SOS

Well, it's Daring Baker time, and I attempted the challenge but it was a BIG fail!  The April 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Evelyne of the blog Cheap Ethnic Eatz. Evelyne chose to challenge everyone to make a maple mousse in an edible container. Prizes are being awarded to the most creative edible container and filling, so vote on your favorite from April 27th to May 27th at http://thedaringkitchen.com/!  Well, my plan was to make little angelfood cake containers, put the mousse in, add an "egg" to the top and have little Easter baskets.  WEEEELLLL, first the angelfood burned.  I don't know what the deal was because the middle of the cake was fine but the outside was TOTALLY burned.  Okay, containers...ruined.  I could come up with something else.  Next, I made the mousse...or tried.  I decided to make the version with tofu.  Let's just say, it's still in my refrigerator and after sitting there for 48 hours, it's still soup!  Oh, well...I guess with having done so many challenges for this to be the first complete failure is pretty good!  Stop by the above link to find other BEAUTIFULLY SUCCESSFUL mousses!

It's Coming!!!!!

What can you not live without?  That is the question of Eat. Live. Be. this week. 

Hmmm, that's seriously a hard one.  I could tell you plenty of things that CAN live without.  I think, though, that (and this is a pretty broad category) I couldn't live without summer produce!  Though summer is not my favorite time of year due to the HOT temperatures I do love the foods that it brings.  Berries, peaches, plums, squash, tomatoes, okra, eggplant, green beans...and all fresh!  It's coming, folks, it's coming!!!

This past week, I had some (likely greenhouse) squash and zucchini that needed to be used; so, I came up with what was originially to be a messy lasagna but really ended up being a casserole.

 When my mom makes lasagna, she uses cottage cheese instead of ricotta, so I pulled that out and mixed it with some spinach.  Somehow, the end product ended up tasting very cheesy! 

I'm not sure how...maybe the cottage cheese metled within the spinach.  It was wonderful!  I would totally make this again, even if it was just a concoction!

Spinach Squash Casserole
1/3-1/2 bag whole wheat egg noodles, cooked
1 small box frozen spinach, cooked
1 cup cottage cheese
1/3-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2-1 teaspoon salt
2 yellow squash, sliced
2 zucchini, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
a sprinkle of mozzarella
1 few chunks of goat cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook noodles according to package instructions, drain.  Meanwhile, cook spinach in microwave (or stovetop if preferred).  Cook onions until transluscent.  When spinach is done add the onions, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, and salt.  Mix well.  Saute the squash on stovetop until slightly softened and browned.  Add the tomatoes and cook until heated.  In an oval or 8X11 casserole dish place the noodles.  Then put the spinach mixture on top of the noodles.  Pour the cooked squash and tomatoes on top.  The top all of that with a sprinkle (literally!) of Mozzarella cheese and some goat cheese, if desired.  I did not use much cheese at all.  Place the casserole in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.  Enjoy!

Amazing

This weekend there was some amazing weather!  Tornadoes showed their power across the southern part of this country...tornadoes that receive their power and direction from a Power much bigger than they.  Around 11am on Friday, an F3 tornado touched down in my hometown of Clinton, MS.  It tossed cars across the interstate, took roofs off a bank, literally flipped a house on its side, took out many trees, and destroyed up to 60 homes.  In all of that, no one was killed or even seriously injured (the 87 year old woman in the home on its side only had a broken nose)!  To add to all that, the neighborhood most seriously effected has a daycare at front and an elementary school in the middle.

 There were 1000 children right there.  If you stand in the front of the school and look across the street, there is home completely destroyed...

but the school is untouched.

 God was truly displaying his power and protection that day!  He provided that day and will continue provide and has provided for our eternity through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus.  I am so thankful for the grace and mercy He displayed then and continues to display today.

In addition to telling you about the amazing weather, I have some amazing cookies to tell you about. 

I made these cookies last month for our last call.  Oh goodness!  They are some kind of good (forgive the Southern coming out in me!). 

The addition of the corn flakes adds a fantastic crunchiness and the cranberries (I used blueberry infused craisins) a wonderful tartness.  I must say, this book is becoming a favorite of mine...another must try cookie!

Toasted Almond and Cranberry Cookies
1/2 cup butter
1/2 margarine
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 ounces white chocolate chips
2 cups corn flakes cereal
1 cup nuts, toasted (I used a combo of almonds and pecans)
6 oz. craisins

Preheat oven to 350.  Cream butter and shortening together.  Cream in sugars.  Add eggs and beat well.  Mix in dry ingredients.  When well mixed add in chocolate, cereal, nuts, and cranberries.  Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheet or stone.  Place in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes.  Remove and cool for 1 minute, then remove cookies to cooling rack.  Enjoy!

Sorry, no Eat. Live. Be. today...we're supposed to talk about our play list.  Well, I have no play list!  I have not MP3 or IPOD.  :-)

Rice Bowls

Sometimes after a hard day at work...and there have been quite a few lately...I just want to come home and make a microwave or toaster meal.  What is good to have on hand at that time is something that I've made a couple of days ahead of time but that is "comforting" at the same time. 

Honestly, I don't know what makes something comforting but this nice little rice bowl was!  I was inspired by a picture on Cate's blog and decided to make my own version.  Honestly, I don't remember exactly what was in it but it was good!  I just made some brown rice and roasted a bag of frozen Brussel's sprouts, onions, black olives and (I think...if not it would be a good addition!) eggplant.  After that, I mixed them together with some low sodium lite soy sauce.  When I was ready to eat I topped it all with avacado and tomato.  This was the perfect dinner and study fuel.  You can really make it anything you want.  I think next time I make this, I'd put some shrimp in it. 

Mmmm!  No real recipe...just make some rice and add everything else!  Enjoy!

Vitamins?

This week on Eat.Live.Be we are supposed to talk about what supplements we use. 

To be honest, I really only take a multivitamin, and sometimes, I'm not that great at it!  I have put my bottle on my nightstand so that hopefully I remember, but it doesn't always happen.  Plus, it's really better if you take your vitamins with a meal because some vitamins are fat soluble and need fat to be absorbed into the body.  All that said, there are some times in your life and people with certain conditions that really NEED to take supplements. 

Babies, especially those who are breast fed, should take a Vitamin D and iron supplement (this is most commonly Poly-Vi-Sol).  I would agree that breastfeeding IS best, but there is very little iron in it and most people, in general, don't get enough vitamin D.  So when babies are growing, they really need that "extra" vitamin D.  Another group of people who should really take vitamins is women who could become pregnant, are pregnant, or are breastfeeeding. 

Folic acid is essential to prevent neural tube defects and prenatal vitamins has this in them.  I think that most women's MVI have it these days but be sure, you may need specifically pre-natal vitamins for other supplementation.  You should have 400-800 mcg of Folic acid if there is no history of defects in your family.  If there is a history of neural tube defects then you should get 4000mcg.  Anyone who has evidence of poor bone strength (osteoporosis, recurrent fractures, kyphosis) should take Vitamin D and Ca.  There is discussion going on currently if Vitamin D should be a recommended supplement for the general population.

(pic from WebMD) However, if you get 20 minutes of sun a WEEK if you're fair skinned and an hour a WEEK if you're dark skinned, then you should be fine; NOTE: babies only need about 10 minutes a week to get the same effect...please protect that sensitive skin!  Finally, there are groups of people who need extra supplements based on medical conditions.  People with sickle cell need Folic acid, many renal diseases need special supplements depending on their renal function and would be told what to take by their physician, and people with cystic fibrosis have to take supplements of the fat soluble vitamins because their pancreas doesn't produce the enzymes necessary to absorb fats as well (this supplement is called ADEK, the 4 fat soluble vitamins).  Okay, that got REALLY long...much longer than I expected.  All that to say, if you are eating a well balanced diet and getting a little bit of sunshine, you don't necessarily NEED supplements unless specifically instructed by your doctor or you fit into one of the above categories.  However, taking a simple multivitamin daily won't hurt you! 

Now for another cookie!  How's that for a supplement.  :-) 

I'm not the biggest fan of almond extract.  In fact, I can honestly say that I don't like it.  I can taste a dessert and immediately know that it has almond extract.  Ick!  However, I really like almonds themselves.  These bars are FULL of almonds.  I didn't even use quite the full amount and there was not a square centimeter without almonds.  A delicious bar cookie though I think I might would decrease the amount of almonds a little more.

White Chocolate Almond Blondie from Southern Living Incredible Cookies
2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup butter/margarine
1 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee (I used vanilla latte...it was on clearance)
2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 cup white chocolate chips/chunks

Preheat oven to 350.  Melt butter in pan.  Add coffee and stir until dissolved.  Remove from heat and cool.  Add brown sugar and eggs, stirring well.  Add dry ingredients.  Add in the almonds and chocolate.

 Spread in a 13X9 pan.  Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool on a wire rack.  Enjoy!

Taste the Rainbow

No, I'm not talking about skittles!  I'm talking about your vegetables...but it sounds so much more pleasant to eat a rainbow than "eat your veggies."  :-) 

This week in Eat. Live. Be. we are talking about how to get all of our vegetables in.  To me, one of the easiest ways is to make one of your meals a nice BIG salad.  You can easily get 2-3 servings of veggies and maybe even a fruit in depending on what you put on there.  Another simple way to eat more veggies is to decide to eat a meatless meal once or twice (or more) a week.  Yes, you can have good filling meals with no meat...in fact, sometimes it can be more filling because lots of vegetables have so much fiber that they fill you.  If all that is hard, a simple way is to think about what colors you have eaten!  If you really do "taste the rainbow" then you have gotten 5-6 different veggies in you and lots of different vitamins.  So, this week (or tomorrow!) try to "taste the rainbow." 

I did this recently in name a deed!  I had seen a recipe for Moo Shu Vegetables that I wanted to try.  The only problem was that I didn't want to use sprouts.  Well, I saw a recipe on a friend's (new) blog and they used bamboo shoots...aha, perfect!  So, I got a bag of rainbow! slaw, some bamboo shoots and added a few things of my own choosing and whipped up a batch of my own Moo Shu Vegetables.  Let me just say YUM!  If you like Chinese veggies...no, not sweet and sour, sorry!...you'll like this. 

1 bag (12oz) rainbow or broccoli slaw
1/2 bag mushrooms
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut in half
1 small can bamboo shoots (1.5 cups)
2-3 eggs
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons (or a little more!) reduced sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoon Catalina dressing (this was my addition)
3 green onions, sliced

Heat up a large skillet.  Slightly beat eggs, then cook until just scrambled.  Remove from pan.  Place asparagus, mushrooms, garlic, and broccoli slaw in the pan.  Drizzle with a little olive oil.  Cook for 3-4 minutes.  Add soy sauce and bamboo shoots and cover with a lid, cooking for 3 minutes at a time then stirring.  Cook until veggies are tender.  Return eggs to pan and add green onions.  Cook until eggs are warm again.  Add a tad more soy sauce (if desired) and stir in dressing.  Serve over rice, noodles, or salad.  Enjoy!

Sarah Caron - http://www.sarahscucinabella.com/
•Cate O’Malley - http://www.sweetnicks.com/
•Chris Arpante - http://www.melecotte.com/
•Patsy - http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/
Joanne - http://www.joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/
Tri-Fit Mom - http://trifitmom.blogspot.com/
•Allison - http://sweetflours.blogspot.com/
Jen - http://njepicurean.blogspot.com/
•Leslie - http://www.thehungryhousewife.com/
•Rivki Locker - http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/
•Jennifer Schulz - http://lick-a-plate.blogspot.com/
•Sarah Rogers - http://sarahssweetcreations.blogspot.com/
Denise and Lenny - http://www.chezus.com/

From A to Z

Okay, I have seen this on several blogs and it just looks like too much fun! 
A - Age: 28
B - Bed Size: Queen
C - Chore you hate: Dusting!
D - Dog's Name: I don't currently have one, but when I was little her name was Honey.  When I do get one, I was to name it Oliver!  :-)

E - Essential start your day item: I've been enjoying coffee with my quiet time recently.
F - Favorite Color: Pink!
G - Gold or Silver: Silver please
H - Height: 5' - 3"
I - Instruments you play: Piano and oboe
J - Job Title: Pediatric Resident - PGY2
K - Kids:  No but I would love to have them one day!
L - Luxury you wish you had: Weekends!!!...but like Delaney said, I cleaning person would be nice!
M - Mom's Name: Alice, Miss Alice, Mama, Mom
N - Nickname: Claire Bear, Clarence, Clara, Clarice, Cler, Lizzie, Chocolate E-clair
O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: ALL THE TIME!!!!!  Last month every 4th night, of course all of that is job related!

P - Pet Peeve: People not throwing things away in the peds lounge; at home, people putting dishes on the counter on TOP of the dishwasher but not in it!  Five seconds people, five seconds!

Q - Quote from a movie: "Inconceivable.  You keep saying that.  I do not think it means what you think it means"  The Princess Bride

R - Right or Leftie?: Leftie!!

S - Siblings?: I have a younger brother and a great sister-in-law
T - Time you wake up: Mostly around 6am
U - Underwear: Um...ok.  Yes, please?
V - Vegetable you dislike: Hmmmm...not sure.  I really like most of them.  I don't like BAKED sweet potatoes.  Just can't handle it, but roasted they're good.

W - Ways/ reasons why you run late: I forgot something or didn't make my lunch the night before.  I don't snooze the alarm ever and usually give myself enough time to get ready.

X - X-Rays you've had: Teeth and knee

Y - Yummy food you make: Most of my cookies are good...see below for a recipe!  I want to make more "real" food.  I can do some yummy stir fry, too.

Z - Zoo Favorite: Hmmm, I like the monkeys and the seals!

So, join in if you want!  Hope you had fun learning about me from A to Z!  Now for a yummy cookie.

  This is the third cookie I made from my new cookie book.  Once again, mostly because I had the ingredients and didn't want to go grocery shopping!  I love a good nutty cookie and this one was not a disappointment.  Please be sure to toast the nuts prior to adding to the dough...it makes a world of difference!

Pecan Crispies from Southern Living Incredible Cookies
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 350.  Cream butter and shortening.  Cream in sugar until fluffy.  Add the eggs and mix well.  Stir in the dry ingredients.  Stir in pecans.  Drop onto baking sheet or stone in tablespoonfuls.  Place in oven and bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden.  Cool slightly and remove to cooling rack.  Enjoy!