To Market, To Market...

I love grocery shopping, especially at new stores or just 'nicer' ones in the area. Touring the aisles and finding new foods. Yup, I'm a dork. What I really love are funny food finds or displays, and this one takes the cake. During my weekly grocery trip I stumbled upon this "Christmas Story" display and couldn't stop laughing. I actually tried to find a manager to see if I could buy the 'leg lamp' for a white elephant exchange!

Bacon. Salted. Caramels. 'Nuf said

What does chopped bacon, butter, sugar and a little elbow grease create? Bacon Salted Caramels. TOO. DIE. FOR. I'd post a picture of the finished product, but then I'd end up eating more of them...

Here is a link for a similar recipe.  I can't find the one I used and am on the quest to tear my house apart!

Santa and Jingle Balls

Today we visited Santa! We made our third annual trek to the downtown Nordstrom to see the jolly old man and Blake couldn't wait. Blake kept telling us that he would ask Santa for a train and that baby sister wanted a train too (uh, huh. Sure...). We saw quite a few friends on our way to and from Santa too, which made the trip even more fun.

And what better way to celebrate the holiday season?  Making some yummy holiday treats!

Jingle Balls
3 c. creamy peanut butter

7-8 c. powdered sugar
2 c. softened butter
4 tsp vanilla
3 packages (12 oz) chocolate chips
6 Tbsp parawax

Mix peanut butter, sugar, butter and vanilla together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Melt chocolate chips with parawax on stove over low heat. Roll peanut butter mix into balls about the size of a quarter. Tip - work with a small amount of mix at a time while keeping rest of mix in fridge - otherwise it gets sticky. Put balls in fridge until you are ready to dip in chocolate so they stay firm.

Using toothpicks or small forks, dip the balls into the chocolate. Set on wax paper and refrigerate.

Warning: This recipe makes about 120 chocolate covered balls! A great recipe when you want to make goodies for friends. Otherwise, cut recipe in half!

Bourbon Balls

While the boys went to the last Husky football game of the season, I tried to enjoy the fact that I wasn't in a cold stadium worrying about a newborn.  But, of course I wished I could have been there!  Oh well. 

During the quiet time at my house I made 9 dozen cookies for Piper's cookie and platter exchange party. Each attendee will go home with 9 dozen cookies - one dozen of each kind! I made bourbon balls and sampled quite a bit in the creating process. Yum!

Bourbon (or Rum) Balls
2 1/2 c. crushed Nabisco Nilla Wafers
1 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa
1 c. finely chopped walnuts
3 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/4 c. (or to taste) Rum or Bourbon

Mix everything together in a medium sized bowl.  Roll into little balls and then roll in additional powdered sugar and place on a cookie sheet.  Refrigerate and serve.

Thanksgiving 2009

"Prudence" the pitcher - she always makes an appearance at my mom's Thanksgiving dinner table. We're not sure if she is judging the amount of food on our plates or the fact that a turkey is hiding under her skirt!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday aside from Christmas. Maybe its the fact that Thanksgiving day seems to kick off the holiday season. Wake up, watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and see Santa at the end of the parade. Stuff ourselves with fantastic homemade food... brined turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green vegetables, stuffing, salad, and of course the amazing gravy and orange-cranberry sauce. YUM!

And of course this year we had many things to be thankful for. Baby Charlotte's safe arrival, our hilarious little Blakely, and my grandma's home potentially selling after being on the market for only a week!  And last but not least... PIE!  Here is one of my grandma's pecan pie recipes. Enjoy!

Charlotte's Pecan Pie

3 slightly beaten eggs

1 c. sugar

1 c. light corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1 c. pecans

1 1/4 c. melted butter

Combine eggs, sugar and syrup, vanilla, salt. Put nuts in unbaked shell and add filling. Bake at 400 for 10 min and at 345 for 40min.

*Interpreted from hard to read recipe card!

Fresh From the Oven

Look what just arrived!  Baby girl Charlotte Tangen!  5lbs 15oz, 19" long and a light dusting of dark hair.

And you thought this post wouldn't mention any sort of food?  Wrong!  Just a sampling of the post delivery food order... I was hungry!

Sweet Potato Souffle and Honeycrisp Sangria

Two items that are a must for this year's Thanksgiving.  My favorite sweet potato souffle and a newly discovered drink, honeycrisp sangria.

I found this sweet potato recipe years ago, and every time I make it, we all go back for second or third helpings.  If you enjoy sweet potatoes, and also love marshmallows, you need to try this! (recipe below)

The finished product... Served alongside a mini Thanksgiving meal I made tonight.  Roast chicken, stuffing, salad and my beloved sweet potato dish.  I did learn to not put the marshmallows so close to the edge of the dish.  They melted over the side! 

The honeycrisp sangria was a risk.  I've never liked red wine based sangria (the only type I've tried), but because I love honeycrisp apples and chardonnay, I thought this would be a fun try.  The only challenge was finding some 'unoaked' chardonnay.  With the help of my local market's wine steward, I found a nice and inexpensive bottle to experiment with. 

My test batch was just half a recipe.  I feared I would ruin an entire bottle of wine if I didn't like this drink.  I combined the wine, fruit, schnapps and spices in a tight sealing tupperware and placed in the fridge overnight. (I did not use pisco as called for in the recipe)

Today I anxiously awaited the sangria taste test.  I garnished the wine glasses with sugar and cinnamon. Such a beautiful color.

The finished product?  A crisp, refreshing and perfectly fall flavored cocktail.   It was so good my husband was asking for more and I knew this would be a great drink to start off our Thanksgiving dinner at my mom's.  Now back to the store for more unoaked chardonnay!



Sweet Potato Souffle

3 large sweet potatoes cooked and whipped

1 c. sugar – try less sugar and brown
2 eggs beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick butter
1/2 c. evaporated milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 bag marshmallows
1/2 c. chopped pecans, optional

Peel and cook potatoes until tender. Drain potatoes and whip. Add sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla. Mix well and put in a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 25 minutes. Place marshmallows and pecans on top and return to oven for about 5 minutes or until brown on top.

Honeycrisp Sangria, adapted from Adam Seger & Food and Wine Magazine

2 Honeycrisp apples
One 750-milliliter bottle unoaked Chardonnay
1/3c peach Schnapps
1/4c pisco (I excluded)
1/4c honey
2 oranges- 1 quartered
1 lemon – quartered
1 lime – quartered
2 cinnamon sticks
2 quarter-size slices of fresh ginger
3 whole cloves
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Ice
Club soda
Mint sprigs – for garnish (I excluded)

Peel, core and chop one of the apples. In a bowl, combine the Chardonnay, Schnapps, pisco and honey. Add the quartered orange, the lemon, lime, cinnamon sticks, the chopped apple, ginger and cloves and refrigerate at least 4 hours. (I let mine sit overnight)

Strain the sangria into a pitcher. Peel, core and finely chop the remaining apple. Peel, section and chop the remaining orange. Mix the apple and orange in a bowl.

On a small plate, blend the sugar and cinnamon. Moisten the rims of wine glasses and dip in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Fill the glasses with ice. Pour in the sangria until three-quarters full. Top with a splash of club soda. Garnish with a spoonful of the chopped apple and orange and a mint sprig.

Rainy Day Project - Bird Feeder

Today Blake made a very simple bird feeder. One that I remember making when I was little! He had a blast - especially the spreading of gooey peanut butter and shaking a container of seeds!

You only need a couple things... a pine cone, peanut butter (I'm sure soy nut butter, or similar, would work if you have allergies), seeds (sesame, bird seed, whatever), and some sort of twine to hang pine cone from tree.

Spread the peanut butter all over the pine cone. We used a plastic spoon. Then, sprinkle seeds all over the peanut butter. Let dry out for a day or two, though that is probably pointless with our current wet weather and hungry birds! Then tie twine or your choice of hanging apparatus around pine cone and hang in a tree where your child can watch the birds snack away! (Squirrels may like this too, so watch out...)

Happy Halloween!

I love carving pumpkins!  Enough said.

Red Velvet Heaven

Tonight we hosted the extended family for a fun get together. It was fun seeing everyone outside of our usual holiday gathering schedule and take one last dip in the pool!

Blake proves you don't need a hula hoop to hula. You just need a disc frisbee! (notice his burnt orange UT Longhorns shirt fresh from Austin)

Some of the boys in the pool: Craig, Tony, Mark, Scott, Rick.

At last but not least. Dessert! My grandma's famous Red Velvet cake (and my mom's absolute favorite dessert). Topped with cream cheese frosting and a dusting of coconut. I have never baked grandma's Red Velvet cake recipe (she always did!) and could NOT stop eating the crumbs as I was assembling the dessert. Heaven!  I have to admit. I am so enamored with this cake that I'm not sure I can part with the recipe quite yet.  Stay tuned, maybe the next time I make it I won't be so selfish!  To hold you over, here is a link to a similar recipe from one of by Rose Levy Beranbaum's cookbooks.

They don't call it Red Velvet cake for nothing. Velvety, moist cake made bright red with an entire bottle of red food coloring!

Blake was a fan of the cake too!

Just a portion of the fam from tonight: Blake, Tony, Scott (fresh off a 75 mile hike from Stevens to Snoqualmie pass), Sally, me, Vicki.

UW vs. USC

What a game! I don't even know where to begin! Maybe with the fact that UW beat USC!? Amazing energy was running through the stadium and I didn't see one fan leave early. I am so thankful my phone has a camera on it, otherwise I don't think I would believe my eyes... students, fans, athletes all flooding the football field after the final play. We lingered in the stadium for quite some time to watch the celebration!

But what football game is complete without a little tailgating?  Today we (we meaning not pregnant me) enjoyed 'gold' Jell-O shots, purple and gold Bud Light (that I bought 4 cases of while very pregnant - and received many stares), Dump Soup, and the never to disappoint Monster Cookies!

I'm most proud of my budget centerpiece.  The vase is an empty Quaker Oatmeal container covered with one long piece of ribbon continuously wrapped around the canister and glue-gunned along the way.  I bought some purple craft foam for the 'W', and some hydrangeas.  Not only is it a festive vessel, but you can use it to store tailgate supplies if you keep the lid!  Gotta love Michael's craft stores and their 40% off coupons!

Want to make some Monster Cookies of your own?  Here is the coveted recipe.  They are so good, I'm warning you.  They freeze exceptionally well.  Just make the dough, roll in to balls and freeze. This way you can take as many cookies out as you need, or just make a few at a time like Tony and I do.  A few meaning a minimum of three each! :)  Let frozen balls thaw while oven warms up and cook for 9-12 minutes depending on size. 

Monster Cookies

2 sticks butter
2 c. white sugar
2 c. brown sugar
2 c. peanut butter (smooth only)
6 eggs
2 tbsp. vanilla
4 tsp. baking soda
3 c. quick cooking oatmeal

Mix in order given using mixer. Transfer batter to large container and add the following:
6 more c. quick cooking oatmeal
2 c. Nestle chocolate chips
2 c. nuts (optional - I never add them!)
1 med. bag M & M's - these can either be included in the batter or used on top

Mix until well blended. Form cookies (use large mixing spoon for monster size). Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes 10 to 12 dozen cookies.

*Note - I realize quite a few people have peanut allergies. Unfortunately, this is a recipe that must include the peanut butter. I have done research to find a good substitute, but alas, PB is where the cookies get their punch.

Dawg Saturday!

Today is the first Husky game of the season! YES! There are so many things to do for a husky home game... make the always important Jell-O shots (yes, prego and making shots...), wear purple and gold all day (had to buy a purple long-sleeved and warm shirt from maternity store last minute due to weather), and head to the stadium to get the festivities started!

We had planned to host our usual tailgate, but pregnancy got the better of me.  So instead I packed up my tasty Jell-O shots and we headed to our friend's tailgate party.  The Jell-O orange wedge shots were a hit, especially with the LSU fans that traveled up from Baton Rouge. Yes, I was friendly and shared... with just a few.

I've been asked by many people how to make these orange slice 'shots'.  The answer is quite simple if you put a little thought in to it. So, I'm going to be mean and let you figure it out on your own. Really, its not hard!  And, what a fun treat (of the non-alcoholic kind) to make if you need to bring snacks to school or kid-friendly party!  Use grapefruits, lemons, limes... basically any type of fruit with a tough skin!

Beer Can Chicken

Tonight Tony made beer can chicken on our smoker. After two hours of slowly cooking and making us hungry from the fantastic smells, the chicken was done. What an amazing meal! The chicken was so moist and smokey, some Parmesan and zucchini risotto on the side and a dessert of home made peach cobbler. Heaven.

While you don't need the 'fancy' (I put that in quotations since our 'fancy' beer holder cost $5), it does help to keep the chicken upright.  Sometimes a can of beer alone isn't enough weight for a big bird.  We have the Bayou Classic ChickCan holder.  These can be found at hardware stores and outdoor recreation stores.

As a side, you don't have to use beer. You can use wine or chicken broth with seasonings.  You also don't need to use a can.  A good 'ole traditional Mason jar works just as well.

Here is my mom's recipe for Zesty Zucchini:

Zesty Zucchini

Rice:
1 ¼ c. rice
1 tsp salt
2 ½ c. water
Cook rice until done, according to instructions on the package.

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
3 tomatoes, sliced
18 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
Grease 13x9 baking pan. Spread rice over the bottom. Layer on top, zucchini, half the cheese, then tomatoes.

In a separate bowl mix:
2 c. sour cream
1 Tbsp parsley flakes
2 Tbsp green pepper, diced
2 Tbsp green onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Pour over the casserole, and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Blackberry Pie

Tonight we had our friends Cam, Anne and baby Savi and Nick, Steph and little Matt who just turned 1 year old over for dinner. It was so much fun that I forgot to take a picture of the kiddos! Blake had fun sharing his toys with Matthew, and Savi enjoyed lounging in her parents' laps. Steph and Anne both brought amazing dishes that we paired with my all time favorite turkey burger recipe. To finish off the meal we enjoyed fresh made blackberry pie with the berries from the cabin and vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Now here is where I become my grandma.  I don't really have a recipe for the pie, I just learned the end flavor I want to create by watchin her make this pie with freshly picked blackberries from the cabin.  So here are the basics, but add more/less depending on taste...

Blackberry Pie

4 c. fresh blackberries

1-3 Tbsp flour (depends on how juicy they are - more juice, more flour)
1 c. sugar (more or less depending on how sweet/ripe the berries are)
1 Tbsp lemon juice (you can also add a bit of zest for a citrusy hint)
1 Tbsp butter
2 discs of rolled pie dough

Line pie pan with one rolled pie dough. Gently combine blackberries, flour, sugar and lemon juice and pour into pie shell.  Top with chunks of butter and cover with second pie dough.  Cut little steam vents on top pie crust. Bake in 425 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 and back for another 30 or so minutes.  Basically, you want the top crust nice and browned.

Fruit Fly Trap

Today I carried on the tradition of picking blackberries at the cabin. My grandma had this down to a science but still came back with the usual scrapes, thorns and blackberry juice stains. I used her tricks and picked about 10 or 11 cups of wild blackberries just from our property, so ripe they fell off the vine.

At the end of the day we had an infestation of fruit flies. They probably followed me in from the blackberry patch, but who knows. Anyways, had to use the old vinegar trick (again, grandma would be so proud), and wanted to share this on the blog for anyone with fruit fly issues...

Pour apple cider vinegar in to a small bowl. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and poke a few small holes in top. Make them so flies can get in but they can't easily escape. The smell of the apple vinegar will drive flies nuts and you'll be amazed at how many you'll catch!

JackFire and Jam

Today Tony began 'JackFire'. What I called his combination of burning the three massive piles of yard waste while drinking Jack and cokes. Probably not the safest combo, but JackFire got the job done after 3 full days of burning... yes, that includes burning through the night. What fun.

The smoke finally got the best of Tony during this photo opp...

While Tony got his man-card punched burning stuff, I got another mark on my Susie Homemaker card. Inside, away from the bonfire stench, I made peach freezer jam. Freezer jam is beyond easy to make thanks to Ball brand freezer jam pectin.  Honestly, it is so easy!  Cut up fruit, add some sugar and the pectin as instructed, then put in the freezer.  Ball also makes very handy reusable jam jars (as seen in picture below). Try it out for yourself. 

After our traditional cabin spaghetti meal (minus any noises from our woodland friends), Blake experienced s'mores for the very first time! He did this little Flashdance run in place ditty after every bite. Cracked us up!  For some fun S'mores ideas from Hershey's, click here.

A Top Spot for a Doughnut

Its tough knowing that if a take a certain route to or from Blake's daycare that there is a Top Pot Doughnut shop just two blocks off course. Finally after holding out for almost the entire pregnancy (notice I say 'almost'), I cracked under pressure and took Blake to Top Pot yesterday afternoon.

Tomorrow Blake will officially be 2 1/2 years old! And what does an almost 2 1/2 year old do to celebrate? I figured eating a Top Pot doughnut for breakfast was perfect! The selection was picked through when we got there, but they still had a large variety... though my cream filled, chocolate covered faves were sold out! And yes, I did have a doughnut at the shop before we left -though I was kind enough to share with Blake. Below is a pic from my camera phone to prove it.

This morning Blake couldn't wait to dig in to his 'chocat spinkles dohnut'. He actually told me before we went to the shop that he wanted 'cake with chocalate fosting and spinkles'. Lucky for him they had exactly what he was looking for (I'm still trying to figure out how he knew about chocolate with sprinkles though!).

Just in case you need some convincing (uh, hello, who needs convincing?) to visit your local Top Pot, here a very small portion of their menu...

Box o' Carbs

Today I met my friend Kim to discuss an auction we're both working on and deliver baby announcements I made for her. When we were headed out to leave she told me she had a treat for me in the car. Her treat was a box about three feet by four feet across filled with new bakery products! This is the downside (ok, upside) of knowing someone whose family owns a bakery company. Multiple kinds of cookies, breads, bagels... I was in heaven and had already sampled three of the twelve or so products before I even made it home.

Mmmm, me and baby #2 are love'n the carbs!

Bubble Fun

I saw an article on Martha Stewart's website for making your own bubble solution and bubble wands. What a great way to create long lasting fun and skip those cheap bottles of bubble solution that barely work! Martha and her crew suggest using a "bubble solution (of) 10 cups water to 4 cups dish-washing liquid, plus 1 cup Karo corn syrup."

She also gives instructions on how to make your own big bubble wands, but I'm guessing the ones you get in the bottles of bubble solution work just as good (for tiny bubbles). Click here if you want to read the article on her site to learn more.

As an FYI, I've learned from experience that the Gymboree brand of bubble solution is amazing if you don't want to make your own.

Rosemary Lemonade

I love weddings, especially when it comes to family weddings.  My cousin Jake married an amazing gal today, who is coincidentally a Kappa.  Gotta love Dana even more thanks to that! :)  At the reception the caterers served an amazing rosemary lemonade.  That made this pregnant lady quite happy!

Here is an adapted rosemary lemonade recipe.  Perfect for a hot day or baby shower...

Rosemary Lemonade

2 c. sugar
2 c. water
4 large sprigs of rosemary
2 c. fresh lemon juice
4 c. water
Rosemary sprigs for garnish

Stir together sugar and two cups of water in saucepan to create simple syrup.  Add rosemary sprigs.  Stirring constantly, bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Strain syrup to remove any grit or rosemary parts.  Mix together syrup, lemon juice and four cups water.  Add fresh rosemary sprigs and chill for a few hours.  Serve with ice.

And whats a wedding without a picture of Jake's dad, Uncle Ricky, singing with the Michael Benson Band!?  It was awesome!

Ross Andrew Winery

This afternoon we finally visited Ross' new tasting room in Woodinville. It was torture having to watch Tony enjoy nice pours of fabulous Ross Andrew wines! I highly recommend you make the drive out to Woodinville (12-5pm, Th-Sun) and taste these wines for yourself. You might even catch a glimpse of Ross and Ali's new baby... a bernese mountain puppy named Galena!

The Ross Andrew tasting room is located behind the Hollywood School House in Woodinville. Stay for dinner - the Woodinville Purple Cafe and Wine Bar is just a block or so away!