"A minute to learn - a lifetime to master." White and pumpernickle breads are used to create this Othello-inspired sandwich.
Use one slice of white and one slice of pumpernickle - apply cream cheese and jelly. Using a 1" cookie cutter, cut out circles. Thin carrot slices provide an edible grid.
Dark on one half, light on the other - they'll flip for this.
They're off! The summer passed too quickly for me.
I’m listening to Guster today.
My friend Courtney came over last weekend and prepared the most amazing dessert for us - grilled pound cake!
Grilling the pound cake imparts a wonderful toasted texture and flavor that is unexpected and delicious. Courtney topped two grilled slices with roasted berries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Start out by roasting berries on the grill. Make an aluminum foil packet by folding a sheet of foil (roughly 8"x11" in size) in half and folding over both sides - leaving the top open.
Rinse berries and pour into a bowl, add 1/4 cup of sugar, juice of half of a lemon, 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch and some lemon zest - mix together to coat. Fill packet with berries (we used sliced strawberries, blackberries and blueberries) and fold over top to close.
Place fruit packets on grill for about 10 minutes.
Place one inch slices of pound cake on grill until grill marks can be seen - do this on both sides.
Place grilled pound cake slices in a shallow bowl and drizzle grilled berry mixture over top.
Drop a scoop of ice cream on top and serve immediately. The flavor & textures are wonderful and sure to be a success at any get together.
Thanks to my good friend, Courtney, for inspiring this post!
Courtney - at work in my kitchen.
What to do with two leftover bagels from Sunday morning breakfast? Try making this simple bagel bruschetta for a Monday evening appetizer. You'll be surprised to see how many pieces you can get from just two bagels.
Using a sharp knife, cut bagels into thin slices. Brush with olive oil and place in oven until crispy.
Chop tomatoes and basil and place in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and the juice of half of a lemon - salt and pepper to taste. Add olive oil to a pan, add chopped garlic and cook until soft, but not brown. Strain garlic from pan and add to chopped tomato mixture - place on top of bagel chips and serve.
My kids inhaled these in minutes. If you decide to give this a try - let me know if your kids liked them too!
I picked up this scarf at Old Navy for under $10.00 - I knew straight away that I would use it as a tablecloth. I love the pattern and colors - the ball fringe adds the perfect touch.
We set up a table in the yard and had dinner out here tonight.
Jane helped make dinner - homemade pizza on the grill. Kids love to watch dough rise and then punch it down.
We found a pizza dough recipe online – we wanted to try making pizza on the grill.
It turned out really well - we used fresh mozzarella, basil, tomatoes and olives.
We didn't have to go far to feel like we got away - we had a bit of an adventure in our own backyard. The kids really enjoyed helping us make the grilled pizza and the weather was perfect.
Take advantage of your outdoor space this summer – Winter will come too soon and we’ll all be stuck indoors again.
We went retro with our music selection and chose The Police.
My daughter Grace submitted this post – she’s my guest blogger today…
These yogurt popsicles are so delicious and so easy to make! Check it out:
You can use any type of yogurt and any shape you want, but I did vanilla flavored and heart shaped=)!!!!!!
First, you fill an ice tray with yogurt. Once you are finished, cover the tray with plastic wrap. Stick toothpicks through the plastic wrap into the yogurt.
This is what they should look like before they go in the freezer.
Stick them in the freezer overnight, then Bon Appetite!
Yum! =)
There is one time of day (out of many) that can be particularly tricky for me and that is the time when I am preparing dinner. I can’t cook and talk at the same time. So, I’ve come up with what you could call a kids’ happy hour to cope with it and I believe it is healthy. I have noticed that no child can resist an artfully arranged platter of cut veggies and fruits – add to that a large sheet of paper, crayons and lemon water with a straw and the deal is sealed! You’ve just bought yourself 20 uninterrupted minutes in the kitchen.
Fresh fruit, veggies and art - what could be better?
Just rinse and slice some peppers, strawberries, grapes - whatever your child really likes and lay them out on a dish.
Lay down a sheet of newsprint paper (18" x 24" pad paper available at Blick and other art stores), a few crayons and your child will be pulled to the table like a magnet.
Ice water with a slice of lemon and a colorful straw suddenly makes H2O more appealing.
Added benefit: if my kids finish off this platter (and they usually do) I am OK with their selective eating habits at dinner time.
And by the way – don’t forget the music. Put on something you and your kids can both enjoy – it makes this time more fun and it keeps the TV off.
I am a firm believer in the idea that most things taste better with a fried egg on top. If you are looking to fill out leftovers and add protein – put on an egg – no one will mind. This, I learned from my mother.
When I was a child, my mother would slip a fried egg on top of a serving of spaghetti - I loved it. As an adult, I have found that most meals can be improved with this simple addition.
The other night I made orzo with sausage and peppers. When I reheated the leftovers for dinner the next evening - the plates looked a bit thin - so I added a friend egg on top. My kids devoured the meal. Add a serving of italian bread toast and you've made it happen for yourself.
Lately, I’ve been giving Matthew Sweet a “relisten”.
These diminutive cakes, made from a box mix, take the kids' dessert to a new level.
To make these - split cake batter into two 9x12 baking pans, so you end up with two very thin sheet cakes. They will require half the baking time recommended on the box.
Remove cakes from pans. Using a cookie cutter, cut out your small cakes.
Top one small cake with either icing or whipped cream and cover with second cake. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and add a cherry.
My kids call these cake sandwiches.
I'm thinking about breakfast a lot lately. Here's my latest idea - use a cookie cutter to cut up a larger pancake into bite-sized pieces. Grace approves.
I add granola to my pancake batter to add texture and extra nutrition. Using a small, circular cookie cutter - cut out as many pieces as you can.
Add syrup and fresh fruit and you've made a delicious meal that's easy for kids to eat.
Grace chose the music this morning. Erin McCarley was at the top of her list.
For breakfast this morning, the girls got a grilled cheese and egg sandwich that was stamped with love.
I picked up this Love On Toast toast stamp at Old Navy for $2.50. I took it one step further than the package instructions - after stamping the bread, I made a grilled cheese and egg sandwich with it. To make this - stamp both slices of bread. Place one slice in a buttered pan with cheese slice on top, while frying an egg in another pan. Once egg is done, add to bread and cheese in pan, add other piece of bread and flip to brown on the other side.
When it comes to my ideas - Jane has seen it all.
We’re listening to old R.E.M. this morning… a busy day ahead of us makes me think I’ll be gardening at night tonight.
I love feathering my nest in unique ways. I hope my ideas inspire you!
