Snapshots

I can honestly say it has been a full week. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then I'll let the images below do the talking:

Last weekend, Ryan, Bryce, and I took a road trip to Las Vegas for a friend's surprise birthday party. We had a blast showing Bryce our old house and the park he used to play at, visiting with old friends, and gaining 10 pounds from all the food we ate. 

Food, marvelous food.

We took a tour of the Neon Museum. The history behind the neon signs was fascinating. I can now cross it off my bucket list. It was my Disneyland.

On Tuesday, I started classes at the bible college in my church. 

My family will be celebrating Thanksgiving tonight, so I need to bust out my pie skills one more time. Last week, I made a Dutch apple pie and a pumpkin pie that were to die for. Let's hope lightning strikes twice.

Mommy Loves: Cookies

It's no secret that I love cookies. I could give the Cookie Monster some serious competition. I'm not sure how fair it would be considering he's just a puppet. Anyways, I know that I'm not the only cookie lover. Moms typically share a deep appreciation for this sweet, bite sized treat. Here's some inspiration for baking success on Mother's Day!

 Mom Tattoo Cookies- www.pinterest.com/
Fashion Cookies- www.elenis.com/
Mom Hearts- www.singlemindedwomen.com/
You Are Jar- www.iammommy.typepad.com/
Flower Cookie- www.etsy.com/

I Want Candy!

Easter is over and you are left with a mountain of candy. What now? Below are a few ideas for what to do with all of that Easter bounty.

• Throw a milkshake party. Buy a couple gallons of milk and ice cream and invite some friends over (they could bring their candy, too). Create a buffet bursting with different candy combinations for your milk shake. The possibilities are endless. 
• Chop and freeze leftover candy. Throw it in your brownie or cake batters as you bake throughout the year.
• Cut up your chocolate eggs into chunks and add them into your cookie batter. Chocolate "chunk" cookies always sound more appealing than chocolate "chip" cookies.
• Make small goody bags of candy and give them to your kids as a reward for doing something good. If you're short of money, this is a free way to pay your kids when they complete their chores.
• Make smores with Peeps. Your little sandwich will be so colorful and springy. 
• Melt them down  your chocolate bunnies and make chocolate dipped strawberries or a fondue station. Check out, "Thank You Mr. Easter Bunny" for more details.
• Warm your kids' belly with a mint hot chocolate. Warm some milk over the stove and add Andes Mints for a twist on a wonderful classic.
• Place your jelly beans in a bowl and bring it to the office. If you can't eat it all, tempt someone else to do so.

Here's a glimpse of the boys' haul from Easter. Wow.

When Life Hands You Lemons...

As of late, I'm obsessed with lemons. My mom and a family friend own lemon trees, so I am reaping the benefits. With a couple bags full of lemons, what's a girl to do? I made a meal revolving around the lemon. I could be on "Iron Chef"!

For dinner, I marinated chicken breasts in a delicious marinade that I found from Simply Recipes. It included some of my favorite herbs like thyme and rosemary. Don't get me started on rosemary. I could write a separate blog entry just about that. (Hmmm, that's actually a good idea.)

For dessert, I made a batch of lime meltaway cookies (I adapted them for lemons). They are sublime. It has the crumble of a Mexican wedding cookie, the perfect tartness, and a coating of powdered sugar. What could be better?

All of that eating makes you thirsty, right? I finished the meal with a tall glass of lemonade. I found the best recipe from Allrecipes.com. This is not that powdered Country Time stuff. It was seriously the best lemonade I've ever had. It was super sweet and yet my mouth puckered at the same time. Yum!

I still have a lot of lemons leftover so here are a couple ideas of other uses for lemons (thanks to Rob Sapp and Granny):

• If the lemons are starting to get old and you can't use them immediately, squeeze them and freeze the juice in teaspoon or tablespoon increments. Remember to remove the seeds or it will taste bitter.
• You can freeze the rinds and zest them at a later time. 
• Put the rinds down the sink and run your garbage disposal. It acts as a freshener and deodorizer.
• Lemons can be dried and turned into potpourri. Simply put them in a bowl, in a dry place, and they will dehydrate over time without molding.

So whenever life hands you lemons, now you know what to do!

After making all of those recipes, I still have this many lemons left!

Yummy Holiday Goodness

This year, I've decided to bake Christmas gifts for friends and family. Giving baked goods is very personal, cost effective, and provides so many options. This Martha Stewart recipe is the newest addition to my recipe collection. If you love lemon, you will enjoy this recipe. However, if you're not so keen on lemons, you can modify the cookies to be lime or orange flavored.

Lemon Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Lemon Glaze

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat until combined. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture.
2. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons 1 inch apart on two baking sheets. Bake until edges are golden 15 to 20 minutes rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool 2 minutes on sheets then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Spread cookies with lemon glaze and let set, about an hour. 

Lemon Glaze
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest, and 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice until smooth.

Trick or Pumpkin Seed Treat!

I can't believe that Halloween is around the corner. Seriously, where has this year gone? We're planning to do some trick-or-treating then go to our church's Family Fun Fair. As far as costumes are concerned, I'm debating on what I should dress as: a mom or a mom. Read my last Halloween blog entry, "Truly Scary Halloween Costumes" for my point of view on the lack of costume options for women.

More than costumes and candy, for me, Halloween is all about roasting pumpkin seeds. It's that special once a year treat that can't be beat. Below is my favorite recipe for pumpkin seed perfection:

• 1 1/2c raw whole pumpkin seeds
• 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Seasoned salt
• Pepper
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees 
• Toss seeds in a bowl with olive oil and seasonings. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown; stir occasionally.

Happy Halloween! Btw, here's a sneak peak at the boys' costumes. I call them Captain Asia America.

Mommy Likes...Buchon Bakery

Nestled in the Napa valley, Yountville, California is home to Buchon Bakery. Owned by renowned chef, Thomas Keller, Buchon offers the greatest little treats. When you arrive, don't be intimidated by the serpentine line out the door. This is the norm on the weekends, as Buchon is that popular. When you finally step foot inside, you are greeted with a warm smile and wonderful baked delights. 

It was my turn to order and I didn't want to miss a thing or mess up my order because it took so long to get inside. I felt like Jerry Seinfeld with the Soup Nazi, except these guys were friendly. Looking quickly, yet meticulously at all they offered, I opted for a couple of macarons and a vanilla latte. 

I was not disappointed. The macarons were sweet, pillowy perfection and the latte was unforgettable. If you live in Nor Cal, you must try it. I'll save a place for you in line.

Mommy Likes...Packing Lunches

School is right around the corner and with it comes the responsibility of packing lunches again. Is it just me or does it seem like kids never like the lunch that their parents pack them? As a kid, I don't remember getting terribly excited about my school lunches. I see the same look of delight when I tell Bryce that I made him yet another peanut butter and honey sandwich. Maybe my son will never be thrilled with everything I make, however, I know he will definitely be excited about how it's packaged. Below are my picks for elements of a great lunch:

laptoplunches.com offers these great bento boxes. They come in different color combinations and what kid doesn't love opening little containers to see the surprise that awaits them? 

I chose this bag because of the Hello Kitty lover within me. I found this bag on reuseit.com and I love the cutesy, Japanese look. What a pleasant looking sandwich! How often is that statement made?

It does not matter how old your kid is, they always like notes from you. Instead of scribbling a note on a napkin, give them a mini lunch note. Each card has a colorful animal on the front and space on the back for a hand-written note. Check it out at potterybarnkids.com

BLT (sort of)

Last week, I was inspired to make BLTs for dinner (and by inspired, I mean bacon was on sale so I had to do something with it!) Instead of the typical BLT, I tweaked the recipe. The result was really delicious. I felt it was worth sharing.

BST- Bacon, Spinach, and Tomato Sandwich

Ciabatta (I prefer the ones from Nugget)

8 slices of bacon

Spinach

2 Tomatoes sliced

Balsamic Vinegar

Olive Oil

1 clove of garlic sliced

Sea Salt 

Pepper

Cook bacon to crispy perfection. Combine tomatoes, 1 tbsp of olive oil, 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar, and garlic in a ziploc bag. Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes. Slice ciabatta into 1 inch thick slices. Drizzle ciabatta with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil bread to desired toastiness. Layer your ciabatta slice with spinach, bacon, and tomatoes, then top with another ciabatta slice. 

Serve with kettle salt and pepper chips and you've got quite a meal. Enjoy!

C is For Cookie That's Good Enough For Me

Baking cookies is like playing sports- sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. For every stellar cookie I've made, I have also baked an equally horrible one. The recipe below, however, is a win win. Thank you, allrecipes.com, for supplying this amazing little gem. If you don't try this recipe, I feel sorry for you :)

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.