Good morning!
So I should be cooking. I should be packing. There is a lot I should be doing. But I'm sitting at work watching the princess and the goblin with the kids. I will be cooking later. I will be packing later. And it's raining. What better weather can there be to get ready to go to the desert. It will make the heat and sun all the better. I am so excited. To have a worry free week with nothing to think about but winning card games and wither to nap or swim. I am so excited to spend a whole week with my in laws. Not by blood but adoption. To have a whole week with a very loving mother in law. It will be amazing. I truly am grateful to be able to go.
But there is other news.
It was decided yesterday that I am going with my mom and Lars to Japan in July. This was not the plan before. I am still in a kind of shock and am really excited. I will be gone for 10 days from July 23rd to August 1st. It will be amazing I'm sure. Needless to say I have no idea whats going on.
But in the meantime I have a lot of packing and cooking to do. And a week away from the kids to look forward to.
hugs+kisses
mce
Friday, April 13, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
First Beach day of the summer
Hello!
As I write this I am sitting at work feeling nicely sun baked. You know that happy, alive and lazy feeling? That's it. Today I did something that I have never done. I have been asked and begged and pleads had been made and dismissed. Today these pleas were answered. I took the kids to the Beach. It was frighten and I was ready to back out at the slightest sign of disobedience. I told them that they would be told something once only and if that was not enough then we would pack up and leave and not come back for a long time. I made them all look at me while I warned each in turn. They were prefect. I couldn't have been happier with their behavior. They check with me as we left that they had been good and just how good had they been and were we going to come back to the beach again then? They dug in the sand and played in the waves and collected shells. My mom and cousin Sheri came with, which I have to say was the deciding factor in us going at all. It was amazing. I hadn't been to the beach in so long it felt like coming home. I went into the waves and lay in the sun. I have decided that since they were so good we will be going again soon. I feel as if summer has started now. I know spring has just begun but the beach is always summer to me.
I've been feeling so great lately. Maybe it's the fact that I know I have time off coming. And it's not the scary "who knows when I will be working again" time off. It's a week. Just a week. I can do a week. I am even working the Sunday I get back for 12 hours. Not sure how I feel about that yet. It's rational and smart and I know that. But it's also vacation. Oh well. As Jono pointed out, I'll be missing them by Tuesday so I might as well work Sunday.
I hope all of you are having an amazing time where ever you are.
hugs+kisses
mce
p.s. It was pointed out to me that the picture of Lu at the bottom of the last post may do with some explaining. That is Lu pushing a wight across the floor for her "workout". She insisted on doing it since it was one of the exercises I was doing.
As I write this I am sitting at work feeling nicely sun baked. You know that happy, alive and lazy feeling? That's it. Today I did something that I have never done. I have been asked and begged and pleads had been made and dismissed. Today these pleas were answered. I took the kids to the Beach. It was frighten and I was ready to back out at the slightest sign of disobedience. I told them that they would be told something once only and if that was not enough then we would pack up and leave and not come back for a long time. I made them all look at me while I warned each in turn. They were prefect. I couldn't have been happier with their behavior. They check with me as we left that they had been good and just how good had they been and were we going to come back to the beach again then? They dug in the sand and played in the waves and collected shells. My mom and cousin Sheri came with, which I have to say was the deciding factor in us going at all. It was amazing. I hadn't been to the beach in so long it felt like coming home. I went into the waves and lay in the sun. I have decided that since they were so good we will be going again soon. I feel as if summer has started now. I know spring has just begun but the beach is always summer to me.
I've been feeling so great lately. Maybe it's the fact that I know I have time off coming. And it's not the scary "who knows when I will be working again" time off. It's a week. Just a week. I can do a week. I am even working the Sunday I get back for 12 hours. Not sure how I feel about that yet. It's rational and smart and I know that. But it's also vacation. Oh well. As Jono pointed out, I'll be missing them by Tuesday so I might as well work Sunday.
I hope all of you are having an amazing time where ever you are.
hugs+kisses
mce
p.s. It was pointed out to me that the picture of Lu at the bottom of the last post may do with some explaining. That is Lu pushing a wight across the floor for her "workout". She insisted on doing it since it was one of the exercises I was doing.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Cookies, Cake and Spring
Hello!
If you haven't noticed Spring is here. Isn't it amazing?! In LA it is bright and sunny and perfect. I've been having a great week so far. I am still dealing with on going issues with my mother-in-law-to-be, but I have reached a point of "what will be will be", which makes it all a lot easier to deal with. SO with this in mind I baked cookies. Perfect Chocolate chunk cookies with sea salt. Doesn't that sound amazing? They are.
I also made Flourless Chocolate cake. It was another recipe out of my new cook book and it turned out amazing! So good that I was caught in bed with a slice last night by my Fiance/Trainer. There were raised eyebrows, foot taping, and promises of undying love and then more promises to work out extra heard today. It was a close call let me tell you. Needless to say next time I need to make sure I remember what time he gets home from work. I also tucked two small slices away in my bag for lunch today. I was sneaking nibbles in the front seat while driving them around.
Spring also means Farmers Markets time. Jono has started going with me to these and we make a nice little trip out of it. I've fallen in love with salad greens from farmers markets. The crisp and tart and slightly spicy mixes you can make yourself out of big bins of lettuce leaves. With a light vinaigrette and some goat cheese they are perfect. It's time for light clean food. Cool and crisp. I am in need of bright flavors and simple food. I don't want to spend hours standing over the oven while the house gets hotter and more confining. It is time to be outside having a picnic.
I hope you all find yourselves outside soon.
hugs+kisses
mce
If you haven't noticed Spring is here. Isn't it amazing?! In LA it is bright and sunny and perfect. I've been having a great week so far. I am still dealing with on going issues with my mother-in-law-to-be, but I have reached a point of "what will be will be", which makes it all a lot easier to deal with. SO with this in mind I baked cookies. Perfect Chocolate chunk cookies with sea salt. Doesn't that sound amazing? They are.
Spring also means Farmers Markets time. Jono has started going with me to these and we make a nice little trip out of it. I've fallen in love with salad greens from farmers markets. The crisp and tart and slightly spicy mixes you can make yourself out of big bins of lettuce leaves. With a light vinaigrette and some goat cheese they are perfect. It's time for light clean food. Cool and crisp. I am in need of bright flavors and simple food. I don't want to spend hours standing over the oven while the house gets hotter and more confining. It is time to be outside having a picnic.
I hope you all find yourselves outside soon.
mce
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Prep Timing
Good Morning!
It is 18 days till I go to Palm Desert. I am so excited. The only thing that I am having trouble figuring out is the cooking.
As you may have realized by now I cook a lot in my time off. This is partly because I find it very calming, and partly because I need to make food for the next work week. But Palm desert is providing a problem. I want to pack light. That might be the biggest issue. When I started listing everything I wanted to make it palm desert to Jono he simply looked at me and said "so we are bringing the mixer." I've never had a mixer to bring so the issue hadn't even come up in my mind. But it made me think about it. If I bring the mixer that means that I need to bring flours, sugars, yeast, baking power and soda, cookbooks, pans, and who knows what else. That is a lot to bring, not to mention the 30 lbs. mixer in it's self. So I would rather not bring all that. But can I do without it for a week? can I do a week away from a kitchen for the most part? Without baking bread and cookies and cooking whenever I feel low? I'm slightly anti-social when I am cooking. I have my story on and am in my own world. I don't want to do that when I am in palm desert with family. There will be cooking but only one meal is our responsibility. So I am trying to find a middle ground. I know I want desserts. But I have decided to have rules about it.
These are my vacation cooking rules;
1) all the major prep work must be able to be done before we leave. For example I need to be able to make the dough before hand and just bring it and cook it in palm desert.
2) nothing that takes longer then an hour. I know that at home I will spend hours and hours in the kitchen. None of that!
3) light and healthy. Fruit based things. Lemon bars?
4) It has to make a lot. I am used to cooking for 2 at home but in Palm Desert there will be 10 of us at least.
So to that end I am scouring my cookbooks and all the recipes I have saved to my computer. I have found a few things that might work. Sugar cookies are definitely coming since I can freeze the dough and just cut and baking, meaning that all I need to bring is a cookie sheet. Maybe make a lemon glaze for it. It's am interesting dilemma and something that is going to be a challenge. wish me luck!
hugs+kisses
mce
It is 18 days till I go to Palm Desert. I am so excited. The only thing that I am having trouble figuring out is the cooking.
As you may have realized by now I cook a lot in my time off. This is partly because I find it very calming, and partly because I need to make food for the next work week. But Palm desert is providing a problem. I want to pack light. That might be the biggest issue. When I started listing everything I wanted to make it palm desert to Jono he simply looked at me and said "so we are bringing the mixer." I've never had a mixer to bring so the issue hadn't even come up in my mind. But it made me think about it. If I bring the mixer that means that I need to bring flours, sugars, yeast, baking power and soda, cookbooks, pans, and who knows what else. That is a lot to bring, not to mention the 30 lbs. mixer in it's self. So I would rather not bring all that. But can I do without it for a week? can I do a week away from a kitchen for the most part? Without baking bread and cookies and cooking whenever I feel low? I'm slightly anti-social when I am cooking. I have my story on and am in my own world. I don't want to do that when I am in palm desert with family. There will be cooking but only one meal is our responsibility. So I am trying to find a middle ground. I know I want desserts. But I have decided to have rules about it.
These are my vacation cooking rules;
1) all the major prep work must be able to be done before we leave. For example I need to be able to make the dough before hand and just bring it and cook it in palm desert.
2) nothing that takes longer then an hour. I know that at home I will spend hours and hours in the kitchen. None of that!
3) light and healthy. Fruit based things. Lemon bars?
4) It has to make a lot. I am used to cooking for 2 at home but in Palm Desert there will be 10 of us at least.
So to that end I am scouring my cookbooks and all the recipes I have saved to my computer. I have found a few things that might work. Sugar cookies are definitely coming since I can freeze the dough and just cut and baking, meaning that all I need to bring is a cookie sheet. Maybe make a lemon glaze for it. It's am interesting dilemma and something that is going to be a challenge. wish me luck!
hugs+kisses
mce
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Big Plans for Spring Break
Hello!
So the plans are in the works. Palm desert is the destination. 3 1/2 weeks is the time. And trust me I'm counting. Jono and I are spending the week hopping from one room to another with his family at their timeshare. It's going to be a blast. Jono and I are going to cook dinner for everyone at least one night. That's 10 people. 10 people used to good food. His other mother is an amazing cook and I am in constant awe of what she can whip up on a work night. And it's all so good. So like I always get before I cook for people I am worrying. Jono is not. At all. How he can have such faith in my cooking when he sees all the mistakes at home I really don't know. He has seen me throw out dish after dish that I'm managed to completely mangle. But he says it will be fine. He wants to make pies. Pies that we made on a whim to use up extra pastry tart shells I had. Pies made up of what I could get my hands on in our fridge. Now they were good but not perfect. Not up to the standards of the family. At least I don't think so. So this next weeks will be filled with the making of pies. Lots of pies. I have been looking up dough recipes, and worrying over filling. Jono said we can do them just the same but I think I can make something better. I will be experimenting. It will also be my first real foray into cooking without a recipe in mind. I have changed recipes while I cook them but I have never gone completely off on my own. I am also going to make a bunch of desserts ahead of time as a peace offering if this whole dinner thing is a bust. Sugar cures all ill will. right?
I will keep you all updated on the progress of the hunt but it may be a bit scary. I will post my failures as well as any success I have.
wish me luck!
hugs +kisses
mce
So the plans are in the works. Palm desert is the destination. 3 1/2 weeks is the time. And trust me I'm counting. Jono and I are spending the week hopping from one room to another with his family at their timeshare. It's going to be a blast. Jono and I are going to cook dinner for everyone at least one night. That's 10 people. 10 people used to good food. His other mother is an amazing cook and I am in constant awe of what she can whip up on a work night. And it's all so good. So like I always get before I cook for people I am worrying. Jono is not. At all. How he can have such faith in my cooking when he sees all the mistakes at home I really don't know. He has seen me throw out dish after dish that I'm managed to completely mangle. But he says it will be fine. He wants to make pies. Pies that we made on a whim to use up extra pastry tart shells I had. Pies made up of what I could get my hands on in our fridge. Now they were good but not perfect. Not up to the standards of the family. At least I don't think so. So this next weeks will be filled with the making of pies. Lots of pies. I have been looking up dough recipes, and worrying over filling. Jono said we can do them just the same but I think I can make something better. I will be experimenting. It will also be my first real foray into cooking without a recipe in mind. I have changed recipes while I cook them but I have never gone completely off on my own. I am also going to make a bunch of desserts ahead of time as a peace offering if this whole dinner thing is a bust. Sugar cures all ill will. right?
I will keep you all updated on the progress of the hunt but it may be a bit scary. I will post my failures as well as any success I have.
wish me luck!
hugs +kisses
mce
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Jam Tartlets
Good Morning!
The sun is shining and the world is well. I made something yummy. Some munchings and crunchings. It was a bit labor intesive but that is all to the good right now.
Jam tartlets
(adapted from the Sono baking company cookbook)
Ingredients
1/2 recipe Pate Sucree
(Full recipe)
2 cups flour
1 cup butter (room temperature)
1/4 cup Sugar
1 tsp Coarse salt
1 Large egg
1 Large egg yolk
Streusel
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
Pate Suree
in the bowl of a sand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat butter, sugar and salt on medium-high until light and fluffy about 3 minutes. scraping down the sides as you go. Add the egg and yolk. Mix until combined. Add the flour and beat until it has been absorbed.
Turn out dough of bowl, working with half at a time, on to plastic wrap and create 2 discs. refrigerate for at least 2 hours. I left them in there for about a week.
Tartlets
on a lightly floured surface roll out dough to about 1/8 in thick. use what ever size tart pans you are using (I used 4 in ones) to cut out circles enough to fill the pans. Place in mold and refrigerated again. I let them chill for about a day.
to make the streusel- in a medium bowl use a fork to stir together the flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the butter and work into the dough with your fingers. Work until it looks like bread crumbs. refrigerate until you are ready for it.
Pre-heat oven to 350f.
spoon in about 1 TBS jam into each mold and spread it out. Make sure it is not too thick. Place the streusel onto till it covers all the jam and mounds a bit in the middle.
Bake on a baking sheet for about 20-25 mins. Until the edges are golden brown and the streusel is cooked. Let cool on a wire rack.
eat!
I hope you all like the recipe! they are really good and not too sweet. Very good with a cup of coffee. you might want to share them if you make them using the 4 inch pans.
hope you all have a great day and some sweets to share.
hugs+kisses
mce
The sun is shining and the world is well. I made something yummy. Some munchings and crunchings. It was a bit labor intesive but that is all to the good right now.
Jam tartlets
(adapted from the Sono baking company cookbook)
Ingredients
1/2 recipe Pate Sucree
(Full recipe)
2 cups flour
1 cup butter (room temperature)
1/4 cup Sugar
1 tsp Coarse salt
1 Large egg
1 Large egg yolk
Streusel
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
Pate Suree
in the bowl of a sand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat butter, sugar and salt on medium-high until light and fluffy about 3 minutes. scraping down the sides as you go. Add the egg and yolk. Mix until combined. Add the flour and beat until it has been absorbed.
Turn out dough of bowl, working with half at a time, on to plastic wrap and create 2 discs. refrigerate for at least 2 hours. I left them in there for about a week.
Tartlets
on a lightly floured surface roll out dough to about 1/8 in thick. use what ever size tart pans you are using (I used 4 in ones) to cut out circles enough to fill the pans. Place in mold and refrigerated again. I let them chill for about a day.
to make the streusel- in a medium bowl use a fork to stir together the flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the butter and work into the dough with your fingers. Work until it looks like bread crumbs. refrigerate until you are ready for it.
Pre-heat oven to 350f.
spoon in about 1 TBS jam into each mold and spread it out. Make sure it is not too thick. Place the streusel onto till it covers all the jam and mounds a bit in the middle.
Bake on a baking sheet for about 20-25 mins. Until the edges are golden brown and the streusel is cooked. Let cool on a wire rack.
eat!
I hope you all like the recipe! they are really good and not too sweet. Very good with a cup of coffee. you might want to share them if you make them using the 4 inch pans.
hope you all have a great day and some sweets to share.
hugs+kisses
mce
Saturday, March 17, 2012
The rain is Pouring down
Good Morning!
I have decided not to think about all the stress and problems that has come up these past weeks. I am not going to think about money, at least for a few hours. The best way I know to not think about these things is to cook. I have found a sanctuary in the kitchen. As the rain pours down and lashes against the windows I will bake and cook in the warm comfort of the kitchen.
Over the past week or two I have fallen in love with a cookbook. More of a baking book. It's called "the Sono baking company Cookbook" by John Barricelli. Truly amazing. I was looking for a good book for baking both sweet and savory. I have found it. Everything I have made out of it turned out amazing. Here is one of the recipes I have decided that I need to have on hand at all times in the house.
Buttermilk Scones
(from Sono baking company)
2 cups flour (plus more for dusting)
2 TBS sugar
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 TBS cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cups buttermilk
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
work the butter into the flour mix with your hands until it looks like bread crumbs. (the book says coarse bread crumbs but I never get it looking like that)
Add 1/2 cup of buttermilk and fold until it is absorbed. Continue adding the rest of the buttermilk just until the dough is together and there aren't any dry spots.
turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Devide the dough into two balls and make those balls into two disks about 1 inch thick. Cut into equal slices. I do about 4 out of each disk but if you want them smaller you can do 6 or 8.
Chill the slices on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper in the fridge for an hour.
Now these are best eaten the same day so I freeze them at this point. Once they are chilled I put them in a plastic bag and freeze them till I want them.
Preheat the oven to 400f. Bake from frozen till they are puffed and golden. About 20 minutes. It says to let them cool at this point but I never can wait. I cut them open and put butter and jam on them.
I have started making these for breakfast. I start preheating the oven when i get up and they finish just before I walk out the door. They really are amazing.
I don't know what I will make this weekend but I will make something yummy. I will be happy and calm. Yesterday I may have cried at work (the kids were amazing too. I got the biggest group hug ever) but today I will put that all behind me and just be happy.
I hope you all have a good weekend.
hugs+kisses
mce
I have decided not to think about all the stress and problems that has come up these past weeks. I am not going to think about money, at least for a few hours. The best way I know to not think about these things is to cook. I have found a sanctuary in the kitchen. As the rain pours down and lashes against the windows I will bake and cook in the warm comfort of the kitchen.
Over the past week or two I have fallen in love with a cookbook. More of a baking book. It's called "the Sono baking company Cookbook" by John Barricelli. Truly amazing. I was looking for a good book for baking both sweet and savory. I have found it. Everything I have made out of it turned out amazing. Here is one of the recipes I have decided that I need to have on hand at all times in the house.
Buttermilk Scones
(from Sono baking company)
2 cups flour (plus more for dusting)
2 TBS sugar
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 TBS cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cups buttermilk
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
work the butter into the flour mix with your hands until it looks like bread crumbs. (the book says coarse bread crumbs but I never get it looking like that)
Add 1/2 cup of buttermilk and fold until it is absorbed. Continue adding the rest of the buttermilk just until the dough is together and there aren't any dry spots.
turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Devide the dough into two balls and make those balls into two disks about 1 inch thick. Cut into equal slices. I do about 4 out of each disk but if you want them smaller you can do 6 or 8.
Chill the slices on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper in the fridge for an hour.
Now these are best eaten the same day so I freeze them at this point. Once they are chilled I put them in a plastic bag and freeze them till I want them.
Preheat the oven to 400f. Bake from frozen till they are puffed and golden. About 20 minutes. It says to let them cool at this point but I never can wait. I cut them open and put butter and jam on them.
I have started making these for breakfast. I start preheating the oven when i get up and they finish just before I walk out the door. They really are amazing.
I don't know what I will make this weekend but I will make something yummy. I will be happy and calm. Yesterday I may have cried at work (the kids were amazing too. I got the biggest group hug ever) but today I will put that all behind me and just be happy.
I hope you all have a good weekend.
hugs+kisses
mce
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