January 1st, 2013 with Mama

I am trying to use my blog a lot more. So excuse me if there is a lot of randomness. I will really try hard to post some recipes here soon. I plan on baking a lot this week. Especially as my oldest has the week off this week!! This means more cooking and baking with the little ones, more half naked kids running around, sleeping in, playground visits, riding the streetcar around town, cuddling, and most of all driving my husband bonkers.

Today we celebrated big and loud with the exception of my lil man. He hates loud. But we like to scream as loudly as possible around the house after the "ball drops" to rid the house of any evil negative energy. 

Here are some photos from today and some 40 minutes prior to 1st

I dusted (wanted a clean start)

We celebrated with balloons.

With champagne and "champagne" for the little ones.

\

Even Candy Cane shot glasses (full of orange juice)

I baked cookies on New years Eve

I made our traditional doughnut breakfast

Cooked a good meal- Ribs with homemade asian bbq sauce, braised cabbage. and black eyed pea salad mm mmm mmmmm. and some wine ;-)

played barbies. they play with one another anyway they can 

Watch the kids get along in 10 minute spurts.

What a great day. I hope to end everyday reflecting on all the positive and learning from what didn't go well. Lately, more than ever, it's important to me to focus on what's happening right now. Sure I have preparations to make, but I will not let it consume me and distract me from what's going on now.

I hope everyone had a wonderful 1st of January. Hope this year is a great one for you all!!!!

Homemade Glazed Donuts and Apple-Pecan Muffins

One tradition I read about whilst making my New Year's Day dinner menu was that round or ring shaped desserts are considered lucky foods. So round cakes and pastries are generally ate on the first day of the New Year. So what round dessert did I go with?? DONUTS!!! Yeah, I want to eat healthier, but how can you NOT want want to make your own donuts? I love challenges and I took this one on.


I immediately googled 'Homemade Doughnut Recipes" and saw that Ree Drummond of the amazing blog The Pioneer Woman had a recipe. I read on and I didn't just want, but NEEDED to try this recipe.



They turned out even more amazing than I thought they would be! They're so light and airy and not overly sweet  and dense like a lot of donut places. I HIGHLY recommend you make these whether you're on a diet or not. Make them for a pot-luck, birthday, Martin Luther King Day, a good hair day, because it's Tuesday just do this!!!! I posted the photos of these lovely rings of awesome on my personal Facebook, flickr, and twitter pages and got so much positive feedback so I had to share with my blog friends and readers!!! Check out the full recipe with amazing photo tutorial HERE.


Please check out Ree's post so you can share her delicious donuts with your friends and family....hell don't share them. You have my permission!


On to a less guilty recipe. And it's from you guessed it....Ellie Krieger! This woman is phenomenal and she really gets me into the idea that eating healthy should be normal not something you do occasionally. Every recipe I've tried by her has been amazing, and I've developed my own delicious healthy recipes because of her.

Since school is starting back soon, I thought a healthy energizing muffin would be excellent. Great for breakfast, after school snack, with coffee; anytime you need a picker upper! They're sweetened mostly with no sugar added apple sauce,  tender apple chunks and the deep molasses flavor of brown sugar. Topped with my favorite pecans and brown sugar, you will for sure have a big hit with your friends and family!! My whole family loved these gorgeous apple-filled treats. Give these babies a shot!!!



Apple-Pecan Muffins
Ellie Krieger
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (i used regular whole wheat flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup natural applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
• 1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-capacity muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, the pecans and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, stir with a wooden spoon the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and oil until combined.

 Add the eggs, 1 at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the applesauce and vanilla.

Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Stir just until combined.

 Gently stir in the apple chunks.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pecan mixture. 

Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Cool completely on the rack.

Crab Stock and He Said Yes!

Happy 2011!!! Hope everyone rang/is ringing the New Year in with a bang! Here in Germany you don't have much choice. The fireworks starts going off at least a week prior. It's nice, but I have 3 sleeping babies! Or babies who SHOULD be asleep.

Me? Found out my kitchen sink has a leak. So besides that, I am happy to see another year and to have a lovely healthy family.


So you're wondering who said yes? What are you talking about NOW Mama?


I proposed to my husband (well I did last month)! We've only been married for 3 years and together for 4 years, but our union was not romantic one bit. We were just trying to get the paperwork done and be together which all should matter in the end. I literally went to the Justice of Peace, said my vows, ate a Doner Kebap then went back to work not the sexy work, but work work. Not so romantic, so I want a nice party. Not a big party, but a little party with us and a couple friends. I want to make the cake and the food and even have my hand at the designs with the help my good friend Becca.

 I am SOOOO nervous, but I am going to do it.....by November. Now that I've posted this on my blog, it better happen! Shit! What inspired this was the amazing wedding/post wedding blogs I follow. Their wedding days looks so amazing and I felt guilty that I don't celebrate love. We don't even have a photo from the day we got married. We're too laid back and I want to change that. Not in an extreme way, but instead of babysitting friends children on my anniversary, I will have others babysit my little ones so I can spend quality time with my amazing  husband.

Our SECOND date. That was a shirt I swear, mom.

So to do that I have to tap deeper into my creative side. I've been inspired by the craft blogs I read, I started with my New Year's Day table. Probably not AMAZING. But  it was cheap. Most of the decor came from the 1 Euro store!!! The wreath in the middle was 1 euro cent!



I am starting small. I am not a resolution kind of girl.  Last year my New Year's resolution was "not to get pregnant". My husband had a vasectomy a few months prior so...yeah I better not have gotten pregnant for many reasons!


Another way I am challenging myself this year is of course in the kitchen. Looking to blow your minds with delicious recipes that's range from easy to "DAMN I'm good" challenging. So be ready :)


If you ever make a seafood stew or creamy sauce using homemade stock will make it amazing. I've made chicken and turkey stock, but not seafood. And it's difficult to find here in Germany (even at the commissary). Besides, homemade stock is far more amazing than store-bought anyway!


 For my New Year's Day Menu, I am making a dish featuring crab meat and I be damned if I use the canned crab. So instead I used frozen crab legs which I boiled, cooled, removed meat and saved the shells. Instead of throwing away those shells, I had just enough to make stock!


Awesome foodie Salty Seattle suggested over twitter that I add mirin or fish sauce to flavor the broth. I used fish sauce. This broth is rich, flavor, delectably fragrant and I am excited to put use to this amazing stock!
HI!
Crab Stock
Adapted from epicurious.com
2 pounds picked-over crab shells (cracked or chopped) and /or crab bodies (cut into 1-inch pieces, carapace discarded; see Cook’s Notes), crab tomalley, and, if necessary, shrimp shells or lobster carcasses  2 quarts water
1 medium to large onion, coarsely chopped
1 to 2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes (tomato "guts" or canned or fresh)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 dried bay leaves
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Splash of mirin or fish sauce
Kosher or sea salt

Directions

1. Place the crab bodies, shells, and tomalley (and optional shrimp shells or lobster carcasses) in a 6- to 8-quart stockpot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil, skimming the white foam from the surface of the stock. (Using a ladle and a circular motion, push the foam from the center to the outside of the pot, where it is easy to remove.) Reduce the heat so the stock cooks at a fast, steady simmer.

2. Add the onion, celery, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and thyme, and let the stock simmer and cook down for about 1 hour. The liquid should just cover the crab shells as the stock cooks; if it doesn’t, just add a little water.

3. Season the stock lightly with salt, mirin/fish stock. Taste for a rich flavor; if it seems light, simmer for about 20 minutes longer.

4. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer. If you are not going to be using it within the hour, chill it as quickly as possible. Cover the broth after it has completely cooled and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Crispy Pork with Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce AND Triple Chocolate Cookies

I had intended on making a blog post on just the Crispy Pork with Dipping Sauce last night, but when I was trying to set up the shot, my daughter knocked over my tripod and broke my new lens! I was gutted, but it was an accident and just material things. I seriously did cry (don't look at me like that) but I did forgive my daughter almost instantly. She was genuinely sorry and very apologetic! My husband was able to fix it, but the auto focus is kaput. Makes it a bit more difficult, but still doable :) Anyway, the photo isn't the best, but this recipe is damn good and easy. 

Crispy Pork with Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce
Inspired by BBC Good Food
Can be doubled but I recommend you triple this- it's that darn delicious!!!
Ingredients
1lb pork belly
2t 5 spice powder (I made mine homemade)
Coarse Salt such as Kosher or Sea Salt
For Dipping Sauce
4 tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 teaspoons fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
2 T brown sugar
1 T honey (optional)
1 scallion finely chopped
Directions:
Rub the pork with the five-spice and 2 tsp sea salt then leave, uncovered, in the fridge for at least 2 hrs, but preferably overnight. When ready to cook, heat oven to its maximum setting. Lay the pork on a rack over a roasting tin, making sure the skin is exposed. Roast for 10 mins before turning down the heat to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4, then leave to cook for a further 1½ hrs. Have a look at the pork - if the skin isn't crisp, turn up the heat to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7, then cook for another 30 mins until crisp. Leave to rest on a board for at least 10 mins.

To make the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients together with 2 tbsp water. Cut the pork into small pieces, then serve with the sauce, plus boiled rice and steamed greens, if you like.




Next recipe!
Since we're trying to eat a bit healthier after a smorgasbord of cakes, cookies, cakes, rich meat and cheese, cakes, pies, drinks AND cakes I thought I'd make one of my favorite "healthy" or rather healthier than your normal cookie cookies. This recipe is courtesy of Ellie Krieger. I tried this recipe last summer and the whole family loved it. They couldn't believe it used whole wheat flour and canola oil for butter! Great if you have a sweet tooth you just can't kick if you're trying to eat a bit healthier. The addition of nuts and dried fruit is optional, but it gives the cookies a but body and crunch. I made them without nuts and fruit last year and they were still amazing....tasted like mini brownies actually.


For this recipe I recommend you use valrhona or natural cocoa powder :)



Triple Chocolate Cookies
Ellie Krieger
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (or regular whole wheat flour, as I did!)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
1/3 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate (2 ounces)
1/3 cup coarsely chopped milk chocolate (2 ounces)
2/3 cup chopped pecans, optional
1/4 -1/2 cup dried cherries, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mash together the butter and sugars with a fork until well combined. Add the oil and egg and beat until creamy. Mix in the vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. 

Stir in the dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and the pecans and mix well. Using a tablespoon, scoop the batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

 Bake for 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.