0

Nutella S’mores

I’ve been hibernating a bit since the kids got sick – they seem to be finally coming out of it

and it’s like waking up from a hazy sleep deprived zombie like state.  I’m having flashbacks to the newborn phase, although it’s not that bad because hubby has been taking on at least half the load.  3 kids, all with double ear infections.  Bleh!  The good news is I think I’m on the cusp of being able to count on some consecutive hours of sleep.  Sometimes just the hope of some really good sleep keeps us going!

Last week there was a crazy icy day here in Cinci, and the antibiotics were just kicking in enough for the kids to not be in constant pain.  We needed something special to remind us of better times… summery times.  It was time for indoor s’mores! 

I like to make mine with Nutella.  A. because I’m totally obsessed with Nutella, B. because you don’t have to deal with the chocolate that isn’t perfectly melted issue I hate about regular s’mores.

So here’s the easiest snack ever, perfect for  cabin feverish winter days – I even make them in the summer when it’s too hot to think of sitting around a campfire.

Spread graham crackers with Nutella.  Both crackers.

Toast marshmallows over your stovetop.  Just be careful not to touch the marshmallow to the stovetop – so hard to clean!  Hold them about as close as you can without risking that and you’ll know when to turn them because they’ll start smelling amazing and start to steam up a bit. 

Slide that toasty, gooey marshmallow onto your crackers to make a perfect s’more sandwich.

Enjoy!

31 January 2012
Food
0

Fiber Friday – OTN

On the Needles this week (well actually this one’s been on the needles for almost 2 years, but I actually made some progress this week – yay!)

20 January 2012
Fiber
0

Magic Cookie Bars

Do you remember any of your bubble bursting moments?  I remember thinking these cookie bars were the most amazing secret recipe of my mom’s – simply because she’d make them all the time without looking at a recipe.  The are so yummy, and perfect because every ingredient either comes straight from the pantry, or is always on hand (butter) so you can stock up and have everything you need at a moment’s notice.

Anyway, the first time I was away from home and wanted to make them myself I picked up all the ingredients from the store.  While shopping I saw the recipe for Magic Cookie Bars on the back of the can of Eagle’s Sweetened Condensed Milk I was buying.  What?  My Mom is famous!  Her recipe is on the back of a can!  Pause…  Thinking it through…  Oh. 

Oh well, they’re still awesome. 

I have a friend who was going through a very rough time so the kids and I made up a yummy batch and sent it her way.  Sometimes it’s important to make the extra effort to send a handwritten note and homemade treats instead of an email or a Facebook comment.  And I loved that the kids got into it.  I’m sure that knowing they’d get to taste a few before we boxed the rest up had nothing to do with it.

So, so easy! You can just follow the recipe on the can, or use my family recipe, which is ever so slightly different, or adjust it to fit your liking.  Sub in walnuts for pecans, leave out the nuts or the coconut, whatever.  I remember my mom only put coconut on half the pan, since she liked it and the kids didn’t.  It ensured that half the pan would always be reserved for her.  There was even a time when she’d make 2 pans, one for the kids, and the other which she would hide in her room somewhere.  Probably to eat with the door locked while we knocked on the door asking her what she was doing in there.  Bless that woman!

Ingredients: 2 packages of graham crackers (1/2 box), 1 stick of butter, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 1 bag chocolate chips, 1 C chopped pecans, 1 C unsweetened coconut.

Step 1: have kids crush 2 packages of graham crackers (half a box)

make sure they really get into it.

Step 2: Put 1 sitck of butter in a 9×13 pan and put it in the oven.  Turn the oven on to 375 and let the butter melt as the oven pre-heats.

Step 3: mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs.  Press them down to make a crust on the bottom of the pan.  Pour in 1 can of sweetened condensed milk, a bag of chocolate chips, 1 cup of chopped pecans and 1 cup of unsweetened coconut.  Press them all down into the condensed milk.

Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes, or until the sweetened condensed milk is a golden brown and bubbling up around the other ingredients.  Mmm.

Try to let them cool completely before cutting.  Or scoop out some before they’re ready and burn your mouth a bit because they smell so good you just can’t wait.  I won’t tell.

19 January 2012
Food
0

Best Globes Dress

So I had to peek into the Globes to see just how awful Ricky Gervais would be.  He seemed a bit tamer than the last couple of years, more like he was ribbing friends and less like he was brutally mocking them.  I admit, I really only watched to kill the time before Downton Abbey started (love!) so I didn’t see all the gowns, but there was one that totally blew me away…

I loved Laura Dern’s dress.  Even though it’s stunning and gorgeous, it has this aura of integrity to it.  I know that’s an odd word to use when talking about fashion, but what I loved is that it looked like her.  It looked somewhat effortless, like she wasn’t trying to be someone else’s idea of fashionable or sexy.

If it inspires you to take a peek at Andrew Gn’s 2012 Spring Collection too, I’ll save you the google search – just click here.

17 January 2012
Fashion, Inspiration
0

Chinese Cooking Check In

Remember my resolution to learn to cook Chinese? Going very well so far!  If you get this book, and I totally reccommend it, the Chicken Mushroom Dumplings are amazing, the Honey Walnut Shrimp is amazing, and the Chow Mein is awfully good.  My kids are loving it, my husband is loving it, I am loving it, and I’ve quickly learned that doubling the recipes means lots of yummy takeout style leftovers. 

Ready to become something special…

My kids called this “Shrimp with Frosting” and they weren’t far off.  That’s right – shrimp, frosting, candied walnuts – how could this be anything but awesome?

Giant bowl of Chow Mein lasted 2 full dinners and a lunch!  So yummy!

Here’s another link to the book, and to the author’s website Rasa Malaysia, which has lots of other great recipes.

12 January 2012
Food
2

Pomegranite Pine Nut Salad

This is my all time favorite salad.  I would say “for the moment” because I do like to  change it up, but I’ve been constantly craving and eating this salad for over a year now.  I look forward to pomegranite season just for this salad!

Pomegranite Pine Nut Salad

Serves 4

(4 regular adults, or 2 adults who are obsessed with it and 2 kids who are being forced to eat it)

Ingredients:

1 head of romaine lettuce

        short cut! Just use any Bag ‘O Salad, I especially like the baby spring greens.

1/2 C pine nuts

1/4 C French Feta Cheese

1/2 C pomegranite arils/seeds (about 1/2 a pomegranite)

Briannas Real French Vinaigrette (short cut built in – yay!)

First off, toast the pine nuts.  I usually put them in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.  You’ll know they are done because they’ll start to smell all kinds of wonderful and look lightly browned.  (I know some people like to do it in a dry skillet, I just always seem to burn them that way)

While the nuts are toasting, chop up your romaine, or dump your bag of salad into a bowl.  Toss with a couple Tablespoons of dressing.  (I like mine lightly dressed, how do you like yours?)  There’s probably an amazing home made dressing out there that rivals Brianna’s, but I just love this stuff and it saves me 5-10 minutes.  I’d love to see links if you know of a recipe though!

Crumble your Feta Cheese on top of the dressed lettuce.  (If you must, use the dry greek stuff, but I think it’s the creaminess of the french feta that makes it so so yummy.  I’ve found the french variety at Kroger, but the Tnuva brand at Costco is imported from Israel and also has that slightly less mature mild and creamy texture.  It looks like a lot to buy, but we always go through it before it goes bad).

Dump the warm nuts on top.  I love how the heat softens the cheese ever so slightly.

Slice open that pomegranite and harvest the deliciousness inside!  Warning: things will get messy.  Your countertop (and sleeves) may look like there’s been some kind of massacre when you’re done, so just be forewarned!   

If you’ve never had pomegranite before, don’t be intimidated!  It’s a bit messy, but you will be rewarded.  Just slice it into quarters, peel back the white membranes and pluck out the seeds (aka arils).  If you see any that are milky and soft, those ones have gone bad, just skip them and focus on the firm, bright garnet colored ones.  I thought for so long that you were supposed to suck off the juice and then spit out the fibery part of the seed, and it seemed like a lot of work for a little bit of pomegranite.  Now I just eat the entire seed – more fiber for me!  My kids eat them like candy.  So pop out the second half of seeds too, save them in a jar in the fridge – instant snack.  Or toss them over your oatmeal the next morning – so yummy!

Dump on those arils, lightly toss.  (Just a note, if it’s not pomegranite season, dried cranberries make a pretty good sub, so you can feast on this year round.)

Enjoy!  My kids will eat everything but the cheese.  My husband and I devour the rest.  I could have this every day.

9 January 2012
Food
38

Pick our Next Colorway (and win it)

Is anyone else ridiculously addicted to Pinterest?  I spend so much time on there it’s getting ridiculous. 

Did I mention ridiculous? 

For those of you yet unaware, it’s a site where you can build virtual pinboards of amazing things you find online.  For me it’s become another stash.  Except this time, instead of stashing yarn, fiber, fabric, or beads, I’m stashing ideas, plans, future projects.

One part I love love love is that I can build an entire board of photos/palettes that inspire me when creating colorways for yarn and fiber.  Here’s my colorways board if you’d like to take a peek.

In fact, do peek, because there are so many great palettes there I don’t even know where to start.  Leave a comment with y0ur favorite palette for spring that you’d like to see on yarn or fiber.  I’ll create colorways inspired by the top 3. 

The people who suggested them will be entered into a drawing, and I’ll pick one winner per colorway.  Plus one winner from everyone who participates and that winner can choose their favorite from the 3.

Deadline for suggestions is Tuesday night, because I’m having my first dye day of the year on Wednesday – I can’t wait!  Feel free to suggest up to three colorways.

Yay for Color!

5 January 2012
Contests, Inspiration
0

Resolutions and Such

Ah, January.  The time when I blog faithfully all of two times in a week and then peter out again as life takes over.

I’m hoping this year will be different, since I really need to blog.  I mean, I lay awake at night composing blog posts in my mind, unable to sleep.  So, either blogging more will allow me to sleep better at night, or I’ll just have more things to think about instead of sleeping.  I guess we’ll see.  And yes, I did actually think about typing that last paragraph as I laid awake last night.  And I realized I’d type that last sentence too.  I could go on, but you know how it ends I’m sure.

So I thought I’d start the year out by sharing some of my resolutions.  I LOVE New Year’s Resolutions, and this year I have things figured out a bit better.  I’m making them goals I can actually measure.  Yep, the good old S.M.A.R.T. goals.  Meaning, they will be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely.  However, I’m gonna make the “M” stand for meaningful, and the “T” stand for trackable, since “timely” isn’t all that important, they’re all just things I want to accomplish this year, any time this year.

1. Learn to cook Chinese food (by cooking my way through Bee Yin Low’s “Easy Chinese Recipes”).  OK, so I’m choosing an “easy” book.  I’m not trying to master Chinese cuisine, just cook it myself.  And PS I made the Yangzhou Fried Rice and Chicken and Mushroom Dumplings for New Year’s Eve dinner and they were great!  The dumplings in particular were amazing.  I am the new queen of dim sum.  Best of all, my kids went crazy for them!

2. Start working out with weights 2-3 times per week (by following the workout program in Lou Schuler’s “The New Rules of Lifting for Women“).  Did my first workout today and my legs are jelly.  Perfect.

3. Actually do 5 of the things I’ve pinned on Pinterest.  Damn you Pinterest.  I no longer craft, I just collect ideas of crafts I want to do.

4. Learn to draw, or rather improve my drawing skills by practicing 20 minutes a day for 30 days.  (And yes, I’m following a program in a book – Mark Kistler’s “You Can Draw in 30 Days”)

I know, I like books that lay out plans for me.  I’ve learned that if I try to figure out my own plan, it’s way to easy to get lost.  Or just distracted.

5. Read at least one book to each child every day.  Just my way of carving out some individual time with the kids.  They need it and so do I.

6. Make 3 articles of clothing for myself.  Knit, crochet, sew, whatever.  Just that they’re handmade by me.  Accessories can count I suppose, in the spirit of being realistic, but at least 1 must be actual clothing.

(Had to have a fibery one!)

Here’s to a fantastic and fruitful 2012 – a year to grow!  What are you all planning?

3 January 2012
Favorite Things, Inspiration, Uncategorized