Quilts, College, and Kleenex

Tomorrow I move "Baby B" into her new campus apartment.  We have spent the past week staging and stacking everything that she will need in our garage.  Oh and don't worry, I have secretly packed a new, full box of Kleenex in my car as I know what's coming...at me!

Last night we had our annual "back-to-school" family dinner out.  We started that tradition when we moved to Colorado, and I have no idea why or how it started...but it is without a doubt our tradition that the girls look forward to every year.

When the girls moved out last year into their own apartment, they started giving me bags of clothes that they wanted to donate.  I kept seeing their old schools and volleyball t-shirts and I just couldn't depart with them.  I didn't know what I would do with them, but in the back of my mind, I knew I had to hold on to these memories for some reason.

...and that's when I saw it.  I was online and saw an advertisement for Project Repat.  They are a company in the U.S. that makes custom quilts out of your t-shirts!

They give you excellent, detailed instructions on what you need to do prior to sending in your t-shirts to them for your order.

So, I have (secretly) spent the past year going through their "donation" bags and hiding all their past t-shirts.  I also had to fill in the missing ones with their favorite teams, college tees, favorite restaurants, first jobs, concerts, etc...

The time came for me to send Project Repat the packages and I was so excited.  Six weeks later, packages arrived, and I was like a little girl on Christmas morning!

Last night after dinner, we finally gave the girls their quilts and they were speechless!  Mission accomplished!!

God Bless you ladies as you continue your education and next chapter...you got this!

Peach Mustard Glazed Pork Tenderloin

We are less than one week away before my girls return to college.  One of them stayed with us all summer and I will miss my chef cooking with me in the kitchen.  We have had a lot of fun the past couple months trying out fun, new recipes together.  Plus, I'm going to miss having dinner started by the time I get home from work, and doing the grocery shopping for me, and cleaning our house, and taking care of the pups...she got me a little spoiled, to say the least!

This pork recipe not only would be very impressive for entertaining, it also makes for a wonderful comforting, family dinner.  Since our girls are about 2 hours from each other (and we are directly in the middle of them), our traditional Sunday night family dinners will be a little sparce when school starts.  So, I will keep this one in my "to make" for them next family dinner.

Peach-Mustard-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Courtesy of Southern Living Magazine, December 2012

2 (1-1/4 lb) pork tenderloins

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbl olive oil

2 Tbl butter

1 large shallot, minced

1/2 cup peach preserves

1/3 cup bourbon

2 Tbl country-style Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper

1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Sprinkle tenderloins with salt and black pepper.  Cook in hot oil in a large oven proof skillet over high heat 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until slightly browned.

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat; add shallot, and saute 2 to 3 minutes until tender.  Remove from heat, and stir in peach preserves and next 3 ingredients.  Cook over medium heat, stirring often, 1 minute or until preserves are melted.  Pour over tenderloins.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickens portion registers 150 degrees.  Transfer to a cutting board, reserving drippings in skillet.  Cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, stir broth into reserved drippings, and cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly 5 minutes or until reduced by half.  Serve with sliced tenderloins.

One Year Ago: No Post

Two Years Ago: Drumstick Pie

Three Years Ago: Shrimp Skewers with Pesto and Cheddar Polenta

Four Years Ago: Naughty Cookie Bars

Five Years Ago: Spinach, Chicken, and Bacon Pizza

Six Years Ago: Flat Iron Steak Salad

Tuscan Butter Mushrooms

I think it is time that I take one of those DNA tests because I am just sure I am Italian...not really, just like hearing the sound of being Italian!

I love to eat Italian food and I without a doubt really love to cook Italian food.  I have Italian pattern dishes and my home is decorated in the rich colors of Tuscany.

One of my favorite movies (as you know), is "Eat, Pray, Love".  The Italy scenes just draw me in every time...and the food shots, so enticing!!

This beauty of a recipe showed up in my computer recently...Delizioso!  See, I'm speaking the language already!

Tuscan Butter Mushrooms
Courtesy of Delish.com by Makinze Gore

4 Tbl butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbl tomato paste
1 lb. baby bella mushrooms, cleaned
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups fresh spinach
Thinly sliced basil, for garnish

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter.  Add garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, 1 minutes.  Add mushrooms and tomatoes and cook until mushrooms are tender and tomatoes are starting to burst, 5 minutes.

Add heavy cream and Parmesan and season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, then bring to a simmer.  Add spinach and cook until sauce is thickened and spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.

Garnish with basil before serving.

One Year Ago: No Post
Two Years Ago: Caprese Chicken Lasagna
Three Years Ago: Zucchini Pie
Four Years Ago: Greek Chicken Salad
Five Years Ago: Spinach, Chicken, and Bacon Pizza
Six Years Ago: Snickerdoodles

Red Wine-Braised Beef with Peppercorn Cream Sauce

When I was in Oregon a couple months ago, I came upon a vineyard that I wanted to visit Schmidt Family Vineyards.  I was hoping to take my mom and grandma there for lunch, but the restaurant schedule didn't coincide with ours.  My next visit to Oregon though, I will be sure to check out their charming place.

Their website did however feature all the items from their past menus...and recipes!  I was so excited to see this one.  It just sounded so comforting, warm and satisfying...and I was right!  This was incredibly easy and did not disappoint.

Red Wine-Braised Beef with Peppercorn Cream Sauce
Courtesy of Schmidt Family Vineyards

3 Tbl vegetable or canola oil
2 lbs. Chuck Stew Meat
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 large carrots, finely chopped
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup red wine
1 cups beef stock
1 Tbl tomato paste

Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbl black peppercorn, coarsely chopped
1-2 tsp grainy mustard
1-2 Tbl "Better than Bouillon" (Beef base)

In a Dutch oven,heat vegetable oil over high heat until very hot.

Season beef, transfer to dutch oven and cook until browned on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Transfer to plate and set aside.  Add onion, celery, dried thyme, dried basil, and carrots to teh Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and beginning to caramelize, about 5-7 minutes.  Add garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.  Add red wine and stir well to loosen up any bits from bottom of pan.  Add beef stock and stir well to combine.

Return stew meat to pot and bring to a boil.  Cover dutch oven and transfer to 300 degree oven.  Let it bake for 1-1/2 hours, then check for tenderness.  Take out Dutch oven and let sit covered for 1/2 hour.

For the cream sauce, bring cream , black pepper and bouillon to a rapid boil in a sauce pan.  Reduce by half.  Add grainy mustard,  Season to taste if necessary.

To Serve:

Best with basil mashed potatoes or buttered noodles.

Ladle beef sauce over your choice of potato or noodle and drizzle with the peppercorn cream sauce.

Enjoy with a full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah.

One Year Ago: No Post
Two Years Ago: S'Mores Bark
Three Years Ago: Key Lime Jalapeno Cake
Four Years Ago: American Chop Suey
Five Years Ago: Baja Turkey Tostadas
Six Years Ago: Zinfandel, Roasted Garlic and Cheese Platter

Cherry-Apple Pie Pull Apart

Pie Pull Aparts are apparently quite the artistic dessert right now.  I stumbled on one the other day and couldn't resist the challenge...and I have had some doozy dessert challenges in the past.  Fun and so yummy!  

Cherry-Apple Pie Pull Apart

28 oz refrigerated pie dough (2 packages) = 4 rolls of pie dough

1 cup cherry pie filling

1 cup apple pie filling

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line an 8-9 inch round springform baking pan with parchment paper.

On a work surface, roll out the pie dough.  Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter (or I used one of my champagne flutes), cut as many circles as possible from the dough.  Repeat for the other pie dough rolls  (you will use all of them).

Pick up one circle and pinch the end together to make a boat shape.  Spoon in one cherry from the pie filling, and place into the cake pan facing up.

Repeat for the remaining circles, alternating from one row of cherry, to the next row of apple, until the pan is full.

How beautiful is this!?!?

Bake according to the "Pie Crust" instructions on your dough package.

Pull out each little pie pocket and serve with mini scoop of ice cream or dollop of fresh whip cream on top!

One Year Ago: No Post

Two Years Ago: Roasted Pears with Brie and Pistachios

Three Years Ago: French Dip Date Night

Four Years Ago: Bistro Sandwich

Five Years Ago: Baja Turkey Tostadas

Six Years Ago: Roasted Garlic and Cheese Platter

BA's Best Bolognese and Buses

As I am getting a little bit older every day, I feel like I am also getting a little wiser and paying attention to signs in life.

The other day I needed to take the bus to work.  I take 2 buses.  One from my little "2 traffic light" town that takes me to the "city".  Then I take that bus for the majority of my commute to my job in 

another city.

I went to my normal second bus stop and no one was around, which never happens.  I look at the bus shelter and there is a sign.  "No service from 7am to 1pm, due to parade".  You have got to be kidding me!

So I figured out the parade route and realized I needed to walk 9 blocks to get to the next working bus stop off the parade route.  It was a beautiful, cool, sunny morning and I needed to walk off some of my vacation calories from the prior weekend anyway.  I guess I didn't walk fast enough, because I missed it by 2 minutes!

I wait for 45 minutes to catch the next bus.  I get on the bus and 20 minutes into the ride, the highway is shut down on one side for an Iron Man marathon!  Three hours it took me to get to work...and I forgot to pack my book with me!

Well, all that bus time just meant that I was not to be hurried that day and apparently needed some down time. During my 3 hours I found some new recipes...including this one.  It is positively wonderful, easy, and the family loved it!  

BA's Best Bolognese

Courtesy of Bon Appetit

1 medium onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 small carrot, peeled, chopped

3 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb. ground beef chuck (20% fat)

Kosher salt

3 oz. thinly sliced pancetta, finely chopped

1 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup tomato paste

1 bay leaf

pinch of finely grated nutmeg

2 cups (or more) low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup whole milk

1 lb. fresh tagliatelle or pappardelle, or dry rigatoni (I used dried Bucatini)

2 oz. finely grated Parmesan, (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving

Pulse onion, celery, and carrot in a food processor until very finely chopped.  Transfer to a small bowl.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium.  Break beef into small clumps and add to pot; season lightly with salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally but not breaking meat apart, until beef is lightly browned but not crisp, 6-8 minutes.  It may be gray in spots (that's okay) and still a little pink in the center.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a medium bow.

Wipe out pot.  Cook pancetta in pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pancetta has released some of its fat and is crisp, 6-8 minutes.  Add onion mixture to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and beginning to stick to surface, 6-8 minutes.  

Return beef to pot and pour in wine.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, smashing down on beef with wooden spoon, until wine is evaporated, surface of pot is almost dry, and meat is finely ground.  12-15 minutes.  (The meat should be reduced to what looks like little bits.) Add tomato paste, bay leaf, and nutmeg and cook, stirring occasionally and still pressing down on meat, until tomato paste is slightly darkened, about 5 minutes.  

Pour stock and milk into pot; add a pinch of salt.  Reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until meat is very, very tender, 2 to 2-1/2 hours.  There shouldn't be any rapid bubbles at this stage.  Instead, the sauce should release the occasional small bubble or two.  When finished, the sauce should have the texture of and look like a sloppy joe mixture.  If the liquid reduces before the meat is completely tender, add an extra 1/2 cup stock and continue cooking.  Discard bay leaf.  Taste sauce and adjust seasoning with salt.  Keep warm. 

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water.  If using fresh pasta, cook about 3 minutes.  If using dry, cook until very al dente, about 2 minutes (less than package directions).

Using tongs, transfer the pasta to pot with sauce.  Add 1 cup pasta cooking liquid and 1/2 cup Parmesan.  Increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and liquid is slighting thickened, about 1 minutes.

Transfer pasta to a platter and top with more Parmesan.

One Year Ago: No Post

Two Years Ago: Raspberry Cream Pie (Galette)

Three Years Ago: Glamping and Potato Packets

Four Years Ago: GGMa's Angel Food Cake

Five Years Ago: Baja Turkey Tostadas

Six Years Ago: Sunrise Bars

Apple Cinnamon Skillet Cobbler and Chewed Corners

We recently returned home from a quick road trip getaway weekend in Idaho

 for a change of scenery and catching up with family.

As we always do on our road trips, we travel with treats for anyone that we run into that is hard at work in the hot summer sun.  We met "Barbara", who was rocking her Stop/Slow sign holding and keeping everyone safe in the one-way traffic on a desolate gravel road in the middle of Idaho. 

 We served her up some M&M's as a mid-morning treat and her grateful smile lit up the entire sky!

Along with Barbara, we ran into some ranchers moving their herd of sheep

 across the road on our way to Stanley that day.

Let me tell you...there were a lot of those sheep! 

 I think if you had to count all of them, it would definitely help you fall asleep!

In keeping with our Ketchum tradition, first stop was dinner at Despo's.

My sister-in-law and I also took up a little 18 hole putting...

now I know why I have gone with the culinary and creativity in my life...I am so bad at athletics!

A quick-cation wouldn't be complete without some whitewater rafting on the Salmon River.

...and some much needed lake time at Red Fish Lake!

For our last night in Idaho, we hosted Sunday night family dinner complete with my Sunday Night Pot Roast, honey glazed carrots, and mustard roasted baby potatoes.

I asked my baking daughter to find an easy dessert that we (okay, "she" could make for me), while I worked on the rest of dinner and started packing to head back home the next morning.

Oh my goodness!  Let me say that again...Oh my goodness!!!!  New favorite dessert ever!!

Apple Cinnamon Skillet Cobbler
Courtesy of Tasty.com

4 cups apple, peeled and chopped (we use Granny Smith)
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbl cornstarch
1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed, 1 large lemon)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 pinch salt
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter, cold (1 stick), cut into thin slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a cast-iron (or oven safe) skillet over medium-low heat, add the apples, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juices, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Mix to combine and stir for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture starts to thicken.

Let simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.

Sprinkle box cake mix over the apple filling.

Add the nuts and evenly distribute over the cake mix.

Place the sliced butter over the top of nuts to ensure even baking.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour (start checking it after 45 minutes), until the top is light golden brown.

Serve warm with french vanilla ice cream...or just dive into the leftovers with your fingers as we all did and enjoyed every last morsel while we were cleaning up the kitchen after a wonderful family dinner.

One Year Ago: No Post
Two Years Ago: Parmesan Crusted White Wine Dijon Salmon
Three Years Ago: One Skillet Tuscan Chicken
Four Years Ago: Lemon-Blackberry Olive Oil Cake
Five Years Ago: Pork Schnitzel with Lemon-Caper Cream Sauce
Six Years Ago: Buffalo Chicken Salad

Unfortunately this awesome cobbler was not the only thing being chewed and enjoyed... our Labrador Mr. Kylo was very mad at us for leaving him with our house/pet sitter and decided to have a taste of drywall as punishment to us!

Orange Orzo Salad with Almonds, Feta, and Olives

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday.  The outdoor colors, scents of spices and herbs and curling up by a warm fire when the nights start to get chilly.  Why am I sharing this now in July?

Well, we recently learned that we will be hosting family Thanksgiving in 2020 and some of our family members have already started to make reservations in our home...in our new downstairs living quarters...that hasn't even started construction!

As you can imagine, we have started putting together a construction schedule with a one year goal and timeline!  My husband is already stressing!!  We need to add two bedrooms, a full bath, kitchenette, game area, media seating area 3 storage areas and a dining room/wine grotto room...just typing those words is stressing me out!  

I have (of course) been all over Pinterest and building my board for the new downstairs for the past year.  I feel good about the direction we are going with all of it and look forward to getting started to see the magic come to life over this coming year.

We have a dear friend that is an electrical contractor.  He recently came over to help my husband with our new panel box downstairs...safety first!  I promised him a nice dinner as thanks for assisting in our venture and included this orzo salad as a side dish.  Since I have a feeling he will be making several trips to our house, I better start upping my game for his dinners these next few months.

Orange Orzo Salad with Almond, Feta and Olives

Courtesy of Cookie and Kate

8 ounces orzo pasta

1/2 cup raw almonds

1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved

1/2 cup chopped green onion

1/2 cup raisins, preferably golden

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tsp orange zest

1/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tbl white wine vinegar

1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced

1/4 tsp salt

black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Add the orzo and cook until al dente, according to package directions.  Before draining, reserve roughly 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.  Drain, and immediately rinse the orzo under cold running water until the orzo is no longer warm.  Drain well.

Toast the almonds in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and turning golden on the edges, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the almonds to a cutting board and chop them.

In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked orzo, chopped almonds, parsley, olives, green onion, raisins, and feta.

In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine the orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and salt.  Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water, and whisk until blended.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.  It might seem like too much dressing at first, but don't worry.  Season with pepper to taste.

Let the orzo salad rest for a least 10 minutes (or up to several hours in the refrigerator), to it has time to chill and soak up the dressing.  Season to taste with additional salt, if necessary, and serve.

Pairs beautifully with my Peach-Mustard-Glazed Pork Tenderloin and a chilled buttery Chateau St. Michelle Chardonnay.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago: No Post

Two Years Ago: Parmesan Crusted White Wine Dijon Salmon

Three Years Ago: One Skillet Tuscan Chicken

Four Years Ago: Lemon-Blackberry Olive Oil Cake

Five Years Ago: Pork Schnitzel with Lemon-Caper Cream Sauce

Six Years Ago: Buffalo Chicken Salad

Aurora's Chicken Pepperoni

The other night I was up late alone.  Everyone had gone to bed and I was on my last load of laundry to wrap up.  I turned on the tv to help pass the 40 minutes of time for dryer and started channel surfing.

I stumbled on a movie I have not seen in so long, and completely forgot about..."Seems Like Old Times".  This is one of my favorites (of course, aren't they all!)  My mom and I used to watch this movie together all the time.  We used have a long running joke about "Aurora's Chicken Pepperoni".

I sat there and laughed so hard for the next hour and a half...way past the time my dryer was finished.
I had giggle tears in my eyes at a few points in the movie that I remembered.  This is such a funny in a slapstick kind of good old fashioned humor way.  I highly recommend this to everyone needing a good laugh. Needless to say, I ended up going to bed at midnight, but it was so worth it!

As there has never really been an official "Chicken Pepperoni" recipe, as in the movie, over the past 30+ years, many people, as it turns out, have created their own version.  I searched them all out and landed this one.  WOW was it amazing!  I can't even describe how incredible the sauce is...so much flavor!  The entire family loved and I will most definitely be adding it to my recipe books.

Like Glenda's 6 dogs in the movie, ours also love to cook with us!

"Little Chefs", as my daughter affectionately calls them.

I repeatedly like to refer to them as our "speed bumps" in the kitchen.

Aurora's Chicken Pepperoni

Adapted from Kelly@Wildflowerskitchen.com

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt

pepper

2 Tbl butter

2 Tbl olive oil or canola oil

1/4 cup red wine

1 cup chopped onion (1/2 medium onion)

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1-1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1-1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 (28 ounce) crushed tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste (about 2 oz.)

8 oz. whole spicy pepperoni, sliced, then cut into matchsticks

1 (16 ounce) bag shredded mozzarella and provolone cheese

dried (or fresh) parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pound chicken breasts 1/2" thick (or) I decided to cut the chicken breasts in half (crosswise), so each breast was the portion size of a small fist.

In a large deep ovenproof frying pan or dutch oven, heat butter and oil over medium high heat, stir to mix.  When hot, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides and sear until lightly browned on each side.  Do in batches if needed, to not overcrowd.  Remove browned chicken to a plate, cover, and set aside.

Remove pan from heat (do not drain oil and butter), add wine carefully, let steam subside and stir and scrape bottom of pan.

Return pan to heat and lower to medium.  Toss in onion, crushed red pepper flakes, dried oregano, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Saute for 5 minutes adding pepperoni during last minute, stirring occasionally.

Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and the rest of the ingredients (except for the cheeses and parsley).  Stir well to mix, bring to a low boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring as needed, occasionally, making sure it is not sticking to bottom of pan.

Nestle the browned chicken breasts down into the pan under the sauce making sure that they aren't overlapping.

Put pan into preheated oven and bake, uncovered for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and turn up to a low broil.

Top each piece of chicken with large handfuls of cheese.  Sprinkle top with parsley, and put back into oven and broil until cheese has fully melted.  Watch carefully as it will brown quickly if you're not careful.

One Year Ago: No Post

Two Years Ago: Watermelon Bruschetta

Three Years Ago: One Skillet Tuscan Chicken

Four Years Ago: Lemon-Blackberry Olive Oil Cake

Five Years Ago: Gloria's Shrimp and Avocado Dip

Six Years Ago: Pickling Cucumbers

This photo actually isn't too far from my reality!