Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hoping everyone has a fun, yummy day with family.
I'm adding a few pictures of the Bozos at their school Turkey Day celebrations...



and a video of Miles singing with his classmates from Nursery School!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Sloppy Joes


Ever have Sloppy Joes that didn't come from a powdered packet? Well, I hadn't until I had these.
This recipe comes from the Everyday Food: Great Food Fast cookbook. It only takes slightly more effort than opening up a packet. But, tastes so much better.

The effort part involves dicing 1 medium onion, 1/2 a red bell pepper, 1 stalk of celery, and 2 cloves of garlic.

Next, heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large skillet.

Add the diced veggies & saute for about 7 minutes,

or until they are soft.

Add 1 pound of ground beef,

break up with a spatula,

and saute until cooked through.

Stir in a 15 ounce can of tomato sauce,

1/4 cup ketchup & 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Serve on a soft hamburger roll.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Mashed Sweet Potatoes


This is a pretty basic dish. But, I thought I'd put it up just in case anyone needed a Thanksgiving side. It makes enough for about 5-6 people.

Start with 3 pounds of sweet potatoes. Prick them with a fork & place on a foil-lined pan. Bake at 400 degrees for about 1 hour.
Take a half stick of unsalted butter out of the fridge to soften.

When the sweet potatoes are done, slice them in half & scoop the insides out into a the bowl of an electric mixer. Or, you can use a potato masher.

Pour in 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, a quarter cup of cream, and the softened butter.

Mix it all up,

and serve.
These can be made a couple of days in advance & reheated in the oven, or microwave.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Guinness Stout Ginger Cake


We celebrated an early Thanksgiving in Max's 1st grade classroom this week with a Feast. One of the Mom's brought gingerbread for dessert. It was a big hit with all the kids, especially mine. So, I decided to make some this weekend.
I found this recipe from Gourmet magazine. The recipe is for a bundt cake. But, I don't own a bundt pan, so I made it in a rectangular baking dish instead.

Start by measuring out a cup of Guinness Stout. Not quite a whole bottle, so you can drink the leftovers while baking.

Add the beer to a large saucepan, along with 1 cup of dark molasses.

Measure a 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda & set aside.

Bring the beer/molasses mixture to a boil,

and once boiling whisk in the baking soda. Set this aside to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Generously butter your baking dish.

Dust the dish with flour,

and tap out any excess.

Next, scoop and level 2 cups of flour

& add to a mixing bowl.

To this add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder,

2 tablespoons of ground ginger,

1 teaspoon of cinnamon,

a 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves,

and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg.

Whisk to combine.

In a separate, large mixing bowl, add 1 cup of sugar,

1 packed cup of dark brown sugar,

and 3 eggs.

Whisk to combine.

Then whisk in 3/4 cup of vegetable oil,

and the cooled molasses mixture.

Add the dry ingredients,

and whisk some more.

Pour into the prepared dish.
Bake for about 50-60 miinutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let the gingerbread cool & serve with fresh whipped cream.
SO Good!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Soccer Part Three~Trophy Day

This was a huge moment for Miles, who was receiving his first trophy ever.
Max was adding to his growing collection.