So I'm sitting in my living room enjoying a nice cool glass of water while I watch Extreme Couponers and all I can think is WHY?! Why are you so proud of yourself? Now, before I go any further, let me tell you a few things. 1. I am not a bitter woman sitting here stewing in jealousy over the money these people "save". 2. I do NOT believe in extreme couponing because I do not feel the need to fill my body with crap. Which is obvious if you know me. 3. I don't feel the need to have a stockpile like we are moving into Great Depression the II.
You want to know what my view on this crap is? I believe that this is more closely related to HOARDING than it is anything else. For example, I just watched a man buy 300 toothbrushes. What the hell do you need 300 toothbrushes for?! Why do you NEED 1,400 boxes of cereal?! Who cares if it's FREE!!! It's 1,400 boxes of CEREAL! Oh and 130 boxes of Tylenol... say goodbye to your liver.
And WHY can you not get all your produce for free? Now THAT would be a deal. Pass me some coupons for cucumbers, apples, bell peppers. Give me all THAT for free and I will be in this for the long haul. That said, I do not need 500 packages in Pizza Rolls in my freezer nor do I want them. And although I ADORE chicken, I don't feel the need to gather up 17 free bottles of barbeque sauce to dip it in..
Now, their are those that do this for good. One woman has donated over $100,000 worth of goods to shelters etc. Good for her! Sadly, not everyone is like this amazing woman. She believes in sharing and supporting the needs of those around her. So PROPS to YOU extreme coupon clipping woman! The rest of you could learn something from this woman.
I would apologize for stepping on your toes if you are one of these people, but I won't. Because I am not sorry. It's hoarding. Plain and simple. My time with my family is more precious to me than 2,000 rolls of free toilet paper.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Lavender Cupcakes with a Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Few things are better than a scrumptious dessert after a long and fun summer day and this recipe is nothing short of decadent. I'm not huge on baking but sometimes I do get the bug and seeing as how today was a special mother and daughter day for the kiddo and eye, baking these seemed the perfect way to end our day. So, here is the recipe I promised. I hope you enjoy!
1/2 Recipe of Cupcakes
makes 12 cupcakes / 350 degree oven
1/2 stick butter
3/4 cups sugar
1 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon crumbled lavender flowers
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1. soften butter in the mixer on high speed
2. drizzle the sugar in with the butter and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes
3. sift flour, baking powder, lavender flowers and salt together
4. measure out milk and vanilla
5. add the flour mixture and milk mixture to the butter/sugar in 3 parts alternating between flour and milk and beating well after each addition
6. set aside incorporated mixture
7. in a clean mixer bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form
8. fold egg whites into cake batter until incorporated
9. scoop batter into the prepared cupcake pans
10. bake in the 350 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean
11. Cool Completely
Okay, so I kinda made up the frosting recipe as I went along so I cannot give you the exact measurements I used. I will just say this: Make it to your taste. If you want it more tart, add more lemon juice. If you want it sweeter, add more sugar. It's all up to you. I made mine more tart and combined with the sweetness of the cupcake, it was DIVINE! See below for the basic guidelines.
1/2 Recipe of Lemon Cream cheese Frosting
1/2 stick butter
1 8oz packages of cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (don't be scared to try Lime or Orange)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (See above)
1 13/4 cups confectioner's sugar
3-4 drops of purple food coloring (I used neons 5 drops blue, 5 drops pink)
1 tablespoon lavender flowers
1. soften butter in the mixer on high speed
2. add cream cheese and beat until combined
3. sift confectioner's sugar
4. add about half of the confectioner's sugar and citrus juice and zest to the butter/cream cheese mixture and beat on high speed to combine
5. add remaining confectioner's sugar in stages until desired consistency and sweetness is achieved
6. add purple food coloring and mix until consistent color is achieved. Put on cupcakes.
7. Sprinkle with lavender flowers and EAT!
Try this recipe and let me know what you think of the results!
1/2 Recipe of Cupcakes
makes 12 cupcakes / 350 degree oven
1/2 stick butter
3/4 cups sugar
1 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon crumbled lavender flowers
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1. soften butter in the mixer on high speed
2. drizzle the sugar in with the butter and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes
3. sift flour, baking powder, lavender flowers and salt together
4. measure out milk and vanilla
5. add the flour mixture and milk mixture to the butter/sugar in 3 parts alternating between flour and milk and beating well after each addition
6. set aside incorporated mixture
7. in a clean mixer bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form
8. fold egg whites into cake batter until incorporated
9. scoop batter into the prepared cupcake pans
10. bake in the 350 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean
11. Cool Completely
Okay, so I kinda made up the frosting recipe as I went along so I cannot give you the exact measurements I used. I will just say this: Make it to your taste. If you want it more tart, add more lemon juice. If you want it sweeter, add more sugar. It's all up to you. I made mine more tart and combined with the sweetness of the cupcake, it was DIVINE! See below for the basic guidelines.
1/2 Recipe of Lemon Cream cheese Frosting
1/2 stick butter
1 8oz packages of cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (don't be scared to try Lime or Orange)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (See above)
1 13/4 cups confectioner's sugar
3-4 drops of purple food coloring (I used neons 5 drops blue, 5 drops pink)
1 tablespoon lavender flowers
1. soften butter in the mixer on high speed
2. add cream cheese and beat until combined
3. sift confectioner's sugar
4. add about half of the confectioner's sugar and citrus juice and zest to the butter/cream cheese mixture and beat on high speed to combine
5. add remaining confectioner's sugar in stages until desired consistency and sweetness is achieved
6. add purple food coloring and mix until consistent color is achieved. Put on cupcakes.
7. Sprinkle with lavender flowers and EAT!
Try this recipe and let me know what you think of the results!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
It's my own carrot filled Twilight.
I find myself with computer on lap, chillin in bed, munching on carrots and watching a movie filled with Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson and best of all, Ashley Green. My husband thinks she's a total fox and I cannot say I disagree. If you haven't figured it out already, I'm watching Twilight. I'm not ashamed to admit it: I'm a Twilight fan. Stephanie Meyer has mad writing talent and the movies are fun. A little off, but entertaining and filled with eye candy and after a long day with the kiddo, totally relaxing and mind-numbing as I've seen it over 10 times. I'm anxiously awaiting November 18th as the first installment to the last movie comes to theaters. I will be there night of, popcorn in hand ready to cheer Bella on. Yup, I'm a nerd and I LOVE it.
I wonder how many Twilight Moms are still out there? How many Edward Cullen fanatics still exist.. when I think about how the women/teenagers that swoon over his character and wish he was "their" man, it kinda makes me ill inside. I mean think about it: He blackmails Bella with sex to convince her marry him, he sneaks into Bella's room to watch her sleep, he is ridiculously condescending, he doesn't like that she has other guy friends aside from him (He's controlling), he wants to EAT her. I mean, this dude is a complete psychopath with all the warning signs of an abuser. While the character makes an intriguing vampire in a movie, that character is NOT the man you want warming your bed in real life... *heebie jeebies*
Anti-Edward speech is now finished.
And on that note, I'm going to sleep. Peace out peeps.
I wonder how many Twilight Moms are still out there? How many Edward Cullen fanatics still exist.. when I think about how the women/teenagers that swoon over his character and wish he was "their" man, it kinda makes me ill inside. I mean think about it: He blackmails Bella with sex to convince her marry him, he sneaks into Bella's room to watch her sleep, he is ridiculously condescending, he doesn't like that she has other guy friends aside from him (He's controlling), he wants to EAT her. I mean, this dude is a complete psychopath with all the warning signs of an abuser. While the character makes an intriguing vampire in a movie, that character is NOT the man you want warming your bed in real life... *heebie jeebies*
Anti-Edward speech is now finished.
And on that note, I'm going to sleep. Peace out peeps.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Pasta and Dessert and a Russian - OH MY!
Seriously, what is better than a little free time in the company of good friends? Okay, well, most things involving my daughter and husband, but aside from that? Nothing. A girls night was just what I needed to feel rejuvenated.
I need to offer thanks to my girl, Deborah, for opening up her house to me and all of our new and old friends. And also for making a FABULOUS pan of baked Ziti and saving my ass on the brownies. Perhaps next time I promise to bring a dessert I WON'T fall asleep while it's baking.
I FINALLY got to hang out with my girl Heidi and I am pretty sure I watched her head spin round while she tried to keep up with my 90 mph flow of conversation. I get to going so fast sometimes that my tongue can't keep up. Add a glass of wine to that and we hit about 115 mphs. Barely understandable. She's a great sport though and didn't tell me to shut up so props to her. :)
My new friend Laura also came which was a treat! I have so been looking forward to meeting her and she is just as awesome as I presumed. Military Wife + Drama Free = Fabulous. Oh, and she likes Wine. We're on the road to a marvelous friendship I am sure.
Add the hot Russian to the mix and it was an amazing night. Sophie was very excited to meet everyone and extremely nervous. I'm happy to say that everyone loved her and she them.
All in all, a girl cannot ask for more than this.
And on that note, to bed. To bed I said.
I need to offer thanks to my girl, Deborah, for opening up her house to me and all of our new and old friends. And also for making a FABULOUS pan of baked Ziti and saving my ass on the brownies. Perhaps next time I promise to bring a dessert I WON'T fall asleep while it's baking.
I FINALLY got to hang out with my girl Heidi and I am pretty sure I watched her head spin round while she tried to keep up with my 90 mph flow of conversation. I get to going so fast sometimes that my tongue can't keep up. Add a glass of wine to that and we hit about 115 mphs. Barely understandable. She's a great sport though and didn't tell me to shut up so props to her. :)
My new friend Laura also came which was a treat! I have so been looking forward to meeting her and she is just as awesome as I presumed. Military Wife + Drama Free = Fabulous. Oh, and she likes Wine. We're on the road to a marvelous friendship I am sure.
Add the hot Russian to the mix and it was an amazing night. Sophie was very excited to meet everyone and extremely nervous. I'm happy to say that everyone loved her and she them.
All in all, a girl cannot ask for more than this.
And on that note, to bed. To bed I said.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
And Prize for Biggest Slacker Goes To......
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. I blog and then I disappear. What can I say? I'm a busy gal.
I started off this week lost and lonely. Ana is at Grandma's for the next few days and both of my dogs are currently away from home due to health issues. My best friend Deborah has her hubby and new puppy to look after and I would hate to bug the heck out of her.
Luckily for me, I met a new friend: Sophie Zimina. She is from Siberia, Russia and probably one of the MOST interesting people I have ever had the pleasure of talking too. I've learned more about Russia and Israel (Where her mother lives) this past week than I did in years of school. Cause lets face it, if it's not about America you don't learn much about it in school. At least I didn't in NC. Sad to know.
Anyway, do you ever wonder if God puts people in your path with the intention that you meet? I do believe so. And I believe that Sophie was put dead center on my path. After gathering up the courage to invite her over for dinner, I was ecstatic that she accepted. I was sure she would wonder why this crazy American girl was asking her out for dinner. Little did I know that that night would be the start of a great friendship. We talk and text and genuinely enjoy each others company. I love watching her learn American "Slang". She smiles, laughs and then repeats the meaning multiple times in order to etch it in her brain. I listen to her speak Russian and learn a little at a time. Emphasis on LITTLE. I can speak 6 words. Yes, No, Sandal, Pyramid, Lady and Old Woman. Translates into: Da, Neit, Pyramida, Sandalii, Ledi and Babushka. That is the extent of my Russian. But hey, it's 6 more words than I knew before Sophie got here. I am blessed to have stumbled across such a fabulous new friend and I cannot wait to get to know her further.
I think my current sunburn can attest to my dedication to my friends. :P
Speaking of friends, I have a WONDERFUL friend that I REALLY need to see face to face more often. She is a joy and makes me smile constantly. She also nags me mercilessly about my lack of 365. I went into 365 with such excitement. I forgot that I was going to have a deployed husband and never forsaw the loss of both of my dogs. It's been a crazy couple of weeks. Sooo, I am going to take a page out of my beautiful friends book and I am going to go with 52 weeks instead of 365. I think ANYONE can manage 1 pic a week. :) With that said, here are two from a recent outing with my daughter that just make me smile.
Oh, the wonder of children. I love when just one little piece of a plant can create such excitement. And yes, I broke the cardinal rule of photography, I Cut Off Ana's Hands at the Joint!! GASP! Someone take away my camera!!!
Heidi, I hope that these two shots make you smile. And on that note, I am exhausted and going to sleep!
Peace out everyone!
I started off this week lost and lonely. Ana is at Grandma's for the next few days and both of my dogs are currently away from home due to health issues. My best friend Deborah has her hubby and new puppy to look after and I would hate to bug the heck out of her.
Luckily for me, I met a new friend: Sophie Zimina. She is from Siberia, Russia and probably one of the MOST interesting people I have ever had the pleasure of talking too. I've learned more about Russia and Israel (Where her mother lives) this past week than I did in years of school. Cause lets face it, if it's not about America you don't learn much about it in school. At least I didn't in NC. Sad to know.
Anyway, do you ever wonder if God puts people in your path with the intention that you meet? I do believe so. And I believe that Sophie was put dead center on my path. After gathering up the courage to invite her over for dinner, I was ecstatic that she accepted. I was sure she would wonder why this crazy American girl was asking her out for dinner. Little did I know that that night would be the start of a great friendship. We talk and text and genuinely enjoy each others company. I love watching her learn American "Slang". She smiles, laughs and then repeats the meaning multiple times in order to etch it in her brain. I listen to her speak Russian and learn a little at a time. Emphasis on LITTLE. I can speak 6 words. Yes, No, Sandal, Pyramid, Lady and Old Woman. Translates into: Da, Neit, Pyramida, Sandalii, Ledi and Babushka. That is the extent of my Russian. But hey, it's 6 more words than I knew before Sophie got here. I am blessed to have stumbled across such a fabulous new friend and I cannot wait to get to know her further.
I think my current sunburn can attest to my dedication to my friends. :P
Speaking of friends, I have a WONDERFUL friend that I REALLY need to see face to face more often. She is a joy and makes me smile constantly. She also nags me mercilessly about my lack of 365. I went into 365 with such excitement. I forgot that I was going to have a deployed husband and never forsaw the loss of both of my dogs. It's been a crazy couple of weeks. Sooo, I am going to take a page out of my beautiful friends book and I am going to go with 52 weeks instead of 365. I think ANYONE can manage 1 pic a week. :) With that said, here are two from a recent outing with my daughter that just make me smile.
Oh, the wonder of children. I love when just one little piece of a plant can create such excitement. And yes, I broke the cardinal rule of photography, I Cut Off Ana's Hands at the Joint!! GASP! Someone take away my camera!!!
Heidi, I hope that these two shots make you smile. And on that note, I am exhausted and going to sleep!
Peace out everyone!
Friday, June 3, 2011
I have found the Devil and her name is....
I would like to thank my good friend Heidi for reminding me that once upon a time I started a blog. February arrived, my husband came home from Afghanistan and suddenly I disappeared. Where did I go? Well, obviously I left to go take advantage of my husbands sunkissed body. Duh. Why did I stay gone? Because the sight of my husband made me forget I even started this blog. He is once again deployed so I will rely on this faithful peace of internet to vent every frustration and aggravation that has ever arrives on my doorstep from now until August. So, lets begin.
First and foremost, I feel I should inform you that I have found Satan. Yes, it's true. She's ridiculously sexy and has a kick ass body and appears occasionally in my dreamstate menage a tois. Who is this majestic woman you ask? Let me open your eyes: Satan is Jillian Michaels. What? You didn't know? Obviously you have not discovered Jillian Michaels Workout DVD: The 30 Day Shred. I know why it's called a Shred. Because she shreds your soul. After your first workout you wonder how the hell you are going to survive day 2. Then day 3 and by day 4 you feel like keeling over into someones grave. And then, amazingly, your muscles adapt. You do your day 5 workout and you think, "Wow! I can do this! Why was I complaining? This is SO EASY!" you continue for 5 more days on your blissful cloud of self-righteousness.
And then.... THEN you move to day 11 and Level 2. You get through your first round of torture and the only thought going through your head is, "Well Shit." Yes. You are back at square one. And you still have 13.5 more minutes to go. You are no longer the majestic, ass kicking woman that can handle whatever Jillian throws at you. You're once again the puny little kid that can't climb up that damned rope in the grade school gymnasium.
Jillian, I hate you... and you are sexier than ever to me now. I can only imagine the amount of pain I am going to be in tomorrow thanks to you. I don't know how the Biggest Losers do it. Hell No.
Speaking of this hell, I think Jillians demons have been let loose to reek havoc upon my life, because this week has been nothing short of the 13 circle of hell. What has gone wrong? Everything. I am still better off than many people, and their have been some fun moments this week, but Lord please have mercy on me and make it stop.
I think my biggest problem right now is that I have a RAGING upper resp infection and am now 2 days without a proper bath due to the fact that my tub had a hole in it. While the hole in now fixed, I have to wait 24 hrs for the porcelain to set before I can once again use it. I find this ridiculous. So the past two days, I have been kickin' it old school and bathing with a washcloth and 1 sink filled with soapy water and one sink with clean rinsing water. If you know this girl, you know I can NOT sleep unless I have a bath.
In other Happier news, I made a marvelous new friend this week. Her name is Sophie, she's Russian, she's the new life-guard for my complex, and she's hilarious. I think we are going to wind up being very close and when we are not chatting face to face, we are chatting via text and she's constantly begging me to bring Ana to play with her. We both come from large families, we both have separated parents in other relationships and we both are goofy as hell. It's fun to watch her mull over her English to try and describe something to me and I enjoy trying to figure out what the hell she is talking about. I'm very friendly and outgoing and sometimes it's hard to draw people out of their shells because I have SUCH a big personality but Sophie warmed right up to me. So in all the crappiness of this week, SHE was my silver lining. Thank you for that Sophie.
What else? Well, I have this other gal in my life. She's kinda shy but a lot of fun, she always makes me smile and she is constantly on my back making me do things that I don't want to do - Like Post 365 pics. GAWD. :P She has let me in on a lot in her life and I feel close to her through that. I can relate to much of what she feels a lot of the time and as an added bonus, she loves the Lord. She also blogs about her readings of the bible and really helps me in my journey as well. Because as brash and crazy as I am, I do love God but I have a TERRIBLE time understanding the Bible. When I read her posts, it really opens my eyes to the meaning behind what is written. So shout out to my girl who helps me in all ways. Spiritually, emotionally and mentally.
And on that note, this sick, elephant chested gal is going to bed and praying that the elephant heads back to the circus sometime tonight so she can breath. Peace out to my 1 reader. Haha
First and foremost, I feel I should inform you that I have found Satan. Yes, it's true. She's ridiculously sexy and has a kick ass body and appears occasionally in my dreamstate menage a tois. Who is this majestic woman you ask? Let me open your eyes: Satan is Jillian Michaels. What? You didn't know? Obviously you have not discovered Jillian Michaels Workout DVD: The 30 Day Shred. I know why it's called a Shred. Because she shreds your soul. After your first workout you wonder how the hell you are going to survive day 2. Then day 3 and by day 4 you feel like keeling over into someones grave. And then, amazingly, your muscles adapt. You do your day 5 workout and you think, "Wow! I can do this! Why was I complaining? This is SO EASY!" you continue for 5 more days on your blissful cloud of self-righteousness.
And then.... THEN you move to day 11 and Level 2. You get through your first round of torture and the only thought going through your head is, "Well Shit." Yes. You are back at square one. And you still have 13.5 more minutes to go. You are no longer the majestic, ass kicking woman that can handle whatever Jillian throws at you. You're once again the puny little kid that can't climb up that damned rope in the grade school gymnasium.
Jillian, I hate you... and you are sexier than ever to me now. I can only imagine the amount of pain I am going to be in tomorrow thanks to you. I don't know how the Biggest Losers do it. Hell No.
Speaking of this hell, I think Jillians demons have been let loose to reek havoc upon my life, because this week has been nothing short of the 13 circle of hell. What has gone wrong? Everything. I am still better off than many people, and their have been some fun moments this week, but Lord please have mercy on me and make it stop.
I think my biggest problem right now is that I have a RAGING upper resp infection and am now 2 days without a proper bath due to the fact that my tub had a hole in it. While the hole in now fixed, I have to wait 24 hrs for the porcelain to set before I can once again use it. I find this ridiculous. So the past two days, I have been kickin' it old school and bathing with a washcloth and 1 sink filled with soapy water and one sink with clean rinsing water. If you know this girl, you know I can NOT sleep unless I have a bath.
In other Happier news, I made a marvelous new friend this week. Her name is Sophie, she's Russian, she's the new life-guard for my complex, and she's hilarious. I think we are going to wind up being very close and when we are not chatting face to face, we are chatting via text and she's constantly begging me to bring Ana to play with her. We both come from large families, we both have separated parents in other relationships and we both are goofy as hell. It's fun to watch her mull over her English to try and describe something to me and I enjoy trying to figure out what the hell she is talking about. I'm very friendly and outgoing and sometimes it's hard to draw people out of their shells because I have SUCH a big personality but Sophie warmed right up to me. So in all the crappiness of this week, SHE was my silver lining. Thank you for that Sophie.
What else? Well, I have this other gal in my life. She's kinda shy but a lot of fun, she always makes me smile and she is constantly on my back making me do things that I don't want to do - Like Post 365 pics. GAWD. :P She has let me in on a lot in her life and I feel close to her through that. I can relate to much of what she feels a lot of the time and as an added bonus, she loves the Lord. She also blogs about her readings of the bible and really helps me in my journey as well. Because as brash and crazy as I am, I do love God but I have a TERRIBLE time understanding the Bible. When I read her posts, it really opens my eyes to the meaning behind what is written. So shout out to my girl who helps me in all ways. Spiritually, emotionally and mentally.
And on that note, this sick, elephant chested gal is going to bed and praying that the elephant heads back to the circus sometime tonight so she can breath. Peace out to my 1 reader. Haha
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Chicken Cattiatore
Good evening y'all! I hope everyone is having a wonderful and blessed Superbowl Sunday and that you are all surrounded by your family and friends. Personally, I'm not really into professional football. I much prefer the college sides of things.
So, instead of spending my day making delicious food and preparing for massive amounts of company, I accompanied my mother and nephew to Virginia for some retail therapy as well as a trip to Chuck E. Cheese. It doesn't get much better than that.
But don't despair: I've got a new recipe to share with you.
My mother got this recipe from an 80 year old Italian Immigrant when she was just a newly married young lady.
Though I've deviated this recipe quite a bit in order to make it a little more friendly for busy weekday nights, it's still one of the most delicious meals I've ever had.
*Please note: I'm not a big fan of sticking raw chicken in the pot of Cattiatore but this is all personal preference. It's technically not supposed to be cooked all the way through before adding it. However, if cooked thoroughly before placing in pot, the chicken will be so tender that it falls apart once cooking is finished.*
Chicken Cattiatore
Chicken -
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (Thawed or Frozen)
1/4 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
1/8 Cup Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Minced Garlic (Fresh or prepackaged)
Place chicken in non-stick skillet. Heat on medium-high until outside turns white. Cut Chicken into 1-inch squares and return to skillet (I usually use kitchen shears to cut meat). Add Worcestershire Sauce, Soy Sauce and Garlic. Continue to cook until fully done and white all the way through.
----------------------------
4 (16 oz) Cans Italian Stewed Tomatoes
2 Cans Stems and Pieces Mushrooms (Or one package fresh mushrooms, diced)
2 Bell Peppers (One yellow, One Orange)
1 Large White Onion
2 Tsp Garlic
Fresh Ground Peppercorn (to taste)
1/4 Cup Sherry Cooking Wine
1/2 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
Your Choice of Noodles or 4 Cups Minute Rice (Yes, I know, rice is not custom but it's what I prefer).
While chicken is cooking, dice vegetables into large chunks and place them along with all remaining Cattiatore ingredients in large pot. *Seasonings CAN be altered. Make it to your preferred taste* Heat at medium-high until boiling.
Once chicken is finished, add to pot of Cattiatore. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 50 minutes.
When you have about 20 minutes left of cook time, boil water and prepare your choice of Noodles or Rice. Place serving of pasta or rice in bowl and then add a heaping spoonful of Cattiatore on top.
Serve and Enjoy!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Headaches and Deliciousness
*Heads up reader world. I am REALLY straight forward so I apologize for any areas that might be TMI*
I'm no blogger. Honestly, I'm really not that great at writing. I tend to over think and over analyze everything I want to post to paper/net which in turn, results in one big headache. However, sometimes the fun aspects of things in life just take over. An urge will worm its way into your brain and BOOM! That's all she wrote. So on that note, here we go. I apologize ahead of time for any grammatical errors or headaches I cause you. My father will probably visibly cringe every time he goes to this page. Sorry Daddy.
This blog is in response to my friends constantly asking for me to share my recipes, craft ideas and daily antidotes. It can get tiring to type out and pass along recipes or quilt patterns over and over. This way, I can post them once and tell everyone to go to my blog! Not to mention, as a military wife with a deployed spouse and a 2 year old child, I have a lot to say so why not share it? Let's consider it my way of forcing all my opinions onto you. Haha!
Let me fill you in on a little about me so I won't seem like such a stranger:
I'm going on 7 years of marriage to the most wonderful man on God's green Earth. Sean has been with me through thick and thin. You want to know something cool? We are one of the few sets of high school sweethearts that actually MADE it. OK, so maybe that wasn't great to you but it sure is to me. My handsome man is a soldier in the US Army currently serving in Iraq. Again.
I know... He is ridiculously handsome.
I love the military life and wouldn't trade it for the world but along with all the perks there are a few crap points. Like the fact that I am currently living in a northern state that rarely gets above 30º during the winter months. You'd think after living here for two years I would be used to it. I'm not. I'm a cold weather wuss. Or how about the fact that when Sean is deployed and the animals need to pee, I get to wrangle my two Belgian Shepherd's and a gorgeous two year old down a flight of icy steps and pray we don't all tumble into one brown fuzzy pile. And yes world I know, when I signed up to be a military wife, I signed up for the hardships that come along with it. And thank God I did.
A year and a half ago I was diagnosed with a rare disease called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin deficiency as well as Gilbert's Disease. I know you have no clue what that is. Go to www.alpha-1foundation.org. Do some quick and light reading. Support the research. If you're feeling generous, make a donation. Chances are, if you didn't know what it was, someone close to you also doesn't know. And guess what? Our disease is genetic. There is no fixing it. I wouldn't have mentioned this period if it wasn't for the fact that I am sure one day I am going to tell you I am sore, tired and glowing. Now you'll know why. Disease rant finished.
Let's see... I'm a wife, a mom, a Gardener, a runner, a nurse/vet when need be, a great friend whose horrible at keeping in touch with people (which really annoys MY great friends) and let's not forget: I am a photographer as well. I love photography. I used to think it was a passion I would roll with for life but the more I got into it, the more I realized that I just enjoy it for the hell of things. I don't like being scheduled, I don't like being forced to do a photo-shoot if I am having a bad day and most of all, I don't like time taken away from my child. And, just to prove I'm not lying to you, I'll share a few shots.
OK, two is all your getting right now. Don't want to share all my goods at one time.
FYI, Elegance with an Edge was my company name, just in case you were wondering.
I'm going on 7 years of marriage to the most wonderful man on God's green Earth. Sean has been with me through thick and thin. You want to know something cool? We are one of the few sets of high school sweethearts that actually MADE it. OK, so maybe that wasn't great to you but it sure is to me. My handsome man is a soldier in the US Army currently serving in Iraq. Again.
I know... He is ridiculously handsome.
I love the military life and wouldn't trade it for the world but along with all the perks there are a few crap points. Like the fact that I am currently living in a northern state that rarely gets above 30º during the winter months. You'd think after living here for two years I would be used to it. I'm not. I'm a cold weather wuss. Or how about the fact that when Sean is deployed and the animals need to pee, I get to wrangle my two Belgian Shepherd's and a gorgeous two year old down a flight of icy steps and pray we don't all tumble into one brown fuzzy pile. And yes world I know, when I signed up to be a military wife, I signed up for the hardships that come along with it. And thank God I did.
A year and a half ago I was diagnosed with a rare disease called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin deficiency as well as Gilbert's Disease. I know you have no clue what that is. Go to www.alpha-1foundation.org. Do some quick and light reading. Support the research. If you're feeling generous, make a donation. Chances are, if you didn't know what it was, someone close to you also doesn't know. And guess what? Our disease is genetic. There is no fixing it. I wouldn't have mentioned this period if it wasn't for the fact that I am sure one day I am going to tell you I am sore, tired and glowing. Now you'll know why. Disease rant finished.
Let's see... I'm a wife, a mom, a Gardener, a runner, a nurse/vet when need be, a great friend whose horrible at keeping in touch with people (which really annoys MY great friends) and let's not forget: I am a photographer as well. I love photography. I used to think it was a passion I would roll with for life but the more I got into it, the more I realized that I just enjoy it for the hell of things. I don't like being scheduled, I don't like being forced to do a photo-shoot if I am having a bad day and most of all, I don't like time taken away from my child. And, just to prove I'm not lying to you, I'll share a few shots.
OK, two is all your getting right now. Don't want to share all my goods at one time.
FYI, Elegance with an Edge was my company name, just in case you were wondering.
Moving on, meet my two year old daughter, Ana.
My Gorgeous Indian Princess
Halloween Photo Shoot: 2010
Photo by Yours Truly
Don't lie. She's beautiful. When it comes to children, you won't meet one with more personality than my little girl. She's and angel with a hellish streak. If she isn't "kamikaze-ing" (how we fondly refer to her throwing herself with ardor off objects taller than she is), you can probably find her reaching for whatever I am currently cooking in the oven/stove top, pulling hair off the dogs or playing 'boat' with one of her toys in the blue Clorox-ed toilet. I know, I know. It sounds like she is uncontrollable. Surprisingly, she is one of the most well behaved children I've ever come across. She was just blessed with her Mommy's energy. I may not appreciate it now, but it will come in handy when she is old enough for chores. She will be my minion.
She is totally minion material
I grew up not wanting children but a 3 years ago, after 6 months of playing nanny to my nephew while my husband was deployed, I got baby fever and I got it bad. Sean came back to the states and eventually, along came Analeigh. She is enough kid for me. I want NO more. My family is so sad about this decision but I have my reasons. My anesthesiologist pinched a nerve in my back causing my knee to be "asleep" for 12 months (you know how your foot feels when you cut off circulation and the blood is rushing back), I was allergic to my epidural so I almost scratched my face off, they didn't cath me properly and I swear to God my bladder almost exploded, my epidural was SO strong that I couldn't feel my legs at all so I couldn't push when the time came, and Analeigh was a pain in my ass. No really. She completely shattered my coccyx. I had to sit on a red plastic donut for 6 months and then only put pressure on my right butt cheek for the next 8.
I said after having her that I would give birth to a baby every day. That is the easy part. The post birth, when you find out how badly the incompetent people in charge of your care almost maimed you, is what has scared me off childbirth for good. And to think, my biggest worry pre-labor was that I would crap on the table like all those other Mom's. Which, please note, I didn't!
Two years later, we are surviving. I am writing this which means I have yet to drown myself in the toilet due to frustration. Life is good. And so is pastry... which brings me back to the whole reason I wrote started this blog. Recipes. There are some things I should tell you.
I HATE baking! Because of such hatred, there will probably be very few dessert recipes on this blog. The ones I DO post however, are superb and will make all your friends scared to bring baked deliciousness to your home in fears that theirs will forever be substandard. JUST KIDDING! Not about good recipes, about your friends feeling substandard. Truth be told, I was only kind of joking. I do hope your friends are intimidated by your amazing cooking. But then I hope that you in turn will share your recipe and let them make someone feel inferior. It's a vicious, endless circle. Anyway! As I was saying, if they are worthy of my time and effort, they are guaranteed to be delicious!
*Please note, there will probably be few to no cookie recipes on this blog. I might share the rare one that a friend sends me but you need to know that I hate making them. They take too much time for too little reward. *
Who wants to make pastry? Not me. I just made it yesterday. But it was delicious! For the most part. The first time I made this delectable Braided Apple Danish, it was light, fluffy, divine. This past time, I was out of white flour, so I used whole wheat. While the danish was still delicious, it wasn't the same. It was much more dense. I do not advise wheat flour if you want light pastry, but if it appeals to you more than white or you want to use it due to health purposes, you can. Just remember to sift the wheat flour 3 times and SPOON (I cannot stress this enough) it into your measuring cup. Also, they DO make whole wheat flour specifically for pastry. So yeah. Let's continue.
Now, for your stomachs enjoyment, the Recipe. I apologize for lack of quality pics as my camera is currently out of commission. I'm working to resolve that issue. For now, you're stuck with what my cell phone has to offer.
Give this recipe a try and let me know how it came out and what you think!
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BRAIDED APPLE DANISH
DANISH DOUGH
Makes 2-1/2 pounds dough
Ingredients
For the dough (Detrempe)
1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 large eggs, chilled
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
For the butter block 
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter1/4 cup all-purpose flour
DOUGH
Combine yeast and milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed. Slowly add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice. Mix well. Change to the dough hook and add the salt with the flour, 1 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium as the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Without a standing mixer: Combine yeast and milk in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk. Add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice and mix well. Sift flour and salt on your working surface and make a fountain. Make sure that the “walls” of your fountain are thick and even. Pour the liquid in the middle of the fountain. With your fingertips, mix the liquid and the flour starting from the middle of the fountain, slowly working towards the edges. When the ingredients have been incorporated start kneading the dough with the heel of your hands until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, around 5 to 7 minutes. You might need to add more flour if the dough is sticky.
BUTTER BLOCK
1. Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.
2. After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
4. Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.
APPLE FILLING
Ingredients
4 Fuji or other apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Toss all ingredients except butter in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until slightly nutty in color, about 6 - 8 minutes. Then add the apple mixture and sauté until apples are softened and caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes. If you’ve chosen Fujis, the apples will be caramelized, but have still retained their shape. Pour the cooked apples onto a baking sheet to cool completely before forming the braid. (If making ahead, cool to room temperature, seal, and refrigerate.) They will cool faster when spread in a thin layer over the surface of the sheet. After they have cooled, the filling can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Left over filling can be used as an ice cream topping, for muffins, cheesecake, or other pastries.
DANISH BRAID
Makes enough for 2 large braids
Ingredients
1 recipe Danish Dough (see below)
2 cups apple filling, jam, or preserves (see below)
For the egg wash: 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.
2. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.
3. Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.
Egg Wash
Whisk together the whole egg and yolk in a bowl and with a pastry brush, lightly coat the braid.
Proofing and Baking
1. Spray cooking oil (Pam…) onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.
2. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown. Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature. The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.
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With a Wheat Braid, your finished product will look something like this! Have it for a fully unhealthy breakfast or try it with some vanilla bean ice cream for a nice dessert.
With a white flour (The recipes way) your finished product will look something like this!
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