesame crunch, perfectly blanched broccoli with rice along side... It was better than the best take out I have ever had. It was also the only time that I have ever actually enjoyed eating thigh meat. It was also relatively inexpensive to make (thank you, thighs), aside from the minor upfront investment in a few Asian oils and accompaniments. Isabella's favorite thus far, which surprised me, was the open faced mozzarella and fried egg sandwiches with anchovy butter, which she devoured happily. This is the same child, however, that will eat an entire smoked fish with the head attached and all (she actually did this last week and her skin smelled like a hearing for the next 36 hours!). The anchovy butter, which sounded intriguing but was completely foreign to me, is simply butter melted with the addition of finely chopped, rinsed anchovies, that are cooked together until the fishes dissolve into the liquid. I have never enjoyed mozzarella so much without it being accompanied by a chunky marinara.... YUM!

The New Deal

In order to keep my blogging (and culinary) momentum, I have come up with a new accountability plan... Every Sunday I will post my weekly menu, and then check in throughout the week to report on the triumphs, disasters, and/or otherwise humorous commentary :) Three meals a day, all from scratch, no excuses!

Monday
poached eggs on hash
picnic at the park heart shaped PB&Js with fruit salad and juice boxes
sesame chicken with rice
dessert lemonade pops

Tuesday
mini waffle pancakes with berries and cream
fresh mozzarella sandwiches with fried eggs and anchovy butter
falafel with tahini sauce
dessert very vanilla ice cream with toasted coconut

Wednesday
scrambled eggs with parmesan and rosemary
3 meats and pickle panini
children's dinner cheddar chicken and broccoli casserole

Thursday
bacon, apple, and stilton omelets with apple berry muffins
chicken nuggets with creamed corn
spaghetti and vegetables carbonara style
dessert milk chocolate cake

Friday
maple granola with yogurt
Swedish meatballs with lingonberry sauce
out to dinner : )