Culinary Institute

I guess I am one of those weird women that loves Mother's day. I do sometimes feel guilty with all of the 'ode to mother's' talks in church, about how so and so's mother is so great because she can clean the house, do laundry, cook a nutritious meal, play games with the kids, sew clothes, run 10 miles a day, look beautiful and stylish all while she remodels the house. Ya, that's not me, therefore I feel bad or guilty, but that guilt is easily erased when I am served breakfast in bed or allowed a nap after church. This year our friend Than, asked Cache if he wanted to surprise me with a Culinary Institute cooking class for mother's day. Cache couldn't spend the money without consulting with me first, so it wasn't much of a surprise. How often would I get an opportunity to cook in a culinary institute kitchen and Erica was going and that would make it all the more fun.

Thanks Cache, it was an amazing experience, even though the class turned out to be less of a class and more of an experience. Erica and I were hoping that we would learn some great techniques, but were a little embarrassed that we didn't know how to do a lot of things (that's why you take a class, right?). The Chef at first was a little frustrated, but I think in the end he began to like our amateur personalities.

It was such a beautiful building in the heart of wine country (napa).

I could have taken pictures on the grounds all day.

chef Erica cooking her Pad Thai with THE Chef.

Erica knows all the Thai names of the dishes we made, but this is the spicy coconut chicken soup I made. It was delicious! I have since made it at home and can pull it off pretty good. (I will pat my own back at this time)

mmmmm, delicious. Especially the mango rice you see in the top left corner.

Homemade bread

We love fresh baked bread at our house. Finley loves to help, although I am sad to say I don't let him help enough. This time I was in a good mood (rare these days) and let him help.

I wish I had pictures of the finished product, maybe next time. We like to use these women's recipe for our bread. We bought the DVD and it is great. I like that there isn't oil in the bread, only Lecithin. email me if you would like the recipe.

When in doubt........

try your blog. I know there are a lot of smarter more domestic people out there than me. To those that know what they are doing life I need some help. I have tons of green grapes in my backyard, I hate watching them go to the birds, squirrels, coyotes, cats, and whatever creature is living in my backyard or getting mushed into the grass which I then have to clean up. Does anyone know what I can do with them. When we first moved into the house 4 years ago I juiced them and tried to make white grape juice, they aren't very sweet so the juice wasn't good. Is white grape juice made out of green grapes? Anyway any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Muffin meal

A big "thank you" goes out to which ever blog I was on when I saw this Idea. I am sorry I can't give the proper credit to whose idea this is, but it is great. I saw Muffin meals a long time ago while blog surfing and stored it in my brain file and finally tried it last night. Basically it is just serving whatever you would normally serve for lunch, but separating it into the muffin tins. Todays muffin meal consisted of string cheese (cut up), sliced strawberries, grapes, cut up lunch meat, graham cracker, marshmallows and choc. chips. They loved it and ate every last bite. Today we had friends over and our friends loved it too. Hopefully muffin meals will pep up your lunch (or dinner) times too.

Red Velvet cake balls.

Don't these look so good? I want to make them so bad, but I don't want to make them If I don't have anywhere to take them, because then I would eat all of them. You can make them though and share one with me :) The recipe is here,

I haven't had anything to post about lately, I keep waiting for something exciting or interesting to happen in my life and day after day it is the same. Wake up, feed kids, take peanut to school, Feed Fin, take shower, clean house (if I am feeling up to it), feed Fin, Peanut comes home from school, Feed Fin, eat lunch, quiet/nap time, feed Fin(are you noticing a pattern?), supervise kids while they do their chores, prepare dinner, feed Fin, eat dinner, clean kitchen (with Cache's help), bathe kids, feed Fin, scriptures and prayers, bedtime for kids, time for some brain candy (TV) OR go to Young Womens activities and YW basketball, scriptures, prayers, bedtime.

The next day it starts all over again. Sometimes I am lucky and I get a trip to TJMAXX or Target, and that is like going to Disneyland, it is even better if Peanut is at a friends house and I get to go single childly(does that even make sense?).

cooking

This book is one of my favorites, the banana pancakes are so delicious.

Are you like me and always looking for good recipes? Blogs are my favorite resource, they are kinda like the ward cookbook(which are my favorite cookbooks), no one (at least I hope) is going to post a recipe if it isn't scrumptious. I have found so many yummy eats from friends in the blog-o-sphere, my family has really benefited from my addiction. I found this site this morning and it made me really happy, there are a lot of recipes that I am itching to make. Take a look and let me know what you think or if you want to make me really HAPPY share one of your favorite recipes on your blog and then know that you made my day :)

Hoping for a Healthy New Year

Here is another blog find (2 posts in one day, I am on a roll). These muffins are so scrumptious. Don't be scared of the bran and the wheat flour ingredients, they're what make you healthy.......and regular :)

Banana Whole Wheat Bran Muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat bran
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (approx. 2 medium)
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 tbls. vinegar added to 1 cup milk)
1/4 cup canola oil (I used olive oil)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I didn't add these)
1 cup granola

mix all dry ingredients (except for granola) in a big bowl. Then mix all the wet ingredients in a different big bowl. Mix everything together. pour into a greased muffin pan or line pan with baking cups. Top with granola and bake for 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Isn't that easy? I made these this morning, and they were a hit. I think I will make a big batch and freeze them so they can be enjoyed every morning.

Fin on his third muffin.

Does anyone else want to join this post for a healthy new year? If you do post a healthy recipe on your blog and leave a comment so I can come and print it out and try it. (Not that I don't already check everyones blog about 5 times a day)

Move over Rachel Ray

I am feeling very domestic. I found a recipe for Pumpkin Ravioli with a Gorgonzola sauce, it sounded so good I thought I would make it for FHE. I took pictures of the process, well just half of the project I forgot to document the final steps. Here is the brief synopsis:

It was so yummy, if anyone wants the recipe I can post it. Or you can find it in the Cooking Light magazine.