Roasted rainbow carrots and asparagus tonight. Bountiful baskets, baby! Yum-o!!
2.26.2013
2.22.2013
Ninja Turtle Soup
Ninja Turtles have become a thing around our house. Corey has introduced them to Nathan and all are in love.
In an effort to be very frugal, I bought a bag of split peas. I was on a mission to make Split Pea soup. It will be a first for all of us. The last time both Corey and I had it was when we were 4/5 years old and wouldn't eat it because it was green. So, today I am calling it Ninja Turtle Soup in hopes that Nathan will not immediately turn his nose up. Sometimes it's all about the presentation to get kids to try something new!
Split Pea Soup
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/easy-peasy-split-pea-soup-recipe/index.html
Ingredients
1/2 pound slab bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 pound green split peas, washed and picked clean
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 tomato, diced, for garnish
1 lime, cut into wedges, for garnish
Special equipment: Blender or immersion blender
Directions
Slice the bacon into 1/2-inch chunks. Add to a large soup pot and cook over medium-high heat to render the fat and get crispy on all sides, about 8 minutes total. The more brown the better; just don't burn them. They are perfect when they are more chewy than juicy.
Remove bacon chunks and set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Pour off all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of fat from the stock pot. Add the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt and pepper and saute until onions are just translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cumin and let cook another minute before adding the split peas and stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the peas are al dente (cooked through, but slightly firm and whole), about 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes.
Ladle out about 3 cups of the peas and carefully blitz the remaining soup using an immersion blender or countertop blender until creamy. If using a countertop blender be sure to only fill it about 1/3 the way up and start on a slow speed, then raise to a higher speed. This method will take a bit longer due to the need to blitz in batches. Pour the soup back into the pot. Return the 3 cups of peas to the soup and stir to combine and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with bacon, tomato and a squeeze of lime.
THE RESULT:
Nathan: Thanks for making the best soup ever, Mom.
It was a hit. He kept telling everyone about the Ninja Turtle soup and that it was topped with bacon. I was really proud of him for trying it.
In an effort to be very frugal, I bought a bag of split peas. I was on a mission to make Split Pea soup. It will be a first for all of us. The last time both Corey and I had it was when we were 4/5 years old and wouldn't eat it because it was green. So, today I am calling it Ninja Turtle Soup in hopes that Nathan will not immediately turn his nose up. Sometimes it's all about the presentation to get kids to try something new!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/easy-peasy-split-pea-soup-recipe/index.html
Ingredients
1/2 pound slab bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 pound green split peas, washed and picked clean
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 tomato, diced, for garnish
1 lime, cut into wedges, for garnish
Special equipment: Blender or immersion blender
Directions
Slice the bacon into 1/2-inch chunks. Add to a large soup pot and cook over medium-high heat to render the fat and get crispy on all sides, about 8 minutes total. The more brown the better; just don't burn them. They are perfect when they are more chewy than juicy.
Remove bacon chunks and set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Pour off all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of fat from the stock pot. Add the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt and pepper and saute until onions are just translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cumin and let cook another minute before adding the split peas and stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the peas are al dente (cooked through, but slightly firm and whole), about 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes.
Ladle out about 3 cups of the peas and carefully blitz the remaining soup using an immersion blender or countertop blender until creamy. If using a countertop blender be sure to only fill it about 1/3 the way up and start on a slow speed, then raise to a higher speed. This method will take a bit longer due to the need to blitz in batches. Pour the soup back into the pot. Return the 3 cups of peas to the soup and stir to combine and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with bacon, tomato and a squeeze of lime.
THE RESULT:
Nathan: Thanks for making the best soup ever, Mom.
It was a hit. He kept telling everyone about the Ninja Turtle soup and that it was topped with bacon. I was really proud of him for trying it.
2.20.2013
Things that happen while mom is in the shower...
I got out of the shower after exercising to find Nora. I guess she wanted to listen to her Elmo CD. She pushed the chair from the kitchen, switched out her sleep music, and pushed play. That little stinker. She is too smart of her own good!
2.15.2013
2.14.2013
Happy Valentine's Day!
Holidays are so fun. I love having food centered around holidays. But, it seems like, more and more, each holiday is centered around junk food. Well, it doesn't have to be!!
Breakfast:
Homemade Whole Wheat Pancakes topped with 100% real maple syrup or homemade strawberry cream cheese (regular cream cheese mixed with homemade strawberry jam made with honey not white sugar and no pectin)
Heart sandwich, heart cucumbers, heart apples, and heart cheese.
Yum-o!
Breakfast:
Homemade Whole Wheat Pancakes topped with 100% real maple syrup or homemade strawberry cream cheese (regular cream cheese mixed with homemade strawberry jam made with honey not white sugar and no pectin)
Lunch:
Heart sandwich, heart cucumbers, heart apples, and heart cheese.
Yum-o!
Holidays are also an excuse to do cute hair.
And friend valentines. They do NOT need to include candy!
2.06.2013
Sleep
Nathan left for preschool. Nora finished her lunch. I knew she tired but she went downstairs and I needed to talk for Corey for a minute. It got very quite which almost always means trouble. I went downstairs to find this...
Of course she woke up when I tried to move her and wouldn't go back to sleep the rest of the day. Stinker. And yes she's still in her jammies. It was one of those days.
2.05.2013
Homemade Turkey Steak
Around here, specifically northern Utah, is a rather common food called a turkey steak. A local restaurant is coined for it and other places have emulated it and you can buy packaged versions in most all grocery stores up here. But, once you get to Salt Lake, you can't find turkey steaks anymore. Well, by looking at the ingredients on the package, they are for sure not 'real food' approved. So I decided to try my own!
Here's roughly my first attempt:
Mix with ground turkey onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, parsley. (whatever you wanted for the particular flavor you were going for.)
Make patties.
Dip in egg/milk mixture then dip in homemade whole wheat bread crumbs.
I was out of olive oil, weird I know, so I used butter.
Cook on medium-ish heat until done all the way through and golden brown. You could probably also try baking them in oven.
THE RESULT:
Everyone loved them. Corey said they were better than the restaurant's. Very yum.
Here's roughly my first attempt:
Mix with ground turkey onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, parsley. (whatever you wanted for the particular flavor you were going for.)
Make patties.
Dip in egg/milk mixture then dip in homemade whole wheat bread crumbs.
I was out of olive oil, weird I know, so I used butter.
Cook on medium-ish heat until done all the way through and golden brown. You could probably also try baking them in oven.
THE RESULT:
Everyone loved them. Corey said they were better than the restaurant's. Very yum.
2.04.2013
Jump! Jump! Jump!
Nathan's good friend, Micah, had a birthday party at the trampoline park in Logan. The kids both had a blast! And were so tired that night...
2.02.2013
Some funny pictures
She's always keeping us on our toes!
Help! My daughter is being mauled by a giant pink teddy bear!
Nathan was pushing Nora around in the laundry basket and they thought it was so funny!
Help! My daughter is being mauled by a giant pink teddy bear!
Can't leave out the Nater-gater.
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