Foods I Love and Baby Update

Max is 7 weeks old today.  I think I'm finally getting used to mothering a newborn (getting up every 2 hours overnight, preparation for diaper blowouts, dealing with baby meltdowns).  No, it's not easy, but babies must use their cuteness as a weapon because as soon as I get frustrated he looks at me and does something adorable.  Oh, babies!

I've cooked a few new recipes and I'd love to blog about them.  However, I'm typing this with Max in a  baby sling and sleeping on my chest and I don't know how much time I have.  Instead, here are some foods/drinks (both homemade and store bought) that I've been loving lately:

1.  Soups and stews - Summer is winding down and temps are dropping into the 60s at night.  My husband brings me fresh sweet corn every weekend (he gets 12 ears for $2 in Lancaster County) and I've been making corn and cheddar chowder and creamed corn. I've also made a large batch of chunky chili. I froze the leftovers for future meals. I know it will come in handy when I have a crazy day in a few weeks and I don't want to order takeout.

2. Edy's Fruitbars - I'm sure I mentioned this before, but these popsicles are the bomb! Costco sold them all summer in a 24 pack and ShopRite often has them on sale. Of course, you can probably buy them at every grocery store in America. My favorite flavors are Mango, Grape, and Lemon. The best part is that they are 80 calories a pop and have no artificial sweeteners.  I started loving these during my pregnancy and I'm still hooked on them.  Good thing I have a chest freezer in the basement.

3.  Boxed Wine - Yes, wine in a box. I was skeptical because I associate boxed wine with cheap, inferior product, but there are some decent choices out there. I decided to try boxed wine because I'm nursing Max and I have to limit my alcohol intake.  I enjoy cooking with wine and I also enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, but I felt that opening an entire bottle could be a waste.  I picked up two brands (Bota Box and Volere) at Costco and I was pleasantly surprised. I love that the wines stay fresh for 4 weeks (or more) after opening and that they come with a spout that allows you to pour just as much as you need, whether it's a full glass or just a splash for your favorite recipe.  I've been keeping one white blend and one red blend on hand for cooking and meals.

I've also learned a few things that have worked for me in parenting a newborn.  I know that every single baby is different, but here are a few things I've realized:

1.  Embrace the fact that you'll be up at odd hours.  I do most of the baby duty because I'm on maternity leave and my husband is working.  I'm also the one with the food since I'm nursing.  Max gets up every 2-3 hours (including all night long), so I use my DVR to record daytime talk shows and cooking shows to watch at 3am.  I also use the HBO GO app and the Netflix app to stream movies and television shows during those lonely late-night feedings.  I like to save the most interesting shows for 2am... gives me something to look forward to.

2.  Noise-canceling headphones are great for meltdowns.  No, I'm not telling you to ignore your baby, but when I can't figure out what Max wants I hold him in my arms and turn on my iPod.  I can see and feel him, so I can still console him, but I can listen to Thriller or my favorite financial planning podcast while my baby cries it out.  Sometimes I even sing to him.  By the time the album ends or the interview is over, he's often asleep.

3.  Amazon Mom is the bomb.  It's a version of Amazon Prime that offers free 2-day shipping on tons of stuff (including non-baby stuff) for free for 90 days.  I've used the service so much that I'll be paying the annual fee to continue it.  I've been able to find rare items in the exact color/style I need and have them delivered within 48 hours (or less).  This comes in handy for everything from DVDs to breast pumps to diapers.

4.  Baby wearing is convenient.  Granted, Max only weighs 7 pounds or so, but it's really convenient to wear him in a sling during the day.  I haven't tried it on an errand (I just use a stroller), but the baby sling is great for afternoons when he's fussy and just wants to be held.  I can keep him very close to me, but still fold laundry, start dinner, read email or do anything else that requires two hands without worrying about the baby monitor.  It's one of those things that works for me for now.

So that's my update.  I'm looking forward to getting some free time to write up some recipe posts, but until then this will have to do.  I'm happy that I'm still loving to cook and bake, despite the fact that I have to schedule my cooking around caring for Max.  I'm looking forward to Max getting big enough to help me in the kitchen.  What have you been up to lately?

Roasted Tomato Salsa

It's September.  Wow.  Where is 2012 going?  My garden wasn't the best this year but I do still have a ton of basil, chives, sage, and rosemary.  I also ended up with a stack of perfectly ripe tomatoes and jalapenos last week, so I decided to make some salsa.  I normally use this recipe (inspired by Pioneer Woman), but I discovered a new option on Pinterest and decided to give it a try since I have a bumper crop of tomatoes and jalapenos at the moment.  I'm pretty sure I'll be cleaning up and clearing out my tomato plants in the next week or so, so here's a recipe for you if you have some tomatoes on their last hurrah.

I modified the recipe to suit what I had on hand and our preferences for salsa.  I used jalapenos instead of serranos, a little less onion and I added lime juice.

This recipe wasn't difficult at all... the worst part was waiting for it to be ready!

Cut up some tomatoes, garlic, onions, and jalapenos and lay them on a roasting pan lined with parchment paper (an oil-free way to prevent sticking... also makes cleanup a breeze).

Roast them at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until everything starts to get a nice char on the edges.  At this point your house will smell intoxicating. I could not stop smiling while waiting to pull this out of the oven. How could something that smells this good not taste amazing?

Next, you need to wait for your hot vegetables to cool down.  I scooped them onto a plate, popped them in the fridge and made a trip to ShopRite to pick up some fresh cilantro (I never have any luck growing my own) and some tortilla chips.  Yes, I'm one of those people who goes to the grocery store three times a week, even though I keep a running list on my iPhone.

By the time I returned home with a bunch of cilantro and a bag of tortilla chips it only took me 5 minutes to whip up this salsa in my food processor.  And you know what?  It delivered on taste!

Here's what I love about this recipe:

1. It yields a thick salsa.  You can process it to have less chunks, or you can leave it chunky.
2. It is fresh.  It doesn't have the overly-processed vinegary taste that you find in jarred salsa.
3. It uses my abundant, fresh summer peppers and tomatoes in a creative way.
4. Roasting the vegetables really transforms the taste... the flavor seems more pronounced, yet the garlic and jalapenos are more subtle.
5. I don't have to peel and seed the tomatoes!

If it's summer and you have access to fresh tomatoes, I'd take this approach.  If it's the middle of the winter and you want a convenient salsa that's just as tasty, try this version.

One note about heat:  I used two seeded jalapenos and I feel the salsa is mild to medium.  I wasn't reaching for a drink as soon as I ate it, but it left a nice tang on my tongue.  You can adjust the heat level up or down by using more or less peppers or by leaving the seeds in or taking them out.  I think that this version, as written, is a crowd-pleaser and should not offend people who are sensitive to spice.

P.S.
Thanks for being patient with me as I adjust to parenthood.  I know the blog posts have been pretty spotty.  Thank you to everyone who continues to send well-wishes!  Max will be 6 weeks old tomorrow.  Here's a recent photo of our little guy looking more like a toddler than a newborn:

Roasted Tomato Salsa
inspired by One Particular Kitchen
yields about 4 cups of salsa

8 medium-sized tomatoes, halved (your favorite variety)
1 onion, peeled and quartered
2 jalapenos, seeded and halved
4 whole cloves of garlic, peeled
1 Tablespoon kosher salt (if you use regular table salt, start with less and work your way up)
Juice of one lime
1 handful of fresh cilantro
tortilla chips for serving (I like Tostito's Scoops)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Spread tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, and garlic in a single layer.  Roast until onions, peppers, and garlic are starting to develop a black char on the edges and tomatoes are bursting and sizzling.

Set roasted vegetables aside to cool (or speed things up by placing them in the refrigerator).

Place roasted vegetables, salt and lime in a food processor.  Process or pulse to desired consistency.  Use a tortilla chip to do a taste test and add more salt, if desired.  Refrigerate and serve with tortilla chips.

Cinnamon Raisin Scones

Thanks so much for all of the well wishes on the blog, Facebook and Twitter!  Max is 24 days old and I'm finally starting to feel human again.  I'm not going to lie, being a new parent is like being a zombie... especially at 2:00 am when the baby is crying and you don't know why.  My family and friends have constantly dropped off meals and my mom has done my shopping and come to stay with me every single weekday since Max has been home.  But (and this should not come as a surprise) I miss cooking my own food!

I spend hours watching Food Network while I nurse Max, change his diapers or while I'm holding him in my arms.  I've pinned so many new recipes and I can't wait until my baby sleeps more than an hour so I can cook them!  Right now I'm in a cycle of napping, nursing and eating, so I don't have much time to do menu planning and other fun stuff.

Today I'm sharing a recipe for cinnamon raisin scones.  I started making these about two weeks before I had the baby and during my short nesting stage I made a double batch and froze them.  These scones are as good as any I've had from a fancy bakery and everyone in my family loves them.  I know I've shared a few scone recipes in the past, but this is my new favorite method and recipe. The unbaked scones freeze beautifully and they are perfect for sleep-deprived new parents who stumble into the kitchen at 5:45 am looking for a hot beverage and a freshly-baked buttery pastry.

Here's how I do it...

I pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, butter and salt in a food processor.  Don't have a food processor?  Use a pastry cutter or even two forks... it just takes a few minutes longer.  The key to flaky, buttery scones is keeping chunks of butter in your flour mixture.  You want everything mixed together, but you want the chunks of butter to be roughly the size of peas.

I pour the dry ingredients into a bowl, then I mix in cinnamon chips and raisins.

A word on cinnamon chips:  they seem nearly impossible to find in the state of Delaware if it's not Christmas.  I have no idea why these chips are so elusive, but last summer I bought four bags at King Arthur Flour in Vermont and I keep them in the freezer.  If you can't find cinnamon chips you can order them online.  I know it sounds like a pain, but the chips work better than ground cinnamon in this recipe... trust me.  And while we're on the topic of King Arthur Flour, I think their flour is worth the extra few bucks if you're a baker.  I also like White Lilly, but it's not sold in the north, so I can't buy it in Delaware.

Next, mix the eggs, milk (or half and half), and vanilla in a small bowl.  Gently combine this with the dry ingredients.  The mixture will seem very dry and crumbly.  Knead it a few times with your hands, then turn it out onto parchment paper and roll it into a rough rectangle like this:

Notice how you can see chunks of butter in the dough once it's rolled out?  That's a good thing.  That means your scones will be flaky and buttery.

I roll mine about a half inch thick.  Then, refrigerate it for about 30 minutes to one hour.  Cut the dough into 16 small triangles.

Brush with egg wash, bake at 400 degrees until golden brown.

Try not to eat them all in one sitting.  I can easily down four of these... luckily they are small, so I don't feel guilty.  These aren't just for breakfast, either.  I've been known to pop a batch in the oven after dinner.  Who can resist moist, buttery pastry with sweet cinnamon chips and plump raisins?

Don't forget, you can freeze the scones after cutting them into triangles.  When you remove them from the freezer, just brush them with egg wash and add five minutes to the baking time.  I like to wrap unbaked scones in foil and place the foil packets in freezer bags for a quick fix on another day.  Why dirty up the kitchen every single time you want scones?  And believe me, you'll be wanting these scones again and again.

Cinnamon Raisin Scones
inspired by The Pioneer Woman

3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter (I use salted butter), cubed
1 egg
3/4 cup heavy cream or half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup mini cinnamon chips
1 additional egg for egg wash

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter.  Pulse until butter is pea-sized and mixture has a sandy texture.  If you don't have a food processor, place these ingredients in a bowl and combine using a pastry cutter or two forks.

Pour flour mixture into a large bowl.  Mix in raisins and cinnamon chips.

In a small bowl, whisk together one egg, cream and vanilla.  Stir wet mixture into flour mixture.  Mixture will be crumbly.  Knead gently with your hands.  Pour onto parchment paper (or an oven-safe silicone mat).  Roll into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.  Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill dough.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut dough into 16 small triangles.  [At this point you can flash-freeze the scones and bake them at a later date.]  Place on a baking sheet leaving 1 inch between scones.  Whip one egg and brush egg on top of unbaked scones.  Bake scones for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Big News!

I had big plans last week.  I had two blog posts ready for My Life on a Plate and two ready for Potluck.

But, we make plans and God laughs.

I was really busy last week... someone decided to arrive a bit earlier than anticipated...

Meet Maxwell Thomas Powell.  He decided to make his entry into this world a few weeks earlier than we expected and with much fanfare. He's a little guy who weighs just a little more than a sack of sugar and we love him to pieces. He's the best. I can't get over how cute he is and both of our hearts are about to burst with love.

Yup, he's the best.  We're so blessed to have him... I'm still amazed.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

We've been having an old-fashioned blueberry festival in this family over the past two weeks.  We've had Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes at least three times (including twice for dinner), two versions of blueberry cobbler, waffles topped with blueberry compote, and I've even made blueberry lime jam.

Blueberries are fresh and plentiful around here in June and July and and I'm taking full advantage of the local crop.  I eat them plain, I bake with them and I use them to top my steel cut oats.  I believe that when fruits are vegetables are in season you should eat them to your heart's content, so I'm sharing this recipe with hopes that you'll have your own little blueberry festival.

Up until about two years ago I always made my pancakes from a boxed mix.  I don't know why, but I felt it was easier and I didn't think I'd be able to taste the difference between scratch made and boxed mixes.  I was wrong... very wrong.  A while ago I discovered this recipe for buttermilk pancakes from Short Stop.  Although the recipe yields way more pancakes than I need for two people (we usually cut it in half and we still have leftovers), it's become my go-to pancake recipe.  They are as light and fluffy as promised.  It also only takes me about five minutes to measure out the ingredients and it only dirties up one more bowl than making pancakes from a boxed mix.  These pancakes are one of the reasons why I always have buttermilk in my fridge.

I love pancakes, but I don't like that I have to stand over the stove for at least 20 minutes to make a batch while everyone else eats breakfast... so here's what I do:

1.  Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
2.  Find a large, oven-safe platter or plate and tear off a piece of foil large enough to cover the plate.  Put the plate in the oven to preheat.
3.  If you have one, use a large, flat griddle that covers two eyes on your stove to cook your pancakes.  If you don't have a large griddle, use two nonstick pans.
4.  As the pancakes are cooked, put them onto the warm platter, cover with foil and keep them in the oven until serving time.

A 200-degree oven is warm enough to keep your pancakes hot, but not hot enough to burn your hands when you reach in for the platter.  As long as you serve your pancakes within a half hour you shouldn't have any issues... plus, everyone can eat breakfast together.

As far as cooking pancakes... it takes some practice.  Make sure you don't have the heat up too high for thick batters like this one.  Always spray your hot griddle with cooking spray to prevent sticking.  Look for air bubbles as an indication of when to flip your pancakes.  Make sure your spatula gets a good grip on the pancake before you attempt a flip.

I like to cook all of the pancakes at once (it takes me about 25 minutes) and keep them warm in the oven until they go to the table.  These pancakes are absolutely worth the trouble.  They are perfectly fluffy and moist and unbelievable when served with hot syrup and real butter.  These pancakes are better than any I've had in a restaurant.

Here's the full recipe, modified slightly from Short Stop.  This recipe will serve 6 adults, so if you have a smaller household you should cut the recipe in half.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
modified slightly from Short Stop
serves 6

3 cups flour
4 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

4 cups of blueberries (washed and picked through, stems removed)
3 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Toss blueberries in the dry mixture.  Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, vanilla, eggs and melted butter. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.

Heat a lightly greased griddle or frying pan over medium heat.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, using a wooden spoon or fork to blend. Stir until just blended together. Do not overmix. Scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/3 cup for each pancake. Cook on both sides until golden brown. Serve with real butter and warm syrup and powdered sugar, if desired.

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.