Happy Birthday, My Darlings!

Did you all know that today is Julia Child's birthday?  She would have been 99 today.  I first discovered Julia in elementary school.  I remember watching The French Chef everyday after school with my mother and my grandmother.  I was fascinated with everything she did and couldn't wait to grow up and have my own "Julia inspired" dinner parties.  Those were the days before the Internet or Food Network - the world had never seen anything like Julia Child.  She changed the way we thought about food.  She taught us it's okay to make mistakes and not be perfect.  She showed us it's okay to have fun in the kitchen. And she gave us the courage to experiment.  My favorite Julia Child quote is " Remember, you are all alone in the kitchen and no one can see you".  So True ~

Have you seen the movie Julie and Julia?  I LOVED this movie! Meryl Streep was incredible as Julia Child.  {On a side note I adore everything that Nora Ephron directs.  She is responsible for most of my favorite movies: When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, and now I can add Julie & Julia to the list.  She's another one of my hero's that I'll talk about another time}.  Anyway, I loved getting to know Julia in a whole new way.  She was a strong, determined woman who had husband who loved and adored her.  She also lived in Paris which that in itself is enough to make my heart sing.  Just another reason to love Julia. 

This movie was also my first introduction to a new thingy called "blogging".  Until then I was not that familiar with it.  Fast forward a few years and her I am with a food blog of my own.  You think subconsciously the movie might have had something to do with my motivation to do this blog? Maybe just a little bit....wink, wink...

Speaking of birthday's we had a very special one on Sunday.  We celebrated my son's 4th birthday with family and friends. All gathered around my kitchen table we ate meatball subs (by request - they are my son's FAVORITE), chicken salad sandwiches, Caesar salad, calzones, and fruit salad. 

The chicken salad sandwiches are my Dad's specialty.  He has a secret blend of seasonings he uses and also adds dried cranberries, which is a delicious touch.  He even has a special stainless steel bowl he uses just to mix the chicken salad.  I found this out when I accidentally borrowed it once. This is serious. 

Instead of birthday cake we had cupcakes, ice cream, and an Italian trifle that my mother made.  She soaks (almond toast) biscotties in rum and layers them with vanilla pudding, chocolate pudding, cool whip, and cherries.  It's sooooo good (and has a little zing to it...: )

I'll post the recipe and further instructions for that later in the week.  You can see it there on the left in the picture above.  There was not much left by the end of the party.  I polished off the last of it for breakfast this morning. I'm not kidding.

My kitchen/living room area is on the smaller side and whenever I entertain a large group I worry it will be too close for comfort.  I do love having an open layout,  however, sometimes I wish I had one of those TV sitcom kitchens with the swinging door - like on Threes Company.  Mental note for next house : )

Overall the party was a success.  My little one loved having his cousin's over to play with and got many, many generous gifts from family and friends.  He's a very lucky boy.  He happily played all day and meltdowns didn't occur until the end of the night (once the cupcakes kicked in).  He was smiling all day and that's all I could ask for on my baby's birthday.  He makes us so happy every day!!!! 

My-my, how four years have gone by fast.  I can't write about this now or I will cry.  Truly.

Because my son's birthday and Julia Child's birthday are just one day apart I wanted to add something "Julia inspired" to the party.  This was not easy considering it was a Thomas the Tank Engine themed party, but Julia and I are kindred spirits and this is what I came up with.

For an appetizer I made Pear, Walnut, & Ricotta Costini.  I didn't get this recipe from Julia, but I felt like it would be something she would serve - maybe at a birthday party of her own - in Paris perhaps.  They are simple and elegant, slightly sweet but not overpowering.  All you need to make them is:

ricotta cheese

pear slices

chopped walnuts

salt & pepper

honey

For crostini I used a french baguette, cut into 1" slices, and toasted for 5 minutes in the oven.

Spread ricotta cheese evenly over crostini.  Season with salt and pepper.

Apply each piece with a ripe pear slice.  I used Bosc Pears with the skin on.

Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

I have to admit my son was much more interested in the crackers and cheese, but the adults liked them : )

I think I might have become slightly addicted. Several got consumed while preparing this platter.  eeek!


Today was a rainy day so we didn't go to swimming lessons.  We spent the day in our pj's assembling train tacks, reading directions, playing with new trains, and riding a scooter up and down the hallway.  What better way to spend the day after a party.

Nothing can stand between a boy (well, my boy) and his trains.

Life is good at four years old!

Rainy Summer Sunday

This past Sunday was rainy and gloomy.  I'm sorry to say that when I woke up on Sunday morning the weather matched my mood.  I was in a funk.  You the know that Carpenters song "Rainy Days and Mondays"? Well that was me, except it was "Rainy Days and Sundays".  I usually love the rain and I always love Sunday's - I just had things on my mind.  Too many to mention or even sort out.  I think that was part of the problem.  Anyway, Rob the hubbie, must have known things weren't good with me because this is what I saw when I came out of the bedroom.....

He pulled out three sections from the Sunday paper that he knew I would love - An article on Lucille Ball (because it was her birthday on Saturday), a flyer with coupons for a Michales that just opened down the street, and my favorite - the travel section which spotlighted Paris - my city of lights. Smart man.  I poured myself a coffee (which you can see is already half gone) and mentally checked out for a few minutes.  After the coffee kicked in and I read my papers I began to feel a little better.

Whenever I have things weighing on me I need to be productive in some way, shape, or form.  I know I can't solve all the problems in the world, or even please half the people I know - so I do what I know I can do.  I put a pot of sauce on the stove and let it simmer.  The house started to smell good and I felt myself moving a little faster.  Funny how bubbling tomato sauce can generate energy. 

There was lots to do around the house.  Like this....

This is what Sunday mornings look like around here.  The "boys" were downstairs playing trains, so I decided to tackle this mess in the living room - which was abandoned.  I had to or else I wouldn't have been able to vacuum.  I don't mind organizing and cleaning.  I have to know where everything is, so when a little person asks me "Mom, where is (fill in the blank)?" I will know.  Mom's are smart like that, aren't we?

After all the cleaning was done I was able to do some "flowering".  I picked a bunch of flowers from the yard on Friday but hadn't had time to cut or arrange them.  Since I was feeling drab anyway I thought a little color would cheer me up.  The rain was pouring and the wind was howling, but in my kitchen was a rainbow.

I have a slight obsession with small vases.  I have them all over the house, just so I can have little bursts of blooms in every room.  This one is actually a creamer with a picture of a cow on it.  I love using it as a vase.

While I was "flowering" I was thinking about everything from scheduling my next dentist appointment, to The New Jersey Housewives (another obsession), to what I will be feeling on my son's first day of preschool - Terror? Anxiety? Joy????.  Maybe all of the above?

That's a very broad spectrum, wouldn't you say?  Funny how your mind can wander from one thing to the next when you are trying to keep busy.   

The little vase on my dresser is milk glass.  I have a small collection of milk glass that grows a bit bigger each year.  I look for it in junk stores and at yard sales.  I love it so much.

These flowers brightened up my bedroom : )

The little box you see on the right was a gift from my parents.  It came with beautiful stationary in it and was given to me Just Because. Those are the best gifts. So thoughtful.  I love it so much that I took out the stationary and decided to use it for a jewelry box.  It's perfect!

Back in the kitchen to spruce things up, this is a depression glass juice glass that I think makes a pretty vase for roses.  Pink with pink is a cute combination.

More milk glass....  I got this pitcher as a hostess gift last spring.  I've always used it as a vase. 

Puttering can really make the time go by fast, and although I didn't solve all my problems, I was productive and did make the house look pretty.  What more could I ask for on a rainy summer Sunday?  Maybe a nice dinner with my family and time to count my blessings.  Got it. 

And guess what?  I realized there is a good thing about days like this.  They never last.  Eventually, the sun comes out, all your troubles fade away and instead of gloom and doom, your mood feels more like this -

Oh, what a feeling!

Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Back in March I posted a recipe for spinach and artichoke dip, but I didn't include any pictures. I just made it again on Saturday night and this time I had my camera handy, so I thought I would snap some photos. 

This dip reminds me of one of those hot and bubbly spinach & artichoke dips I used to get at TGI Friday's back in the 80's - only better.

It's easy to make and always a crowd pleaser. 

(Plus it's got two veggies in it - how bad can that be? =)

Here's what you need to make it:

2 boxes frozen chopped spinach
1 Tbsp butter
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 (14oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
½ cup sour cream
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook spinach according to directions. Drain well.

Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cream cheese and garlic. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until cream cheese melts.

Fold in spinach, artichokes, sour cream, and ¼ cup mozzarella cheese. Stir until cheese melts.

Transfer mixture to a 1-qt. shallow baking dish.

Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup mozzarella cheese. (I always go heavy on the cheese….: )

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Goes great with any kind of chips or crackers, but I prefer to serve it with Stacy's Pita Chips (they are sooo good : - )

Enjoy!

I could seriously eat this dip for dinner, but don't worry I didn't.  Ironically on Sunday my parents came by and brought these....

This is a stuffed artichoke that my mother made. (This one is mine cut in half, but she made enough for everyone)  She stuffs them with breadcrumbs, cheese, and seasonings.  Drizzles them with olive oil and cooks them on the stove until they are tender.  These aritichokes are a tradition in my family and are so deliscious.  We eat the stuffing off the leaves until we get to the heart, which is the best part and can be devoured - along with the stem - my next favorite part. 

I didn't realize it unti just now but I guess I got my fill of aritichokes this weekend.

Nothing wrong with that!

I Love Lucy

August 6th will be what would have been Lucille Ball's 100th birthday.  There isn't enough room in blog-land for me to tell you how much I love Lucy!  I fell in love with her when I was nine years old thanks to reruns on channel 56.  I would watch her show on my little black and white TV (although it didn't matter : ) in my bedroom and when it was over I would put my hair in a bun and try to act out all of the funniest scenes. 

When I got my first tape recorder I would put the microphone up to the TV and record I Love Lucy on cassette tapes.  I would put them in my Sony Walkman, lie in bed, and listen.  I didn't have to see it for it to be funny.  Listening was enough.

When I was 12 years old we got our first VCR.  That New Year's eve, channel 56 ran an I Love Lucy marathon.  I saved my money and stocked up on blank VHS tapes.  I stayed up all night recording as many episodes as I could.  After that night, I continued recording the episodes daily.  I lost count at how many tapes I have, but I'm pretty sure I have every episode in my "Lucy vault".  Who would have known that 25 years later there would be DVDs?! Go figure.  I still love my old fashion tapes.  There is not a year that goes by where my Hubbie offers to by me each season on DVD in exchange for getting rid of my clunky old tapes.  Every year I say no thank you.  I've parted with many things over the years but I wouldn't trade these for the world.  I remember every time I hit the "play" and "record" button and how happy I was to get another episode.  I also have some old commercials in between episodes and I love those too.  It reminds me of a very happy time.  I love nostalgia. 

I've even got my son into it.  He knows who Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel are and I've also taught him the words to the theme song.  Yes, it has words!  Recently, the Hallmark channel has started airing I Love Lucy for two hours in the mornings  from 5 - 7.  I always have it on while I'm getting ready for work.  Sometimes he comes in the room, hops up on the bed and watches with me.  I love this.  I want him to know what quality TV is and I'm happy to show him a classic.  The Classic. It's so important. 

Lucy has been a part of me for almost my whole life.  I can't remember a time when I didn't know her.  She's made me laugh when I've been sad.  She's turned good days into great ones.  She's taught me how important laughter is in this world.  I think of that every time I watch her and smile.  We all need more laughter.

Happy Birthday Lucy!  I love you ~

One Month To Go...

Hello Everyone and Happy August!  I can't believe we are in August already.  Where did July go? 

The month seemed to go by so fast. 

Here's a few highlights of what I did....

I had a birthday....

Did some sightseeing (Essex, Conn)...

And did some baking...

It's been SO HOT this summer, that I'm happy to say that we only have one more month to go until it's officially fall - cool and crisp - leaf-peeping season. Ahhh.....

Until then let's try to enjoy what's left of the summer and hope that the days will become less hot and more comfortable.  My son has been loving going to the beach everyday for swimming lessons, and he also has a birthday coming up in two weeks.  Those two things alone can chalk it up to a great summer.  Although I already told hubbie that the day after the birthday party I am decorating for fall!  In my mind, I'm already there... : )

I love living in New England because the seasons are always changing.  There is always something to look forward to. 

Anyway, I wanted to share with you this salad I made for dinner tonight.  We love, love, love beans around here and I'm always tyring to think up new ways to use them.  They are so good for you and luckily my little one likes them too.  Here's my recipe for summer white bean salad.

All you need is...

2 15 oz cans cannelloni beans (I use Goya beans)
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped red onion
1 large garlic clove
2 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
salt & pepper

Rinse and drain beans. 

In a large serving bowl combine beans, olives, celery, and onion.

Add chopped garlic.  (If you aren't a fan of raw garlic you can saute it in a little olive oil first, then add to the salad : )

Add chopped parsley. 

Combine the olive oil and white wine vinegar and drizzle over the salad.  Toss well.  Add salt  & pepper to taste.  Easy, right?

Here's a picture of my hubbie's dinner plate tonight.  I snapped this picture right before he started eating....

We had lemon chicken tenders, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and this white bean salad.  As you can see I'm slowly transitioning.  I served a summer salad with sweet potatoes. Clever, no?  I'm inching my way toward fall....

Tonight we had the most wonderful rain storm.  I love it when it rains.  The house feels cozy inside, even in the summer, and after it's over the air is clear and cool.  Plus the grass gets watered for free - always a plus : )   Tonight, when I came home from work (in this rain) I put socks on, cooked dinner, and after my little one went to bed, we had tea and watched Shark Week on TLC.  Another reason I'm glad the summer is almost over.  After watching that show, I don't think I'll ever go in the water again.  Eeek!


Have a good week and I'll be back in a few days with a great appetizer idea.  Bye!