I am Legendary

It was about four years ago that I was called legendary. Now some would take pride in being called such a name, but me, I was not pleased. We were at my in-laws house preparing for my now sister-in-law's wedding when this comment, which to this day still irks me, was made. Even today I still have no idea where this comment came from, why it was made or what previous comment made by an unknown third party brought it about. My husband sometimes still calls me legendary just to get a reaction out of me and it works; every time. It was my sister-in-law's soon to be mother-in-law who said it, and she is by far one of the sweetest, most generous people that I have met, so I cast no blame. But still this comment hit me like a bucket of cold water to the face. It was quick, simple and intended to be harmless.

"I hear you are a legendary sleeper."

I remember standing there, looking back at her, forcing a smile to my face, allowing a simple laugh to pass my lips, begging my cheeks not to turn red and forcing the annoyance which was exploding up through my body to go back down. My mind raced. I am a legendary sleeper? What? Why? Where in the hell did that come? Even if I am, how in the hell would she know? WHAT?

Again, I am positive that her intention was harmless, nothing more than smalltalk. Most people probably would not have even thought twice about it if the comment had been directed at them. But for some unknown reason it stuck with me. It bothered me. I hated it.

The day I was called Legendary.

I won't lie, like any other normal person, I do enjoy my sleep. I need a solid eight hours otherwise I drag all day and just do not feel like myself. Without eight hours I don't perform as well in work or play. But I am pretty sure eight hours does not make me legendary. Perhaps it was because at that time I was more of a night owl, staying up way too late, sleeping in later. Perhaps that gave off the impression that I was sleeping many more hours than just the simple eight. I do not know. I will probably never know, but I still hate that I was called legendary.

Fast forward to now. Sleep to me is like a drop of water to a lost man wandering the desert. I never get it, my body begs for it, I can barely remember what it feels like. Before Lyla was born people always said how babies sleep all of the time, for hours on end, how they look so peaceful when they are sleeping, just like little angels. My older sister Kelly even told me that her daughter slept so much at night that they would have to wake her to feed her. Well let me tell you, Lyla is not one of these babies. My husband and I joke that she actually hates to sleep. And even when she is sleeping, she doesn't look peaceful. She looks pissed. Her mouth scrunches together forming the most heart wrenching frown. Her fist stay locked in tight grips as if to say 'these mean parents of mine, they are making me do that sleep thing again.'  She is in no way legendary when it comes to sleeping. Apparently, and according to some, she does not take after her mother in this respect.

Lyla is more of a take a nice little nap then lets all get up and play kind of girl. At night when I put her to bed she fights, but I always win or so I think. Then about two hours later (give or take half an hour) she's up. I feed her, I change her, I rock her, but she doesn't want to sleep. Finally she goes back down and then as if she has an alarm inside her body, two hours later, she's up again. It wouldn't be so bad if I could fall back asleep immediately after putting her down, but no, my mind races and I lay in bed exhausted but awake. Sleep to me is a distant memory that I hope to one day know again.

"haha it's past my bedtime, but I get to stay up because my grandparents are here!"

A few weeks back after another sleepless night in which Lyla woke five times, I turned to my husband and told him that I am pretty sure my legendary status has been revoked.

I know that it will get better and eventually Lyla will learn to sleep through the night. After hearing from my sister Erica about an adorable little baby boy she knows named Oakes who is suffering from many health problems and still in the NICU, I can only count my blessing and thank God that our biggest challenge is a lack of sleep. I could not be more thankful for my beautiful baby girl who is healthy, growing leaps and bounds and learning with each new day. I am beyond blessed, and I am beyond grateful. And some day soon enough (I've said those words before) I hope to earn back my legendary status and when that happens, this time, I'll be proud.

For other sleepy parents out there, here is yet another slow cooker meal for when you are running low on energy.

Turkey Chili
In a saute pan, add one chopped onion and 1 1/4 lbs of ground turkey. Cook until browned.

Drain the meat mixture and add to the slower cooker. Add in one can of corn, drained. You can also use frozen corn if you prefer.

Next, add in one chopped red bell pepper, one chopped green bell pepper and two chopped jalapenos (seeds included, unless you prefer a milder chili.)

Following the peppers, add one can of crushed tomatoes and one can of whole tomatoes.

Add one can of black beans, drained and rinsed and about a cup of tomato sauce.

Now the fun part! Add in your seasonings. You can honestly add as little or as much of the seasoning as you want. Add in a little extra chili powder if you like a kick to your chili, a little less if you don't. I used a mixture of chili powder, coriander, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. If you make the mixture before hand you can taste test and adjust to your likings. Finally mix all of the ingredients together and cook on low for 8 hours.

Serve with cheese and enjoy! As I am sure you have noticed, I am still loving my slow cooker!

Up next, our trip to the pumpkin patch and the delicious applesauce that resulted.

Summer Vegetable Panini

Although the majority of my cooking includes meat or fish, at the request of my sister Kelly, I wanted to create a vegetarian meal that was as satisfying and flavorful as any other and can be turned into a dinner or lunch during the week or on the weekend. With summer coming to a close I thought it would be best to utilize it’s harvest with a quick and easy vegetable panini that can be completed in less than 15 minutes; a recipe cannot get any simpler, I promise! 

To make this flavorful and healthy panini, begin by washing and preparing all of the necessary ingredients: a large eggplant, a summer squash and zucchini, tomato and bell pepper. After washing, slice all of the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. 

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large sauce pan. Add the vegetables and cook until softened. While the vegetables are cooking, pick fresh basil, rinse and set aside. Once the vegetables have begun to soften, add a bit of balsamic vinegar and continue to cook until done. 

Turn the panini maker onto high and allow to warm up. If you do not have a panini maker, you can use a griddle just as easily. 

Begin to assemble your sandwich. For this panini, you will want to select a freshly baked bread such as a focaccia or a sourdough. For today, I decided to go with a whole grain Italian bread; the husband loves Italian bread and I had the satisfaction of knowing it was whole grain and heart healthy. It is soft and flavorful, yet sturdy enough to support the many vegetables. 

Layer the vegetables on your bread: eggplant, squash, zucchini, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and finish off with the fresh basil and a dash of sea salt. Panini the sandwich for 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the bread has turned golden brown and crispy. 

Transfer to a plate, cut and serve with vegetable chips or a side salad. Enjoy this meal outside with a chilled glass of cucumber water. There are only so many days of summer left so take advantage of both the weather and the abundance of fresh veggies available!

Up next some of my favorite quick breads!

1 Year Wedding Anniversary!

This past Sunday my husband and I celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary. We spent the day reminiscing about our beautiful wedding ceremony and our wonderful family and friends who helped us to celebrate that great moment in our lives. In commemoration of an amazing year together, I wanted to make the husband a special meal of Filet Mignon with a Cognac Cream Sauce, Panzanella Salad and a Kahlua Flour-less Chocolate Cake. These dishes were simple, but had the necessary glamour for any special occasion.

On our wedding day!

Filet Mignon with Cognac Cream Sauce

This is a simple recipe that is a sure hit amongst all beef lovers. The Cognac sauce adds the perfect amount of elegance to the dish.

What you need:

2 Filets

Salt

Ground black, white and green peppercorns

2 shallots

1 tablespoon butter

¼ cup Heavy cream

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons Cognac

Start off by heating up your grill. Salt and pepper your filets and allow to sit out while the grill is heating in order for the beef to warm up a bit. Once heated, grill the filets for about 5 minutes on each side or until medium-rare. While the grill is going, prepare your sauce. Dice up the 2 shallots (this can be done in advance to save you time) and place in a skillet along with the butter. Allow shallots to cook for 3-5 minutes or until tender and aromatic. Add in the heavy cream, Dijon, Cognac and salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook on low for 5 more minutes or until the sauce thickens. Add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Once the filets are cooked to the desired doneness, top with a bit of  the Cognac sauce and serve immediately.

Summer Panzanella Salad

This is an amazing salad that can be prepared entirely in advance. The fresher the ingredients the better the results!

What you need:

Ciabatta loaf

Mozzarella

1 Yellow and 1 Green Bell Pepper

Cherry tomatoes

Fresh Basil leaves

Italian Seasoning

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons water

1/4 cup of White Vinegar

Early in the day, dice up your Ciabatta bread into crouton size pieces. Heat up your broiler and place your oven rack directly beneath it. Broil the Ciabatta for about 5-10 minutes. Be very careful not to burn the bread; to do so, be sure to check on it frequently while cooking. If you look away for too long you may end up with some very burnt pieces!  Once golden and crunchy, remove from oven and allow to cool.

The best part about this recipe is that you can prepare all the components early in the day and then right before serving throw it all into one bowl and mix. Start off by chopping up your bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella. Leave the mozzarella in a separate bowl until serving so that it does not water down the other ingredients.

Create your dressing with either a store bought Italian season package or create your own with a mixture of basil, oregano, onion powder, thyme, parsley, celery salt, garlic salt, pepper, sugar and salt. Add white vinegar, water and oil. Mix and keep in refrigerator until serving time.

Once you are ready to serve, combine all your chopped ingredients including the ciabatta and mozzarella into one large bowl. Pick, wash and dry your basil. Chop and add to salad. Add your dressing and serve!

Kahlua Flour-less Chocolate Cake

This cake is for every chocolate lover out there; it's rich, decedent and will not disappoint. I served it to my husband with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and he deemed it restaurant worthy.

What you need:

5 large eggs

1 cup of sugar

1 stick of butter

8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate – chopped and split out into 4 ounces and 4 ounces

1/2 cup Cocoa Powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons Kahlua

1/2 cup of heavy cream

Start of by bring 5 eggs to room temperature. In many countries such as France, eggs are not stored in the refrigerator. A cold egg versus a room temperature egg can bring about a different result. For this recipe, be sure to allow your eggs to sit out before using.

Melt 4 ounces of chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water. Meanwhile chopped your butter into small pieces. Once the chocolate has melted, remove from heat and add the butter; stir until combined. Set aside.

Beat the room temperature eggs until they become thick. Slowly add in the sugar and continue to beat for about 10 minutes or until the mixture turns pale yellow and becomes thick. Carefully dust the cocoa powder and baking powder over the egg mixture. Fold together. Do not mix!

Add the vanilla, a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of Kahlua to the melted chocolate. Add one cup of the egg mixture to the chocolate. Stir together. Pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl with the egg mixture. Fold together. Again, do not stir.

Pour the entire mixture into a greased 9” spring-foam pan. To make the removal of the cake even easier, first line the pan with parchment paper and grease the paper on both sides. By doing so, the bottom of the paper sticks to the pan and keeps it from lifting up into your cake. The results are an easy to remove cake with a seamless underside. 

Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees. Once the cake is done, allow to cool completely before trying to remove it from the pan. If you try to move the cake too soon, it could break or crack. 

While the cake is cooling, prepare your ganache. Melt the other 4 ounces of chocolate in a double broiler just as you did before. Add the cream and last tablespoon of Kahlua. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. 

Once the cake is cooled, pour on the ganache and spread until smooth over the top of cake. Do not worry if the ganache runs down the sides -it adds the perfect decor! Refrigerate cake until serving time. Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. 

These 3 recipes created the perfect first anniversary dinner! Happy 1 year wedding anniversary to my husband - I cannot believe it has been a whole year!

Cucina Italiana

My husband, Adam, and I have been talking about planning a trip to Europe for quite some time now. Yesterday, we finalized our plans and in honor of this trip which will end in Italy, I wanted to make a special Italian dish to celebrate. One of my favorite Italian chefs is Lidia Matticchio Bastianich who owns many wonderful restaurants including Lidia’s in Kansas City. I decided her recipe of fish with pepper sauce would be the perfect way to celebrate our upcoming adventure and learn a little bit more about Italian cooking and culture.

This recipe originates in the Le Marche region of central Italy. It includes red and yellow bell peppers, olive oil, salt, onion, celery, peperoncino flakes, marjoram, sage, orange zest, canned Italian tomatoes, and fresh white fish. First you prepare the sauce, then lightly brown the fish before letting it complete the cooking process in the simmering sauce. 

Lidia’s recipe calls for any white fish and she recommends using an oily fish such as bluefish or mackerel. I chose to go with Alaskan Cod fillet and this worked perfectly with the rich pepper sauce. The first step of the cooking process is to roast the peppers for about 1/2 an hour until the skins are loose enough to be easily removed. Discard the seeds and chop the peppers to be used later.

While the peppers are roasting, be sure to chop the necessary ingredients so that everything is ready to go when you need it. Dice up one onion and two sticks of celery. Next heat the olive oil in a large skillet or cast iron pan before adding the onion and celery and a dash of salt and peperoncino flakes. Allow to cook for a few minutes before adding in fresh springs of marjoram and sage, the zest of one whole orange and the Italian tomatoes plus a cup of water. From here the ingredients need time to soften and meld together, so bring the pot to a simmer and allow to cook for about 20 minutes or so. 

After this is complete and you have added in the roasted peppers, Lidia’s recipe suggest pouring the food into a mill to stain the sauce. I chose to actually go a different route and blend the sauce with an immersion blender. This allowed me to create a thicker sauce which I thought paired wonderfully with the fish. Either way would work, it just depends on what you are looking for. 

After completing this step, it is time to begin cooking the fish. Lidia seasons and flours her fish before frying it in oil. I chose to only season the fish with salt and freshly cracked black pepper and skipped the flour. I then lightly browned the fish on both sides. For me this is a very important step that can make or break the rest of the dish. You want to heat about a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Once the oil is heated completed, lay the fillets flesh side down in the pan and do not touch it for several minutes. If you continue to check the fish to see how the cooking is progressing, chances are it will not create the crust that you are looking for and the fish will end up ripping into multiple pieces. As much as you want to, you have to resist the urge to look at the fish. After about 3 minutes or so, carefully flip the fish one time and brown the other side for a few minutes.

Finally, once the fish is close to being cooked all the way through, add your pepper sauce to the pan and bring it to a simmer. Let the fish finish cooking for a few more minutes in the sauce before serving. This process allows the sauce to infuse into the fish creating a much more flavorful dish. 

Lidia suggests sprinkling parsley on top of the fish when serving, instead, I picked some fresh basil from our garden and used that as our final flavor. The basil definitely added additional elements of freshness and boldness to the dish. Lastly, along with the fish and pepper sauce, I served sautéed spinach and fresh french bread. The spinach can easily be sautéed at the same time that the fish is cooking. 

This was the perfect meal to celebrate our upcoming trip. I cannot wait to bring back and share with you all the many wonderful recipes of Le Marche and several other regions of Italy. Until then, we will continue to look forward to our trip with the help of Lidia. Buon divertimento!