First of all, I need to say I am still here and feeling better than I have in a very long time. Secondly, I need to apologize. When I first wrote about my cancer diagnosis I promised to write about my treatments and give updates. I jumped into cancer like I do most other things, whole heartily and relying on research. I researched cancer daily- treatments, side effects, natural remedies to manage side effects-both emotional and physical ones. Again, I was not prepared at all for what was to come. I would have loved to write everyday about how I was feeling and give the promised updates, but I physically could not even do it. I had been told that the side effects of my chemo wouldn't be so bad-after all I was only having 6-7 weeks of chemo, not a full on assault on my body like systemic chemo. The radiation would make me tired, but I could probably manage it. People, including me, underestimated the power of my nausea! I figured if I could deliver a 9 lb 12 oz baby boy completely free of any epidurals or anesthesia, this would be a walk in the park. It was a walk in a scary park filled with obstacles and dangerous pitfalls. I was sick from the first week chemo began. I slept for hours at a time. I wasn't able to take Stina to school-I could barely wake up for my treatments at certain points. If I wasn't sleeping I was vomiting or just miserable. Thank God for Emend-a new anti nausea drug that kept me at least from gagging every 2 seconds, even if I couldn't eat. My positive, facing cancer head on attitude quickly faded with my first full on day of chemo. But I soon realized I wasn't alone.
I came through it-I'm not quite sure how. I came out the other side, bruised, 22 pounds thinner (happy about that one), with most of my sanity in tact. I was never alone though-I didn't come through it by myself. I was lucky enough to have wonderful friends and family who saw to it that my children were never forgotten or left out, my husband was always fed and that I got as much recovery time as I needed. The support and generosity from my Our Lady of Hope classmates overwhelmed me-the Class of 1990 are amazing. The generosity of my Mary Louis Academy sisters in the Class of 1994 brought me such joy. To know I had the love and prayers of so many amazing people gave me the strength I needed to keep pushing through.
I was also blessed with the most wonderful and caring radiation therapists, doctors and nurses. My chemo nurses understood that my port was always sore, my bladder always full and my stomach always queasy. My radiation therapists, who I saw daily, always made me feel comfortable and tried to make my appointments feel more like a visit with friends than a daily treatment. My doctors were always caring and honest with me.
I am not officially cancer free-the doctors won't use the words in remission until my next Pet scan. This will be in late August. I feel great though! I went back to being a vegetarian (mostly-I still eat some fish). The week after I finished treatments I got back in the kitchen and back into my routines. I wanted my life back and I jumped into it with joy and a new found energy. My return to cooking began with homemade ricotta cheese. I'll blogging about that later this week. Stina "graduated" from Pre-K in June and I was happier than anyone to be there to share in her joy! My beautiful minis got through it too-they were more understanding than I could have ever imagined. They accepted the whole thing with such patience and a surprising lack of grumbling. My kids were shuffled from house to house, relative to relative, friend to friend. They were out of routine, out of sorts and out of a mommy for a while, but they got through it along with Murph and me.
Life goes on, sometimes bumpy and apparently now with hot flashes (thank you damaged ovaries for the menopause that has probably now begun) but it goes on. Hopefully it is going on free of cancer! There is so much to look forward to this summer-warmer days, sunnier mornings and better health.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Sesame Noodles and Busy Days
I am going to try to move forward with normal blogs again. Blogs that don't evoke sadness or focus solely on cancer. I will still give updates, but in my desperate need to get back to normal, I may as well begin with my blog. If one thing makes me feel normal, it would be cooking and feeding my family. So here's the quick health status update first. I am feeling 100% better. I have seen more doctors in the past two weeks than ever before, but I know these are the people who will help me get better, so I'll see them whenever they want me to. I had a port put into my upper chest yesterday. This should make the IV chemo a little easier. I apparently have really crappy veins in my arms and that would make chemo difficult. I have been tattooed on my hips and belly for radiation-they are basically a new addition to my already vast freckle collection. I will be starting radiation on March 4th and chemo should begin the same week. I know it is crazy to be excited about something that will not be much fun, but I keep telling myself that the sooner I start, the sooner I am finished!
On to the food!!!! I love Asian flavors-ginger, sweet chili, sesame...they are all wonderful to me! I try to always keep my pantry stocked with basics for a few Asian inspired dishes I love. I always have toasted sesame oil, black sesame seeds, plain sesame seeds, sweet chili sauce, tamari, fresh ginger (in fridge), fish sauce and sriracha on hand. I love the smells of all these ingredients and adore the tastes. I don't make many Asian dishes, but I do like to try new ones. Sesame Noodles are a dish that I love and while the version I make is probably not "traditionally" correct, it is inspired by both the Asian ingredients I love and my fave chef, Nigella Lawson. Nigella's recipe for Sesame Noodles is from the Nigella Express cookbook. I use her basic recipe, but added & subtracted a few things to fit our family. This recipe is really forgiving-as you will see. I use whatever fresh veggies I have on hand that would fit the flavors, or as it happened tonight, I had no veggies that would work in it. I didn't think the minis would appreciate brussels sprouts in their "Chinese Spaghetti" as they call it. I also don't really use exact measurements for this-I just go by what looks and tastes right as I go along. For blog purposes I will put amounts, but these are approximate. Go with what tastes good to you.
You will need peanut butter (creamy or chunky-whatever your preference), tamari or soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sweet red chili sauce, sesame seeds (black or regular or both), garlic, ginger, lemon, broth (chicken or vegetable) and spaghetti. I used creamy peanut butter, but have done this with chunky and it is good too. The little chunks of peanuts adds a nice texture contrast. Don't be afraid of the red chili sauce-it isn't spicy. It has a very light flavor and is slightly sweet. It adds pretty red flecks but not the heat you would assume from a chili sauce. This dish is also vegetarian, unless you are using the chicken broth.
Boil the spaghetti following the directions on the box. Rinse with cold water and set aside. You can also use angel hair-it works just as well. In a large bowl, put 1/4-1/3 cup of peanut butter. Add 3 tablespoons tamari, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons chili sauce. Squeeze half a lemon into the bowl. Peel a 1 inch piece of fresh ginger and grate into the bowl. I use a micro plane for fine shavings but a flat grater will work too. Grate 1 clove of garlic into the bowl. Add 1 handful of sesame seeds and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Begin to whisk the ingredients together. At this point I add 2 or 3 splashes of broth. The peanut butter can make for a thick sauce and this thins out the sauce making it better for coating all the noodles. If the minis or Murph are not having this, I also add some sriracha for a kick.
Once the sauce is the consistency you prefer, pour over the cooked spaghetti. At this point, you can add the veggies you like. I would usually use snow pea pods and scallions. Unfortunately I didn't have any and did not want to go shopping in the rain today, so I had to do without them. They were just as yummy, but I probably would have liked them with some greenery!
Once you have thoroughly coated the noodles with your peanut sauce, you can sprinkle on some extra sesame seeds for flavor and refrigerate until ready to eat. I like to take the noodles out of the fridge about 15 minutes before we are ready to eat them. They should be cold, but not ice cold.
I hope you enjoy this! We love it and it has become a staple in our dinner menu rotation. It is even more delicious the next day when the noodles have had even more time to absorb the peanut sauce. If you have leftovers and you find the noodles to be too dry the next day, I add a splash of sesame oil and some chili sauce and they spring back to life. This dish will be eaten a lot in the next few months in our house-it's easy, fast and will help out our dinners when energy and time are at a minimum during treatments.
Next blog will be Beef Stroganoff. An oldie but a goody!
On to the food!!!! I love Asian flavors-ginger, sweet chili, sesame...they are all wonderful to me! I try to always keep my pantry stocked with basics for a few Asian inspired dishes I love. I always have toasted sesame oil, black sesame seeds, plain sesame seeds, sweet chili sauce, tamari, fresh ginger (in fridge), fish sauce and sriracha on hand. I love the smells of all these ingredients and adore the tastes. I don't make many Asian dishes, but I do like to try new ones. Sesame Noodles are a dish that I love and while the version I make is probably not "traditionally" correct, it is inspired by both the Asian ingredients I love and my fave chef, Nigella Lawson. Nigella's recipe for Sesame Noodles is from the Nigella Express cookbook. I use her basic recipe, but added & subtracted a few things to fit our family. This recipe is really forgiving-as you will see. I use whatever fresh veggies I have on hand that would fit the flavors, or as it happened tonight, I had no veggies that would work in it. I didn't think the minis would appreciate brussels sprouts in their "Chinese Spaghetti" as they call it. I also don't really use exact measurements for this-I just go by what looks and tastes right as I go along. For blog purposes I will put amounts, but these are approximate. Go with what tastes good to you.
 |
| The gangs all here, except for the spaghetti. I forgot it and let's face it, if you don't know what spaghetti looks like, you may not even want to try this anyway! |
Boil the spaghetti following the directions on the box. Rinse with cold water and set aside. You can also use angel hair-it works just as well. In a large bowl, put 1/4-1/3 cup of peanut butter. Add 3 tablespoons tamari, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons chili sauce. Squeeze half a lemon into the bowl. Peel a 1 inch piece of fresh ginger and grate into the bowl. I use a micro plane for fine shavings but a flat grater will work too. Grate 1 clove of garlic into the bowl. Add 1 handful of sesame seeds and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Begin to whisk the ingredients together. At this point I add 2 or 3 splashes of broth. The peanut butter can make for a thick sauce and this thins out the sauce making it better for coating all the noodles. If the minis or Murph are not having this, I also add some sriracha for a kick.
Once the sauce is the consistency you prefer, pour over the cooked spaghetti. At this point, you can add the veggies you like. I would usually use snow pea pods and scallions. Unfortunately I didn't have any and did not want to go shopping in the rain today, so I had to do without them. They were just as yummy, but I probably would have liked them with some greenery!
Once you have thoroughly coated the noodles with your peanut sauce, you can sprinkle on some extra sesame seeds for flavor and refrigerate until ready to eat. I like to take the noodles out of the fridge about 15 minutes before we are ready to eat them. They should be cold, but not ice cold.
 |
| Yummy sesame noodles with little flecks of red from the chili sauce. |
Next blog will be Beef Stroganoff. An oldie but a goody!
Cold Sesame Noodles
1 lb spaghetti or angel hair, cooked according to directions on box
1/4 - 1/3 cup peanut butter
3 TBSP tamari
2 TBSP toasted sesame oil
2 TBSP sweets chili sauce
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
1 clove garlic, grated
2-3 TBSP of sesame seeds (black or toasted regular seeds)
1 TBSP olive oil
2-3 splashes of broth (or more as needed)
sriracha, if you like a spicy kick
Optional veggies: Sliced red peppers, sliced scallions, sliced snow pea pods, thin green beans (blanched but not soft)
Boil pasta as directed on box, rinse with cold water, drain and set aside. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together until well combined. Add more broth if a thinner consistency is desired. Pour sauce over cool pasta and add veggies. Stir to coat noodles and mix in veggies. Chill in refrigerator until ready to eat. Stir again before serving and sprinkle extra sesame seeds on top for crunch.
Enjoy!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Little by Little
Little by little. Each day it gets a bit better. Slowly but surely. Give it time. These are the things that I replay in my head everyday. These are the things people have been saying to me for the last two weeks. While I know these things are all valid and very true, at the moment they are being said or thought, it is very hard to believe. The truth is, each day has been a bit easier. On January 15th, I went to the hospital for my cancer surgery. I was prepared-I packed extra pajamas, my travel case had my makeup, lotions, face creams, toothbrush, toothpaste and other essentials that I need daily. I packed magazines, phone chargers and extra clothes for my trip home. I was prepared-I knew the post op would be uncomfortable, maybe even a little painful. I was prepared-I was going to wake up and feel positive about the future. I was prepared-prepared to eat a huge meal right after the anesthesia wore off. I hadn't eaten for 36 hours between the surgical prep drink (ugh-there are no words!!!) and the OR delays.
I thought I was prepared. I woke up to a swollen face, a morphine drip to control the intense pain. I woke up to find out I couldn't eat or drink for hours more. I woke up to find out the 2 lymph nodes had been removed and the radical hysterectomy had been done as well. I woke up to find out that one of the lymph nodes had been positive and that I would still need to have radiation. I woke up to find out I had a catheter and would have a catheter for at least a week even after I would be discharged and sent home.
On January 16th, a doctor came in to check on me. I woke up to terrible nausea, vomiting, pain, and barely the ability to walk. I couldn't wash myself, let alone put on makeup or change into the pajamas I had packed as an alternative to a hospital gown. The plan was to discharge me later that afternoon if I felt okay and had stopped vomiting. I ended up not being discharged until Friday January 18th. The days I spent in the hospital are a blur of visits by my oncologist, nurses, doctors I have never met before, and attendants. The best visits were from Murph, who got there in the early afternoon and stayed until 8 pm when visiting hours ended and my Mom who came faithfully everyday after work and stayed until Murph left with her. I spent most of those visits in a state of half consciousness or throwing up.
Home was not much different. Without the constant visits from doctors and nurses, I was at least sleeping for more than 1 hour at a time. Stina came home and was my nurse. She tucked me in, brought me drinks, and just wanted to snuggle. Matthew came home and tried to jump on me, but soon realized playing on the floor in front of me was much easier. Just seeing him and hearing his voice made me feel better. Murph made sure I took my pain meds, called the doctor for weird pains and bruising, made sure I didn't collapse in the shower, and took care of the minis. I sat on the couch while life continued around me. Amazingly enough, my most faithful nurse was a little black furry one. Travis never left my side-whether I was in bed or on the couch. That cat just sat there, watching me or sleeping against me. He'd nudge my face or hand every so often, but mostly just curled up next to me. Whether or not he knew, Travis was giving me what I needed most, a quiet comfort.
I cried in bed for a while each day. I hated being in pain, I hated that I still had to go to radiation and even worse, now I also had to go to chemo. I felt useless, hopeless, sad and pathetic. Murph and my Mom talked me through my crying jags. My sister and my Dad called and talked me through my low points. I told Murph I would not do the treatments, that the surgery was enough. He told me that I would change my mind and that skipping treatment was not even in my list of options. Murph has been my rock. He has put up with my horrendous mood swings and crying. I feel bad because while everyone asks how I'm doing, most people don't remember to ask how he's doing and that includes me. Even though he doesn't physically have cancer, he has the same cancer I have. He has stayed strong through it all. (I'd post his pic here too like the cat nurse, but he isn't the kind of guy that likes his pic all over the blog)
And suddenly, I woke up the other day and it wasn't as painful. I had my catheter removed and it was even better. I was sore, but not in intense pain. I could walk a little easier. I could help Stina pick out her clothes, even though it took me alot longer to get to her room. I showered without feeling dizzy and I actually ate dinner-I was hungry for the first time in nearly two weeks. I still cry everyday. but it is shorter and not as intense. Now its because I'm a little scared of the chemo and the radiation and their side effects. I'm still scared of what is going to come.
The truth is, I wasn't prepared. As prepared as I told myself I was, I really had no idea what to expect. Who knew my sensitivity to medication would be so intense. Who knew I would not want to even brush my teeth or put on makeup or even get dressed. Mostly though, I was unprepared for how much I would need to lean on Murph, my Mom, my sister, my Dad, my friends and my in laws. The best part of my being unprepared was that they were all prepared. They were all prepared to hug me, wash me, talk me off the ledge, and take care of my minis. I'm not alone in this fight and thinking I was proved to be my biggest mistake before. I was going to fight cancer. I was going to be fine. I know now...WE will fight my cancer and WE will all be fine!
I thought I was prepared. I woke up to a swollen face, a morphine drip to control the intense pain. I woke up to find out I couldn't eat or drink for hours more. I woke up to find out the 2 lymph nodes had been removed and the radical hysterectomy had been done as well. I woke up to find out that one of the lymph nodes had been positive and that I would still need to have radiation. I woke up to find out I had a catheter and would have a catheter for at least a week even after I would be discharged and sent home.
On January 16th, a doctor came in to check on me. I woke up to terrible nausea, vomiting, pain, and barely the ability to walk. I couldn't wash myself, let alone put on makeup or change into the pajamas I had packed as an alternative to a hospital gown. The plan was to discharge me later that afternoon if I felt okay and had stopped vomiting. I ended up not being discharged until Friday January 18th. The days I spent in the hospital are a blur of visits by my oncologist, nurses, doctors I have never met before, and attendants. The best visits were from Murph, who got there in the early afternoon and stayed until 8 pm when visiting hours ended and my Mom who came faithfully everyday after work and stayed until Murph left with her. I spent most of those visits in a state of half consciousness or throwing up.
Home was not much different. Without the constant visits from doctors and nurses, I was at least sleeping for more than 1 hour at a time. Stina came home and was my nurse. She tucked me in, brought me drinks, and just wanted to snuggle. Matthew came home and tried to jump on me, but soon realized playing on the floor in front of me was much easier. Just seeing him and hearing his voice made me feel better. Murph made sure I took my pain meds, called the doctor for weird pains and bruising, made sure I didn't collapse in the shower, and took care of the minis. I sat on the couch while life continued around me. Amazingly enough, my most faithful nurse was a little black furry one. Travis never left my side-whether I was in bed or on the couch. That cat just sat there, watching me or sleeping against me. He'd nudge my face or hand every so often, but mostly just curled up next to me. Whether or not he knew, Travis was giving me what I needed most, a quiet comfort.
 |
| Travis-my furry nurse. (his brother Francis seemed more afraid of me) |
I cried in bed for a while each day. I hated being in pain, I hated that I still had to go to radiation and even worse, now I also had to go to chemo. I felt useless, hopeless, sad and pathetic. Murph and my Mom talked me through my crying jags. My sister and my Dad called and talked me through my low points. I told Murph I would not do the treatments, that the surgery was enough. He told me that I would change my mind and that skipping treatment was not even in my list of options. Murph has been my rock. He has put up with my horrendous mood swings and crying. I feel bad because while everyone asks how I'm doing, most people don't remember to ask how he's doing and that includes me. Even though he doesn't physically have cancer, he has the same cancer I have. He has stayed strong through it all. (I'd post his pic here too like the cat nurse, but he isn't the kind of guy that likes his pic all over the blog)
And suddenly, I woke up the other day and it wasn't as painful. I had my catheter removed and it was even better. I was sore, but not in intense pain. I could walk a little easier. I could help Stina pick out her clothes, even though it took me alot longer to get to her room. I showered without feeling dizzy and I actually ate dinner-I was hungry for the first time in nearly two weeks. I still cry everyday. but it is shorter and not as intense. Now its because I'm a little scared of the chemo and the radiation and their side effects. I'm still scared of what is going to come.
The truth is, I wasn't prepared. As prepared as I told myself I was, I really had no idea what to expect. Who knew my sensitivity to medication would be so intense. Who knew I would not want to even brush my teeth or put on makeup or even get dressed. Mostly though, I was unprepared for how much I would need to lean on Murph, my Mom, my sister, my Dad, my friends and my in laws. The best part of my being unprepared was that they were all prepared. They were all prepared to hug me, wash me, talk me off the ledge, and take care of my minis. I'm not alone in this fight and thinking I was proved to be my biggest mistake before. I was going to fight cancer. I was going to be fine. I know now...WE will fight my cancer and WE will all be fine!
Saturday, January 12, 2013
A New Year and a Newer Me
Happy New Year! It is amazing to me how fast the holidays flew by. Every year I feel like they are creeping up with tons of time to prepare and before I can blink it is December 24th and I am wrapping last minute gifts and baking hundreds of cookies. This year was a little different-because of the health issues (a nice way of saying the "insert 4 letter word" cancer) I've been dealing with, the normal Christmas baking was a little modified. I didn't bake my usual 200 plus cookies and marshmallows for gifts. I wanted to focus more this season on doing things with Murph and the kids that we say we are going to do every year, but somehow run out of time for. We made a point to take the minis to see the lights around town with friends of ours, hosted a small, but fun Christmas party and took more time to be together. I helped coordinate Stina's school Christmas party along with a great team of moms.
New Year's Eve usually comes with a list of resolutions that I will never fulfill. This year I just made two. First is to get healthy-to fight cancer and make sure I win and make it so unpleasant for the cancer it will never want to come back! My second resolution is to enjoy my family-no matter what. I want to make sure I soak up every possible moment with my minis that I can. I'm not planning on going anywhere but if this cancer has done anything it has made me realize that every moment with my family is precious.
In the spirit of spending time with my minis, this post is about cooking with my favorite little chef-Stina! There is no actual cooking in this one, just some cutting and mixing and shaking. This recipe is from Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman (another blog I LOVE LOVE LOVE). Stina had been watching an episode of The Pioneer Woman with me way back in what I think may have been January?!?!? She saw Ree make Ranch dressing and decided she wanted to do it and we've been making this together ever since. Stina is a big fan of raw carrots and celery and amazingly enough, salad! This dressing seemed like the perfect way for her to get more involved in creating the foods she eats. It is super easy and if you use a large canning jar, it is the easiest clean up ever.
I use Ree's recipe, but modified it just a bit.
You will need a large canning jar (or bowl if you don't have the jar), mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, kosher salt, pepper, flat leaf parsley, dill, buttermilk, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and cider vinegar.
Pour 1 cup mayonnaise and 1/2 cup sour cream into a large jar. Chop parsley and dill into tiny bits and add to the jar. Using a garlic press, smoosh a garlic clove onto your cutting board and mash with 1/4 tsp kosher salt using a fork. Add this garlicky salty paste to the jar. Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar. Grind a little or alot of black pepper, depending on your preference. And if you are reading this Missy, leave out the black pepper-I will never know :-). I add about 2 dashes of Tabasco to the jar. If it was just for me, I'd be adding ALOT more Tabasco, but being that the minis will be eating this, go small first.
This is the part where you can make this a dressing or a dip/dressing. It all depends on how much buttermilk you add. I start out with a little under 1/4 cup of buttermilk if I am using this more as a dip. If you want a thinner consistency or more of a dressing you can add a bit more to fit your own tastes.
Put the cap on and shake it shake it shake it! This is usually Stina's favorite part-this time she hit herself in the head with the jar during a particularly excitable shake! After a quick recovery, Stina enjoyed her hard work with some carrots and celery at snack time. She even gave it a thumbs up-quite an achievement considering she would be happy to exist on a diet of mac and cheese, ketchup, apples and chicken nuggets with the occasional yogurt thrown in.
Stina asked me if we could cook together more from now on and I think my heart fluttered a little. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my mini find happiness in something I love to do. And not to worry, Matthew doesn't get left out. While he is still a bit too small and wild to help out in the kitchen, he has the appetite of Brian Urlacher which makes me one happy Mommy! I love seeing my future Bulldog linebacker and Chicago Bear enjoy what his sister and I have made. Its only a matter of time before he gets an apron with his name on it too!
1/2 cup sour cream
handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
3 TBSP chopped fresh dill
1 garlic clove smooshed and smashed
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 TBSP cider vinegar
3-4 grinds of black pepper
Tabasco, to taste
1/4 cup buttermilk (or more if you prefer)
In a large jar, add mayonnaise, sour cream, parsley and dill. On your cutting board, mash the garlic clove with the kosher salt to form a paste. Add to the jar. Add black pepper. Add Worcestershire, vinegar and Tabasco. Slowly pour in buttermilk. Cover jar and shake vigorously. Add more buttermilk if you would like a thinner consistency.
New Year's Eve usually comes with a list of resolutions that I will never fulfill. This year I just made two. First is to get healthy-to fight cancer and make sure I win and make it so unpleasant for the cancer it will never want to come back! My second resolution is to enjoy my family-no matter what. I want to make sure I soak up every possible moment with my minis that I can. I'm not planning on going anywhere but if this cancer has done anything it has made me realize that every moment with my family is precious.
In the spirit of spending time with my minis, this post is about cooking with my favorite little chef-Stina! There is no actual cooking in this one, just some cutting and mixing and shaking. This recipe is from Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman (another blog I LOVE LOVE LOVE). Stina had been watching an episode of The Pioneer Woman with me way back in what I think may have been January?!?!? She saw Ree make Ranch dressing and decided she wanted to do it and we've been making this together ever since. Stina is a big fan of raw carrots and celery and amazingly enough, salad! This dressing seemed like the perfect way for her to get more involved in creating the foods she eats. It is super easy and if you use a large canning jar, it is the easiest clean up ever.
I use Ree's recipe, but modified it just a bit.
You will need a large canning jar (or bowl if you don't have the jar), mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, kosher salt, pepper, flat leaf parsley, dill, buttermilk, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and cider vinegar.
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| All the yummy things |
This is the part where you can make this a dressing or a dip/dressing. It all depends on how much buttermilk you add. I start out with a little under 1/4 cup of buttermilk if I am using this more as a dip. If you want a thinner consistency or more of a dressing you can add a bit more to fit your own tastes.
Put the cap on and shake it shake it shake it! This is usually Stina's favorite part-this time she hit herself in the head with the jar during a particularly excitable shake! After a quick recovery, Stina enjoyed her hard work with some carrots and celery at snack time. She even gave it a thumbs up-quite an achievement considering she would be happy to exist on a diet of mac and cheese, ketchup, apples and chicken nuggets with the occasional yogurt thrown in.
 |
| Shake it shake it shake it! |
 |
| Just don't hit yourself with the jar while shaking! |
Stina asked me if we could cook together more from now on and I think my heart fluttered a little. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my mini find happiness in something I love to do. And not to worry, Matthew doesn't get left out. While he is still a bit too small and wild to help out in the kitchen, he has the appetite of Brian Urlacher which makes me one happy Mommy! I love seeing my future Bulldog linebacker and Chicago Bear enjoy what his sister and I have made. Its only a matter of time before he gets an apron with his name on it too!
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| A thumbs up from Stina means success! |
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| She didn't want to wait until after I had taken the picture! |
Ranch Dressing Recipe (Ree Drummond's with some change ups)
1 cup mayonnaise1/2 cup sour cream
handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
3 TBSP chopped fresh dill
1 garlic clove smooshed and smashed
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 TBSP cider vinegar
3-4 grinds of black pepper
Tabasco, to taste
1/4 cup buttermilk (or more if you prefer)
In a large jar, add mayonnaise, sour cream, parsley and dill. On your cutting board, mash the garlic clove with the kosher salt to form a paste. Add to the jar. Add black pepper. Add Worcestershire, vinegar and Tabasco. Slowly pour in buttermilk. Cover jar and shake vigorously. Add more buttermilk if you would like a thinner consistency.
Friday, December 7, 2012
When Life Hands You Lemons, Screw the Lemonade and Reach for Wine
The title of this blog are words to live by...at least for me. The more sour the lemons, the more wine is needed. I haven't written in a while for a number of reasons. First-Thanksgiving was CRAZY!!! By crazy I mean the wonderful kind of crazy that leaves you exhausted but wishing it would never end. There were endless amounts of food and even more fun with our families. Second-the end of November seemed to whiz by and I barely remember this first week of December. There were so many things to do. Between Home School meetings, school party planning, mall Santas and shopping, it has been a whirlwind. The third and main reason I haven't written is I wasn't sure what to say. I am a firm believer in being as honest as possible in my blog. It is hard to write honestly when you are not ready to face the truth within yourself, but after some time to think I'm ready... so here it goes.
In early October I went for a routine GYN checkup. The doctor who delivered the minis is no longer with the practice, so I figured I'd see one of the new doctors. After some complications and a trip to the emergency room, I ended up switching doctors and meeting the OB/GYN who probably saved my life. In early November, my new doctor found a large fibroid which required surgery. This was a routine surgery, or at least we thought so. During the course of the surgery, she thought something didn't look right to her and she was right.
Nothing good follows when a doctor says "I'm sorry to tell you this..." I was diagnosed with Cervical Cancer on Friday November 9th. Let's just say it is an awful feeling to wake up from anesthesia and be told that you have cancer, especially when there were never any suspicions of cancer beforehand. I can't even begin to describe the things that went through my mind when I heard those words and looked up to see my Mom and Murph standing beside my hospital bed. The doctor had spoken to them already and the look of shock and sadness on their faces only confirmed for me what I had thought was possibly anesthesia induced delusion.
And then I cried. And cried. And cried. And cried. I cried for the next week off and on. I cried every time Murph left for work. My Mom came the next morning to help me at home after the surgery and just to sit with me and hold me while I cried some more. I cried on Murph. I cried next to Murph. I cried on my Mom. I cried in the shower. I cried alone in bed. I cried every time Stina or Matthew smiled. I just kept hearing the words in my head..."I'm so sorry Dana. You have cervical cancer." I felt as if I was watching someone else's terrible life or the worst Lifetime movie ever, and I was the main character. Stina believed I had a bad migraine (which I had also). My sister changed her Thanksgiving flight and came a week early and stayed through Thanksgiving, and I really cried.
I finally stopped crying after my follow up to the surgeon. She said they believed it was early stage and set me up with an oncologist. I saw the oncologist the week after Thanksgiving and she is wonderful. I wish I didn't ever have to meet her, but I guess if this is the way it is, I am happy she is my doctor. She preliminarily staged me at stage 1B and recommended a radical hysterectomy for the week after New Year's. I cried again. Murph and I had no intention of having another baby, but now I knew the option would be gone. I got the letter from the insurance company today approving my Pet scan and I cried again. I watch Stina dance around and sing the songs from Brave and I cry a little. I hear Matthew's speech exploding and am amazed at how many words he knows and I cry a little. I don't want to miss a minute with them.
My survival expectancy is very good. After the hysterectomy my doctor is hoping I may avoid chemo or radiation. I still have so many thoughts and emotions going through my head. I am grateful for everyday I have my minis. I am grateful I still feel good-so good I didn't even know I had cancer until last month. I am beyond grateful for my family and my husband, who let me scream, cry, and held themselves together for mine and my children's sake so every now and then I can fall apart. I'm grateful I have a husband who offered to shave my head if I ended up needing it and even told me we'd look cute bald together if I did end up having treatments. I'm starting to be okay with the diagnosis, or at least get used to it. I don't cry when I say the word cancer but I still cry at night when I pray and when it's quiet and I have time to let my mind go. I get weepy when I think of my beautiful babies. They are the reason I will beat cervical cancer.
So there it is...some of the sourest lemons life has handed me lately. You now see why lemonade wouldn't be enough for these lemons. These called for wine and lots of it. A bit of advice, if you are diagnosed with cancer, DO NOT watch Hallmark Channel Christmas movies the same weekend you have been diagnosed. I never noticed before how many of these movies' storyline is a Mom dying (usually of cancer) and the Dad struggling to raise 2 kids and reluctantly find love for Christmas. Give yourself a week or 2 before you watch Hallmark movies. And I hate the Christmas Shoes song even more than I hated it before.
In early October I went for a routine GYN checkup. The doctor who delivered the minis is no longer with the practice, so I figured I'd see one of the new doctors. After some complications and a trip to the emergency room, I ended up switching doctors and meeting the OB/GYN who probably saved my life. In early November, my new doctor found a large fibroid which required surgery. This was a routine surgery, or at least we thought so. During the course of the surgery, she thought something didn't look right to her and she was right.
Nothing good follows when a doctor says "I'm sorry to tell you this..." I was diagnosed with Cervical Cancer on Friday November 9th. Let's just say it is an awful feeling to wake up from anesthesia and be told that you have cancer, especially when there were never any suspicions of cancer beforehand. I can't even begin to describe the things that went through my mind when I heard those words and looked up to see my Mom and Murph standing beside my hospital bed. The doctor had spoken to them already and the look of shock and sadness on their faces only confirmed for me what I had thought was possibly anesthesia induced delusion.
And then I cried. And cried. And cried. And cried. I cried for the next week off and on. I cried every time Murph left for work. My Mom came the next morning to help me at home after the surgery and just to sit with me and hold me while I cried some more. I cried on Murph. I cried next to Murph. I cried on my Mom. I cried in the shower. I cried alone in bed. I cried every time Stina or Matthew smiled. I just kept hearing the words in my head..."I'm so sorry Dana. You have cervical cancer." I felt as if I was watching someone else's terrible life or the worst Lifetime movie ever, and I was the main character. Stina believed I had a bad migraine (which I had also). My sister changed her Thanksgiving flight and came a week early and stayed through Thanksgiving, and I really cried.
I finally stopped crying after my follow up to the surgeon. She said they believed it was early stage and set me up with an oncologist. I saw the oncologist the week after Thanksgiving and she is wonderful. I wish I didn't ever have to meet her, but I guess if this is the way it is, I am happy she is my doctor. She preliminarily staged me at stage 1B and recommended a radical hysterectomy for the week after New Year's. I cried again. Murph and I had no intention of having another baby, but now I knew the option would be gone. I got the letter from the insurance company today approving my Pet scan and I cried again. I watch Stina dance around and sing the songs from Brave and I cry a little. I hear Matthew's speech exploding and am amazed at how many words he knows and I cry a little. I don't want to miss a minute with them.
My survival expectancy is very good. After the hysterectomy my doctor is hoping I may avoid chemo or radiation. I still have so many thoughts and emotions going through my head. I am grateful for everyday I have my minis. I am grateful I still feel good-so good I didn't even know I had cancer until last month. I am beyond grateful for my family and my husband, who let me scream, cry, and held themselves together for mine and my children's sake so every now and then I can fall apart. I'm grateful I have a husband who offered to shave my head if I ended up needing it and even told me we'd look cute bald together if I did end up having treatments. I'm starting to be okay with the diagnosis, or at least get used to it. I don't cry when I say the word cancer but I still cry at night when I pray and when it's quiet and I have time to let my mind go. I get weepy when I think of my beautiful babies. They are the reason I will beat cervical cancer.
So there it is...some of the sourest lemons life has handed me lately. You now see why lemonade wouldn't be enough for these lemons. These called for wine and lots of it. A bit of advice, if you are diagnosed with cancer, DO NOT watch Hallmark Channel Christmas movies the same weekend you have been diagnosed. I never noticed before how many of these movies' storyline is a Mom dying (usually of cancer) and the Dad struggling to raise 2 kids and reluctantly find love for Christmas. Give yourself a week or 2 before you watch Hallmark movies. And I hate the Christmas Shoes song even more than I hated it before.
Monday, November 19, 2012
The Great Debate...Thanksgiving Part 2
Now that the presidential election has been decided we move on to the next great debate in our nation...STUFFING or DRESSING! Depending upon where you live and what your ingredients are you are enjoying either stuffing or dressing this year for the big feast. I will be enjoying BOTH! People seem very passionate about their stuffing/dressing. Oysters, sausage, fruits, cornbread, Stove Top...these all evoke big emotions and I'm sure some wonderful memories. I am not quite as passionate about my stuffing/dressing as some may be, but I do tend to use the same recipes each year for both. They are tried and true and while the dressing is a traditional cornbread dressing, the stuffing is anything but traditional. For the stuffing I use a variation on Rachael Ray's Stuffing Muffins recipe. They are super easy to make and even easier to transport. They are packed with sweet and savory flavors thanks to a combination of traditional herbs and apples and dried cranberries. The dressing is a traditional cornbread dressing-soft and yummy. The subtle bacon flavor brings a saltiness to the dressing. No fruits, no sausage, just the straight up cornbread and sauteed veggie taste.
I begin taking out my Thanksgiving recipes the week before and start writing my lists. I only do the stuffing and desserts and the turkey with my Mom, my sister and Mom do the rest, with me helping out along the way. Usually on Thanksgiving you can find me downing bloody marys and alternating between cooking with my sister and Mom and watching football with Big Daddy. Being the one to make the stuffing/dressing and desserts is a great job! I can get most of the cooking done the day before and on Thanksgiving I can focus on helping out in the kitchen and enjoying the holiday. As much as I like turkey, let's face it, the sides really end up being the stars of the dinner show, at least in our house. My one other job is a huge one-that is the job of keeping every one's bloody marys flowing! I make the bloody mary mix 2 days in advance so the flavors can blend. This year there has been so much happening in the past two weeks, I actually went against all my instincts and bought a pre made mix!!!! But in true Dana fashion, I can't leave it at that-I have to add pureed celery, lime juice and horseradish to at least make it a little more like homemade.
So on to the point of this rambling blog...Stuffing or Dressing! Whatever your preference, hope you try these recipes and enjoy them!
3TBSP olive oil
1 stick butter, softened
2 bay leaves
3 celery stalks & leaves, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
handful Craisins (dried cranberries)
2 Gala apples, peeled and chopped
2 TBSP poultry seasoning (I use Bell's)
handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
8 cups cubed stuffing
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using 3 Tbsp butter, grease a 12 cup muffin tin. Heat olive oil and 5 TBSP butter in large stock pot. You use the pot to accommodate the 8 cups of stuffing later. Saute the carrots, celery and onion with the bay leaf for 5 minutes. Add the craisins, apples, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Stir and cook until the veggies begin to soften-about 8-10 minutes. Add the chopped parsley and stuffing to pot and stir to distribute veggies through cubes. Remove bay leaf at this point. Remove from heat and begin to add stock, one cup at a time. Mix until moist but not wet. Fill each cup and bake 20 minutes. Allow the cool so you can comfortably remove the muffins. These are best served warm and travel well.
4 TBSP butter melted
3 TBSP bacon dripping(warm)
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal (I do not use self rising. I use the stone ground)
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 large egg, beaten lightly
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
*optional-3 slices crispy bacon broken into small pieces. Honestly, I'm still on the fence about this being optional. If there is an option for bacon, I don't think I know many people who wouldn't take that option.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add 1 TBSP melted butter and 1 TBSP drippings into the a cast iron skillet (10"). Heat in the oven 5 minutes. Sift cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, baking soda and baking powder in a large bowl. Beat the egg and both milks together. Slowly whisk into the cornmeal mixture. If using the bacon pieces (and how could you not), this is the time to add them. Whisk in the rest of the melted butter and drippings. Pour this yummy mixture into the hot skillet and return to oven. Bake for 20 minutes at 450. The finished cornbread should be a golden brown color and be firm to the touch. Cool before adding to the dressing. Or you can serve it as is.
1 cornbread
6-7 slices white bread, dried in oven
1 sleeve saltines
2 cups celery, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 stick butter, softened
1 bay leaf
6 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
pepper
1 1/2 TBSP poultry seasoning
4-5 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13 x 9 pan with butter. In a very large bowl, combine cornbread (crumbled), dried white bread (crumbled) and broken up saltines.
Meanwhile in a skillet, saute the celery, onion and bay leaf until slightly softened. This should be about 5-8 minutes. Add the sauteed veggies to the bowl of cornbread mixture. Add stock, starting with 5 cups, mix and add salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and parsley. Remove bay leaf when you come across it. Add eggs, starting with 4 and mix well. Add the extra cup of stock and 5th egg if mixture seems dry. Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake about 45-50 minutes. The consistency is more like a wet cake, not the usual dry crumbly texture some of us used to stuffing may be used to. It is yummy and delicious though!
So here's two sides to try and tomorrow, if I'm not in a bacon coma (how can you cook only 3 slices of bacon and not eat any) I'll post some of my favorite desserts and my favorite Bloody Mary recipe. It's spicy and thick and oh so worth the vodka!
I begin taking out my Thanksgiving recipes the week before and start writing my lists. I only do the stuffing and desserts and the turkey with my Mom, my sister and Mom do the rest, with me helping out along the way. Usually on Thanksgiving you can find me downing bloody marys and alternating between cooking with my sister and Mom and watching football with Big Daddy. Being the one to make the stuffing/dressing and desserts is a great job! I can get most of the cooking done the day before and on Thanksgiving I can focus on helping out in the kitchen and enjoying the holiday. As much as I like turkey, let's face it, the sides really end up being the stars of the dinner show, at least in our house. My one other job is a huge one-that is the job of keeping every one's bloody marys flowing! I make the bloody mary mix 2 days in advance so the flavors can blend. This year there has been so much happening in the past two weeks, I actually went against all my instincts and bought a pre made mix!!!! But in true Dana fashion, I can't leave it at that-I have to add pureed celery, lime juice and horseradish to at least make it a little more like homemade.
So on to the point of this rambling blog...Stuffing or Dressing! Whatever your preference, hope you try these recipes and enjoy them!
Stuffing Muffins (Rachael Ray's recipe with a few change ups)
3TBSP olive oil
1 stick butter, softened
2 bay leaves
3 celery stalks & leaves, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
handful Craisins (dried cranberries)
2 Gala apples, peeled and chopped
2 TBSP poultry seasoning (I use Bell's)
handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
8 cups cubed stuffing
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using 3 Tbsp butter, grease a 12 cup muffin tin. Heat olive oil and 5 TBSP butter in large stock pot. You use the pot to accommodate the 8 cups of stuffing later. Saute the carrots, celery and onion with the bay leaf for 5 minutes. Add the craisins, apples, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Stir and cook until the veggies begin to soften-about 8-10 minutes. Add the chopped parsley and stuffing to pot and stir to distribute veggies through cubes. Remove bay leaf at this point. Remove from heat and begin to add stock, one cup at a time. Mix until moist but not wet. Fill each cup and bake 20 minutes. Allow the cool so you can comfortably remove the muffins. These are best served warm and travel well.
Cornbread Dressing
This is a traditional Southern dressing. Before you get started on the dressing, you will need to make the cornbread-I usually make mine by Monday evening, so it will be a little drier by Wednesday when I fix the dressing itself.Cornbread with buttermilk and bacon
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| Ingredients for the cornbread-the Jack Daniels mug is where I store my bacon drippings in the fridge. I use a much larger glass for my actual Jack Daniels! |
3 TBSP bacon dripping(warm)
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal (I do not use self rising. I use the stone ground)
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 large egg, beaten lightly
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
*optional-3 slices crispy bacon broken into small pieces. Honestly, I'm still on the fence about this being optional. If there is an option for bacon, I don't think I know many people who wouldn't take that option.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add 1 TBSP melted butter and 1 TBSP drippings into the a cast iron skillet (10"). Heat in the oven 5 minutes. Sift cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, baking soda and baking powder in a large bowl. Beat the egg and both milks together. Slowly whisk into the cornmeal mixture. If using the bacon pieces (and how could you not), this is the time to add them. Whisk in the rest of the melted butter and drippings. Pour this yummy mixture into the hot skillet and return to oven. Bake for 20 minutes at 450. The finished cornbread should be a golden brown color and be firm to the touch. Cool before adding to the dressing. Or you can serve it as is.
Cornbread Dressing
6-7 slices white bread, dried in oven
1 sleeve saltines
2 cups celery, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 stick butter, softened
1 bay leaf
6 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
pepper
1 1/2 TBSP poultry seasoning
4-5 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13 x 9 pan with butter. In a very large bowl, combine cornbread (crumbled), dried white bread (crumbled) and broken up saltines.
Meanwhile in a skillet, saute the celery, onion and bay leaf until slightly softened. This should be about 5-8 minutes. Add the sauteed veggies to the bowl of cornbread mixture. Add stock, starting with 5 cups, mix and add salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and parsley. Remove bay leaf when you come across it. Add eggs, starting with 4 and mix well. Add the extra cup of stock and 5th egg if mixture seems dry. Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake about 45-50 minutes. The consistency is more like a wet cake, not the usual dry crumbly texture some of us used to stuffing may be used to. It is yummy and delicious though!
So here's two sides to try and tomorrow, if I'm not in a bacon coma (how can you cook only 3 slices of bacon and not eat any) I'll post some of my favorite desserts and my favorite Bloody Mary recipe. It's spicy and thick and oh so worth the vodka!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Football and Squash (not the sport) Ahhh yes...It's Fall!
I can't believe how fast this Fall seems to have flown by! We came across Christmas music already on the satellite radio while driving home from school this week and it has even snowed already. Even though Winter seems to be knocking on the door, I'm still not yet ready to give up Autumn and all it's charms. One of the best parts of Fall is football and there is nothing better than hearing my Stina cheering for UGA and Army and of course the Chicago Bears. Those cheers are even better when they are coming from the bleachers only a handful of rows from the field at Michie Stadium at West Point!!!! Stina is now officially inducted into the West Point football trip! And amazingly enough, so has my sister! For many, many years my Mom and I have been driving up to West Point for football. It has always been such a great trip and a wonderful experience-there is no place more beautiful than West Point's campus in the Fall. Now being able to share this with my daughter and my sister has only made it even more special. Even though they lost, and have usually lost most of the games we have attended, it is great to be there and cheer on the Black Knights.
And now onto something else that just screams Fall and Thanksgiving...SQUASH!!!! I could eat squash everyday. I love cooking with all kinds of squash-spaghetti squash, acorn, carnival, butternut. I have yet to meet a squash I didn't like. They are versatile, tasty, easy to cook and best of all pack a big nutritional punch. They are a perfect dish for every night and especially for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of my favorite days in the year. You have a great combination of family and cooking.
Acorn squash is yummy, small and simple to fix. They are a pain to try to peel and the skin is edible, unlike many other squashes, so I find it is best to cook them with the skin on. My favorite recipe for acorn squash is Brown Sugar Roasted Squash. The color is bright and the flavor is sweet. Each half holds a buttery, sugary sweet treat.
The other squash I love to cook with is Butternut Squash. Butternut squash has a beautiful bright orange color and tends to have a firmer texture than acorn squash. You do have to peel the butternut squash, but the hard work of peeling is well worth the treat you get when the squash is roasted and yummy. I'm going to give you two ways to fix the butternut squash. The best part of that is the recipe is the same for each, but you just go a little further to make the soup. Roasted butternut has a caramelized, deep roasted flavor. The soup has this same roasted caramelized yumminess, but with an added creaminess that is irresistible and this recipe doesn't use any cream, so it isn't calorie laden.
2 TBSP butter, plus butter for greasing pan
1/2 cup brown sugar
sea salt or kosher salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a foil lined baking pan. Halve squash and scoop out seeds. Place in pan open side down. Bake 20 minutes. Turn squash over and pierce flesh with a fork being careful not to pierce the skin. Put 1 TBSP butter into each. Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar into each half. Bake for another 20 minutes. Sprinkle with a dash of coarse salt when finished.
3-4 leaves fresh sage, chopped
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
3-4 sprigs thyme, tiny leaves removed from twiggy stems
olive oil
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, sprinkle cubed squash with chopped fresh herbs. Add 2-3 turns olive oil and mix together making sure squash is well coated. Turn squash out onto a foil lined cookie sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for about 45 minutes, taking out halfway through cooking time to stir. Season with additional salt if needed.
1 stalk celery, chopped with leaves
1 large carrot, chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 TBSP olive oil
1 carton chicken or vegetable stock
In large pot, saute celery, carrot and onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add roasted squash and cook 5 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 20-25 minutes with cover on halfway. Once the vegetables have softened, turn off heat. Using a hand immersion blender, puree to a smooth texture. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender, doing it in small batches. If the soup is too thick you can always add more warm stock.
*use vegetable stock for a vegetarian version.
The best part of the soup recipe is that it can be used with leftover roasted squash from the first recipe. I usually double the roasted butternut squash recipe so I know I have enough to make soup the next day.
Happy Thanksgiving to all! Planning to post a few more Thanksgiving recipes tomorrow and Tuesday...as long as I don't drown in pie dough tomorrow!
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| Aunt Beady, Stina and me at West Point! |
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| Mimi, Aunt Beady and Stina cheer on Army! |
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| Even an Army Jeep calls for the best modeling pose! |
Acorn squash is yummy, small and simple to fix. They are a pain to try to peel and the skin is edible, unlike many other squashes, so I find it is best to cook them with the skin on. My favorite recipe for acorn squash is Brown Sugar Roasted Squash. The color is bright and the flavor is sweet. Each half holds a buttery, sugary sweet treat.
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| Brown Sugar Acorn Squash |
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| Acorn Squash is a perfect side for Roast Chicken. My friend Stina is stealing Buttered Noodles! |
Recipes for Squash:
Brown Sugar Acorn Squash (serves 2)
1 acorn squash, scrubbed and cut in half2 TBSP butter, plus butter for greasing pan
1/2 cup brown sugar
sea salt or kosher salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a foil lined baking pan. Halve squash and scoop out seeds. Place in pan open side down. Bake 20 minutes. Turn squash over and pierce flesh with a fork being careful not to pierce the skin. Put 1 TBSP butter into each. Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar into each half. Bake for another 20 minutes. Sprinkle with a dash of coarse salt when finished.
Herb Roasted Butternut Squash
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed, seeds removed3-4 leaves fresh sage, chopped
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
3-4 sprigs thyme, tiny leaves removed from twiggy stems
olive oil
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, sprinkle cubed squash with chopped fresh herbs. Add 2-3 turns olive oil and mix together making sure squash is well coated. Turn squash out onto a foil lined cookie sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for about 45 minutes, taking out halfway through cooking time to stir. Season with additional salt if needed.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Follow the recipe above and then...1 stalk celery, chopped with leaves
1 large carrot, chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 TBSP olive oil
1 carton chicken or vegetable stock
In large pot, saute celery, carrot and onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add roasted squash and cook 5 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 20-25 minutes with cover on halfway. Once the vegetables have softened, turn off heat. Using a hand immersion blender, puree to a smooth texture. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender, doing it in small batches. If the soup is too thick you can always add more warm stock.
*use vegetable stock for a vegetarian version.
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| Sauteing yummy veggies for a creamy butternut squash soup. |
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| Nothing could be easier than stock in a box! |
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| An immersion blender is one of the handiest tools in my kitchen. |
Happy Thanksgiving to all! Planning to post a few more Thanksgiving recipes tomorrow and Tuesday...as long as I don't drown in pie dough tomorrow!
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