Don't be fooled by my pink converse...

Lullabies

2012-02-02T03:01:00.000-08:00

I've been composing a list in my head for years. It's a list of lullabies that I want to remember to sing my child. It's grown with songs remembered from movies, moments in my life, and the radio.

I cannot wait to rock my son some late night this summer and whisper these words in his ear.

Combing through my iTunes account pulled these songs into the playlist that will hopefully soothe a sad face and inspire a giggle or two.

Baby Mine by Bette Midler
A Wink and a Smile by Harry Connick, Jr.
Hearts and Bones by Paul Simon
You and I by Ingrid Michaelson
Let Him Fly by the Dixie Chicks
The Luckiest by Ben Folds
The House That Built Me by Miranda Lambert
Just the Way You Are by Billy Joel
Sweet Baby James by James Taylor
This Guy's In Love With You by Harry Connick, Jr.
Help Me by Joni Mitchell
The Heart of Life by John Mayer
Elderly Woman Behind the Counter by Pearl Jam
Lover Lay Down by Dave Matthews Band
All At Sea by Jamie Cullum
Sing by Kristin Chenoweth
Deeper than the Holler by Randy Travis
Power of Two by the Indigo Girls
Stardust by Nat King Cole
Selah by Lauryn Hill
More than Anyone by Gavin DeGraw
Annie's Song by John Denver
I'll Have to Say I Love You by Jim Croce
Better Together by Jack Johnson
Smile (Charlie Chaplin) by Glee Cast
River by Joni Mitchell
Fire and Rain by James Taylor
Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison
Little Houses by Doug Stone
I Just Called to Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder
When I Fall In Love by Celine Dion
Times Like These by Jack Johnson
Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce
20 Years by The Civil Wars
Let Nothing Separate Us by Arthur Conley
Hush, Hush, Hush by Paula Cole
Danny's Song by Loggins and Messina
Gracie by Ben Folds
The Nearness of You by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning by Carly Simon
Can't Take My Eyes Off of You by Damien Rice
Just to See You Smile by Tim McGraw
When Somebody Loves You by Sarah McLachlan
Bye Bye Blackbird by Joe Cocker
Mother Nature's Son by Sheryl Crow
Blackbird by Sarah McLachlan
The Glory of Love by Keb' Mo
In My Life by the Beatles
When the Stars Go Blue by Tyler Hilton and Bethany Joy Lenz
Sunrise by Norah Jones
Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson
Moonlight Serenade by Frank Sinatra

I'd love suggestions for other songs to add- I want him to be surrounded by music.

Toast on Nantasket Beach

2012-01-29T07:49:00.001-08:00

Saturday morning calls for a special breakfast. A celebration that you survived another work week and that two days off has begun!

We headed down to Hull to cash in a Groupon I bought a while back- time for some Toast!

Toast is tucked away on Nantasket Avenue right on the beach.

Look for the blue Ocean Place sign and take a left. There's parking across the street in a municipal lot, too.

Though you might encounter a bit of a wait, there's plenty of knick-knacks to see.

A bookshelf of cookbooks in the bathroom!

Soap shaped like buttered toast!

The owner, Audrey, did the hair and makeup for this photoshoot!

We probably waited about 15-20 minutes to be seated- we scored prime spots at the counter. I love sitting at the counter- all the hustle and bustle is right there and it feels just like an old fashioned diner full of locals and families. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive. Our coffee cups were kept full and warm.

We started with an order of grilled banana bread. It was served with a side of salty butter and it was divine. Soft sweet cake was encased in a crisp, warm exterior. Pretty sure we were lucky enough to get the last batch- so delicious.

There's only a chef and a sous chef in the back so it does take some time to get your food, but the main event is worth the wait.

Oh my stars, these were tasty. Sugared pecans and fresh blueberries topped three hearty, multigrain pancakes. Served with real maple syrup, these were the perfect breakfast treat. I got a side of fluffy scrambled eggs for a bit of protein.

The husband ordered the Cape Cod home fries. Shredded and diced potatoes were grilled to perfection with peppers, onions, and sausage. A sprinkling of cheese on top and a side of over easy eggs rounded out the plate.

As you can see, we both left very full and very happy. Our total meal was only $28- a definite bargain for the quality we received. The rest of the menu looked as good as the food we ordered, so we'll definitely be going back for more weekend eats.

Three cheers for Toast!

Adventures in Babyland

2012-01-26T17:52:00.000-08:00

Last week, these pink converse went on a little trip.

Liquid courage was needed. Decaf, of course. Yay for liking coffee again!

Baby Crap Central was our destination. Buy Buy Baby, while awesome, is completely overwhelming. Who knew there was more than one kind of baby nose picker? Or that you could need/obviously need a humidifier shaped like an elephant? The options for needless baby nonsense are endless.

The husband was in charge of the "gun" while we register. See that evil gleam in his eye?

I'm going to let you guess who picked out these gems.

We got some great ideas and picked out some things I think the wee one will enjoy. It's kind of a weird responsibility to be in charge of setting up someone else's entire life. So far, he's getting no say in his bed (because we picked one that will last him until college), his clothes (pretty sure he's wearing whatever his grandmothers buy him until he's 30), or his sleeping choice (dude will be swaddled).

Even though I can't set up his nursery, yet (the back bedroom is still serving as part of the impromptu kitchen), I like to take out his baby things from time to time. They're so small and sweet.

Nerd gear!

Norwich onesie from my brother-in-law and monster hat (complete with ears!) from childhood best friend. Sweet snugglies from Grammy and Aunt Laura.

Stuffed VEGETABLES!!! How cool are these?? IKEA rocks. The only weird thing about these is that the carrot is wearing shorts and the broccoli has a skirt on. Were clothes really necessary?

Kisses for the carrot!

We've been reading to him for a couple of months. Our personal favorite is Get Dressed Santa by Tomie DePaola. I don't want to spoil the plot, but at one point Santa is fully dressed but has to pee! What's the big guy to do??

Matching shirts for father and son! Yeah, I'm going to be that mom.

My coworker found the frame so we can save his hospital bracelet. The onesie on loan from cousin Isabella.

And this...well, this kind of confused me. My sister sent me a big box of swaddlers and onesies and socks- really useful stuff that my niece has outgrown. And in this box were about 5 or 6 of these things.

I examined it.

And opened it up.

And the only conclusion I could come to was...

Baby smoking jacket.

Turns out, babies don't wear smoking jackets. But they do wear kimono-style tops while they still have their belly button nub.

Who freaking knew?

Thank God for big sisters. Otherwise this poor kid might be propped up next to a glass of brandy wearing sheepskin skin slippers holding a cigar.

An improvised kitchen

2012-01-23T11:25:00.000-08:00

The kitchen closed on December 26. Since then, we've been living off of toaster oven dinners, sandwiches, cereal, oatmeal, and takeout.

For a few weeks, the toaster oven and Keurig were set up on top of my washer and dryer in the basement. Not exactly convenient, but home renovation is an exercise in patience.

Before the counters were installed, I balanced ingredients on any stable surface.

Pita pizza was an easy way to use up some food in the fridge. Pita + sauce + mozzarella + spinach + olives = yummy.

The bottom didn't crisp up too much so this was more of a toasted, open-faced pizza sandwich. Messy goodness.

Now that Nick has installed the cabinets, the stove is finally back in place so we can cook upstairs again. Hooray for progress!

Tin foil packets have also been a lifesaver.

You can wrap up pretty much anything in tin foil, pop it into the toaster oven, and about 45 minutes later, it will be heated through. Not exactly fast food, but it works. I've used tin foil packets to heat up BBQ pulled beef, frozen vegetarian biryani, and frozen green beans.

An Indian-inspired meal from the Trader Joe's freezer section: vegetarian biryani, vegetarian masala burgers, and green beans.

A down home classic consisting of a BBQ pulled beef slider, french fries, and the Southwest salad, all from Trader Joe's.

And sometimes we get lazy and just go for takeout. One Saturday night we cashed in a Cheesecake Factory gift card and feasted on meatloaf and a cheeseburger. Did you know that Cheesecake Factory take out comes with two loaves of bread? Score!

This fancy meal came from our favorite local pizza joint, Napoli Pizzeria. We got the Greek salad and Gaetano Special pie- Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella Cheese, Peppers, Onions, Pepperoni, Meatballs, Sausage, Salami, and Fresh Tomatoes. That was some good pizza!

What is your favorite convenience food??

Pregnant Lady Trail Mix

2012-01-21T13:39:00.000-08:00

Pregnancy is a weird and awesome thing. It's weird to willingly allow a parasite to suck all the nutrients out of your body, but awesome because this parasite is actually a baby and babies rock. I've been blessed awesomely normal pregnancy, so far (*knock on wood*).

I've also learned more about my body these past 6 months than I had in the whole 27 years prior. I even know my blood type now- what up?! Chalk that up to the bajillion of doctors appointments pregnant ladies get to go to- I'm almost to my twice a month appointment phase! I've also given a few gallons of blood (or roughly 15 vials, but jeez, that is a lot of blood) and peed in more cups than I care to count.

At my last appointment, I got to give more blood and then I got a follow-up phone call from the NP. Diagnosis= low iron. This is hardly a strange or unusual thing for women in general and it's especially common in pregnant women. Even though I take my daily prenatal vitamin, I wanted to boost my intake of iron through food, too. Couldn't hurt, right?

My daily food intake usually has some kind of spinach or leafy green in it, so I was reluctant to go that route. A girl can only eat so many salads. A quick search on Babycenter.com gave me quite the list of other iron-rich foods: lean beef, dark meat chicken or turkey, instant oatmeal, edamame, lentils, blackstrap molasses, apricots, nuts, seeds, raisins.

Armed with this knowledge, I went to my local Trader Joe's and started scanning labels. To get the most bang for my iron buck, I picked out a few things for a trail mix:

Dried apricots
Seedless raisins
Honey-sesame almonds (double whammy- nuts & seeds!)

Here are the stats:

A 1/4 cup serving of seedless raisins has:
6% daily value of iron
2% daily value of calcium
13o calories
2 grams fiber
1 gram protein
Fat-free!

1/4 cup serving of dried apricots has:
8% daily value of iron
2% daily value of calcium
10% daily value of Vitamin C
20% daily value of Vitamin A
110 calories
2 grams fiber
1 gram protein
Fat-free!

1/4 cup serving of honey-sesame almonds has:
10% daily value of iron
10% daily value of calcium
170 calories
1 gram fiber
4 grams protein
12 grams fat

I threw equal quantities of each in a Ziploc, shook it up, and took it to work where I munched on it all week. I serve this up in roughly 1/2 cup portions, so I estimate it's around 300-350 calories a serving with a nice helping of iron in each bite. Which is handy since you're supposed to eat roughly 300 extra calories a day during the second trimester and 450 extra calories a day during the third trimester. (source)

Now, I'm not a nutritionist but I have been trying to watch what I eat and not use pregnancy as an all-access pass to the buffet of life. I'm not too worked up about trying to stay within a certain weight range- I figure if I eat when I'm hungry and eat mostly nutrient-dense food everything will work the way it's supposed to.

I'm guess I'm doing something right because this kid is definitely growing.

Exhibit A: 5 weeks (Hi Gilligan!)

Exhibit B: Almost 25 weeks!

Frozen Fenway

2012-01-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

What an awesome treat! Nick and I went to the Frozen Fenway hockey tournament yesterday. It was a double header- Boston College High School vs. Catholic Memorial High School and Northeastern University vs. Boston College.

We were lucky enough to be invited to sit in the luxury box with some of Nick's co-workers. It was amazing! Not sure I can go back to the bleachers...I kid, I kid.

It was seriously swanky. I totally felt like a little kid at her friend's parents house. I kept waiting for someone to ask me what exactly I was doing there- luckily, I played it cool and blended in with the rick folks.

The suite had a kitchenette and a full sitting area, with a flat screen in case you needed to catch up on some other TV watching during the game.

It was also fully catered and Fenway puts on an awesome spread! We enjoyed clam chowder, cheese pizza, Fenway franks, sausages, pepperoni pizza, Caesar salad, shrimp with cocktail sauce, popcorn, chips and dip, coffee, hot chocolate and whipped cream (!), brownies, and chocolate chip cookies. There was also a fridge full of soda and water. Beer and wine was served during the college games. Amazing!!

That would be me totally nerded out about the experience in the bathroom! There was a TV in there. Check out that 24 week belly- Nugget's getting big!

The suite was pregnant lady heaven. Easy access to the bathroom + an awesome view that I can enjoy from a heated room + all you can eat food + hockey = true love

Lots of people sat outside and there was stadium seating for them. With heaters above to keep them toasty, of course.

Once I pulled my crap together and stopped gawking at the suite, I used my all-access pass (from the best.husband.ever) to wander around Fenway Park. I even got to go onto the field!

In the Red Sox dugout!

Then it was time for some hockey!

BC High beat CM 4-0- woohoo!

Northeastern lost to BC- sad day for this Husky.

Totally a once in a lifetime experience- so grateful to be invited!

Farmhouse Baked Eggs with Cheddar and Potatoes

2012-01-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Last year I worked my way through the Food Network food fact/recipe of the day calendar. It came with some super tasty recipes! One in particular caught Nick's eye and he whipped this up for a special Sunday breakfast a few months ago.

I'm dreaming of the day my gorgeous new kitchen is finished so I can get back to treats like this! My handsome contractor is still hard at work, but until then, you can make this for yourself!

Farmhouse Baked Eggs with Cheddar and Potatoes

First snow

2012-01-11T16:02:00.000-08:00

One, somewhat unusual, perk of our kitchen renovation is the fact that the dog run is blocked off with debris. That means that every time our silly monster needs to use the facilities we have to take him out on a leash. We swap off early morning, evening, and last potty duties (heh)

He is not a morning dog.

I say this is a perk because I've really been enjoying the early morning walks. It's so quiet and calm.

And then it finally snowed on Tuesday! And the morning walk got even better.

It snowed just enough to make everything gorgeous- clean and frosted.

This Texas girl still thinks snow is magical. I miss it this year. Plus, this was the only year I was going to get out of shoveling guilt-free. Missing out on pregnancy perks because of global warming- boo!

Saw these tracks outside...hopping three-toed sloth? What could it be?

And the husband cleaned off my car! What a guy- I am the luckiest!

Tangerine Olive Oil Cake

2012-01-09T11:08:00.000-08:00

Before the kitchen closed, I needed to send it off with a bang. Tangerine Olive Oil Cake to the rescue! I made a double batch of Cafe Fernando's Clementine and Olive Oil Cake substituting tangerines for clementines.

Cast of characters: granulated sugar mixed with tangerine zest- this smelled AMAZING, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, extra virgin olive oil (I used the Spanish one from Trader Joe's- it's got a great fruity flavor)

Plus tangerine juice! I had to use up the tangerines I bought- they had SO many seeds in each segment. They were inedible. I ended up using all 15 tangerines to get 2 cups of tangerine juice. Talk about a sticky situation!

A double recipe gave me a 9-inch round cake and 6 mini bundt cakes.

I sprinkled the round cake with powdered sugar- note the weird splotches. This is what happens when your sifter is wet- it drips! Oops.

I glazed the mini bundts with a tangerine/lemon drizzle. This was my favorite way to eat it and it kept the cake moist even two days later. Yum!

A little Christmas party

2012-01-08T17:59:00.001-08:00

A little Christmas was had by all tonight! Nick and I wanted to have a Christmas party this year, but usually people get so busy before the holiday that it's hard to find a day that works for everyone. We solved this problem by having a Little Christmas party. Friday was Epiphany or the Feast of the Three Kings. Several cultures actually exchange gifts on Epiphany instead of December 25.

Nick custom designed some lovely invitations and we mailed them out with our Christmas cards to pretty much everyone we know. We hosted the party at the faculty dining hall where Nick works- it was a great space!

My mom sent me these tablecloths a year ago and I finally got to use them! They really added a nice touch.

We had a potluck- I love them because everyone we know has good taste in food! We had lots of delicious dishes: two kinds of macaroni and cheese, a huge antipasto plate, shepherd's pie, 7-layer dip, pesto chicken pasta, ziti and meatballs, chicken fingers, calzone, chili, and more that I'm forgetting.

This is after we ate- it was all so good! For dessert there were cookies and trifle.

We stocked the fridge with beer and soda.

After dinner, we had a Yankee Swap.

There were some crazy gifts- one family brought a live lobster on ice with a gift card!! I had to hold it up for all to see- should've gotten a picture. Other gifts included a mini-sewing machine, a 4-cup coffee maker, some limoncello, and a few sets of lottery tickets. It was a pretty good selection for a $20 limit. I got the game Catch Phrase- so fun- and Nick came home with a digital clock.

After the festivities, it was time to clean up. It's a school night after all so we wrapped up early.

Thankfully, we had some help!

It was a fun night and hopefully a new tradition was born. There were a few wee ones there this year, but next year our parties will be crawling with babies. Fun times!

A mermaid for a princess

2012-01-07T10:20:00.000-08:00

My niece Isabella's first birthday was August 23rd. To celebrate, Nick and I flew to Texas. In true Texas fashion, this little girl needed a whole lotta cake to celebrate her first year on Earth. Enter- the mermaid cake!

My aunt Laura found the inspiration for this cake here. We used cake mix to make the process go a little faster.

She had a strawberry head, vanilla body, and chocolate and vanilla tail.

Avert your eyes, sailors, this mermaid isn't dressed yet!

Getting her hair done- chocolate cupcake style. And check out those luscious fruit roll up lips- so kissable!

We couldn't find any pastel Necco wafers, so cousin Grace was tasked with painting chocolate Neccos with edible glitter. It was time consuming, but the result was lovely!

Finally, she was ready for her close up- ooh la la!

Time to dig in!

Isabella was a true lady- she was so dainty while she ate this cake! She finally got a bit dirty when her daddy smeared some frosting on her face.

Here's to many more frosting-filled days!

Bean a la King

2012-01-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

When my sister and niece came to visit last May, I got a special introduction to baby likes and dislikes. Isabella could pretty much live without the yogurt melts, but that girl loves her beans. Loves them. And Gilligan really loved eating the beans that made their way to the floor.

Beans are such a cheap and easy way to incorporate protein into a meal, so I decided to re-create one of my all-time favorite recipes: Chicken A La King from the ever-peppy Rachael Ray.

This recipe can be made with or without wine. Depends on what kind of night you're having and what you've got in the pantry. We used this Sauvignon Blanc- it was tasty!

Cast of characters: canned biscuits, vegetable broth, one large white onion, button mushrooms, white kidney beans, frozen peas, nutritional yeast, and unpictured flour, salt, and pepper.

Start by baking your biscuits per the can's directions. Rachael recommends sprinkling them with cayenne or paprika and I agree.

Heat up one tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Dice up the onion and slice the mushrooms. Add to the pan and saute until soft. Don't add any salt just yet.

Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the pan and stir to combine with mushrooms and onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes so that you get rid of the raw flour taste.

Add either 1 cup of vegetable broth + 1/2 cup water OR 1 cup water + 1/2 cup white wine. Scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom and bring to a bubble. Cook 5-7 minutes or until sauce has thickened.

Stir in 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast. I know nutritional yeast looks like fish food, but it really adds a depth of flavor that vegetarian food sometimes lacks. Do not be afraid.

Add two cans of rinsed white kidney beans. Stir into the sauce gently, so you don't break up the beans too much.

Add in 1.5 cups of frozen peas (or more, if you love peas). Stir in and cook another 3-4 minutes or until peas are warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the bean a la king over two split hot biscuits. I added a simple spinach salad on the side.

Frankly, I think this dish is even better than the original and a heck of a lot easier. Long live the king!

Bean a la King

1 can biscuits
cayenne or paprika for sprinkling, if desired
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced
1 small white onion, diced
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup vegetable broth + 1/2 cup water OR 1 cup water + 1/2 cup white wine
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 cans white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1.5 cups frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle the biscuits with cayenne or paprika, if desired. Bake according to package directions.

Heat up olive oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions and saute until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add two tablespoons of flour to the pan and stir to combine. Cook 3-4 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth + water or water + wine to pan and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom. Bring to a bubble and cook 5-7 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Add the beans and stir gently. Add the nutritional yeast and stir.

Add the frozen peas and cook 3-4 minutes or until peas are warmed through.

Serve over split biscuits and enjoy!

Christmas Recap

2012-01-03T08:02:00.000-08:00

The husband is in the middle of his biggest home improvement project ever- he is completely renovating the kitchen. He took last week off work and gutted the entire room. Essentially, we're combining the dining room and kitchen for a more open floor plan- no small feat considering we live in a 900 square foot bungalow.

Since the kitchen is officially closed until further notice, I wanted to take a few posts to catch up on the last few months.

First up- Christmas!

We considered not putting up decorations this year because of the construction, but I caved! I needed some holly jolly.

We finally found a Gilligan ornament at the Fryeburg Fair in Maine- check out the resemblance! Labradoodle paraphernalia is tough to come by so we were extra excited when we stumbled upon this gem!

Christmas eve was hosted per usual by Nick's Aunt ReRe. Looking a little mischievous, I'd say.

Nick's dad, Jack, bought a totally awesome hat- it sings and dances. A very silly photo shoot ensued.

My lovely husband.
Jimmy.

Nana.
Papa.
Aunt Kath.
Joey.
Mary.

We ended the evening with a sing-a-long and dessert.

Next, we went to Nick's Aunt Nancy's house for more merriment. There aren't any pictures of this gathering because I was too busy making googly eyes at an 11 day old baby- so sweet- and playing with a totally awesome 18 month old. Christmas is so much more fun with kiddos!!

Midnight mass was lovely- and I especially appreciate that it starts at 10:30 pm instead of 12 am.

Christmas morning always starts with a celebration just the two of us. We wake up early and exchange our presents and then eat breakfast.

Santa brought Nick a nerd starter kit- included was a Star Wars t-shirt for the wee one, Star Wars Legos (for Nick), and a Star Wars DVD. If we want our little boy to love all things nerdy, we gotta start him young.

Santa brought me a Giada cookbook and a griddle. Cannot wait to make millions of pancakes! My mom also got me a cowboy boots charm for my bracelet- can't wait to meet my very own cowboy in May!

Our little family.

After our small celebration, we head over to Nick's parents house for the rest of the day. We were thoroughly spoiled by them- I think my mother in law bought every maternity shirt that Old Navy sells! Nick got an awesome winter parka that I have stolen on several occasions- so warm.

The cousins showed up with their Bruins pride.

Nick's childhood bear Ben obliged for a photo op with his newest friend.

And my father in law kept our teapot obsession alive with these adorable teapot ornaments. We've been teasing each about teapots for years- it all started when Nick stole Aunt ReRe's Irish cottage teapot Christmas Eve 4 years ago. It has since been returned, but teapots have a funny way of showing up at all family functions now.

It was a lovely, low-key Christmas- cannot wait for the fun and excitement our little Nugget will bring to the celebration next year.

A preview of parties to come

2012-01-02T07:46:00.000-08:00

Our good friends Mark and Angela had us over for New Year's Eve. Well, I kind of invited us over, but they were gracious enough to host. The evening started out promising- the four of us ate an entire bowl of guacamole in about 10 minutes. Mmm...avocados.

Then, we brought out the big guns...

Wouldn't be New Year's Eve without Chinese Food. Lucky Dragon provided us this feast and in only 15 minutes! That has to be some kind of December 31st record.

Served up in style...I think square food is underrated.

We ordered so much food that they sent everyone home with individually Ziploc-ed doggy bags- yum!

Unfortunately, we didn't last too long. Nick's been working on the kitchen non-stop (it's currently gutted to the studs) and I'm 22 weeks pregnant. At 9:30, we called it a night. By 10 o'clock, we were pajama-ed and passed out.

At least I looked party-ready for the three hours I was upright- my mother in law has good taste. This top was a Christmas present!

While this year was a far cry from years past (the infamous sangria debacle- all of our guests were drunk within 20 minutes), it was so nice to catch up with friends and eat some yummy food.

Because New Year's Eve may be hard to pull off for the next few years with the little ones on the way, plans for next year include a New Year's Day brunch at our house!

Peach Cobbler Bundt Cake

2011-11-01T10:51:00.000-07:00

A peach for my peach.

I'm officially 13 weeks pregnant and the baby is the size of a peach! To celebrate this milestone and the last week of my first trimester, I concocted not one but two iterations of a peach cobbler bundt cake. Still don't have it quite right- the cake is nice but the filling is missing that essential cobbler gooey-ness.

Exhibit A:

Cobbler cake with peach pie filling in the middle. This was a great combination and ooey-gooey, but a logistical nightmare. Suffice it to say, there was peach filling everywhere when I removed this from the pan. This poor fool landed in the trash after serving up a nice Saturday breakfast. The ooze would not have kept well.

Exhibit B:

Structurally, this was a winner. Using diced, jarred peaches kept the cake from collapse, but this was minus any gooey quality at all. *tear* And the parts with the peach are a bit soggy. I'm still eating this one- it's light and tasty, just not quite cobbler-y enough.

I think the winning combination would be this cake batter with a pumped up peach jam swirled into it. More flavor and just the right amount of goo.

Wonder what size the baby is going to be next week....perhaps another fruit cobbler cake will make it's appearance! After all, I've got to keep my strength up- I'm growing a person.

Not so sloppy joes

2011-10-16T16:46:00.001-07:00

I should start with a bit of an update. There's been a lot less crying around the Cupcakes household than I thought there would be.

Reason being...we didn't end up moving. Our house didn't sell and ultimately we're pretty happy about that. The other place was a steal and a great location, but it would have been more expensive and WAY less convenient.

We officially closed the book on this grand adventure on Friday and I've been celebrating by pulling all my crap out and making the house look I live in it again! Books stacked everywhere- check. Piles of mail- check. Dirty dishes in sink- check. Socks on the floor- check.

Ah- sweet relief. Keep this joint "company ready" 24/7 really blew.

And I just bought a new vacuum- a Hoover Sprint Quick Vac. Why I didn't buy this when I needed to keep the house super clean I don't know. Probably the same reason I let all the flowers we bought to "pretty" up the place die. My heart wasn't in it.

Now that I'm done tidying like June Cleaver, I have more time to blog. Hooray!

Enter- not so sloppy joes.

They're not so sloppy because I served them open faced. Feel free to get your hands dirty by putting those pieces o' toast together. Those beans will ooze all over you.

Exhibit A- sloppy.

Not So Sloppy Joes- vegetarian style

1 tbsp olive oil
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
28 oz. can of baked beans
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 squirts ketchup- roughly 2 tbsp
salt and pepper to taste
2 slices of bread per person, toasted
Cheddar cheese, for topping

Heat up the olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the bell pepper and onion and saute until just starting to brown- 5-8 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp of salt to get those juice flowing. Add the garlic and stir well. Don't let the garlic burn. I'm serious, don't!

Add the chili powder and cumin to the pepper and onion mixture. Stir to combine. Dump in the baked beans and stir to combine and get all the good brown bits off the bottom. Add the mustard- stir extra well. You don't want to get a big bite of that- it will clear your sinuses. Squirt in the ketchup. Bring to a bubble and let cook about 2 minutes. Then reduce heat to low. Salt and pepper to taste. I probably added about 1/2-3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper.

Toast your bread. Arrange on a plate. Scoop on the sloppy joe and top with cheddar.

This whole meal came together in about 20 minutes- not too shabby for cafeteria food. As to whether these really taste like their Manwich counterparts, it's hard to say, although I think they're a close cousin. The husband never ate sloppy joes as a child and thus has only had my vegetarian renditions.

You be the judge!

Crunch this

2011-09-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

These pink converse took Nick and me to the Honey Pot Hill Orchards in Stow, MA. It was a beautiful, warm Fall day, just ripe for apple picking.

The orchard came complete with a Sinatra-wannabe belting out old school karaoke classics. *love*

Goat tree house.

Candy apples and cider donuts are serious business.

Ladders = awesome/dangerous.

Awkward.

Salty sweet

2011-08-28T17:08:00.000-07:00

It's been a wild week in the Cupcake household. We prepped for the "storm of the century" by:

buying 4 gallons of water
taking down the porch swing
baking two loaves of the best bread ever
doing laundry at 8 am today, in case the power went out

God help me if I'm ever in a real emergency. Perhaps I can barter some bread for a chainsaw and some Spaghetti-o's.

In addition to stocking our survival kit, we also decided to buy a house. And sell ours, duh.

We currently live in a beautiful bungalow. I love this house. Really. Like, crying actual tears when I picture moving day kind o' love. This house is the first place I'd lived in longer than a year since I was 13. This house is more than just a few walls- we've grown up here.

The husband has poured countless hours, blood, sweat, swear words, and gallons of paint into this house. We went bought it , it was sea foam green- he spent the entire summer perched on a ladder, listening to the Red Sox, painting it a much more palatable shade of blue. He took a sad, rental kitchen and turned it into a gourmet's paradise.

Plus, I'm a house person. I get crazy attached to living spaces. The day I found out my childhood home was bulldozed to make room for a McMansion, I sobbed hysterically. I was gonna buy that house (in 20 years)!

The new house is great and will be ours as soon, hopefully. It's small, too, but on a huge piece of property with a deck, dog run, basketball court (say what?!), and hot tub. We'll make lots of great memories in that house and maybe even a baby or two.

So, it's only fitting, that after a weekend of rain and wind and cleaning and packing and dusting and sorting (OMG we have a lot of crap), that I have a taste of something salty sweet on Sunday night. Something that packages my emotions so neatly into a 1 inch square of chocolate.

Salazon Chocolate Co. Organic Dark Chocolate with Natural Sea Salt and Newman's Own Organics Mocha Milk Chocolate.

Probably going to need to stock up on a few more bars- there's a whole lot of crying and country music headed my way over the next few months.

I'm such a sap.

Summer Pasta Salad

2011-08-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make.

Last year, I did not go to a single farmer's market.

I know! For shame! It was a weird summer- I started a new job and just didn't have a spare minute. I should've found one on the weekends to go to, but I was lame and didn't. Boo to that.

This summer is better! I've been to a few (Hingham has a great one- shout out to Freitas Farm for stellar blueberries and excellent customer service) and the husband has hit our town's farmer's market a few times. He even made blueberry jam (best.husband.ever).

Flashback to the 4th of July- Stowe, Vermont has an especially vibrant farmer's market that has more than just raw veggies.

Steamed veggie dumpling, bean dumpling, and a shrimp eggroll.

Fresh ice cream!

Maple cone!

Not sure what this guy was selling, but you can see the resemblance between Arthur and his sign.

With all the goodies, whipping up a satisfying pasta salad at our campsite was a breeze.

Start a pot of water on your Coleman stove and bring it to a boil. Add one pound of rotini. You could also use farfalle- I think bite-size pasta is a better choice for a pasta salad. Makes it easier to eat!

Start with fresh from the ground radishes- dirt included! Just give them a good wash. Don't they remind you of the Mandrakes from Harry Potter? Nerd alert!

Slice them thinly and add to a large bowl.

Wash your fresh basil and rip it into small pieces. Add to the radishes.

Wash and chop your fresh zucchini- add it to the pasta in the last 2-3 minutes of cooking- cooks them just enough but keeps them crunchy.

Chop up some cheddar. Funny story- I bought this at home and drove it all the way back to Vermont for this dish. Some serious food miles for such a small piece of cheese.

Here, in spirit, is some red onion. Chop it up and add to the bowl o' veggies.

Once the pasta and zucchini is cooked, drain it and put it back in the hot pan. Add the radishes, basil, red onion, and cheddar to the pasta and zucchini and toss to coat. The cheese will melt slightly and coat everything. Instant dressing!

Serve alongside some foccacia and dig in!

Summer Pasta Salad

1 pound short pasta- whatever makes your skirt fly up
2-3 cups chopped fresh summer veg- experiment with squash, peas, beets, tomato- whatever looks good at the farmers market. Note- not all of these veggies will need to cook with the pasta.
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 large bunch of fresh basil, ripped
8 oz. cheese- other option include goat, feta, Gouda, Gruyere, Swiss
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a handful of salt and toss in pasta.

While the pasta cooks, chop up veggies. For any veggies that need slight cooking, add them to the pasta in the last 2-3 minutes of boiling. Once pasta and veggies are al dente, drain and return to the hot pot. Do not return pan to heat.

Add other veggies, herbs, and cheese to the pasta/veggie mixture in the hot pot. Toss to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil, if you have some on hand.

Irish Brown Bread

2011-08-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

Just a few more eats to show you, and a recipe for our favorite Irish baked good- brown bread.

Ice cream from Murphy's in Killarney- dark chocolate + cookie for Nick, sea salt + honeycomb for me. Sea salt was a surprise hit for me- love that salty sweetness.

Tea at the Old Courthouse Cafe in Inishmore. Love when they give you your own pot!

Trout, shepherd's pie, and potatoes + french fries from the Curragh in Killarney.

Bailey's ice cream from Jo's in Kinsale.

Seafood pancake and fried fish from the White House in Kinsale.

Whiskey tasting from Jameson Distillery in Dublin.

Beef and cheese pastie from Hanley's Cornish Pasties.

Seafood chowder and traditional Irish coddle from Oliver St. John Gogarty's in Dublin.

Flapjack!!

And now for the main event...brown bread. It's served alongside most dishes and the beauty of the brown bread lies in its simplicity. It's like the Irish people- cozy, welcoming, and inherently comforting.

Though we don't have the exactly right kind of flour needed for true brown bread, this works as a lovely substitute. I modeled it off of the recipe that Nick's Irish cousin Mary uses- she makes a fresh loaf every day and we got to devour more than our fair share when we stayed with her and her husband Pat in Galway.

Irish Brown Bread

Makes 2 small loaves

4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup ground flax meal
1/2 cup steel cut oats
Scant 3 cups almond milk
3 tblsp vinegar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
*Note- you could substitute buttermilk for the almond milk and vinegar. Or use regular cow's milk and vinegar to it.

Preheat oven to 425.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, flax, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine well.

In a large measuring cup, pour the almond milk and vinegar. Stir well and let stand 5-10 minutes. This is going to look kind of funky, but don't freak out.

Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. The resulting dough is pretty wet and sticky. Freaking out is still unnecessary.

Grease two loaf pans and divide dough evenly between the two. Use your hands to gently shape the loaves.

Put both pans into the oven and bake 30-35 minutes. Test loaves by pulling them out of the oven and flipping over into an oven mitt. Tap the bottom. (ha.) It should should hollow.

Cool at least 30 minutes before cutting.

As I lay me down to sleep...Ireland style

2011-07-31T06:19:00.000-07:00

Ireland, contrary to my last post, is more than just a candy-lover's paradise. It's also a place of rolling hills, pristine green pasture, and some pretty awesome bed and breakfasts.

The husband does most of the travel planning and he picked out some awesome places to stay.

The Holiday Inn in Dublin City Centre was well-located near Trinity College. The accommodations were clean and well-kept. They even have parking in the underground garage for only 10 euro a day! I will mention that I took an extremely uncomfortable bath here when I couldn't get the shower to stop spraying scalding water. I won't blame this on them, but rather operator error. European showers are weird. Bonus points awarded due to how extremely budget friendly this place way- something like 150 euro for two nights stay. Sweet!

The Pembroke Hotel in Kilkenny was by far the nicest hotel we stayed in. Super modern and right next to Kilkenny Castle. The staff was super friendly and helpful. Bonus points awarded to them for letting us crash the breakfast buffet after it was already closed (stupid alarm fell on the floor and we overslept).

I'm skipping our hotel in Killarney- it was dingy and dated. Can't win 'em all.

The Aran island of Inishmore is host to the Kilmurvey House. A 15 room bed and breakfast run by Treasa and Bertie, it's located about a 30 minute bike ride away from the main town of Kilronan. This was classic B&B style, comfy common rooms stocked with books, tea pots, and a fantastic breakfast. I had a plate of fresh Irish farmhouse cheeses and Nick had smoked salmon on a bagel. Both of us took advantage of the cold buffet, stocking up on juice, cereal, and brown bread.

The best bed and breakfast award goes to....the Old Presbytery in Kinsale. While a bit more expensive at 124 euro a night, it was well worth the price. This was more than just a bed to crash in- this was the Irish hospitality experience writ large.

Upon arrival we were greeted by the owner, Phillip. He showed us to our room that a stunning view of Kinsale harbor.

We were then treated to a lovely pot of fresh tea and sweets by the owners' daughter, Maeve. She was lovely- telling us about the home (formerly a priest's residence). She even did some family tree investigation for Nick. The Irish censuses of 1901 and 1911 are a wealth of information for root-seekers.

The breakfast at the Old Presbytery was phenomenal. I wish I had pictures, but alas, you will just have to use your imagination to conjure up the image of a buffet laden with fruit, yogurt, cereals, brown bread, and soda bread. Two plates of cooked to our breakfast- mine with freshly caught hake and poached eggs and Nick's with a full Irish breakfast: sausage, rashers, black and white pudding, eggs, mushrooms, and a broiled tomato. I would travel back to Ireland just to have breakfast here again.

I think the best part about Ireland is that it's exactly what you picture- it's as beautiful as it is in the post cards, the people are as friendly as their stereotype.

A chocolate tour of Ireland

2011-07-31T06:09:00.001-07:00

They say it's important for you to eat a country's food in order to get a sense of their culture and history. I take this kind of deep exploration seriously. Very seriously.

While Cadbury is technically a British company, they make a lot of chocolate in Ireland. And that's where we ate it. A whole lot of it. I would say we average a candy bar or two a day- split between us.

The Moro has a biscuit covered in chocolate covered in caramel. Definitely top 3.

The Toffee Crisp was all right. Not a lot of toffee flavor but it had some rice krispy-like action.

Galaxy chocolate ROCKS. Apparently it's Dove in a new outfit. YUM.

The Double Decker was sticky, messy goodness. I found bit of Double Decker on my purse, my pants, even my passport. No joke! We ate this nougat-y gem while waiting for our plane at the Connemara airport.

At a fancy farmer's market we picked up this local goody. It tasted like buttah.

These were not Eclairs. Not even a little. They sit on a throne of lies! But they were kind of tasty. Like soft Werther's with chocolate in the middle.

Ugh. This was not good. Apparently Turkish Delight is made with rosewater. Didn't taste like any roses I'd ever smelled. More like funky gym socks.

We set aside the candy bars just for one quick minute in Kilkenny- for 50p we got a day old chocolate cake filled with raspberry frosting. Yum!

Cute little cafe in Dublin where we had the best hot chocolate ever. Weird that it's hot chocolate weather in Dublin right now. Woo summer!

Nick's fave was the Twirl- a chocolate covered flake. An intense chocolate experience, indeed.

And...just to prove we didn't just eat chocolate, check this out. I rounded out my diet with some amazing salt and vinegar Tayto's. Gotta have that salt to go with the sweet!

Here's my one true love- the Crunchie. Honeycomb covered chocolate...delicious.

So what did I learn through my culinary adventure through Ireland?

Chocolate is good, no matter where you are on the globe.

Rock Art Brewery

2011-07-08T03:58:00.000-07:00

Wine and cheese is so passe! Nothing goes better with some Vermont cheddar than a delicious beer. Magic Hat, Long Trail, Otter Creek, and Harpoon are just a couple of the awesome breweries in Vermont.

Rock Art Brewery is in quaint Morrisville, VT. Over the holiday weekend, my in-laws, Nick, and I visited their new facilities. It's a far cry from their other location- which was conveniently located behind a machine shop and amidst piles of tires. We found that place 4 years ago and were sure we'd stumbled upon a gem. Or that we were going to be crushed by a dump truck.

The new digs are homey and spacious. While we didn't go on a tour of the facilities, the tasting room/retail shop featured good brew and friendly people. $4 got us a taste of four beers + a tasting glass = score!

First up was the White Tail Ale. From the website "Our golden American ale has a crisp body and slightly dry, hoppy finish. This is a real treat for the beer lover. Pale, wheat and torrified wheat malts are used with Northern Brewer and Mt. Hood hops."

I gotta say, this was probably my least favorite but that's probably only because I like my beer dark and malty.

Next up, American Red. "The unofficial name for this beer is “Super Glide”. Malty rich with a hint of spicy hops and roasted grains. This beer is one smooth ride with a clean finish! We brewed this one with American Pale, oats, flaked barley, black, chocolate, red malt, melandolin malt. American hops include Magnum, Centennial, Liberty and Crystal. Enjoy!"

Much better. This was the beer we fell in love with 4 years ago and the one that brought us back today.

Third on the list was the IPA. Not too bitter and a great flavor. I've really started to like IPAs lately.

Last, but definitely not least, was the Ridge Runner. This barleywine is smooth and flavorful and a favorite of all of us!

A quick trip around the store left us with a pint glass and a 6-pack of Ridge Runner. Time to go back to Elmore State Park!

One hot and very happy Betty.

Best way to transport beer between campsites? A collapsed Houndabout trailer. Not just for dogs anymore.

Kicking it old school

2011-07-06T18:17:00.000-07:00

I had some good old fashioned fun this 4th of July in the Green Mountain State.

I can literally feel the stress leave my body when we cross the state line. Something about Vermont just does it for me- big time. It's like Norman Rockwell designed the whole state just to remind me of a simpler time.

Simple, however, does not mean lame.

Do these lawn chair drill team ladies look lame to you? Don't let those Birkenstocks fool you- they've got rhythm.

Or this hooked up John Deere/couch-mobile?

Yeah, I didn't think so. Moscow, VT says "What up, world's shortest 4th of July parade!?"

That's a girl riding a toilet/mower. Awesomesauce.

This weekend didn't just include the cultural highlights of Vermont. No, no. Copious amounts of fresh, delicious food where also eaten.

Simple eats are where it's at on the 4th.

The kind ladies of the First Congregational Church of Morrisville make a mean strawberry shortcake. Complete with real whipped cream, obviously.

Strawberry shortcake = opposite o' lame

More goodies awaited at the Stowe fireworks festivities- vendors galore!

Falafel sandwich from Farah's of Burlington.

Wood fired pizza- fresh ricotta, tomato, basil, garlic.

Beef brisket sandwich, coleslaw, and beans from Carbeque- as seen in blogs past.

The whole spread- Betty's gotta eat, right?

Even Gilligan got to enjoy some way-back fun- the sprinkler! Although, I think Nick got wetter than the dog.

All we needed to complete the idyllic scene was a bit of bluegrass.

And a sunset.

Adventures in biking

2011-06-29T18:49:00.000-07:00

I'm a summer girl at heart. I love the heat and Nick often finds me lounging on the front porch once the 90s roll into town. With work and life, sometimes I forget to enjoy the 2.5 months of summer in New England. Not so, this year! I've been outside soaking up the sunshine and we've lined up a host of summer travel plans hell bent on getting outdoors.

First up- Shawme Crowell State Forest in Sandwich, MA!

We left around 6:30 on Friday and stopped in Plymouth for fuel- human and car. I saw the Pizza Factory in a strip mall near the gas station.

One small veggie pizza to share- what can I say? I have a thing for veggie pizza. And this was delicious! Seriously yummy. Kudos Pizza Factory!

We got to the campground while it was still light outside- big ups to the 1.5 hour commute down to the cape. Set up was pretty easy- we got stuck in the sandy ground a few times but Nick hauled the T-blaze through it. Bedtime came early- we were pooped from the work week!

The next morning we got an early start and enjoy a quick breakfast. Instant oatmeal + Starbucks vanilla VIA coffee. Best.instant.coffee.ever. Srsly. Please note the Ove-Glove/wrench combo. We're pretty savvy campers.

Our plan was to debut the Houndabout to the monster. Gilligan tried it at home and seemed reasonably accepting...sure...uh huh. Everything was FINE at home.

See? He's happy, right? Not so, a mere 9 mile earlier. We decided to try out the Cape Cod Rail Trail which extends from Dennis to Wellfleet- a lovely 22 mile path that's paved a shaded.

What I don't have pictures of is his great escape. Somewhere around mile 1.5 Gilligan totally lost his marbles and jumped Free Willy style out of the top section. Somehow Nick didn't crash and Gill didn't run into traffic. Suffice it to say that we leashed his puppy butt to the trailer after that nonsense. But only after we lured him back into the trailer with bites of PBJ.

P.S. Best PBJ ever. I made peanut butter out of honey roasted peanuts (just threw them in the Cuisnart with a smidge of canola oil), white bread from 7-11, and low sugar organic raspberry jam. YUM.

On the road again, we continued on our merry way. Nick said towing Gilligan and the trailer (a total of 110+ pounds) was fine unless Gilligan was shifting position. He towed that silly dog over 20 miles that day- what a trooper! I was still fresh as a daisy by the end of our adventure...Nick- not so much.

Around mile 9, we finally figured out that Gilligan needed to burn off some energy, so Nick biked while Gilligan ran- that dog is fast! And kind of swerve-y. He chilled out after that.

And so did we! We stumbled upon the Hot Chocolate Sparrow in Orleans completely by accident.

Totally Turtle for Nick and Strawberry Cheesecake for me! Gill even got his own dish of vanilla soft serve. He slurped it up!

Views from the trail.

Bikes. I love them!

Found Gilligan some water to swim in- he's finally showing his lab side. Dude loves to swim.

After our 20 mile bike ride, we took the scenic route back to the campground. On our way, we spotted the infamous ZooQuarium! Weirdest place ever- Nick says there's a sad little seal and a fox in there. No thanks.

We also saw a truly impressive collection of ceramic animals on our drive that weren't at a mini-golf course. Elephants, rhinos, and marmots- oh my!

Dinner was a breakfast scramble of quinoa, eggs, pinto beans and Morningstar sausage. Plus some contraband white wine. Yum!

Dinner was enjoyed by a rip-roaring fire. I *heart* camping.

Pizza happens

2011-06-28T18:43:00.000-07:00

I'm usually a very hands-on cook- I make myself a homemade breakfast every morning, pack myself a lunch, and usually prep a pretty involved dinner 5 nights a week. But sometimes you have to cut yourself some slack. Tonight was one of those nights. Work has been wacky lately and I've been leaving work much later than usual. We are running wicked low on groceries and it's hot.

This is all a very long way of telling you that I picked up a pizza on the way home. And it was good.

I first tried Unchained Pizza back in May when my sister was here. It was delicious! One of the only veggie pies I've gotten that wasn't completely soggy.

Non-soggy bottom.

Huge 18" pizza- we each had two slices and have several leftover. Lunch!

Covered in mushrooms, broccoli, olives, tomatoes, onions, and peppers.

Just because we had takeout didn't mean we couldn't enjoy some ambiance. Enter our lovely backyard and a glass of 3 buck Sauvignon Blanc. Hurrah for al fresco dining!

And while we're outside, how 'bout a few backyard pictures??

Check out the garden- growing like weeds! And there are plenty of actual weeds in there- I've been pulling up the naughty ones a few times a week!

Kevin hiding in the kale.

Baby peppers.

Baby cucumber.
Baby 'maters.

Whole lotta mint- we need to have a mojito party, stat!

Gill loves playing in the BBY (big backyard- he can't spell but he knows where the fun happens!).

For dessert, a few freshly picked raspberries. And then birthday cake for my mother in law at their house- happy birthday Lorraine! (And Uncle Dan- his birthday is tomorrow, too!)

Hingham Beer Works

2011-06-22T04:20:00.001-07:00

To celebrate my birthday and soak up some sunshine, we wandered down to Hingham Beer Works at the fancy schmancy Hingham Ship Yard. According to Nick, the shipyard used to be quite the pit, but with a little venture capital and a few chain stores, it's a lovely gathering spot now.

It's a microbrew so we started off with some small pours to whet our appetite. 12 oz. pours of World's End IPA for me and Blueberry Ale for Nick. Nick's had real blueberries in it! The IPA was good, too, not too bitter. You can get beer in 12 oz., 16 oz., or 22 oz. pours- I liked this because I have trouble committing to beer, especially new ones.

We had to wait probably 20 minutes for a patio table but it was worth it! Love the outdoor ambiance.

Do I look older? No major wrinkles yet or gray hair. I've already informed Nick that I won't be graying with dignity- bring on the dye!

With dinner, I had a sampler of 4 oz. pours. From left to right: watermelon beer, peach hefeweisen, Back River red, and Buckeye Oatmeal stout. None really rocked my socks and I couldn't even finish the peach one. Microbrews are so hit or miss.

Nick had a white ale- he liked it. I tried a sip- not my bag.

Appetizers included nachos! Yummy and thoroughly coated with the good stuff.

And pretzel bites. These were strangely hard and not really pretzel-y at all. We didn't eat many of them but I brought them home and used them as croutons on my lunch salad. Much better.

Dinner for me was the world's smallest portabella mushroom sandwich. There were two small slices of roasted red pepper, a TON (too much) of herbed goat cheese, and a really sad little mushroom. I was underwhelmed but still cleaned my plate. A girl's gotta eat. I gotta say- being a vegetarian at restaurants is hard sometimes. At home, I can make whatever I want, but at most restaurants I can get a veggie burger or a veggie sandwich. Perhaps I should hit the city for some veg haute cuisine.

Nick had the steak tips. He said they were awesome- I tried a super small bite. Beefy. I did snag several bites of mashed potato- yum!

We skipped dessert- we were stuffed with beer and nachos!

Instead, we took a walk down the shipyard and read all the funny boat names. One was called Payback...interesting...

The sunset was especially gorgeous- I luck out with great weather and a great husband on my birthday!

It is important to that Betty Cupcakes is a serious lightweight and definitely cannot handle 24 oz. of beer. Silliness and a WICKED early bedtime ensued.

A birthday cake

2011-06-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Yellow cake with chocolate frosting. A classic. Kind of like me, but sweeter.

Today is my birthday. Another fun fact about today? It's the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. More time to celebrate my birth, you lucky ducks! Another fun fact? It's also Prince William's birthday. Unfortunately we have not yet been able to exchange presents just yet, but soon. Very soon.

Birthdays are kind of weird. You didn't really do anything to earn and frankly, your parents should be commended for bringing you into the world and letting you stick around. But really, birthdays should be celebrated for one reason and one reason alone.

Cake.

Now, I'm not one to wait around all year for a delicious slice of sugary goodness. That's a regular occurrence in the Cupcake household. But birthdays deserve something a little extra special, dontcha think?

I got this recipe here, but I'm fairly certain it was stolen from Cook's Illustrated. What up, Chris Kimball? Dude knows his food.

Start by oiling and flouring some 9 inch pans. Really get in there with the oil. One of my cakes may have broken and may have been smushed back together. I can neither confirm nor deny these allegations.

Mix your dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk them up. Combine the wet ingredients and whisk them, too.

Then you should whip up some eggwhites. Set them aside.

Dump your flour and leavening into the empty bowl. Don't wash it out first. That's a waste of time.

Slowly mix your wet ingredients into your dry.

Then gently- I said gently!- fold in those egg whites. The whipped eggwhite is a delicate thing and needs some TLC.

Measure out your batter evenly into your prepared pans. Bake until done. Cool beside an open window if you're like me and don't have air conditioning. Or cable. Or 200 amp electrical service. I'm practically Amish!

While your cakes are cooling, you can wash dishes and clean up the flour bomb you made in your kitchen. Then, you ought to get your frosting on.

I'd never chocolate buttercream frosting before today. It was pretty darn simple. Get some cocoa.

Melt some butter.

Put the cocoa in your KitchenAid and aid the melted butter.

Mix it up.

Add approximately one ton of powdered sugar and drip of milk.

And beat the everloving fudge out of it.

Now comes the fun part. Dig out your cake stand. Mine lives in the basement on a shelf underneath the giant fake spider we use on Halloween. What? You don't keep yours next to arachnids?? Weird.

Put one layer of cake, maybe the "broken" one on the cake stand and slather on some frosting. Really give it a good coating.

Add the 2nd layer and admire.

Pour out the rest of the frosting on top. Wonder quietly to yourself if there is such a thing as too much frosting. Quickly dismiss the ridiculous notion and spread all over with an offset spatula.

I decorated mine with some swirlies and gold sprinkles in honor of the Bruins- go, go Black and Gold!

Then you can take your cake on a field trip. Oh the places this cake has been!

The great state of Texas (or just my Texas flag picnic table).

It lounged in the sun on the adirondack chair.

It even visited Kevin the garden gnome. Check out that kale! Kevin's been whispering sweet nothings to my veggies this year and they are growing like gangbusters!

Once the tour de garden is over, take the cake to your inlaws. Carefully balance it on the front seat of your SMART car, hold with one hand, drive with the other, and try to convince your 90 pound labradoodle not to knock it over as he's wedged in the trunk.

Conduct the ritual singing of "Happy Birthday".

Make a wish.

Eat a large slice and share a few others! 27 is going to be a good year.

Pedal power

2011-06-19T10:47:00.000-07:00

At the end of May I conquered a half marathon. That deserves it's own post, but alas, the husband has all the sweaty pictures on his camera.

After running 179 miles in 4.5 months, I was toast. My hips were shot, my feet were aching, and I was tired of strapping on my spandex to prance around town.

Enter...my new bike! I loved being so active for so many months- just needed a change of pace and something a little more forgiving to my pore battered joints. My husband and in-laws went in together to get me this kick ass Trek. It's a hybrid commuter bike- not trail ready but definitely prepared to deal with the pothole-a-rific urban terrain of our town.

Mine's the blue one. It's for women. You can tell this because it's decorated in swirly text and curlicues. No, I'm not kidding.

We took the scenic route to the Cape Cod canal. Saw a gaggle (family) o' geese crossing a rotary- people actually stopped to let them cross! Wonders never cease.

We stopped in Plymouth and had steamers + salad (me) + clam chowder (Nick) at The Lobster Hut. Slurpy goodness.

We parked at Scusset Beach and took off. I decided to master the art of taking pictures while riding. First shot- not so good.

Ahh, much better. Side note- we are sans helmet because this is a dedicated bike/walk/job/rollerblade path. Normally Sarah Seatbelts always wears a helmet, but sometimes she throws caution to the wind. And by sometimes, I mean only when there are no cars around.

View of the trail.

Bridge.

Blurry backwards shot of Nick. We were probably fake racing each other.

Seagull mural! Not a huge fan of seagulls (one ate my Kraft American cheese single when I was 5 at Mustang Beach in Corpus Christi, TX- bastard!), but I dig the themed decorations on the trail.

RV park along the trail- we did some trailer scoping. There are some pretty sweet rigs out there.

Sometimes you need a little help- tow boat to the rescue!

Nick said this is a railroad bridge. The bridge part lowers down when a train comes by so it can pass the canal. The wonders of architecture!

At the end of trail, you can get off and explore Buzzards Bay.

I spotted this shop from across the parking lot. I have a sixth sense for frozen dairy.

I had a small cone of Coffee Heath frozen yogurt. Wish I could say it tasted like coffee. It really just tasted brown. Nick had some unpictured but awesome mocha peanut butter ice cream. I snagged a bite or two.

We even stumbled upon an SEIU family fun day for home health workers and met a vice president for SEIU who works with the same health care system as I do. Small world!

Antiques, anyone?

After our snack stop, we pedaled back toward the car. The entire trail is about 8 miles, end to end. I didn't want to stop (biking is SO much more than running!!) so we went all the way to the beach.

Two thumbs up for biking!

Up next- Gilligan gets a puppy trailer (no, I'm not kidding. It's ordered and coming this week!!). The ultimate head out of the window experience for the world's silliest labradoodle coming soon to a blog near you!

Cucumber sandwiches for commoners

2011-05-01T17:14:00.001-07:00

Flashback! Real high tea spread from Harrods- February 2009.

Pinkies up, husband!

We had a tea party at work on Friday to celebrate the royal wedding- it was SO much fun! We have a stash of real china tea cups and pots from when the nuns ran the college. Apparently tea was important because there is a closet in the board room with at least 100 different cups.

Everyone contributed a little something. One of my staff members brought in her great aunt's silver tea service, the associate registrar brought in decorations (we had a wall of Big Ben and Double Decker bus cut outs), the director of admissions bought some whipped cream fruit turnovers (yum!), and others brought biscuits and digestives.

We also played musical trivia and I won a pair of socks that say England on them! Awesome. Better than the woman who won the already burned candle. HA!

I decided to get real serious about this tea party business and made cucumber sandwiches. Survey says?

Strangely delicious! I'm telling you- they are tasty! The husband snatched at least 3. Fresh and crunchy- these are easy tea party fare.

Start by slicing up an English cucumber. Those are the seedless ones wrapped up in plastic. Slice them pretty thin- tea sandwiches are supposed to be dainty.

Buy some good quality white bread. In hindsight I should have gotten a regular loaf. My sandwiches were a bit...oblong...due to the homestyle loaf. Cut off the crusts, obviously.

This is how thick the bread slices are pre-rolling.

This takes the tea sandwiches to a more authentic place, but I guess you could skip this step (if you're a cheater). Bust out the rolling pin and roll those slices until they are good and mashed down. The thinner the better. I would have rolled a bit more but the bread started to tear.

Slather on some cream cheese. Use the full fat kind. These sandwiches are so smaller they are practically calorie-free. Bonus!? The cream cheese seals the bread and keeps the sandwiches from getting soggy. I made these the night before and they were still good to go the next day at noon.

Layer on some cucumber slices.

Top with the other slice of cream cheesed bread. Mash it down with your hand.

Slice.

Stack.

From this angle, you can see why I call these cucumber sandwiches for commoners. I was a little too lazy to really get after those crusts. Plus, the bread was oval shaped and I would have lost a lot to make prettier treats.

They must have tasted pretty good, though. Came home with a clean plate!

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

2011-04-25T04:55:00.001-07:00

I first created this lovely dessert last June. My mother in law always requests strawberry shortcake as her birthday dessert. I volunteered to make it, but much to my chagrin (though not my surprise- these are tricky!) my biscuits didn't rise.

Rather than toss the bunch and start over, I tore them into pieces, threw them in a bowl and layered in sugared strawberries and homemade whipped cream. And so, the strawberry shortcake trifle was born.

I volunteered to bring a dessert for Easter and immediately thought of this. Plus I said I'd make it for Nick's aunt for her birthday...in February. Well, better late than never.

If you wanted to make this easy-peasy, you could get yourself those biscuits in a can. Grands Flaky Layers is my canned biscuit of choice- how much do you love banging that can on the counter? Don't lie!

I decided to go all fancypants and make my biscuits from scratch. I used the Pioneer Woman's recipe which is in her PHENOMENAL cookbook. It's so good, in fact, I won't share it. Nope. You'll just have to your own copy here.

I did take pictures of the process, so please enjoy. Don't drool on your keyboards.

Standard biscuit procedure here. Use a pastry cutter to cut in some butter and shortening (for shame! I know, but I swear it made a difference.)

Throw in some buttermilk and stir 'til raggedy.

Dump it out on a floured surface and roll to your desired thickness. Mine were kind of a mishmash since I knew I was going to rip them all up anyways.

Check out those flaky layers, y'all. I knew these bad boys were gonna rise before they even hit the heat.

Gather up the scraps and repeat the above steps.

Oh.
My.

God.

Good lord these were good. Good enough to eat a "test" biscuit. Had to make sure it was...flaky enough. It was.

Wash off some berries. I used 4 pounds.

Glamour shot!

Dish lady diva approves of the sugared berries- I added 1/2 cup.

Stir it up and let it hang for 10-15 minutes- you want those juices flowing.

Line up your dishes and sprinkle some biscuit in each. If I had a trifle dish, I would have used that.

Instead, I thought, "Single serve! Too cute!"

Ha. It was cute until they clanged to holy hell on the drive over. Potholes + wine glasses = stress.

Easter miracle!? None of them broke.

Top the biscuit layer with some berries. Add a dollop of whipped cream. Repeat as desired.

I got 12 servings + a large mason jar out of 1 biscuit recipe + 4 pounds of strawberries + 2 1/2 containers of Cool Whip...

I seriously contemplated not coming clean about the Cool Whip. It's not even dairy!! But y'all deserve the truth and the truth is the two stores I went to were OUT of heavy whipping cream.

Cross my heart, hope to die.

Assembly instructions:

Cook up some biscuits- I used one recipe of the Pioneer Woman's buttermilk biscuit. YUM.

Tear them up into bite sized pieces.

Wash and slice up 4 pounds of strawberries. Add 1/2 cup sugar and stir 'til all berries are equally coated.

Whip up your cream or buy the frozen stuff. Add some vanilla or sugar if you like things extra sweet.

In a trifle dish, or if you're not traveling by car, in a wine glass, layer the biscuit first, berry second, and whipped cream. Repeat as many times as you want.

Garnish with half a berry if you're feeling cutesy.

Eat. And share. If you want to.

Eggplant and Zucchini pizza

2011-04-22T18:17:00.000-07:00

I've been channeling my inner Sandra Lee these days, taking help from a bag or the freezer aisle. Training for a half-marathon keeps me busy and makes me hungry so there's been lots of simple and tasty meals at our house.

Trade Joe's has some amazing ingredients that aren't full of preservatives so I can use them guilt-free. Latest find- the marinated and grilled eggplant and zucchini, as seen here.

I chopped it up, sliced some mozzarella, stretched some ready made whole wheat pizza crust, and topped it with leftover marinara and the chopped veggies. Added some shitakes for pizazz!

For extra crunch, top your rimmed baking sheet with cornmeal. Keeps the crust from sticking and adds some authenticity!

Bake at 425 for 25 minutes until crispy and ooey-gooey!

Slice and serve with leftover Harvest Grain salad- oh, and some red wine. Yes, please!

Run, Betty, Run

2011-04-20T18:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry, couldn't resist.

I've been a running fool these days. I started training for a half-marathon back in December and despite a few setbacks I've been steadily gaining endurance and strength.

Tracking my progress in an Excel spreadsheet makes me a huge nerd, but it is also super satisfying. I started off logging 7.1 miles in my first week and on track to run 19 this week! In total, I've logged 109.6 miles since December 27- give or take a mile or two. This is nothing short of a miracle, especially considering I was the girl walking the mile in 4th grade while my tyrant of a P.E. coach yelled at me. Cue the tears.

How could you yell at that face?? I miss those blond, tan days. (Full disclosure- I'm like 5 in this picture. Not 9. Just age this cuteness by a few years and make my hair darker. Got it? That's me at 9.)

I ran my first 5k back in October in the world's worst running shoes. Well, technically they are cross-trainers, so it's not their fault that they caused massive knee pain. In November I bought a pair of Nike Frees which I loved. However, after months of training, it was time to upgrade.

The Husband and I visited the Greater Boston Running Company at the Derby Street Shops in Hingham on Monday to get me some new sneaks. I bought a running jacket from them in January and loved their awesome customer service. This time was no different. Sales dude took tons of time to get to know my running style and feet- did you know that my left leg may be shorter than my right?? Me either. And I'm a wicked bad supinator. It was a thoroughly enlightening trip.

I left with a pair of Asics Gel-Speed Star 5 in Turquoise, size 9.5. Big feet run in my family, as does a tendency to laugh extremely loudly and at inopportune times. Just saying.

You can find them here.

Kicked some serious asphalt in these this morning- ran two miles at a 10:22 pace. Clearly, I'm never going to qualify for Boston but I sure do love running. Especially in the morning before work. Helps me not smack people.

Post-run time was spent doing a whole lot of stretching and some yoga poses.

Gill really likes to participate in yoga time. His favorite pose is downward dog, though he does a mean upward dog, too. But his new favorite pose??

Pigeon! Check out his back leg! The dog is ridiculous and strangely supportive. Thanks bud!

Time for breakfast- oats with pear, flax, chia, and almond butter and a shower! In that order.

Harvest Grains Salad

2011-04-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

Spring...
Has..
Sprung!

During my weekly grocery shop yesterday at my fave- Trader Joes- the demo lady was preparing this delicious dish. This salad comes together quickly with a few ingredients.

I had never used the Harvest Grains blend from TJs- totally sold! Israeli cous cous is chewy goodness.

Harvest Grains Salad

Ingredients:
1 bag Harvest Grain blend
1 bag green onions/scallions
1 jar fire roasted red peppers- I just used a fresh orange bell pepper
1 bag ABC trek mix- almonds, blueberries, cherries, and golden raisins
1 lemon
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare harvest grain blend according to directions using water. Set aside.

Slice green onions and bell pepper. In a large bowl, combine the ABC trek mix, harvest grain blend, green onions, and bell pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and add the juice of one lemon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Smashed Banana Sandwich

2011-04-03T16:15:00.000-07:00

I've been running a lot lately, training for the Run to Remember Half Marathon at the end of May. I'm relatively new to running, but have been exercising pretty regularly for the last few years. I made the connection last winter that more exercise = less stress so I've been pretty hooked since.

My favorite pre- and post-run fuel is bananas + peanut butter + toast. The combination gives me all the carbs, protein, and fat that I need to power through a tough workout.

Plus, it's delicious.

It won't, however, give you enough energy to stay awake after you run 5 miles and then go to a 1:15 minute power yoga class- napping is a must.

Pretty proud of my five miles this morning- my longest run in weeks. I won't lie- there was some walking going on. Still not sure I understand how someone can keep their body running for more than 3 miles at a time- how is that even possible??

Anyways, this version is a bit fancier and probably a little too exciting to be eaten before a workout. No one likes a gurgly tummy while exercising. Ouch.

To make this version, smash up one ripe banana with a couple tablespoons of your favorite nut butter. Toast bread, smear smashed up banana on the toast and top with apple slices. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon for flair and an added anti-inflammatory bonus!

Another combination I tried this week- toast topped with pumpkin pie spice almond butter (my one true love), apple slices, and sharp cheddar. Broil to melt the cheese and devour. YUM!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

2011-04-02T05:46:00.000-07:00

If you've got 15 minutes to put throw some ingredients together, and another hour or so to watch t.v. and let the magic happen...you can have these boys.

Oooh baby baby....oooh baby baby. Recipe here. Thanks, Mama Pea!

Once you're done devouring them hot from the oven, save one to top your oatmeal the next morning. Heaven.

In other news, I am no longer afraid of yeast. Expect to see more goodness such as this.

Happy Saturday!

Stuffed Peppers

2011-03-21T04:13:00.000-07:00

This has got to be one of my favorite weeknight dinners. It's cheap, it's fast, and it's super filling. You'll definitely meet your 5-a-day veggie quota with this simple supper.

It's also easily adaptable to what you have in the house.

Some suggestions for substitutes:

Salsa or chutney for the marinara
Rice or millet for the quinoa
Artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, sauteed onions, corn, beans, diced tomatoes, pickled jalapenos for the olives
Any kind of melty cheese for topping- swiss, cheddar, muenster, monterey jack. Feta and goat cheese are also super tasty mixed into the filling.

You see where I'm going here- the options are endless! You could even get really crazy and try an Indian-inspired stuff pepper and add garam masala and some golden raisins the filling! Maybe mix in a little prepared korma sauce- I die!

This version is Italian-inspired with the pepper jack cheese adding some Mexican flair- bringing a little fusion to BettyCupcakes!

My latest cast of characters: yellow bell peppers, nutritional yeast, olives, quinoa, marinara sauce, basil, ground black pepper, and pepper jack cheese. Not pictured- red pepper flakes, a last minute addition. You know me- I like to keep things spicy up in here!

There's no picture of this step because it's boring, but start your quinoa over medium heat. Oh, and preheat your oven to 400.

In a medium bowl, mix your marinara sauce, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, basil, and ground black pepper. Skip the salt- the olives add plenty!

Slice up some olives or other filling items.

Stir 'em into the saucy mixture.

Grate up some cheese and toss it in, too. Set aside.

Time to hollow out those peppers. Grasp firmly and insert knife at the top, about an inch. Move the knife around in a circle creating a hole. You want to take off the stem and a bit of the ribs. Pretend it's a pumpkin.
If your bell pepper is wobbly, just slice a bit off the bottom to make things even stevens.

Place into a loaf pan.

The quinoa's cooked now. Please ignore the thermometer- we've been sharing some nasty bugs this winter! All better for now (knocking on wood as we speak).

Add two to two and a half cups of the cooked quinoa to the sauce mixture. Taste and add quinoa, if desired.

Fill up your peppers. Really get the mixture in them and then overfill by a bit. Don't skimp!

Top with more cheese. (Is anything in this world not made better by the addition of cheese? Chew on that nugget, kids.)

Bake at 400 until peppers are soft and cheese is melty and browned ~ 25 minutes. Side suggestion- roasted broccoli. Delish!

Stuffed Peppers
serves 2

2 large bell peppers
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1/2 cup marinara sauce
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes, optional
10 kalamata olives, sliced
2 oz. jalapeno pepper jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400.

Cook rinsed quinoa in the water until done- approximately 20 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine marinara sauce, nutritional yeast, basil, black pepper, red pepper flakes, olives, and half of the cheese. Stir well. Set the rest of the cheese aside.

Add 2 to 2 1/2 cups of the cooked quinoa to the marinara mixture and stir well to combine. Taste and add more quinoa if desired. Otherwise, save the remainder of the cooked quinoa for another recipe.

Hollow out the peppers by cutting around the stem. Remove the stem and carefully remove any large ribs inside while leaving the pepper whole. Cut a small slice off the bottom, if needed, to make your pepper level so it won't tip over while baking.

Fill peppers with quinoa mixture to the brim; overfill just a bit. Top with the remaining cheese.

Bake at 400 for 25 minutes, until cheese on top is browned and peppers are tender.

Whole Grain Pancakes

2011-03-19T07:07:00.000-07:00

The whole grain movement gets some real traction in this recipe. I've always been into whole grains- love the crunch and texture they provide to breads, cookies, and pastry.

These pancakes are easy like Sunday morning. From start to nosh, it takes about 30 minutes. This makes a small batch, enough for two normal people or me. My high school boyfriend's dad noted that I have a "healthy appetite". That's a Texas-sized euphemism for "girl who eats too much".

Some things never change. Gimme pancakes or give me death!

Combine all your grains, leavening, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Try mixing up the grains- I'm sure buckwheat, cooked quinoa or brown rice, or spelt flour would be awesome in these pancakes.
Stir 'em all up. Quick note about the cornmeal- it may sound a bit kooky, but it adds an awesome crunch to these. Really crisps up on the outside. Yurm!

Drop your wet ingredients into a measuring cup. Whisk 'til thoroughly combined.

Add wet to dry. No curve balls here.

Stir it up real nice. Let stand for about 10-15 minutes. This lets it thicken up a bit- you'll see a few bubbles on top from the baking soda reaction.

Heat up about one tablespoon of oil in a 10 inch stainless steel skillet. Non-stick need not apply. If the oil is hot enough, these pancakes will not stick. I put the heat about 1 or 2 under medium and let it heat up while the batter sets- 8 to 10 minutes or so.

Cook about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. I make monster-sized pancakes so they take an extra minute or two. Smaller ones would need less time. Duh.

Top with butter and maple syrup.

Or serve them up, Betty-style, smeared with jam.

Whole Grain Pancakes
Serves 2 (or one really hungry lady)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
small pinch salt
3/4 buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk + 1/4 cup plain yogurt)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 tblsp agave nectar (or honey), optional
Canola oil for frying

Measure out flour, oats, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and pinch salt into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. In a large measuring cup, add buttermilk, vanilla, eggs, and agave nectar, if using. Whisk thoroughly to combine.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients in the medium bowl. Stir gently to combine and let stand, 10-15 minutes.

Heat about 1 tblsp canola oil in a stainless steel skillet over just under medium heat. Wait for oil to shimmer slightly and add roughly half of the mixture, if you like big pancakes, or less if you'd like them small. Cook about 4 minutes each side.

If cooking for a crowd, turn on oven to about 200 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with a cooling rack and stack pancakes on top of cooling rack to keep warm and crisp.

Serve with jam or maple syrup.

What I did on my winter vacation

2011-03-16T21:07:00.000-07:00

I went home in February for my winter vacation. I was one busy lady!

I cooked! Catered my mom's 50th birthday party. Happy birthday, mom! Steak quesadillas, chicken salad sandwiches, and veggie/hummus wraps! Sister supplied the baked brie....*drool*

I painted. Mom's birthday party was a painting party, where were got to create our own masterpiece.

Check out my mad skillz!

I squealed with delight! Hadn't seen my niece since she was fresh out! Boston needs to be WAY closer to Texas. Let's just scoot CT out of the way.

Saw family and friends- hi Allie and Melanie and Mom!

Hi Aunt Laura!

I smooched.

I fed.

Bottles, too!

I snuggled.
I strolled.

I shopped- cupcake shirt for the wee one! And a swimsuit with a built-in tutu. Practical, no?

We laughed.

We danced.

And sang.

Can't wait to see those sweet cheeks again. Love you, Bella.

St. Patrick's Day Prep

2011-03-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

Just a walk down memory lane, recapping last year's Irish-themed treats to get you party-ready for this Thursday.

Perhaps you'd like a cupcake that puts hair on your chest? (Metaphorically, speaking.)

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

Or a spicy cake with a hint of brew?

Gingerbread made with Killian's

What about a wholesome loaf, just like Grandma made?

Irish Soda Bread

Don't forget to wear (or eat) green!

Brussels Sprouts

For a morning treat, try one of these muffins. Recipe adapted from a local Irish bakery- Greenhill's.

Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Muffins

Whatever you do to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland, make sure it includes lots of tasty treats!

Candy Bar Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-03-14T06:04:00.000-07:00

In February, I traveled back to the great state of Texas, land of my youth, for a quick visit. I stayed with my Aunt Laura, Uncle Dan, and cousin, Grace. They are a lovely bunch with a healthy appetite for good food and fun.

Food and fun: a case study
Cookies made from this recipe at the Picky-Palate.com

My grandmother, Meeno, had a thing for trolls. Aunt Laura carries on the tradition of troll-love.

Teenagers who make cookies at 9 pm on a Sunday kick ass. I speak from experience.

Best.cookies.ever. Make them now. They remind me of a similar batch my bestie SayBay and I made in high school- chocolate chip cookies with crushed up thin mints in them. It's Girl Scout cookie time- get to baking, kids!

Eating around the world

2011-02-24T13:03:00.000-08:00

I have one last post to write to wrap up our wild New York weekend. We ate our way around the city and around the world.

First stop- Pret a Manger. I *love* this place. Found it first when I visited London many moons ago- it's just a sandwich shop but it's so fresh and they're dedicated to quality products.

We enjoyed two small bites- I got a tomato and cheese and Nick enjoyed a bacon and egg. So simple and so good.

Got hungry while we were at the Met. That place is a racket! We split a sub-par turkey sandwich, drink, and chips. I was unimpressed, but better food was on the way.

We feasted on some sushi at Umi Sushi. Reasonably priced and fresh! We had a cucumber/avocado roll, spicy tuna roll, california roll, and....a deep fried roll! Also pictured is the free and tasty crab salad they give you. Two thumbs up!

A trip to NY would not be complete without a bagel. We tracked down Murray's Bagels and split a pumpernickel bagel with lox spread. Chewy and flavorful- how do they do it? Bagels really are not as good outside of the Empire State.

Post-bagel noshing included a trip to Chinatown.

Can you believe we actually did not get pork chops here? Sacrilege!

I got the mushrooms over rice. This had a funky texture- something was UP with these shrooms.

I also got the world's BIGGEST bowl of hot and sour soup. Pretty good.

These spicy dumplings ROCKED. I *heart* dumplings.

Dessert was a trip to the Cafe Roma for cannolis and espresso. There was something special about these cannolis...ginger, maybe? Gosh, these were good.

We also ate some Salvadoran food in the Bronx- no pictures 'cause we ate too fast!

Gotta love traveling and New York...even when you stay in one city, you can still eat your way around the world.

Valentine's Day for one

2011-02-24T12:52:00.000-08:00

Better late than never, right? Totally my life motto.

This is how I spent my Valentine's Day. The husband had a late night at work (hopefully his last for a while- woohoo new job!) so I treated myself to some of my favorites.

Enter: wine, pizza, and cake.

Wine: a very sophisticated, mellow Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon...also known as Two Buck Chuck. Delicious, no matter what the price.

Pizza was easy peasy- pita topped with chunky tomato sauce, zucchini, red bell pepper, artichoke hearts, and monterey jack cheese. Broiled 'til crispy and melty. YUM!

Red velvet cupcake courtesy of a local pastry shop- yay cake!

I ate by the light of my laptop catching up on back episodes of GLEE. Not a bad way to get some quality alone time.

You make me feel so young

2011-02-11T15:03:00.001-08:00

I keep waiting to feel like a grown up. Am I the only one?

I do all types of grown up things like pay a mortgage, save for retirement, go to bed early.

But my favorite food is marshmallows! That can't be a good sign. Shouldn't I be into foie gras by now?

My inner child got all kinds of play time in NYC.

We saw Mary Poppins- it totally rocked! Mary P is such a bad ass. Plus, you get rum punch in a sippy cup at the theatre- SCORE!

We visited the Lego store.

What up, Atlas?

We posed with silly objects.

I pretended to meet Matt Lauer.
It's not looking good for me and adulthood. I may be perpetually 12 years old on the inside. At least I'm fun at a costume party.

This would be my interpretation of the cupcake, as shown on New Years Eve 2010.

A Tale of Two Cupcakes

2011-02-09T16:37:00.000-08:00

Some people travel to see art and immerse themselves in another culture.

I travel to eat.

All that other stuff is great and I do that, too. But really, I move around this world in search of my next great meal. This weekend in New York City definitely delivered some seriously tasty eats.

First up- cupcakes.

We stumbled upon the Rockefeller center location of the iconic Magnolia Cupcakes. These cupcakes were made famous by the gals of Sex and the City. Do they deserve their reputation??

Well....yes and no. The bakery is adorable and smells AMAZING. The staff were super friendly. The pumpkin pecan cheesecake with gingersnap crust rocked- it was creamy and spicy. The chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream...meh. The frosting was a bit stale and had a hint of...dare I say it? Crisco. The cake lacked true chocolate flavor and was so fluffy it fell apart. My socks were not rocked, though obviously we managed to eat all of both treats. Troopers, I tell you!

Next up- Crumbs! We didn't go looking for this cupcakery either, but found it on our walk home from the Met. Survey says....?

We have a winner! The staff were also super friendly and rooted for me when we farkled (rock paper scissors) to choose the cupcake! I won. SO yum. Out of all of the delights, we chose the Oreo cupcake. Extra chocolate-y cake, sturdy enough to handle all of the uber-buttery cookies and cream frosting. Hooray for cupcake victory!

New York State of Mind

2011-02-04T04:30:00.000-08:00

The empire state and I are colliding all week.

First, my BFFLTDDUP (best friend for life til death do us part) rode in to town on Saturday all the way from Long Island. I wined her and dined her on the Potato and Mushroom Gratin and the husband treated us to a beer tasting. We sampled Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti and Don de Dieu. Major chocolate flavor in the Yeti- that is a stout that will put hair on your chest. If you're into that sort of thing.

The Don de Dieu was tasty, but better on tap. We first tried it at The Publick House- they serve french fries in a paper bag! You must go.

Bought both beer a few weeks ago at the Craft Beer Cellar. That place totally rocks! They have tons of beers on the shelves and a wide selection in the fridge. The ladies there are super knowledgeable, but let you browse at your own pace. I see more beer in my future.

After all that beer drinking, we needed a day of moderation and healthy living...NOT! We ate mad brunch at the S&S Deli and then feasted on cheese and chocolate at The Melting Pot. Do I know how to feed a girl or what?

The good times will continue to roll this week when the husband and I take Manhattan! We're staying in style at the Holiday Inn Express- holla at ya free breakfast! Then we'll skip over to the Bronx and crash with a friend there. Shows will be watched, pizza will get ate, walking will be had by all!

Potato and Mushroom Gratin

2011-01-31T04:31:00.000-08:00

Nigella is a domestic goddess.

And you should make this now.

Crispy. Rich. Oozing with self-made gravy. I added some Parmesan cheese on top in the last twenty minutes of baking and drizzled a bit of truffle oil over the finished product.

Divine. Utterly divine.

You can find the recipe here- at the website of one of my favorite food podcasts- The Splendid Table with Lynn Rosetto Kasper. She's also a domestic goddess.

Served this Saturday night, alongside a sampling of Babycakes cupcakes. There aren't any pictures of those- the massacre came too quickly. Mexican hot chocolate, pumpkin spice, Boston creme pie, chocolate caramel, red velvet, and carrot cake.

Did I mention we were only 3 for dinner?

Ah, gluttony.

Winter Camping

2011-01-30T19:24:00.000-08:00

There are certain things in the world that are not meant for everyone.

Winter camping is one of those things.

Back in late November, I had a beer or two at the Cambridge Brewing Company and said something silly. I said I wanted to say goodbye to camping for the year. We camped a good amount last summer, including a stint in Yellowstone, but we missed our anniversary camping trip due to illness. I should mention our anniversary is in early October- a still perfectly respectable time for camping.

So, in order to say goodbye to camping, we planned a trip to Lincoln, NH to camp on the Kancamagus Highway.

This was a bad idea.

We left early one Saturday morning in December. I promptly fell asleep in the car- it's a Pavlovian response for me. When I woke up, it was snowing.

I desperately tried to dig deep and find my inner badass mountain woman. We bought coffee and decided to go for a hike.

Gilligan got so excited by the idea of hiking in the snow, he jumped over the the center console from the back seat and stuck his foot into my coffee, splashing it all over my pants.

Did I mention I only brought one pair of pants?

After our hike, we went to our camp site to set up shop.

We stayed here. NOT.

Nope, we actually stayed here. Desolate, snow-covered home sweet home. We were not the only people at the camp- these other people had giant Cabella's compounds complete with wood stoves. We did not.

We had this- our trusty trailer. Great for summer camping. Bad for winter camping.

I'll spare you the details of the rest of the day and cut to the part where it's 11 o'clock and I'm crying hysterically, rapidly losing all the street cred I'd built over the course of the day.

We/me survived the trip- Nick actually had a good time. I swore off winter camping FOREVER.

I did, however, say I would go backpacking this summer. Will I ever learn?

Quickie Pies

2011-01-26T10:01:00.001-08:00

I'm clearly in denial.

I refuse to acknowledge the cold, the endless snow, the jackets, the scarves, the runny noses, the sand-filled house, the shovel.

La la la la! I'm not looking!

I want the dog days of summer back. (Gilligan sleeps on a cot when we camp- the rocks hurt his sensitive skin.)

Ok, so maybe I have acknowledged all of those things. Heck, I've even been thankful for a few items on that list- runny nose excluded.

But as I sit in my kitchen, watching yet another Nor'easter brew outside my window, I want to forget it all and travel back in time to last summer.

Specifically the 4th of July. We spent it at Elmore State Park, outside of Stowe, Vermont. It's one of our very favorite camping spots and we go at least once a year. Celebrating the 4th at Stowe totally rocked- they had a wicked fireworks display, easily rivalling the Esplanade and Kaboom Town. They had a field full of food trucks- we ate pulled pork from the hood of a VW Bug (Car B Que- get it!?).

We ate hearth fired pizza.

We sampled samosas.

It was a great weekend.

The highlight, of course, was dessert. Friends, meet Quickie Pie. Quickie Pie, meet my internet friends.

Campfire Quickie Pies

4 slices bread
~1 cup pie filling
Cooking spray
Pie iron
Camp fire- hot

Grease your pie iron well.

Open your bread and pie filling.

Line the pie iron with bread. This is a double iron- pie for two!

Fill one side with pie filling. Don't overfill, but don't be stingy, either.

Close the iron securely.

Place into the fire into the flames. Stay with the iron the entire time- it burns quickly.

See? Toasty. Crispy and golden.

Quickie pies make everyone happy! Eat and enjoy.

Alive and kickin'

2011-01-26T09:57:00.000-08:00

Betty was on hiatus, but she's back now. Come back soon for good eats and silly ramblings.

Who Hash

2010-11-30T17:40:00.000-08:00

I've been hosting Thanksgiving for the last four years. It's my holiday- my personal marathon. Plus, it's the easiest way to have all of my favorite dishes and I get to keep all the leftovers! Score!

Our usual Turkey Day gang consists of 21 of the nearest and dearest. Really, it's the immediate family, aunts, uncles, cousins, and one family friend.

I should mention that our house is somewhere near 975 sq. ft., which is approximately the same size as a postage stamp, give or take a few inches.

We somehow manage to squeeze everyone in, complete with a nosebleed section, I cook two turkeys, a mess of side dishes, other relatives bring appetizers, booze, and desserts. Then, we chow down.

The aftermath of all this cooking is a whole lot of leftovers. The Husband insists of having his fill of gobblers (the classic Thanksgiving sandwich), but once we get tired of those it's time to get creative.

This recipe is the embodiment of creativity.

Start by baking four small sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Use those thirty minutes to go for a mile run. Or some such nonsense.

When you make two turkeys, you get 4 turkey legs. Only Aunt Linda eats a turkey leg at dinner. The other three languish in a Ziploc, until now! Slice baked sweet potatoes and let cool. Slice the meat off of the turkey legs and dice into a 1/2 inch.

Add turkey to a medium-sized bowl.

Toss in your seasonings. Stir.

Add one small sweet potato and really mash it in.

Dice up one small onion.

Add it to your turkey taters.

Stir it up. Dice the remaining three cooled sweet potatoes and add them to the mixture. Fold them in gently.

Put the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes. Use this time to take the dog for a walk and listen to This American Life

Heat up one tablespoon of olive oil in a stainless steel pan over medium heat. Add the shredded cabbage.

Heat up one tablespoon of butter in a nonstick pan.

This is the shredded cabbage.

Cook the hash until it's as crispy as you like it. If you're at my house, you're getting it well done.

Cook cabbage until it browns a bit and then throw in some water. Get the steam flowing.

See those brown bits? Solid gold, baby.

The husband described this as, "insanely fun to eat!" I concur.

Who Hash- Serves 2, generously

4 small sweet potatoes
2 roasted turkey legs, approximately two cups turkey diced
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 a savoy cabbage, shredded
1 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup water

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes for 30 minutes or until fork tender. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, add diced turkey, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Mix well to combine. Peel one small sweet potato and add to the turkey mixture. Stir until sweet potato is incorporated. Add diced onion and stir again.

Once the sweet potatoes have cooled, carefully peel them and dice into small 1/2 inch cubes. Add them to the bowl and stir gently to combine.

In a nonstick pan, heat up one tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add a heaping cup of the hash and mash down into the pan. Cook until browned on one side and then flip - it will fall apart. Continue cooking until it gets as crispy as you like it. 10 minutes per cup should be enough.

While the hash is browning, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a stainless steel pan. Add the cabbage and cook until browned, 3-4 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of water and stir to get the steam going. Cook until tender, approximately 5 more minutes.

Split the cabbage between two plates. Top with one cup browned hash. In the hash pan, fry an egg for each serving. Top hash with fried egg.

Apple Pumpkin Crisp

2010-11-15T18:00:00.000-08:00

More fall goodness.

Apple Crisp a la the real Betty

2010-11-10T12:34:00.000-08:00

On a trip back home this fall (to meet our niece- hi Isabella!) we stopped at an antique store and stumbled upon this little gem. 1st edition 1st printing!

Happy dancing ensued! I'm pretty into Mrs. Crocker, probably due to my love of Mad Men 60s culture and sugar. Betty Crocker encompasses both with style and grace

Since I am still working my way through the 12 pounds of apples, I looked for some inspiration between the red and white cover. Betty delivered this retro crisp and we ate it all (in one night).

From the Desserts section, pg. 215:

Apple Crisp (Apple Crumble)

Place in buttered 10x6x2" baking dish 4 cups sliced apples. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 cup water. Rub together 3/4 cup sifted GOLD MEDAL Flour, 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup butter. Drop mixture over apples. Bake. Serve warm with cream.

Temperature: 350 (mod. oven).
Time: Bake 40 min.
Amount: 6 servings.

Scarier than mayonnaise at a picnic

2010-11-08T17:01:00.000-08:00

On Halloween, the husband and I did something very frightening.

We ran a 5K.

Now, that may not be scary to the seasoned athletes out there, but the Husband and I share the humbling childhood memories of being picked last for dodge ball. And flag football. And tag. And Red Rover. Know what the common denominator in all those games is?

Coordination. (And speed.)

At the ripe old ages of 27 and 26, we decided to dig deep and deal with our childhood issues. We started running. And got kind of into it. I run 3-4 times a week now. I KNOW!

To celebrate all of our running, we signed up for the Canton Fall Classic 5K which was held on October 31. We saw one lady running the 10K in a Batgirl costume- holy vinyl chafing!

Started the morning around 7:30 with PB&J on a whole wheat English muffin and coffee with almond milk. Downed a glass of water, too.

Donned some orange socks to honor the holiday.

Lined up the gear- purple gatorades, CLIF bars for post-run refueling, super cool hydration belt (that's all mine), iPod.

Wrapped up my ankle. Old basketball injury. Didn't have the ball. Wasn't running. Fell down. Broke ankle. (Now do you believe that my new athleticism is a miracle??? 'Cause you should.)

Pre-race interview

Scenes from registration (We saw a sign for the master group- huh? Sounds serious.)

Donning my awesome race t-shirt and hydration belt. I was one of 2 runners wearing them. Apparently only Sarah the camel needs water on a 3 mile run.

Husband and I ready to rock the race!/just finish/not die.

After

We finished in 35:31 and 36:20! So proud of us, especially since the course was surprisingly hilly. Did not train on hills. Actually avoided hills during training. Whoops.

The Husband matched his shirt post race- just a friendly reminder from Sarah the camel to hydrate before/during/after cardio! Food helps, too.

Tennessee's is a fabulous BBQ joint in a strip mall. We both got pulled pork sandwiches. The Husband had smashed taters and cucumber salad on the salad, along with a fresh brewed Root Beer.

I had homestyle mac & cheese and collard greens alongside my meat sandwich.

Tired smiles for food!

On the ceiling, spelled out in bottle caps.

In the women's room at Tennessee's. Festive.

P.S. Our next 5K is Saturday, November 13th!