Another day in Germany (or paradise, whatever)...

I distinctly remember a meal I had in a small town in Germany. The town was beautiful, quaint, tourist free, and we pretty much stumbled upon it. While venturing around we found a great Spanish restaurant with some beautiful outdoor dining, which gave us a much needed break from the bland German food we'd been having. The menu pretty much consisted of different tapas in small portions, in which you would order a variety of.

I seriously can't get this meal out of my mind. Husband and I shared a concoction of chicken and potatoes soaked in Sherry, a type of queso with bread for dipping, and melted cheese over steamed vegetables. I wish so bad I could recreate this meal, but I know my efforts would be completely futile. I think my only solution would be to take a trip to Spain. Ready for it Honey?

I think another reason I remember this meal is because of our neighbors sitting at the table across from us. They kept staring at me, so much so that it made me feel uncomfortable. I started to think that I was just being paranoid, but then everybody at my table starting commenting about these people who were staring and were starting to get real excited. So weird. We decided they thought I was famous. Now I wish I had gone up to their table and maybe given them an autograph or two. If only I knew which famous person they thought I looked like.

It's that time again!

I bought myself 3 huge cans of pumpkin and I can't wait to use it all. I've been dying to eat the pumpkin waffles I made last year, but I was hoping to add a new recipe to the mix. So I decided to revisit my love/hate relationship with Martha Stewart and put her to the test once again.

I went with Martha Stewart's Pumpkin Cupcakes and I was pleasantly surprised. Super moist, super easy, and great presentation. Give them a try, let me know how it goes.

These could also pass as muffins if you forego the icing.

I suddenly want to be French

Everyone is talking about Stephmodo's renovation of La Maisonnette du Coteau in Beynac, France. I can't imagine renovating such an old home (over 400 years old), in a different country no less! The transformation is amazing, you can even check it out at design sponge.

My favorite part? The kitchen. Check out the stove! And the beautiful dining room. I want those pendant lights above the table. Who am I kidding, I want to have a dining room table!






I'm seriously in awe, and hope that when Husband and I take our trip to France that we'll stay here and take those cooking classes she raved about!

Oh Canada!

When Husband and I were in Canada last year we got caught in a rain storm and ducked into a little boutique. I fell in love immediately! It was here that I was first introduced to Portmeirion Products by Sophie Conran. I only bought a couple of pieces that would be easy to transport back home, but now I'm so sad that I didn't get more pieces because they are my absolute favorite.

Some of the items I'm coveting, found on amazon.com (Husband take note):

Large Pitcher

Juicer

Footed Bowl

Tip of the Day

Always keep lemons and limes on hand to perk up any recipe. Seriously!
If you haven't noticed, a lot of my recipes involve lemon zest or lime juice, etc. Lemon zest can be used in meats (remember the roast) and even desserts (remember the coconut cake) or the juice from a lime to add a little zing to any drink, not just diet coke! They even make for great centerpieces, like I used for Husband's birthday.

They're cheap and last a long time in the fridge, so stock up!

Even Ina Garten agrees (click through the slide show)

Image via House Beautiful

Sprechen Sie German?

When we were in Germany I had the best bratwurst in a little town just off the Rhine, near the Brother's Castles. It was my first bratwurst ever, and it was amazing! Since I've been home I've tried a couple brats and they don't even seem like they are the same product!

Oktoberfest is here (up at Snowbird) and I wonder if it will come close to my real German experience? Any thoughts? Has anyone been? Is anyone thinking of going? Call me, maybe we'll head up there together.

How fun!

Check out Design Mom and the amazing party she planned for her little girl! She hired Sticky Fingers (in the Denver area) to come and set up, entertain, and clean up. Now that's what I'm talkin' about! The kids made customized chef hats, then were taught how to cook a meal. What was the meal you ask? Parmesan and Ricotta Gnocchi over Peaches with Prosciutto and Parmesan plus Honey Lavender Dressing. I don't even eat that well! And it sounds like the kids loved it.


What a cool business concept. Throw parties and teach kids how to cook. Anyone up for it?
When I'm a mom I hope I'm half as cool!

No Soup For You!

Yesterday the air was nice and crisp and the sun was still shining, it was fabulous! I've been waiting for this day so I could make some yummy soup. Sunday dinner was just me and husband, so we tackled this recipe together and finally perfected it. Really, this recipe is pretty easy, just a little time consuming, but really worth it.

Chicken Corn Chowder
Serves 8

3 - 4 potatoes (chopped into bite size pieces)
½ cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
½ of a yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ jalapeno
1 chicken bouillon cube (or 1 tsp)
2 cans chicken broth
2 cups water

Bring ingredients to a boil. Make sure that vegetables are fully covered, if you need to add water, do so. Once boiling, simmer until tender.

In a separate pan make a roux:
1 cube butter
¾ cup flour

On medium high heat, melt butter. Once melted, decrease temp to medium heat and gradually whisk in flour. Continue stirring until you get a nice thick consistency.

Then add:
1 tbl. sugar
1 quart of milk

Once this is all mixed, add broth mixture into the milk mixture. Then add the following:

Fresh Rosemary (to taste, you don’t need much)
3 cups cook and cubed chicken (I roast 4 breasts of chicken)
2 cans of sweet canned corn (drain liquid)
1 lb. velveeta cheese (at room temperature, cube, then add)
Salt & pepper to taste.

Cook until the cheese is melted and to desired temperature.

Husband started out by roasting 4 chicken breasts by placing them in a roasting pan, pouring one can of chicken broth, and then seasoning them with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. I know this is more time consuming than boiling the chicken, but it really tastes the best and makes it so the chicken isn't tough and rubbery. I then used the reserves to replace the one can of broth it calls for in the recipe.

This is probably my favorite soup. It's a large recipe for just two of us, but I like to have leftovers and some to freeze for another day. The only thing that would make this recipe better is if I had made my homemade crescent rolls to dip into it.

Sunday Dinner

We had family over this Sunday for Travis and Nikki's birthdays. On the menu:

Chuck Roast

Season with Salt & Pepper, fresh rosemary, lemon zest from one

lemon, and 2 garlic cloves. Put it in a crock pot on top of carrots and onions

and pour 2 cans of beef broth over it. Cook on low for about 8 hours.

Carrots

(placed on the bottom of the roast with onions)

Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

Homemade Crescent Rolls

Homemade Raspberry & Peach Jam

Eclair Cake

The roast just fell apart, it was really good. Putting a roast in a crock pot is great because the only thing I had to do right before the guests arrive was the potatoes and gravy. The best part of the meal really was the rolls and jam. My friend Lauren gave me this recipe years ago and it's turned into a family favorite.

Lauren's Crescent Rolls:

2 Cups warm Water

2 Packages Quick Rising Yeast

1/4 Cup Oil

1/2 Cup Sugar

2 Teaspoons Salt

1 Egg

5 1/2 Cups Flour

In a large bowl pour warm water over yeast and let sit for about 10 minutes in order to activate the yeast. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine. Let stand for 1-2 hours for the dough to rise. Divide dough in half, roll out in circles and cut into pie shapes. Roll into crescent. Place on lightly greased sheet. Cover. Let rise for 1-2 hours. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Makes about 2 dozen, depending on the size you make the rolls. I like them big, so I usually only make 16 large rolls.

A great tip I've learned when it comes to cleaning up after serving a large group is to always make sure your dishwasher is empty. That way you can gaurantee you'll have room for all the dirty dishes after dinner. This means making sure you clean up as you cook.

Oh yeah, remember my restaurant recommendation? Well, gift certificates and BBQ sauce make a great gift for guys who like their meat (Travis). And, homemade jam makes for a great parting gift for your guests. My cute niece, Kellie, recommended tying raffia to the container for better presentation.

Enjoy!

Homemade Love

I had some friends move into a new home and figured a good housewarming gift would be some homemade jam.

I love homemade jam, but I've always thought it would be difficult / time consuming to make. I was completely wrong. I used the recipe off of the back of this fruit pectin packet and was done in 10 minutes flat! It calls for 4 cups of crushed fruit and 1 1/2 cups sugar. You mix everything together and don't even have to turn the stove on!

Since it was so easy to make, I figured I better make some homemade wheat bread to go with it.

Anyone know of a cute way to package freezer jam to give as a gift? Let me know.

BBQ for Summer's End

For me, Labor Day weekend represents the ending of Summer and the beginning of Fall. Yes, my pumpkin obsession should be starting soon. And what better way to see Summer come to an end with a great BBQ meal. So Husband and I made our way to Pat's BBQ for a little brisquet, ribs, meatloaf, and all the fixen's, that was all to die for! If you're looking for a great, hearty meal that serves you enough food to last a week, this is where you want to be. Check it out here.

Just in case you were wondering, they sell their awesome bbq sauce for $6 a bottle. This is serious stuff!

Italian Feast

While in Italy we had some amazing food and I've been wanting to recreate some of our favorite meals and share them with friends. We even brought home some spices and pesto that I've been dying to try. And seriously, how could you not miss drinking Fanta? It's either that, wine, or sparkling water, which left us without much options. They also look at you funny when you ask for tap water. Go figure.
I love how meals are an event in Italy so I wanted to experience it the same way, dining al fresco of course.

The menu

Bevande: Orange Fanta

Antipasti: Bruschetta

1st Course: Spaghettie Carbonara

2nd Course: Grilled chicken with pesto

Dolci: Tiramisu

The meal was good, but I think the only thing worth noting was the tiramisu. For the recipe go here. When we were in Rome we had the best strawberry Tiramisu ever, which is why I replaced the raspberries with strawberries. I also ran out of time and couldn't get to the liquor store for the orange liqueur, so instead I squeezed the juice from two oranges and about 1-2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar and simmered over medium heat to infuse the flavors (it worked out quite well).

The best part really was the company! Thanks Dave, Brittany and Madeline for joining us.

Tomato Season

I had this for lunch today:

And it made me think of this:

One of the first things I had once I arived in Italy was Capreses Salad. We started winding the streets of Venice and found a little restaurant tucked in a street with beautiful outdoor dining and an accordian player. It was everything I had pictured when I thought of Italy.

So, since tomatoes are finally in season, I've been dying to have caprese salad again. I picked up some fresh mozzarella at Costco for just under $7 for 5 pounds last night and it's so good. Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella up and add fresh basil, salt and pepper, and drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegarette. Enjoy!

Because I want to go wherever you go...

For our 8th Anniversary (yes 8, I know) I wanted to do something special for Husband. I got the idea from the Oh Happy Day blog and knew it would be perfect. I thought it would be simple, but it turned out to be quite the project with many late nights. I pretty much followed the instructions, the only problem I faced was that the map I got was really big! I also thought it would be great to add a beautiful frame, and I knew my friend Alex has mad wood working skills! I got some pins to indicate all the places we've been, and all the places we want to go. Here's the breakdown:

World map 43x30 found at Utah Idaho Supply for $12.99

Pins / flags founds at Utah Idaho Supply for around $3.99/pkg

Foam board at Michaels Crafts for $1.50

Spray glue at Michaels Crafts for $3.00

Wood to make the frame at Lowe's for a total of $10.00

Stain for the wood I already had

Now all I have to do is to figure out where I want to hang it up. Any ideas?

Party Like A Rock Star

We celebrated Husband's 30th birthday with a backyard party filled with lots of friends and fun. I have to admit that I didn't start planning it until the day before, but fortunately it turned out great. I kept everything pretty simple and kid friendly (since most of our friends now have growing families).

Here are the supplies I purchased:

A few pieces of cute paper (and stuck with a color scheme) - $5

Small cellophane treat bags - $2

Lemons and limes - $3

4 bags of lemonheads - $4

With the paper I made the garland that you see hanging from the trees and added a few details to some of the serving pieces. Then with the treat bags I made party favors for guests to take home.

Afterward, we enjoyed a game of volleyball with plenty of smack talk (some more than others - Robin!). We even had our very own cheerleaders :)

Action shots courtesy of Nat (thanks Nat!)

Keep it Simple

You want to know what the problem is when you eat Italian food in the States? Way too many ingredients. Seriously, the Italians know how to do it. They keep it simple.

Dinner typically starts at around 8:00pm and you first start off with appetizers, which for us was either caprese or bruschetta. Then you move on to the first course, which is pasta. The pasta consists of noodles and a sauce (no meat, extra veggies, or cheeses). Then you move on to the second course, meat. Typically fish, but sometimes you'll see a red meat or chicken. Then dessert, always dessert. And lastly, a cappuccino or coffee (and if you decline they look at you funny). In between each course they talk and smoke and hang out. It turns into quite the event, lasting at least 2 hours.

While in Rome we found a tiny restaurant tucked away in a little street, where I had the best pasta of my life. It was Spaghetti Carbonara, pictured above, which consists of bacon, eggs, and cheese. That's it. Anyone have a great recipe? I'm dying to test it!

Lunch pretty much consisted of caprese sandwiches. Tomato, mozzarella (the freshest I've ever had), and basil on a roll. That's it. Soooo good!

This may not seem to surprising to those of you who know me, but my favorite place also happened to have the best food. Vernazza, Italy - check it out (the picture speaks for itself).

No time for homemade?

Last week I went to bookclub and wanted to bring something yummy, but had no time to make something from scratch. I love making rolls, and will have to share my recipe soon, but I just couldn't fit it in my schedule. So, I ran over to Texas Roadhouse (remembering how yummy their rolls and cinnamon butter taste) and bought up a dozen of them. They come all wrapped up nicely in a pretty box and are only $3.99/dozen! So, if you're ever in a bind this is a great option.

If you haven't ever had them, trust me, their that good!

Photo Session

I get asked about the picture on my sidebar all the time. All of the credit (and I mean ALL of it) goes to my cute friend Brittany who took them. Isn't she amazing? You should contact her if you're interested.

Anyway, here's a couple more from our fabulous photo shoot. It was so much fun, thanks Brittany!

Gelato Countdown

In exactly 12 days I will be on a plane heading for Europe with my twin bro and his wife. First I'll be trying out bratwurst's in Germany (can you believe I've never had one before?) and then I'll move down through Italy in search of the best gelato. Seriously, if you know anything about me at all, you know that my favorite part of travel is the food!
It will be husbands first time out of the country (Canada just doesn't count) and we're both so excited. Any tips, favorite restaurants, shopping, or sites that are a must? Please share!

I went out with some cute girlfriends the other night to try out some local Italian pizza at Setebello's and then on for some gelato at Capo Gelateria. It's a good way to prepare for my trip, don't you think? Anyway, these connecting restaurant's are a must date night/girls night, and I highly recommend them!

I inquired about the difference between gelato and ice cream, and besides the differences in ingredients and processes, it apparently has fewer calories! I figured that I can now eat more of it while in Italy.

Outdoor Entertaining

As previously mentioned, my house is WAY too small for entertaining. On the other hand, my backyard has room a plenty! Which makes for great summer parties. The only bad part is that I don't hardly have any outdoor furniture. What I have learned is that there are tricks to making it work. For instance, that utility table of mine....suddenly looks beautiful with a pretty tablecloth and fresh cut flowers from the garden as a centerpiece. You almost don't even notice the ugly folding chairs that are tucked into the table!

I love it when my cute sister-in-law Nikki entertains. And here's why:

a) she's all about good food and fun (no fuss)

b) she always has an unlimited supply of beverages, with an option that pleases everyone

c) you can hang out all night if you want (she's up for anything)

Images:

Galvanized Metal Tray I can think of so many ways to use this tray! Great to carry anything from beverages, to strawberries, to your paper products.

White Serving Tray with Melamine Serving Ware This tray is so versatile, it could work indoors or out, or even become a permanent fixture on your coffee table! Don't you love the melamine serving ware?

Under the Sea Serving Pieces I've had my eye on this for forever, just waiting for it to go one sale. Everything would look great in this from fruit, to seafood, to dips, to mini desserts.

Hmmm...I should have a party. Maybe a bunco tournament? or how about some Volleyball? Who wants to come? If we were at Nikki's it would be Rock Band all the way!

I promise, you'll never go back

On Saturday morning I was craving pancakes, but I didn't have much time to make them from scratch, so I decided to make them from the box (not as good, but still worthwhile). I started getting everything out and the husband came in to help when I decided that I wanted to make homemade syrup, so the boxed pancakes would taste better. Husband starts getting annoyed that I'm taking the time to do this. I told him not only will I finish before he makes the pancakes, but he will thank me later for the delicious syrup.


Not only did he thank me while we were eating our pancakes with homemade syrup, but I finished way before he the pancakes were done!


Thanks to Adrianne, I now get why she won't eat store bought syrup. I know I won't!

Just follow the directions on the box.

Another tip: when making boxed pancakes, add some zest from a lemon and it will do wonders!

Fabulous Crepes

Sunday brunch is my favorite, as you can tell by most of the recipes I include in this blog. This last Sunday I opened up my Fabulous Fairholm cookbook and finally decided on these amazing crepes. They were so easy and quick, just remember when you are making crepes you want them as thin as possible, so spread the batter out as much as you can. I added powdered sugar, strawberries, homemade whip cream, and homemade syrup. You can even omit the sugar and make them a heartier breakfast by making fillings such as scrambled eggs, mushrooms, chives, and sausage. The possiblities are endless.

Fairholme Crepes
serves 4 - 6

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
dash salt
2 teaspoons sugar (if using sweet filling, otherwise omit)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted butter


Whisk together above ingredients until smooth. Place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Heat lightly oiled, non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat.

Pour 1 medium ladle of batter into pan and swirl to cover entire pan. Cook briefly and flip over with a wide spatula. Continue to cook until golden for about 1-2 minutes. Make sure that the pan comes back up to temperature between crepes.

To freeze, or not to freeze?

Did you know I freeze my bananas? No, not the ripe and ready to eat ones, but the ones that don't get eaten before they go brown and are perfect for baking. Why you ask? Well, then I know I have them on hand for those homemade banana bread cravings. I'm still searching for the perfect recipe, and am currently taking suggestions, but honestly, stephmodo never steers me wrong. So maybe I'll have to try out her favorite banana bread recipe.

Image via flickr.com

Wishful Thinking

If any of you have every been to my home you know that it's tiny! At least it feels that way. I love, love to entertain, but I just don't have the space for it. Which is why many of you haven't been over. I don't have a dining room, but I am constantly dreaming of what it would be like if I did. Right now, my dining consists of a small 4 person table in the corner of my tiny kitchen (and even then, it barely fits).

I am in LOVE with this dining room. Don't you just want to sit there for hours and eat fabulous food! I know I do. And the striped captain chairs...amazing!

Sorry, I don't even remember where I found this image. What I do know is that I'll save it for the day that I can finally duplicate it.

Have a lovely weekend....

Oh My!

Getting family together for Mother's Day is difficult. I feel like the Mother's still end up doing all the work on a day that is supposed to be for them. So this Mother's Day I had my family over, and all the Mother's had to do was show up. We had a great BBQ (husband was the chef), played a little badminton, and I made these amazing Brownie Peanut Butter Cups. Heaven! Try em, you won't be dissapointed.

Just a little tip: don't use as much peanut butter as it calls for.

Kitchen Love

I bet I'd cook more often if I had a kitchen like this one. Image via Elements of Style. Check this blog out, it's fabulous!

I'm in a cooking slump. Slump meaning I just don't cook. I could eat cereal.....for every meal.

Well, I call it a slump. The husband says if it's been more than a few weeks it's worse than a slump.

That's right, I just promoted him to full time chef in our household!