Panna Cotta with Fruit Sauce

I can't remember where this recipe came from, maybe an old issue of Oprah. I have a habit of tearing out recipes that sound and not using them until many months (or years!) later. So unless I jot down the source I forget. I have a three-inch binder that holds a gathered collection of recipes from over the years. I am now trying to use them and slowly whittle this binder down. Some of them have been in there for years and have never even been attempted! This panna cotta recipe was one of those. It was super-easy and tasted divine! Despite all of the half-and-half it was not too rich. Although that could be a bad thing because it makes me want to eat more! So without further ado here it is:

Panna Cotta with Fruit Sauce

1 envelope unflavored gelatin (about 1 tbs.)

3 c half-and-half

1 c sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 c frozen berries

*Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tbs. cold water in a small saucepan; let stand a minute to soften. Heat on low, stirring until gelatin dissolves, 1 minute. Remove from heat.

*In a large saucepan, bring half-and-half and 1/3 cup sugar just to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring. Remove from heat; stir in gelatin (it may need to be scraped off pan with a spatula) and vanilla. Ladle into 8 (1/2 cup) ramekins (*I used small glass bowls from Anchor Hocking that I use for feeding Luke. They work just the same.) Cover and chill at least four hours or overnight (I was in a pinch and did four hours. Trust me, the molds will hold up better if you do it overnight!)

*Make fruit sauce by cooking berries and 2/3 cup sugar over med.-low heat, stirring occasionally, until berries release their liquid and begin to break down, about 20 min. Blend with an immersion blender (or puree in a blender), strain, and chill for 1 hour.

*Serve panna cotta in ramekins or on plates. To loosen, dip each ramekin in a bowl of hot water for 3-4 seconds, run a knife around the edges, then invert onto a plate. Spoon fruit sauce on top and garnish with berries if you like.

Makes 8 servings

Photo courtesy of: http://recipebuddys.wordpress.com/

Enjoy!

SAHM-dom, What I Know Now!

O.K., I meant to do this post several months ago on the one year anniversary when I quit my job and officially became a stay-at-home-mom. But that was about the time I injured my ankle and school was in full-swing. Time got the best of me and I am doing it now several months after the fact. Before I start my list of revelations I have to acknowledge that I used to think SAHMs had a pretty sweet deal. They hung out at home, played with kids, got some housework done, went to the gym, hung out at the mall and Starbucks. Seemed pretty relaxing, non-stressful. All the time in the world to get things accomplished. The house would always be perfect and clean, because hey! they don't "work". Uh, yeah.... I was totally, completely, utterly mis.in.formed. This past year and a half has been what Oprah would call an "a-ha" moment. I have a whole new profound respect for SAHMs that I never had before. Things are a little different in our home though. When my husband works, I am basically a single mom. He works twelve hour graveyard shifts. Unlike a lot of other SAHMs I don't get a reprieve in the evening, that is when he is leaving to begin his "day". I pretty much fly solo all day long. That kind of changes things a little. But we have managed to work around his schedule after a lot of trial, error, and some bickering. You learn to adapt, overcome and roll with the punches. So here we go:

SAHM-dom: What I Know Now

*It's not glamorous. I actually used to think it was. Now I know it is down-in-the-trenches dirty. I used to see the mommies at my daughter's school drop their kids off and then head to gym as I drove to work, thought they lounged over coffee at Starbucks with their girlfriends afterwards. Little did I know that the gym time was probably their only time to themselves all day long. And "lounge" at Starbucks? Forget it! Gotta head home, get to work, and hopefully squeeze in a shower.

*The house is not perfectly clean and organized all of the time. It is a challenge to clean the house while entertaining a wee one. And even if you are cleaning, that sweet little darling is right behind you making new messes. Erma Bombeck summed it all up in one quote, "Trying to clean the house while the kids live there is like trying to shovel the walkway in a snowstorm." Amen sister! I mistakenly thought my bathrooms and kitchen would constantly be sparkling, no crummies on the counter, the floor vacumed, house dusted, beds made, laundry neatly folded and put away. Yes those things happen in my house, but not on a daily basis. If the kitchen and bathrooms are gleaming that means the laundry is piled up. Of the laundry is put done and put away the floor is most likely in need of a good vacuming.

*Being on one-income sucks. So much more financial freedom when we had two incomes. My money always went to the fun stuff like clothes for the kids, extra-curricular activities, clothes for me, scrapbooking goodies, outings, household goods, etc. I could buy what I wanted when I wanted. Sigh, no longer the case. I will admit, I miss that extra money so much that I often question my decision to stay at home.

*It is a thankless job. Society never really says "thank you for quitting your job and raising decent human beings." No one ever says "thank you for doing the laundry, scrubbing the toilets, etc."

*Nothing compares to seeing your baby achieve milestones for the first time or your child's face light up when you are there to pick them up after school. These are precious moments I would have missed if I worked. The "MAMA!!!" I hear when Maddie sees me as the classroom door opens warms my heart. Everyday without fail it is the same joy and excitement. Luke's first creeps and steps, his first word, and all those cute little quirks. I am proud to say I was there for them all. I remember witnessing that first wobbly, rocking step. Priceless memories!

*It is far more exhausting than any of my past jobs. At the end of the day I am beat.

*I miss dressing up. Pulling out the clothes and getting the outfits together for work got old after awhile. But now I that I don't do it on a daily basis I do miss it. All those fabulous high heels in my closet don't get nearly as much use as they used to. Although I love not having to dress up every day, it would be nice to do it a few days a week.

*I look forward to bedtime. The kid's bedtime that is. After they are snuggled in their beds it's Mommy-Time. My time to relax with a glass of wine, catch up on one or two of the shows I have recorded on the DVR, mess around on the computer, read, scrapbook. It's like dessert to me, I covet that time.

*All that crafting I thought I would get done? Not a chance! Most of those projects are still tucked away in my craft closet because I just don't have the time. Sigh, someday...

*I need a SAHM of my own! How nice would that be?!

*It is humbling. Some things are no longer as important as they used to be. Most of those being material things. Dashing to the grocery store without make up is no longer unheard of. When you become a SAHM priorities shift. Some of it is just a natural progression/evolution and others are just out of necessity. But I have to admit, I like the humbling process of being a SAHM.

Yummy Potato Salad

I got this recipe from our local newspaper. It puts a different spin on the generic ol' potato salad. Seems like a Greek version to me. Tasty and light!

Potato Salad with Feta Cheese and Olives

2lbs. red potatoes

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup imported black olives (I used regular black olives from a can)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tbs. white wine vinegar

2 tbs. fresh dill (I used 1tsp. dried)

2 tbs. chopped fresh mint

fresh ground pepper for taste (I used white pepper for a milder taste)

1.) Cook potatoes until tender (about 15-20 minutes), drain. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Place in bowl.

2.) Add onion, feta, and olives. Toss.

3.) Pour in olive oil and vinegar. Add dill and mint. Toss. Season with pepper. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 6

Hubby liked it so much he took it to work the next day!

*photo from http://www.kitchenscoop.com/

Summer is Here!

Finally! After months and months of rain summer is finally, really here! In the midst of El Nino we would get these teaser days of glorious weather only to be pushed aside by week-long monsoons. Living in Cali. I realize I have no room to gripe. It's not like it gets that cold, we have no driveways of snow to shovel, but still.... the sunshine and its warm embrace is a nice respite!

I seem to have fallen off of the blogging bandwagon. I got sidetracked by a severely sprained ankle that does not want to fully heal, in addition to the hubby, kids, dogs, and oh yeah! school. Four classes about killed me. I guess I was overly ambitious. Learned my lesson the hard way. But I am happy to report I got three A's and one B. Woo-Hoo!!!! And that damn ankle? Aside from being laid up for a while (which is the ultimate test in patience for me), it took me four times as long to do any and all simple tasks. Plus I am such a do-er that asking anyone to do anything for me was foreign. I can't tell you how many lectures I received from Todd about asking for help is a necessity not a sign of laziness. Almost three months later and I am finally able to return the gym (albeit a few pounds heavier, UGH.) Unfortunately I am not really able to run or jog, but walking at a steep incline is do-able. It feels so good to be active again. Now if only I can get my butt to stop migrating south... We began our summer vacation with a roadtrip to Yellowstone. Two looooong days of driving each way. We purchased a new tent trailer this year with this trip specifically in mind. The thought of sleeping on the ground for six nights did not appeal to Todd. So thankful for the trailer and its heater once we got there. Nights were a frigid 20-30 degrees. Fortunately most of the days were decent to warm. The trip was equal parts fun and work. Camping with a very active 18-month old definitely has its challenges. Sharing this experience with Maddie was a lot of fun. So exciting to see all of the wildlife and natural wonders. I had been there twice before and could not wait to experience it with my family. Maddie's Yellowstone favorites were the different types of wildlife and our hike on Uncle Tom's Trail (a trail of 328 stairs that takes you down the Upper Falls at Yellowstone Grand Canyon.) She surprised us with how much she liked the hike. The return trip is quite grueling, especially at 8,000 feet. Quite a hike for a seven year old! Her least favorite part of the trip was the drive. I find this perplexing since she watched DVDs most of the time. I could not believe the "When I was your age" comment came out of my mouth. I felt soooo old! But out it came, "When I was your age I had to play with toys and read books in the car." Lord have mercy, not books and toys! I can't wait until next summer's road trip!

Here are some of the highlights from our trip

"Geyser Country":

This is where most of the geysers, including Old Faithful, are. Some of the geysers we missed or did not get good photos of due to the steam. It was cold outside both days we went, which left us lots and lots of steam to look at rather than geysers. Can't see much through it. But we did see Old Faithful. We had lunch at the historic Old Faithful Lodge. A gift from my in-laws :). We walked the Upper Geyser Basin loop. The entire trail is 3 miles, but Maddie pooped out around two. We headed back before catching a glimpse of the Morning Glory Pool. That is another must-see for our next trip.

"Roosevelt Country"

The highlights here are the Lamar Valley and Mt. Washburn. Lamar Valley is known as the "American Serengeti" with its wide expanses of prairie land. There is a lot of wildlife that strolls through here. Unfortunately all we saw were more buffalo. Really hoping to see a bear or wolves. But breathtaking in its beauty. Mt. Washburn was awesome. It is 10,234 feet. We would have loved to have hiked it, but too challenging with the kiddos. It will have to wait until next year. But we did treat ourselves to some delicious ice cream at Tower Falls. Sooo good. We had planned to treat ourselves after hiking the falls, but we ran out of time (for hiking that is!)

"Mammoth Country":

We stopped at Beaver Lake for a picnic and saw our first black bear. Fortunately he kept his distance! Sheepeater Cliffs were awesome! Fascinating to look at and they made for great rock climbing for Todd and Maddie. Other sights were Roaring Mountain, Obsidian Cliff, the hoo doos, the Golden Gate, and Mammoth Terraces. We drove around the terraces rather than hike. Didn't have the time and they have lost most of their water. Not quite as spectacular as they once were, but still pretty nonetheless.

"Canyon Country"

The Yellowstone Grand Canyon is 4,000 feet wide and 1,000 feet deep. It has two waterfalls: Upper Falls and Lower Falls. Lower Falls is twice the height of Niagra Falls. Needless to say, it was pretty spectacular!

The dreaded 328 stairs on Uncle Tom's Trail. They are bolted to the side of the mountain. If you don't like heights stay away from these bad boys!

This was what we woke up to the day we left. Fortunately it turned out to be a beautiful day and most of the snow had melted by the time we left!

Grand Tetons National Park:

Loved the lodge at Jackson Lake. The windows are 60 feet high. Talk about an amazing view while eating lunch! Unfortunately this was the day the storm began and the lodge was all we really got to see :(

The Yosemite wildlife we saw: bison (baby and adult), elk, moose, black bear, grizzly cub, big horn sheep, coyote, pronghorn, and a bald eagle.

For the rest of the summer I plan to craft, hit some garage sales, thrift stores and antique stores/fairs for some fun DIY projects, work on the house, finish landscaping the backyard, book some photo gigs, and catch up on my genealogy project and blogging. Hmmm.... maybe some R n' R will be squeezed into that agenda ;). Stay tuned for summer updates and projects!

A Great Dinner When the Family is Hungry & Kids Are Losing Patience

I tried this recipe for the first time last night and it passed the Hubby-Test. Not only was it delicious but also super-quick and easy to prepare. For us this is an ideal dinner entree when Lucas is losing his patience, Maddie is dying of starvation, the dogs are mooching at my feet, and I'm flying solo because Todd is at work. The recipe is from here.

Acini de Pepe With Spinach and Feta

1/2 lb acini di pepe - or orzo (I used orzo)
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. butter
1/4 tsp. dried hot red pepper flakes
3 scallions - chopped
10 oz chopped frozen spinach (thawed & squeezed dry)
1/2 C crumbled feta

*I added:
shredded chicken for protein (An all inclusive meal is better for those crazy evenings) and a little bit of bacon bits (real bacon, not that fake stuff) for extra flavor. The chicken came from Trader Joe's. It was pre-cooked and cut into strips. All I had to do was heat it in the microwave and shred with a chopper.

Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and transfer to a covered bowl.
Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and scallions. Saute until garlic is golden brown (about 2 minutes). Add spinach and cook, stirring, until heated through (about 4 minutes).

Toss pasta with feta, chicken and bacon.

Serve warm and enjoy!

The Difference Between Men & Women

As we all know, men and women are different in a variety of ways. We communicate differently, we prioritize differently, and as witnessed at our dinner table Easter Sunday, we value table linens differently. That last part comes as no big shock to any wife. But my husband's blatant disregard for linens left me momentarliy speechless at our Easter feast.

After serving all of our guests their dinner entrees I sat down just as Todd finished pouring the last glass of wine (red wine). And then, without a second thought, my darling husband took his white Williams Sonoma napkin and proceeded to wipe the dripping egde of the wine bottle. My mouth dropped open as I gasped loud enough to send the windows rattling. Our friend Darin, seated across from me, burst into laughter as everyone else whipped their heads around to get a glimpse of all the commotion. According to Darin the look on my face was "priceless".

At this point Todd turns to look at me and blandly states, "What?" He has no clue why I could possibly be disturbed by this."You. Wiped. Off. The. Red. Wine. With. My. White. Williams. Sonoma. Napkin."

Still no clue...

"Uhh... Todd, red wine stains. And that is a white napkin. A white Williams Sonoma napkin. Not a $1.99 napkin from Target."

Still didn't get it.

There is quite a streak of irony in this tale. Three hours earlier as I gleefully set the table Todd questioned my use of white napkins because "well, they're white. White stains."

How soon they forget....

Finally! A Completed Task!

The majority of tasks never really seem to be 100% complete in this house. And. It. Drives. Me. Nuts! Something else always seems to pop up. Kids making messes, everyday chores, a new and urgent project, Todd's work schedule, you name it. This is something I am slowly attempting to change. But here this a project that I had been trying to get completed for some time now (probably a year. How sad is that?!) It was an antique mirror I purchased over ten years ago when I was at Chico State. A fabulous $5 bargain at a thrift store. The mirror had an old patina to it (which I loved) and an art deco frame. My grandpa and I fixed the aging frame. I then painted it white and hung it in my apartment.

After I moved home it was stored in the garage with countless other possessions I had no room for. A few years ago the mirror was broken. I couldn't bear to part with it. I loved the frame and it was a restoration project my grandpa and I worked on together before he passed away. I guess you could say it had some emotional baggage attached.

Fast forward to 2010. The mirrorless frame, now falling apart, was sat in the garage driving Todd nuts. To him it was junk taking up valuable space. To me, it was a memory and a future project.

Finally this project's time had come. I was in dire need of a bigger bulletin board over the desk. And voila! The antique frame was transformed into a bulletin board.

Step 1: Applied wood glue to the sides that were coming apart and clamped them overnight.

Step 2: Used sandpaper (I think 50) to rough up the frame a little

Step 3: Painted the frame green (which we already had in the garage)

Step 4: Attached cork to frame back (found a 2'x4' roll of cork at Office Max or Office Depot for $13) with a staple gun

Step 5: Attached toile fabric that I purchased on sale for less than $8 (for 2 yards) at an interior decorating fabric outlet

One project down, countless others to be completed!

The Great Poop Caper

Scene of the Crime: Kids’ bathroom, in the bath tub
Date of the Crime: Tuesday, March 30 at 6:30pm
Perpetrator: Luke
Victim: Mom and the bath tub

I am sure lots of parents have been subjected to this crime. But Tuesday was my first. I made it seven and a half years without falling prey to the” bath tub poopie” (BTP for short.) Luke was happily splashing around in the tub, content to give the surrounding areas with a good soaking. I was settled down on the floor in the no-splash zone mindlessly flipping through a magazine when I heard it. The pre-emptive poop groan. The one that tells you your sweet little angel is about to present you with a big, odorous gift. In one swift move I threw the magazine aside, leapt to my feet and yanked him out of the bath. Too late. There it was: the BTP! UGH!!! GROSS!!! Of coarse these types of situations only occur when Todd is not home. I am never blessed with reinforcements.
Damage control began. I swear, Moms should be in charge of FEMA. We can swiftly assess the damage, then create, prioritize, and execute a plan of action. Dry off baby, begin draining tub, stop baby from throwing more toys into tub of fecal water, pull bath seat out of tub, dispose of offending poopie, grab Chlorox wipes, grab all toys and dump into sink, wash hands vigorously with TONS of soap, wrestle naked baby back into the bathroom after gleefully running away, de-cootie-fy tub and toys with Chlorox wipes, remove plunger from baby’s firm grasp just before he puts the handle in his mouth, pray that I don’t lose sanity, rinse tub, re-fill tub with clean bathwater, put baby in tub, fantasize about how great a glass of wine would be right about now, call husband to bitch about BTP, pray this never happens again.