for the love of paisley

Nourishing Dumpling Soup (gluten free)

2011-03-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

whenever any sort of sickness hits our house i immediately whip up a batch of nourishing chicken broth from one of the blogs i frequent, if i don't already have a few jars stored in the freezer. i try to "change up" the type of soup i make since the kids and hubby get tired of the standard chicken noodle soup. since ryan was the one down for the count last Sunday, i decided to re-create his all time favorite soup from my MIL's kitchen...Dumpling Soup. because i wanted to use the medicinal properties of my homemade broth and didn't have any thin gluten free noodles on hand it came out a little different but he loved it! so another winner to add to the scorecard.:)

Dumplings(gluten free)

1 c. brown rice flour
1/4 c. millet flour
1/2 c. potato starch
1/4c. tapioca starch
1 t. xanthan gum
3 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. sea salt
4 Tbsp. butter, unsalted, chilled, cut into small cubes
1 cup buttermilk
2 T. flax meal combined with 4 T. boiling water as egg replacement

In small bowl combine flax and boiling water and let set.
In a medium mixing bowl combine flours, xanthan  gum, baking  powder, baking soda, and salt. Combine with a fork until  ingredients  are evenly distributed throughout the mix. Add the chilled  butter cubes  and work the butter into the dry ingredients using your  fingers or a  pastry cutter until the mixture has a sandy, crumbly  texture.
 In a small measuring cup, measure the buttermilk and add flax mixture.  Pour the wet ingredients into the mixture of dry ingredients and  butter  and work with a fork until just combined.

Nourishing Dumpling Soup(gluten free)

4 T. butter
3/4 c. finely chopped white onion
2 c. diced carrots
1 T. dried thyme
2 c. cooked chicken, shredded(i threw a couple chicken breasts in when making my broth to have extra meat, but you could cut up a couple thawed chicken breasts into small pieces and saute in with your veggies after the onions have cooked through. it only takes about 5 minutes)

1. Saute onions and carrots in the bottom of your stock pot until carrots are cooked through. I usually throw it all in there over medium heat and cover for about 10 minutes, giving it a little stir here and there. (about 5 minutes in is a good time to add your chicken if it needs to be cooked)

2. Add the thyme and continue to saute for another minute or two...until it becomes fragrant.

3. Add around 64oz. broth or fill the pot around half-way full. ( can you tell my cooking is extremely precise?!) Add shredded chicken. cover and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

4. Drop biscuits in with a cookie scoop, cover and allow to simmer for 10 minutes more. Uncover and serve!

I had more biscuit dough than i wanted for dumplings, so i simply scooped the rest on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. serve with kerrygold butter and raw honey!

Pearl Sugar Waffles (traditional and gluten free)

2011-03-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

bacon, basil and brie

the waffle window simply put, is a small slice of heaven. a couple weeks back, we spent our sunday morning making the drive, putting our to-go order in(no seating!)and enduring screaming and hysterical Lily until we could get to Barista to quickly devour our luscious little waffles with choice espresso. jericho was in heaven. lily was in heaven. heck we were all in heaven and the people around us were clearly jealous. now, do i want to re-live that venture? not really. mainly because screaming Lily in the car nearly drove us all to kill one another. and the waffle window waffles are not gluten free. and because like all luscious foods i consume, i have this crazy need to recreate it. thursday nights has turned into "breakfast thursday's" with our dear friends, so it was the perfect time, with the perfect people to indulge in this new venture! we found out that you can purchase the elusive "pearl sugar" from none other than ikea! so following are the original "liege" or pearl sugar waffles and the gluten free version which happened to be just as tasty! i also need to not only mention but thank allyson from manifest vegan for her kind help in re-create the gluten free version of the waffles. i emailed her that morning and she responded in just a few hours with her suggestions for flour replacement that worked out wonderfully!

Liege Waffles aka Pearl Sugar Waffles
2 cups flour
*for gluten free mix 1 c. sorghum, 3/4 c. potato starch, 1/4 c. tapioca starch and 1 1/4 t. xanthan gum
3/4 cup pearl sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup melted butter
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 package (2 1/4 t) yeast
1/3 cup lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Take the lukewarm water and mix in yeast, 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar and salt. Let the yeast develop for 15 minutes. In the meanwhile you can melt the butter, but be careful - do not burn it.

2. Now take a large bowl(preferable a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment) and put the flour in, making a hole in the middle. In a separate bowl lightly beat the eggs with a whisk. Add the melted butter to the egg mixture. stir. Add the yeast mixture to that. stir. Add all of that to the flour. beat for 10 minutes. cover and let rise to double in size.

3. Now take pearl sugar and additional 1/4c. sugar and gently fold in.

4. Again, let it rest for 15 minutes, in the meanwhile you can turn on the waffle maker so its nice and hot.

5. Pour the waffle dough into the waffle maker and bake for 3-5 minutes. Because we mixed in the sugar late in the process it will melt and caramelize and give that special Liege waffle taste. Just be careful when you take them out of the waffle maker, caramelized sugar can make them sticky.

6. Enjoy!!

gluten free version before the "dressing" of
chocolate, strawberries and fresh whipped cream

Ice Cream Sandwiches (gluten, egg and dairy free)

2011-02-10T23:01:00.000-08:00

jericho and ryan love to have ice cream sandwiches together as a special treat and since j can't have the standard ones ryan always buys, i decided i had to make him his own once allyson over at manifest vegan revealed her recipe for ice cream sammies. you can find her recipe here. the only change i made was to use butter in place of the vegan shortening. i followed the recipe for the cookies and filled the sandwiches with the Naked Coconut flavor of Coconut Bliss. I just let the carton sit out for a bit to soften and then put them together and wrapped them up in saran wrap and put back in the freezer all ready for daddy-son bonding time. we were thinking the cookies would also make yummy homemade Oreos if i can figure out a good filling recipe. oh, and later on, when it was time for my treat, i took a lone cookie, spread a thin layer of peanut butter and then TJ's ultra chocolate ice cream on top. pure bliss!

Fried Chicken (gluten free)

2011-02-10T21:59:00.000-08:00

i've had chicken sitting in the fridge for a couple of days and i needed to use it up tonight. none of the usual recipes sounded good...i'm bored of everything and ryan hasn't seemed to want to eat at all lately so i needed to come up with something tempting enough for him before he wastes away. and who doesn't like fried chicken? the problem with fried chicken though, is that i have always been terrible at making it. i mean really terrible. it's either charred on the outside, pink on the inside, soggy or all of the above. yuck. so i was determined to make it right tonight...and also, gluten free. and not just any kind of gluten free...the kind ryan would love and not wish was gluten-full. so i of course started with smitten kitchen. she is a culinary goddess! here is her version of fried chicken which involves brining the chicken for a few hours. i didn't have that kind of time so i cut that step out, although i will definitely try it next time. turns out, ryan LOVES gluten free fried chicken. :)

juicy and oh so crispy!

Fried Chicken (gluten free)

2 large chicken breasts, cut in half

1 1/4 c. white rice flour
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
mix in a small bowl

1 c. buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
mix in another small bowl

dredge chicken in flour mixture, then immerse in buttermilk and back in the flour again.

fill heavy skillet with about an inch of olive oil. heat over medium. place the chicken in when the oil sizzles. cover. cook until bottom is golden brown. turn and repeat. meat thermometer should read 165 degrees when it's fully cooked. place in a warm oven on a wire rack over a cookie sheet until time to serve.

as a added bonus...i'm not a gravy queen, but i am learning slowly and surely how to make a quick gravy.

Gravy (gluten free)

drain most of the drippings from the pan, saving a couple tablespoons.
place pan back on burner.
sprinkle bottom of pan with white rice flour.
whisk around in bottom of pan, allowing it to bubble and make a "roux".
add enough chicken broth for the amount of gravy you need...around 2 cups or so.
allow it to simmer and thicken.
add salt and pepper
add 1 T. white wine
add 1 T heavy cream
If it isn't thick enough, mix a little of the gravy with cornstarch or arrowroot and stir back in.
taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

be my valentine

2011-02-03T21:25:00.000-08:00

valentine's day is coming and jericho has been SO excited to make our own valentines, a tradition we started last year. he's been talking about it every day for the last 2 weeks. so today was the day. no-where to go, nothing to do...ok i'm lying...there are always errands to be done and things to do around the house but i've been thinking alot lately about the fact that those things will always be there...but my babies won't. wait, i think i've had this conversation with myself before. i must be a slow learner. anyway. this is a time in our lives where i am the center of their world...a celebrity(whatever, it makes me feel better on the rough days=)...and i don't want to be stuck doing things i don't even really like doing anyway (even if they do make me feel like my day is somewhat a success) when i have lives to shape. i want to be a mom that lives out a remarkable life with my children rather than a mom that just tells them how to live a remarkable life. anyway, "remarkable" today was hanging out in our jammies, playing kitchen and toy story, taking flights to disneyland and nana's farm, watching movies, eating marshmallow popcorn and of course...making valentines. =)

jericho's creation

he loved cutting these out and gluing them together. he got frustrated a few times, saying he wasn't "staying in the lines". i told him that isn't what art is about. when you're creating art you can do it just the way you want. it's your "creation". there's no "right way", no one can tell you if it's right or wrong, good or bad. they can't because it's yours, and it can be whatever or however you want it to be. if you make a mistake, then think of a new way to make it what you want it to be. he like that idea and was pretty happy with the way all 6 turned out!

Oatmeal Scotchies

2011-01-20T20:17:00.001-08:00

i'm seeing a pattern here. cookies. i love 'em. i can't get enough of 'em. and if there is a way to make them a little better for me and my kids without sacrificing flavor, then i am all about that. this is another amazing gluten, egg, dairy free version of one of my favorite cookies. i was unsure as to how they would hold together since the recipe i used didn't call for any egg replacement. but they came out so chewy and delicious...just the way an oatmeal cookie should be. not too moist or cakey. i hate cakey oatmeal cookies. but they aren't dry in the least. they are delicate and chewy. of course, you have to make it past eating the dough, which is difficult. very, very difficult.

oatmeal scotchies
(adapted from Bob's Red Mill Coconut Almond Oatmeal Cookies)

1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
3 T. almond milk
1 t. vanilla

mix.

1/2 c. sorghum flour
1/4 c. tapioca flour
1/4 c. potato starch
1/2 t. xanthan gum
1 1/2 c. gluten free quick rolled oats
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. sea salt

mix in separate bowl. slowly add to wet ingredients. add in chocolate or butterscotch chips. i separated the batter into 2 separate bowls and added some of each since my husband doesn't like butterscotch.

bake at 350 degrees for 13 minutes. enjoy!

your favorite chocolate chip cookie (but free!)

2010-12-15T20:44:00.000-08:00

ok, so, you can't live life without your favorite chocolate chip cookies, even if you are gluten, egg and dairy free. i've been trying to perfect this recipe to our liking from manifest vegan (who is a vegan genius by the way). my sis-in-law, tiffany, has a a recipe for Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies that we have been swearing by for YEARS. so i combined the two. The genius of manifest vegan and the finger licking goodness of the pudding cookies. i don't think you'll be disappointed!

Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies(gluten, egg and dairy free)

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. coconut oil, liquified

1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 package of trader joe's vanilla pudding

1 t. sea salt

1 t. baking soda

1 T. flaxseed meal(ground flaxseed) mixed with 2 T. hot water, let sit a minute

1 1/2 t. Ener-g mixed with 2 T. water, let sit a minute

cream together.

1 c. sorghum flour

3/4 c. brown rice flour

1/2 c. tapioca starch

1/2 t. xanthan gum

1 c. trader joe's chocolate chips

preheat oven to 375 degrees.

mix flour's and gum together. slowly add to to creamed mixture. mix until dough is soft. add chocolate chips. eat alot of the dough because it's really yummy and it's ok.

scoop onto parchment lined cookie sheet. bake for 10-11 minutes. they will not look done but they are. remove and let sit until firm. eat as many as you can because they are the best right out of the oven.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten, dairy, egg free)

2010-10-06T21:27:00.000-07:00

I made these yummy concoctions from the Mommy Bowl blog tonight for Jericho to have instead of the Cookie Dough Icecream Cake Ryan chose for his birthday. We couldn't keep our hands off them and they were so easy to whip up! Here is the link.

Broccoli Cheese Soup (gluten and dairy-free)

2010-10-05T22:42:00.000-07:00

So, a couple weeks ago we found out that Jericho has a few allergies. Wheat, dairy, eggs, corn...you know, the basics...of what he eats every. single. day. Now, I don't want to sound like a whiner, but... really? REALLY?! As if mealtime with him doesn't already make me want to pull my hair out, now I have to try to feed him a bunch of weird crap? Perfect. But you know what? It hasn't been that bad. In fact, I think he kind of likes eating a little bit more than he used to! And it hasn't been that weird. It's been stressful for me and requires alot more brain function than I normally would choose to exert over every. single. meal. But if it's the best thing for his little body, then I'm going to do it without robbing him of yummy, delicious food. I created this recipe a few months ago before we were gluten and dairy free, so I will include those substitutes as well since it has and continues to be one of our favorite meals. I will say that this is not your Panera style broccoli cheddar soup, of which I am a HUGE fan. But it is so delicious and creamy and I dare say...I like it better. :)

Broccoli Cheese Soup

3 T. coconut oil (or butter. i personally would not use olive oil for this recipe)
2 T. minced garlic
1 t. dried thyme
1 c. minced onions
1/2 t. salt
Saute until onions are cooked through.

3 T. gluten free baking mix (or flour)
Stir in. Allow to cook until fragrant...about 2 minutes.

4 c. chicken broth
Add and allow to simmer and thicken for 5 minutes

16 oz. broccoli (allow to thaw if frozen)
Add to mixture and cook through...about 10 minutes. Or you can pre-cook your broccoli in a separate pan to save time.

Pour contents of the pot into your blender and puree. You may have to do it in two batches. Add it all back into the pan.

1/2 c. coconut milk (or cream)
Add and allow to heat through

1/2 c. rice mozzarella cheese (or up to 2 cups cheddar cheese)
Heat until melted.

2 T. organic butter (believe me, it's worth it)
Allow to melt.

Serve with a brown rice bread, turkey and rice mozzarella cheese panini!

Chili

2010-10-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

the blustery weather outside has me craving soup. today I had my first crack at chili. it was so dang good! so of course, i had to post the recipe...that way i can find it next time I need it. :)

Chili

2 lbs. ground beef
4 cloves garlic, minced
I c. minced onions

Saute until beef is cooked through.

2 T. chili powder
2 t. oregano
1 t. salt
1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 sm. can green chili's

Add to the beef mixture and allow to cook in for a couple minutes.

32. oz. beef broth
1-2 cans tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce

Add to mixture and simmer for 45 minutes.

2 cans kidney beans
1 can black beans

Add and heat through.

Serve with guacamole, sour cream, cheese or tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Summer Crisps

2010-08-25T20:50:00.001-07:00

we had friends staying here the last few days and yesterday they ventured to Sauvie Island for berry picking. while there, they also acquired a "few" peaches. so of course, the day wouldn't have been complete without a little summer crisp. i give you...

Peach Crisp
(adapted from this wonderful blog)

Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup regular rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup almond slices, lightly toasted *optional

Peach Filling:
6 cups fresh peaches (about 2 lbs), pitted, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

For the topping, stir flour, oats, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a large bowl. Add butter. Use a pastry cutter or fork to form coarse crumbs. *To toast almonds, bake 3-4 minutes on an ungreased baking sheet until light brown (watch carefully - they brown quickly). Set aside to cool.

For filling, combine peaches and sugar. Mix cornstarch and lemon juice; stir into peaches. Add cinnamon and almond extract; stir well.

To assemble, pour filling into a 9-inch square baking dish. Combine almonds with topping, sprinkle about half of the mixture evenly over the fruit. Pat down lightly. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from the oven; add remaining topping, and bake additional 25 - 30 minutes or until fruit pierces easily with a toothpick. Allow to set about 30 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

Source: Cooking with Confidence

Lily's First Birthday-Part One

2010-08-07T21:43:00.000-07:00

a fairy garden party
july sixth, twenty-ten

the cake

table one

coconut cream cupcakes

dark chocolate cupcakes with dark chocolate ganche

the little fairy princess

I had so much FUN getting ready for Lily's party...the first "girl" party i've thrown.
i spent the month previous working on crafts and ideas here and there
and in the end...it turned out more beautiful than i had expected.

I had so many willing hands so before i go any further i want to thank:

jon and danielle: set-up...you see all those pom poms and butterfly's and garlands?
yeah, they hung ALL those. PLUS took most of the pictures you see.
they were awesome:)

jenn: frosted and decorated the birthday girls cake and every last cupcake
and then arranged them beautifully. OH and...I got the cake recipes from her blog,
wutheringiris.blogspot.com
absolutely divine.

luke and whit: you haven't seen them yet but they decorated all
of the poles with streamers, ribbon and butterflies
and then helped decorate the tables.
all after flying for 5 hours.
love them.

mom and grandma: what didn't they do? anything and everything.
couldn't have done it without them.

my hubby: see that beautiful yard and landscaping?
that and all the the design work(banners, toppers,etc.)...
just the way i wanted it.
only because of him:)

megan: my partner in crime, laugher, adventure,
and endless hours of cutting, and cutting and cutting.

and ALL of the guests who either flew in or drove hours to be here
to celebrate Lily.

thank you all!

Beef Stroganoff

2010-04-22T22:52:00.000-07:00

For reasons unknown to me, beef stroganoff has always been a childhood favorite for me. I'm really not a "casserole" person, which is how this dish comes across to me, but I have fond memories of walking into my Grandma Tricia's house with the beckoning scent of beef, cream and noodles calling my name. Ahhhh... :) Now, my hubby has grown up a pretty big fan of casseroles. But for some reason has never liked beef stroganoff! Last night, I took a chance and our preferences collided into a plethera of "mmmmm's" and "yum's" and "we can add this to our list of make-agains". So, without further ado, I give you....Beef Stroganoff.

Beef Stroganoff

Adapted from Foodnetwork.com/Paula Deen

1 1/2 pounds cubed round steak, cut into thin strips
1 TBS House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 TBS All-purpose flour + 1 TBS
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, sliced
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can beef broth
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
Cooked egg noodles OR use my recipe for homemade egg noodles below

Directions

Season the steak strips with House Seasoning, then dust with flour. In a large skillet, quickly brown them on both sides in the olive oil and butter. Remove the steak from the pan. Add the onion slices and mushrooms to the pan drippings. Saute until the onion is carmelized. Sprinkle with 1 TBS flour. Put the steak back into the pan with the onion and mushrooms. Add the beef broth. Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, covered. If the consistency isn't thick enough(you don't want it to be soupy, more gravy-like) spoon some of the broth into a cup and mix in another TBS of flour and slowly whisk into pan. Allow to simmer a few more minutes. Stir in the mushroom soup and sour cream the last few minutes, right before you serve. Serve over cooked noodles.

House Seasoning:

1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix the ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Egg Noodles

2 C. flour

2 eggs

1/2 TBS kosher salt

2 TBS oil

Mix ingredients together. Slowly mix and add warm water until dough pulls together. Turn onto floured wooden cutting board. Roll out as thin as you can and cut into strips with a pizza cutter. Cut the noodles horizontally. Add to a large kettle of boiling water. Boil for 30 minutes, or until cooked through and tender. Strain.

Chicken Parmesan

2010-03-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

I have never been too fond of this traditional Italian dish, but Ryan has always been a huge fan. And tonight...I became one too:)

Chicken Parmesan

1/2 stick butter,
1 tsp. minced garlic
*melt and mix in a bowl

1 c. panko
2/3 c. extra sharp vintage white cheddar or parmesan
1t. parsley
1/2t. italian seasoning
ground pepper
1/4t. garlic salt
*mix in a separate bowl

2-3 chicken breasts
*place chicken in a ziplock bag and pound to 1" thickness. Remove and cut each breast into 4 pieces. Dredge each piece in the garlic butter and then in the breading mixture. Repeat. Place in a 9x13 inch dish, keeping the pieces somewhat separate. Drizzle the rest of the garlic butter over the chicken.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn each piece over. Bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven when chicken is golden brown. Top each piece with hot marinara sauce and a sprinkle of cheese. Enjoy!

Catching Up!

2010-02-03T15:05:00.000-08:00

life flies by when you have babies.
hence, the reason i haven't posted in oh...you know...7 months!
i have a little catching up to do.

lily
so sweet, so precious
she makes me LOVE being a mama!
she makes my heart glad

jericho

nothing makes a baby grow up faster than having another baby around
i love hanging out with jericho....chatting about life stuff and playing hi-ho! cherry-o.
he's becoming such a little man and i love it.

he genuinely adores her

the best of friends...for now

the love jericho has for lily is so sweet.
the love i have for both of them grows by the day.
having another baby has helped me slow down,
stop "doing" so much and start "enoying"more.
i actually sit down to play throughout the day now!
(i know, what kind of a mom was i before? the kind who got stuff DONE!)
there's going to be alot of time later on to get things done.
these days will be gone before i know it, so i am trying to drink it all in.

Lillian Noel Hagler

2009-07-23T22:28:00.001-07:00

Lillian Noel Hagler
July 6, 2009
7 lb. 12 oz
20 inches

sweet moments

2009-06-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

mama, jericho & lily
june 16, 09

Just a little something....

2009-06-16T21:59:00.001-07:00

i thought it would be fun to take these less than desirable burp cloths and turn them into something beautiful. unfortunately, my sewing skills are close to non-existent. not so much non-existent as i am so incredibly bad at it i shouldn't be ALLOWED near a sewing machine. thankfully, megs came to my rescue and while i pinned, she sewed and now lily has some beautiful things to thrown up on! ahhh...the things we do to make life better:)

Lily

2009-05-01T22:16:00.000-07:00

ryan took this photo of me
a few weeks ago in Bellingham.
i think i will always love it.

carrying lily. april 09.

Swedish Chicken

2009-04-25T11:57:00.000-07:00

I recently visited the family of my new almost-sis-in-law, Danielle, and experience some amazing food from her mom Michelle's kitchen! Ryan and Jericho especially loved this dish and so I decided to try her recipe out last night (with a couple modifications) on the rest of the Hagler bunch and Andy and Megs and it was a HIT! Thanks Michelle!

Swedish Chicken

4 large chicken breasts, thawed and halved

1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
3 TBS rosemary

Place this mixture into a plastic bag with the chicken breasts and toss til well-coated. Saute chicken in 2 TBS Butter. Add following mixture.

1 c. milk
1 c. whipping cream
2 tsp. chicken flavoring

Mix ingredients and pour over chicken still in the pan. Turn heat down to medium low, stir and simmer until sauce is thickened and meat is tender. (about 45 minutes) Once cooked, turn heat off and heat at last minute or place in casserole dish in oven until ready to serve.

Serve over Orzo Pasta and with steamed broccoli

happy days

2009-04-24T06:32:00.000-07:00

this photo makes me happy,
just like jericho does.

7 Months

2009-04-09T23:28:00.000-07:00

Here I am! 7 months pregnant with Lily and FINALLY a picture:) When I was pregnant with Jericho we took a picture like every week! Oops. I have had absolutely NO ENERGY this whole pregnancy which is really weird for me. I'm grateful for the mini-spurts I've gotten here and there but I'm really looking forward to being done with the pregnancy part just so I can feel like myself again! My iron has been super low this time around and it was actually really high last time, so I know that makes a difference too. I don't really remember craving anything with Jericho, but with Lily it's been red meat, sweets and LOTS of cereal! Don't worry though...i'm eating "good for me" stuff too:)

wearing a dead animal

2009-04-09T23:21:00.000-07:00

I really don't know why boys get such a big kick out of these hats...but they do! My brothers all had them, well, minus Luke, when they were little and they LOVED their Daniel Boone hats! I still remember the BB Guns and the raccoon tails trailing behind as they went on their many adventures. And now Jericho has joined the ranks...thanks to Uncle Luke! Thanks Uncle Luke:) I'm sure there will be many memories made with this dead animal:)

Baby Shower for Tiffany and Gracie!

2009-04-05T22:29:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law, Tiffany, is due with her first child, Gracie Mae, May 3rd. She's going to be a great mama...a natural:) My sis-in-law, Tanya, mother-in-law, Brenda and I threw her a tea-party baby shower. It was complete with our friend, Megan's finest tea service, scones and cream, tea sandwiches and a crowd favorite, chocolate fountain. There were over 60 ladies there to celebrate Gracie and support Tiffany! What a party:)

the spread

glowing mama-to-be, Tiffany

tea

cupcakes DIPPED in sprinkles!

family

Me, Tiffany & Tanya

Funny Stuff Kids Say

2009-03-29T22:08:00.000-07:00

One morning this week, I was listing off Jericho's cereal choices and one of them was Honey Bunches of Oats. He's been asking for "Funny and Boats" ever since:)

Another funny...every time he sings Old McDonald it starts like this..."Old McDonald had it fun..."

California Roll How-To!

2009-03-19T20:01:00.000-07:00

Today I have the honor of having my dear friend, Megan, from bohomeme with us. She and I have all sorts of crazy fun in the kitchen...and beyond! I asked her to grace us with her presence and "how-to" of California Rolls! Enjoy my sweet and funny friend:) Tiffany

Hello everyone! I'm Tiff's friend Megs, and I have the pleasure of guest blogging for her today on how we made our sushi rolls for the absolutely delicious dinner we had at her and Ryan's house a few weekends ago. My husband Andy and I were feeling hungry and lonely up in Portland, especially since we knew all our friends were getting together and eating, so we hopped in the car and made a quick trip down to say hi...and eat :)

None of us had made sushi rolls before, so this was a huge experiment. I loosely followed the directions on http://whatscookingamerica.net/Appetizers/CaliforniaRoll.htm. There are tons of variations to a California roll, so if you google it you can take it step by step, even by video! We also didn't have a sushi mat and did not use cling wrap. The only difference I can see by not using the mat and wrap were that our rolls were not as tight as they could have been.

Tiff picked up all the ingredients we needed, which were:

Rice Ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 cups uncooked Japanese medium-grain rice*
- 4 cups water

Only use Japanese rice in sushi making. It is a medium-grained rice and gets sticky when it is cooked. Long-grained American rice will not work because it is drier and doesn't stick together.

Equipment Needed:

- Bamboo sushi-roll mat (we didn't have this)

- Clean cutting board

- Sushi knife or very sharp knife

- Wood spoon or wood or plastic rice paddle for spreading rice (or clean fingers!)

- Plastic wrap (if using the sushi mat) and aluminum foil

Roll Ingredients:

- sheets of nori seaweed, very dark in color, almost black (plenty in one packet

- 2-3 avocados

- cooked crab meat or good imitation crab meat

- toasted sesame seeds or poppy seeds (opt.)

- Soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger for serving

- other variations include adding English cucumber.

Make the rice:

- Start preparing the rice approximately 2 hours before you want to make the sushi rolls. Wash rice and soak 30 minutes.
- If you don't have a rice cooker, place rice and water into a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; bring just to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let rice rest, covered, for 15 additional minutes.

sidenote from Tiffany: I just bought Sushi Rice from the store and rinsed it a couple times and then cooked it according to the directions, which was basically the same as cooking normal rice. Just so you know it doesn't have to be complicated!

- While rice is cooking, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat mixture just until the sugar dissolves (do not let it boil). Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.
- Transfer rice to a large bowl; loosen rice grains gently with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon by cutting and folding (do not stir, as this will crush the rice). Sprinkle the cooled rice vinegar mixture over the rice, mixing together as you sprinkle (add enough dressing to coat the rice but not make it damp - you may not need to use all the vinegar dressing). Spread the hot rice on top of a large sheet of aluminum foil and let cool.

Make the rolls:

- Cut the avocados in half lengthwise, then remove the pit; cut each section in half again (lengthwise), and carefully remove the peel. Cut the section in long slender strips. Sprinkle the sliced avocado with lemon juice to keep from discoloring.
- If you are using imitation crab sticks, remove the plastic wrapping and cut each in half lengthwise.

-Slightly dampen the nori with wet fingers, or hold over a warm stove burner to make the sheet more pliable. Lay sheet flat on cutting board (or wrap and mat, like below).

- Dampen fingers and spread rice gently over mat, without squishing the grains. It's VERY sticky, so you'll need to keep a little bowl of water nearby to dip your fingers in. Once the rice is spread, if you like, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

- Arrange your fillings in the center of the mat. - Once your fillings are in, time to roll. Placing your fingers on the ingredients, carefully bring the bottom end of the sheet over the ingredients (tucking the end of the nori to start a roll). If using mat, pull back the rolling mat and plastic wrap, as necessary, so it does not get rolled into the sushi. NOTE: Roll tightly with firm pressure.

- Continue rolling the sushi (pulling back the rolling mat and plastic wrap, as necessary) until you have approximately 1 to 2 inches of the top of the nori showing. Rub a small amount of cold water on the edge of the nori and bring the nori around so that it completes the sushi roll.

- Gently squeeze the roll until it is firm and forms an even roll (be carefuly not to squeeze too hard, as you may crush the ingredients or squeezed them out).

- Place rolls on a flat cutting board (remove plastic wrap if necessary). Using a sharp knife, slice the sushi roll first down the middle. From there you can cut it into 6ths or 8ths, whichever you prefer (wet the knife between each cut to make it easier to cut and keep the rice from sticking to the knife).

Voila! They were reeealllly good - I'm positive we'll make these again for everyone.

Good idea Tiff!

Sushi

2009-03-13T09:04:00.001-07:00

Aren't the beautiful? Didn't think it would be that easy? It is!

Last weekend, our old friends, Megs and Andy, came down from Portland and the old gang got together for some GREAT food and lots of laughs:) We had the standby Teriyaki Chicken and Coconut rice, Tiger Rolls, California Rolls and Homemade Donuts for dessert!

I've been wanting to make California rolls for some time now and knew this would be the perfect opportunity! The best part about having such great girlfriends is that we all love being in the kitchen and trying new things together. It also means that I can have an idea that I have no clue how to carry out...and someone else will do it for me:) So, thanks Megs for seeing this one through! And thanks to my sis-in-law, Tiff, for helping me with the prep for everything...she's the BEST at that and I can ALWAYS rely on her:) And aren't they beautiful!

P.S. We DID use Sushi rice, but did NOT use a mat! I'll have to get Megs to guest post on here so we know EXACTLY what she did do!

Ingredients you might need:
Nori(seeweed sheets)
Sushi rice
Imitation crab
Avacado
Sesame seeds(toasted)

Isn't it amazing!

2009-03-12T09:46:00.000-07:00

I don't know how I managed to miss posting this, but my priorities are finally straight! :)

A few weeks ago, Jericho and I visited my parents in Nebraska for 2 weeks, leaving my poor husband ALONE for 2 WEEKS! Obviously, most of you know that 2 weeks for a hubby to be alone, taking care of himself is a very. long. time. Let's just say...he REALLY missed us...er, uh me:) And of course we missed him too.

This was my welcome home gift! I was in utter shock! My very own little Mac???? Now...you have to understand what my computer life has been like in the past to really appreciate how amazing this is. I have NOT had a computer at my fingertips for the last 2 years...so to be able to use it ANYTIME I want to with all of my pictures organized and all of my bookmarks in place and all of my favorite blogs and recipes on hand at any moment...is pure heaven. Thanks babe...you're too good to me:)

The Haircut

2009-03-07T00:43:00.000-08:00

Jericho has had curly, long, surfer style hair since he was about 1. Yesterday, I decided to change that. It did NOT go as well in real life as it did in my head. Let's just say there was some panicking on my part and some screaming on his. But he sure does look cute and oh so old. Kinda sad...my baby looks like a big boy!

Before

After

people in nebraska

2009-03-01T21:03:00.000-08:00

these are pictures from our nebraska trip of people that i love...

my "i can't believe he just said that", dry sense of humor, hilarious brother, Micah

papa and nana

Potty Trained!

2009-02-18T12:22:00.001-08:00

The day has FINALLY come...Jericho is potty trained and if you can believe it he LOVES going on the potty. (pretty sure he loves the m&m reward more than anything) For any of you that are close to me, you know how much a thorn this has been for me the last year and half or so. I really tried SO hard to get it done early and I'm not really great at accepting failure...at all. But the reality is, that I think I'm the one that has grown the most through this process. I've known I'm a control freak for quite some time, unfortunately, but when I realized how much this was affecting how I saw my son it really scared me. I actually thought LESS of him because he wouldn't just grow up all ready, get it through his head and start going on the potty chair! And the sad part is that it would make me so mad! But I started realizing that it wasn't really him I was mad at, it was me! What kind of mother was I if I couldn't train my son to go potty in the right place?! That's when I started realizing the difference between "training" and "control". Controlling my child means he needs to do it MY way, WHEN I say to, ALL the time. Training him means that I nurture and cultivate the personality and character within him to be the best version of himself. Obviously there are rules, guidelines and discipline that are imperative within that but I want to see the beauty of Jericho and who he is come through rather than a micro-managed version of myself. Isn't it great that we can learn life altering principles from our children!

Baby Shower in Nebraska

2009-02-11T19:18:00.000-08:00

I just came home to Oregon after visiting my parents and grandparents in Nebraska for two weeks. It was so great to be with them! Especially my mom. I am her only daughter and it's so hard for us to be so far apart. She always pampers me and makes me take it easy when i come home...I wish we could live life together all the time!

me, 20 weeks & my VERY italian mom, marlene

My mom and our friend, Marci and her four beautiful girls(whom I started babysitting when Savannah was 3!) threw me an amazing baby shower and as you can see, even though we didn't know if we were having a girl at that point, I was definitely planning on it!

me, mom, marci

Coconut and Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
with Coconut Buttercream

My sweet friend, Jesse, a culinary chef, gave me the recipe for these to-die-for cupcakes! I love anything in miniature or tea-partyish and these were AMAZING! My mom mixed them up and I put them together. Yum!

Helpful hint: once you line your mini-cupcake pan with liners, spray them quickly with cooking spray! It helps the liners peel cleanly away from the cupcake instead of losing half of it to the liner!

Cheesecake Lollipops

My mom and I visited this great bookstore in Lincoln's Haymarket on our girls day out and found a cookbook called Sticky, Messy, Gooey full of the most incredible desserts. This one was in there and I just couldn't resist! (yes, i DID decorate all these sticks!) How cute are these!

on the menu

Chicken Salad
served on a toasted baguette

Baked Brie
with a Brown Sugar Pecan Glaze
served with pears, apples and grapes

Cheesecake Lollipops

Coconut and Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
with Coconut Buttercream

Vanilla Iced Lattes

Lime Water

I'm so glad my mom and marci threw this shower for me. it was so important to me that i be surrounded by the ladies that had been in my life since i was a little girl for this special time of my life. oftentimes, i feel so blind going through life trying to figure out how to be a great mom to my kids. i think of my mom and all of her friends and the things that stood out to me way back then that are still with me even now as i go through each day trying to make it special or significant for Jericho and now Lily. They all blessed me with gifts and words of wisdom and blessing and covered Lily and I in prayer. it really meant so much.

It's a Girl!

2009-02-11T19:12:00.000-08:00

We found out we're having a little girl today and I am ELATED! I really really wanted my first to be a boy and we were blessed with Jericho Levi and I have loved having him in my life. But this time...it HAD to be a girl and the Lord must have heard my prayers! I'm totally a bow-in-the-hair kind of mom and i'm just so excited to dress her in the millions of cute outfits I see EVERYWHERE I go! My mom and I have always had such a fun time together...shopping, going to the spa, getting coffee, trying out a new restaurant...girls are just real fun. Plus, Jericho has said from the beginning he wants a baby sister...so it was meant to be!

A Night at the Haglers

2009-01-07T10:52:00.000-08:00

Here's something that will perk up your day! Just another night with my crazy boys:)

A Day in the Snow

2009-01-06T20:50:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas, the Hagler family(minus me! i went shopping:) drove an hour to the big snow hill and here is what Jericho did most of the time, according to Ryan.

Citrus Walnut Pasta Salad

2009-01-06T20:14:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to try this recipe since Thanksgiving when my sister-in-law, Jenn, snagged me a free:) copy of the Costco cookbook. There are a ton of easy, great recipes in the cookbook...but this one is my favorite so far. I have to admit, I didn't have some of the ingredients it called for so my version is a little modified, but I will include the original recipe and modifications because mine turned out so delish!

Citrus Walnut Pasta
3/4 c. coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted (Mod. dry roasted almonds)
3 c. bow tie pasta, cooked, drained and cooled
2 c. shredded rotisserie chicken
1 c. smoked cheese, such as Gouda, cut in 1/4 in. cubes(Mod. vintage white cheddar)
1 c. celery cut in thin diagonal slices
1/3 c. finely chipped red onions( I omited this)
3 T. chopped fresh chives ( I omited this)
2 T. chopped fresh parsley (I omited this)
I added chopped avacado

Dressing
1/3 c. fresh orange juice
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. stone ground mustard
2 t. sugar
1 1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 t. rice vinegar

Combine dressing ingredients and whisk to blend. (or use the handy Pampered Chef dressing mixer!) Toss with salad ingredients and enjoy!

Makes 6 servings

Christmas 2008

2009-01-02T21:04:00.000-08:00

All the cousins in their Christmas jammies

Setting out cookies for Santa

Christmas!

Santa came to visit:)

Christmas Decorating

2008-12-15T23:14:00.000-08:00

Decorating the house came a little late this year, but it was such a fun day with the 3 of us! We ate cinnamon rolls, listened to Sarah McLachlan Christmas(which is the BEST christmas cd EVER, btw:) and just had a merry little time together(which honestly, does not happen very often with a 3 year old!) Jericho was totally into it this year which was really fun! His favorite part was setting up the Nativity scene and talking about baby Jesus, which was really sweet. He knows that pretty much everything is a "breakable" but there are a couple of carolers my Grandma had given me the year he was born that are ok for him to touch and play with and he LOVES them! All of my decorations have slowly and surely been building and most of them are from my mom and my grandma which is so special to me! I think of them everytime I look at each decoration. It helps having parts of them so close when they really are so far away.

For a fun little Christmas drink, you HAVE to serve this at your next Christmas party. I first had it in Montana and even though I HATE eggnog, I am in love with this drink, and it has been an absolute HIT each time I have served it so far! Enjoy!

Coffee Nog

4oz. Egg Nog
4oz. strongly brewed coffee
1 oz. butter rum or irish cream flavoring(or the real stuff!)
whipped cream
nutmeg for topping

Heat in a saucepan over medium heat and serve immediately!

my uncle micah

2008-11-27T23:00:00.000-08:00

i'm 3 today. this is me and my uncle micah. i love him alot. he gave me a bobcat for my birthday and even though i play with the forklift from uncle luke a little more right now, my mama knows the day will come when the bobcat will be a favorite too. me and uncle micah talk on the phone sometimes and he always comes to visit me, which i like alot. this is me and my uncle micah having fun together.

Halloween

2008-10-31T23:08:00.000-07:00

jericho was a pirate again this year...his costume still fit from last year:) and he loved it more than last year! we went trick or treating in our new neighborhood with the whole family. ryan pushed jericho up to each door in a stroller(that was a little too small!) and he would silently put his candy in his new punkin bag from nana and each time as they came back down the driveway he would say, " I don't say trick or treat!" Oh stubborn boy.

lazy sunday's

2008-10-26T23:20:00.000-07:00

today was a lazy day. well, considering the fact that we are moving soon, not really "lazy", but at least i wasn't in the packing fury i have been as of late. around noon, we headed down to black rock and grabbed some coffee and came back to play with jericho in the "backa-in-ee-ard", as he refers to the back yard. he drove his john deere around, we sipped our coffee and enjoyed the warm sunshine and cool breeze...oh it was bliss. i'm really going to miss this house and this yard and all of the fond memories we have created here with our little family and our friends. the road ahead looks a bit bleary right now, but knowing our Lord, i am sure it will "be fine" as us Hagler girls always say.

anyway. another great lazy day treat...sitting down to read fiction for about 2 hours while Jericho napped. i'm at the place in my life where deep, thought provoking reading is just not where i'm at. honestly, i never thought i would utter those words. but there they are. out there for everyone to see. and to be honest with you, i feel like the Lord is teaching me more about my character and day to day life through these books than i ever thought possible! so give a cheer for the guilty pleasure of fiction!

and then to end the day just right, we played cards with the fam and ate pie. a perfect lazy autumn day. here are a few foto's to put a smile on your face.

this pizza is something i've wanted to try for the last couple of days...ever since homemade pizza night with Tiff and Jeff. i used what little ingredients i had on hand today and my flatbread recipe(one of my first posts...i'm really not that savvy on here yet so not sure how to link it. i'll ask ryan later:). I baked the flatbread first(minus the olive oil, rosemary and salt)for around 8 minutes, layered on my alfredo sauce, onions, garlic, chicken in a can(so great in a pinch!), broccoli, cheese and put it back in the oven for another 8 and wah-lah! sooooo good. ryan even loved it(i made his with red sauce, ground beef and cheese) and has already asked for it again! always a good sign. :)

The "Punkin" Patch

2008-10-22T23:15:00.001-07:00

Hi friends. It's been so long since I've been on here and actually been able to post! But I'm back now...at least for a little while. We are in the midst of packing and moving and then life will be back to normal.

A couple of weeks ago, we went to the "Punkin" Patch (as Jericho likes to call it) with Gramps, Grammy and Olivia. We ended up staying for most of the afternoon because of all the endless fun things to do. Jericho had a blast! And though you don't see it in any of the photo's, you would have found me sneaking away to look at the indian corn, dried corn stalks, endless fresh goodies, and muching on "real" caramel apples. yum!

Do NOT come near me!

Of course, out of everything to do and see...THIS was the prize toy!

Check out this great tire horse!

Loved this game and had pretty good aim too!

Olivia and Jericho

Got us our punkin!

Introducing...

2008-09-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

My niece, Taylor Nicole Brand, made her great debute September 22, 2008! She is so precious! Tanya, her mama, is an amazing mother to both Aleena and Taylor and makes child birth and raising seem like a piece of cake. She has unending patience. Literally. And the love she has for her sweet little girls is obvious. I know they will grow up not only loving her as their mama but as a dear friend as well.

Tattoo Love

2008-09-16T22:34:00.000-07:00

Ryan has been contemplating this tatoo for a little over 2 years now and finally got it around a month ago. jericho loves that his name is on his daddy's arm.

Ryan is such an amazing father to Jericho. He patiently teaches him the right way to do things, whether it is how to throw the football or hold the golf club or put something together. He takes time to play with him, wrestling around on the bed or allowing Jericho to "get him" which usually consists of Jericho kneeing him in the back, taking him to the park with his John Deere or playing with the race track. He picks up the slack when i get tired or fed up...and he does a great job at it! i couldn't have asked for a better father to our son. his love for jericho is unending.

Chicken Katsu

2008-09-12T20:22:00.000-07:00

My husband, Ryan, and our friend, Andy, have both had a long-time love affair with Chicken Katsu. It began when they each lived on Maui and discovered Da Kitchen...or rather, Da Kitchen discovered them! It really was an amazing dish! Recently, we found a local restaurant that served the dish once a week and boys rediscovered their love all over again. So Megan and I set out to re-create a homemade version of Chicken Katsu...and according to the boys, it beat out their first love.

Chicken Katsu
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves- pounded to 1/2 incho thickness
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 TBS all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1 c. panko bread crumbs
1 c. oil for frying, or as needed

Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the flour, egg and panko crumbs in separate shallow dishes. Coat the chicken breasts in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip into the egg, and then press into the panko crumbs until well coated on both sides.

Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken in the hot oil, and cook 3 or 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Serve over white rice with Tonkatsu Sauce.

Lobster Alfredo

2008-09-10T14:57:00.000-07:00

We had a full lobster tail leftover from our dinner the night before so megs and i made a delicious, mouthwatering lobster alfredo that was to die for! i reheated it for lunch today and it was just as good which was surprising as alfredo usually doesn't reheat that well. I will definitely make this recipe again when i want to impress dinner guests!

Lobster Alfredo

1 1/3 c. lobster meat
4 oz. melted butter
16 oz. heavy cream
4 tsp. garlic
1 1/3 c. grated Parmesan
8 TBS chives( i omitted these because i didn't have them)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 lb pasta, cooked(i used angel hair)

Ladle butter into heated pan. Add lobster, saute. (if lobster is raw, saute until the meat turns white). Add the cream and garlic. Lower the heat and stir with rubber spatula. Let it come to a simmer. Add grated Parmesan and chives and stir until parmesan is melted. Sprinkle salt over top of sauce and stir in. Add cooked pasta and saute. Serve hot. Top with 2 TBS chives.

To reheat, warm in a skillet with a little milk and butter.

Fresh Lobster Anyone?

2008-09-10T14:29:00.001-07:00

Megan and Andy are leaving in a couple of days, so we decided to have our traditional "special" dinner together (tri-tip) but with a twist this time...fresh lobster tail! I was pretty nervous about taking a stab at lobster, as it is a little expensive and it needs to be just right, but it turned out great! Megs and I had a great time making it and we ALL enjoying letting it melt in our mouths!

before boiling

going into the pot of boiling water and a little salt. you want them to fit snugly.

boil for 1 minute per oz. thawed(so 10oz.of tails needs to cook for 10 minutes)

add a couple of extra minutes if you have more than one tail.

let them cool a bit before cutting down the center and pulling meat out

serve with butter and lemon!

We also served tri-tip, which Ryan is the MASTER of, butter and garlic sauted green beans with roasted slivered almonds, cranberry and feta salad and Roadhouse Rolls(that recipe didn't turn out as well as expected, so i won't bother to post it.) and of course, red wine!

We had a full lobster tail leftover so i will post the Lobster Alfredo recipe we made the next night!

Crisp Rosemary Flatbread

2008-09-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

I have become a HUGE fan of the Smitten Kitchen blog and look forward to each new recipe she posts. Hence, the flatbread. Her photo of it is quite beautiful, but i'm confident mine tasted just as good! I had never experienced flatbread before and found it is so easy to make and the texture of this one is so flakey and rich yet crisp! Jericho loved helping me make and eat it!

Crisp Rosemary Flatbread
1 1/4 c. flour(I threw in a little whole wheat!)
1 TBS chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. olive oil plus more for brushing
Flakey sea salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees with a heavy baking sheet on rack in the middle. Stir together flour, rosemary, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in center, then add water and oil and gradually stir into flour with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. Knead gently on a work surface 4 or 5 times.

Divide dough into 3 pieces and roll out 1 piece(keep remaining pieces covered with plastic wrap) on a sheet of parchment paper into a 10 inch round (shape can be rustic, dough should be thin). Lightly brush top with additional oil and scatter small clusters of rosemary leaves on top, pressing in slightly. Sprinkle with a sea salt. Slide round(still on parchment)onto preheated baking sheet and bake until pale golden and browned in spots, 8 - 10 minutes. Transfer bread(discard parchment) to a rack to cool, then make 2 more rounds (one at a time) on fresh parchment (do not oil or salt until just before baking). Break into pieces. Flatbread can be made 2 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at room temp.

Some of my modifications from original recipe:
* I didn't have parchment paper on hand so i just baked the round on my stone and it worked perfectly.
*a little oil and a little salt go a LONG way...so i'll hold myself back next time. I also cracked some pepper on one of the rounds and it was delish!
*i only had dried rosemary so i used that instead. The boys would have like it better without rosemary at all! So you could try a variety of herbs or spices.

Goin' Out Meddy Style

2008-09-07T16:23:00.000-07:00

Here's a few pictures of the going away party we had for Megs and Andy.

it wouldn't be a party without vino and asti:)

or alex's apple crisp
or better than sex cake!

The night was spent eating and drinking to our hearts content, toasting Megs and Andy into their new life in Portland and tearing each other apart at cranium and catch phrase. good times:)
let me just say that we have an extremely competetive and wildly hilarious group of friends. the shouting and belly laughing was never ending. i love those nights!

So Long, Farewell

2008-09-06T23:19:00.000-07:00

our closest and dearest friends, andy and megan, are moving to portland in a week. i know it's really not that far away...but it's far enough. the four of us have shared so much over the last 3 years. andy and megan had just met and then they fell in love and were married. we were there for the whole thing...i remember sitting with megan in starbucks the first time she told me she liked andy. there were tears. she came over every day when i was prego and ate icecream and cookies with me and she and ryan and i would sit around laughing our heads off at the most stupid things. they have been there every single day since jericho was born...watching him grow, teaching him knuckles and golf, babysitting so we could have a date night...i know he will wonder where his "uncle anty" and megan have gone. any day with andy and megan is full of laughter, good food(if not weird food:), dreaming, debating(well, ryan and megan), cheering eachother on...life won't be the same without them. it will be a bit dull. not quite so bright. we will miss them deeply.

This is Life

2008-08-28T19:50:00.000-07:00

“The most eloquent prayer is the prayer through hands that heal and bless.
The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service.
The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless."

I recently noticed this quote on Matt Atkins(a dear YWAM friend and advisor) Facebook and it reminded me again...what it's all about.

a new day

2008-08-28T10:22:00.001-07:00

i woke up early with ryan this morning and started my day off by printing recipes from minnesota mama's blog. i decided to try the feather light muffins, which turned out amazing! I served them with fresh strawberries and peaches i picked up yesterday and topped it off with a little Brown Cow Maple Yogurt. Yum! Jericho was a happy little boy:)

Book Nerd

2008-08-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

Chicken Noodle Soup

2008-08-25T21:40:00.001-07:00

today was pretty blustery and cold...well, as much as it can be at the end of August in Oregon. anyway, i couldn't resist making the first pot of chicken noodle. it's so easy, if not a little time consuming, but satisfying none-the-less!

Painting

2008-08-25T21:36:00.000-07:00

Jericho has a new love...painting!

Monday Blues

2008-08-25T21:26:00.000-07:00

monday's are the worst day of the week for me. i'm not sure if it's because the weekend and thus relaxing with ryan is over or because the daily chores begin again but regardless both jericho and i seem to be out of sorts...well, he's probably out of sorts because i am...funny how that works. anyway, i have determined to make monday's "fun" days to get us in a good mood for the rest of the week. so today we started off by "painting", then cutting some fresh lavender and then finally making some good 'ol chicken noodle soup.

Welcome

2008-08-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

today is the first day of my blog. i started this with the intention of staying connected to the lives of all of our close friends moving away in the next couple of months. it's so easy to lose touch no matter how close you are so hopefully this will keep us up on one another's lives. aside from that, i have so enjoyed seeing the creative ways people live out their lives and i suppose it allows us to live vicariously through one another and feel inspired to make the day to day fun and special and inviting.