Blue skies and inner peace, for the moment!

"One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest."

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

"Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope."

Three of Maya Angelou's quotes.....What a profound and amazing person.

Today is a bright, sunny and hot day. I had such a great workout at the Y and am feeling grateful for my world. It is a day to slow down and enjoy a simple aspect to the day, to feel peace and quiet on the inside, even if for a moment. It may rain or storm later. Life may get in the way. You can do this, even in the craziest most stressful of times. Take a moment. Breathe deeply three times and start again. Take in the parts of your world that are good and know that at your core, you can overcome challenges that come your way.

Last night I wrote these words for my daughters - they read and appreciated them but will likely appreciate them as they grow older and older. I find it is important to share your love and feelings to family and friends. I know that many people aren't like this in the world. I feel people should know and feel deeply that they are special for themselves but it doesn't hurt to remind them every once in awhile too!!

Wishes for my girls

My wish is for you to know your beauty and your soul, to know what makes you happy and feel alive, to know yourself and your value, your worth.

My wish is for you to know your strengths and be aware of the challenges you have in front of you.

My wish is for you to learn the thing that makes you tick, the places you love and that speak to you.

My wish is for you to know what makes you laugh and what makes you cry, to know when to speak up and when to learn more in the quiet moments.

My wish is for you to surround yourself by people who know and appreciate your greatness, but for you to understand what makes you great first.

My wish is for you to have the room to grow always, knowing that may mean you may fall once or twice. Dust yourself off when that happens and get back up to try again.

My wish is for you to live a life filled with all kinds of adventures. Life is a journey and is meant to be lived to its fullest. Carpe Diem.

My wish is for you to know in your heart of hearts that you are good, really good.

My wish is for you to know that I am always here for you and I will always love you, unconditionally. I will listen and offer any help I can, and will try to be fair at all times. I will be honest in my opinions. This may make you unhappy sometimes but you can always count on me, always, to be truthful about the situation.

My wish is for you to take risks. Know that you may fail but you may win too. Take risks in relationships and take risks in life and in your adventures. Your life will be all the better for it.

My wish is for you to give to others. Open yourself up to new experiences and open yourself to those important to you. Give back to your community and be present in your relationships. 

My wish is for you to know that hard times will pass. Things will always get better. You have an incredible support system.

My wish is for you to understand that education is supremely important. It is going to give you the head start you need in life. Know this and work hard.

Be a leader, be a learner, be a friend, be kind, be your best self. Know you are loved and love yourself more.

Put on Fancy by Iggy Azalea and get cooking!

Today I am going to post the recipe for Asian Noodle Soup with Vegetables by Becke Drake. This is a great recipe, especially if you are feeling sniffly from allergies or a cold. This is a hit with the family and I hope it is with yours as well.

Asian Noodle Soup with Vegetables
1 qt chicken broth, preferably low sodium
1 cup water
1 T rice wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, minced (want less spice? use less ginger and garlic)
1-2 T soy sauce
1-2 T Asian sesame oil
1 tsp or to taste of sambal oelek or minced fresh chile pepper or hot pepper flakes (omit for less heat)

1 carrot, finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms (shitakes are good)
1 cup pea pods or sugar snaps, sliced in half lengthwise
2 cups bok choy cut into 1/2 inch slices

1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup sliced scallion
fresh mung bean sprouts
lime wedges for serving

4 oz or as desired, cooked noodles - ramen, udon, bean threads
Optional: 1/2 pound ground pork sautéed with garlic, ginger, scallion, soy sauce and sesame oil

Put first 8 ingredients into soup pot. Bring to a simmer. Add carrots and onions. Simmer 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sugar snaps, simmer 5 minutes. Add bok choy and simmer 2 more minutes.  Taste for seasoning and add more soy sauce or sesame oil if necessary.

Put noodles and pork in bowls.  Pour soup over all.  Garnish each serving with cilantro, scallion and mung bean sprouts.  Serve with lime wedges.

You can be very creative with vegetables and spices. Experiment and have fun with this!

4 servings.

Enjoy and have a very happy day, everyone!!!

School is almost over!!!

Good morning! Today is the first day of the last week of school for my kids. I can hardly believe we have been here for 8 months! As a family we have been so happy with the school our kids are attending. It has been a truly wonderful experience and really made our transition to Augusta a smooth one. The community, the challenge, the nurturing, the teachers, the friends have been wonderful.

Sage has soccer tryouts tonight, tomorrow and Thursday, so wishing her lots of luck and fun. She has a recognition ceremony on Friday and really can't wait for that. Then, she is on to Middle School! Sosie is going to be in 7th grade. She has an Honors ceremony on Friday. We are hoping that she has made honors this semester - she has worked very hard for it. I just can't believe how quickly time flies and how much older they seem. It makes you want to cherish the special moments even more. I love them with all of my heart.

Let's talk spices and herbs! They rock. I grew up with them because my family used them often. I feel they can add such great flavor in a purely natural way. My friend calls me Spice Girl because I love adding basil, parsley, mint, etc. to so many dishes. Sage now likes to make little salads and adds parsley or cilantro to give it an extra flavor you don't get from vegetables, s&p, oil and vinegar. You can grow them so easily too. Sage grew basil from seed this year and if you don't want to do that, you can buy plants - just throw them in dirt, plant in sun and water! Bam!

 

Time to put on Justin Timberlake's, Drink You Away and get cooking! The first couple of times I heard that song I wasn't so sure - now I can't get enough of it!

Today we are going to talk about a couple of side dishes. I can't find pictures from one dish and that surprises me and confounds me because I could've sworn I took them. They might be on my husband's phone so they may come later.

The first one is very similar to a dish I relayed in an earlier post. I have been making this often because Sage has taking a liking to it. Of course, then I make it too much and she doesn't like it anymore but until then......I can get fairly local produce right now so it adds such a fresh flavor to the dish. I made this with lemon linguine (earlier post) and it went really well together. Sage loved the leftovers for lunch.

Sautéed Vegetables
1T olive oil
1 zucchini, diced
1 squash, diced
1/4 onion, diced (red for pretty or white for mild)
1/2 sweet pepper (orange for pretty)
1 can diced tomatoes with juices
1 clove garlic, minced
Sprigs of any type of herbs you wish - I use parsley, basil, chives, sage, thyme, mint, chopped finely

Over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add garlic and onions and cook for a few minutes.  Add zucchini, squash and pepper. Cook for a few minutes and add the tomatoes and herbs. Put the lid on and simmer for about 5 minutes. Done!

Au Gratin Potatoes II from Kathy McCorkle
6 large Yukon gold potatoes
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2T olive oil
2T butter
1 rounded tsp. minced garlic
salt and pepper
2T grated parmesan
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2-2/3 cup heavy cream
minced parsley for garnish

Slice potatoes 1/8" thick.  Heat butter and oil in a very large skillet.  Saute onions, potatoes, and garlic for 10 minutes.  Place half the potato mixture in a casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, 1T parmesan and 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese. Place the remaining half and sprinkle again with the ingredients. Pour 1/2-2/3 cup heavy cream (or whole milk, or combination) over casserole before baking.

This is a really yummy dish that goes so well with many of the recipes here in the blog. I have also made it with ham for Easter Sunday.

Enjoy and have a really happy day, everyone!!!

Preparation for a Great Spring Cookout!

What is your favorite fruit or vegetable? Mine is a tomato. I eat at least one every day and panic when my tomato bowl is nearing empty. I always like to have them nearby. They are pretty and healthy and add so much flavor to any dish.

We had some friends over for dinner on Saturday night and Kelley and I had so much fun preparing for them to arrive. Those are simple moments. Truly living in the present. Getting the house ready, the fire pit stocked, candles lit, dinner prepped, music playing and G&Ts made. I only wish I had taken pictures for the blog. In some ways, the memory is enough though. The weather was perfect. It reminded me of a MA summer day. High 70s, low 80s - no humidity. Don't worry, Augusta friends, I am not getting used to it! Special moments of creating a nice meal for friends + a house full of people=a really nice, relaxing night.

Dinner was something new and different. Baby back, baby back, baby back.....you guessed it.

RIBS!

Before I get to that...I had fun making a pitcher of water that night and have decided to experiment more on water this summer.

Water is such an easy thing to play with and adds a really nice element to a dinner party. On Saturday, I added lemons, cucumbers, parsley and mint. Limes are at a premium right now sadly, and we really needed them for our G&Ts but otherwise, they would've been in there too. I am thinking of adding different berries next time along with lemon and mint. Food, or should I say, drink for thought!

Put on Future Days by Pearl Jam and get cooking!

So, Foolproof Ribs with Barbecue Sauce from Barefoot Contessa's Foolproof cookbook was on the menu along with Corn and Feta Salad, Cole Slaw, potatoes au gratin, non-homemade corn bread, appetizers and ice cream for dessert . We are going to use the BBQ sauce again for chicken tonight as well. My recommendation is to make this dish on a weekend so that you can use the sauce again during the week. The dish is rather easy but combining the ingredients and slow cooking the ribs does take time for a week night.

Foolproof Ribs with Barbecue Sauce
5 lbs Danish baby back robs (4 racks) or St. Louis ribs (2 racks)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe BC Barbecue Sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.

Place the ribs on the sheet pan meat side up and sprinkle them with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.  Pour the BBQ sauce generously on each rack and cover the ribs loosely with aluminum foil.  Back for 1 1/2 hours for baby backs and 1 3/4 hours for St. Louis ribs, until the meat is very tender when tested with a fork.  As soon as ribs are out of the oven, spread them generously with additional barbecue sauce.  Grill right away or refrigerate to grill later.

About 40 minutes before you want to serve, heat a charcoal grill with a layer of hot coals or heat a gas grill to medium-high heat.  After the charcoal turns gray, brush the cooking grate with oil to keep the ribs from sticking.  Place the ribs on the grill ribs-side down, put the lid on top (with both vents open) and grill for 5 minutes. Turn the ribs meat-side down and grill for another 4-5 minutes, until nicely browned.  Place on a cutting board, cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow the ribs to rest for 10 minutes.  Cut into the ribs and serve hot with extra barbecue sauce on the side.

BC Barbecue Sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion (1 large onion)
1T minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 cup (10 oz) tomato paste
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup honey
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup hoisin sauce
2T chili powder
1T ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I omitted)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over low heat, add the onions, and cook for 10-15 minutes, until onions are translucent but not browned.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Add the tomato paste, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Use the sauce immediately or pour into a container and refrigerate. 

Corn and Feta Salad by Lauren Regardie
Combine:
Either 2 (16 oz) bags of frozen corn, thawed and drained or 10 ears of fresh, cooked shucked corn. (I used fresh corn - makes a difference here)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
chopped basil
1/2 lb feta, crumbled
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

When ready to serve, toss with dressing:
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
dash of Dijon
salt and pepper

The Cole Slaw was from Barefoot's first book - recipe forthcoming.

 Enjoy and have a very happy day!

A Simple Moment

My friend Mary just visited Holland and was able to see the famous tulips there. This is something I have always wanted to see.  When she posted this picture on Facebook I HAD to ask if I could use it on the blog. I just love this picture. Thanks, Mary!

Last night we had a very nice dinner, complete with the kids having dessert from the ice cream truck. I don't think Sosie and Sage could've been more happy with that result. Our cousin, Hayley, is visiting us from Massachusetts.  It is so amazing of her to come to our little part of the world in Augusta. Of course we watched the Bruins lose last night, grr, but her arrival and our watching the game, brought me back to MA for a moment or two, while enjoying some of the nice parts of the south.

I am having a really nice moment right now, actually. A simple moment. I am sitting at the table writing this post. Hayley is reading at the table and Chappy is playing on the rug nearby. Pandora radio is playing and all is right in this space. A moment of peace and comfortable quiet.  I feel very grateful for this moment, knowing in short order, it will go away. It is good to recognize these moments and appreciate them. Hopefully, we all have one of these each day.

Sometimes it is easy to come up with a meal plan each week and sometimes I just don't know what to make. I know I have a lot of dishes that I could make but it is hard to keep track of all of them. A few years ago, I created a meal list that I refer to when creating my meal plan each week. When I learn to make something new, I write it down and so the list grows. This certainly isn't exhaustive of all the meals, but it is a starting point.

Time to put on Summer by Calvin Harris and get cooking!

Last night, we made Grilled Citrus Chicken from Bon Appetit, July 2013. My sister in law gave me this recipe and it has become a staple in our house, especially with guests. I made this dish with roasted broccoli, pilaf and a nice salad. An appetizer included sliced tomatoes with homemade pesto, blue cheese sprinkled on top, balsamic vinegar drizzled and basil leaves for pretty.

Grilled Citrus Chicken
1 3 1/2-4 lb chicken, cut into 8 pieces (the butcher will do this for you)
olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
2 lemons, halved
2 oranges, halved

Prepare grill for medium heat.  Rub chicken with 2 T olive oil; season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Grill chicken, skin side down, turning occasionally and squeezing the juice from 2 lemon halves and 2 orange halves over often, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165 degrees, 25-35 minutes.

Meanwhile, brush another 2 lemon halves and 2 orange halves with 1T oil. Grill, cut side down, until lightly charred, 5-10 minutes.  Serve chicken with grilled lemon and orange halves alongside for squeezing over. 

Note: Can brine the chicken for at least one hour and up to 6 hours. (We always brine for this meal)

Brine
4 cups water
1/3 cup Kosher salt
1/3 cup white or brown sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar

Enjoy and have a happy day!!!

The Perfect Salad!

When I think about one of the most influential people in my life I immediately think of my grandmother, Marie Kaprelian. She and my grandfather taught me that family is the most important thing in the world, good food matters, flowers are incredibly beautiful, and as long as you are together, you don't need much else. She was an artist, an avid gardener and a beautiful person, inside and out. She has been gone 10 years and I miss her as much today as I do the day she passed away. Her being affects my life every day.

She was a survivor.  Momoo came to the United States in August, 1915, during the Armenian Genocide, at age 2. Her parents, brother and she walked out of their house, threw their key in the bushes and walked without a cart, hundreds of miles to the country of Georgia. They took the last passenger ship to the U.S. from there. My great grandfather was sought by the Ottoman Turks because he was a leader in his community. He was a professor of music and was able to inspire people. Armenians did not have the ability to protect themselves against the Turkish people. They wanted to kill my great grandfather so the family fled the country. They did not want to be part of the 1.5 million people killed during the genocide. They did not want to be victims of what Hitler would later use as justification for the Holocaust.  They didn't want to be like Uncle John who was a Dean at Yeprad, tortured and killed.

There are tough stories of their trip to Georgia. Hearing cannons behind them, forcing the people out of the country or of children that were separated from their families. The saddest family story was that Hagopig, Momoo's baby brother, died as an infant when they reached Tiflisi. She recalls walking around a cemetery with a red rose, looking for his grave, which they would not find.

Momoo has a wonderful story - college at Cooper Union (one of 12 women to graduate) and a career as a commercial artist, married for 65 years to my scientist grandfather and raised an amazing family. She had a sister born in the U.S. that was extremely talented in music, and was at Juilliard on scholarship when she passed away tragically from illness. I think the most amazing part of my grandmother's story is that we knew the family history from a very young age but what I garnered from the history was strength and pride. There aren't many Armenians in the world but there is a bond and the food is good too!

I remember sitting on Momoo's lap and looking through House Beautiful and her delicious French toast. I remember her constant generosity and our many lunches out at department stores. Lunches I did not fully appreciate until I was much older. The Armenian food we ate so often that I loved. And her garden - her beautiful, huge garden. I mostly remember her kindness and her love. She was the matriarch of our family. Momoo brought all of us closer and inspired a love and devotion to her but also to each other. I feel so incredibly lucky and grateful to have known her for 33 years of my life and that both my daughters were able to meet her.

Put on The Sound of Sunshine by Michael Franti and Spearhead and get cooking!

The perfect salad!

I love vegetables. In fact, I adore them. I like grabbing them for snacks and eating them raw. I love roasting all sorts of vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper. I like vegetarian meals too. So, it would make sense that I enjoy making salads. As I have mentioned in past posts, I grew up eating homemade salad dressing. For me, it is just as easy as bottled and so much better for you. Just a few ingredients and it tastes so yummy.

Salads can be so pretty too. Finding all sorts of vegetables and all sorts of colors can add depth of flavor and also depth in beauty too. Like my grandmother!

Think of a salad in a few parts - the lettuce or base, then the added vegetables or toppings and then the dressing. Sometimes I add a protein, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I use chick peas as my protein. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I use balsamic vinegar, sometimes I use apple cider or red wine vinegar. Sometimes I like to make salads without lettuce and lately I have been making a lot of salads with Belgium Endive because it is so easy and fast to cut. Today, this was my salad.

Today's Salad
1 red tomato
1 brown tomato
2 slices roasted red peppers in water, diced
1 strip cooked bacon
1 dash of blue cheese
2 pepperoncini, diced
1 Belgium endive, sliced
Fresh herbs from garden - basil, parsley, sage
Olive oil/Balsamic vinegar - 25%/75% - more vinegar than oil
Salt and Pepper

I would have added mushrooms and carrots if I had them.

Here are some other salads I have made - be creative - enjoy the palate and design away.

Enjoy and have a really happy day!

A New Day

Wow. Yesterday was a really awful day. I can't believe how bad it was. In fact, I am still feeling its effects today. Certain obstacles are coming into play today too but I am not going to let them define me or my day. When I have bad days, it is usually because many little things occur at the same time to drain and challenge me. The really big stuff doesn't qualify as a bad day because that is another whole category and is dealt with in a different way. I fully appreciate that my problems are not poverty and hunger and crime but that are still my problems! It is all relative in life and my problems shift as my life shifts. Please know I am incredibly grateful for my world, every single day.

So, yesterday I found out that we have bats in our shutter and squirrels in our attic. Poor Chappy threw up 2 times, and almost pooped in the house again, and as he has figured out how to get out of our fence, he did so multiple times. These are just a few of the obstacles that I encountered.  By the end of day, I was truly exhausted and really just wanted to go to bed. I had my bananas, nutella and fluff after lunch which lifted my spirits a bit but I was still feeling tired.

But then, I started cooking. I lit my candles and made a really yummy meal for my family and it made me feel just a little better.

I realize that I can be hard on myself and the managers in my brain like to point out my mistakes or tell me I need to do better, be better, at everything.  That can compound whatever I am feeling and make a bad day even worse. But I know that these are my parts and I need to understand and show them compassion instead of telling myself that they don't matter. Compassion is such an important emotion. Something we tend to overlook in sharing with others and ourselves too. Compassion to ourselves is paramount to inner happiness I think. Being kind to self and being kind to others. A good goal.

Having a puppy is like having a baby but this time I am not having my two beautiful babies all over again. This time is about bringing a new puppy in the family. It is amazing how fixating on pooping and feeding can feel like child-rearing. You get trapped in the analysis paralysis of it all. I can love him and train him and feed him but I don't have to fixate and worry and be perfect. Perfect is the enemy of good, right? He is doing so well and as challenging as it is to have a puppy, it is also a wonderful addition to the family. To see the joy he brings the family and the positive energy he adds to our home is special and I do love him. We are just getting to know each other and it is the beginning of a beautiful relationship, I am sure!

Now let's talk about that dinner. Put on Best Day of My Life by American Authors and get cooking!!

As you know, I love Italian food. With the weather being extremely summery, I felt the need to make pesto. I served with a roasted cherry tomato dish from Martha Stewart Living Magazine this month and a Caesar salad. You can put tomatoes on the side or on top of the pasta. Here we go.

Pesto - from Barefoot Contessa's Parties (this is Barefoot week, clearly!!)
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignolis
3 T diced garlic (9 cloves) (I used less)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I used half and half Parmesan and Romano but used more like 1 1/4 cups)

Place the walnuts, pine nuts, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.  Process for 30 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is finely pureed.  Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute.  Serve, or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.  (In all honesty, I processed all at the same time and it tasted great.)

 Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce - Martha Stewart Living Magazine, May 2014
1 pound, 6 ounces cherry tomatoes (I used 2 containers and should've used more)    

3 cloves garlic, smashed (I minced) 

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 T fresh thyme (I used what I had fresh - sage, chives and parsley and I used 2 T)      

2 tsp packed light-brown sugar

1 tsp coarse salt

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together tomatoes and garlic in a nonreactive 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Whisk together oil, vinegar, thyme, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl. Drizzle over tomato mixture.

 

Bake until tomatoes are softened and caramelized, about 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature. Sauce can be stored in refrigerator up to 5 days; let cool before storing.

 

 

Enjoy and have a really happy day!

Friends!

Friendship. How do you define friendship? It is such an important part of everyone's lives, almost from birth to death. You only need one and many of us have more than that.  Think about the books, songs, movies and poems that have been written about the subject!

I have really enjoyed watching the different stages and levels of friendships with my daughters, from daycare to elementary school to middle school. It has been fascinating to watch as relationships move from playmates to confidantes as kids age. Watching how negotiation, communication and the power of information play a role; add in a little romance and things can get complex!

A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow - William Shakespeare

I can only speak about my own experience, having Sosie and Sage. Girls can be so hard and mean and grudge-holders at times.  It makes me angry and it brings back so many painful memories from my childhood.  But, kids need to go through tough times to get to the better parts of friendship. These times help them realize who real friends are versus fun friends versus not friends at all. Who are the people you can trust? Who are the people that make you feel good about yourself? Who can you be yourself around? Who can you laugh and cry with?

Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity - Khalil Gibran

As an adult, I am incredibly grateful for my friends. They add a special element to my life that is unique and meaningful.  While my family is the most important aspect of my life, friends are so integral to making my life a better one too.

My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me - Henry Ford

Put on Boom Boom Pow by The Black Eyed Peas and get cooking!

Yesterday, I mentioned Spinach Pie. I made this the other night alongside the pork tenderloin. This could be a stand alone dinner with a nice salad or it can be a side dish. It is from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and I really enjoyed it.

Spinach Pie
3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions) (I used a little less)
2 T good olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt (I used less)
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
3 (10-ounce) packages frozen, chopped spinach, defrosted
6 extra-large eggs, beaten (I used large)
2 tsp grated nutmeg (I used dried)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I used already grated)
3 T plain dry bread crumbs
1/2 pound good feta, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
1/4 pound salted butter, melted
6 sheets phyllo dough, defrosted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium sauté pan on medium heat, sauté the onions with the olive oil until translucent and slightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.  Add the salt and pepper and allow to cool slightly.

Squeeze out and discard as much of the liquid from the spinach as possible. Put the spinach into a bowl and then gently mix in the onions eggs, nutmeg, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, feta and pignoli.

Butter an ovenproof, nonstick, 6-inch sauté pan (I used an 8-inch round pan) and line it with 6 stacked sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with melted butter, letting the edges hang over the pan.

Pour the spinach mixture into the middle of the phyllo and neatly fold the edges up and over the top seal in the filling.  Brush the top well with melted butter.
 

Bake for 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and the filling is set.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.  Serve at room temperature.

Enjoy and have a happy day!

Mind clutter

Today I told myself and my family that I was definitely going to get to the gym, get back to my routine. Expend some mental energy, let myself know that a puppy wasn't going to change every little thing about my day. I, of course, said that for the past few days but here was Monday. A new day, a new week.

I usually go to the gym after dropping the ladies off but since Chappy is here, I need to change my schedule. Change my schedule, but not change my routine. My routine is to go to the gym on weekdays. I must do this.

I was so proud of myself that I made it today. One day at a time. I got there and as I started on the track, my mind was racing. My body was tense. I couldn't wait to leave. My mind was cluttered. I wasn't enjoying the time. But, then something happened. Something clicked. My pace started to even out. I started counting my laps, and getting into the music. My mind started to clear, just a bit. I was able to focus and be in the moment. I was so grateful for that time. It puts life in perspective and allows breath to flow freely.

Time to put on Am I Wrong by Nico and Vinz and get cooking!

The other night I made a dish that is so tasty. It is a great and fast dinner too since it marinates all night and day. There is just something about marinating meat and then throwing it on the grill or in the oven. This recipe is from Barefoot Contessa's Back to Basics. I served it with a Belgium endive salad and Spinach Pie (this recipe will be in a forthcoming blog).

Herb-Marinated Loin of Pork
Grated zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons)
1/2 cup good olive oil, plus extra for brushing the grill
2 T minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 1/2 T minced rosemary leaves
1 T chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
2-3 pork tenderloins, about 1 pd each
Freshly ground pepper

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard and 2 teaspoons salt in a sturdy 1-gallon resealable plastic bag.  Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade.  Squeeze out the air and seal the bag.  Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.

When you are ready to cook, build a charcoal fire or heat a gas grill.  Brush the cooking grate with oil to prevent the pork from sticking. Remove the tenderloins and from the marinade and discard the marinade but leave the herbs that cling to the meat.  Sprinkle the tenderloins generously with salt and pepper.  Grill the tenderloins, turning a few times to brown on all sides, for 15 to 25 minutes, until the meat registers 137 degrees at the thickest part.  Transfer the tenderloins to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Carve in 1/2 inch thick diagonal slices.  The thickest part of the tenderloin will be quite pink and the thinnest part will be well done.  Season with salt and pepper and serve warm, or at room temperature with the juices that collect in the platter. 

Enjoy and have a spectacular day!!

Meet Chappy-our new guy!!

12 weeks old today!! He is awesome and adorable at the same time as he is frustrating and exhausting. The fact that having a puppy is so closely similar to having a newborn is scary and amazing at the same time. Yes, it has only been 48 hours since he has been in the house but yet it feels like weeks or even months! Chappy napped today in his crate, twice, so I feel like a new person. Well, I would feel like a new person but I was up all night the last two nights so I am feeling like a tired new person! Now if he would only stop chewing the rug and the sofa.....Distract, distract, distract.... Squirrel? Name that movie.

Challenges come in all shapes and sizes. All challenges are relative to the person as well. Moving to a new city with two children is a challenge. Having a daughter hit her pre-teen years is a challenge. Having a new puppy is challenging. Of course none of these are arms and legs. None are life threatening but they are still challenges that can cause emotional stress. The key is to not let the stress define you. Boy that can be so hard sometimes. It is incredibly difficult to get from under the stress to face the challenge with a clear head. There is a book by Anne Lamott called Bird by Bird. This is the back cover. I love this paragraph and have sent it to many a friend going through a difficult time as well as have read it for myself as well. Bird by bird, friends, bird by bird.

Time to put on Wild, Wild Love by Pitbull and get cooking!

This is one of the kid's favorite recipes. Easy and quick and perfect for a weeknight. It is from Barefoot Contessa's Foolproof and it is called.....

Straw and Hay
Kosher Salt
3 T unsalted butter, divided
4 oz prosciutto, cut crosswise in 1/2 inch thick matchsticks
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 large) (I use less)
1 T minced garlic, 3 cloves
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 oz Italian Gorgonzola dolce, crumbled
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
8-10 oz tagliatelle or fettuccine, such as Cipriani
2 cups frozen peas, defrosted (8 oz) (I used a combo or fresh and frozen)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving (store grated is fine with me!!)
1/4 cup julienned fresh basil leaves

Fill a large pot with water, add 1 T of salt, bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, melt 2 T of the butter in a large 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the prosciutto and cook for 5 minutes, separating the slices with tongs, until crisp. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining T of butter and the onion to the sauté pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Add the cream, Gorgonzola, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and the pepper, and bring the sauce to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until thickened. Turn off the heat.

When the sauce is almost done, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook according to the package directions.  Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta, allowing some of the water to remain.  Pour the pasta into the pan with the sauce. Add the peas, Parmesan, basil and prosciutto and toss well. If the pasta seems dry, add some of the reserved pasta water.  Taste for seasonings and serve hot with extra Parmesan.

Enjoy and have a spectacular day!!!