it’s here! it’s here!

 

{image from? if you can help me remember i’d appreciate it!}

halloween is now here! we are excited. we have been waiting with much anticipation. our weekend is full of  lots of fun: a basketball game, pumpkin carving and on the big day, cousins will come over, we’ll eat, play, and trick-o-treat. hope your halloween weekend is SWEET!

{image via sunset magazine}

staying well.

according to the october issue of whole living magazine, research suggests that elderberries have antiviral compounds that may help fend off the H1N1 virus. i tried their recipe for cold and flu prevention. fingers crossed that it will work!

step 1:

in a saucepan, cover 2 ounces of dried black elderberries with 1 qt. water. boil. turn heat to low; simmer until reduced to a pint. strain.

step 2:

return liquid to the pan. using a wooden spoon, slowly stir in 1 1/2 cups of honey into the mixture until honey is dissolved.

step 3:

let the syrup cool to room temperature. pour into a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid. label and date. it will keep up to a year it the fridge.

for prevention: take a teaspoon twice a day. if you’re already ill: take a teaspoon every few hours until you feel better.

i am in love…

with my roomba. who came up with this beautiful invention? it surely has made my life easier. some might think that this is an oh-so-very unromantic gift for a husband to give a wife, but not ME. i think it is lovely that i can sit with my feet up on the coffee table watching t.v. or reading my mags while a little robot picks up the grime left behind from FOUR dogs, ONE cat, ONE football-coaching husband (who tracks in annoying little black things from those new-fangled football fields they use), and ONE sand-box playing little boy.

out of season…harvest grains salad recipe.

this salad is a bit out of season, but it is so good i haven’t been buying locally, organically, etc. etc. to make it. thought i’d post it anyway…the grains are from tj’s, but if you’re not so lucky to not live near one, you can probably substitute the mix with a mixture of orzo, quinoa, and israeli couscous. my goal this fall/winter is to create a similar salad using what’s in season.

Harvest Grains Salad

1 bag Harvest Grains mix from TJ’s (cooked according to package)

3 lemons, juiced

1 jar marinated artichoke hearts with marinade (reserve juice for dressing)

Olive oil to taste

Red wine vinegar to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup each Italian parsley and mint, chopped

Baby tomatoes, halved

Red and yellow peppers, sliced

Red onion, sliced

Seedless cucumber, sliced

1 block feta cheese

1. While grains are still hot, mix with artichoke hearts, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper in large bowl.
2. When mixture is slightly cooled, mix in veggies.
3. Mix in herbs.
4. When mostly cooled, add in diced feta.

random thoughts this monday…

 

01. i don’t mind growing older, but the worst part is that sickness lasts longer…have been fighting the end of a cold for going on two weeks.

02. am loving my new doughnut pan. yep, i can now make dougnuts for my little one AND add flax seed and other good stuff.  baked dougnuts also don’t have that yucky grease.

03. did you know? 1/2 a teaspoon of honey is good for toddlers who are fighting a sore throat or cold. AND little ones actually happily open their mouths up for honey. who wouldn’t?

04. omega 3s are really good for those dealing with the pain from endometriosis. good thing i’m addicted to flax seed and fish (from parenting magazine).

05. am really loving the cool and rainy weather in so. cal. it feels very autumn and gives me a good excuse to light a scented candle and catch up on all my mags wearing uggs.

06. i’m mucho proud of myself for keeping up with essay grading, although essays are the bane of my existence. i get through it by counting out and dividing a manageable amount to grade each day, and thinking of thanksgiving break, winter break, etc. etc.

07. am getting very impatient for a baby, but know that God will deliver in due time.

08. was mortified on friday night when my little one threw up in the middle of corner bakery. i’m sure this was not a appetizing sight for fellow diners.

09. AND…am glad to know that dear friends are out there reading my randomness…

meal planning (because it keeps me organized).

 

 

sunday: carne asada tacos, arroz verde (recipe on my recipe page), black beans

monday: creamy tomato soup, grilled veggie paninis

tuesday: baked ziti and sausages, green salad with lentils and white beans

wednesday: roasted chicken (picked up from the store), glazed carrots, stuffing

thursday: breakfast for dinner

friday: dinner out

gah.

these bridal shower images are killing me. i cannot. get. enough.

via the sweetest occasion.

apple crumble.

 

no rolling out pie dough, but just as good, this apple crumb will be a recipe that will be repeated again!

adapted from the sweet melissa baking book.

apple crumble

for the filling:

7 large tart apples (i used granny smith picked from our apple picking trip), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4 inch slices

juice of 1 lemon

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

for the crumble:

3/4 cup walnut pieces

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

pinch freshly grated nutmeg **

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

before you start:

positon a rack in the bottom third of your oven. preheat the oven to 350 degrees. lightly butter a 10-inch deep dish baking dish. line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.

to make the filling:

1. in a large bowl, stir together the apples and lemon juice. sprinkle the sugar, cinnamon, and flour over the apples, and stir to combine.

2. pour the apples into the baking dish.

to make the crumble:

1. in a large bowl, stir together the walnuts, flour, brown sugar, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. stir in the melted butter.

2. spread the crumble over the apples.

to complete the crumble:

place the dish on the prepared cookie sheet. bake for 1 hours and 20 minutes or until the juices are bubbling and thick.

** i highly recommend using fresh spices if you can. it makes a world of difference.

re-joining the living.

 

not such an exciting weekend to be had at our house. i tried to recover from a terrible cough, so spent most of my time in a stupor-like haze on nyquil. not fun.

on my day off:

1. watched one and half movies.

2. caught up with my dvr…oprah, real housewives of atlanta, real housewives of dc, jersey shore. no judgment please. these shows are my guilty pleasure.

3. attempted to give myself a mani/pedi. not such a good idea. i’m a total failure at  this apparently. part of the problem is i can’t stay still.

4. caught up with all my magazines…finally. now they’re off to the collage bin in my classroom.

see, i told you not very exciting, right?

on saturday:

1. missed j’s basketball game and spent the better part of my day doing the same thing as friday.

on sunday i tried to make up for all my lost time:

1. poached a chicken for my boys. made chicken enchiladas, chicken soup, and chicken salad for sandwiches out of one chicken (idea from mad hungry). made black bean enchiladas for me, arroz verde and mexican cornbread for all of us.

2. mowed the lawn.

3. planted arugula, cauliflower, carrot, radish, spinach, and chard seeds.

4. did 4 loads of laundry.

5. peeled and cored a gazillion apples. made an apple crumb (will share recipe this week). made applesauce. sliced and froze remaining apples.

6. graded papers.

7. made two quizzes.

mad hungry.

 

have you seen mad hungry? this is my new favorite cooking show. lots of tips on time management and putting a healthy dinner on the table for your family. check out the blog here.