The Sweet(tea) Life

3 Months Old!

2012-10-19T15:34:00.000-05:00

Liam turned 3 months old on October 9. I can't believe how fast this little guy is growing and how much he changes every day. New and exciting things happen every day around here...here's just a peek at what we've been up to:

Liam no longer hates tummy time, and will tolerate it for 5-10 minutes at a time, then we will take a break to do something else and come back and do a few more minutes.

And, now, most of the time I'm constantly flipping the little booger back over because he learned to roll from tummy to back last week! He's getting pretty good at it, so when he's decided he's had enough...over he goes! Sweet boy.

I finally made it through the huge stash of disposable diapers I had from my showers, so Liam is wearing his cloth diapers full-time now. I love my BumGenius diapers! I am happy to say that I have not bought a single diaper yet (except the cloth ones). And, is there anything cuter than this?

Liam can grab toys and bring them to his mouth, and he especially loves sweet Sophie the giraffe!

Also new, DROOL. So much drool.

...and chewing on his hands

...and blowing bubbles!

Overall, Liam is a good nighttime sleeper. During the day, he prefers to catnap. If a nap lasts longer than an hour, it's a miracle. Until recently he's been swaddled for naps and at night because he has wild-man hands that wake him up every 5 seconds. We are trying to phase out the swaddling, though, since little man has decided it's fun to scoot to the edge of his Rock and Play or Nap Nanny and try to do backflips. It looks like he will be rolling back to belly pretty soon! We are also working on getting him to sleep flat at nighttime to make the move to his crib easier. Right now, he is sleeping beside our bed in the Pack and Play wearing his Baby Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit (he was sleeping in the Rock and Play, swaddled). My goal is to get him to the crib all night by 6 months. I still can't sleep if he's not close to me! We are getting there...

Our four month check-up is right around the corner! He will get more shots (boo!) and maybe the green light to start some solids. I can't wait to fire up the baby food maker!!

Soaking wet bibs and bubbly grins...

Katie

These days...

2012-09-14T20:01:00.000-05:00

As I am sure you could guess, life at the Daniels' house has been super busy/ crazy/ sleepless/ amazing the past couple of months! There have been many changes and adjustments, but we are slowly figuring out life with a newborn (which Liam will no longer be in about 3 weeks!). Please, remember that Justin and I have been "just us two" for EIGHT years...enough said.

Here's a recap of the events of the past 9- ish weeks:

1. Three days prior to Liam's birth, our house was filled with boxes and a moving crew (not to mention a landlady that pointed out every detail of yardwork that had been neglected during my pregnancy). The couple that we lease the house from moved the furniture that they had kept here to their new home in Ohio. To put it mildly...this was stressful to a 38-week-pregnant mama!! To ensure that we wouldn't come home to an empty house, we went furniture shopping to get some basics and fill some space. My Mama also hooked us up with some antique pieces that my great-grandfather built. I posted a long time back about the house and showed y'all how it looked when we moved in....here is our "new" living room and dining room set up....MUCH more my style!

This table was made by Paw. It is gorgeous black walnut. The chairs are an Overstock.com find. And, little old me made the curtains and ruffled runner...thanks Pinterest!

New sofa, chair, coffee table and console for TV. Paw made the desk by the window. I made the (super classy) burlap curtains. :)

2. We had a BABY!! A darn cute one at that. I have been using him as a little model to practice my "photography" skills. (I use the term loosely) I got a new lens and a reflector, so I'm pretty much a professional now. Kidding.

3. I resigned from my position as Weekend Coordinator for the Rehab department at St. Dominic. I'm still planning on working PRN, though, beginning in October...Just typing that gave me heart palpitations. Hopefully, I can ease into going back to work, leaving my baby, and remembering how to be a Physical Therapist. I am grateful beyond words to be able to spend my days with my sweet boy. I won't pretend like there aren't days where I feel cooped up and downright insane...but I'm pretty excited about my new job as Liam's Mama. See above pictured cuteness. :) And, in case I should forget, I have this little reminder from the sweetest niece of all time:

4. Justin started working on a possible job in Oxford, MS for after graduation. Basically, he and a few other residents are trying to form a group to staff the ER there. It's a complicated process, and I am praying hard that it all works out. We LOVE Oxford, and think it would be an amazing place to raise our family.

5. We took our first road trip home with Liam when he was around 5 weeks old. Traveling with a baby is no joke, folks. Rude awakening. It was fine, really. Just totally different. Here he is, all ready to ride. He was a sweet, sleepy angel on the way there...going home...scary alien baby came out (see previous blog post)!

So, that's what we've been up to! I'll try to be a better blogger. Liam is growing and changing every. single. day. It's nice to have something to look back at and remember...

Little man is 6 Weeks old!

2012-08-19T22:16:00.000-05:00

Let's just pretend it hasn't been like half a year since I updated this blog. :)

Tomorrow my sweet Liam will be 6 weeks old. I always heard that time changes somehow when you have a baby, flying by faster than ever. It is so, so true. I feel like I was still pregnant yesterday, but here I sit, listening to my 6 week old snore on the baby monitor.

The past 6 weeks have been the most wonderful and the hardest of my life. I mean, I knew that I would be sleep- deprived and hormonal and that "a baby changes everything" and all that. But, you really cannot prepare yourself for what it is to be a new parent. Suddenly there is this PERSON in the world that you helped create, and YOU are responsible for keeping it alive. I have a hard time keeping plants alive and remembering to feed the dogs (thank goodness for automatic dog- feeders)! Unfortunately, they don't make automatic baby feeders, or diaper-changers, either. Boo. This tiny little thing needs you, like, for everything. All the time. And it is so painfully adorable and terrifying all at the same time. Somehow, we all survived a whole month and a half. Here's what I've learned so far:

1. Back labor sucks. Especially when your epidural catheter moves out of place, or runs out of medicine, or just flat out isn't working...or all three! They say you forget the pain...still haven't.

2. Breastfeeding is HARD. And it hurts. And you feel like a failure when it hurts, because everyone tells you it "shouldn't" hurt if you're "doing it right". (You feel like a failure for pretty much the whole first month, but that's another story) You may even get bleeding, infected blisters on your nipples and dread feeding your baby when he's hungry. After all that hard work, you still may not make enough milk. I'm still trying to nurse as much as I can, but we had to supplement with formula. And, guess what. THAT'S OKAY! Which leads to my next point...

3. Do what works for you and your family. Don't get caught up in what's "right" or "wrong" according to this book or that person. Are you happy? Is your baby happy? Is your husband happy? If the answer is yes, carry on. If not, change something. Do not feel guilty about it, either. Everyone has an opinion and (usually uninvited) advice when you have a baby. Do what YOU feel is right for you. And breathe.

4. If you have a boy, be on guard at all times during diaper changes. And, point it down.

5. Justin and I make freaking cute babies!

6. Sometimes, babies just cry. For no reason at all. It's okay to cry with them...you're both figuring it out! Liam looks like a scary, alien baby when he is really wound- up. It freaked me out at first. He got the "ugly cry" from his Mama.

7. A good, tight swaddle will usually help with #6. Throw in a little walk around the house or a swing on the porch, and the crying might even stop! :)

8. The following items are absolutely essential (to me): muslin swaddle blankets, a white noise machine (or iPhone app), the Fisher Price Rock and Play, a Boppy pillow, Dr. Brown's bottles, a good breast pump, microwave sterilizer bags, the Angelcare monitor, 15 zillion burp cloths, gas drops, gripe water, and baby Zantac.

9. The following items are nice, but not really necessary (to me): a wipe warmer, a swing and a bouncy seat (so far he doesn't really like either one!), warm fleece-y sleepers (if you swaddle, all they need to wear is a onesie).

10. I could not do this without my husband. Or my Mama. They are the reason I'm not completely crazy right now.

I cannot believe that I am someone's mother. I am so thankful to have this little miracle in my arms. As hard as every day is, I love being Liam's Mama. I can't wait to see what he grows up to be...but not too fast!

25 Weeks

2012-04-05T15:48:00.002-05:00

We made it to 25 weeks! 15 weeks left to go. I passed my 1 hour glucose test last week, thank goodness! I'm so glad to have that out of the way. Next up is the 3D ultrasound! I can't wait to see what Liam's sweet face looks like.
Next weekend, I have 2 showers in Meridian. One with my family and one with Justin's family. We haven't made much progress on the nursery. The crib and bedding have been ordered, but they won't be here until June! I'm trying not to panic about that, but I'm so ready to get everything put together.
I will update y'all next weekend with the shower details....I can't wait!

20 Weeks!

2012-03-02T16:10:00.000-06:00

We have officially passed the halfway mark! Today, I am 20 weeks and 4 days to be exact. According to all my books, baby is about the size of a cantaloupe now and should weigh around 11 ounces. Yesterday we had our 20 week ultrasound to measure all baby's bones and look at every little organ. Everything looked great and we have a very active baby BOY who weighs about 15 ounces! Yep! almost a whole pound! He was moving around so much that we couldn't get a very clear profile picture. However, we were able to get a very clear shot of his "boy parts"...go figure. I won't post that, you can just take my word for it! :)

At our 16 week appointment, we were able to find out the gender. Since then, we have been happily buying adorable little boy clothes and fun stuff for the nursery. Justin picked out a giant stuffed giraffe that is almost as tall as I am! We have decided on Liam for baby's first name, but we are still debating middle names.

I have been feeling pretty good most of the time. I am still very tired most days and my back has started to bother me a little, especially on the days I work. My bump is growing!! It is very obvious that I am pregnant now, and not just chubby (but, I'm a little chubby too, probably)...even strangers comment on my belly. I can feel Liam turning, kicking, punching, and jumping all the time. He gets super active right after I eat. I love feeling him move! He must be a strong little thing, because lately I've been able to see him kick on the outside of my belly...amazing!! I can't wait until Justin can feel him, too. It probably won't be too much longer.

I can't wait to get his room all fixed up. We've decided on a "safari" theme for the nursery. (Justin would want me to clarify that this is not "pastel baby safari", but real "African safari") Justin and I are both working some extra shifts so we can get the crib we really want and have money to pay for all the crazy-expensive baby necessities. I will post pictures when we get it all together. Very exciting!!

Changing Directions...

2012-01-24T22:13:00.008-06:00

Hi! Yep, I realize that I haven't posted in three months. Yep, I have a good excuse! We have had an exciting time in the Daniels house since I last posted about our ten year reunion. So exciting, in fact, that I'm changing the theme of my blog! Now, don't worry, I'm still going to post recipes from time to time...and I'm still going to share pictures and crafts and all that fun stuff, too. There's just one BIG, new thing that I'm adding in, since, as I mentioned, our life has gotten a little more exciting these days. So...let's pick up where I left off...(warning:this is long)

Right after our reunion, two days to be exact, something happened to Justin and me that completely changed our lives. For this to make sense, I need to back up a little bit, about a year...

October 2010: Justin and I are recovering from what was one of the saddest, most confusing, and scary things that had ever happened to us. In April of 2010, we lost a baby at about ten weeks. We were devastated. But to make things even more scary, we learned that I had what is called a "partial molar pregnancy". You can google it, but basically it means that there is a chromosomal problem where the baby begins to develop (we had a good ultrasound and saw that precious heart beating at seven weeks), but the fetus is not viable. There are also placental abnormalities. (This is where it gets scary.) If any tissue is left behind after a miscarriage of a molar pregnancy, it can grow into a form of cancer known as choriocarcinoma.

Not only had we lost our first baby, but I had to be closely monitored (weekly, then monthly blood draws for SEVEN months) to make sure all the tissue was gone and I didn't have signs of choriocarcinoma growing. To make it worse, we were told that we could not get pregnant for at least a year to be safe. It was a dark and heartbreaking time, but little did I know it was only the beginning of our bumpy road.

November 2010: Luckily, all my bloodwork was normal to this point. I decided to see a new doctor to get another opinion on when we could try again. So, I went to see Dr. Sims, armed with research articles, praying for good news. God answered my prayer! My new doctor cleared us to go ahead and start trying again.

June 2011: Sadly, no luck in the baby department! I was starting to get worried that something was wrong, so I made an appointment to start seeing a fertility specialist in Jackson, Dr. Isaacs. I went in for a consultation and he mapped out a treatment plan. This is where the real fun began...pills, accupuncture, utrasounds, books, needle sticks, weird yoga moves, "relaxing", more pills, more needle sticks...but, nothing was working. Ugly negative tests every month.

October 2011: A busy month! (FINALLY, we are back to the month leading up to our class reunion) I was keeping my mind busy by planning our reunion and trying not to think too much about the (almost) year of failure under my belt. We had a new plan with Dr. Isaacs, though. Two days after our reunion, we had a procedure called an IUI done. I'll save you the details, but if you're interested, google "intrauterine insemination"...

November 6, 2011:
This happened

I cannot begin to describe to you how it felt to finally see that sight. It took a few blood tests at the doctor for me to believe it was real. We were absolutely ecstatic, but scared to death something bad would happen again. I prayed constantly (as I had been for quite some time now) that God would let this be it.

Today: I am 15 weeks and 1 day pregnant! God is so good! I still pray constantly for this little miracle and for the person he or she will become. Justin and I are so, so excited to finally meet our little one in July.

I promise to update more often and look forward to sharing our little family's adventures! From now on, this will be more of a general Daniels family/ baby/ life blog...which will include recipes, because what is life without good food?

If you read all of that, you should get an award. :)

"Reunited and it feels so good..."

2011-10-26T12:53:00.006-05:00

This past weekend was our 10 year high school reunion. (Most of you already know that Justin and I graduated high school together, and actually met way back in 5th grade!) It was so fun to see some of our old friends again and take a little trip back in time. I've been working hard for a while, with help from my friend Kristin, on planning the reunion and getting everything together for it. I was so happy to see everything go smoothly and everyone have a nice time.

The events began Saturday with a family picnic at Planet Playground in Meridian. This was a chance for everyone to bring their kids and show them off. We were the only couple there with no kids...which was slightly awkward, but we survived! Saturday night was dinner and drinks at Weidmann's in Downtown Meridian and I made the cupcakes for the event! (recipes coming right up!)We ate and mingled and drank and laughed and listened to corny old music (think "Ghetto Cowboy" and Destiny's Child)until midnight. It was a blast. The best part of the night (or morning, I should say) was our bonfire after the reunion! Our closest buddies from high school came out to our land to sit around like old times and catch up. We stayed out there until 4 AM! The next day was ROUGH...but totally worth every minute!

Good Times!

I made three different mini cupcakes for the dinner event. I wanted them to reflect our school colors (yes, I'm that dorky) so, I chose red velvet, dark chocolate, and raspberry sour cream. If you were at the reunion, you are probably thinking, "I didn't see any raspberries!". Well, turns out, the only berries to be found in Meridian were a few (sad looking) pints of strawberries at Piggly Wiggly. So, improvise I did! Here is a link to the recipes I used (cupcakes 4, 5, and 25):Mingmakescupcakes.com I made a few modifications, like: 1. I used Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder for a darker color and flavor in the red velvet and chocolate cupcakes. 2. I subbed in strawberries for the raspberries in the Raspberry Sour Cream cupcakes. 3. I thickened each icing recipe a bit with additional powdered sugar to get to the consistency I needed to ice them as shown. 4. I omitted the chocolate shavings on the chocolate cupcakes.
I forgot (!) to take a picture of my cupcakes displayed at the reunion, so the only photo I have is of the trial run I did last week (for which I was in Jackson...where they have raspberries...) So, here they are!:

They were a hit, especially the strawberry! Go figure! Haha.

What else have I been baking, you may ask....

How about a 12 layer chocolate cake?
Fun!

It was so good, but so time consuming!! Here is the recipe if you have some time on your hands! 12 layer Cake

I'm getting excited to start planning my Christmas baking soon! Hope everyone has a great day!

Pinterest Interests

2011-09-08T13:14:00.009-05:00

Oh, Pinterest. How I love thee, let me count the ways...I love how you suck me into your time warp, how I sit down with you and look up to realize it's been three hours. I love how I see a craft project or recipe and you make me want to do it. NOW.

If you are on pinterest, you know what I mean. If you aren't on pinterest, get someone to send you an invite ASAP! (unless, of course, you want to do productive things with your time.)

Here are some of the things that my love, pinterest, has inspired me to make this week:

1. Eggplant Gratin

I have had a weird craving for things of the squash variety lately: butternut, zucchini, eggplant, yellow squash...mmmm. I guess it's the late summer, fall-ish weather.

As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it. Click below for the full recipe.

Eggplant Gratin
From Farmhouse Table

This was so, so good. And, I know the leftovers for dinner tonight will be even better!

2. Felt flowered wreaths

What you need:
6-8 sheets of felt, your choice of colors
Sharp scissors
Glue gun and plenty of glue sticks
Grapevine wreath
Artificial berries (or your choice of adornment)...optional
Patience

Here is a tutorial on how to make the flowers: Rolled felt flowers from Lines Across My Face

After you've made your flowers (I did about 12 per wreath), hot glue them to your wreath in whatever pattern suits you. Then place your chosen adornment on the wreath and secure with more hot glue. I hung these with burlap ribbon. I simply wrapped it around each wreath and secured it to the top of the door with flat thumbtacks. I left some ribbon showing on the inside of the door, too.

3. Homemade Cheese Crackers

I had everything I needed for these in my pantry already. I literally looked at the picture and got up and made them. They were so easy and fast and delicious!

Melt in your mouth cheese crackers from In the Kitchen with Kath

They were PERFECT with my tomato soup for lunch! mmmmm.

Thank you, Pinterest! You are truly an inspiration.

Man food

2011-09-06T10:18:00.006-05:00

If you read my blog much, you may remember that, occasionally, Justin surprises me by cooking dinner. If you don't believe such a thing could occur, please refer to this post.
Sunday night, the man did it again! It wasn't so much a surprise this time, since he told me what he wanted to cook; but who cares? I love cooking, but being cooked for by a handsome man is even better!

We went to Borders going-out-of-business sale on Friday night. I scored a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Volume 2 (60% off!!) and Justin bought this (very manly)book.

Good Meat: the complete guide to sourcing and cooking sustainable meat.

It is a really cool book, I must say. And the recipes in it are incredible. He chose to make "Involtini" for us.

I've never had involtini, but upon googling, I discovered that they are basically any thin strip of meat or veggie rolled up with cheese, herbs, and other yummies. In this case, thinly sliced beef top round with pesto, parmigiano-reggiano, and pancetta. After you roll them up tightly, they take an hour-long bubbly wine bath. Heavenly.

I made some parmesan polenta to serve them with...delish! He did good, didn't he?!

Here is the recipe:

Involtini
Good Meat: the complete guide to sourcing and cooking sustainable meat
by James Beard and Deborah Krasner

1-2 pounds semifrozen grass-fed beef top round or bottom round
1 cup mixed chopped fresh parsley and basil leaves
1/2 onion
1 clove garlic
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
As many thin slices of parmigiano- reggiano as there are beef strips
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
As many thin slices of pancetta as there are beef strips
1 teaspon unsalted butter
1/2 cup white wine

Slice the semifrozen beef as thinly as possible, lay out on a sheet of waxed paper to thaw. Sandwich defrosted meat between two pieces of plastic wrap and place on a wooden cutting board. Pound out to 1/8 inch thickness.
Make a paste of the basil and parsley, onion, garlic, salt and pepper and 1 tablespooon of olive oil in a food processor.
To assemble: lay out beef strip, spread with 1/4 inch of herb paste, then a slice of pancetta, then cheese. Roll firmly and tie with kitchen twine.
Dredge each roll in flour. Heat butter and remaining olive oil in a large pan with a lid. (big enough to hold all rolls in one layer). Brown the rolls on all sides over medium-high heat (5-8 min). Add the wine, reduce to low heat and cover. Cook 45 min, adding water if necessary until beef is tender. Remove the twine and serve with pan sauce.

The cooking stage

2011-08-25T12:34:00.004-05:00

We have all heard of the Kubler-Ross model...you know, those five stages of grief. (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance) Since my grandmother passed away in June, I have noticed that there is, in fact, a sixth stage...or maybe it's stage 4.5...whatever. Somewhere around the acceptance stage, there lies the Cooking stage. I'm sure that not everyone will experience this stage. But maybe you've been there, too if you had someone in your life like my grandmother. No matter who you talk to about Juanice Hardy, they will certainly mention her cooking. I don't have very many childhood memories that don't involve her, and most of those involve cooking or eating! She loved to make people happy with food!!

In the two months since we lost her, I have baked her famous Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies 5 times. Five. And this weekend, I NEEDED to make her Chocolate Eclair. I love the comforting way those cookies smell and the way the pan of chocolatey pudding looks in my fridge. As I cook through these recipes, I hear Memom's voice in my head...her little tricks and tips and substitutions...teaching me how to crack an egg...showing me how to scoop out perfectly sized cookies with two teaspoons.

So, it seems I'm in the Cooking stage. Maybe I'll be there forever. I miss my grandmother, but I know she is always with me...especially in the kitchen!

Chocolate Eclair
Juanice Hardy

2 small packages instant vanilla pudding
8 oz cool whip, thawed
3 cups milk
1 box graham crackers
1 can fudge icing

Mix together pudding, milk, and cool whip with a whisk until smooth and thick. Line a 9x13 with a layer of graham crackers. Spread half of pudding on top. Layer another sheet of grahams. Spread on the remaining pudding. Layer another sheet of grahams. Place the icing can in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Pour icing over grahams and spread out. Refridgerate and serve cold or at room temp.

Cooking Light has an app!

2011-08-25T12:05:00.006-05:00

Dear fellow Cooking Light lovers,
There is now a Cooking Light app for the iPhone...the "Quick and Healthy Menu Maker"! It is awesome. AWESOME! You can search through beautiful photos by entree type, and once you find one you like, it will suggest a menu. You can view the recipe, ingredients (perfect for impromtu grocery trips), and nutrition facts right on your phone. You can even share the recipe via email, facebook, or twitter AND save it to your favorites. I love this app. Get it now, you'll love it too!
Sincerely, Katie :)

Click here to get the app!

Here are some recipes I've tried with the app. I used the ingredient list right in the grocery store, then followed the recipe from my phone as I cooked.

Linguine with Two-Cheese Sauce
Cooking Light

Summer Squash, Bacon, and Mozzerella Quiche
Cooking Light

(Click above for link to recipes)

Both were yummy! My favorite was the quiche. I even ate some (cold) the next morning...mmmm. Justin loved the linguine, and I didn't feel as guilty feeding him that as I do with my (instant artery clogging) alfredo sauce!

Now that I have made that alfredo sauce sound so appetizing, I know you are dying for that recipe too! :) It really is good...just don't eat it every day! haha!

Justin's favorite Alfredo Sauce

1 pint heavy cream
1/2 stick butter
2 tbsp cream cheese
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan
salt, garlic powder, white pepper, and nutmeg to taste

Heat cream over medium heat until small bubbles form at edges. Melt butter and cream cheese into cream. Stir in parmesan. Stir in seasonings to taste. Heat a few minutes to thicken. Serve over fresh fettucini or as dipping sauce. (I told you it wasn't healthy...)

Summer grilling and a peek at the new house!

2011-08-25T10:56:00.010-05:00

Grilled corn in the husks

4 ears of corn with husks
1 stick of softened butter
smoked paprika
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
kitchen twine, soaked in water

Heat grill to medium. Gently peel back corn husks and remove the silks. (this activity took me back to my grandmother's screened porch...shelling peas and shucking corn was frequently a summer passtime, and fun too!)Coat each ear of corn with butter then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika. Wrap husks back around corn and secure with twine. Place a sheet of aluminum foil on grill grates and grill corn 20-25 min, turning once.

Homemade Baked Beans

3 cups dry navy beans, sorted, soaked, and simmered according to directions on bag
1 can regular coke
1/2- 1 cup beef broth (start with 1/2 cup and add more if too dry)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tbsp dry mustard
1 tbsp grainy mustard
1 1/2 cup ketchup
1 yellow onion finely diced
6 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup molasses
1-2 tbsp salt, to taste

Put all ingredients in a dutch oven over low heat. Cover and simmer for 8-10 hours, stirring occasionally. If too liquidy, simmer uncovered for a few minutes to thicken. If too dry, add more coke or beef broth.

We have done a lot more grilling this summer than ever before. It has been so nice to have our convenient little "grilling patio"! The area where the grill is has a covered patio, a water feature, and a small grassy area that is separated from where the dogs are in the back. It's perfect! (MUCH better than the old house, where you had to walk through our bedroom to get to the backyard...BAD design!)

I'm loving my little shady container garden out there, too!

The "grilling patio" is right off the more formal living area. This room was left furnished by our landlords, and is beautiful (even if not my style...). We NEVER use this room, haha!

The area where the doggies stay has a large patio. Half is covered and has a fan that they enjoy. The other half is open. Behind the patio is a large yard to fetch in.

We spend 90% of our time in the kitchen and the keeping room. I guess they feel more "homey", plus we don't have to worry about messing up someone else's furniture in those rooms!

I love my new zebra rug and butterfly lamp.

The window frames on the mantle are from Justin's great grandparent's barn. I think they look cool with my green buddha head.

And finally a peek at the dining area, entry and hallway. The house is a split plan. There are two bedrooms down that hallway, and our bedroom is on the other side of the house. I'm sure this plan is nice for older kids, but if we ever have a baby...there's no way it's sleeping all the way across the house from me! :)

(candlesticks on the dining room table are handmade by my talented and handsome hubby)

Wow, do I still have a blog?!

2011-06-29T20:52:00.006-05:00

Life has been super crazy the past few months, so the blogging (and the cooking) has been on the back burner! (pun intended) We put our house on the market in late March, after working very hard to get it ready. Three days later, we got an offer! So now it's late June and we closed only days ago. Needless to say, getting that house sold was a total pain! Enough of that...
We just got settled in our new(bigger) home and I was finally organized enough to actually cook a meal! My new kitchen is amazing...all the cabinets I need for my gadgets, and a double oven!!

Plus a spot for blogging! :)

We are leasing this house, so all the colors and finishes aren't exactly what I would choose, but they work perfectly with my colorful dishes and accessories.

Last night, we fired up the grill and tried a new recipe for short ribs. Yummy!

(Click the link for recipe details)
Apricot Habanero Short Ribs
www.recipe.com
Justin has bad acid reflux, so I only used a very small amount of the habanero. Hint: wear gloves when handling the peppers. I washed my hands really well several times after chopping and I am still tasting HOT pepper on my fingers the next day! They turned out so good, but the sauce was the star. I baked a couple of sweet potatoes and served a simple arugula salad on the side.

Tonight was a no-cook, quick supper night. I got this recipe from the new issue of Cooking Light (still my favorite).
Open-faced Prosciutto and Plum Sandwiches
This was such an easy and summery meal!

I mean, is it possible to go wrong with goat cheese and prosciutto?

I have to end this post with a tribute to my grandmother. "Memom" passed away suddenly last week and her presence will be greatly missed in our family. If it weren't for days spent in her kitchen mashing potatoes, boiling peas from the garden, and baking cookies, I wouldn't have the love and passion for cooking that I have today. Memom, thank you for all you taught me about family, life and food! I love you!
I will dig out some of her recipes soon and do a post on them!

Bacon and date scones

2011-03-14T11:36:00.003-05:00

BACON. Mmmmmm.
I love bacon. Sorry, I just do. And butter. Deal with it.

I also love salty-sweet stuff. Remember the bacon bar??

I wanted to make Justin a yummy breakfast this morning, (well, it was really dinner for him I guess since he is on the night shift) and I came across this recipe while browsing my epicurious app on my iPhone.

Bacon and Date Scones It's from Bon Appetit. And it's perfect.

Dear God, thank you for bacon and dates and raw sugar and butter. Amen

They suggest you serve them with butter and flakes of sea salt. That sounds good and all, but I was thinking some chocolate sauce and sea salt might be good too...

Don't leave me alone with a cake mix...

2011-03-14T01:06:00.010-05:00

'Cause I will use it! Justin is on nights right now in the ER. I get bored in the evenings at home alone, plus I don't have to work today....so I was super bored last night. I was lurking around on www.bakerella.com and decided I needed to perfect my cake pop skills. I mean, Justin will need a treat to take to work tomorrow night, right? Yeah, definitely, I should bake something... :) It's not hard to convince me to bake!!! There were 3 cake mixes in my pantry (a very dangerous thing) along with a can of icing left over from making cake balls a few weeks ago. I also had a random bag of yellow candy melts and an assortment of pretty sprinkles. AAAAnnnd, I just happened to have some lollipop sticks and treat bags handy. Whadayaknow...all the ingredients for cake pops!
My first attempt at cake pops was disastrous! Think globs of cake falling off sticks into melted chocolate...not pretty! But I have been determined to figure this out and make some adorable cake pops that even Bakerella would be proud of!!
This time, I got it right! I think the secret is the consistency of the cake ball...I had too much icing last time.
Cake Pops!!

These little cuties are pretty labor-intensive...but I think they are worth it! The middle tastes like cake batter, but it is fully-cooked cake with the icing already mixed in. The candy shell is just colored white chocolate ("Candy Melts"). Yum, yum, and yum! They are cute on the stick or off. Next time I will attempt the Cupcake pops! So very adorable!!

So, you wanna know how to make 'em?

Here you go:

You will need:

1 prepared cake mix, any flavor you like. (bake in any pan you like, it doesn't matter because it will get crumbled)
1 can store bought icing (this time, the cream cheese variety worked well...)
Preferably, a stand mixer
a small cookie scoop
your clean hands
a parchment-lined cookie sheet
your fridge
lollipop sticks (or not)
Candy Melts in your favorite color
Sprinkles
a few styrofoam blocks
plastic treat bags and ribbon (again, or not if you don't do the stick thing)

Cut your cooled cake into chunks and try to remove all the brown edges and any crust on the top. Place cake in your mixer's bowl. Use the paddle attachment on medium speed to crumble the cake as finely as you can. Once crumbled, add some icing (a little at a time) until you get a consistency like cookie dough. It will pull away from the bowl and the crumbs will not be visible. You should have a uniform mixture.

Use the cookie scoop to evenly portion your balls. Roll dough into balls in your hands and place them on your prepared cookie sheet. Chill them in the fridge for 15 min or so. (if they are too cold the chocolate will crack)

Melt 4-5 candy melts in a little bowl. Take your balls out of the fridge. Dip the end of a lollipop stick in the chocolate (1/2 in. deep) and stick it into a ball, no more than halfway. Put the pop back on the cookie sheet. Repeat with all the balls and chill them again for a few minutes to set the chocolate. Meanwhile, melt the rest of your candy melts in a deep bowl (you will need enough depth to stick the pops straight down in the chocolate.)

Dip each pop straight down and pull straight out. Use an offset spatula to tap the stick. (this helps the excess fall off smoothly) Decorate however you like with sprinkles, etc before the chocolate sets. Stick the pop in a styrofoam block to dry. Wrap each one in a bag and tie with a bow. If you don't do sticks, they look cute sitting in a mini cupcake wrapper. Whew! that was fun!

I was up until 2 AM with these, but it was fun to finally get them right! And, Justin enjoyed them when he got home!

Cupcakes and puppy paintings...

2011-02-23T13:44:00.006-06:00

I made some chocolate cupcakes with buttercream for a shower on Tuesday. Here's how they turned out:

I'm trying to do a better job with my photos, also! I'm slowly learning how to use all the features on my camera, and Justin got me a fisheye lens for Valentine's Day! Yay!

Stay tuned this coming week! Tomorrow I am making a 2 tiered cake for a baby shower...and next week I am making a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse birthday party cake. I will probably be on a sugar high for the next two weeks!!

Today, I was outside taking pictures of the puppies and practicing shooting with my camera in aperture priority mode. I got a really cute shot of Minky and decided I needed to do a "blue dog" portrait of her, since I have TWO of Baxter. I didn't want her to feel left out!

Silly Puppy!

"I'm ready for my close-up"

Ready to paint

Sketched out

Green background done!

All Done!

Valentine's day menu....I took a different route!

2011-02-15T08:24:00.008-06:00

So, yeah, that "healthy" menu plan I had going on....HA! Who am I kidding? It's Valentine's Day for goodness sakes! We needed something a little more special than scallops and cauliflower. :) There's still plenty of time to get "skinny" for my vacation. (again, who am I kidding)

With the memory of last year's Valentine's dinner on my mind, I decided to make rack of lamb our little love day tradition! Maybe I will try a different variation each year and try to mix up the sides and presentation a little.

This year I tried Giada's Rack of Lamb with Mint-basil Pesto. Click the link for the full recipe from foodnetwork.com. Rack of lamb is super easy to prepare (it just looks fancy and complicated). Once it is carved the "lamb lollipops" give the most beautiful presentation...especially with the "pop" of the green pesto. It was so delicious! I pulled the lamb out a little shy of the 20 minutes suggested for medium rare since we like our meat a little more on the pink side...it was absolutely perfect. Be sure to let the rack rest for the full 10 minutes so the juices can redistribute before you carve it!!
As our side, I decided on polenta. I've made plenty of polenta, but I have never tried it "fried" before. I thought the lamb would look perfect perched on top of a little tower of polenta cakes. Here is how I made them:

Creamy Parmesan Polenta Cakes
Katie Daniels

1 tube of basil-garlic prepared polenta, chilled
1 egg, beaten in a shallow dish
2-3 dashes Tabasco
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp Freshly grated Parmesan
1 tsp finely chopped basil and mint leaves (left over from your pesto!)
1/4 cup flour
Olive oil

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Slice chilled polenta into 1/2 inch slices (2 per person). Beat egg in a shallow dish with tabasco. In another shallow dish combine flour, salt and pepper to taste, parmesan, and herbs. Coat a polenta cake with egg and then flour mixture and fry in oil until golden brown. Repeat until all cakes are fried adding more oil as needed. Drain cakes on paper towels and season immediately with salt and pepper.

These were beautiful and yummy! Another easy, yet dramatic-looking dish...Check out how it looks plated. Can you believe this whole thing took about 30 minutes total?

Look how pretty my china is!

I put together this cheese plate for us to snack on before, during and after dinner:

Smoked gouda, drunken goat, mini toasts, organic blueberries, bourbon pralines, and local honey. This, in itself, could have been my meal...so, so yummy! My favorite bite: toast dipped in honey with a slice of smoked gouda.

Are you ready for dessert? Always, right?!
In college, our favorite treat was the molten chocolate cake at Chili's. (obviously I wasn't doing much in the kitchen in those days!) This is still my favorite dessert. But when it's made with really good ingredients it is even better!!
I found this recipe for molten chocolate cakes in cupcake form...perfect! Thanks, Martha...I can always count on you!

Molten Chocolate Cupcakes
Martha Stewart

How gorgeous are these?!

Hope you all had a fabulous Valentine's Day!!

Potential Valentine's Day Menu

2011-02-10T08:39:00.003-06:00

We never go out for Valentine's day, I always cook. I wouldn't have it any other way! I love cooking for us and getting to use my china!! Here is the potential menu...I'm trying to be healthy (and skinny for our vacation!).

Asparagus spears with smoked salmon

Seared scallops with pomegranate sauce

Roasted cauliflower with herbs and
parmesan

Chocolate meringues

That's the plan for now...

A few of my favorite things...

2011-02-10T06:55:00.005-06:00

1. Bakerella!
First of all, Bakerella's blog is simply a work of art! I only hope that one day my photos will be that beautiful. This woman is amazing! She started with a little baking blog, and now has baked on The Martha Stewart Show and has a cookbook.

Could those cake pops be any cuter?! She is the brains behind those red velvet truffles I make for Justin at Christmas. The cake pops are basically these on a stick...only decorated to perfection. Bakerella is my cooking blog icon!

2. Chuck Hughes

Chuck is a Montreal chef and the star of my FAVORITE Cooking Channnel show, "Chuck's Day Off". Not only is he ADORABLE and covered in food tattoos...but there really is some awesome music on the show! I love him! I also love that cooking was his second career. It gives me hope that one day my culinary dreams will come true!
Here is an excerpt from his bio on www.cookingchanneltv.com:
"He loves simple, well-made food: “It’s food!” he excitedly reminds us. “It’s meant to be fun and taste good — it doesn’t have to be fancy ... ” And if you want to know about some of his favorites, look no further than his tattooed arms: lobsters, oysters, bacon and arugula testify that maybe, just maybe, this guy really loves his craft."

3. Food trend: Macarons

The new cupcake?!
http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/macarons-slip-past-cupcakes-as-the-pastry-trend-du-jour/Content?oid=2015426

4. Parlor Market

Jackson's newest fine dining restaurant. Justin and I went to Parlor Market a few weeks ago, and I fell in love. Brick walls, reclaimed wood tables, slab marble ceviche bar, and the buzz of an open kitchen in the background. Perfect lunch spot, or place to dress up and go out on the town. The food is off-the-charts amazing. There is nothing else like it in Jackson. It is definitely on par with some of the places we've eaten at in New York! Wow! LOVE! I cannot stop thinking about the southern cheese plate...seriously.

5. Mo's Bacon Bar
I can't even talk about this. If I do, I will drive to The Fresh Market and buy them out. Then none of you will be able to experience this. So, for your sake, I won't talk....just go get one before I do. :)
Now I want to go to Parlor Market for lunch then come home and bake Macarons with Bakerella while watching an episode of Chuck's Day Off while eating a bacon bar!

Asparagus Tart

2011-02-02T07:48:00.003-06:00

Asparagus Tart
Katie Daniels

1 sheet puff pastry, rolled out, scored, and docked
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
2 medium onions
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 bunch pencil thin asparagus
1-2 oz goat cheese
3 slices swiss cheese, cut into small sqares
1 lemon
Salt
Pepper

Caramelize the onions: heat 1 tsp oil in a nonstick skillet, add onions and season with salt and pepper. Sautee until deep caramel brown in color. Set aside.
Arrange puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet [score a 1 inch border,and lightly poke holes with a fork (dock) the center]. Brush the mustard over the pastry, just in the center area. Spread caramelized onions evenly over mustard. Arrange asparagus, alternating ends to tips over onions. Squeeze lemon juice over asparagus, then season with salt and pepper. Arrange swiss squares in a checkerboard pattern over asparagus, then place bits of goat cheese in the open squares. Drizzle everything with olive oil and season once more with pepper. Bake at 400 for 15- 20 min until pastry is brown and cheese is bubbly.

I made a cake!!

2011-02-02T07:42:00.001-06:00

I think it turned out pretty good...I'm pretty proud of that bow!

Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

2011-02-02T07:32:00.002-06:00

From my new Everyday Food cookbook! I'm ashamed to admit that this was my first time to make meatballs. They were delicious, though. I'm not much of a meat eater, so I thought Justin would eat most of the meatballs and I would eat the spaghetti...but I loved all of it! Here is a quick link to the recipe: Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs from Everyday Food.

New Kitchen Gadgets!

2011-02-02T07:16:00.003-06:00

Santa was very good to me in the kitchen department this year and brought me everything I asked for! Here are some of the goodies I got:

Cuisinart Keurig Brewer

This has been on my wish list for quite a while, and I must say it was worth the wait. I love this thing! Coffee, tea, hot cocoa, iced drinks...it's amazing. It will brew 4, 6, 8, or 12 ounces at a time. You can use the prepackaged K-cups, a tea bag, or your own coffee/ loose tea in the My K-cup. Perfect every time. Plus, you can just get hot water out of it for tea or oatmeal if you want!
Thanks Mom and Dad!

Justin's aunt Tabatha gave me a Williams Sonoma gift card! The perfect gift for me! I really, really needed a new muffin tin, so I got one. Plus, an Everyday Food cookbook. And some of their basil scented hand soap, countertop spray, and dish liquid...mmmm...smells like heaven!

Thank you, Tab!

My sweet sissy, Jennifer, got me the juicer I have been wanting! I told you I got hooked up! I haven't taken a picture of it, but I did make some super amazing healthy juices! So far I have juiced beets, carrots, apples, celery, tomatoes, and oranges. So, so fun! And it makes you feel so healthy!
Thanks Jenn!

Brown Sugar Buttercream

2011-02-02T07:05:00.003-06:00

For Justin's birthday,(yeah, that was like a month ago)I made these cupcakes.

Butter pecan cupcakes with brown sugar buttercream. The cake was a mix from the grocery store. I had never seen that flavor cake mix before, so I had to try it. And, since I hate canned icing, I decided to try a new recipe. I found this Brown Sugar Buttercream on www.marthastewart.com.

Happy Birthday, Justin!

I haven't posted much lately because I haven't cooked very much lately. We discovered a leak in our bathroom that had made its way into my kitchen cabinet....lovely. So, we have been pulling out cabinets, pulling out sheetrock, fixing leaks, replacing sheetrock, painting cabinets, replacing cabinets, and replacing countertops! FUN! No, not really. But it is done now, so I can cook/blog again!

Christmas countdown!

2010-12-21T18:10:00.011-06:00

Merry Christmas to y'all! The big day is quickly approaching! Nothing gets me in the Christmas spirit more than baking. Every year, I spend hours and hours baking homemade gifts for family and friends. This year is no different, I have spent the last two days baking our traditional favorites and a few new things. I stocked up at the grocery store on Monday morning...

Got my tools and gadgets out...

And started the baking marathon!
Most of my recipes are from Everyday Food.

I started with a special request from Justin. His favorite from last year was Molasses Sandwich Cookies (click links for recipes). These are amazing, like big gooey christmas- filled sandwiches!
They start out with chewy molasses cookies.

The cookies are filled with a buttery molasses filling.

Soft, chewy, spicy goodness! Make sure you have a huge glass of milk, or better yet, hot coffee!

Next up: Chunky Chocolate Everything Cookies! I got the idea for these cookies from this Food Network recipe. I had pecans on hand (like, a lot...) so I used them instead of cashews. Also, I replaced the M&M's with Craisins and dried cherries, but otherwise followed the recipe. The dough was very dry, so I added a few tablespoons of milk at the end to pull it together.
Yum, yum!

I always make these shortbread cookies every year...they are MY favorite! Another one from Everyday Food...Martha is always right on time! You can make them with ANY mix in or coating you can imagine. My favorite is the orange- cranberry. This year I also tried dark chocolate, dried cherries, and pecans (like I said, I have a lot of pecans...). Both turned out quite delicious!
Icebox Shortbread

I decided to try another shortbread variation, too! Chocolate Shortbread Wedges...I got a tad carried away with the shortbread...but it is soooo easy!

Moving on...Butter Pecan Cookies! These are seriously the easiest cookies I have ever made. Plus they are delicious, and look like you got them from a bakery! Justin and I both love these sparkly, sugary treats!

Whew! Yep, there's more!

Pumpkin Chocolate chip Squares. This was a new one, but it will definitely be a repeat next year. So, so good! I love pumpkin. I love chocolate. I love these!!

Almost there...Hope my family is hungry! :)

Chocolate Chunk Biscotti
Again, I needed to use my pecans...so I replaced the pistacios and raisins in the Everyday Food recipe with pecans and chocolate chunks. I also had some coconut left over from the Chunky Chocolate Everything cookies, so I threw that in, too! MMMMMM! I love biscotti and coffee!

And finally, last but certainly not least, the infamous Red Velvet Truffle! Everyone loves these, but I have to admit....I hate to make them! I know. It's the one thing (baking-wise) that is just a total pain in the butt! I make them because Justin loves them and I love Justin! :)

Red Velvet Truffles

1 red velvet cake mix, baked according to package directions
1 can cream cheese icing
2 bags white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or crisco
chopped pecans

Crumble cake into a large bowl and stir in icing until uniform in color. Scoop out cake mixture with a cookie scoop onto parchment paper- lined cookie sheets. Place cake balls in the freezer for at least 2 hours to firm. Meanwhile, melt white chocolate chips with oil or crisco in a double boiler. Using two forks, coat each ball in white chocolate and rest on parchment paper. You can sprinkle with leftover cake crumbs or chopped pecans.

I packed everything up in tins and plastic goodie bags...

All ready for the trip to Meridian...get ready, everyone!