Pictures

i posted some new ones on flickr. check them out here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/melissacurls/

Molten Lava Cakes

This recipe is sinfully delicious!!! Half the recipe for a nighttime treat for you and your other half ;)

Molten Chocolate Cake

• 4 pieces (squares) Semi-sweet Baking Chocolate
• ½ cups Butter
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 whole Eggs
• 2 whole Egg Yolks
• 6 Tablespoons Flour
• 2 cups Real Whipping Cream (seriously It's So Much Better!)
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spray 4 custard cups with Pam and place on cookie sheet.

Microwave chocolate and butter in large bowl on high for about 1 minute, until butter is melted. whisk until chocolate is also melted.

Stir in sugar until well blended. Whisk in eggs and egg yolks. Stir in flour.

Divide between cups.

Bake 13-14 minutes until sides are firm and center is soft. Let stand 1 minute.

Combine sugar and heavy cream and whip until stiff.

Invert cakes on dishes and top with whipped cream.










this recipe is from

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/molten-chocolate-cake/comment-page-3/#cr

recipe blitz

Pork Roast with Plum Sauce
i ran out of ginger the day i made this, so mine didn't have any ginger in it. i'm assuming it would still be tasty with ginger :)


Ingredients

• 1 boneless whole pork loin roast (4 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup sherry (use apple juice)
• 2 tablespoons dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup plum jam
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup cold water

Directions

• Cut roast in half. In a large skillet, brown roast in oil on all sides; drain. Transfer to a 4-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the sherry, thyme, soy sauce, garlic, mustard, ginger, garlic salt, salt and pepper; pour over pork. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160°.
• Remove meat to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer to a small saucepan. Add jam. Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice roast and serve with gravy. Yield: 10 servings.

Spinach Tortellini Soup

i left the chicken out of this one. it was a very hearty soup, we liked it garnished with parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

• 3 small red potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons plus 1-1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
• 2 quarts water
• 3 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 packages (9 ounces each) refrigerated cheese tortellini

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, combine the potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, bouillon and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the chicken, spinach, parsley, garlic powder, oregano and pepper and salt; return to a boil. Add tortellini; cook, uncovered, for 7-9 minutes or until tortellini is tender. Yield: 10 servings (3-3/4 quarts).

serve this soup with:

Herb Bubble Bread

this bread was deeeelicious. i messed up an accidentally added 1/4 tsp of all the 1/8 tsp spices... a mistake i might repeat next time :)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/8 teaspoon each dried thyme, basil and rosemary, crushed
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 loaf (1 pound) frozen bread dough, thawed

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine cheese and seasonings. In another bowl, combine butter and garlic; set aside.
• Divide dough into 16 pieces. Roll into balls. Coat balls in butter mixture, then dip in cheese mixture. Place in a greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake at 350° for 22-26 minutes or until golden brown. (Cover loosely with foil if top browns too quickly.) Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. Yield: 16 servings.

Hearty Minestrone Soup

i left the pork out.  served this when i had guests over, everyone loved it.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups tomato juice
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Progresso ® Beef Broth
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar, optional
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 
  ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS (for each batch):
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup uncooked ziti or small tube pasta

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, cook the pork, celery and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain.
• Stir in the tomatoes, beans, tomato juice, tomato sauce, broth, carrots, zucchini, Italian seasoning, salt, sugar if desired and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until carrots are tender.
• Transfer 6 cups of soup to a freezer container; freeze for up to 3 months. Add water and pasta to remaining soup; bring to a boil. Cover and cook until pasta is tender.
• To use frozen soup: Thaw in the refrigerator; transfer to a large saucepan. Stir in water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Add pasta; cover and cook until tender. Yield: 2 batches (6 servings each).

i served this soup with:

Breadsticks!

Dissolve 1 tbsp Yeast in 1 1/2 cup warm water. Add 2 tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix in 3 c. flour. (tonight i used 1 c. whole wheat flour and 2 c. white flour) Let dough sit for 10 min. Knead on  a floured surface, cut in strips and fashion into breadsticks. melt 1/2 stick butter and dip each breadstick. let rise for 20 min or so then season with garlic salt. Bake 375 for 15 -20 minutes.

Lentil Soup

i grew up on this soup. it's surprisingly delicious. it has become a "metaphor for life" in our home.

1/4 lb bacon sliced

2 med. onions chopped

4 large carrots, grated or chopped small

1 pkg (16 oz) lentils

2 quarts water

1 c. sliced celery

1 large potato, grated

2 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp dry thyme

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp lemon juice

leftover chopped ham (i used 3 ham steaks) or 1 can spam. yes, you read that right. i have never actually been able to but spam in it myself, although i grew up on it with spam in it and loved it. i think sausage in it would be deelicious, too.

wash beans and soak until plump (overnight). In large pot, saute bacon , add onions and carrots and saute until onions are golden. add lentils, water, celery, potato and seasonings. simmer until tender (2-3 hours) take out bay leaves, add lemon juice and meat. 

i like to eat it with saltine crackers.

i told you it was soup season. happy eating.

victory

i decided over a month ago that i wanted to do a pull up. just one. i have always taken pride in being strong and having good guns (you know, for a girl) and thought for sure if i wanted to do a pull up i would be able to. not so, said the pull up bar. it has mocked me on a daily basis for the last month. i have practiced every single day and fallen down in defeat, shaking my fist at it. it sat smugly atop my bathroom door, laughing at my folly in thinking i could beat it! but i swore to it i would do a pull up. i would win. someday.

i did a pull up today. a real, live, pull up.

maybe you're like dan and you can not even so much as look at a pull up bar in years and bust out 12 when you feel like it (like, immediately after i have failed at my attempts... thanks). but i'm not. until today i had never done a pull up in my life. it was magical. i lifted myself up and rested my chin on the bar for several seconds, just to glory in the moment. this is a big deal to me. i feel awesome.


i would like to thank the following for helping me do my pull up:

1) dan. for sitting below me and holding my knees on numerous nights while i "trained". and for telling me yesterday he thought i would be able to do one before thanksgiving. thanksgiving. muahahahaha!

2) my mom and dad. for telling me neither of them have ever been able to do a pull up.

3) clear play. for letting me watch the matrix this weekend.

4) the matrix. for helping me realize: there is no bar.


now on to two.

birthday week

here's a couple more if you missed them: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2076941&id=1071142191&l=bdaa2b1823

here's to two handsome birthday boys. oh i could just go on and on about how much i love these guys.

yum.

i declared soup season open yesterday. this one was delicious.




Chicken and Wild Rice Chowder

Ingredients

• 2 cups sliced fresh carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery (no. yuck.)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each)  Chicken Broth (i used a 32 oz. box)
• 2-2/3 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
• 1 package (8.8 ounces) ready-to-serve long grain and wild rice (i used uncle ben's brown and wild rice)
• 1/4 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• In a large saucepan, saute the carrots, onion and celery in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the chicken, rice, cream and pepper; heat through. Yield: 4 servings.

and by 4 servings it means i fed my whole family last night and for lunch today. those are 4 greeeedy servings.

happy soup season.

Brotherly love

i was making dinner tonight and sam was crying like crazy. i was upset about something someone had done to me today, and i had just called dan crying because i was all done for the day, only to find out he had to work for a few more hours. in short, i was not happy. sam was irate that i was not picking him up, and when this boy cries, it is heartbreaking because he never cries... i was about ready to throw in the towel when my sweet, sweet george came running over with a blanket to cover sam up, then ran to get a toy for sam. it had a little bell in it and george was shaking it in his face, then started stroking sam's face with it... he then yelled for ben to come over and stroke sam's face, which ben did, then george took off like a rocket up to his bedroom. he returned with a couple stuffed animals and started stroking sam's face with them and putting them in his seat. now that george had things under control, off went ben to add to the collection. by this time henry had figured out what was going on and was off he went to get reinforcements. i didn't have time to grab my big camera, but my cell phone was handy so i got this picture. i finally had to tell the boys to stop so sam wouldn't get suffocated, but oh my goodness all my stresses melted away and my tears turned to tears of joy. oh how i thank God for my sweet little angels!! what a blessing to be the mom of 4 darling boys!!!!!