Design Updates

I just updated the design of my blog a bit (and yes, it needs more than a little tweaking... eventually I should invest in some professional help).  I added buttons to make it easy for you to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and my favorite addiction: Pinterest.  Just look on the right side of my page and you'll see the icons at the top!

Maybe my nesting instinct will kick in and I'll do some updates that I've dreamed of for this blog... maybe!

Photo Update

Yes, I'm still here!  I'm 32 weeks pregnant (just 8 weeks until my due date) and I'm taking it easy.  I'm still working every day, but I'm limiting my time in the kitchen and I'm spending more time relaxing, sleeping and getting ready for the arrival of Baby Powell.

Instead of sharing a recipe today, I'm going to share a series of photos from my iPhone that illustrate what I've been up to in June.

I'm eating a ton of Rita's Water Ice.  It's a Philly-area favorite and my favorite (only) flavor is lemon.  I buy it by the quart and I can eat the whole quart in two days.  It's much lighter than ice cream, pleasantly tart, and great for a pregnant lady on a hot day.  If I ever move away from Rita's I'll be sad.

It's baseball season!  As some of you know, my husband loves the Phillies, so our evenings are almost always spent with a game playing in the background.  In past years we've been to several games during the season, but I can't take the heat this year.  Fortunately, we were able to score some seats in the shaded and air-conditioned Hall of Fame Club this past Sunday, so I was able to enjoy a game live and in person.  And the Phillies lost.  Go figure.  They aren't doing so well this year.  I still had fun.

I'm doing the best I can to prepare for my new role as mama to this baby of ours.  We've spent evenings in breastfeeding class, newborn class and childbirth class.  I'm even reading this book that's supposed to teach me how to soothe my crying baby.  Yes, I'm overwhelmed, but I'm also excited!  And I'll let you know if the book works for us.

I don't feel like cooking every night.  When I do cook, I often forget to pull out the camera.  We go out to eat often.  This is some pad thai that I enjoyed (courtesy of a Groupon... check out that site!) a few weeks ago.  I miss cooking.  I'm looking forward to getting back to my routine soon.  Part of my lack of desire to cook comes from my small appetite.  This bowl of pad thai lasted me three meals.  I have no idea what's going on, but my stomach seems to have shrunk.  I thought pregnant ladies were supposed to be hungry all the time?

E and I celebrated our 10-year college reunion this month.  This photo is from a booth that was set up at the event.  I can't believe I graduated from college a decade ago.  I also can't believe that I've known this man for almost 14 years.  We go waaay back.  Back to the days of Tommy Hillfiger t-shirts, pagers, and Timberland boots.  Back to living in an un-air conditioned dorm room and having no car.  Back to eating all of our meals in the dining hall and treating ourselves to midnight pizza delivery with Tropicana Twist from 7-11.  Yeah, we go way back.  I love this man and I'm looking forward to our next adventure as mom and dad to this cute little kid.

So cooking?  Not so much at the moment (although I did make some killer blueberry pancakes yesterday and I'm in the process of writing a few product reviews for Potluck, the ShopRite blog).  I'd love to do some summer canning, particularly something with berries, so we'll see how July goes.

What have you been up to?  Any graduations, reunions?  Is anyone else relying on takeout?  Please don't tell me I'm the only lazy/busy one out there.

Cinnamon Swirl Buttermilk Cake

Monica from Lick the Bowl Good featured this recipe for Cinnamon Swirl Buttermilk Cake on her blog back in April and I decided to give it a try.  It definitely met my expectations and I can assure you that this cake is great for dessert, but also has a coffee cake-like flavor, so you could also enjoy it for breakfast.

I like dense, poundcake-like cakes because they taste fresh even after a few days and they are easy to transport to the office or to parties.  I also prefer to make these type of cakes because they don't require any icing or fancy decorating skills.  I love to bake, but I'm not a huge fan of frosting and my decorating skills are far from professional.

Here's the link to the recipe on Monica's site.  I made a few changes to accomodate what I had in my pantry:

1.  I used lemon zest in place of orange zest.

2.  In place of the combination of all-purpose flour and cake flour I used 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour combined with 1/4 cup of cornstarch.

Give this cake a try!  You probably have all or most of the ingredients on hand.  Plus, it's an added bonus when you can serve the cake for dessert one night and have it for breakfast the next morning!  (Or, if you're trying to be healthy you can bring it to work the following day and share it with your colleagues... that's what I did!)

Scratch Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Cheddar Bay Biscuits.  Those famous (or infamous) buttery, garlicy biscuits from a certain seafood chain restaurant.  I don't frequent this restaurant (as a matter of fact, I can't remember the last time I've been there), but I'll admit that I do love those buttery biscuits.  They are a guilty foodie pleasure.

Most recipes for these biscuits call for some kind of pre-made biscuit mix, but I was looking for a scratch version.  I found one on Pinterest and we've already made it twice, most recently with our Low Country Boil.

I don't care what kind of diet you're on, one taste of these biscuits and you'll be willing to break all the rules for just one meal.  They have three of my favorite ingredients:  cheese, butter, and garlic, all in perfect harmony.  The biscuits are tender and fluffy and full of flavor.  Just go ahead and make the full recipe because I'm sure you'll eat several before dinner hits the table.

I consider good bread to be a weekend dinner treat and these biscuits do not disappoint.  Go ahead and do yourself a favor and whip up a batch of these.  They go great with summer barbecue, or seafood... or even brunch.

The original recipe is posted here on Portugese Girl Cooks.  I made a few changes:

1.  I don't normally buy cake flour, so I substituted the combination of cake and all-purpose flour for 2 1/2 cups of cake flour and 1/2 cup of cornstarch.

2.  I used Cabot Sharp White Cheddar for the cheese in this recipe.  It's one of my favorites and I think the sharp taste really takes these biscuits to the next level.

3.  I pulsed the dry ingredients (including cheddar and butter) in my food processor before transferring them to a bowl and adding in the wet stuff.  If you have a food processor, use it.

4.  You can make this dough a few hours before your meal and have it portioned out on a parchment-lined baking sheet a few hours before dinner.  When you get close to mealtime, just pop them in the oven and watch the magic happen!

Low Country Boil... Revisited

About two years ago I posted my Low Country Boil recipe.  Since then, this recipe has become a family favorite.  As soon as we can get our hands on some fresh corn, we make a big pot of this dish.  It's a great summer alternative to barbecue when you don't want to turn on the grill (or if you don't have a grill).  It can serve at least 4-6 people and can easily be doubled if you have a big pot.  Plus, it's easy.

This Memorial Day weekend we decided to try this recipe with the addition of mussels.  We followed the original recipe, but instead of adding all shrimp we included one pound of shrimp and three pounds of mussels.  This was our first time cooking mussels at home and it was easy.  Don't be intimidated by mussels, there are some great tutorials available on how to clean mussels and check to be sure they are safe to cook and eat.

The juice that forms at the bottom of the pot is very savory and a little spicy.  I love rolling my corn in this flavorful juice.  I also used a spoon to pour the juice over the cooked mussels in my bowl and I even sopped up a little with a cheddar garlic biscuit (recipe coming soon).

Low Country Boil is a fresh, easy dinner that's casual enough for a warm Friday night outdoors but has a restaurant-quality taste that would also impress guests.  We estimate that this recipe cost us about $45, but it serves 4-6, which is a steal when you consider what you'd pay for this meal in a restaurant.  (We recently paid $17 for a shrimp appetizer that included just one pound of shrimp.)

If you live in an area where you can get your hands on some fresh corn and some fresh seafood, give this recipe a try!  Here's the link to my original recipe.

*Special thanks to my mom who prepared this recipe last weekend.  Growing this cute little baby has left me exhausted and my mom has been stepping up and remixing all kinds of recipes from My Life on a Plate.  She's spoiling me royally!  With just 11 weeks left until my due date and the temperatures getting warmer around here, I really appreciate any help I can get!

Maternity Gear

First off, I know this isn't a mommy blog, but it is My Life on a Plate, so I figured this fits into the "my life" part.  I'm still learning a lot a lot about pregnancy and parenting, but I do think I found out what works for me in terms of maternity wear.  Of course, every woman has a different sense of style, but here's what worked for me:

1.  At 26 weeks (about 6 months) pregnant, I can still wear some regular clothing.  I can still fit maxi dresses, loose tops (especially if they are a size or two larger than my pre-pregnancy size), babydoll-style tops and dresses, and all of my accessories (scarves, jewelry, etc.).  I've turned to maternity wear for pants and some dresses.

2.  Shoes are becoming a situation.  I've heard that your feet can grow up to a full size during pregnancy (and not return to the pre-pregnancy size).  Most of my 8 1/2 shoes still fit, but they aren't comfortable.  Anything with a heel is out.  My peep toe flats cut into my toes.  Fortunately, warm weather is here and I prefer to wear sandals anyway.  I've invested in three new pair of sandals that have good arch support (Cole Haan, Mephisto, and Zealand).  My goal was to not wear "mom shoes", but to have something flat, stylish and comfortable for hot weather.  I'm really pleased with my new sandals and I can see myself wearing them into the fall.

3.  I never thought I'd say this, but most of my new clothing is coming from JC Penney.  Yes, the same place where I used to shop for sheets and curtains is now my go-to spot for maternity wear, especially tees and pants.  I tried Target, but most of their stuff is online only (and more expensive than JCP).  I tried the specialty stores in the mall, but I'm not into paying $90 for a pair of maternity jeans (plus the styles were a bit young for me).  I was able to grab cropped black pants, dark denim, gray slacks, a few dresses, and solid tees for less than $25 a piece at JCP.  Once I accessorize with my own earrings, scarves and shoes the pieces look more professional and up-to-date.

4.  I didn't initially realize that I'd have to invest in new undergarments to accomodate my changing body.  Target has some nice options for maternity underwear.  Nordstrom has worked for me for bras.

5.  Although many people tell me that being pregnant in the summer is hard, I'm happy that I got out of buying a maternity coat and more structured clothing for work due to the timing of my pregnancy.  Summer tends to bring a more relaxed dress code in the workplace, so I can often wear the same clothes at home that I wear to work (with a few adjustments).

The biggest thing I've learned so far is that every woman and every pregnancy is different.  People told me all different tales of woe before and during this pregnancy.  I've experienced some things, but others haven't happened (yet).  I'll admit that I'm finding it difficult to sleep comfortably, but that's part of growing a little human.  I expected to gain a ton of weight, but my weight gain has been modest and my appetite has been light.  As long as the baby is growing well, I'm okay with that.

I'm learning so much and still feeling so blessed to bring this child into the world.  With less than 100 days  until my due date, I'll be meeting him soon!

Tuscan White Bean Soup

Spring isn't exactly soup weather, but since it's rainy this week in Delaware I've decided to share an easy soup recipe.  This soup is relatively healthy, could be vegetarian, affordable and it makes your home smell awesome.  As an added bonus, it's cooked in a slow cooker.

I'm the first one to admit that I don't like everything that comes out of a slow cooker. Some of the recipes require too many processed ingredients for my taste and sometimes the food comes out tasting like mush.  But, some recipes, like this one, lend themselves to great results in the slow cooker.  You only need to spend about 10 minutes of hands on time and you'll have a nice hot pot of soup waiting for you at the end of a long day.

This recipe uses dried beans.  If you've never cooked with dried beans, don't be scared!  You can buy them in the grocery store (I like to buy mine in the Latino foods aisle).  For less than $2 you'll have enough beans to make a huge pot of this soup.  Since they're dried you'll be able to control the sodium and the final texture, which is a big advantage over canned beans.

Dried beans just require a little bit of extra handling, but it's not complicated.  Start the night before you plan to cook this recipe.  First, spread them out onto a flat surface (a cookie sheet works well) and make sure there are no stones, twigs, or other foreign matter mixed in with the beans.  This is rare, but it can happen.  Next, pour the beans into a deep, large bowl and cover them with a few inches of water.  Let them sit overnight.

The next morning, saute onions and garlic in olive oil.  Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper and deglaze the pan with chicken stock...

Pull out your slow cooker.  Place some smoked meat in the slow cooker to flavor your soup (I used a piece of smoked turkey.  You could also use cooked bacon or panchetta.)  Add the beans, onion mixture, chicken stock, and a bay leaf to the slow cooker.

Go on with your day.  When you come home, stir in some chopped fresh rosemary.

Check the soup to make sure the seasonings work for you, then serve!  That's it!

I served mine with freshly baked rosemary bread, but I also think this soup would be great with grilled cheese or any crusty bread from the store.

Some of the beans will break apart and make the soup creamy.  Other beans will stay whole and give the soup some substance.

I really enjoyed this soup.  If I was being really bad, I would have stirred in some cooked italian sausage at the end.  You could always add whatever you like.

At this point I still only have a handful of meals that I'd make in a slow cooker.  This one makes my short list.  It's good for your weekly menu rotation and it makes at least 6-8 servings - enough for lunch the next day!

Tuscan White Bean Soup
adapted from Slow Cooker Revolution

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus additional for serving)
6 ounces pancetta, minced (you could use bacon instead)
2 onion, minced (about 1 1/2 cups minced onion)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
1 pound dry Northern or cannellini beans (2 1/2 cups), picked over, salt-soaked, and rinsed
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
salt and pepper
grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

1.  Soak the beans overnight in enough water to cover by 4 inches and a few tablespoons of salt.

2.  The next morning, heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and cook the pancetta (or bacon) until lightly brown and crisp.  Stir in onions, garlic, and red pepper and cook until onions softened and lightly browned (8-10 minutes).  Stir in 1 cup of broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

3.  Transfer mixture to the slow cooker.  Stir in remaining broth, water, soaked beans, and bay leaves.  Cover and cook until beans are tender (9-11 hours on low or 5-7 hours on high).

4.  After beans are cooked, stir in rosemary and cook on high for an additional 15 minutes.  Discard bay leaves.  Check seasoning; add salt and pepper, if desired.  Serve with Parmesan cheese and additional olive oil.