More Saturday thoughts...

Thinking about the great difference of the first 2 weeks for #100daysofhappy verses the following two weeks.

The first couple weeks were packed with trips and reunions of a week absence. Yes that is a long time for most of my friends and me.

These to weeks were filled with the joy of the common and mundane.

I love to cook so succeeding at making a good soup in the Crockpot for very few dollars as well as effort is a huge deal. I know, very everyday joy.

We got to go see a movie with tons of friends and we not only enjoyed our time with friends, but the movie was fantastic.

Then BOOM another out of the ordinary hits! A friend from childhood moves to LA so I got to have dinner with him and his mother. Can't be bad!

I wake up extra early for some reason so I hop out to go on a walk where I reflect that my niece is healthy after her accident, but Erin is moving the next day. Made for a joyful day, though a bit bittersweet. The bitter part was encouraged considering Robin Williams was found dead that day too.

In honor of Mister Williams, we had a small gathers of Greek Food and the movie Hook. Not sure if that makes any sense to combine the two, but is was great night.

Then SYTYCD night came and my Sisters and I decided that we would for sure be doing the Hocus Pocus costumes we had been talking about. I had to start working on my Mary Face.

Surprise Samosas! 'nuff said. Followed the next day by a Dodgers Game with Best Friend and company.

A road trip to Oceanside brought me such joy to see this little girl winning at Musical theatre at the age of 4.

I then led worship for the first time ever. followed by Disney for the first time in 2 months, YES PLEASE, and the beginnings of my dapper day dress. Vanilla see's candy took me back and a carton of OJ made me feel loved.

My life is so incredibly blessed.

100 Days of Happy Photo Challenge: Week 5

Week 5! All the Happies!

Day 29: 8/22: Getting to watch World of Color from the "Secret Balcony".

Day 30: 8/23: Doctor Who Premier!

Day 31: 8/24: Disneyland with Amora, Husband, Best Friend, the Na's, and DJ.

Day 32: 8/25: Hearing that your friend did a spit take from a selfie you sent them.

Day 33: 8/26: Emperor's New Groove while playing are they Hot Dogs or Legs (obliviously, they are legs).

Day 34: 8/27: Marking off an item from your Bucket List (SYTYCD audience member)

Day 35: 8/28: Aunt Eileen Has ARRIVED!

A pizza roll for people over the age of 24...

I love pizza rolls. Specially the Tortoni's Brand kind that you aren't totally sure what all is in there, but hey are so good that you burn your mouth, but that only slows you down a little....

Sorry, that got a little away from me. I like junk food is all I'm trying to say. Now that I am 30, I must think about setting good examples for my nieces and nephew as well as my someday maybe children. Thus I decided to try to figure out some way of making Junk Food a little healthier/more nutritional. Pizza is never going to be on of those things, but making it myself, will keep it more wholesome and less preservativey.

These pizza rolls aren't quite as bad (health wise or mouth burny wise) as the store brought ones. Like I said before, they are made by me so I know what is making it in there and can control that. Also, because of the bake and slice-i-ness of it, the cheese and sauce have a little bit of time to cool and not continue to bubble and boil within the packaging.

Pizza Roll

Ingredients:

1 thing of Pizza dough (either homemade or from a maker you trust)

2 teaspoons olive oil

2/3 cup pizza sauce (homemade or store-bought)

ground basil, to taste

garlic powder, to taste

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I had cheese sticks so that I what I used)

60-65 pepperoni slices (you can sub this for veggies if you are vegetarian)

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats (preferred for ease) or parchment paper.

Divide dough into 2 and roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface or directly on silicone baking mats. I found it easiest to roll directly on the silicone mat-lined baking sheets. Roll each into a large rectangle, about 9 by 12 inches.

To prevent the filling from making your pizza rolls soggy, brush the tops lightly with 1 teaspoon olive oil each. Using your fingers, push dents into the surface of the dough rectangles to prevent bubbling. See photo above for visual. Spread 1/3 cup pizza sauce on top of each dough rectangle. Sprinkle each lightly with ground basil and garlic powder.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella evenly over sauce. Add up to 2 Tablespoons more shredded cheese per dough rectangle if you'd like. Top the cheese with pepperoni slices. About 30ish slices per dough rectangle. Carefully roll dough rectangles into long tight logs. Place logs onto 1 prepared baking sheet, seam side down, and place baking sheet in the refrigerator to chill for at least 25 minutes. Read above for why chilling is so important.

Remove from the refrigerator and cut each log into 12 1-inch slices. Pour cornmeal into a plate or into a bowl. Dip the bottom of each roll into cornmeal and place 12 on each baking sheet, cornmeal side down. Sprinkle the tops of the rolls with parmesan cheese.

Bake each batch for 20 minutes or until the sides are lightly browned. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve with extra pizza sauce for dipping. Pizza rolls should be enjoyed immediately, though they may be covered tightly and stored for 1 day in the refrigerator. If you plan to make them ahead, make them up until the point where you chill the logs in the refrigerator (be sure to cover them, though). Then the next day, bake as directed.

I didn't add any sauce on mine.

...extra cheeeeeeeze...

I baked mine like this verses slicing them first.

Pizza Sauce is for dipping.

These are rich and delish. I feel like the way I did these was a bit easier than cutting and dipping into corn meal. Either way, these are much more filling than you would think, but just as yummy and addictive as Pizza Rolls should be.

Sneaky Spinach for the Win!

So last Monday I got to go back to Disneyland for he first time in 2 months! All the Excite! Not only did I get to go play again, I got to go with my "sisters from another Mister". DJ got us each a pin of the 3 Peas in a Pod from Toy Story 3 to make it official. The three of us are pinned and are going steady with each other. But not romantically, just in life.

Anyway, to the recipe for today, I was on the phone with Husband and I inquired about what sort of food he wanted to late dinners this week (he is working eves right now). He asked about what we had to work with. Well I was at Disney, so I asked him what was in the pantry. He said 3 different types of pasta and I knew what vegetables we had in the good old fridge/bread box (we don't eat a lot of bread so our tomatoes make it in there more often than not).  So I found this recipe on Pinterest.

Creamy Spinach Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients

1 pint cherry tomatoes

olive oil

kosher salt

pinch of sugar

8 oz whole wheat spaghetti

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb baby spinach

1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1 avocado, chopped

1/4 cup basil

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375.  Toss the tomatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and a pinch of sugar.  Put on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing once midway through.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, reserving about 1/2 cup cooking water for the sauce.

As the pasta cooks, saute the onion in 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet until softened, 5-6 minutes.  Add in the garlic and cook about 30 seconds more, or until fragrant.  Add in the spinach a few handfuls at a time, waiting until the previous bunch has started to wilt before adding the second.

Remove from heat and stir the Greek yogurt and avocado into the pan.  Add 2-3 tbsp of the reserved pasta water and, using an immersion blender (or a food processor), puree the mixture until smooth, adding more pasta water as needed to give it a sauce-like consistency.

Stir in the basil and parmesan.  Add the noodles to the sauce, tossing well to coat.  Serve the noodles topped with a spoonful of the roasted tomatoes.

Hmm ....spinach creaminess...

A dash of Parm and TADA! Yum!

I only had to go out to buy an avocado and Parmesan cheese. Boom, cost effectiveness! The alterations to the dish I made were that after I roasted the tomato (I also through in a few leftover sliced of green pepper and zucchini), I just stirred them in instead of serving them over the dish. Make it look a bit more "slop like", but I think that is added to the flavor having the veggies dispersed. I also did a small bite pasta instead of spaghetti simply because it is what we had. One thing I should have changed is that I that I should have chopped up the zucchini and green bell pepper I added as it would have been a better choice to disperse the flavor better and not interrupt the eating process quite as much.

This dish is a winner. An incredibly simple to make and an even better way to use the spinach that might be going bad soon. Husband thought it was solid and enjoyed it greatly. I am hoping that my someday maybe kids will like it too so I know they will get all the green stuff they need. The roasted tomatoes are like candied delicacies and I have every intention to try this dish with a bit of sun dried tomato sometime and maybe a bit of goat cheese instead of Greek yogurt... you know, to make it FAncy.

Until the next meal...

My 31st year Bucket List Update.

An update on my 31 by 31 list and my "Quarter Birthday" selections.

CE's 31 by 31 List

Health  (2 to go)

1. Compete in a 5K - Looking at my Calendar and Prices, I won't be able to do one properly, but I did a personal one 

2. Compete in a 10K  - Disney on 8/30/2014

3. Get to ideal “pre baby weight/fitness level” - Ultimate goal is to fit comfortable, again, into my all my dresses and my all Jeans. First Achievement unlocked with 5 pounds down!

Starting weight 144, First Goal 139, Second Goal 135, third goal 132. Ultimate Goal is to be less than 130. 

Creativity  (3 to go)

1. Finish Honeymoon Scrapbook  (it is in progress, but slow going)

2. Make an Autumn Garland

3. Make Halloween Wreath

Just Cuz  (2 to go)

1. Participate in a Group Cosplay – Wondercon 2014

2. Visit 6 places on my personally made “I-haven’t-done-these-touristy-must-dos-yet” list:

MUSEUMS:
Museum of Death

California Science Center (to see the Endeavour) - 8/31/2014

Natural History Museum

Queen Mary

LACMA

Watts Towers

Getty Villa - 9/1/2014

MOCA

Japanese American National Museum

Holocaust Museum - 8/28/2014

Huntington Library - 8/30/2014

Camera Obscura (Santa Monica)

Museum of Tolerance

Autry National Center

FOOD/SHOPPING:

Eat some dim sum

Eat some Ethiopian

Pink’s

The Original Pantry

Philippe’s

Tito’s Tacos

California Doughnuts

The Grove

The Original LA Farmer's Market

Altadena’s Wednesday Farmers Market

Grand Central Market

OUTDOOR:

Venice Beach/Venice Canals

LA County Arboretum & Botanic Garden

Malibu Pier -9/1/2014

Mildred E Mathais Botanical Garden

Self-Realization Fellowship Shrine

Dodger game 8/15/2014 vs Brewers

THEATRE:

see a TV show taping – so you think you can dance – 8/27/2014!

Bob Baker Marionette theatre - 1345 W. 1st St. Los Angeles, California 90026 Sat2:30 p.m. Sun 2:30 p.m $15

Upright Citizen’s Brigade $5 - $10 5919 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90028

The Groundlings- $16 – Giddy Up Lil’s Groundling Sun 7:30 

3. Visit the following Local Craft Breweries:

Angel City Brewing (Los Angeles)

Eagle Rock Brewery (Eagle RocK) with Leah Sept 6-7

Golden Road Brewery (Glendale) with Leah Sept 6-7

Cooking  (3 to go)

1. Learn to Make bread

2. Make Beef Bourguignon (a la Julia Child)

3. Make something in the Wellington tradition

Adventure  (3 to go)

1. See the Rest of the California Missions:

San Fernando Rey de España – LA

San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores)– in the San Francisco City

San Francisco Solano –114 E Spain St, Sonoma, CA 95476

Santa Barbara  - Santa Barbara

Santa Ynez - Solvang

La Purísima Concepción  - Lompoc

San Juan Bautista – 406 2nd St, San Juan Bautista, CA 95045

Santa Cruz – 144 School St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Santa Clara de Asís – 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053

San José –43300 Mission Blvd, Fremont, CA 9453

2. Take a Mud Bath (or some sort of spa thing of the like)

3. Go Ziplining (or some sort of adventurey thing of the like)

Travel (1 to go)

1. Walk the Freedom Trail in Boston

2. Weekend trip Sonoma and/or Napa

3. Weekend trip Sunnyvale to visit the Yosts (and see the surrounding Missions)

Learning  (3 to go)

1. Take Disney Tour

2. Stream line Mommy School Binder/Ready myself for that door to open

3. Read 31 books including 2 classics I keep putting off

1 – Gilead – Marilynne Robinson

2 – Divergent- Veronica Roth

3 – Insurgent - Veronica Roth

4 – A Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy- Douglas Adams

5 – The Restaurant at the End of the Universe – Douglas Adams

6 – Life, the Universe and Everything – Douglas Adams

7 – Speaker For The Dead - Orson Scott Card

8 – The Maze Runner - James Dashner

9 – The Scorch Trails - James Dashner

10 – Summer Knight - Dresden Files

11 – The Name of the Wind – Patrick Rothfuss

12 – Living Dead In Dallas – Charlaine Harris (currently reading)

13 – City of Heavenly Fire – Cassandra Clare (after Living Dead in Dallas)

14 – The Wise Man’s Fear– Patrick Rothfuss (after City of Heavenly Fire)

15 – Death Masks - Dresden Files (after Wise Man’s Fear)

16 –

17 – 

18 – 

19 – 

20 – 

21 –

22 – 

23 – 

24 – 

25 – 

26 – 

27 –

28 –

29 –

30 – Classic – A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens

31 – Classic – Lady Chatterley's Lover - D.H. Lawerence

AND THE WHOLE NEW SECTION: Quarters!

1. 3 things in any category TBD on my quarter birthday July 10th  (2 to go)

                a) Lead a song during Worship with my Ukulele Completed on 8/17/2014

                b) Participate in an Instagram Challenge (#100daysofhappy is in progress)

                c) Sew a Dress for myself (Dapper day Anita Dress in in progress)

2. 3 things in any category TBD on my half birthday October 10th  (3 to go)

                a) TBD

                b) TBD

                c) TBD

3. 3 things in any category TBD on my three quarter birthday January 10th (3 to go)

                a) TBD

                b) TBD

                c) TBD

BFMH: Onion Ring Eggs

So today got busy, real quick.

Wake up, eat some first breakfast, Run/walk 4 miles, make some second breakfast, drive to Tarzana to do some Wedding Dress shopping with Mal, head back to Burbank for Unique Vintage event with Sisters, head home and bake Jammie Dodgers, make some dinners for the week, do some prep cleaning for Auntie, then walk over and enjoy a Doctor Who premiere viewing party. We are talking 70 miles on the road, people. I got my Pandora/Spotify prepped for this adventure.

With all that going on, I didn't want a heavy breakfast, but I did won't something high in protein that would keep my tummy happy until lunch time.

Onion Ring Eggs

Ingredients

1 whole Prepared Thick Cut Onion Ring (Leftover Is Great, but I made mine right before hand)

½ teaspoons Oil

½ teaspoons Unsalted Butter

1 whole Egg

1 pinch Salt To Taste

1 pinch Cracked Black Pepper, To Taste

Preparation

Simple ingredients, right?

If you are using a leftover onion ring, place it onto a baking sheet into a preheated 350 F oven and bake for about 7 minutes to re-crisp the onion ring.

When the onion ring is nice and crisp, remove it from the oven and set it aside.

Heat a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add the oil and the butter, and give that a nice swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the oil and butter are heated through, add the onion ring into the center of the skillet.

Crack the egg, and carefully pour the egg inside of the onion ring. Cook the egg for about four minutes, then cover the skillet and remove it from the heat. Allow it to sit in the hot pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes or so, until the egg white has stiffened. Uncover and season with salt and pepper.

Slide the egg onto your serving plate and slice into it.

Quickly making up a couple onion rings.

You're Scottish! Fry something!

Remove the oil and add an egg or two.

I flipped mine to ensure that it was cooked through enough.

This was perfect actually. Enough flavor from the onion ring to not need a bunch of other stuff going on which it is not too over powering for a breakfast meal. I have made note to myself to save some of my larger onion rings next time I order some out for just this sort of breakfast.

Saturday thoughts...

Just reflecting on my first 2 weeks of my #100daysofhappy.

The first week was easy.....ummm... Comic-Con and and Michigan? Of course I am happy.
Comic-Con, though in the past have been a bit stressful, went incredibly well this month. Unlike years passed, I didn't make it in to all the panels I wanted to witness, but I had an excellent time with my Husband, our friends, and seeing friends from out of town who made it to Con. I, also, have to keep in mind that so many people don't make it to this convention and that it is a big deal that I have gotten tickets the passed few years. Gotta keep it in perspective.

Michigan is the next topic to demands the attention of this looking out for joy project. That, again, isn't hard to do. Relaxation is a requirement while you are there, complete with beach, drinks, and a tour of an island.

The second week graduates to the more "common" parts of life: puppies, family, friends, and comfort food. We were in St Louis for part of the week briefly, so I was already for the joy to abound. Hannah puppy was a delight as always in the world of Furbabies, followed up by the delights that are Le Grands and MiL's cooking.

When I returned to Burbank, I got to hang out with Kris, then Erin and Kim, followed by SYTYCD nite with Best Friend, DJ Sister, Janet, and Mike and their puppies. Lots of good food and puppy play time was had as well as memories thanks to texts from both our Cruise friends and Pseudo Mommy.


I have a lot for which I am grateful. Family, friends, and puppies are at the top of the list for these passed two weeks.

100 days of Happy Photo Challenge: Week 3 & 4

Week 3

Day 15: 8/8: Crockpot French Onion Soup...Homemade! Turned out very nicely thanks to the addition of Mushrooms

Day 16: 8/9: My Husband and the most excellent movie of the season. 
Everything about this photo is handsome.

Day 17: 8/10: Dinner with  longtime Family Friends. When I say longtime, I mean our families go waaaaay back. Like from the boat from Germany.

Day 18: 8/11: Sunrise on an excellent and happy morning and a bittersweet evening. It was Erin's last day in town, but my niece was pronounced healthy and normal after her fall. ALL THE FEELS. 

Day 19: 8/12: Watching Hook with my Husband and Texas friends while enjoying "Greek Night".

Day 20: 8/13: Practicing my Mary Sanderson Face while watching Hocus Pocus for Halloween reference. I am getting excited about the kick off to Holiday season.

Day 21: 8/14: Samosas from one of my Supervisors. Homemade by his mother. His last name is Raithatha, so you know they are legit.

Week 4

Day 22: 8/15: "Wet T-Shirt Contest" at Dodger Stadium with DJ and family. 
I have the best family you choose.

Day 23: 8/16: Music Man's Gary Indiana Number.
This little girl was spectacular and made me stupid happy in my soul.

Day 24: 8/17: Leading part of worship at Church for the first time with my Ukulele.
Sent the video to my Poppa Bear and I am pretty sure he cried he was so proud.

Day 25: 8/18: First time back to Disneyland with my sisters and showing out "Three Peas in a Pod" Power.

Day 26: 8/19: While it is going to be hard and frustrating, I am very excited about attempting
to sew myself a dress for Dapper Day.

Day 27: 8/20: I don't think I have had a See's Candies Lollipop since my Mother was alive. Janet made my day cheerier with this little gift.

Day 28: 8/21: Woke up sick. Thanks to my "work husband" and his fiance, I was taken care of and began feeling better sooner than I thought.

Greek Night Part 3: Spank-a-rollup

This was not a planned dish for the evening, but when I was done with the Baklava, I still had about 12 sheets of phyllo dough so I through this together from my memory of the one time I assisted my friend Kahlil in making his Spanakopitas. 

Last Minute Spanakopita Roll Ups

(makes two rolls)

Ingredients

1 pound of spinach, washed, chopped and raw

¼ cup of feta, crumbled

¾ cup of Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon dill

salt and pepper to taste

12 sheets phyllo dough

¼ cup of olive oil

Directions

Mix the spinach, feta, yogurt dill, parsley, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Stack 3 sheets of phyllo dough (brushing in between each with olive oil to get them to stick together nicely).

Place the half of spinach/feta/yogurt mixture on top of the phyllo dough.

Again, Stack 3 sheets of phyllo dough (brushing in between each with olive oil to get them to stick together nicely).

Roll carefully into tube shape from the narrow end.

Brush the top of phyllo dough rolls with olive oil.

Bake in a preheated 350F oven until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then slice and serve .

Pictured: Not mine, this photo is thanks to Google Image Search.

Again, I failed on taking photos, but (also again) much like the Baklava, these went very quickly and I only managed to save 2 pieces for Husband. Granted, this recipe doesn't make a huge number of bites, but that is because of the last minuteness of the dish.

These turned out! For a brain baby recipe, this turned out perfect. I think the only thing I would "change" is simply to add more feta in and maybe a dash of onion and garlic next time.

Until the next last minute idea....

Greek Night Part 2: Dippy Salad

As per usual for parties, I felt like I had to have something a little bit on the healthy side with a good yum factor. That's when I found this recipe:

Greek Salad Dip

Ingredients
1 seedless cucumber
Kosher salt
2 cups low-fat Greek yogurt
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Freshly ground black pepper
2 small vine ripe or plum tomatos, diced
1 small red onion, diced
1/2 cup pitted black olives, such as kalamata or nicoise, coarsely chopped
Warm pita bread and/or root vegetable chips (such as Terra Chips), for serving
Copyright 2012 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.
Directions
Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater into a bowl. Toss with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pour into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Using your hands and working with a bit of the cucumber at a time, squeeze the excess liquid out of the cucumber and place the cucumber in a large bowl. Add the yogurt, feta, garlic, 1/4 cup of the chopped mint, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the bowl with the cucumber. Stir to combine and add more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl.
Toss the tomatoes, red onion, olives and remaining 2 tablespoons mint together in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the cucumber mixture. Serve the dip with warm pita or vegetable chips.

Yup, no photos from this evening. Just yummy memories.

I put this is a 10X8 pan and I think there was all of 1/2 a cup left after the evening was done. It was lovely texture with a nice richness thanks to the yogurt and a refreshing finish due to the cucumbers. I will probably make this again in the future, and not just for a "Greek" themed party.

The only alterations to this recipe I made were purely accidental. I used non fat Greek Yogurt as I had it, and I failed to add any mint, as I didn't have it.

Until the next dip...

Greek Night Part 1: BOCK - la - vah

I had some friends over last week and while we were deciding what we should eat, it was agreed that Greek sounded great. With Hummus and Chicken Skewers coming, I decided to make a few little things.

First off, Dessert: Easy Baklava Roll ups
Ingredients

Butter-flavored cooking spray

1/4 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup pistachios

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup honey, divided

12 sheets phyllo dough

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet with butter flavored spray. Reserve.

In a food processor, combine almonds and pistachios. Pulse to coarsely chop. Add butter, cinnamon, and sugar and pulse to combine. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a flat work surface, short side facing you. Spray with butter flavored spray. Repeat with second layer. Spread 1/3 of nut mixture over the dough, leaving a 1-inch margin at the top and bottom.

Drizzle with 2 tablespoons honey.

Cover with a layer of phyllo, spray with butter-flavored spray. Repeat with second layer of phyllo. Spray with butter-flavored spray.

Starting from the bottom, roll up into a thin cylinder (like a cigar) to the top.

Seam-side down, cut crossways into 5 sections. Transfer to baking sheet, seam side down. Spray with butter-flavored spray.

Repeat with second and third batch.

Bake until crust is evenly golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven, drizzle with 2 tablespoons honey and serve.

This is one of the 2 pictures I got of my Phyllo Dough roll ups. 

Unfortunately, my food processor is broken. (SAD FACE)

I made it work by pulsing the nut is my food processor briefly, and then mixing cinnamon and butter in by hand to keep it nice a crumbly.

These were a hit. I actually had to pull some off the plate to make sure Husband got to try them. I failed to get any photos of them being fully baked and sliced and drizzled with more honey because I was having so much fun with my friends. ...oops...

Until the next dessert...

BFMH: Balsamic Breakfast Grilled Cheese

This sandwich was very simple, but it has everything that a person could want in it.

It is a grilled cheese sandwich (I used Swiss today), topped with spinach and tomato soaked in tossed with Balsamic reduction and an egg on time.

The broiler was a bit too hot. Note the open faced sandwich.

I was a bit of a dummy and put this sandwich in the oven with the Croque under the broiler with a dry top. To say the least, it was a smokey morning in our household. The sandwich was incredibly good. Granted, balsamic reduction makes everything delicious. 

Husband was blown away but both sandwiches, but he voted that the Croque was the winner for him, so I will make it for him again sometime this week. While it is not a tradition Breakfast meal, he thought the flavors and the Bechamel sauce were to die for, so I will make him a Croque Madame (with a poached egg on top) next time!

Happy cooking!

BFMH: Croque Monsieur

So I am behind a little bit on breakfasts....well, I WASN'T and then I realized Husband is out of town this weekend. so I made him 2 different breakfast sandwiches, face off style. The winner will be made (and devoured) again sometime next week for his eating pleasure. To set the stage, I will introduce the first contestant. Croque-Monsieur. The history of this sandwich dates back to 1910, when it first arrived on a cafe menu in Paris. The Croque part means "to crunch" while Monsieur means (said it with me) "Mister". While a ham and cheese sandwich is not quite breakfast, the Bechamel sauce that is served over it, makes it a rich and yummy treat at any part of the day.

There are many different types of variations of this sandwich. The most well known variation would be the the Croque-Madame, which is the same sandwich, just with a poached or fried egg on top. Other variations include:
Croque Provencal - with tomato
Croque Auvergnat - Bleu d'Auvergne cheese
Croque Gagnet - with Gouda and andouille sausage
Croque Norvegien - with smoked ham instead of ham
Croque Tartiflette - with sliced potatoes and Reblochon Cheese
Croque Bolognese/Croque Boum-Boum - With Bolognese sauce
Croque Senor - with tomato salsa
Croque Hawaiian - with a slice of Pineapple
and lastly (but, yes, least)
Croque McDo - the McDonald's version of hte sandwich that is sold throughout France.

I opted to make the most traditional sandwich without too many bells and whistles on it. Mainly, to find out Husband's true feelings on a sandwich I ate many of while in France back in 1995.

Croque-Monsieur

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
Dijon mustard
8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.
To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.
Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

Croque looks funny before oven time.

This called to have it under the brioler for 3 - 5 mins. 2-3 minutes was fine for mine, but I noticed that AFTER I cooked it up. I saved it and the sauce just bubbled so I scrapped off the burnt part.

I will give the taste review on Monday with the other contestant in this competition.

Yes, this is a LOT of work for a sandwich. But that is why French food is held at such a higher level. Even their sandwiches take 3 times the amount of work that most American Dishes might. Save a Monte Cristo. Which, I'm just saying, I am totally gonna make soon thanks to making this sandwich.

Let see how this French delicacy (not really delicate at all though) holds up against my favorite flavors: Balsamic Spinach, Tomato, Egg, and Cheese Sanddwich!

For Melanie: Crockpot French Onion Soup

I love french onion soup with a passion, thanks to my Maman (Mommy). I am a big believer in the long cooking process it takes, complete with scrapings and deglazing of the pan. Most people don't like taking THAT long to cook or that much effort just for a soup, so I cam up with a recipe that should give you the best of both worlds as well as an easy reheatable meal.

Crockpot French Onion Soup

Ingredients

5 medium yellow onions, halved, peeled, and thinly sliced

¼ cup Butter, pieced or 2-3 tablespoons of Olive oil (for Vegan)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Coarse salt and ground pepper

32-48 ounces vegetable broth, your preference on how brothy you would like it.

Serve with Crusty Bread and Swiss Cheese or Parmesan Cheese

Preparation

 Put onion. Butter or oil, salt in the Crockpot and Cover

Cook for 6-8 hours  on low. (I started it right before going to bed)

Wake up to the smell of delicious smelling onions.

Cover with Vegetable Broth.

Allow to cook on Low for another 4 hours

Season to taste with Salt and pepper.

When serving, garnish soup with shaved Parmesan or Swiss and a slice of crusty bread. (use a vegan substitute or leave out altogether)

If freezing, allow to cool completely before placing in freezer.

I dolled mine up a little bit cooking the onions with 6 mushrooms stems or so, which I then took out before adding the Broth. That is a personal preference for me though, and I know it is not a traditional ingredient to French Onion Soup. Granted, neither is vegetable stock. Normally, it would be made with Beef stock, but I am shooting for 3 Vegetarian meals this week.

I ended up freezing the larger one as well as one of the medium sized ones. 

Husband and I were both very happy with how this turned out. While it tastes hardy, it doesn't weigh you down like a Chowder or Chili.

2 out of 2 people agree: Give this one try.

For Melanie: Lentil Sloppy Joes

As my dear friend Melanie requested, I am working hard on getting some vegetarian freezer or make ahead meals going. Today's turned out very nice as well as being Vegan for Husband's work friend, "Frenchie" I will call her.

Vegetarian Lentil Sloppy Joes

1 large onion, chopped

1 tbsp. olive oil

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

½ cup red pepper, chopped

½ cup green pepper, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

½ 10 oz. package of mushrooms, chopped

1 16 oz bag of lentils, cooked 

¼ cup vegetable broth

1 can of diced tomatoes

2 tsp. chili powder

½ cup of tomato sauce

⅓ cup ketchup

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (use vegan version if desired)

1 tsp. cayenne

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground pepper

For Serving

Hamburger Buns or Kaiser Rolls (use vegan version if desired) 

Or piece of lettuce as a wrap (for vegan and low carb alike) 

Instructions

Heat a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add in the oil.

Add in the chopped onions and cook until soft.

Add in the garlic, peppers, celery and mushrooms. Cook a few minutes.

Move to Crockpot and set heat to low.

Add in the lentils and the broth to the Crockpot.

Add in the rest of the ingredients to the Crockpot. 

Allow to cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Spoon mixture over some slightly hollowed out kaiser rolls or a large piece of lettuce.

If freezing, allow to cool completely before placing in freezer.

I was very happy with how this dish turned out. The texture was very good and the flavor spot on. The celery seemed like an odd choice to me initially, but it adds a lovely amount of tang to the meal. Again, this meal was perfect for not feeling heavy after eating a full meal and enjoying a non meat filling meal. Plus, very little had to happen to make it, which was spectacular to say the least.

For Melanie: Crockpot Vegetarian Chili

Today's recipe is for my friend Melanie. She requested that I try to make some vegetarian meals that are Crockpot or Freezer meal. 

Thus it was made: Crockpot Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients

2 cans Black Beans, drained ($.89X2 = )

2-3 Zucchini, diced ($.99)

1 16 oz bag of frozen corn ($1.99)

1 bag of lentils, precooked ($.89)

2 cans of diced petite tomato, with juice ($.79X2 = )

1 onion, red or white, diced ($.67)

32 oz of Vegetable Stock ($2.99 or make homemade for cheaper version)

1 Serrano or green pepper ($.59)

2-3 cloves Garlic

2-3 tablespoon Chili Powder

1 or 2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon (Garlic Salt OK)

1 tablespoon Pepper 

1 tablespoon Basil 

1 tablespoon Cumin

1 tablespoon Thyme 

1 tablespoon Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon Oregano (For all the spices, let's just say it costs $3 as I already had all of them in my pantry)

Method

Put it all in the Crockpot and cook on high for 4 or on low for 8. 

Stir occasion over cook time to ensure blending of flavors.

Serve with diced onion, sour cream, cheese, hot sauce, and Fritos.

If freezing, allow to cool completely before placing in freezer.

Now we are cooking!

This dish turned out very nicely. The heartiness of the beans and lentils makes it stick to your tummy and is a great source of fiber and protien. WOOT LEGUMES!

Fritos make everything better.

This make a HUGE amount of Chili, so after we finished it cooking, I made sure to separate the leftovers: Half to be frozen the other half for lunch the rest of the week.

Next on the list of what to try to make for Melanie: Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

100 Days of Happy Photo Challenge: Week 1 & 2

So this last weekend I fell off the wagon. Didn't managed to get anything made for myself and Husband for breakfast. Mainly because of my desire to go walking on Saturday morning  with my Friend/Sister DJ and then when we returned to my home, DJ hung out until about 8 pm. Understand that we got lots of important things done during that day of fun (Dapper Day outfit pieces found as well as Halloween Costumes begun). Then on Sunday was Church, cleaning, and dinner with some long time friends of mine. So no post for today for a BFMH. It will come out again either some time this week or you'll get a double hit of it next week. w00t breakfast!

Instead, today I will showcase my latest personal challenge: #100daysofhappy on Instagram. 

Week 1

Day 1:  7/25: First day of SDCC for my crew.

Day 2: 7/26: A lovely sunset from the pedestrian bridge on the way to dinner with many friends on the Saturday of SDCC

Day 3: 7/27: Favorite Cosplay of the weekend!

Day 4: 7/28: Finally arrived in Michigan and enjoyed a lovely afternoon of Dockside Salsa, Wine, and family. ie brother in law is out on the Sunfish in this picture.

Day 5: 7/29: Being new to the family still, I didn't have to do much "dirty work" while the old dock got taken apart. I sure did enjoy watching Husband and Brother-in-Law take car of business while I listened to the "waves" slap again the rocks.

Day 6: 7/30: Family took a trip to Mackinac Island, where we rented bikes and road around the island. We also hit up the Fort and several lovely eateries including the Pink Pony and one of the Fudge Shops.

Day 7: 7/31: The water warmed up enough to get into the water at the Lake, especially once I had my Gin and Tonic Suit on.

Day 8: 8/1: After a few hold ups on the road, we were finally back in StL and got to enjoy the company of one Furbaby name Hannah the dog.

Day 9: 8/2: Le Grands: A Rally Squirrel Sandwich, a Fitz's Orange Soda, and a bag of Red Hot Riplets...how could this meal get any more St Louis?

Day 10: 8/3: One last meal with the Family, complete with Homemade Brownies, Homemade Fudge Sauce, and Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.

Day 11: 8/4: Reunited with awesome people like Kris from How to Feed a Starving Artist.

Day 12: 8/5:  Frito Pie! Homemade Vegetarian Chili sure does take it the extra mile.

Day 13: 8/6: A Fridge Full of Love: A photo of my "Aunt" Diane and I at Chuckie Cheese's and a Postcard from our Honeymoon Friends, The Thurmans.

Day 14: 8/7: This was originally a video of my friends' dogs playing with each other, which rarely happens as one is rather shy (Guess what, the Corgi isn't the shy one).

There you have it....with many more to come! I will start posting these on Friday weekly for y'all. You can see lots of other fun photos on my Instagram: @littlecatbock