Meal Planning {Link-Up}

Mama Nell over at Whole Parenting Family has come up with a brilliant plan for all moms (and dads if you're the ones cooking) to help each other out. She's hosting a weekly link-up on Saturdays for each of us to post our meal plans for the week, complete with recipes if available. (Don't know that I'll make every week, but here's to good beginnings!)

Hopefully, this will help motivate everyone to make the effort, but it also serves as an opportunity to share recipes so that we are not all stuck in the same twenty-recipe-shuffle every week.

I love meal planning as it keeps me from overspending when I go grocery shopping (SO easy to do!) and it also appeals to my organizational heart. :)

I don't really plan breakfasts and lunches to a T like I do with dinners. We just have a few options available for each, and many lunches are simply leftovers from previous dinners. Breakfasts are usually cereal or granola with milk or yogurt. On the weekend, we typically have at least one elaborate breakfast with eggs, meat, and a baked good which I do from scratch. (Many recipes for those up here on the blog as breakfast goodies are my speciality.) If it's not leftovers, lunch will be a sandwich of some sort -- pb&j, lunch meat, or grilled cheese.

As you will see, we are currently making more of an effort to eat seasonally and incorporate more whole grains into our meals. Also, if a meal doesn't have a recipe attached, it is probably because I'm developing a recipe for it. Watch for it later on the blog!

Without further ado, here is what's up this week:

Wednesday - Pizza (with pre-made dough from Trader Joe's) with mozzarella, fresh basil, tomatoes, and chicken sausage

Thursday - Quinoa Salad with Pears, Baby Spinach, and Chick Peas in a Maple Vinaigrette served alongside grilled pork sausages

Friday - Zuppa Contadina with pork sausage and a loaf of crusty Italian bread for dipping

Saturday - bbq with friends -- pork shoulder, sides and dessert {better get on this!}

Sunday - dinner at my parents' house for my brother's birthday

Monday - tacos: typically, ground beef using this recipe for homemade taco seasoning (will never go back to the high sodium pre-packaged stuff) in hard shell corn tortillas served with refried black beans, grated cheddar cheese, guac, lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, salsa and hot sauce

Tuesday - Roasted Stuffed Acorn Squash {recipe in progress...}

Wednesday - Nutty Barley Salad served with chicken apple chardonnay sausages

Happy Distractions.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it ;)), I'm not able to give the same attention to this blog as I used to. There is a little person who has absolutely captured my attention and heart, and she requires most of my time these days. I hope to get more posts up on here in the near future (I would like to shoot for once a week), but I'm not promising anything....

If you'd like to follow our family adventures, I'm posting over at http://muffindome.com, our family's little piece of the Internets. Would love to have you follow!

And if you have any recipes you'd like to see posted on here in the future, please comment below!! :)

Baking Our 'Muffin'

It may seem that my baking has been slacking over the past few months, but I assure you, it has been anything but.

You see, I have a little 'bun in the oven' who has kept me from my regular routine in the kitchen. :-) A combination of morning sickness, fatigue, heightened smell (for better and for worse), and a lack of culinary creativity has led to far fewer hours in the kitchen, and even less time wanting to think or write about it. I apologize to those who have been anxiously awaiting my recipes and posts.

Our little 'muffin' is due in about 2 weeks. We can't wait to meet her!

I'm hoping sometime after Thanksgiving to get back into a regular baking and writing routine, but it may take as late as until after the beginning of the year. Many life changes as I jump into motherhood so no guarantees....but I'll keep you updated. :)

Ides of March

 

 {Source}

A little history lesson: The 15th, or Ides, of March was traditionally, in ancient times, reserved as a festival day in honor of the god, Mars. However, Shakespeare warns us 'Beware the Ides of March!' His soothsayer in his famous drama, 'Julius Caesar,' predicts to Julius Caesar that he will meet his demise that day. A plot was afoot lead by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus to do him.  Caesar joked to his soothsayer when the day arrived, that it was here and he, indeed, was still alive. But the soothsayer reminds him that although it is here, it is not yet gone. By the end of the day, in 44BC, he had been stabbed to death by an angry mob in the Forum. Didn't turn out so good for him after all.

Having just realized it is the Ides of March, I thought I would share with you some fun dinner suggestions to celebrate this momentous day! Here are a few suggestions for a Roman-inspired meal:

ROMAN style artichokes (Carciofi alla Romana) make a nice appetizer. Perhaps begin the meal with a CAESAR Salad, topped with ROMANO Cheese. A ROMAN Pork and Apple Stew is a wonderful ancient recipe sure to put you in touch with your Roman side. Roasted Figs and Grapes are true Roman favorites, alongside a bottle of ruby red, Mulsum Wine. And a magnificent Honey Cake will be the perfect ending to this Roman meal.

Togetherness

It is beautiful how food brings people together. It gives us an opportunity to celebrate, reminisce, discuss, imagine, familiarize, entertain, postulate, create....

Or simply just be in each others' presence.

Some of the best memories of my college years were times spent in the kitchen preparing a feast with friends. We typically attached a holiday to our feasts. There is always some reason to celebrate, right? The end of midterms, a saint's feast day, the beginning of a new season, the completion of a term paper, a fresh haircut, the arrival of a care-package, the purchase of a bar of chocolate. I tell you, we could come up with just about any reason to eat and procrastinate.

I was part, then, of an informal Breakfast Club. Those of us who were early birds would gather in the Commons before the breakfast line even opened, teasing each other, sipping our warm cups of tea, avoiding last-minute preparations for class. We would speak of absorbing current events, argue perennial questions, relate the happenings of relationships on campus, debate the effects of various wars on our country. Motivation for an early wake up call more often than not came from a desire to find something a bit more nutritious and filling than the standard cafeteria fare -- which did not always come in the form of physical nourishment.

I still crave these moments of togetherness. The moments in the day where we nearly stop the pull towards sunset which seems taut and rushed. It is a deliberate moment, albeit often spontaneous. A moment of ingenuity, if just the smallest spark. These moments are quintessential in the lifespan of a human existence.

I find those moments now again as I construct gingerbread houses with mini wheat tiled roofs alongside my brothers, slice into half moon raviolis during an Italian festa with my mother, mix inventive cocktails with my fiance, sip tea and nibble shortbread with a friend, can steaming jars of apple butter with a patient team.

The collaborative creation of a meal and the communal enjoyment of it. Opportunities for togetherness.  

100 Foods to Eat Before You Die

56 of these foods have crossed my lips, most of which I've been happy to be acquianted with. The remainder I hope to try someday with a few exceptions. It is a great spread for challenging your palate. I will definitely add a few of these to the list of foods to try this year.

100 Foods to Eat Before You Die

1. Venison ~ Yes, I do believe I had this a few times in Italy.

2. Nettle tea ~

3. Huevos rancheros ~ The best Mexican breakfast dish which I have a recipe for here.

4. Steak tartare ~

5. Crocodile ~

6. Black pudding ~

7. Cheese fondue ~ Yes, please! The Melting Pot knows how to do this right.

8. Carp ~

9. Borscht ~ Yes, at a Ukranian friend's funeral reception. His mama made a huge pot of this delicious soup.

10. Baba ghanoush ~ Love this dish with a big hunk of pita bread!

11. Calamari ~ Yes, but I'm a bit squeamish about its stringiness

12. Pho ~

13. PB&J sandwich ~ Yes, at least a million times...and it still one of my favorite lunchtime meals.

14. Aloo gobi ~ Yes, although I didn't remember at first. I'm not so great with the names of Indian foods but I've had many of the dishes.

15. Hot dog from a street cart ~ Yes, most certainly. Although it has been a really long time...

16. Epoisses ~ Yes, one of the best French cheeses.

17. Black truffle ~ Yes, I've had it quite a few times in Italian dishes, especially at Il Fornaio.

18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes ~ Yes, pineapple wine is a favorite. Super sweet.

19. Steamed pork buns ~ Yes, at a dim sum restaurant.

20. Pistachio ice cream ~ Yes, one of my favorite flavors, particularly as gelato.

21. Heirloom tomatoes ~ Yes, and I prefer these over the plain ol' red ones. The flavors are so diverse!

22. Fresh wild berries ~ Yes, numerous times, but my favorite memory of them is walking along the bike trail and eating them straight from the bush.

23. Foie gras ~ Yes, but not as gourmet tasting as it is claimed to be.

24. Rice and beans ~ Yes, do cows 'moo'?

25. Brawn, or head cheese ~

26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper ~

27. Dulce de leche ~ Yes, and Safeway's store brand makes a delicious ice cream of this flavor.

28. Oysters ~ Yes, at Mont St Michel in France, when I was feeling a bit adventurous.

29. Baklava ~ Yes, would love to make it some day...

30. Bagna cauda ~ Yes, sometime while I was travelling in Italy.

31. Wasabi peas ~

32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl ~ Yes. Hello, Boudin in SF!

33. Salted lassi ~ Yes, sort of. I don't think it was salted but I've also had a version with rum.

34. Sauerkraut ~ Yes. The perfect accompaniment to a big German sausage.

35. Root beer float ~ Yes, some of my best summer memories include this tasty treat.

36. Cognac with a fat cigar ~  Yes, to the cognac but I will never have a cigar. That's not even food.

37. Clotted cream tea - Yes, but prefer the clotted cream on my scones.

38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O shot ~ Yes...but not a fan.

39. Gumbo ~ Yes, in New Orleans.

40. Oxtail ~

41. Curried goat ~

42. Whole insects ~

43. Phaal ~

44. Goat’s milk ~ I'm going to say yes because I eat goat's milk cheese and yogurt on a regular basis.

45. Single malt whisky ~ Aye. Stephen made me do it. Don't like it straight up...burns.

46. Fugu ~

47. Chicken tikka masala ~ Yes, learned how to make it once at a cooking class but haven't had it since.

48. Eel ~ Yes, but it is too slimy for me.

49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut ~ Yes, but it has been a while. They are kind of like cotton candy, melting upon contact with your mouth.

50. Sea urchin ~

51. Prickly pear ~ Yes, but it didn't have much flavor.

52. Umeboshi ~

53. Abalone ~

54. Paneer ~ Yes, mixed with a bit of spinach.

55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal ~ Yes, but never again.

56. Spaetzle ~ Yes, another German favorite.

57. Dirty gin martini ~ Yes, I've tasted one, but I wouldn't order one myself.

58. Beer above 8% ABV ~ Yes, definitely. Love the strong Belgian brews.

59. Poutine ~

60. Carob chips ~ Yes, but not a fan.

61. S’mores ~ Yes, I especially like them wrapped in foil over the coals after the marshmallows initial toasting.

62. Sweetbreads ~

63. Kaolin ~

64. Currywurst ~

65. Durian ~

66. Frogs’ legs ~

67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake ~ Yes to all of the above.

68. Haggis ~

69. Fried plantain ~ Yes, as a dessert covered in chocolate sauce at a Mexican restaurant.

70. Chitterlings, or andouillette  ~

71. Gazpacho ~ Yes, my own that I made from fresh tomatoes once.

72. Caviar and blini ~

73. Louche absinthe ~

74. Gjetost ~

75. Roadkill ~

76. Baijiu ~

77. Hostess Fruit Pie ~ Yes, when I was little, but prefer to make my own now.

78. Snail ~ Yes, I finally had my first experience with escargot a few months ago.

79. Lapsang souchong ~ Yes, but it isn't one of my favorite teas.

80. Bellini ~

81. Tom yum ~

82. Eggs Benedict ~ Yes, but I'm not the biggest fan of hollaindaise sauce.

83. Pocky ~ Oh, yes. Used to buy these from World Market frequently when I was younger.

84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant ~

85. Kobe beef ~

86. Hare ~

87. Goulash ~ Yes, my father liked to make this with leftover spaghetti.

88. Flowers ~ Yes, love lavender!

89. Horse ~

90. Criollo ~

91. Spam ~

92. Soft shell crab ~ Yes, but I don't remember it being anything spectacular.

93. Rose harissa ~

94. Catfish ~

95. Mole poblano ~

96. Bagel and lox ~ Yes, cream cheese included.

97. Lobster Thermidor ~

98. Polenta ~ Yes, I like it with a lot of added cheese. Yum.

99. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee ~

100. Snake ~

*****************
 

How many have you tried? Any favorites or ones that cause complete disgust?

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Happy New Year to you too!

Steve and I stopped in at a Buffalo Wild Wings Sunday night for a quick dinner in between moving loads to his new apartment. The line was out the door due to the televised game inside between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys.

A rather intoxicated woman ready to make her exit, came stumbling down the hallway boldly stating to each passerby, "Happy New Year," to which she received few replies as most were too intent upon watching the game to pay her any mind. She was rather flustered with the unresponsive types. Because it was New Year's Day and a time for celebration, she felt people should make an effort to reply accordingly.

Steve and I were standing in the breezeway waiting for a vacant seat to fill in the waiting area. As she approached us, we were at the ready, sure to answer loudly and proudly. We did so on cue. She replied without batting an eyelash, "Hey, you guys should get married this year!" Well, thanks, stranger. We plan on doing just that.... :)

I've been a bit absent the past few days because we are in process of moving as I mentioned above. Barely time for eating, let alone cooking...will get back on the ball here shortly! :)

Hope the new year is off to a great, fresh start for each and every one of you!

Celebration of 2011

Wow. This year has gone by fast. Seems like yesterday I was moving into a new condo with my two lovely roommates. With the arrival of this new year, I am preparing the big move in February with my best friend who will become my husband come February 4th. Just yesterday, we moved him into the apartment that will be our first home together. Already, I am imagining the breakfasts we will create to kick-start our day, the bagged lunches with a kiss send-off as leaves for work, the intimate dinners going over in great detail the happenings of our day.....

Attempting to get this year off on a good foot (pun intended), I began a major training plan which began with a birthday bash set to get all involved in shape (or at least inspired).

Co-celebrating our birthday which we happily found out lands on the same day, Monica and I invited all of our dear friends to run 'Costco Hill' with us. Working with young children, Monica was inspired to bring along the fire rope from the preschool. It was a serious challenge keeping together on the steep incline, but one we passed with flying colors. Or maybe that was our costumes....

Couldn't forget to 'cut' and share the yummy pink cupcakes waiting for us at the finish line!

We celebrated Leslie's birthday with fine pineapple wine imported from Hawaii. Sweet and refreshing, it was the perfect 'girly' wine for all of us ladies. One bottle was hardly enough! This was a terrific treat I've been gifting all year.

Rita Rose joined the family on February 22nd, the second of my brother's children and first girl in the family since I was born 27 years ago.

She is cute as a button, with an adorable dimple to match her mamma's and such a happy disposition.

Running long mileage on the weekend, I came to discover the delight (and necessity) of Goo. This power pouch of carbohydrates pack a mighty punch of fuel. I felt like super-woman when I would gulp one of these down on the go.

Finally, the day of reckoning came when on the 15th of March I ran my first half-marathon.

My training buddy, Monica, was there to inspire and share in the experience. I finished with around a 10-minute mile split. Not bad for my first time.

The Shamrock'n Half-Marathon's St. Patty's Day theme gave us good reason to dress in our favorite shades of green and shamrock socks.

It was also high-time we celebrated our move to the Manor - a St. Patrick's party drew in friends from all over the area and beyond, including a college friend I hadn't seen since graduation.

Easter provided the opportunity for chocolate hunting. Now who would turn that down? It was a delight watching my nephew spy each and every brightly covered egg hiding in the grass.

Lizzie flew out from Virginia at the end of April to spend a week in California. We packed more into that week than I normally pack into a month. Highlights included taking in ample sea air, jazzy boots made by her aunt, and, of course, many delightful tea times.

As a roommate dropped Lizzie off at the airport, I woke before the sun to catch a bus for my second half-marathon of the year. I left the house well-prepared with my tiny pouch that works like Mary Poppins bag of tricks.

This time Leslie and I decided to tackle the beast. Taking place on one of my favorite trails, the American River Bike Trail, I achieved a PR of 2:05:36.

We hopped in the car after a quick shut-eye to head south for Monica's first full marathon the next day.

With the roadway washed out on Highway 1, they rerouted the race in Big Sur this year as an out-and-back, but she reported breathtaking views the whole way. 

Leslie and I indulged in a pre-race breakfast on the beach and lunch at a quaint French cafe in Carmel.

Girls' Night was a must in May. With our hectic lives and busy schedules, there had hardly been a moment to just relax. With a little dancing, fine food, and hide-and-seek in the dark, it was hard to end the night.

In June, my brother, Caleb, married a wonderful girl, at one time, my roommate. I walked down the aisle as a bridesmaid with her and she will accompany me as I tie the knot next February. The rain couldn't put a damper on their joy-filled day.

A week prior to Caleb's wedding, a friend of mine celebrated his brother's wedding. One evening before it all went down we had a discussion about proper etiquette for asking dates to a wedding if you weren't actually dating anyone. My roommate chimed in with "Well, you should just ask Steve to go with you!" never mind he was the one sitting directly across the table from me. Steve and I looked at each other awkwardly, but, in truth, it was exactly what both of us wanted. Within a week we were dating. I've never been happier about such an awkward moment.

We BBQ'd with Steve's family on the 4th of July in the snow where up in the Sierra Nevadas it had yet to melt. Canoeing on the lake was a viking adventure busting through the ice.

The glories of the Yard House were discovered when one opened nearby. It was always a dilemma selecting from over a hundred beers on tap and their extensive menu that read like a book. We enjoyed many dates there throughout the summer.

Our second annual family vacation to Fort Bragg took place in August. The old farm house was filled with activity from sun-up to sun-down. We took frequent jaunts to the beach, then into town for a libation at the North Coast Brewery. The challenge of meals to fill fifteen was met with flying colors.

August 27th I said 'yes' (well, actually, it was 'of course!') to spending the rest of my life alongside my best friend. We couldn't wait five minutes to share our joy with friends and family.

We took our news up to the cabin over Labor Day weekend where we also celebrated the publication of Steve's book, The Journals of Josiah Fisk, a book based on the journals of his great-great grandfather. We hiked a moutain enjoying lunch at the top with his brother and sister-in-law, Eric and Lindy.

Our days filled with wedding planning, we would take moments and steal away to a coffee shop or the local soda fountain to de-stress and talk of other things for a time. (Absolutely essential for anyone getting married!!)

And Autumn just wouldn't have been complete without a visit to Apple Hill for cider and apple donuts. We savoured every bite.

Foodbuzz sponsored an exciting and delicious festival for their food bloggers in San Francisco. I was able to attend for the first time this November, where I was introduced to many local food producers and networked with food bloggers from around the world.

Turkey Day we took time to reflect on many blessings of the past year and feasted on a cooperative meal. I contributed pies, combining traditional with novel.

Steve's and my family joined together at the end of November to celebrate our engagement. It was a wonderful day allowing them to meet and mingle before the big day. A trough of drinks, a spread of tasty morsels, and even a exhibit of homebrewing by Eric, accompanied the celebration. (Which we just enjoyed over Christmas.)

To get in the Christmas spirit, a trip to the annual Cornish Christmas Festival in Grass Valley was a must. Steve prepared gluhwein for us to carry up the hill, which we sipped to keep warm while munching on pasties. The boys took a moment to enjoy their pipes in the cool, crisp December air.

One of my brothers became very ill in mid-December and was hospitalized, but, thankfully, was able to come home for Christmas. He stayed with Steve to convalesce about a week, during which we enjoyed many meals with great conversation as he regained his strength. One afternoon, he helped me prepare candy cane cookies for Christmas while we watched John Wayne's "The Three Godfathers."

Currently, I sit on the couch at Steve's parents' cabin looking out over a frozen lake, waiting for snow and the beginning of a new year. I look forward to embarking on the adventure of this new year. Many goals of this year were met, many still in progress, a few redefined.

I have begun to write down ideas for this year, including plans for this blog. I was able to reignite my cooking, writing, and styling these past few months. For that, I am so grateful. I'm excited to learn more over this next year about food writing and new cooking/baking techniques. And to share with you, dear readers.

Wishing one and all a very happy and blessed new year!!