Reusable Sandwich Bags

I pack my kids' lunches three days a week. We use reusable lunch boxes but everything else inside gets thrown away. On average I use at least 3-4 sandwich baggies per lunch, per day. For one child, that's 12 baggies per week, 48 per month and 480 per school year. My daughter's school has approximately 800 kids enrolled. That would mean that just one school is throwing away 384,000 sandwich baggies each year!!! ONE SCHOOL!!! Holy Moly!! That's just nuts. And these aren't being recycled, they're being added to our many lovely landfills.

Before I did the calculations I always thought, "Man, such a waste." But now, I realize this is just crazy. I need to make a change, I want to make a change and now I can make a change, thanks to hip, innovative green moms out there who put their thinking caps on and created a great alternative. It just goes to show that each individual person can make a huge difference. 

They've come up with cute, washable, reusable snack & sandwich bags! Genius!! I haven't tried the bags yet but they look pretty awesome to me. Just thought I'd help spread the word on an awesome green product. Find Lunchskins HERE!

Spicy Rice Noodles with Shrimp and Cilantro

Hi y'all. How y'all been? Good I hope. I been fixin' to get on this darn thing and write you a few words, but been a lil' distracted is all.

Umm, yeah, I've got a little country stuck in my head. This past weekend I had the luxury of enjoying two whole days to myself (and a meesly 100,000 other people) sans the hubby and kids and went to the biggest country music festival on the west coast, Stagecoach 2010. Now I'm not what you'd call a country music fanatic but I definitely like it. I mean, there is definitely a song out there for everyone. There's gotta be at least one country song that speaks to you and what you are going through in that moment of your life. Anyhow, it was a great weekend, spent with some girlfriends, drinking overpriced beer, cookin' in the hot sun and listening to some good tunes.

Needless to say, I wasn't in the kitchen the last few days and I used Monday as a day to recharge my batteries. Let me tell you, it was worth the wait because tonight's dinner was delish. I've been reading this blog called Evil Chef Mom and am addicted.This lady, Krysta, is a riot. She is a mother of four and tells it how it is-funny, uncomfortable, the good, bad and kinda ugly-she writes about it all. It's real. And as a mother of three, I can certainly appreciate and relate to her sense of humor about the crazy reality that many mothers call their own. Ultimately, she's got a great style to her writing, a talented photographer and posts some great recipes. Love it.

Tonight's dinner was just what the doctor ordered. It was light, yet filling and had an irresistible combination of sweet with a little heat. Just FYI, it may be a little too spicy for the kids but perfect for adults. Enjoy.

Spicy Rice Noodles with Shrimp and Cilantro

borrowed  from Evil Chef Mom who found it in Fine Cooking April/May 2010

kosher salt
16 oz. 1/4-inch-wide dried rice noodles (pad thai)
2 medium limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
1-1/2 Tbs. packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. fish sauce
3/4 lb. peeled and deveined large shrimp (31 to 40 per lb.)
3 Tbs. canola or peanut oil
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely diced
1 medium jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 large shallot, finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the noodles, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a colander and run under cold water to cool slightly. Drain well.

In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce; set aside.

In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 Tbs. of the oil, the coriander, 1/2 tsp. pepper, and 1/4 tsp. salt.

Heat the remaining 2 Tbs. oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the red pepper, jalapeno, and shallot, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until it turns pink and is almost cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add the lime juice mixture and cook, stirring, until the shrimp is cooked through, about 1 minute more. Add the noodles and half of the cilantro; toss until the noodles heat through and pick up the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve sprinkled with the remaining cilantro, with the lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

Chicken Parmigiana

Do you have kids? Some of you do, some don't. Well, for all you parents out there, you ever have those days that just kick your butt? I mean the ones when nothing is going right. The kids won't stop fighting, they won't listen to a darn thing you say, they keep talking back and you feel like every time you open your mouth you are shouting at them. Ugh. That was my day yesterday. So over it. Luckily it doesn't happen too often, but let me tell you, when it does happen it is in full force. What does this have to do with my blog? Everything. This is what set the tone for my cooking experience yesterday. Definitely not ideal and not how I like to cook.

This is how it went down. Chop onions. "Brooklyn, get down from there!" Chop garlic. "Emily, Hudson, stop fighting!" Sauté onions and garlic. "If you two don't stop fighting, you're both going to your rooms!" Hand squish tomatoes and add them to the pot. "Brooky, get away from the stove, it's HOT! Brooky, where is your shirt? Hudson, knock it off!" Um, yeah, you get the picture. So enjoyable. So much so, that I forgot to add a whole FOUR ingredients to my sauce. Yeah, once I realized that, it was the icing on the cake.

I made Chicken Parmigiana by Tyler Florence. It has been cloudy and drizzly lately so I wanted a nice, hot, comforting meal and this looked like the perfect way to go. It took about and hour and a half to make (which seemed like three hours because of what I described in the previous two paragraphs) and was really good. I've made Chicken Parmesan my own way many times and this one, obviously, was a lot better. What I liked the best about it was how the chicken was breaded, the fresh basil in the dish and the mozzarella on top. The mozzarella really is the way to go, if you ask me. Now, the sauce I wasn't crazy about. I liked it, but considering I left out the last four ingredients, I suppose I can't really have an opinion. To use a short cut which would knock off a lot of time, use your favorite jarred sauce or make your own tried and true sauce recipe. This was a good, solid dinner that filled our tummies and we even had left overs for Jason to take to work. Then I took a well deserved "time out" and sent myself to my room to do my homework. The end.

Chicken Parmigiana

serves 4

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted (I left these out)

1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves

2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed

Pinch sugar

Pinch red pepper flakes

(I doubled the sauce recipe, because I don’t like to skimp on the sauce)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon water

1 cup dried plain bread crumbs

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 (8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

1 pound spaghetti pasta, cooked al dente

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a sauté pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil gets hazy, add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves; cook and stir for 5 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add the olives and some hand-torn basil, reserve the rest of the basil for finishing the chicken. Carefully add the tomatoes (nothing splashes like tomatoes), cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes; season with sugar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.

Get the ingredients together for the chicken so you have a little assembly line. Put the flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, combine the eggs and water, beat until frothy. Put the bread crumbs on a plate, add the 1 cup parmesan, chopped parsley, and garlic powder.  Season with salt and pepper and stir with a fork until thoroughly combined.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame in a large oven-proof skillet. Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the bread crumbs. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden and crusty, turning once.

Ladle the tomato-olive sauce over the chicken and arrange the mozzarella on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan, and remaining basil. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve hot with spaghetti.

Focaccia with Olive Oil and Rosemary

The other day I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things. As I walked through the baking aisle I grabbed some flour and then saw several small yellow packets to the right of the flour that were staring me down - saying buy me, buy me. Should I? Shouldn't I? I don't know. If I buy those small yellow packets, will they just sit in my pantry unused until years later when I notice the expiration date has passed and I have to throw them out? Or will I use them? I stood there.....staring at the yellow packets. Then I picked them up and tossed them in the cart and scooted along.

That was just two days ago and I'm proud to say I used those little yellow packets today. What's inside those little yellow packets? Yeast! I've never baked with yeast before and have never even considered it. Yes, it's true, I am a yeast virgin. Honestly, if a recipe called for yeast I would immediately skip it. Next. But not today. I wanted to get over this weird aversion I had to yeast and was immediately seduced by the mouthwatering picture of the focaccia in my cookbook.

I have to say I really enjoyed the experience of making my own bread. I liked the idea of really using my hands to make something. As I kneaded the dough, I couldn't help but think about the days before you could conveniently purchase sliced bread at the store. I can't imagine the women who used to bake bread on a daily basis. Things have changed so drastically in our society, some for the better and some probably not. I know this may seem a little melodramatic for baking focaccia but it really was an experience for me rather than something to cross off my To-Do list. If you haven't made bread before and have never used yeast, don't be afraid. It really was very simple, very rewarding and all you need is a little time.

The taste of this focaccia was delicious. There are very few ingredients but they are used very well. I could taste the olive oil in every bite and loved the flavors of the kosher salt and rosemary. I topped my focaccia with a bruschetta which complimented it very well. So well in fact that I was so full I couldn't eat dinner. But, if you have more restraint than I, this focaccia would pair perfectly with Tomato Soup or Tomato Sauce. Mmm mmm good.

I took a lot of pictures to show a step by step process just to prove how simple it really is. Enjoy!

Focaccia with Olive Oil and Rosemary

taken from Nordstrom Friends and Family Cookbook

serves 6-8

2 packages (4 ½ tsp) active dry yeast

2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)

1 TB sugar

5 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 ½ tsp kosher salt

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

Freshly ground black pepper

In a bowl, using a wooden spoon, stir together the yeast, water, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the flour. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, stir together 5 cups of the flour and 1 ½ teaspoons of the salt, then form a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the well along with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon, incorporating the ingredients until a soft dough forms. Use floured hands to mix the dough when it becomes too stiff to work with a spoon.

Dust a work surface with half of the remaining flour (about 1 ½ tablespoons). Turn the dough out onto the work surface and knead 10 minutes, adding the flour if the dough becomes sticky. When the dough is smooth and elastic, shape it into a ball and place it back into with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Turn the dough once to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 30-45 minutes. Punch down the dough, cover, and allow to rise again until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes longer.

Use 1 tablespoon of the oil to grease an 11 x 15 inch rimmed baking sheet. On a lightly floured work surface, spread and press the dough flat until it is about the same size as the baking sheet. Place in the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 15 minutes. Poke firmly into the dough, making a pattern. While the dough is completing its final rise, position a rack in the middle to upper two thirds of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.

Sprinkle the dough with the rosemary, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Drizzle evenly with the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil. Bake until golden brown, 18-22 minutes. Serve piping hot.

Maple-Chipotle Barbecued Pork Chops

Yesterday I perused my Nordstrom cookbook for a quick and easy recipe for dinner and found this one for barbecued pork chops. I had never done pork chops on the grill before so I decided to give it a try. Delicious. The barbecue sauce was flavorful and tasty and the pork chops came out tender. My husband and I loved the combination of flavors from the sweet maple syrup and the smoky chipotle chiles. This meal was a great variation from the traditional barbecued chicken or steak. I will definitely be making this again for friends and family.

Maple-Chipotle Barbecued Pork Chops

taken from Nordstrom Friends and Family Cookbook

serves 4

4 double-bone center-cut loin pork chops, about 2 ½ inches thick*

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

1 cup Homemade Barbecue Sauce*

¼ cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp finely minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

Vegetable oil for brushing

Rub the pork chops with the garlic and season generously with salt and pepper. Wrap the exposed bones tightly with foil to keep them from charring on the grill. Set aside. *I used regular, bone-in pork chops because that is what I had on hand. You definitely want thick chops versus the really thin ones.

Prepare a medium-low fire in a charcoal grill, or preheat a gas grill on medium-low.

While the grill is preheating, place the cumin in a small saucepan over low heat. Toast the cumin stirring constantly, to release its fragrance, about 1 minute. Add the barbecue sauce, maple syrup, and chiles and cook, stirring frequently, until hot, bubbly, and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. *The recipe calls for a Homemade Barbecue Sauce from the same cookbook. I opted for a short cut and used a bottled barbecue sauce. However, if you’d like Nordstrom’s recipe for homemade barbecue sauce I’d be happy to pass it along.

Brush the grill grate with vegetable oil. Place the chops directly over the fire. Cover the grill and cook chops on one side for 10-12 minutes. Turn the chops, cover again and cook until the juices run clear and no pink remains when tested with a knife, or an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F, 10-12 minutes longer. Brush the pork with the barbecue sauce during the last 1-2 minutes of grilling. Serve immediately.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

So, I'm back. I had no intention of being away for so long. It really wasn't planned, and I'm a total planner, so that's odd. Once Spring Break hit for my husband and kids, I found I wanted a break too - from a lot of things. I took a break from my blog, took a break from the computer in general, took a break from the gym, and took a break from feeling like I had to do things. Ahhh, it was nice. So nice in fact, that my own little Spring Break almost lasted two weeks. Breaks are a good thing. But so is being back.

I decided to come back with a little coffee cake. This one is good, really good. My son and I were the first to bite into this treat morning and we thoroughly enjoyed our bites. Especially the ones with the streusel and glaze - yummy. Treat yourself and make it this weekend. It seems like the perfect treat for a lazy Sunday morning with a hot cup of coffee and your favorite magazine.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

serves 8-10

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups sour cream

2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel (I recommend doubling the streusel. It’s SO good!)

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

For the glaze

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.