I *heart* Ina

I love the barefoot contessa for her sophisticated yet back to basics approach to cooking and entertaining. I just picked up Ina Garten's newest cookbook at Costco this week. (It is about $14 less than Boarders). I love the two other cookbooks I have by Ina and this one looks wonderful as well. My goal is to try one Ina recipe a week. Tonight was her Turkey Meatloaf from her first cookbook. Meatloaf is something you either hate or unashamedly love. Since it is Eric's favorite- and I love leftover meatloaf sandwiches, meatloaf it was! Her recipe calls for 5 lbs of meat! I cut it in half it (as I usually do her recipes). It was great- but I'm really looking forward to the leftovers on toasted sourdough tomorrow!

Outrageous Brownies

Outrageous Brownies (by the Barefoot Contessa- Ina Garten)

*Ina's recipe is HUGE! It is dangerous for me to have so many brownies in my house- so this is 1/4 of her regular recipe. You could also half it. Here is her full recipe in case you are having 25 people over for dessert! (It calls for a full pound of butter!).

1/4 pound unsalted butter

1/4 pound plus 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided

1.5 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1.5 extra-large eggs

1 tablespoons instant coffee powder

1/2 tablespoons real vanilla extract

½ c. + 1T sugar

¼ c. + 1T flour, divided

1 t baking powder

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cups diced walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 8 by 8 by 1 1/2-inch pan.
Melt together the butter, chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.
Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and chocolate chips with flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.

Sound like too much work? You can buy her mix here or I've seen it at Williams Sonoma or Crate and Barrel as well. (But it is not your betty crocker $2.99 mix- try $10.95!)

My new favorite snack

Friends, meet my new favorite snack- Mozzarella Roll! You can buy these at your local grocery store in the specialty cheese section but I've also seen them at Sam's Club. My favorite is one with spicy salami and pepperoncini inside- but they come in mild versions too. While pregnant I need quick, high protin snacks- and this is it! You could even make one yourself using Paula Dean's recipe. Everyone needs a signature appitizer- something you are known for bringing to parties and get togethers- I think this along with some other antipasto trimmings is going to be mine!

Pioneer Women's Most Favorite Salad Ever. Ever, Ever, Ever!

Do you know about The Pioneer Women Cooks? It is a great down-home food blog that you should check out. This salad just screams summer and I can't wait to give it a try. Check out her step by step pictures (and super funny directions) if it looks yummy to you.

Asian Noodle Salad

adapted from Jamie Oliver

SALAD INGREDIENTS:
1 package linguine noodles, cooked, rinsed, and cooled
1/2 to 1 head sliced Napa cabbage
1/2 to 1 head sliced purple cabbage
1/2 to 1 bag baby spinach1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
1 orange bell pepper, sliced thin
1 small bag bean sprouts (also called “mung bean sprouts”)
3 sliced scallions3 peeled, sliced cucumbers
LOTS of chopped cilantro—up to one bunch
1 can whole cashews, lightly toasted in skillet

DRESSING:
Juice of 1 lime
8 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves chopped garlic
2 hot peppers or jalapeños, chopped
More chopped cilantro—LOTS

Mix together salad ingredients. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on platter.*Dressing keeps up to three days before serving, WITHOUT cilantro.

Blog Abandonment

Dear Blog-
I need to apologize. I have abandoned you. Left you high and dry. Ignored you. Pretended like you didn't exist. I'm sorry. Mostly to my 3 readers- but really, truly sorry. And to my co-blogger and sister, you rock…I stink. Here I dragged you into this blogging thing- and then abandoned you too.

I can offer only two explanations for my lack of effort for the last three months…

January Resolutions- eating healthier has been b-o-r-i-n-g! Nothing inspiring to blog about has been coming out of my kitchen! (My sweet husband has lost 25 lbs though!)

First Trimester Exhaustion. I’m pregnant and things are going well, but I'm really tired. And just doing the basics around here (laundry, dinner, diapers) is about all I’ve had in me. Now that I’ve made it to my 16th week, I’m hoping my energy level is going to pick up here- soon!

I miss you dear blog and I’m really going to try to devote more love and attention your way.

Sincerely, Sara

This Week's Menu

I know it's only Saturday and I'm letting you in on the plan for dinner for the week. Here goes, of course there is always the chance that it will change if I feel like something different!

Sunday: Chili & Cornbread

Since it's SUPER BOWL, I thought I would at least make an effort to support the game and have some 'game day food' maybe I'll make some 7-layer dip or at least guacamole and chips I don't have any chips, maybe I could bake some corn tortillas and turn them into chips.....hmmm that sounds pretty good, I'll have to work on that.

Monday: Whole Wheat Ravioli w/tomatoes and basil & salad

This is one of Cliff's very favorite meals, he even likes it since I've 'lightened' it. It is really good, so it will probably appear on our menu at least twice a month.

Tuesday: Chicken Fajitas

I have a ton of red peppers, so this is a good meal to use them up!

Wednesday: Dinner with friends

I'm supposed to bring dessert, so since it will be our one dessert for the week I want to make something really good. I've been thinking about red velvet cake. Now I used to think it was weird, but then I watched Bobby Flay on 'throwdown' against a chic that made these REALLY good looking red velvet cupcakes and my friend made one in December and I didn't get to try it and was pretty sad about it I think what I really want is the cream cheese frosting, how can you really go wrong with that? The other option is a flourless chocolate cake. I'll let you know how either turn out!

Thursday: Halibut, Roasted Potatoes & Veggies

I'll probably use my wonderful new grill pan with a little lemon, maybe some thyme or rosemary for the fish. I'm trying to have fish once a week...obviously I failed last week.

Friday: Chicken/Broccoli/Califlower Casserole

This is going to be an experiment, does that sound gross to throw califlower in there too?

Saturday: This Crust Pizza

I'm not sure what my plan is for this, I want to find a homemade crust recipe that is thin crust...we'll see how it goes.

Last Week's Menu

It is kind of a funny title to post what we have eaten this last week, but I'm a little behind the game lately. Sissy and I are really big slackers! My sister the internet, blog queen...what happenend to her? What is she pregnant, working and have a couple of crazy boys to raise every day? What happenend to my 3:00am blogger? I hope that you come back to us soon. I am in need of some of those new recipes that I know you're trying.

Here is my menu from last week:

Sunday: Chicken Pot Pie, made light with Phyllo Dough

This was really good, I just made my own chicken pot pie filling and then did the phyllo dough on top, the whole thing had a little bit of a sweet, but savory taste - so good!

Monday: Chicken w/goat cheese & Basil

This is an Ina recipe, everything she makes is good. Just enough flavor from the goat cheese without being over-powering.

Tuesday/Wednesday: Down the Hill

(I did have a really good salad and pizza at CPK, how great is my husband that he splits things with me) I won't tell you what I had at Red Robbin that isn't really a part of a "healthly eating plan." :)

Thursday: Sesame Chicken w/brown basmati rice (did you get some yet sissy?) & broccoli

This was REALLY GOOD! My favorite meal of the week, and we had some good ones! Try it!

Friday: Orange Chipolte Pork Chops, Sweet Potato Chili Powder Fries & Salad

I really like these, I used my new grill pan, which is great because nothing sticks to it. It's always nice to find a new way to cook Pork Chops. I did take note on a couple of the reviews that said there wasn't enough flavor and I marinated the chops for an hour or so and added a little chili powder, garlic and orange zest, I thought they had a kick from the chipolte peppers! I love sweet potatoes this way too!

Saturday: Chicken and Dumplings & Salad

Cliff loved this! It was really good I must admit, it reminded me of something my grandma would make...looking back at this weeks menu I guess I was in the mood for comfort food. I probably has something to do with all of the snow we've been getting lately and the fact that I've been inside most days this week...I'm just starting to go crazy!