Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

This is delicious, healthy, easy. My husband said he could eat it weekly, or more.
I got this recipe via Pinterest. I used bottled salsa (because that is what we had) and was glad I did, it gave the right amount of moisture. I felt if I would have used fresh pico it would have been too dry. I forgot the spinach. I will try that next time. Maybe add some beans for a little protein, but this was delicious as is.

Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas
adapted from Perry's Plate
1 poblano chile, cut into matchsticks
2 red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, halved and slivered
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 T heat-safe oil like grapeseed or coconut (I just used vegetable oil)
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and black pepper
1/2 to 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups homemade or store bought salsa/pico de gallo
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 big handfuls)
9-10 corn tortillas, halved
2 cups shredded cheese (I used Monterey Jack)
sour cream and thinly sliced scallions for garnish, if desired

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan or rimmed cookie sheet.
Place poblanos, red bell peppers, cauliflower, sweet potato, onion, and corn kernels onto cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle the cumin and minced garlic over top. Add a generous pinch or two of salt and black pepper, then use your hands to mix everything together. After everything is coated well, spread the vegetables evenly in the pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender and begin to brown in spots. Stir or shake the pan every 10 minutes for even roasting. Remove pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Prepare an 8x8x2 or 9x9x2-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, stir the cilantro into the salsa. Spread 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of the baking pan. Add a layer of tortilla pieces, to completely cover the salsa. Top with 1/3 of the vegetables, a handful of spinach, and 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, salsa, vegetables, spinach, and cheese. Top with with a layer of tortillas, salsa, vegetables, and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and everything is heated through. Let it sit for 5 minutes and cut into squares. Serve with sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.

Gnocchi with Kale and Butternut Squash

I finally come out of the funk of hormones and a new family schedule. I think I have it figured out. Just the schedule part, I don't have the rest figured out yet. Let me know if you have any mothering secrets.

So I am out of the funk and I have finally started cooking more. I have to say we all are feeling better about it. I found this recipe in my Food Network Magazine. It is a dish that can be made in 20 minutes. It was much faster than I expected. And way more delicious than I expected. Seriously, it has been about 10 days since I made this and my mouth still waters looking at the picture.
My husband doesn't really like cooked greens, but he rated this, "Eat monthly" - not bad for someone who doesn't really love butternut squash or cooked Kale! I could eat it weekly.
I did make my own gnocchi because I wanted to see how hard it was. It was fun, but time consuming. If you are interested in making it, I made this recipe the day before - that way you aren't in the kitchen all day.

Gnocchi with Kale and Butternut Squash
adapted from Food Network Magazine
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh sage, or 1 tsp ground dried sage
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes Kosher salt
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped (about 8 cups)
1 17.5-ounce package potato gnocchi (or about 1/2 the recipe linked above)
3/4 cup grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the squash and cook, stirring, until slightly soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, sage, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Add the chicken broth to the skillet. When it starts to simmer, stir in the kale and cook until it wilts slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the gnocchi, stirring to coat. Cover and cook until the gnocchi are just tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and stir in 1/4 cup parmesan and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan; transfer to the broiler and cook until golden and bubbly, about 3-5 minutes.

New Years Resolution

Although it is almost February, I thought I would document one of my new years resolutions: to "Say Yes!" In other words, when my husband, children, or friends ask me to do something (as long as it is do-able, safe, etc) the answer is Yes! I want to be more willing, more fun, get myself out doing more. Yes!

Also, if you are still reading my blog,  then you have probably been with me long enough to know my sister, Hannah. She was the one who inspired me to keep a food blog, took me to blogging conferences with her, helped me get started, and most importantly - she gave me confidence that I really could cook well enough to have a food blog. Well, last June she stopped writing on her blog. She had a hard time with that decision, she had a large following, really enjoyed it, but she just knew it was the right thing to do. Because she is my best friend and we are very similar, she talked about it a few times with me before she made her final decision. As she explained that she wanted to spend more time with her family, living her life for her children/husband/self and not for the blog, it just made sense for me too. I shouldn't be thinking, "we can't eat that [a favorite recipe] tonight, I've already posted that recipe!"
Now I am not going to stop blogging, just cutting back. So what it comes down to is I am saying, "yes!" to my family and "yes" to making food for me, and not the blog. I will keep Redhead Recipes more as a place I post some great recipes, whenever they come. I am not going to pressure myself into 3 posts a week - just when they come, they come. I hope that as the posts numbers decrease, the quality will increase. Hannah said it best, "10 years from now, I will not wish that I had written one more post, but I WILL wish that I had read them one more book."

If you'd like, follow me on pinterest - I am always finding great inspiration there. Or add this blog to your reader and be pleasantly surprised when Redhead Recipes pops up occasionally.

Homemade Granola Bars

I know I may be on the slow train, but I just recently tried out agave nectar (Xagave) for the first time. It is great. It has a very similar to honey in texture. But the flavor is not as floral. I love using it in drinks and sauces since I don't worry about it not dissolving completely and being grainy like sugar. But I thought I would try it in baking. So I tried them in my favorite Granola Bar recipe.

My sister flew in a couple months ago to help me drive my kiddos to Utah for a family reunion. And of course, our family needs delicious food on our drive. We were both trying to be healthy - our snacks consisted of apples, grapes, carrots, and celery. But we needed something sweet. These granola bars were perfect. They may not be the lowest in calories, but if I am going to have chocolate chips, it is nice to know they are surrounded by oats, wheat germ, seeds, and other delicious ingredients. But don't worry - these taste so much better than you would expect. Plus now the the added agave factor, the glycemic index is much lower!

This recipe is very versatile: add in dried fruit (I totally recommend this!), nuts, candy, other seeds, whatever you think! Also, if needed for allergies, you can omit the peanut butter. Here are two of my variations.

Granola Bars

from my friend, Jenny M.

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup agave (or 1/2 cup honey)

2 t. vanilla

2/3 c. peanut butter

1/2 cup melted butter

3 Cups oats

½ cup sunflower seeds

2 t. sesame seeds

½ cup coconut

1/3 cup wheat germ

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a mixing bowl combine brown sugar, agave, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Stir in remaining ingredients. Press into a greased cookie sheet and bake 20-23 minutes (depending on the chewiness you like). Let cool before cutting and serving.

My Favorite Granola Bars

(White Chocolate Cranberry Bars)

Prepare as above except omit chocolate chips and add in 2/3 c white chocolate chips, 2/3 cup dried cranberries, and 1/2 cup pecans. 

Spaghetti Squash and Chili

Did you think I died? Well, my husband started law school and I have been struggling to adjust to two kids and being a "law school widow." I have had some other major changes in my life and finally am feeling a little more normal.
With a little baby and a potty-training toddler, I don't have a lot of time in the kitchen unfortunately. I try to celebrate my husband being home on the weekends with a little more experimenting in the kitchen.

I saw this idea on Pinterest the other day. It is a super easy and inexpensive meal. You just put your favorite chili recipe on top of Spaghetti Squash. Use this method for easy cooking. My spaghetti squash was pretty big and my husband likes it a little softer, so we microwaved it for about 1 1/2 times what I did in that post. I tossed the Spaghetti squash in butter, salt, and pepper, and then topped with a simple "chili."

Super Simple Chili
1/2 lb ground beef, browned
1 can corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can beans (any kind, I used black)
cumin
garlic powder
onion powder
1 small pinch cayenne

Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan, season to taste. Heat until warm.

Grandma's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

We had some new neighbors move in - and what's a better way to welcome someone to the neighborhood than with the best cookies ever?! These are my favorite cookies of all time. Straight from my grandma's cookbook. This is the dirtiest page in the cookbook, that tells you how good they are.
I made a simple tag with this cute stamp. I am glad my sister talked me into buying it. It makes me want to make treats for more people.

.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
2 cup quick rolled oats
1 pkg chocolate chips

Cream together shortening and sugars. Add eggs. Add remaining ingredients in order and mix well. Bake at 350 degrees until done. (That's how my grandma wrote it - but for us it is about 12 minutes)

Tips:
Add 3/4 cup chopped nuts if you'd like (and I do!)
I like to go a little lighter on the chocolate chips - like 3/4 of the bag
Use a small spring-loaded ice cream scoop, like this one, to make uniform sized cookies.

Stuffed Zucchini

Are you all loving Pinterest as much as I am? I love all the ideas I am finding. I have tried new recipes, made fun crafts, and had great ideas for parties (like a baby shower we threw yesterday). I also love the idea of finding things for my dream house, pinning it, and saving it so I don't forget.
I pinned this recipe for stuffed zucchini by Kayotic Kitchen a few months ago. I knew that zucchini would be plentiful and cheap soon. I took their idea, and made my own twist on it.

Stuffed Zucchini

2 zucchinis
4 slices of bacon, cooked till crispy
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp fresh thyme
2 green onions
salt and pepper to taste
4-6 leaves fresh basil, julienned
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice zucchini length-wise. Scrape the insides of the zucchini, leaving about 1/4 inch shell all the way around. Chop zucchini into small pieces, place in bowl. Chop bacon, garlic, thyme and onions; stir into zucchini, add sour cream, salt and pepper, and basil. Add mixture into zucchini shells. Top with grated Parmesan. Bake 20 minutes, then turn on broiler until top is golden.

Enjoy!

What's in Season - August

I can't believe it is already August! This summer has flown by and soon my husband will be back in school. Sad. We have loved all the extra time with him.
This summer we have enjoyed playing with our baby, having family visit, and hanging at our local farmers market. Not only do they have some great produce, but grass-fed beef, cage-free eggs, and, of course, cute crafts!

Here is a sampling of what's in season this month!

Photos via Google Images

What's in Season in August:
1. Shell Beans
2. Peaches
3. Wax Beans
4. Cantaloupe
5. Corn
6. Plums
7. Honeydew
8. Currants
9. Beets - try them Roasted!
10. Nectarines
11. Tomatoes
12. Summer Squash
13. Watermelon

Also in season:

Cucumber
Eggplant
Leeks
Okra
Snap peas
Blueberries
Figs
Mangoes
Canary melons
Crenshaw melon
Passion fruit

Teriyaki Burgers

I am back! I know, I said that before. But I am really feeling into my groove now.
I was inspired by my sister, who stopped blogging to spend time with her family. I am not going to stop blogging, but I am going to stop living/cooking for my blog. I am going to make what I want to make, and when it seems blog worthy - you will get a post. I just didn't like the fact that I "couldn't" make a favorite dish because I had already posted the recipe. I still love to experiment and new foods - so there will always be something new - just maybe not as often as before.

Okay, now to the food. These burgers! Oh! These burgers are delicious, and they couldn't be easier!
Thanks to Marta's delicious salad recipe, I had some leftover Soy Vay. Hannah told me to just use it in burgers. They were moist, flavorful, and easy! Really. You don't need a recipe, but I'll give it to you anyway. They were so delicious I didn't need any ketchup, mustard or other sauce -- and that's saying a lot from a ketchup lover!

Teriyaki Burgers with Grilled Pineapple

1 lb lean ground beef
3-4 Tbsp Soy Vay, or other prepared teriyaki sauce

Combine ingredients and divide into four patties, shaping them so the center is a little thinner than the edges. (I learned this from Rachael Ray - this makes them cook evenly and so when they bulge, you have a flat rather than ball-shaped patty). Cook over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes, flipping once, or until desired done-ness.

We topped them with grilled pineapple, tomato, and lettuce. That's actually kind of a lie because we don't have a grill - I faux-grilled them. I sprinkled each pineapple ring with some brown sugar and then put them under the broiler until the sugar was dissolved and started to caramelize, maybe 3-5 minutes.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

We were lucky enough to have a great sale on blueberries recently. I have been putting them in everything - smoothies, steel cut oats, and of course, for Sunday breakfast, I made blueberry muffins.
This was a great recipe I found online. They had a lot of blueberries in it, next time I will probably cut it down to a cup.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

from Food Network Kitchens
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for preparing the muffin tin
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for the top of the muffins
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly brush a 12-muffin tin with butter and set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric hand-held mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter, zest, and 2/3 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour in 3 parts into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk in 2 parts, until just combined. Fold in the blueberries. Take care not to over mix the batter. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool muffins in the pan on a rack. Serve warm.

Roasted Beet Salad

This weekend we went to the local farmers market. I thought I would decide what we were having for dinner on Sunday depending on what looked good at the market. I bought some salad greens, kohlrabi, and beets. I am saving the kohlrabi for dinner tonight - but the salad greens and beets I used in the most delicious salad!
I am a little ashamed to say this was my first experience with fresh beets. My husband loves beets, and after Sunday, so do Lou and me! They were so sweet! It was perfect in the salad - a great balance of sweet, savory, bitter, sour, earthy. Yum!
The farmer I bought the beets from told me the beet greens were edible. I tossed them in with the salad greens. They have a thicker texture than a typical salad green and were slightly bitter. If you don't like this, just keep them out. I only put a few leaves in.

Roasted Beet Salad

Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
about 4 cups Spring Mix
about 1/2 cup Radish Greens
1 bunch Beets, roasted (recipe follows)
1 small onion, caramelized
shaved Parmessan
In the bottom of the salad bowl, mix the salad dressing. Top with salad greens, beets, onions, and Parmesan. Toss. Serve.

Roasted Beets:

1 bunch small beets
2 tsp olive oil
salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel beets and cut in half. Place on sheet of foil, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, toss. Wrap the beets up tightly in foil. Bake in oven about 30-45 minutes, or until beets are tender. If you poke with a knife and it slips out, it is ready. Set aside to cool, about 10 minutes.

Lemon Vinaigrette:

Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients in the bottom of the salt bowl. Whisk to combine.

Bruschetta Burger

Almost three weeks ago when I posted last, I assumed I would be back into the swing of things. Well, that obviously was not what happened. I haven't really had much to post because I haven't really made anything new. I have made easy, family favorites that I have already posted, or my mother-in-law made dinner for us. Oh it was so nice having my mom and then my mother-in-law here!
I am still having a little hard time adjusting to the life of a mother of two. I will confess that I have had a few hard days after my mother-in-law left trying to figure out how I would do it all - the housework, the cooking, taking care of a newborn, and entertaining a toddler without the television. I cried. I whined to my husband. I told myself "Enough!" I made some goals. I got organized (a bit). And I am feeling better about things. It is 3pm and I am still in my pajamas - but that's okay because today I have vacuumed, tidied up, done the dishes, made dinner, played Memory and playdough with my toddler. That may not seem like much, but for me, I think that isn't too bad!
Yesterday I was inspired when I saw a cooking show (what I watch when I am nursing sometimes) make bruschetta. My basil plant has been growing well and I thought that I would do something with it. So I decided to make an Italian Burger with a Bruschetta topping.
I am still trying to loose some "baby weight" (although these last few pounds are from the first baby, not the second). So I am trying to make things a little healthier now. I made these burgers with ground turkey and instead of fries, we had zucchini sticks and dipped them in marinara. I was pleasantly surprised with the whole meal!

Italian Turkey Burgers with Bruschetta Topping

For the Bruschetta (recipe from my friend Jenny):

4 Roma tomatoes, cubed
2 Tbsp fresh basil (I used about 10 leaves)
1/4 c grated Romano cheese
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
seasoning salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

In a medium bowl, mix tomatoes, dried basil, cheese, olive oil, garlic, vinegar, seasoned salt and ground black pepper.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight, before serving.

For the Burgers:

1 19oz package of ground turkey
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh rosemary
1 tsp fresh thyme
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
pinch red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
Seasoning Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients until well incorporated, but don't overmix. Test the seasoning by taking a teaspoon of the mixture and cook. (see here) Adjust seasoning as needed. Divide meat mixture into 4 equal portions. Shape into patties. Cook on grill or skillet (medium high heat) until done.
Top with bruschetta topping and a toasted bun. Serve with zucchini "fries" - cut zucchini into the french fry shape, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast under broiler until browned.

If you have leftovers:

Crumble meat over a bed of lettuce, top with bruschetta and use the bruschetta liquid as your salad dressing. Delicious! (that was my lunch today!)

What's in Season - June

Time flies when you have a newborn. I can't believe it is June! Summer is here. Farmer's Markets are open, fresh fruits and vegetables are more available. I can't wait to see what Nebraska Farmer's Markets have to offer. Here is what is in season this month - either at your grocery store or your Farmer's Market.

What's in Season in June:

Green and wax beans
Beets
Cucumber
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Peas
Snap peas
New potatoes
Summer squash
Apricots
Raspberries
Strawberries
Cherry
Figs
Mango
Canary melon
Cantaloupe
Nectarines
Passion fruit
Peaches
Plums
Watermelon

Also, check out this link to see what is in season in your area.

Thanks to all those who have asked. I am slowly coming back. We are very grateful for all those who have brought meals and for my mom for stocking our freezer with ready made meals. I haven't made any new recipes lately - but when I do, I will let you know!

Panko-Crusted Salmon

Are you all loving Pinterest as much as I am? I love finding new ideas, crafts, and especially - recipes! I found this recipe for Panko-Crusted Salmon from Annie's Eats there. It is delicious and easy. Plus, it is done in about 20 minutes! We have made it twice since my mom has been here. It is probably my favorite Salmon recipe I have made!

Panko-Crusted Salmon

from Annie's Eats

2/3 cup panko
2 tbsp. finely minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. lemon zest
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
3-4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
4 (6-8 oz.) salmon fillets, skin on
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. In a small bowl, combine the panko, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss with a fork until the crumbs are evenly coated; set aside.
Place the salmon fillets skin side down on a work surface. Generously brush the top of each fillet with the mustard and then season with salt and pepper. Press the panko mixture thickly on top of the mustard on each fillet to help the panko adhere.
Heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet. When the oil is hot, add the salmon fillets, skin side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes without turning to brown the skin. (If you don’t want to eat the skin, this step also helps the skin stick to the pan so the fillets can be easily removed without the skin later on.)
Transfer the pan to the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes, until the salmon is almost cooked through and the panko is browned. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let rest 5-10 minutes. Serve warm with fresh lemon wedges.

Maternity Leave

I would say I am sorry for my lack of posts for the past few weeks -- but I can't. I have been having way too much fun playing with my mom and, as of Cinco de Mayo, with my new baby boy! He is adorable. We are totally in love. My husband finished his finals Wednesday and, for medical reasons, I was induced Thursday. Everything went very well and both of us are doing great!

This picture is from his first car ride - coming home! 

And for those who like stats, yes, he is a big boy - 9 lbs 8 oz at birth, is now over 10 lbs! He is already really into eating! The cheeks are just getting cuter!

South of the Border Turkey Burger

Last night was burger night. This is a treat at our house. We don't have burgers for dinner too often. My little girl was so excited! Mostly because she thought fries always accompany burgers... so I whipped up some quick fries to go along with the carrot sticks. It was a big hit. Lou ate almost her whole burger, and AC said it was his favorite burger I have ever made.
This is a really simple and delicious recipe.  Plus it is ready to go in less than 30 minutes. And if you don't like spicy stuff - no worries, this isn't hot at all. Actually, I would have liked a little kick; next time I will probably put half a seeded, diced jalapeno in.

South of the Border Turkey Burger

1 1/4 lb ground turkey
1 small can diced green chiles
2 green onions, sliced thinly
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt
pepper

Preheat frying pan over medium high heat with a thin layer of olive oil. In a bowl, combine all ingredients until evenly distributed through meat but careful to not overmix. Divide into four patties. Cook until center of burger reaches about 170-175 degrees. Let rest about 5-10 minutes. Top with Cilantro Lime Mayo (see recipe below) and your favorite toppings. I think avocados are a must with these!

Cilantro Lime Mayo

1/4 cup mayo (I use fat free cause I can't tell a difference in taste)
2-4 Tbsp cilantro, chopped fine
1 green onion
pinch garlic powder
1 tsp lime juice (or more to taste)
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

Stir ingredients together. Adjust seasoning to taste. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Tip:
To test the burgers for seasoning, take a small pinch of the meat and fry it up. It only takes a minute or two to cook and it well worth it to adjust salt, heat, etc.

Monday Menu

This week seems busy for me, but really it is just the regular-old week. I have two work days so I have to do easy stuff and stuff that transports/reheats well. Saturday is our Easter Bunny day - we save Sunday for the True Meaning of Easter.
I am also trying to keep it semi-simple thanks to a 38 week growing fetus :), my mom coming next week, and two doctors appointments this week.
Here's what we are having (any recommendations for the soup or bunny-shaped meals?):

Monday - Spaghetti
Tuesday - Soup
Wednesday - Breakfast foods
Thursday - Turkey Burgers
Friday - Baked Pasta with veggies
Saturday - Something bunny shaped
Sunday - Leg of lamb, rolls, asparagus, scolloped potatoes

What are you having this week?

Artichokes

This last week was killer with work. I worked four night shifts last week (I usually work 2). So I was either sleeping or working. So I didn't have time to post, let alone, cook. We ate leftovers and ate out more than one really should. I was pulling the Tired-Night-Shift and the Pregnancy cards all week. Yikes.

I recently got this comment on my blog from Christina, "Artichokes intimidate me - how do you prep and cook them?"

image via

I love Artichokes, one of my favorite veggies ever. I just like foods that are fun to eat. When we were younger, we were always so excited when my mom would come home with artichokes in hand. We would all have our own, and sit around the table talking and pulling leaves through our teeth for at least an hour. Not only was it tasty, but we were having quality time as a family.

Artichokes can be prepared in many ways - roasted, stuffed, but my favorite it just a simple steam.
Cut the thorns off the leaves (like the picture above), place upside down in two inches of salted, boiling water and cook about 20 minutes or until a knife is inserted near the stem and comes out easily. Add a bit of lemon to the water to keep the nice color.  Serve with lemon butter (equal parts lemon juice and butter) or mayo, or your favorite dipping sauce.

What's in Season - April

I love spring! The warm weather and trips to the park are going to make me and Lou very happy. Some of my favorite fruits and veggies are starting into their peak season. Just yesterday we had some delicious, huge strawberries. As Lou would say, "delicious!" Here are just a few of my favorites.

pictures via google images

What's in Season in April:
Artichokes - love them steamed with a little lemon butter to dip. So fun to eat!
Asparagus - try them roasted!
Endive
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Peas
New potatoes - perfect for Easter dinner
Radishes
Strawberries - delicious on steel cut oats, on pancakes (see page 50 of this magazine for a yummy breakfast!), and of course, dipped in chocolate
Cherries
Mangoes - my all time favorite fruit. You can't find them locally grown in Utah, but just know that the ones in the store are at their peak. Try this Mango Salsa!
Nectarines
Passion fruit
Rhubarb
Tangerines, tangelos, other mandarin oranges

Also, if you want to see what's locally in season, check out this easy to use map

Friday Favorites

I feel like Maria when I say this but, These are a few of my favorite things:

Skype Group Video Calling: We were able to talk to everyone in my family (that has a web cam) on Sunday - it was totally fun! My sister told us to make a silly face as she took a screen shot.
Let me introduce you to the family (from left to right): Brother and Sister-in-law (They live in DC); yours truly, Husband, Daughter (in Nebraska); Dad, Mom (living in Hawaii); and tiny at the bottom -  Sister, Brother-in-law, and Nephew (Utah). So nice to have the technology to "be together" even though we stretch from one side of the country to the other!

Pinterest: I know you have heard it from every other blogger, but it is so nice to organize the things I want to do/make/remember. You may notice, the majority of my pins are food... I must have a problem.

Free Sprint-to-Sprint phone calls: If not, my 4 hours of talking to the family in one day would have used the majority of my minutes!

Making Plans with Mom: My mom and I have been planning her trip out here for the baby. We are planning lots of chatting, relaxing, a zoo visit (really Omaha has an amazing zoo!), making healthy meals, workouts (I need to loose the baby weight fast!). Nothing too big - but Mom time is always the best!

Looking forward to General Conference: A time to relax, hear some great council, and eat cinnamon rolls. If you want to check it out you can watch it on TV, or online!