Happy Holidays- Cranberry Pear Crumble

Hello fellow chefs! It has been a while since my last post...between the holidays and my youngest cutting his first tooth it is a miracle I have remembered to shampoo my hair on a regular basis!  This will be our very first Christmas with my in-laws since having children, so need less to say it is a big deal!  They are new to The Elf on the Shelf (yes, I know he is creepy, but we have a lot of fun with him!), going to see Santa at the mall is a new thing and massive amounts of visits to the toy store because "you forgot something"!  They are really enjoying themselves.  Not only is this holiday full of new things for them, it is full of new things for Husband and I as well.  Living in Oklahoma, we were not surrounded by a big family, in fact we only had my dear mom.  Holidays for us were small and intimate, however I am thankful for every single one of them.  Moving down to Alabama has given us the opportunity to raise the boys around aunts and uncles, cousins and great grandparents when we otherwise wouldn't have had that chance.  My mom, god willing, is eventually going to relocate to Alabama and then all MY dreams will have come true.

 I have gotten off track....

We have had several family functions to attend in the last few weeks and THAT my friends is where I have been!! So sorry...ha ha. The most recent family function we attended was an annual dirty Santa party/pot luck.  There were THIRTY....30....THREE ZERO, people there! That is a lot. I was asked to bring a dessert and so I chose this Cranberry Pear Crumble that I came across and it was DE-LISH!  If you do not like cranberries then I would suggest using cherries, but I happen to love the super tartness of cranberries next to the sweet graininess of the pears, it is a nice balance.  If you are not a pear person then I am sorry I cannot help you.....KIDDING! Use apples, granny smith tend to be much sweeter.  This was super easy and I cut everything up while I drank my morning coffee and thew this in the oven while I got ready for the party. It was a hit!  I am gearing up for round three of holiday parties this week. I hope everyone enjoys their holiday and eats until they have to unbutton their pants! Remember the meaning behind Christmas and don't forget what it is really about! Merry Christmas y'all!

Cranberry Pear Crumble

For a 8x8 Pan:
4-5 (not mushy) pears, cored and sliced
1 cup fresh or dried cranberries
1 lemon
1 cup white sugar divided, 1/2 cup and 1/2 cup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 stick cold salted butter
1/4 cup dry oats
cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl toss sliced pears and cranberries in juice from one lemon and 1/2 cup sugar.  In a greased casserole dish or deep dish (I used coconut oil to coat my dish) pour pear cranberry mixture.  In a food processor beat one stick of butter, flour, sugar, brown sugar, oats and cinnamon until crumbly. Add more flour or butter if needed to get consistency right. Sprinkle mixture over pears and cranberry. Bake for 30 minutes or until top of brown and crisp! Serve with ice cream or whipped cream...or enjoy alone! Merry Christmas guys!

Play Dates and Potato Soup!

I am so excited to announce that Max and I have our very first play date tomorrow since moving to Alabama!  Bless his heart, he has been so bored here.  In Oklahoma we had a network of friends who also have children and so play dates were a dime a dozen.  Now, the friends we do have don't have any children. So I have been on a mommy mission lately....

 We have chickens where we live and a ginormous back yard.  The area we live in is very wooded and so adventures are easy to come by, but even the most imaginative child needs a buddy!  Boyd is not quite big enough yet to play with brother and so Max is stuck playing with the chickens.  One day Max came in saying he WAS a chicken, I knew it was about time to start looking for a play group.  I made an account on Meetup.com and joined several Mommy and Me groups.  It is like trying to get in to see the President.  I kept waiting for them to ask me for a blood sample!  I understand why they interrogate you before allowing you to join a play group, but my goodness it was INTENSE to say the least.  Then I was accepted! YAY! I started receiving notifications immediately, "Mommy and Me Stroller Date at the Mall"!  Wait, what?! So, like, you mean we are going to walk around the mall with our strollers and just....walk!? Are you trying to give me stroller envy or what?! I did not RSVP to that. Next!! "Mommy and Me Play date for Under 2", this would have been perfect for Boyd and I but this isn't about Boyd, I am his best friend right now.  Then today, two weeks after joining I see a play date, and two moms have children that are five AND THEY ARE BOYS! I have hit the STAHM (stay at home mom) lottery!! I am excited to meet some other moms and hope and pray they are nice and not crazy!  I will report back and let you know how it plays out....

The weather has been a little chilly here, as far as Alabama goes.  They blast the heater if its less than 55 degrees out. I almost suffocated in the grocery store the other day. I was almost to incredible hulk status, guys! Ripping my clothes off and everything. Girls and heat do not mix! Anyway, I have been feeling like some soup lately.  I make a potato soup that Husband swoons over and friends have called and requested over the phone.  I threw this together one year and it has been a staple in our house every since,  I started out with it by just adding a bunch of things to a pot that sounded good. That is how a lot of my recipes come about. This soup is super easy and you can add things to it to make it your flavor. Some of the things I have added to it before in the past are leeks, mushrooms, ham chunks, chicken...the combinations are endless. Do not be afraid to get creative! This is a basic potato soup.  If you want a creamier soup it will require a blender, food processor or immersion blender. I use an immersion blender.

You will need:

-about 4 medium to large russet potatoes
-two slices bacon cut up and cooked
-medium onion diced
-1 large container of chicken broth
-1 can of corn (I used creamed corn for the recipe to try something new and it was really good so if that is what you have on hand then use it!)
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 cup half and half or whole milk
-1/4 cup all purpose flour
-sour cream
-salt and pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


I like to start out by cutting up my bacon and then cooking it, we do this to get the fat off of the bacon, this is called "rendering the fat"! I could render fat All. Day. Long. YUM!

 Once your bacon is cooked to whatever doneness  (is that a word?) you like remove from pot and put it to the side.  Now you have beautiful, salty, silky flavor in your pot.  Add your diced onion and garlic, cook until translucent and glossy.

 While the onions cook dice up your potatoes, do not cut them too large or you will be cooking them for a while.  I do a medium dice.

  Once your onions are cooked add potatoes and corn to pot. Pour chicken broth over mixture, cover and cook until potatoes are soft.

 At this point I would use my immersion blender. If you choose to do a food processor or blender leave plenty of space because heat expands and you don't want to decorate your kitchen with soup!  In a large measure cup add half and half or milk and whisk in flour, this is going to make the soup so creamy. Turn down heat and add flour mixture to soup stirring constantly.  Simmer about 5 minutes.  Add sour cream and cheddar cheese. I like to serve this with cheese and bacon. It is so easy and so good guys! Enjoy!

This weekend Max turns FIVE! I cannot even believe it and I am making a yellow cake FROM SCRATCH, I will post that recipe next week! I love comments guys, if you try a recipe let me know!

Date Night

So recently my husband and I have been making ourselves go on a regular "date night" every week! This is a huge deal for us because, since having the boys, date nights are few and far between.  Now that we have moved back to Alabama we have more "baby sitters" at our demand and therefore we have been on more dates in the past month than we have in the past year!  My in laws do this as well, they visit the same Mexican restaurant every week and have for years.  All the servers know them there and they are always welcomed, greeted and escorted to their "table".  Taking a cue from them, Husband and I have been visiting the same sushi restaurant every week so last night, when we were yet again sitting in the same sushi place we made the decision to visit weekly and so we introduced ourselves to the sushi chef and waiter.  His name was John.  I'm positive it was not his birth name and he only understood about every other word we were saying. Language barriers really make the food taste better.

I must say I am very proud of Husband, I think the move has really turned on his "cool switch" and by that I mean, my once "I will only ever eat friend rice no I will never ever eat sushi" Husband is now...wait for it....eating sushi!!! He claims he only tried it for me however, we have been together 6+ years and I am sure that I have eaten sushi several times in front of his up turned, disgusted lip.  I will not argue with his new found love of the roll but I am still amazed every time he puts one in his mouth and "ooohhsss" and "ommhmmm that's goods".

Pink Lady Roll

Not only is he trying new foods he is finally on Facebook, hello I'm Jessica and I am addicted to Facebook, and he is "liking" and "sharing" things! He also visited a mall...on Black Friday!!

Who is this man?!?! I do not even know him! I almost feel like I am secretly dating someone else, ooohhh I feel so baaad. (the good kind) lol

Now that he is loving sushi, he has a new habit of wanting to order everything on the menu! Last night I think we consumed a weeks worth of groceries in sushi! So gooood! He thought that the chef made each individual piece and wondered if he could order a variety plate. I love him. When he found out that you could not, he ordered 3....THREE rolls!!! And he ate every one of them.  Needless to say we walked out of there with serious food babies!

Husband and I

If you are in or near the Birmingham area you should visit Osaka Japanese Sushi Bar.  If you have never eaten sushi and have turned your nose up at it, then I recommend that you try it, you have no idea what you are missing! Order the Spider Roll, there is one on every sushi menu and it is our favorite and a good one to start with! Hope you guys find time to go on dates with your mates, it is quickly becoming my favorite day of the week.

Creamy Avocado Spinach Pasta

My love for avocados knows no limit...to me it is literally the perfect food.  Do not be fooled by their green color or the mushy texture, they taste so good! I add them to smoothies or just eat them by themselves. Avocados are sodium and cholesterol free and they have anti-aging benefits.  The fats and oils in avocados are so good for your hair and skin!  Lately, I have been on a "clean" eating kick and I use the term 'clean' lightly.  Occasionally, I just want fresh food! I get tired of processed ingredients that I can't pronounce.  So, I have been seeking out fresh fruit and vegetables and experimenting with different flavor combinations.  I recently watched a documentary, "Hungry For Change" about the processed food industry and it has really opened my eyes and made me feel like I could really eat healthier, cleaner foods! Here is something I whipped up super quick this evening...I was not in the mood to work hard and this was super simple! 

 When it comes to being on a diet...which lets face it is a four letter word...we restrict ourselves so much. "Why not instead of telling ourselves we can't have something [processed, sweet and fattening] why don't we tell ourselves we can but we don't want it!!" -Hungry For Change, Amazon Prime Video.

Creamy Avocado Spinach Pasta

1 ripe avocado

zest of one lemon

a handful of fresh spinach

1 garlic clove

2 tablespoons Greek or plain yogurt

2 cups penne pasta/ cooked

One of my favorite tools in the kitchen is my food processor!!!!  I use it for so many things, I got lucky and found mine at a yard sale brand new for $5!  So.....in a food processor or blender add avocado pitted and peeled, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, spinach and yogurt blend until smooth. 

If you do not have a blender or a food processor you can use a VERY ripe avocado and mashed all the ingredients together with a potato masher, your sauce may not be at smooth as mine however it will still taste just as good! I poured the mixture over pasta, I used what I had on hand which was "processed pasta" so technically I cheated a bit....but this would be sooo good over zucchini noodles or quinoa noodles.

This was so easy!  It tasted so fresh and guilt free.  I could definitely taste the lemon.  Things I would add....cilantro would be amazing on this. I sprinkled the top with some fresh Parmesan. Enjoy guys! See you next week!

Almond Milk Pancakes

I have this dream that one day my future daughter-in-law will experience the same pressure I have felt when it comes to continuing on those simple comfort dishes from mom.  The dish that has taken me YEARS to perfect and gain a "did you call mom for directions?!?" (when I did not) comment is Tomato Gravy.  I know what you are thinking, "ew!" but I kid you not, it's amazing [recipe coming soon].  But today I am not talking about gravy....I am talking about a simple little tradition I have tried implementing for a while now..on Sundays I make breakfast for my guys.  Typically, throughout the week breakfast consist of cereal, oatmeal and the occasional left over chicken leg if Max helps himself, but on Sundays we have pancakes. Not from a box. From scratch ya'll! It's the only way I know how, I would mess up box pancakes.  Usually, I make these fluffy decadent flat cakes with buttermilk, and sour cream and all the fat, and sometimes I take a slightly healthier but not really twist on it.  You can substitute buttermilk and sour cream, but almond milk is really good too. I also happen to live with fruit bats and so they request some kind of fruit with just about every dish. Today I made a very simple triple berry topping for these cakes and the guys ate it up! 

You will need:

Almond Milk Pancakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 table spoons sugar
1 table spoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups almond milk

Start by mixing all dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl.  I like to "fluff" my ingredients with a dry whisk.  Heat non-stick or well seasoned skillet over medium high heat.  In a separate bowl whisk together eggs and vanilla. I like to whisk them separately so the eggs are incorporated better.  Add egg mixture to dry ingredients. Add almond milk. Here is the trick to good pancakes....DON'T OVER STIR YOUR BATTER!!!  You want a lumpy batter.  I prefer mine a little more runny and so I add more almond milk if needed.  This is also the part where you would sub buttermilk, whole milk or one part whole milk with one part sour cream. Once your batter is mixed and lumpy using a ladle pour your first cake into the skillet.

See the lumps?

The first cake NEVER works out.  Make it a small one.  I like to call this guy the "tester cake" and he is usually reserved for my black lab who eagerly awaits its decadence near by. [I hear his tail thumping now]. Like I said it will be ugly...mine is, so no worries.  You are simply testing the heat of your skillet.

Here is my ugly pancake.

Your pancake is ready to flip when it looks like it is full of pores. Pock marks. Haha. Flip that puppy then.

I mentioned a triple berry topping that I threw together last minute for that you will need:

frozen or fresh berry mixture, I used an organic blend from Publix, it had cherries, blueberries and raspberries. I threw the mixture in a small jar and added about half a table spoon of sugar. Place the jar in the microwave for 30 seconds and then stir.  Warm for another thirty seconds. Place lid on the jar and give it a good shake! Simple, easy berry mix. Try in on other things besides pancakes.

MMMMmmm. These were so good! Enjoy guys. See you next week!

Go Home Life.....

My life recently flipped upside down.  I am living in a new reality and although I miss my friends like mad. And if I think about my mom long enough I get this knot in my throat, that is finally soothed, only by tear filled eyes, I am okay.  Maybe, I am even happy.  I am here with my BEST friend (I know its cliche, my Husband is my best friend...but he really is...he knows things.) the Husband, we are here, together.  I could not go through life without him.  I mean, I know I could but you get the idea.  I moved from my home in flat, windy Oklahoma.  Oklahoma, where you never miss a sunset, and neighbors help neighbors without question. I moved my entire life to Alabama, I am in the mountains...seriously, my the pressure in my ears adjust as I am driving to my house. I am with my husband and two boys and although things are going slower than expected, I have faith in us.  I will use this blog as an outlet for my worries and stresses.  I cook, and I have been told I am fairly good at it.  Cooking is an outlet for me like no other.  I revel in the faces of people that try my dishes, and my ears strain to here the "hmms" and "oohhs".  No matter how tired I am from the night before 50 3 feedings (I am breastfeeding my youngest, IT is a job all it's own), I always have energy to cook.  Some people's stress melts away on the treadmill, mine melts away stirring a small pot of sauce that will eventually blanket whatever protein is cooking in the oven below or whatever I may have cooked up that night, although sometimes I wish it was the latter...sometimes.  I am a serious multi-tasker.  I have to be with two boys, one that can't even talk and one that never shuts up.  A lot of deep breathes happen through out my day.  After a stressful day it never fails, you will find me in the kitchen.  I love sharing recipes and receive many request...so here it is.  My life flips over on its side...and you get the benefit. Go home life....you are drunk.

Multi-tasking at it's finest.