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Hearty Sausage Baked Ziti

Posted on September 19, 2011 by amydeline

In high school, I was assigned a paper on William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience. I’ve never been much for poetry, but I loved those 18th century poems. There’s such a simple brilliance to the idea that the way we view the world changes with our experiences in life. And in his short, carefully crafted poems, Blake said so much about his perspective on life and the world he lived in. His message is timeless.

But it’s all about perspective, isn’t it?

My first baby

Before I had my children, I thought I loved my dogs as much as I could ever possibly love children. I made the mistake of once voicing this emotion and still get made fun of it to this day. But, at the time, I truly believed there could be no (parental sort of) love that was greater than what I felt for my pups. I loved them with every bit of love I thought I possessed. They were my babies.

And then I had my kids. And I quickly discovered an entire world of love I never could have imagined before. In retrospect, it sort of makes me feel a bit silly for believing that I loved my dogs as much as I would ever love my kids. But then, it’s all about perspective.

Furbaby meets human baby

For as long as I can remember, I dreamed about being a stay at home mom. I would gladly say goodbye to a successful career, years of time spent attaining advanced degrees and certifications, and a respectable paycheck, in order to care for my family. In my dreams, I was Suzy Homemaker. I baked pies every day and had adventures with my giggling children. My house was impeccably clean and my hair perfectly coifed. I’d enjoy quiet pastimes like crochet and tending to my garden. Perhaps I’d even start watching soap operas and collecting porcelain figurines. Who knows…

But then, that picture perfect image of 1950’s domestic bliss isn’t the reality, is it? In the real world, I can’t clean my house faster than the kids destroy it and for every giggle, there is a matching scream or whine. I certainly never considered I’d be scolding my child for pulling his pants down in the produce section of the grocery store. Oh, and there is definitely no time for tending to my non-existent garden or putting my imaginary crochet skills to use. And for every bit of joy and pride my children bring me, there are new fears and new challenges to contend with. And still, I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world.

Looking back on my early days as a stay at home mom, I remember how frazzled I felt. It’s astounding how one tiny baby can turn your world so completely upside down. I struggled to figure out my new life as the stay at home mom I’d always wanted to be. It was hard, even with only one baby. I missed my job. My job was less tiring…and it came with a lunch break. Yet, now, as a mother of three kids, being alone with just the baby feels like a vacation. It’s funny how quickly perspective can change.

My almost-three-year-old, back in his baby days

And although my dream of being a stay at home mom is not at all what I’d pictured it would be, I’m still living my dream and am thankful for it every day. If I were William Blake writing a poem about parenthood, my song of experience may not be nearly as rose-colored as my song of innocence, but it would communicate something much deeper; a level of emotion only the experience of being a parent can awaken.

My almost-three-year-old now, ready for nursery school

My second little cutie is turning three in a few days. Where does the time go? We’re throwing him a birthday party next weekend. With cool weather quickly approaching, I’m making a comfort food menu, with an Italian twist. I’m making my pepperoni pizza salad, a big batch of meatballs in marinara sauce, toasty garlic bread, and this hearty baked ziti.

Enjoy! It’ll warm your soul.

Hearty Sausage Baked Ziti

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ziti or penne pasta
  • 3 cups tomato pasta sauce, homemade or store-bought
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
  • 1 pound spicy Italian pork sausage

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent the pasta from over-cooking. Remove the sausage from the casings. Cook the sausage in a pan over medium heat for  7 to 8 minutes, until fully cooked. Use a fork or edge of a spoon to break it into small pieces as it cooks. Combine the cooked pasta with the pasta sauce, sausage, ricotta, parmesan cheese and about 2 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese. Pour the mixture into a large baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top. Bake for about 25 minutes, until heated through and lightly browned on the top.

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Shrimp Cocktail Bruschetta and a Dinner Party Plan

Posted on September 16, 2011 by amydeline

About a month ago, two of my favorite people in the whole world ran off to a funky little motel in the Catskills and secretly eloped. (This place looks seriously cool! You can check out some of the wedding photos on the Roxbury facebook page.) 

I was ecstatic when I heard the news. And then, almost instantly, my mind went into dinner party mode. If there were ever a perfect reason to throw a dinner party, this was it.

Don’t you just love the idea of a dinner party?? Good food, plentiful drinks, amazing company… I love every bit of it; planning the menu and decor, preparing the meal, presenting each course, coming up with a few special touches… It’s something that I wish we could do more frequently.

But with three little kids (including a teething four-month-old, who’s fully convinced that sleep is for suckers), it’s hard enough to get a simple macaroni and cheese dinner on the table on any given day of the week. The thought of preparing an elegant, five-course plated dinner for ten is a bit overwhelming even to consider. It can be done though. It just requires a little careful planning.

A carefully crafted menu is the most essential component of any successful dinner party (aside from your guest list, that is). For our feast, I wanted to use fresh, seasonal foods which would bridge the transition from summer to fall. In order to spread the preparation throughout the week and keep things as simple as possible during the party, I wanted to serve dishes which could be easily reheated without any loss of quality. And then the big thing… I wanted to be able to sit down to enjoy each course with my guests. I mean, who wants to spend the whole time in the kitchen while your guests are laughing at the table (and threatening to eat the cupcakes prematurely)??  My goal was to create a menu where each course could be effortlessly completed and served within ten minutes of the previous course.

Here’s what I came up with…

Sunrise Champagne Cocktail

***

Shrimp Cocktail Bruschetta on Toasted Baguette

***

Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart in a Pine Nut Crust with Balsamic Reduction

***

Seared Scallops over Sweet Potato Bisque with Applewood-Smoked Bacon

***

Braised Beef Short Ribs in a Fig and Red Wine Reduction

with

Creamy Brie Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Asparagus

***

Pumpkin and Nutella Wedding Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Aside from the anti-sleep demonstration, which my four-month-old staged throughout the entire party, the dinner went off without a hitch. Preparation between the courses was a cinch and everyone enjoyed the meal.

Interested in hosting your own simple and elegant dinner party? Here are a few little tips:

Start with a signature drink; something fun, unique, and fitting for the event. We were celebrating a wedding and what wedding celebration is complete without champagne?? My Sunrise Champagne Cocktail is a simple twist on a classic Bellini. Fill champagne glasses a little more than halfway with champagne. Top with passionfruit juice. Finally, drop about 1/2 teaspoon of grenadine into the glass. The grenadine will fall to the bottom and disperse, creating a beautiful layered color effect…an effect which happened to match the layered colors of the bride’s wedding dress. Coincidence? I think not.

As guests arrive and mingle, have some little hors d’oeuvres available. Keep ’em light though. You don’t want your guests to overfill their bellies before dinner. And, you don’t want to be busy in the kitchen fussing over snacks as your guests are arriving, so keep it easy. The shrimp cocktail bruschetta I served during our party is an ideal option. It takes the concept of a tomato bruschetta on toasted baguette and combines it with chunks of fresh shrimp and the flavors of cocktail sauce. Simply arrange on a platter and set out for your guests to enjoy. You’ll be free to greet your guests and enjoy a cocktail as you focus on preparing the first plated dinner course.

For the first plated course, serve something cool or at room temperature. It will make it easier to get things started. I served the heirloom tomato and goat cheese tart I recently shared with you. You can prepare and freeze the crust a week or more ahead of time. It takes only a few minutes to finish the tart on the day of your party. Pop it in the oven just as your guests begin arriving. It will make your house smell delicious and will be ready in perfect time for the first course. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with a drizzle of balsamic reduction.

Serve a soup as part of your second course. They’re easily reheated and offer a ton of options depending on the season. I served my seared scallops over sweet potato bisque with applewood smoked bacon. The bisque can be completely prepared a few days ahead of time. Refrigerate the bacon pieces and freeze the bisque to keep it fresh. During the party, you’ll only need to quickly sear the scallops and reheat the bisque and bacon before serving. Within 5 or 6 minutes, the second course will be ready to serve.

The main course should typically be the heaviest item on the menu. Try to plan something which gives you flexible timing. I served braised beef short ribs in a fig and red wine reduction. This dish is an ideal main course, since it actually does best when prepared a day ahead of time and can be reheated and held until you’re ready to serve. Preparing a day before allows the sauce to chill, making it easier to remove the excess fat which will rise to the surface. You can then adjust the seasoning of your sauce and slowly reheat the short ribs, keeping them hot and ready in the oven until it’s time to serve.

To keep things easy during the party, do whatever little preparations you can ahead of time. On the side of the short ribs, I serve creamy brie mashed potatoes, which can be fully prepared a day ahead of time, and roasted asparagus, which take only a few minutes in the oven. Get your asparagus ready for roasting by washing, cutting, and arranging on a baking sheet earlier in the day. Before roasting, toss in a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then simply pop them into the oven.

For dessert, serve something which can be made ahead of time and requires little or no preparation during the party. I served pumpkin-nutella cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. They made a beautiful centerpiece on the table and were ready to eat when the time came. This meant that I could sit back and relax once the short ribs were served…Well, I would have been able to sit back and relax if the aforementioned anti-sleep demonstration weren’t still underway. Alas, what can you do?? He’s lucky he’s so stinkin’ cute!

Recipes for the short ribs, creamy brie mashed potatoes, and cupcakes will be coming up soon! For now, let me whet your appetite with this simple and delicious shrimp cocktail bruschetta!

Shrimp Cocktail Bruschetta

Ingredients

  • 6-8 plum tomatoes, seeds removed and finely chopped
  • 2 cups shrimp, deveined, cooked, and chopped
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 3 teaspoons prepared horseradish
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Tabasco, to taste
  • 1 French Baguette, sliced
  • Olive Oil

Directions

Combine tomatoes, shrimp, green onions, horseradish, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, salt, and tabasco. Adjust seasoning as desired. Refrigerate until serving. Brush the slices of baguette with olive oil. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a 375 degrees oven until lightly toasted. Serve shrimp bruschetta topping with toasted baguette slices.

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Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Cinnamon Apples

Posted on September 7, 2011 by amydeline

And just like that, it’s fall. We were swimming on Sunday. Today, it’s raining and chilly enough for hoodies. Mother Nature doesn’t dilly dally around here.

Before we can blink, the leaves will be a rainbow of bright reds, burnt oranges, and golden yellows. And then the snow will hit.

Ugh. The snow. I still haven’t recovered from last year’s 179 inches. Do the math. That’s almost 15 whopping feet of snow.

I could do without Syracuse winters, but Syracuse falls are spectacular. I sometimes forget to appreciate the absolute beauty of where we live.

We brought in September with a visit to a local apple farm. The Paula Reds, an apple similar to McIntosh, were ripe for picking. After a quick tractor ride to the trees, the boys filled two baskets. I’m already planning our next trip back to enjoy the changing fall foliage and fill our baskets with another variety of fresh-picked apples…and maybe taste a bit more of the apple wine while we’re there!

There is no shortage of delicious ways to put fresh-picked apples to use. I decided to use a few of our apples to make a quick cinnamon apple topping, which would be delicious over ice cream or mixed in with a bit of yogurt and granola. Or, do as I did, and pair the apples with a creamy buttermilk panna cotta!

Buttermilk Panna Cotta

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup half and half, divided
  • 1 packet gelatin powder
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin powder over 1/4 cup of the milk. Set aside to allow the gelatin to bloom, or soften.

In a saucepan, combine the remaining half and half, buttermilk, sugar, and vanilla extract. Over medium/medium-low heat, gradually heat the mixture, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Once the mixture begins to bubble around the edges and the sugar is fully dissolved, gradually whisk in the gelatin mixture. Gently simmer for a minute or two, until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Strain, if necessary, to remove any undissolved gelatin chunks. Allow the mixture to cool to almost room temperature. Then, pour the mixture into small dishes or ramekins. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.

Serve in the dishes, topped with cinnamon apples (recipe below), or unmold to serve plated. To unmold, dip the bottom of the dishes into warm water for a few seconds. Use a knife to loosen the edges. Invert over your serving dish.

Easy Cinnamon Apple Topping

Ingredients

  • 4-5 apples, sliced or chopped
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the apples, sugar, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10-15 minutes, until the apples are quite tender and lightly glazed with the sugar and cinnamon.

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Corn and Bacon Fritter Cakes

Posted on September 5, 2011 by amydeline

I have a confession to make. Until moments ago, I had no idea what Labor Day was really all about, other than it being the weekend before school starts, the symbolic end of summer, a traditional occasion for grilling out, and the last day where it is appropriate to wear white. Does that fashion rule even still apply? 

Oh, I could have made some guesses, based on the holiday’s name; perhaps something having to do with working people or labor unions. But it took a visit to Wikipedia to learn the history and reason behind the holiday we’re celebrating today.

The worst part is that I’d never given much consideration to my ignorance about this particular holiday until my son asked me to explain it.

Me: Daddy has off from work tomorrow!

Little Man: Oh yeah? Why?

Me: Because it’s Labor Day.

Little Man: What’s Labor Day?

Me: Uhhhhhh…a day when Daddy doesn’t have to work? 

I feel ashamed. I am clearly one of the millions of Americans who are clueless about so much of our history. I can hear my Dad in my ear warning, Those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it.

I’m certain that I must have learned the history of Labor Day sometime back in my elementary school days. But I think that sometimes we’re just not prepared to appreciate that sort of history without the background knowledge or experience to latch onto. It’s not until we’ve experienced a bit of the world that these things start to really make sense. I think, as adults, we need to take the initiative to reeducate ourselves a bit, reread those classic novels, remind ourselves of the significance of things we’ve come to take for granted…

Do you know the history of Labor Day?

Let me tell you about a holiday I do know something about… International Bacon Day! It takes place every year on the Saturday before Labor Day. Did you celebrate? I certainly did. If you missed it, it’s not too late to pay your respects to bacon. (Bacon won’t mind that you’re celebrating two days late.)

If you’re in need of a suitable celebratory bacon recipe, I’ve got just the thing. My corn and bacon fritters pair delicious, crisp bacon with irresistibly sweet end-of-summer corn in a rich batter to form little fry cakes; slightly crisp on the outside, tender in the middle. Make them large and serve them as a side dish to broiled salmon or make them small, topped with bits of smoked salmon and creme fraiche for a fantastic little hors d’oeuvres!

Cheers to all of the working people who help to make our country great and cheers to bacon!

Corn and Bacon Fritters

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • Corn from 4 cobs, cooked (about 3 cups)
  • 8 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • Vegetable oil

Directions

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, lightly beat together the milk and the egg. Gradually whisk the milk and egg mixture into the dry ingredients to form a batter. Stir in the corn, bacon, and green onions. Heat a thin layer of vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Pour or spoon batter into the oil, as large or as small as desired. Cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side. Drain in a single layer on a paper towel to remove excess oil.

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Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart with Pine Nut Crust

Posted on August 24, 2011 by amydeline

Where have I been? Where have I been?  Well, I’ve been unsuccessfully working on composing this post for over a week now. In fact, it’s taken me so long to get this post completed, that I actually received a semi-panicked phone call from my dad, during the mutually agreed upon no-call hour (kids’ bedtime) to make sure I was ok. Awww… My dad checks in on me via this blog. I love that. And yes, I’m am fully ok. Just sucked into the time warp which is having a newborn baby and two very active young boys.

To be fair, I can hardly blame my absence on the baby. He is fully content to stay snuggled in my lap, quietly nursing, as I write. It’s my other two monkeys who leave me with minimal focused time for writing; the ones who are in a perpetual state of movement, mischief, and mayhem.

Oh, and the noise level… I have no words to describe the constant cacophony of assorted noises in this house; trucks, barking dogs, rockin’ guitars, the singing Handy Manny tool box, Spongebob on TV, laughing, screaming, whining, and some other toy that’s perpetually shouting letters at me. Even the puzzles make noise. I’m considering ditching all of these modern, noise-making toys, and bringing back some nice, quiet, battery-free tops, jacks, and jump ropes. Or perhaps I should just buy a set of heavy duty, noise-blocking headphones?

When all is said and done, it’s just been a bit tricky to write lately.

My posts may be few and far between these days, but we’re definitely still cooking! My busy little family needs to eat and summer produce is just begging to be devoured. It’s tomato season now; that time of year where tomatoes are so sweet and luscious, they really live up to their classification as a fruit. Now is the time to whip out those recipes which really showcase ripe tomato flavor.

I’m paying homage to a few beautiful heirloom tomatoes in a simple tart, paired with goat cheese, in a buttery pine nut crust. A bit of fresh basil pesto and a drizzle of balsamic glaze complete the dish. My children have aptly dubbed this recipe “rainbow tomato pie”. My grocery store carries an assortment of gorgeous heirloom tomatoes when the season is right, but specialty tomatoes are not a necessity for this recipe. A few ripe plum tomatoes from your garden or the grocery store will work perfectly.

The tart itself is a cinch to put together once you’ve prepared the crust. There’s no need to get complicated when the ingredients are so prime. Preparing the crust takes a little time, but the good news is that it can be prepared at any point ahead of time and frozen until you’re ready to use it. Freezing the dough in the tart pan prior to baking has the added benefit of reducing shrinkage during baking.

The key to preparing a perfect pie or tart crust is to keep the ingredients cold and avoid overworking the dough. To this end, you’ll want to keep all of your ingredients refrigerated until the moment of use. An extra cold surface, such as a marble slab, is helpful, but not mandatory. As you work, handle the dough as little as possible to prevent the butter from melting by the warmth of your hands.

Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart in a Pine Nut Crust

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 10 tablespoons butter, very cold
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons ice cold water
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 3 ounces goat cheese
  • 3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
  • Fresh Basil Pesto (Click here to see my basil pesto recipe.)
  • Balsamic Reduction/Glaze (optional)

Directions

To prepare the pine nut crust: Cut the butter into small chunks, then refrigerate to ensure it is very cold. Combine the flour and salt, then pour the dry ingredients onto your work surface. Add the butter to the flour and use a dough cutter or a fork to cut the butter into the flour mixture until the chunks of butter resemble very small peas. Form an “O” shape on your work surface with the mixture. Place the egg and cold water into the center of the “O”, then use your fingers to gradually draw the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Continue combining the flour mixture with the egg and water until a dough forms. Once the dough has mostly come together, add the pine nuts and gently knead the dough a few times, just until the pine nuts are evenly dispersed. Work quickly to avoid melting the butter. The dough should be firm and not too sticky. Add additional water, a few drops at a time, if necessary. Form the dough into a round disk shape, wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Once the dough is chilled, roll it into a round on a lightly floured surface, about 1/8″-1/4″ thick, wide enough to fit your tart pan. (A 9″ diameter tart pan, with a low edge and removable bottom is ideal for this recipe, but other tart pans can be used.) Carefully transfer the dough into your tart pan, gently press it into the bottom and sides, and use a knife to cut off any excess dough. Prick the bottom of the dough several times with a fork. Gently press foil over the dough to cover it and freeze for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake, with the foil in place, for 20-25 minutes until the dough appears mostly cooked. Then, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the dough is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool before assembling the tart.

While the tart crust cools, prepare the tomatoes by sprinkling with a bit of salt. Then, place the salted tomatoes in a colander to drain for about 30 minutes. The salt will help to draw out some of the excess liquid in the tomatoes in order to prevent a soggy tart.

To assemble the tart, spread a thin layer of basil pesto on the bottom of the tart crust. Sprinkle the goat cheese in an even layer over the pesto. Then, arrange the tomato slices on top of the goat cheese. Bake for about 25 minutes in a 375 degrees oven. Allow to cool slightly before serving. The tart is best served a little warm or at room temperature.

If desired, drizzle with a bit of balsamic glaze before serving. (You can purchase balsamic glaze at many grocery stores or prepare your own by simmering balsamic vinegar with some sugar or honey until it reduces into a thick, sweet glaze.) I highly recommend this finishing touch!

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Cheesy Stuffed Meatloaf

Posted on August 10, 2011 by amydeline

Let me preface this by saying that my father is an excellent cook. I have just as many fond memories from my childhood of my father’s cooking as of my mother’s. Even now, it is my father who is eager to fill the house with our favorite meals when we take a trip home. He’s got an instinct for delicious comfort food which can satisfy both the belly and the soul.

That being said, there was once a meatloaf that he will never live down; the meatloaf that even the raccoons wouldn’t eat. I can’t even remember what was wrong with it. I remember tomatoes and bacon. My father insisted it was delicious, but the decision was otherwise unanimous. The meatloaf was awful. So awful that even my frugal family decided to put the leftovers on the porch for whatever fuzzy woodland creature was looking for a meal. Sure enough, the meatloaf was still sitting on the porch in the morning; undeniable proof that the meatloaf was truly inedible.

The memory of that particular meatloaf made a strong case against meatloaf in my mind. For that reason, it’s a dish I rarely make. But, having found myself with a freezer full of ground beef (part of my attempt at trimming our grocery bill), I decided a meatloaf was in order. In my rendition, I added a bit of sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and melty provolone. Drizzle with fresh basil pesto and serve aside smashed potatoes and roasted asparagus for a delicious, satisfying meal.

Sorry raccoons…there aren’t going to be any leftovers for you this time!!

Cheesy Stuffed Meatloaf

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4-5 slices provolone cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, onion, and salt until well blended. (Get your hands in there to really blend it!) Then, form the mixture into a thick rectangle (about 8×10 inches). Place the slices of provolone cheese in a thin layer on the rectangle, leaving about a 1″ edge around the cheese on all sides. Roll the meat into a log, around the cheese. Then, thoroughly seal all of the edges and form the meat into a rectangular loaf. Bake for about 50-55 minutes, until the center has reached 165 degrees, as measured with an instant-read meat thermometer.

Serve with fresh basil pesto (click here for the recipe) and roasted asparagus (click here for the recipe).

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Apple Pie A La Mode Smoothie and a FREE coupon!

Posted on August 5, 2011 by amydeline

As you know, I love food. Food is so much more to me than just sustenance and nutrition. It’s more than just putting a meal on the table and feeding my family. It’s an experience. It’s a pleasure-inducing event. It satisfies me in a manner much deeper than just quenching my hunger. But this love of food comes at a great cost, not only to our waistlines, but also to our piggybanks.

I admit that, in the past, I have never been very conscious of shopping grocery sales or monitoring the prices of individual ingredients. I typically plan our grocery trips based on what we feel like eating or what looks fresh and delicious in the store, rather than basing our meals on sales or what we have in the pantry. This approach is deliciously satisfying, but puts our normal grocery spending off the charts. Lately though, I’ve been trying to become more conscious about our grocery spending; buying meats in bulk, planning a few less expensive meals each week, and even using coupons!

Now, couponing is something I’ve attempted in the past and never had much success with. I’d diligently clip my coupons, only to arrive at the store with a stack of savings on things I wouldn’t normally purchase anyway or things which would end up costing me more than other similar items, even after the coupon was applied. But, this time has been different. This time, I’ve started following a few couponing blogs, which have made things so much clearer. I get it now. Not sure why I didn’t get it before, but I get it now!

My Coupon Binder

I’ve learned about sale cycles, stocking up on items at their lowest prices, and matching up manufacturer coupons with store coupons and sales to get things for mere pennies or even for free. Yes, free! Why in the world have I been paying full price for toothpaste and toothbrushes when stores are giving away my preferred brands for free almost every week???  Silly, silly me!

I’ve become a little obsessed. I’ve even set up a binder to neatly organize my coupon collection. I refuse to sacrifice the quality of the foods we eat for savings, but why wouldn’t I try to save money on the things I’d normally buy anyway…money which I can put in my vacation fund for some grand, luxurious trip to a tropical locale, where I’ll overindulge in food, drink, and naps. I’ve already picked the place.

So, when I was contacted recently, by Foodie Blogroll (in partnership with Halogen Network), inviting me to help promote some new products from Dannon Activia Selects, with the opportunity to invite my readers to receive a coupon for free yogurt, I was immediately intrigued. When it comes to coupons, it doesn’t get much better than FREE!

My family goes through yogurt like it’s nobody’s business and Dannon is a brand I’ve loved since childhood. I was initially a bit hesitant about using this site to promote new products, but Dannon is a brand I can stand behind and this particular promotion gives me the opportunity to share my love for yogurt, coupons, and delicious smoothie recipes, so I agreed.

Dannon Activia, a yogurt with the added benefit of helping to regulate your digestive system, has recently introduced two new lines of yogurt. The first is a collection of smooth and silky French-style yogurts, which come in cherry, mango, blackberry, and cherry flavors. They’re also offering the French-style yogurt with fruit on the bottom in strawberry and mixed berry flavors. I’ve got to say, I’ve always been a big fan of Dannon’s Fruit on the Bottom yogurts, so I’m really excited to try these products.

The second is a line of thick and creamy Greek-style yogurts, which come in vanilla, blueberry, strawberry, and pomegranate berry. Greek yogurts are all the rage these days, and for good reason! They’re thick, smooth, and packed with protein. I haven’t had the opportunity to sample these yogurts yet, but the new Greek-style yogurts are top on my list to try!

You can try these new yogurts too! Simply enter a few pieces of information on the Dannon Activia website or Visit the Activia Selects Facebook page to get your FREE coupon now!

Now…you know I couldn’t let this post go without a recipe! One of my family’s favorite ways to enjoy yogurt, aside from straight out of the container, is mixed into smoothies. And this smoothie is a good one! So, use your free coupon to pick up some of this new yogurt and then give it a try in this fantastic smoothie which has the taste of a delicious slice of apple pie a la mode! (Dannon Activia’s Greek-style vanilla yogurt would work perfectly in this recipe!)

Apple Pie A La Mode Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 4 granny smith apples
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt
  • 1/4 cup apple juice
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ginger

Directions

Peel and core the apples. Cut the apples into small pieces, then toss in the lemon juice. Freeze for a few hours in a covered container. To prepare the smoothie, blend the frozen apple pieces with all other ingredients until smooth. Garnish with a fresh slice of apple and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

This sponsorship is brought to you by Activia Selects who we have partnered with for this promotion.

FREE coupon offer good 8/3 /11 – 8/15/11, up to 1 million coupons, on any Activia Selects Single Serve, up to $3.00. One coupon per household. Offer valid in the U.S only. VOID IN LA, NJ, CA. Coupon valid until 8/15/11.

Residents of LA, NJ, CA will be given a ‘$1 off 3 Activia Selects’ coupon.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this post! Would you enjoy future opportunities to hear about new products and potentially receive free coupons or samples? Or should I just stick to the recipes and leave the advertising elsewhere?

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Polish Pie Pierogi Bake

Posted on July 29, 2011 by amydeline

I considered opening this post with a Polish joke. You know, something along the lines of An Irishman, a German, and a Polish man walk into a bar… But, comedy is not my strong suit and I can never quite remember the punchline to jokes. Or, I remember only the punchline, but haven’t the foggiest idea of how to get there. Watching me try to tell a joke is often the funniest part of the joke I’m trying to tell. Either way, it’s probably better that I stick to the food and leaves the jokes to the jokers.

My Polish Pie is not really a pie at all, no more so than a shepherd’s pie or a cottage pie qualifies as pie. But the name just seems to fit. The idea first struck me a few weekends ago, when we drove past a local Polish festival. As we waited at the stoplight, tapping our feet to the catchy tunes of a live polka band, the distinct aroma of kielbasa flooded our car. My husband made some quip about pierogies and kielbasa.

Mmmmmm… Pierogies!!

And in that moment, an idea began to take shape. Why couldn’t I create a baked pierogi dish, starting with frozen pierogies, in the same way that people make baked ravioli casseroles? Seemed like it should work. And it seemed only logical that the dish should include slices of kielbasa. I decided on sweet, caramelized onions and a rich cheddar cheese sauce to complete the dish.

This is not a pretty dish. It’s got that sort of sloppy, mixed up appearance that most casseroles end up having. (I think I’m going to skip the photo I took of it spooned onto my dinner plate.) But, what it lacks in appearance, it more than makes up for with flavor. Best yet, you can use leftover kielbasa and caramelized onions to make the most fantastic frittata!

Polish Pie Pierogi Bake

Ingredients

  • 1 box frozen potato and cheddar pierogies
  • 1/2 Polish kielbasa, halved and sliced
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 1/4 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4-1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray the inside of a baking dish (9×13 or smaller) with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the dish with the frozen pierogies.

To prepare the onions, heat one tablespoon of butter in pan over medium heat. Add the onions. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender, sweet, and golden brown. Scatter the onions over the frozen pierogies.

Scatter the kielbasa slices over the onions.

To prepare the sauce, melt the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour until well-blended. Cook for a minute or two. (This is your roux, which will help to thicken the sauce.) Gradually add the milk, whisking until smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until it begins to thicken. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheddar cheese. Stir until melted. Season with a touch of salt and pepper. (Be careful not to over-salt the sauce, since the kielbasa will add a good amount of salty flavor to the finished dish.)

Pour the sauce over the mixture in the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Bake for about 40 minutes.

Kielbasa and Caramelized Onion Frittata

Bonus recipe for leftover kielbasa and caramelized onions:

Kielbasa and Onion Frittata

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly beat 7-8 eggs in a bowl with about 1/4 cup milk. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon of butter in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Swirl the pan so that the butter coats the bottom and sides. Add the eggs to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the bottom begins to set. The top should still be quite loose. Scatter leftover slices of kielbasa and caramelized onions into the egg mixture. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the eggs have completely set and the top is golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.

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Ginger Peach Sangria

Posted on July 20, 2011 by amydeline

This week will forever be known as the week we got the windows replaced, the week we toured the Syracuse public restrooms, and the week mommy officially lost her mind.

It’s hard living the gypsy life with three very young children in 95 degrees weather. Even the fun adventures I’d planned to keep everyone engaged have gone wildly awry. Who even knew it was possible to not have fun while enjoying a picnic at a beautiful park on a sunny day with bubbles and a gigantic bouncy ball??? I’m here to tell you that it’s entirely possible.

In fact, the best part of today was the hour I drove the kids around in our air-conditioned Honda Pilot while two out of the three napped and the third watched Up on our second row DVD entertainment system. Did you know that gypsies drive well-equipped Honda Pilots?

To say that this has been a tiring week is an understatement. The level of exhaustion involved in caring for an extremely active preschooler, a potty-training toddler, and a breastfeeding newborn everyday, for an entire week, from the trunk of my car, is overwhelming. It’s akin to having taken the three of them through Disneyworld on a hot summer day, by myself, only a heck of a lot less fun. We’ve tried to make the best of a tricky situation, but it’s been tiring for us all.

The weather is expected to hit nearly 100 degrees tomorrow. I’m planning to keep the kids in the air-conditioned mall most of the day, since the outdoor activities I’d planned for today were such a bust. The new windows are almost completely installed. I think we’re going to make it through this odd week (with sanity partially intact).

In the mean time, mommy needs a drink. An iced cold drink. Something of the adult beverage variety. How about an icy pitcher of ginger peach sangria??

Yes, please!

(Oh, and in case you’re wondering…our local Wegmans takes the prize for best ambience in a public restroom.)

Ginger Peach Sangria

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, very finely grated
  • 3/4 cup peach schnapps
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1-2 white peaches, chopped
  • 1-2 granny smith apples, chopped
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1 large (1.5 liter) bottle Pinot Grigio or other dry white wine

Directions

Combine the water, sugar, ginger, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Stir until sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat and allow the liquid to cool to room temperature. Add the peach schnapps and the fruit. Transfer the mixture to a pitcher and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight. Add the white wine. Refrigerate until well-chilled. Pour over ice.

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Asian-Style Fish Tacos

Posted on July 18, 2011 by amydeline

We’re having the windows in the entire house replaced this week, turning a couple of windows into doors, installing new shutters; the works. We’re ecstatic.This project has been long awaited and will be a huge improvement to our home. But due to the age of our house and New York state laws regarding the presence of lead in the paints used around the old windows, I’m required to keep the kids out of the house while the work is being done. Makes sense, but leaves me in a bit of a pickle; semi-homeless for the week with a four year old, two year old, and a two month old in tow. Oh dear!

Oh, and did I mention that we’ve got a houseful of weekend guests arriving on the last day of the window installation?? This ought to be an interesting week.

As a result of our temporary displacement, I don’t expect to be cooking or writing very much this week. We’ll be living off of the BBQ Beef Chili, Sweet Honey Cornbread, Sausage, Rapini, and Bean Ragout, and Chicken Tikka Masala I’ve got stocked in the freezer. We’ll be back to cooking once I’m allowed back into my home. In the mean time, here’s a tasty twist on fish tacos; pan-seared tilapia fillets, combined with a crisp broccoli slaw and a spicy hoisin-peanut sauce. Enjoy!

Asian-style Fish Tacos with Broccoli Slaw and Hoisin-Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

For the Broccoli Slaw:

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 cups broccoli slaw mix (julienned broccoli, carrots, and red cabbage)

For the Hoisin-Peanut Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/8 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon red curry paste (or Cayenne Pepper)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

For the Fish:

  • 4 tilapia fillets
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Vegetable Oil
  • 4 small flour tortillas

Directions

For the slaw: Combine mayonnaise, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt, and cayenne until well blended. Add the broccoli slaw mix. Stir until combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, stirring occasionally to distribute the dressing.

For the sauce: Whisk together all ingredients until smooth. If preparing ahead of time, refrigerate until serving. The sauce will become thick when cooled. Warm for a few seconds in the microwave to loosen up the sauce before serving.

For the fish: Combine the flour, salt, and cayenne pepper on a plate. Press both sides of the fish fillets into the flour mixture. Shake off any excess. Heat a few tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the fish fillets into the hot oil. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until the outside is golden brown and the inside is fully cooked. Place on a paper towel to remove excess oil.

To assemble the tacos: Warm the flour tortillas for a few seconds in the microwave or a warm oven. Place a mound of the broccoli slaw on one half of each tortilla. Place a fish fillet into each tortilla. Drizzle with the hoisin-peanut sauce.

Makes 4 fish tacos

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The Gourmand Mom

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