Week 3 begins

Is it over yet? This all feels like a dream we're about to wake up from right?

I was convinced that tomorrow was Wednesday, but alas only Tuesday. All the days are blurring together. Today was a particularly difficult working/homeschooling/mom'ing day and I did none of these things particularly well. Good thing tomorrow is a new opportunity!

On a lighter note, we made a warm spinach salad for dinner and it was good. The girls ate it all up (I mean bacon anything C'mon...) and it only took 15 min of prep work.

Link to recipe here:
Spinach Salad

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Panzanella Salad

New Recipe Alert!

Earlier this week I made an Ina Garten Panzanella Salad and it was a hit... not so much with the kids but definitely for Ross and I. I loved the simplicity of all the fresh, colorful ingredients in this salad. If you can surmount the chopping, then it's quite simple. Don't skimp on the basil, it adds color and flavor!

As I was snapping some food pictures I hear "CHEEESE" and look over to find Paige Renae just smiling ear to ear. Cuteness.

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Sick Little Baby

After one week of (very part time) daycare, we have a sick little baby. Claire got pink eye (again) and she has an upper respiratory virus consisting of coughing, sneezing, and a fever. It's so hard seeing your lil boo all snotty and in pain. Also, bye bye sleep... it all goes out the window when you have a sick baby on your hands. Come on breastmilk anti-bodies, do your magic!

Before Claire got sick, here are some pictures from Memorial Day:

Ross smoked ribs and made a BBQ sauce and baked beans. Charles and Kelley brought a delicious pear & celery salad, see below for a similar recipe.

Noelle, with Ross, Erik, & Charles staring at the food.

Eddie

The crunchy pear and celery salad was right up my alley. I google'd and found this recipe, similar to the one they made! We had the blue cheese/walnut variation.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 stalks celery, trimmed and cut in half crosswise
• 2 tablespoons cider, pear, raspberry or other fruit vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 ripe pears, preferably red Bartlett or Anjou, diced
• 1 cup finely diced white Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (see Tip)
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 6 large leaves butterhead or other lettuce

• PREPARATION

  1. Soak celery in a bowl of ice water for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
  2. Whisk vinegar, honey and salt in a large bowl until blended. Add pears; gently stir to coat. Add the celery, cheese and pecans; stir to combine. Season with pepper. Divide the lettuce leaves among 6 plates and top with a portion of salad. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

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Chipotle Corn and Caramelized Onion Potato Salad

Ross smoked a big brisket last weekend, so we needed to find a good 'ole American side to accompany it. I really like mustard-based potato salads (not the mayo ones!) and in my online searching I found a potato salad recipe which used chipotle peppers. Got to try that one!

Who knew grilled corn, roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, chipotles, and a bit of dijon mixed up together would taste so good?!

Chipotle Corn and Caramelized Onion Potato Salad
From Barefeet in the Kitchen, recipe adapted from Kompromised Kitchen

4 ears fresh corn, shucked with silks removed
6 medium size baby red potatoes, chopped very small into 1/4" pieces, about 2 1/2 cups
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions, very thinly sliced and then roughly chopped into shorter lengths OR 1 cupcaramelized onions
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large chipotle peppers, finely minced
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to broil or preheat the grill to medium high. Lightly oil the ears of corn and then grill until lightly charred in places, rotating on the grill throughout the process. If using the oven, broil for 3-5 minutes until the corn begins to darken slightly on the tips. Remove the corn from the oven, flip each ear over and broil for another 3-4 minutes, until both sides are lightly browned. Set the corn aside and let it cool before removing the kernels from the cobs. When cool, remove the kernels and place them in a medium size bowl.

Set the oven to 425 degrees. Place the diced potatoes on a silpat lined baking sheet, or lightly grease a baking sheet with oil. Drizzle lightly with oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring the potatoes once or twice while cooking.

While the potatoes are in the oven, caramelize the onions. In a large flat bottomed skillet, warm 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the onions and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper and let cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring every so often. When the onions are tender and lightly browned, add the minced garlic and stir for a couple minutes while it cooks. Once it is fragrant, remove from the heat and add the skillet mixture to the corn.

In a small bowl, stir together the chipotles, the mustard, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and about 1/2 a teaspoon black pepper. Add this mixture to the corn and onions and stir well to thoroughly coat. When the potatoes are lightly browned and slightly crisp, add them to this mixture and toss to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

4 years ago: Deutschland Countdown

3 years ago: South American Paradise

2 years ago: Bye Bye 27

1 year ago: Wild Rice Salad

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Watermelon Feta Salad

You know those recipes where you throw a bunch of ingredients together and the whole time you're wondering, "Is this going to work?"

Enter this "perfect for summer" Watermelon Feta Salad:

Watermelon, feta, cucumber, mint, basil, onion, cilantro, lime juice, olives, bell pepper, jalapeno... What?? But somehow, all together it tastes so good!

Give it a try!


Recipe from therightrecipe

Herbed Watermelon Salad

For the salad:

4 cups cubed seedless watermelon (small bite-sized pieces)

2 cups cubed baby cucumber

1/2 cup finely chopped sweet red or yellow pepper

1/2 cup sliced Kalamata olives

1/4 cup finely minces red onion

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 cup diced feta cheese

For the vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

zest of one lime

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

sea salt and pepper to taste

Place watermelon, cucumber, sweet pepper, olives, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, mint and basil in a large bowl. (you will add the feta cheese later)

For the vinaigrette:  whisk together lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, and honey in a small bowl,  Season with salt to taste and set aside.

Just before serving, drain excess liquid from watermelon mixture, then add vinaigrette and feta to the salad and toss lightly to coat. Taste and correct seasonings if needed.  Serves 6

note:  Can be made 1-2 hours ahead but keep in mind that the watermelon and the cucumber will start to release their juices and will water down the salad.  If you make it ahead, you will want to drain some of the juices before serving.

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Corn Bread and Black Bean Panzanella

We made this Jalapeno Cornbread and Black Bean Panzanella recipe last week and really enjoyed it. Yes, it takes about an hour to whip up the cornbread, bake it, then let it cool but it was oooohhh so easy to make. I mean, seriously, it's not like you're getting fitbit steps from the bake time in the oven... 

The black bean salad was a nice twist on a classic, with the addition of lots of spinach. The lime juice you add actually "cooks" and wilts the spinach some, so don't be afraid. My only complaint about this recipe was that my chopped Jalapeno all ended up rising to the top of the cornbread during cooking, so there wasn't even distribution throughout. You should try this recipe out, great for summer!

(I added a side of some smoked salmon for additional protein).

Recipe from Eats Well With Others:

Jalapeno Cornbread
Makes 1 9-inch loaf, adapted from Closet Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 cup soymilk (or buttermilk, or regular milk)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped finely

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan (or just line with parchment).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, and eggs. In a second bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in the jalapenos. Pour into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Cornbread and Black Bean Panzanella
Serves 4-6, adapted from How Sweet Eats

Ingredients

• 1 batch of jalapeno cornbread (see above)
• 10 oz baby spinach
• 8 oz dried black beans, soaked overnight and boiled until tender
• 12 oz frozen sweet corn, thawed and drained
• 2 medium jalapenos, seeded and chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
• juice of 4 limes, divided
• 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp honey

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425. Spread the cornbread cubes on a parchment lined baking sheet and toast in the oven for 6-7 minutes. Toss and cook for another 6 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, black beans, corn, jalapenos, red onion, cilantro, half of the lime juice, salt and pepper.  Let sit for 10 minutes.
3. Toss in the avocado and grape tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, honey, remaining lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Add to the salad and toss to combine. Stir in the cornbread cubes and serve.

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Salmon and Bean Salad

During our trip to the northeast, Aunt Jean made a delicious summertime salad for our backyard BBQ party. It was a hit, so we asked her for the recipe and viola, we made an Alaska version with salmon. Enjoy!

TONNO E FAGIOLI (TUNA & BEANS) 

MIX: 

½ large red onion thinly sliced

2 large crushed garlic cloves

1/2C olive oil

1T white wine vinegar 

ADD: 

4C canned cannelloni (white kidney) beans

2 6oz. cans white tuna (or fresh fish like salmon!)

4 handfuls sliced fresh basil

salt & pepper to taste 

cherry tomatoes and/or chopped red pepper added

OPTIONAL:

Crumbled feta cheese

3 years ago: Photo Lesson

2 years ago: M is for Mason

1 year ago: McHugh Creek

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Thai Beef Salad

I'm not sure that I've actually posted this recipe before, but it's one of our Huebel family favorites. I think Roma would concur (she usually gets a couple bites of beef)... Here's the recipe for Thai Beef Salad curtesy of Ellie Krieger.

Ingredients
1 pound top-round London broil or flank steak, about 1 to 1 1/2-inches thick
3 tablespoons lime juice, divided
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons red curry paste or chili-garlic sauce
1/2 head red-leaf lettuce, torn (about 6 cups)
3 shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup), divided, for garnish
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, rinsed and dried
1 cup basil leaves, sliced into ribbons


Directions
Rinse and pat the meat dry. Place in a sealable plastic bag or small glass dish. In a medium bowl combine 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, soy sauce, canola oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and red curry paste. Pour half the mixture into the bag with the meat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice to the bag. Seal tightly, and marinate meat in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Reserve the rest of the mixture refrigerated, to dress the salad.

Spray grill or grill pan with cooking spray and preheat. Grill steak until medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side, depending on desired doneness. Let rest until room temperature then slice thinly against the grain.

Combine lettuce, sliced shallot, cilantro, basil and beef in a salad bowl, reserving a few shallots for garnish. Add the reserved dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad among 4 plates and garnish with reserved sliced shallots.

3 years ago: Huebel Acrobatics

2 years ago: Girl Date

1 year ago: Meet Mr & Mrs Van Patten

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Asian Peanut Noodle Salad

Here's another mid-week recipe to add to your "meal hopper" :)

I recommend buying a rotisserie chicken and multiplying the ingredients by 4 so that you have leftovers to feast on for another meal!! 

Asian Peanut Noodle Salad with Chicken, Shredded Carrots, Red Cabbage and Green Onions, in Sweet-Spicy Peanut Sauce

(Makes about 1 lunch portion)

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked linguini noodles (cooled), drizzled with a touch of olive oil to prevent sticking
1 skinless and boneless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
¼ cup red cabbage, shredded thinly
¼ cup carrots, shredded thinly
1 green onion, sliced
2 tablespoons crushed peanuts
1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped
• Sweet-Spicy Peanut Sauce (recipe below)

Preparation:

-Add all of the ingredients through the chopped cilantro leaves into a medium-size bowl, and toss together gently until well combined; to pack up and store, add these ingredients into a container, either a plastic Tupperware with lid, or glass container with lid that you can take with you, and store the Sweet-Spicy Peanut Sauce in a separate small container, and keep refrigerated until ready to enjoy.

-To assemble at lunch time or when you’re ready to eat, just pour the Sweet-Spicy Peanut Sauce as over the noodles/chicken/veg (you may or may not use all of it), gently toss together to coat, and enjoy.

Sweet-Spicy Peanut Sauce ingredients:

1 ½ tablespoons honey
1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon peanut butter (I used all-natural, creamy peanut butter)
1 clove garlic, pressed through garlic press
3 to 4 drops of Sriracha sauce (this is spicy, so use to your liking)

Preparation:

-In a small dish, combine all of the ingredients with a fork or small whisk until very well blended and smooth; keep in a small, snap-top container in fridge until ready to use. (*If the sauce gets a bit too thick from being in the fridge, just warm the container that it’s in under some hot water for a moment or two to soften the sauce and make easier to pour.)

3 years ago: Hey Frenchie

2 years ago: Haiti

1 year ago: Minus 9

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Asian Chicken Coleslaw

There are a million different variations of Asian coleslaw out there, but I happen to particularly like this one. It's a tad spicier than others because of the Siracha sauce, however you can easily adjust this to your own taste. Fresh ginger really livens up the dressing and the water chestnuts and nuts give the salad some crunch. The mandarin oranges provide the right amount of sweet... Use some pre-washed bags of coleslaw (with carrots and radish) and you can make this entire dish (chicken and all) in under 30 minutes!

Ellie Krieger's Asian Chicken Salad
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/chinese-chicken-salad-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 head napa cabbage, thinly shredded (about 6 cups)
• 1/4 head red cabbage, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 1 large carrot, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, greens included (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
• 1 (11-ounce) can Mandarin oranges in water, drained
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce or chili sauce
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil and brush onto chicken breasts. Arrange in a baking dish and bake until juices run clear, about 13 to15 minutes. Remove from oven, cool completely, and cut into 1/4-inch slices.

In a large bowl, combine Napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, scallions, water chestnuts, Mandarin orange and sliced chicken. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil, brown sugar and chili sauce. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Divide among bowls and top each serving with 2 teaspoons toasted almonds.

3 years ago: Home Sweet Home

2 years ago: South America: Iguazu Falls

1 year ago: Window Art

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Birthday #1

I love celebrating birthdays. LOVE it. So, when given the opportunity to celebrate my bday on multiple occasions I'm game :)

Mom suggested that we celebrate my upcoming birthday a bit early, since Texas and Alaska aren't exactly next door.

I requested tequila drinks and big 'ole gulf shrimp (Alaska shrimp are so much smaller and lack the texture/flavor of the real deal). It was a great meal.

Ina Garten's Italian Panzanella Salad

Panzanella is basically just a bread salad. I've never actually made one before, but I'd imagine the quality of the bread is super important because it's the star ingredient. So, go for the freshest stuff you can find!

Spicy Shrimp with Sriracha Remoulade

Grill Master Ross

This shrimp recipe is from Chef Bryan Caswell, of Reef in Houston. Honestly, it's one of the best shrimp recipes I've ever had. You coat the shrimp in a curry, chile, cayenne dry rub, then baste with a lemon butter while on the grill, and serve with a sriracha remoulade dipping sauce. Definitely worth the effort--- delicious!!!

One of my all time favorites-- Boston Creme Pie.

Multiple layers of vanilla cake, creamy vanilla custard, and a decadent semi-sweet chocolate glaze... Yes! I'll take 2 pieces please...

Mom gave me a couple of Grammie's vintage fur coats. Huge surprise and they're just beautiful. I can't wait to wear 'em!

Who knows?

A new (totally cute) wallet!

Great Birthday Numero Uno!!

3 years ago: Let's Hunt

2 years ago: Mexican Mole

1 year ago: Blueberry Hill Views

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Taco Salad, the Remix

I love perusing the blogosphere for recipes. It's my favorite lunch pastime (besides eating of course). I stumbled upon this recipe for Taco Salad with Chipotle lime dressing and decided it would be perfect for a Bachelorette Finale ladies dinner.

Oh, and the weather was gorgeous so we ate outside!

I didn't take many pictures because I was busy cooking, but there's lots of pictures on the recipe link above.

This taco salad turned out to be a great, hearty, healthy summer meal. Ross grilled the chicken the night before, cutting prep time down the night of the dinner party. The lime juice in the cherry tomato/green onion mixture (I added cilantro too) provides a great acidity against the peppery dressing- and the quinoa soaks 'em both up nicely. I can't say I'd ever roasted poblano peppers before, but it's a piece of cake under the broiler. Served with the roasted corn, the poblanos kicked this recipe up a notch- in a good way!


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This recipe is featured in the summer issue of Foodiecrush. 

INGREDIENTS:serves 2-3 as a full meal, 4-5 as a side

charred corn & poblano:1 poblano pepper
1 ear of corn, kernels sliced off the cob (about 1/2 cup)

cherry tomato pico:1/4 c. sliced tomatoes (cherry)
1/2 lime (1-2 tablespoons)
1/4 c. sliced scallions, white and green, 2-3
a few pinches of salt

chipotle lime dressing:1/4 c olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 tablespoon agave syrup
salt, pepper, to taste

other salad components: 
red quinoa – 1 cup, cooked
2 cups arugula
1/2 cup cubed tofu (or meat or cheese of your choice)
1/2 c. cilantro
1/2 sliced avocado
tortilla strips from 1 tortilla, sliced, baked, salted

METHOD:Roast the poblano pepper and char the corn. Place poblano under the broiler for 20 or so minutes, until blistered on all sides. (time will vary depending on the heat of your broiler). When it’s fully blistered, remove and place in a bowl and cover (not touching) with plastic wrap or at towel. Set aside for 15 minutes or so, until it’s cool enough to handle. Using your fingers, slide off the skin and remove the stem and seeds. Chop into roughly 1/4 inch pieces and place in a small bowl.

Toss corn kernels with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast corn kernels under the broiler for 4-5 minutes or until they just begin to blacken. Remove from oven, toss with chopped poblano and set aside.

In another small bowl, toss together cherry tomatoes, lime juice, scallions, and a few pinches of salt. Set aside.

In another small bowl, whisk together the dressing: olive oil, lime juice, ancho chile powder, chipotle powder, agave, salt and pepper. (It might tasted too tangy/spicy/sweet on it’s own… but remember that it will get diluted when you mix it with everything else). Set aside.

In a large bowl combine red quinoa, arugula, tofu and cilantro with the dressing. (you might not need all of the dressing, start with half and add more to your liking). Toss in the charred corn, chopped poblano and pico. Taste and adjust seasonings. Top with sliced avocado and tortilla strips and a squeeze of lime.


3 years ago: A little wine perhaps?

2 years ago: Weekend Memories

1 year ago:  Denali

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Jolin's Baby Shower

Abbey and I hosted a "Tiny and Tough" Dinner Party Baby Shower for Jolin on Friday evening. We had 12 fabulous ladies in attendance and some truly amazing weather. Check out the pictures!

Setting up for dinner.

I'd say this fits in with "Tiny & Tough" right? :)

Dessert Table. Do you see the hurricane glass filled with Buttered Popcorn Jelly Bellies? I think there was only 1 person eating those-- well 2, if you count baby Tank.

Jolin requested lots of peanut butter desserts and that's what she got! Here are the cupcakes Abbey baked. 

Good 'ole PB cookies.

Light Appetizers.

4-Wheeler Diaper cake, made by Rachel.

Complete with a baby Texans hat, just for Kris.

This was a baby shower with some alcohol options...  Abbey made a delicious blue coctail- virgin and non... :)

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon dressing. Sauteed onions, mushrooms, bacon, and hard boiled eggs.

Smashed Potatoes with Rosemary

Check out the Apple/Fontina/Cranberry Stuffed Chicken. The white wine reduction is totally necessary :)

The ladies.

Guest of honor!

"Daddy Knows Best" Game. Jolin's answers are shown in blue, Kris's in red. Pretty close I'd say! (1 question got censored).

Multi-tasking game. How fast can you hang clothes on the clothesline, while talking on the phone, and holding a baby?

Abbey and Jolin.

Do-it-Yourself Onsies.

Time to be creative.

Kelley got artistic.

Pack'N'Play excitement.

Summer made this airplane blanket for baby.

Jolin & I. 

Friends!

Baby Tank should be making his entrance into the world very soon!

2 years ago: Vacuum Bags

1 year ago: KING!

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