Mediterranean Chickpea salad, 2 byntos, and a sweet almost 6 month old!

 First off, I'll be completely honest. My boys would not touch this salad with a 10 foot poll! I made this for me. My husband and I ate this with pasta added to it, while the boys ate homemade mac and cheese. I tend to make a box of pasta and then two sauces, so this salad was our sauce.

I don't love chickpeas, but this salad disguises them really well.

It's packed with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, red onion, mozzarella cheese (I didn't have feta), and chickpeas (rinsed and drained). I added salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, Z'ataar seasoning, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It was really tasty!

 Here is sweet Madeleine. She will be 6 months old on September 10! I can't believe it. She is showing off the dress her Ludee made. I'm determined to learn to sew. I'm also determined to start running and lose nursing weight. Yes, I lose baby weight, then gain nursing weight. It's so frustrating and stresses me out, so I'm hoping to run when the big boys are in school and perhaps Saturday mornings too. Wish me luck!

 My big first grader gets the more civilized lunch:) He has an English muffin ham and cheese cut in half to accommodate the little dipper filled with craisins. We watched a movie Sunday night and had veggie straws mixed with potato chips. He has some from that bowl. The bottom container is filled with cut peaches and a lion pick.

My crazy sweet handful of a middle child Drew starts tomorrow. 

He will be 5 in October, so he is still with Mrs. Elliott in her pre-k class. 

I hope you have your best year yet. He is excited about learning to read. 

His box is filled with carrot sticks, ham and cheese skewers, goldfish (in a Star Wars cup) with an ABC pick, a Darth Vader Easter egg filled with craisins, and grapes with a light saber pick.

Happy 2nd week of school, Adrian!

Happy 1st week of school, Drew!

Happy quiet week, Madeleine!

I hope and pray you all have a great week with your kids too!

one month, two months, three months, four!

 laying out in the April sunshine...this was a couple days after we came home. so tiny!

At 2 months, Madeleine weighed 8 pounds, 6.5 ounces!

 Sweet girl loves the window near her changing table. Lots of beautiful sunshine compared to the NICU.

At 3 months, she weighed about 10 pounds!

bows, bows, bows!

 She is starting to smile:)

 At 4 months, she weighed 11 pounds, 13 ounces. Amazing. 

She is now 22 and 3/4 inches...she started out at 17 1/4!

Madeleine loves her brothers! 

They read to her, kiss her, play with her and give her all the love she needs!

Sawdust Pie and a Thanksgiving table

I made a couple recipes today to share with family tomorrow. I found both of these on pinterest. I'm hoping the Sawdust Pie is similar to a pie I've eaten at a tearoom here. I haven't been there in years and when I saw this recipe, I thought I had to try!

Sawdust Pie

and 

Orange Cranberry Sauce

After I zested the oranges (two small clementines), I added the segments to the sauce.

Here is our table. I may or may not use the red bowls. One guest isn't coming and she usually makes a salad that many eat separately. We are hosting 10...my parents, brother, uncle, and family friends. My boys reminded me that next year we will have to add another chair for the baby. My cup runneth over!

I used chargers from Walmart, Italian Countryside Dinner plates, mixed silverware, and more. 

  Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm linking up with these blogs

Cuisine Kathleen

Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday

RattleBridge Farm Foodie Friday

Herbed Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad

Sorry for the hiatus, I'm 17 weeks pregnant and have been very, very sick. So smelling foods and cooking fun recipes has not been on the top of my priority list. Taking pictures was definitely not on my list!

I've been a lot better for the past 3 weeks, so I'm hoping the worst is over.

We are beyond thrilled to add a third little one to our family and can't wait to meet him or her in April. I'll find out next month. I'm too much of a planner and with nothing pink in my house, I need to be prepared if God gives us a girl!

As a cook, I don't look forward to the time in my pregnancy when I gag at food smells, food textures and food tastes that I normally love. 

In the fall, I love to use fall flavors and herbs. To this chicken salad, I added dried cranberries, pecans, sage, and thyme. It's not your average salad, but it was really, really good!

Herbed Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad

2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded

1 cup of peas (I used frozen)

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped pecans

mayonnaise (about 1/2 cup)

1 healthy squeeze of spicy mustard

juice of half a lemon, plus zest

salt 

ground pepper

parsley

thyme

sage

chives

garlic powder

poultry seasoning

For the dressing, I combined the mayo, mustard and lemon. Add chopped fresh herbs if you have them. I used 4 sprigs of thyme, 5 sage leaves and a small bunch of chives. Chop them and add them to the dressing. I added at least 1 tablespoon of dry parsley, 1/2 tsp of garlic powder and poultry seasoning. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix dressing well and add chicken, peas, cranberries and pecans. Refrigerate til ready to eat. Serve with toast or crackers.

Enjoy!

I'll be joining these blog parties!

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm

First Day of School

 Today was the first day of school for my big boy, Adrian. My how time flies. I hope he has a really great day and makes new friends!

He has two toasted ham and muenster sandwiches, a couple extra cheese school buses, strawberries, marshmallows (in the box) and wheat thins. 

Happy First Day of School, Adrian!

Daddy has spaghetti with mushrooms and meat sauce and salad!

Hot Hot Hot! Dinner and Candied Jalapenos

Candied Jalapenos (and serranos & habaneros)

I found this recipe on Pinterest. Sweet and Spicy!

 With an abundance of jalapenos, serranos, and habaneros and a lack of tomatoes, I have not canned as much salsa as last year. I've been buying tomatoes and making fresh salsa when needed.

Last night, we had my cousin's husband over for dinner. He moved here at the end of May for a job and is waiting for my cousin and his children to sell their house in Pennsylvania and move down here to join him. We at pulled pork tacos, slaw, grilled corn salad and salsa. 

 My sweet baby is now 3 1/2 and thus I have not blogged as much as last year. He is a pistol, spitfire, free spirit...you name it, but I wouldn't change his crazy little personality for anything! He keeps me more than busy, so this is what the table looks like nowadays...picture taken quickly before I even got the forks and napkins laid out. Such is life as a mommy of a very busy 3 1/2 year old boy!

I simply used my pottery from Tested by Fire for the food, a pretty platter to host the chips and salsa, and Blue Willow. My mom made the runner a few years ago.
I'm joining

Cuisine Kathleen for Let's Dish

Miz Helen for Full Plate Thursday

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday

Ahhh, summertime!

Squash Croquettes

2 cups yellow squash, finely chopped
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
vegetable oil
In a large bowl, combine squash, onion, egg, salt and pepper. Mix well. Stir in flour. In a skillet, heat ½-inch oil over medium-high heat. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into oil. Cook about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown, turning once. Drain croquettes on paper towels.
http://farmflavor.com/squash-croquettes/

I didn't chop my squash finely, but they were still so good. Since my squash is doing NOTHING, I bought some from the local farmer's market.

No grow squash...

 May was just way too busy. Both boys had program after program, parties, picnics, field trips and more. I barely sat down, let alone stopped to edit pictures. We've been frying squash and zucchini twice a week, eating fresh cucumber and tomato salads and enjoying sauteed green beans weekly. My uncle gave us two stalks of Brussels Sprouts to clean and eat....too much work, but the end result was delicious and I had plenty to share. I'm waiting for his buckets and buckets of tomatoes to make salsa. My jalapenos are plenty and HOT. I made poppers for our Father's Day dinner yesterday.

I have been busy watching my SPURS in the semi finals and finals and hosting RUF students, cousins and more. I hope life will slow down a bit, but I doubt it.

 In late May...

 This morning...June 16

Happy tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans!!! 

 This was our Memorial Day trifle...yellow cake, vanilla custard and whipped cream layered and topped with berries to make a flag. It would be perfect for July 4th!!

I hope this finds you well. I plan on blogging more often this summer!

Bee my Valentine

 I had to get in one more Valentine lunch before Thursday! They both had bee silicone cups filled with an orange flower. The red 'bud' is a JuicePlus supplement gummy!

The heart sandwiches were ham and cheese for one and PB&J for the other.

I made Valentine hearts from strawberries and put a few fruit snacks in the little heart containers.

This lunch was a hit!!

And as you can see below, my 3 year old's teacher complemented me on his take home sheet!

My 3 year old has the sweetest teacher! And this is one more reason why I bento...he ate everything!

Christmas Eve and Holiday Recipes

 

 Tonight, we are hosting my parents and brother for Christmas Eve. I used a quilt topper my mom made. I love the simple colors in it and how well the plates, candy poppers and centerpiece marry with it.

I used two sets of plates, since there are seven of us. All the salad plates are from Cracker Barrel from 3 and 4 years ago. I've had the red glass plates and poinsettia napkins forever. I used an eclectic mix of silver, stainless and red handled flatware.

Each plate is adorned with a chocolate ornament or Santa with a couple thrown around the centerpiece for those who've been extra good!

   

Walnut Snowball Cookies

These were heavenly. I made them for a cookie exchange I hosted Saturday. I doubled the recipe and it made 40, plenty to share and keep for my boys. They remind me of cookies from Romania, so my husband was overjoyed!

Each lady brought 2 dozen cookies, so everyone took home a couple of each.  I served a couple appetizers and wassail. The Greek Feta Dip was long gone before I took of picture, but if I make it tonight or tomorrow, I'll snap a photo...it was a simple mix of pesto, feta cheese, kalamata olives and grape tomatoes. Serve with pita chips. I also made a cheese ball.

I also made Texas Jalapeno Jelly with my October surplus of jalapenos. Another huge hit, I gave this to family, church friends and my husband's coworkers. It made everybody happy!

May your days be Merry and Bright!

Cuisine Kathleen for Let's Dish

BNOTP

Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm