Dinner with Raj & Jenny

We had our friends Raj Bhandari & Jenny over for dinner last night and this is what we made. It was a perfect evening eating a yummy dinner out on the deck with the boys and friends! It was topped off with Gigi's cupcakes (brought by Raj & Jenny) and Alex's orange chocolate port.

My version adapted from

Sweet-and-Smoky Baby Back Ribs with Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

Bon Appétit  | July 2000

by Steve Raichlen

Ingredients

• 6 Country Style Ribs
• 1/2-3/4 cup bourbon

• 1.5 tablespoons coarse salt
• 1.5 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1.5 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoons ground black pepper
• .5 tablespoon garlic powder
• .5 teaspoon ground cumin 
• Preparation Arrange ribs in large roasting pan. Pour bourbon over. Chill 30 minutes, turning ribs often. Pour off and discard bourbon.Whisk salt and next 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Sprinkle spice mixture on both sides of ribs. Baked at 250 degrees for 90 minutes then grilled at lowest temperature. Would recommend cooking longer in the oven, but due to time constraints. Could also let them sit with dry rub for an hour then bake then grill if time allowed.
• Bourbon Barbecue Sauce (a couple of my adjustments)
  Bon Appétit  | July 2000
  yield: Makes about 2 1/2 cups
  Ingredients
  • 1 cups ketchup
  • .25 cup mild-flavored molasses
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1.5 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
  • 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoons paprika
  • .5 teaspoon garlic powder
  • .5 teaspoon onion powder
  • .5 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  Preparation
  Combine all ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until sauce thickens and flavors blend, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; chill.)
  
  
  Amazing black beans adjusted from
  
  Kemp's Black Beans
  Gourmet  | April 2007
  
  
  yield: Makes 8 to 9 cups
  active time: 15 min
  total time: 2 1/4 hr
  Don't be fooled by the short ingredients list; these vegetarian black beans have a surprisingly complex flavor. Since I can't use a meaty bone or... more ›
  Ingredients
  • 1 lb dried black beans (about 2 1/3 cups), picked over and rinsed (but not soaked)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 c chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 cup tawny Port
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1-2 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon cumin 
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  Preparation
  Bring black beans, onion, oil, chicken stockc, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until beans are tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours (depending on age of beans). Thin to desired consistency with additional water. Stir in Sherry and remaining teaspoon salt, then soy sauce and vinegar to taste (start with 1 tablespoon each), and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. 
  
  
  Due to time I used two cans of black beans, rinsed them, added a cup or two of chicken stock and the rest of the ingredients minus the oil. Cooked it down. Served topped with Greek yogurt. 
  
  
  
  
  Kendall's Zucchini Cornbread Casserole
  
  2 cups shredded zucchini (squeezed to drain)
  2 cups shredded yellow squash (squeezed to drain)
  1 small onion, chopped
  1/2 of a large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  2 eggs, beaten
  1 (8.5 oz) packaged dry corn muffin mix - I prefer Trader Joe's (if use entire box double rest of the ingred)
  1/2 tsp. salt
  1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
  3 heaping Tbsp. Trader Joe's shaved Parm, Romano & Asiago cheese (can also use grated parm)
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 2 qt. casserole dish.
  
  In a large bowl, mix the muffin mix, eggs, salt and pepper.  Stir in all veggies, and half of the cheddar cheese and mix well.  Spread mixture into the greased casserole dish and top with the remaining cheddar cheese and the grated Parmesan.
  
  Bake for 1 hour

Busy, busy Fall!

We have had an extremely busy few weeks. I worked on making meals for Alex and the boys to eat while I went to Leonardstown, MD to visit, my best friend, college roomie, Becky and help her get ready for her husband Mark's big promotion party - he was promoted to Naval Captain! I made several meals with veggies/meats/seasonings to be kept in the freezer, then put in the slow cooker and 6-8 hours later a quick, easy, healthy meal!

I braved taking all three boys to Trader Joe's for the first time! I was desperate to get a few more things for Alex and the boys to have while I was gone. I talked to Evan that I needed him to be a good listener, that he was the big brother and needed to set a good example. We all did pretty well. As I pulled the cart into the lane to checkout he ran off and said "one more thing". He quickly returned with pink roses for me stating that they were my favorite color - I said yes it is (and it was true - at that moment pink was definitely my favorite color!) and purchased them to bring home and enjoy before I left.

While I was gone Alex camped out in our yard with all three boys - I don't think they got much sleep - but they had a great time (at least the boys did - ha!). They made strawberry ice cream, chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, went swimming with their Aunt Kristen, Uncle Trace, Elle & Cason, attended church, went out to eat - so I don't think they got a chance to miss me much. I loved & treasured our phone conversations! Evan and Avery both told me they loved me all the way to the moon & back again! They called on Monday to ask if I liked walnuts - yes I do in case you were wondering - and the cookies had some in them. Avery, Owen and Alex stopped on the way to the airport to get me a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. Evan was already at school (first day of pre-school) when I returned. I didn't get to take him to his first day, but I did get to pick him up and he had a container of cookies to surprise me.

We are now trying to get in the groove of Evan being in speech (8:00-8:30) each Tuesday and Thursday morning and then in pre-school (9:30-1:15) Monday through Thursday as well as their other activities. On Wednesday evenings we go to church for dinner & Evan & Avery both have choir & Mission Friends. On Thursday mornings after we drop off Evan - Avery, Owen and I head over to church for MOMS. Friday evenings Evan and Avery have soccer practice (they are both playing on the same team at PBC this year), Saturday mornings for the next seven weeks we will have a soccer game, then on Sundays off to church - whew! I am tired just typing about it - ha! So yes, if you figured that all out we have something every day of the week and I am at church with at least two of the boys FIVE days a week - and this is us consciously trying to keep their schedules minimal - ha! In November the family will start taking Tai Kwan Do. We discovered yesterday that Evan's new friend from speech, Trey, also takes Tai Kwan Do at Urban Revolution - so that will be fun for him to have a friend there already!

I am enjoying some one on one time with Evan in the afternoons after we get home from school. Avery and Owen take a nap then Evan and I have time to talk about his day, see what his teacher sent home with him, do site word cards... One day I asked him what he learned and he informed me he had learned to not climb on the fence! Considering he had told me at least two days that he had tried to climb it and fallen, I wasn't surprised - ha! This week they studied and learned about the letter "A". Each week they will cut out items that begin with a certain letter so at the end of the year it can create a book. Tuesday is "Show & Tell" day - this week he was supposed to take something that began with the letter "A". Monday I told him to go upstairs and get his Anniken (sp - sorry for any of you "Star Wars" fans I have offended) figure to take, he didn't and I did not remember to remind him again until I was on my way to pick him up from school on Tuesday - oops! We didn't do so well on week 1 of Show & Tell... I guess that gives us a way to improve for the "B" week! I really love that his teachers send out a newsletter at the end of each week explaining what the class did and possibly what to expect the next week. Evan is very excited about his new friends and I am glad to see the diversity in his class.

Another day Evan was playing with his Uno Moo game - the little boy looks kinda like him so I said that and he said no that only girls had eyes like that (yes, I am the only one in our immediate family with blue eyes - so I guess he figured only girls can have blue eyes - ha!) I told him that Cason has blue eyes. So he sorted out each of the playing pieces and found 4 of the boys - "Mommy, look, 4 Casons!" Too funny! You just have to love the way their minds work!

Currently some of the favorite snack foods for the boys - mangoes (in any form - freeze dried, dried, cut up), pretzels with peanut butter and pistachios - yes, pistachios - even Owen screams if he sees them wanting you to shell one for him to have - Evan and Avery can both shell their own.

Avery is STILL potty training - yesterday he went poopy in the potty all day and earned his new light-up Spiderman shoes - today he lost them for the day by pooping in his new monkey underwear (they are now gone forever). Owen has also started on his own - I came home one night - he walked in the bathroom and sat down on the little potty, I helped him pull down his pants and he pooped - they always make it seem so easy - they initiate it then BAM! A year or MORE later... I guess it keeps it all interesting. Avery has remained dry & clean for 10 hour car trips, but then refuses to continue this when we get home.

Today Uncle Trace & Cason came over. Uncle Trace cut Evan & Avery's hair then we all went out and played. They especially loved driving the cars around the tractor.I am hoping they will do much better with real cars when they are older - otherwise we are in for some real trouble. My favorite quote of the morning was from Cason - after hitting Owen with the big tractor, "he didn't move!". Ok... so we tried to explain that he is still working on walking and doesn't know to run from a moving vehicle when he sees it coming towards him - ha! At one point, Avery wanted to be on the little tractor that Owen was on, he tried to push him off and... yes, you may have guessed it - Owen didn't want to be pushed off and bit Avery. All were fine and survived the morning outside.

Today for lunch Evan and Avery managed to eat an entire container of strawberries and half a pineapple. I think they will eat us out of house & home prior to being teenagers! Time to go unload, load the dishwasher, change over laundry and start a new load, get the boys to take naps, get a shower... then off to soccer practice! But then the treat... Pizza Peel! Yum!

Tri-tip steak marinade, Twice baked sweet potatoes & Lemon Pecorino peas

 
Here is my version of the 6 hour tri-tip steak marinade - I adapted it from the Food Network. We used it on our tri-tip steak from What's Your Beef - so it is local & grass fed - AMAZING!!! We used the little bit of leftover steak to make a hash this morning for breakfast - YUM! I only did one 2 lb steak so I cut the recipe in half. It does seem like a crazy amount of some of the ingredients - the marinade is pretty thick - but I highly recommend it!

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh pressed lemon & lime juice
• 1 cup cold pressed olive oil
• 1/2 cup Stevia in the Raw
• 1/2 cup tamari
• 1/2 cup black pepper
• 1/2 cup garlic salt - I did a combo of dried garlic powder & pink Himalayan salt
• 1/2 cup chopped dried onions
• 2 (2-pound) tri-tips, trimmed

Directions

To make the marinade mix all of the ingredients except for the beef in a large mixing bowl. Place the trimmed tri-tips in a plastic container and pour the marinade over. Let stand in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

Heat grill to medium temperature.
Place tri-tips on grill at a 45 degree angle to establish grill marks and cook about 35 minutes, or until cooked to desired doneness. Remove the tri-tips from the grill and let rest about 2 to 5 minutes before slicing.


Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes - adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 4 Medium sweet potatoes
• 5 T chipotle salsa
• 1 c shredded cheese
• Black pepper to taste
• Plain Greek yogurt
• Ripe olives
• Green onions 

Directions

Bake the sweet potatoes at 350 degrees until tender all the way through. - let cool a bit. Cut in half, remove potato part, mash - add salsa, 1/2 the cheese & pepper - taste - add more salsa if you want it spicier - then stuff the potatoes with the mixture, top with the remaining cheese and bake for another 4 minutes. Remove & top with yogurt, green onions & olives.

Lemon Pecorino Peas - adapted from Weight Watchers Magazine

Ingredients

• One package of fresh English peas - we get the one from Trader Joe's
• Lemon zest from half a large lemon
• Juice from half a lemon
• Fresh grated Pecorino cheese

Directions
Cook peas as per directions or preference - we do ours for 3 minutes in the microwave - then put in bowl and mix with the zest, juice & cheese. Such an amazing and light flavor - I have never been a fan of peas, but these are really excellent.