30 is the new....

In the week leading up to my 30th birthday, I was given wonderful advice on how to approach the impending day! It's neat to see so many different perspectives on the topic of age.  Taking jabs at myself, and my new "old" factor, was more in lighthearted nature than anything else, as I love where I am. So as the passengers of the "30 is the new 20 ship" take off, I'm going to hang out and let 30 just be 30.  No reason to go down the road of the 20's again, once was enough thank you! Wrapping up a decade gives time to reflect on the MAJOR (ten years in the making) todo list.  Checking off graduate school, starting a career, meeting- crushing on- dating- and then marrying my soul mate, selling a house in a depressed market and moving out to the country, rescuing 3 amazing animals, making new lifelong girlfriends and spending time with my 'oldest' friends, taking better care of myself, hiking mountains and sleeping on top of them, discovering our own ocean front oasis, and so much more.  So much accomplished, and even more left to be discovered. So I welcome 30, it's challenges, excitement, and mundane moments!

To kick off my new year, we met up with my family at Tarrant's for dinner.  With a wide selections of food and beer everyone's tastes would be met!  The service was AWESOME, and the food was perfect. There was no rush to the evening, but no lag either. We sampled appetizers, ordered our entrees, and finished with desserts!  I couldn't leave 29 behind without a chocolate covered canoli!

It was such a special night, to wine- er...beer- and dine with the people I love the most. After dinner, and hugging my parents goodbye, hubs, sister +1, and I went to Pennylane. Another instittution of the 20's that will always be a mainstay!  We enjoyed another pint before heading home!

Friday's dinner was the kind of night where everything fits together so perfect, you wake up the next morning still glowing from the warmth of love that surrounded you!

Saturday's celebration brought on a romantic dinner for two at our favorite spot- no reservations needed! I was kicked out of the kitchen while hubby took care of everything. After a quick TRX fix, I jumped back into the book I was reading on my new Kindle Fire!  I was invited back downstairs for the 1st of 3 courses!  Grilled eggplant with parmesan. Simple and heavenly with a drizzle of balsamic reduction. My wine glass was never empty, and the service was extra good looking :)  

                

Following the eggplant was a bowl of homemade Maryland Rockfish and Seafood soup.  With fresh rockfish in the fridge, thanks to my FIL's recent Chesapeake Bay fishing trip,  Steve created a soul warming bowl of seafood, veggies, and broth that I hope will be replecated many, MANY, times to come.

I was completely satisfied, and even still he hit me with a 3rd course. This time the rockfish fillets were marniated in olive oil and lime juice, before being grilled. They were accompanied by Israeli cous couse, with veggies and a garlic basil butter. The butter was not needed, but I couldn't stop from taking dips.  The rockfish by itself was unbelievable!

We cranked up all of the Christmas lights- all 2000 outdoor twinkling bulbs- and headed outside to toast my birthday, and celebrate with a few more surprises! 

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect welcoming into my 30th year! Being able to spend time with the people I love was the most perfect gift ever!

time to make the doughnuts...

I am pretty late to the doughnut pan party, but I have arrived none the less!! I am so glad I added this $10.00 bed bath and beyond addition to my mini muffin tin, mini bread loaf, mini tart collection of bakeware.  I do not pride myself in baking, but will on occasion create a healthier version of the good stuff that doesn't resemble cardboard. 

Enter the doughnut.

Traditional fried doughnuts glazed in sugar are fantastic, however as I creep closer to 30 (20 more days!!!) I need not be reminded of every naughty nibble.... hello metabolism melt down!!!




source

If you're a fan of the Lindt dark chocolate bar with sea salt, then make these as is. If salt and chocolate aren't your thing, cut the salt back. 

Baked Dark Chocolate Doughnuts

1 cup white wheat flour
1/4 cup agave nectar (won't make it too sweet- add more if you like but balance with a touch of extra flour)
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder (1 Tbsp Hershey's special Dark Chocolate and 1 Tbsp regular Cocoa powder next time I'm going for 100% dark chocolate!!!)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt (less if you aren't a fan of the salty chocolate combo)
2 Tbsp cocunut oil
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix dry ingredients (if you are using sugar instead of agave nectar, mix it in with the dry. I mixed the agave with the wet ingredients.)

Beat in room temp coconut oil.  Mix all wet ingredients together and combine everything in mixer.  Stir ingredients until just mixed. No need to overdo it and make a chewy doughnut. 

Use a spatula to move batter into a large plastic bag, snip off the end and pipe into the greased doughnut pan.  *** I have a tall coffee mug I put a quart sized plastic bag in and fold the top around the edge of the mug. It makes the transfer much easier.  I make a small snip on the bottom corner of the bag and pipe around once for each doughnut.  I fill between 1/2 and 3/4 of each mold.

Bake for 8-10 minutes and let cool slightly before removing from pan. Grease again and make any remaining doughnuts.  This made 9 total for us. 

I drizzled organic maple syrup over mine before dusting with unsweetened organic coconut. 

Sweet Tooth

I have a weakness, my sweet achilles heal, if you will! I am a sucker for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I also have super strong will power, and can usually avoid a full on chocolate peanut butter binge. When I came across this recipe, I knew I had to make it. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter balls....oh yes!

Mix 1 cup all Natural Organic Peanut Butter
1/4 cup organic maple syrup
1/2 cup Brown rice cereal

Roll into 2 Tbsp sized balls, and drizzle with melted chocolate.

Place in freezer until set (or store in freezer).  When ready to eat, let them sit out for about 10 minutes!

There are no words....

My newest obsession.. one of them

I have completely fallen in love with making granola bars. Every Sunday I look ahead at the week to see what kinds of food we have in the fridge, and plan a couple of meals for those nights when my brain cells are minimal.  I also throw together a batch of granola for quick easy breakfasts or snacks.  With anything, it gets  better with time and each batch is tastier than the last. The base is always the same, however each kind definitely has its own unique flavor and texture. Pumpkin Granola is soft- almost like a cookie. Cocoa Coffee granola is crunchy. Fruit and nut is pretty standard chewy granola.  No matter what flavor variety or texture it is awesome knowing what each ingredient is (and how to pronounce it).  
The base for it all starts with

3  cup old fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups Brown Rice Cereal- think  Rice Crispies but Brown.
1 1/2 cups Millet cereal
1/2 chopped almonds/ raw unsalted cashew mix
1 cup dried fruit (cherries are awesome!)
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup + an extra tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup (extra full) brown rice syrup
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup almond butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon cinnamon (I love cinnamon, if you aren't a fan use less)
dusting of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper.  Mix 1st 7 ingredients in mixer.  Heat and stir together remaining ingredients, and add to the dry ingredients.  Press evenly  into pan, and bake for 20-23 minutes.  Once finished, let it cool and cut into squares.

For different variations add ingredients to either dry mix or the melted mixture.  Make them your own! You can change up the nuts, dried fruits, and flavors to create any combo you'd like!

Cocoa coffee- I added 2 Tbsp Dark chocolate cocoa powder and 1/4 cup decaf instant coffee into melted mixture before pouring it on. I LOVED them, however hubby wasn't as big of a fan. I could munch on chocolate covered espresso beans all day though.

Peanut butter granola- I added a 1/2 cup of peanut butter, and cut the almond butter down to 1/4 cup.  It was very tasty, but very crumbly.

Pumpkin- add 1/4 cup pumpkin puree to melted ingredients.  Make sure to add 1/2 cup extra oats to dry ingredients to help balance out the wetness of the pumpkin.


I store these in an air tight container on the counter for the week. We are lucky if they aren't all gone by Friday!

Soup Kitchen

Soup is one of the most seasonal foods around. No matter what vegetables (or fruits!!) the season is producing, it is guaranteed to make a phenomenal soup.  Spring's asparagus soup, summer's gazpacho, and winters hearty beef stews can be joined by fall's roasted root veggie soup.  This creation was simple, and perfect for the first night of 30 something degree temps.  Add 1 fireplace, a few glasses of wine (or Oktoberfest!) and you have yourself the recipe for a cozy evening.

1 small sweet potato
2 celery stalk
3 cloves of garlic
2 carrots
1 large parsnip
1/2 white onion
1/2 large fennel
1 leek
Fresh Tarragon
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Cayenne pepper
Veggie Stock (4 cups)
water (about 3 or 4 cups)
1 cup white wine

Set oven at 425. Roast garlic in skin, in olive oil- I do the foil pocket with enough oil to cover for about 15/20 ish minutes. Once it's done is soft, sticky, and squeezes out of the paper. I LOVE the softer flavor of roasted garlic.
Cut all other veggies into cubes/ pieces roughly  1-2 inches big.  Onion can remain bigger.
Roast veggies for 30 minutes. 
Place veggies and garlic in a food processor (I ended up doing 2 batches in the food processor).  Pulse until smooth. It gets thick, so begin adding the veggie stock while in the processor.  Once it's your desired consistency (chunky or creamy smooth- my favorite!) put it in a large dutch oven. Once all veggies are blended, and in the dutch oven add any remaining veggie stock and wine.  My soup was super think, so I began watering it down to the perfect consistency for us.  It took about 3 cups of water, but add it to your taste.  Add fresh tarragon, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.  I would say we used about  1 1/2 Teaspoon of sea salt, loads of black pepper- and 1/2 teaspoon of Cayenne.  Tarragon was added while cooking, and as a garnish.  The fluffy fennel fur made a perfect garnish as well!  This soup is a welcome addition to my recipe collection, and I can not wait to make it again ... perhaps on Thanksgiving!!

will work for nachos!

Hubby and I are distinctly different in the kitchen. He cleans as he cooks, leaving minimal work to do after dinner. I pull out and use everything, and leave it for after dinner.  Double bonus when he cooks... and cleans... The other night Steve sent me out of the kitchen, and set to work on creating a dinner worthy of posting! I took a hint, and a nap on the couch, and patiently waited!  I have a bad habit of trying to control  help out... only to get in the way! Steve's creation was perfect in every way- just looking at the pictures makes my mouth water! I can't wait to be kicked out of the kitchen again!

Seafood Nachos

6 or so Large deveined shrimp
4 large scallops
2 pieces of flounder
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
homemade Pico de Gallo (his secret, not mine)
diced veggies (onion, red and green pepper, tomatoes)
tortilla chips

Lightly season flounder fillets (salt, pepper, garlic) and bake for 8 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Fish will flake when done!  When cooked, shred fish into flakes.  Saute scallops and shrimp- cut into small pieces.  Build nachos, layering cheese and veggies. Add seafood on top and bake until cheese melts.  Add pico on top and enjoy!

*** Update- I misspoke Hubs grilled everything!

The remedy

My kitchen...it houses some of my most prized possessions- a Kitchen Aid stand up mixer, a red cast iron dutch oven, a refrigerator filled with fresh foods, and my wine glasses. Not only does it hold my treasures, it leads to the deck!  A girl has to have priorities- hubby tries very hard to win my girly side over with jewelery. While I appreciate his effort, I am not the normal girl- I squeal with delight in my espresso maker and full size food processor.  So when our state was rocked with an earthquake and hurricane within a 5 day span I retreated to the kitchen (and grill). Nothing warms my soul more than spending time in the center of our home.

Enter juicy Steve-burgers (grilled during and after a pretty ginormous Thunderstorm)
1 lb 90/10 ground beef
heavy splashes of Worcestershire
2 cloves fresh minced garlic
black pepper and sea salt
dried spices for rolling


Mix beef, Worcestershire, garlic, salt and pepper together and form 4 balls. Flatten slightly and roll the edges in a mix of pepper and spices to taste ( I am partial to spicy mixes with lots of course pepper). Depress the middle of the burger and grill on medium high heat for 3 or 4 minutes per side. Add cheese as necessary. 
Steve won my heart and stomach by grilling me hamburgers early in our relationship. While we share the grilling duties these days, we often reminisce over the early days with every bite (he still outgrills me- and his burgers are hands down the best I've ever had!)

Nothing calms earthquake shocked nerves like juicy burgers with grilled potato wedges!



To soothe the pre-hurricane anxiety, pulled pork sandwiches are a must!  Whole wheat buns hold the perfect combination of spicy pork with broccoli slaw. 
My slow cooker did all the work in making the pork fork shreddable.  Low heat for 6 1/2 hours left a 5lb pork loin  perfect (and ready for sauce).  There's no use rewriting perfection- epicurious has it taken care of here.  Topped off with broccoli slaw, bbq is the answer to many ailments and anxieties.  I like my slaw more peppery and vinegary, and would dare judge anyone in their slaw consistency preferences. To my broccoli mix (lame- store bought in a bag!!! It was a hurricane after all)  I added 1/4 cup olive oil mayo (I'm hell bent on making my own mayo, just not today), small swirl of agave nectar, 2 Tbsp milk, and 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, heavy doses of pepper.

And if that hasn't taken care of restoring wrecked nerves, go here and make these.  I wouldn't dream of changing one of Jenna's masterful recipes. She is a bloggin' kitchen all star.  With trees dancing dangerously with each other- and a few tree casualties on our property- there was no sense in leaving the house yesterday.  Five hours spent baking bread did not seem unreasonable, and after 1 bite I began planning the next all day bake session!

Today brings sunshine and relaxation- time to enjoy it!!