Baked Oatmeal

     Today I am 30.  It is a number that I thought would never actually come...how could I ever be that old?  Well today I don't feel old, I just feel happy.  I just got to spend a week off from work with Wrren and every day I just reflected on how happy I am to be her mom.  Being 30 did make me think of my parents though...it must be weird for them to have a 30 year old daughter.  I bet when they were at the point in their lives that I am with Wren right now, they didn't spend much time thinking about this day. 
     During my week off from work, Wren and I got to catch up with a lot of friends.  One morning we had breakfast with Erin and Hazel. Erin brought baked oatmeal, which was delicious.  I found a similar recipe on Pinterest and made it Saturday morning.  To my surprise, Arnauld was a HUGE fan.  He ate it for breakfast two days in a row and even for lunch today!

Baked Apple Oatmeal

Ingredients
2 cups old-fashion oats
1 1 /2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 apples,diced
2 cups milk (I used almond)
3 eggs
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
flax seed meal (optional)

Method
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
1. Mix the oats, flax seed meal, salt, and baking powder together.  Add the nuts and apple.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, and cinnamon.  Pour this mixture over the oats.  Stir to combine.
3. Pour the mixture into an 8x8 greased baking dish.
4. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until the top is golden. 

This tastes great on it's own or with some extra milk splashed on top!



My happy girl...

Almond Joy Cookies

     Another day of vacation, another friend to visit, another Pinterest recipe to tackle.  I texted my Dad to thank him again for my kitchen.  I have spent a lot of time in it the last few days and I just love everything about the space.
      Today's recipe was another variation of an Almond Joy...I think I mentioned that I am a fan of coconut.  These sweet treats are making their way to New York to visit my college roommate, Mary and her son Brian. The original recipe, from Heather Cristo Cooks, made 40 cookies.  With all the cookies I have been making, my butter supply was running low so I cut the recipe in half.  The ingredients below reflect the batch of cookies that I made, which still made 30 cookies.

Almond Joy Cookies

Ingredients
1 stick of salted butter
3/4 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 1/8 cup of flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/8 cup of shredded coconut (sweetened)
1 1/2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup of chopped almonds

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Cream together the butter and sugar using a mixer.
2. Add the egg and beat until creamy.
3. Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.  Then mix in to form the cookie dough.
4. Stir in the coconut, chocolate chips, and almonds.
5. Scoop tablespoon size cookies onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and transfer to wire cooling racks after a few minutes.

Thanks for a fun play date Mary!

Apple Sauce

     Every couple of days, I get so excited to introduce Wren to a new food.  So far she loves just about everything she has tried...with the exception of peas.  However, once I mixed in a little squash she agreed to swallow them instead of smear them all over her body.  She is a foodie!  In a book I was reading about baby food, it said that it is ok to introduce babies to spices at a fairly young age...because who wants to eat blah food all the time?  Last week I roasted some zucchini and added a little olive oil and black pepper.  The spice of the day today was cinnamon.  Cooking has never been more fun!

Apple Sauce

Ingredients
Apples
Cinnamon

Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
1. Slice the apples in half and cut out the core.
2. Place the apples on a baking sheet, skin side down.  Bake for 30-40 minutes.
3. Allow the apples to cool a bit before pureeing them in the food processor.  Sprinkle in a little cinnamon and you'll have one happy baby!

Split Pea and Sweet Potato Soup

     This morning Wren was very cooperative, so I made a pot of soup to bring to my family for lunch today.  It ended up being a little bland so I recommend adding a little salt and pepper, but otherwise this is a very straightforward and wholesome recipe.

Split Pea and Sweet Potato Soup
Recipe from Whole Foods

Ingredients
8 1/2 cups of water
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups yellow split peas
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

Method
1. Heat 1/2 cup of water over medium heat.  Once it begins to boil, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in the ginger and cook for another minute.
2. Add 8 cups of water, the peas, and sweet potatoes.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Cover and let cook for 1 hour.
4. After an hour, remove the cover and continue cooking for 15 minutes.
5. Use an immersion blender until the soup is smooth.

You can serve this soup with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Some Valentine pictures...just because.

Vacation Cookies

     A perk of being a teacher is the school vacations.  I know many districts this year had to sacrifice a break because of hurricanes and snow storms.  I feel very fortunate that both our February and April breaks are still in tact and that I will have that uninterrupted time to just be a mom!  I'm loving my lazy mornings with Wren, running errands together, and just playing and interacting with her all day! 
     Another perk to school vacations is that so many of your friends are also on break!  I got together with a bunch of work friends Sunday evening and have plans for lunch tomorrow.  Cookies are my contribution for both events.  It was funny on Sunday, when we looked at the table covered in goodies, someone asked if everything had come from an idea or recipe on Pinterest.  Sure enough, almost everything had!  These cookie recipes are no exception.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies (how's that for a name?!)

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup oats
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chunks


Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, whisk continuously, until the butter is browned.  Then remove the pan from the heat and continue whisking for 30 seconds.  Set aside to cool.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, chocolate and oats.  Set this aside.
3. After the butter has cooled, mix in the two sugars.  Next add the egg and vanilla.  Add the flour mixture and use your hands to form a dough.  Chill for 30 minutes.
4. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges and bottoms are golden.

Almond Joy Cookies

 

Ingredients

 2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

Whole Almonds

Sweetened flaked coconut

Method

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  

2. Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugars together.  Then beat in the eggs and vanilla.

3. Add the flour mixture and once a dough has been formed, chill in the freezer for about 20 minutes.

4. Once the dough is chilled, roll into 1-1 1/5 inch balls.  Press an almond into each cookie before rolling in coconut.  

5. Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 9 minutes.

Wren and Quinn hanging out at Kelly's house.

My birthday is coming...Ali made me this delicious cake because she knows I love coconut.  Ironically, I repinned the recipe from one of her boards earlier that day!  She knows me too well.  Here's a link to the recipe:  Chocolate Salted Caramel Pie

 

Bean and Quinoa Soup

     Well the blizzard has come and gone but unfortunately we are not going anywhere any time soon!  We have slowly been chiseling away at the nearly three feet of snow in our driveway, yet we haven't seen (or heard) a plow anywhere nearby.  I'm not sure what I will do stuck in the house another day.  I have already steamed and pureed anything I could find to make into baby food.  We made a homemade pizza for dinner.  All the laundry is done and the house is clean.  We have had some pretty intense family dance parties.  Some of you may end up with some pretty fancy Valentine cards if I get desperate. Oh yeah...I also made soup!

Bean and Quinoa Soup

 Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup dry quinoa
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
1 can black beans
1 can cannellini beans
1 can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
8 oz fresh baby spinach

Method
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add garlic and carrots.  Cook until the garlic is cooked.
2.  Add the quinoa and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the spinach.
4. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
5. Stir in the spinach and let cook until the spinach wilts.
6. Serve with chopped tomatoes and tortilla chips.

Martha Stewart's Fudgy Brownie Cake

     I happened to receive a Martha Stewart Living Magazine in the mail the day before my Dad's birthday celebration.  I don't know why I have been getting this magazine...I never ordered it or anything.  I found the recipe for my Dad's birthday cake while flipping through the pages.  The actual cake didn't look like much when it came out of the oven.  I was actually worried waiting for my family to take their first bites.  I was nervous I had done something wrong.  The cake looked very thin and kind of dry.  It was definitely not dry...it was delicious!  The bittersweet chocolate made it very rich.  I recommend vanilla ice cream for a topping.

Fudgy Brownie Cake

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 chunks
3 tbsp flour
6 oz bittersweet chocolate
3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tbsp
1 egg yolk and 3 egg whites
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp coarse salt

Method
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
1. Grease and use flour to dust a 9 inch spring pan.
2. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a glass bowl over simmering water.  Stir often.
3. Remove the chocolate from heat and whisk in sugar.  Next whisk in the egg yolk, then the cocoa powder and salt.
4. Beat the egg whites with a mixer on medium.  Raise the speed once the egg whites are foamy.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.  Beat until peaks form.
5. Fold the flour into the chocolate mixture.  Then fold in the egg whites.
6. Pour the batter into the pan.  Bake for 33 minutes or until set. 
7. Cool on a wire rack.
8. Dust with cocoa powder and serve.

Fish Tacos

     This weekend, we celebrated my Dad's birthday a few days early.  It has been a long time since we had everyone over for a celebration.  First our kitchen was being renovated and then Wren was born.  We have had people over for dessert, but I haven't had the drive to take on a family dinner.  I decided that my Dad's birthday was the perfect comeback event...especially since my Dad spent so much time and energy making us our new and greatly improved kitchen.  Every day I am so grateful for all that he did.  The kitchen is where I spend so much of my time when I'm home.  The new space is a joy to be in because everything fits and has a place.  There is also just so much more room for making a mess!  It's even one of Wren's favorite rooms-I think because she enjoys all of the light the big window lets in. 
     My Dad requested fish tacos for dinner.  So we scrapped our initial idea for some sort of pasta.  I relied on some old favorites for side dishes, including guacamole and a delicious Baja Black Bean Salad.  I tried a new taco recipe that I found online and originated from Gwyneth Paltrow, who fittingly wrote a cook book all about her Dad (I actually have the book!).  The flavors were simple, but delicious.  I think this is my new favorite fish taco recipe!

Fish Tacos

Ingredients
1 bunch cilantro
juice from 5 limes
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 2 Tablespoons for cooking
1 small white onion
2 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp paprika
salt
pepper
2 pounds halibut
1/2 cup white wine

to serve:
soft tortillas
shredded cabbage
*Pico de Gallo
avocado
*crema or sour cream
shredded cheese
limes
cilantro

Method
1. Put the cilantro, lime juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, onion, garlic, jalapeno, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, and salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor.  Blend until smooth.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the fish and cook until golden (about 8 minutes).
3. Pour the wine over the fish.  Cook until the wine evaporates (about 2 minutes).
4. Stir the cilantro mixture in with the fish.  Cook until heated through (about 1 minute).
5. Serve with your favorite taco fixings.

Pico de Gallo
Ingredients
6 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, minced
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/2 lime, juiced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 pinch of garlic powder
1 pinch of cimin
salt and pepper to taste


Method
1. Stir all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

Lime Crema
From Gwyneth Paltrow's book, My Father's Daughter.
Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise (Gwyneth uses vegannaise)

1/2 lime, juiced
coarse salt

Method
1. Stir lime juice into the mayo.
2. Season with salt.

The sign of any good party...everyone passed out on the couch before 9 pm.

French Chicken Salad

     I'm part of the Biggest Loser at school.  I joined as some extra motivation to get myself moving a little more.  Having a baby is an easy excuse to say, "I just can't workout today", or "I don't have time to eat right."  Working out has proven to be more challenging, mostly because of time.  But I have found a way to be a little creative and have taken to walking on the track at school before work a few mornings a week.  Luckily, my pal Elena has decided to join me and it's a great start to the day.  We get to catch up and chat, get in a workout before 8 am on a work day, and the best part has been the fresh cold air!  Part of being a part of the Biggest Loser club is sharing recipes.  This recipe was passed along by the school nurse.  I made this chicken salad for lunch last week and ate it in my salad.  The recipe suggests making lettuce wraps filled with the chicken salad.  I didn't have tarrgon, which I am told really made the recipe.  Still, it was a nice change from my usual lunch-soup. 

French Chicken Salad

Ingredients
1/2 lb chicken, cooked and diced
1 apple, chopped
1/4 cup shallot, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
t tsp finely chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tsp dried
2-3 tbsp chopped walnuts
2 tsp white wine vinegar
4 tbsp plain Greek yogurt

Method
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl.  Mix.