Cheeks

Eloise Judith: A study of cheeks

A trip to the mountains

We flew west for a long weekend (baby’s first flight).
We breathed in the fresh, crisp mountain air. We drove up and down the winding roads of Rocky Mountain National Park, to enjoy the views. We snuggled in our rented house, the heat going in the mornings and night, the doors open in the afternoon. We had a beautiful view of Lake Estes and enjoyed it from the deck. We saw old friends, and Eloise made a new friend. It was a peaceful and restful trip.
It gives me such joy to show Eloise the world. Seeing things through her eyes as she takes it all in. She may not remember these early trips, but I will show her pictures and reminisce with her about so many “firsts”. She is so content going everywhere on mama’s hip or being pushed in her stroller.
And what a charmer, smiling at everyone who looks her way.
I have to say, one of the highlights of the trip was when we arrived at our home airport, tired and ready to be in bed, but we had to wait for our luggage. As we waited, Eloise just started to burst out laughing. What could she find so funny? The luggage dropping onto the carousel of course! The three of us laughed so hard together and it was the perfect ending to her first trip west.

Little wonders

Things I want to remember:
Eloise’s wonderful laugh (it’s impossible not to laugh with her), it truly is the most beautiful sound. And her smile melts my heart with every grin.
Her tiny dimpled hand gently brushing my chest as she nurses. The way she pulls her head back from nursing and looks sweetly up at me, when I look down our eyes meet for a moment, she smiles and burrows back into me with a content sigh.
She loves to be carried, any which way, but my favorite is up on my shoulder with her peaking out. Eloise has always preferred being outdoors, there is so much to see and explore, she looks around with curiosity and delight!
Bath time is her favorite, she is at home in the water (like mama).

First fall

A chilly, rainy October Sunday.

We’ve been waiting for the weather to turn crisp and spicy.

I can’t wait to introduce her to all things FALL: leaves changing colors, giant pots of soup and chili, warm mugs of apple cider, everything pumpkin, cozy sweaters, comforting candles, snuggles by the fire.

Oh and Eloise's first Halloween, what fun! 

Homemade Taco Seasoning

I've seen recipes for homemade taco seasonings floating around Pinterest for a while now and decided to give one a try. We thought it turned out way better than the store bought version, plus you can easily adjust the seasoning to fit your heat preference. All of ingredients are just common spices, and all you do is mix them together. It's great to know exactly what is going into your food- no yucky preservatives or additives. Next time I will triple the recipe to have more left over. Try this next time you are making tacos rather than buying the store bought stuff!

Homemade Taco Seasoning


Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Mix all spices together until well combined. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in your spice cabinet and use as needed.

To make tacos: Brown meat and drain fat. Add 3 Tbsp of mixture, 1/4 cup water. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 3 minutes. 

Adapted from: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2012/01/homemade-taco-seasoning.html

Back To Blogging!

Well I'm finally back to blogging! My 2 week break from blogging turned into nearly a month, whoops! But it has been an awesome break from the norm. Here are some things that we've done:

Right after finals Luke and I jetted off to Florida. We spent the first three days in Orlando and visited Disney world and relaxed at the hotel. We went to Epcot and had a wonderful day! Apparently May is the time to go if you want to avoid the crowds, lucky us!

We sampled all kinds of food from around world at the International Showcase. 

Fish and Chips from England were Luke's favorite.

Napoleon from the French bakery- now on my list of recipes to try!

Next we ventured to Ormond beach where we spent the following week. 

We:

     Played on the beach

     Went to St. Augustine 

     Went sea kayaking

     Went on lots of long beach walks

     Watched the sunrise

     And played at the beach some more

So that was our Florida trip! After that we spent time unpacking and cleaning, Luke went to a wedding in Canada while my friend Brianna visited me in the Lou. 

We celebrated our one year anniversary this past week (wahoo!). Luke planned a lovely date complete with roses, dinner (The Wildflower) and a movie (Snow White and The Huntsman), all of which I highly recommend. Sorry no pictures, I forgot the camera :( 

We did have our one year old wedding cake- which was not so good tasting (or looking!). 

 Since Luke and I really only had the last two weeks of summer off together we have been trying to make the most of it. We've gone floating on the Current River, went hiking, and had a picnic at a nearby park (Abby loved chasing all the ducks there!).  

(Wearing the shirt I got him for our anniversary!)

Well, that's all for now! I'll get back to cooking ASAP! Happy, happy summertime everyone!! 

Baked Coconut Shrimp

When I get a food craving, if it's not for pickles, chocolate, or ice cream, there's a good chance it's for coconut shrimp. I think they are just the tastiest thing! The only problem: they are expensive. I can rarely bring myself to pay the price for a small box of them at the grocery store. So I decided to try my hand at making them! This recipe isn't exactly what I'm used to because they are baked instead of fried, which is another plus. They still taste great though, and definitely curb my craving. And they are the perfect summer kick-off food! The original recipe includes a dipping sauce, but it wasn't my favorite thing. I preferred them with tarter sauce. I really like the sauce they serve them with at Red Lobster. It's sort of like tarter sauce mixed with a pina colada which sounds weird but it goes great with the shrimp. So I may try my hand at concocting a version of that, it's got to be on the internet somewhere right?? 


Well, I will be taking a hiatus from blogging for the next two weeks. I am wrapping up finals this week and then heading to Florida right after that for a much needed vacation with the hubs!! So come back in 2 weeks for an update on our travels and more yummy food :)


Baked Coconut Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp peeled and deveined 
• 2 egg whites 
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch 
• 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl beat egg whites with a hand mixer until soft peaks form.

Place cornstarch and coconut on two separate plates. Hold shrimp by the tail and dip and coat the shrimp with cornstarch. Next, dip the shrimp in the egg whites and finally in the coconut coating well.

Place shrimp on the cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until coconut is a golden brown. Make sure to turn it once halfway through (around 8 minutes into cooking time) to make sure both sides brown.

Adapted from:  http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/01/baked-coconut-shrimp.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FofLCo+%28The+Girl+Who+Ate+Everything%29

Monkey Muffins

I think the photos speak for themselves on this recipe. These little babies are so good. How could they not be? They are basically sugar, butter, cinnamon and biscuit dough baked to perfection, covered in sweetened condensed milk. Plus there is no mixing. Just dump everything in a muffin tin and you're good to go. Does it get any better than that? 
Haha, but in all seriousness, you can't go wrong with these! I brought them to a brinner (breakfast for dinner) party once and they were gone in about 5 minutes. They were a hit! And I think Luke asks me to make them at least once every 2 weeks (I don't make them that often, don't worry!). They are much simpler and much less time consuming to make than cinnamon rolls but they taste pretty similar. And we use Pillsbury's "Simply Biscuits" to cut out the trans fat. Enjoy! 

Monkey Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 can Refrigerated Biscuit Dough, Cut Into Thirds
• Butter
• Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon
• Vanilla
• Sweetened, Condensed Milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Add 1/2 teaspoon butter to muffin tins. Sprinkle in 1 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon.

Roll dough into walnut sized balls. Place three into each muffin tin.

Top with 1/2 teaspoon butter. Sprinkle on 1/3 tsp sugar and a dash of cinnamon and vanilla (just a drop or 2).

Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

Remove from oven and immediately drizzle plenty of sweetened condensed milk over the top of each one. Be generous! Allow rolls to sit for a little while to absorb sweet, sticky milk.

Adapted from: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/12/monkey-muffins/

Weight Watchers Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken

Luke and I aren't in the habit of counting calories but I have to say that we have really enjoyed all of the Weight Watchers recipes we've tried. This recipe is from the Weight Watchers website and it's a great spin on fried chicken fingers. The crispy coating is made from crushed cornflakes and they are baked which cuts down the fat. They are also very simple- from start to finish they were done in under half an hour. I think next time I may try a ranch variation by substituting ranch dressing for the honey mustard just to try something new! 


Weight Watchers Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cups lite honey mustard dressing   
• 1 pounds uncooked boneless skinless chicken tenders
• 1 cup cornflake crumbs  
• 1 medium uncooked scallions, finely sliced  
• 2 tsp dill, freshly chopped
• 1/8 tsp table salt   
• 1/8 tsp black pepper  

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a shallow pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine honey mustard dressing, salt, pepper, dill and scallions.
Place cornflake crumbs in a shallow bowl. Dip chicken into dressing mixture and then cornflake crumbs; place in prepared pan.
Bake until chicken is golden and no longer pink in center, about 15 minutes.

Adapted from: http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=57621

Garlicky Baked Shrimp

Since shrimp is one of the few sea foods that Luke actually likes, I stay on the look out for any recipes that have shrimp as the main ingredient. I found this lovely one on Pinterest. I know I didn't get a great pic, but this is a fast, delicious dish! Serve it over some rice to make the shrimp go a little farther. If you really like garlic, you may want to increase the amount a little. Over and out!


Garlicky Baked Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. raw shrimp, deveined and peeled
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. white wine
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp.) melted butter
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp. fresh Italian-leaf parsley, chopped
• half of a lemon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine the shrimp, garlic, and white wine.  Stir to combine, then pour into a baking dish.  Spread out evenly, and then season with salt and pepper.

In another bowl, use a fork to mix melted butter, Panko, and parsley until well combined.  With your fingers, sprinkle the mixture evenly in the baking dish over the shrimp.

Transfer dish to oven and bake until the shrimp are pink and opaque, about 15-18 minutes.


Adapted from: http://gimmesomeoven.com/garlicky-baked-shrimp/

Homemade Yum Yum Sauce (Shrimp Sauce)

I can't believe I finally have the recipe for this delicious sauce! I have to admit, this sauce is one of my favorite things about going to Hibachi restaurants.   It is so yummy on everything; shrimp, chicken, rice, veggies. We really liked it with this Crock-pot Honey Sesame Chicken recipe. It just adds some pizzazz to the meal! I have heard that there are many different versions of this sauce, so hopefully this is similar to the one you like. This one came pretty close to the kinds I've had. Also, I think next time I will try ketchup instead of tomato paste because I just hate opening up a whole can of it just to use a measly tablespoon. Plus, I don't always have tomato paste on hand. I'll probably just decease the water a little so the consistency stays about the same. 

Homemade Yum Yum Sauce (Shrimp Sauce)

Ingredients: 

• 1 Cup Low-Fat Mayonnaise
• 1/4 Cup Water
• 1 tbsp. Tomato Paste
• 1 tbsp. Melted Butter
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp. Sugar
• 1/4 tsp. Paprika
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper 
• 1-2 tsp Soy Sauce

Directions: 

Whisk all ingredients together until the sauce is creamy. Do not add all the water at once. Add a little at a time until you get the consistency you want. Refrigerate over night. 




Adapted from: http://brandyscrafts.blogspot.com/2012/01/homemade-yum-yum-sauce.html





Since this was a short post, I have to throw in a cute picture of Luke and the pup "studying." What a couple of goobers ;-)

Crock-Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

With finals approaching fast, it seems like every class is trying to fit in a test before they start. So that means busy days spent studying and not much time for cooking. As usual, I turn to my trusty crock-pot to help me out. I found this recipe which is a copycat of the bourbon chicken served at the mall food court. I'd say it's even better and it is super easy to make. I will be making this recipe again and again. Luke's buds were over again and they give this recipe a big thumbs up! I served it with homemade Yum Yum Sauce, also know as shrimp sauce, like the kind from Hibachi Japanese restaurants. That stuff is so good on everything and I am so glad to have my own homemade version. I'll share that recipe with you all soon! 

Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 5
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup of honey
• 1/2 cup of low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 tbsp. cold water
• Sesame seeds

Directions:

Place the chicken thighs in the crockpot insert and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.

In a medium sized bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, oil, garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine well. Pour over the chicken in the crock-pot.

Cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours.

When done, remove chicken from crock pot and cut into chunks. Prior to putting the chicken back in the crock pot, combine the cornstarch in the cold water and whisk it into the crockpot to thicken up the sauce a bit. Throw the chicken back in and stir around to recoat the chicken in the sauce.

Serve hot over a bed of white rice (optional) and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.

Adapted from: http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/2012/02/21/crockpot-honey-bourbon-chicken/