Bless Her Heart

Favorite Things: Do Fun Stuff

Do you have a few of those blogs in your reader that you make sure you check every day?  I have hundreds of blogs in my reader but there are only a few that even if I'm weeks behind on reading, I make sure to check in with. Ryan Marshall owns one of my favorite blogs of all time over at Pacing the Panic Room.  He writes truthful and often times raw entries about fatherhood and he is a madly talented photographer to boot. It's been a joy that he has allowed us to read along as his ambitions manifest into incredible things for him and his family.  If you have the time to go back and pick through his archives I strongly encourage you to.

Ryan's stepson LB has a genetic disorder called Smith Magenis Syndrome (SMS) which I had never heard of until I started reading Pacing the Panic Room way back.  Ryan writes candidly about the wonders and difficulties of raising a child with SMS.

Today is the release of this incredible album that Ryan put together that I want to share with you.  It's called Do Fun Stuff.  I guess you could classify it as a kids' album since it has songs about potties, caterpillars and sleep (my favorite) on it...but really it's just superb music.  Not only is a great collection of music that you can listen to with your kids, but all of the proceeds go to a fund SMS research.  I am astounded and truly inspired that Ryan was able to  this album to fruition.  GIve it a listen, spread the word and most of all, buy the album to support SMS research.

I can't figure out how to embed the gosh-derned widget, but as soon as I do I'll put it on here.  Until then, please follow the link to Do Fun Stuff, you won't regret it.

Apple and Hatch Green Chile Hand Pies

When Hatch green chiles start to show up in our neck of the woods, I have to resist the temptation to throw them in everything I'm cooking. When it's "Hatch Season" in the ATX, Whole Foods Market and Central Market both offer freshly roasted chiles by the pound.  It's such a treat to have someone else do the roasting for me, and the season is so short that I try and make the most of it. The majority of the green chile dishes around our place are savory and I know that it may seem like an unlikely combination, but I love the flavor of apples and green chiles together. I use mild green chiles so that everyone will eat them, but I usually douse mine with hot chile sauce as I eat it...but I'm weird like that.

Apple and Hatch Green Chile Hand Pies

Recipe makes 8 hand pies

Ingredients:

4 sheets of puff pastry, thawed according to manufacturers instructions

3 cups of peeled gala apples, diced into 1/2" pieces

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 cup roasted and peeled mild green chiles, diced.  The peels will slide right off under a little running water.

1/4 cup of sugar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

flour for dusting the workspace

egg for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the lemon juice with the apples to keep them from browning.  Stir in the diced green chiles.  In a small bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch and salt. Thoroughly mix these dry ingredients into the apple mixture.   Set aside.  In a small bowl beat the egg for the eggwash.  Lightly flour a work surface for cutting out the puff pastry circles.  Using a bowl as your cutter, you should be able to get 2 circles from each sheet of puff pastry sheet.  The circles should be 5-6" in diameter. Fill in half of the circle with the apple filling.  Each pie will need 2-3 full tablespoons of filling depending on the size of your circles. Brush along half of the edge of your circle with egg wash.  Fold in half, tucking the filling inside as you go along and pinch closed, or seal with the tines of a fork. Cut a 1" slit in the top for a vent.  Brush the top with the egg wash.  Place on a parchment or silicone baking mat on a baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining hand pies. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

These pies are also really yummy if you serve them fresh out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Wordless Wednesday: Coffeecup Wisdom

Apple Cake

Last night everyone went to sleep so early, I was able to throw together a special back to school treat while they slept. As cakes go, this one has all sorts of good (for you) stuff in it...apples, eggs, yogurt...and not too much sugar.  Yes, I realize there's loads of butter and flour...but it's a treat, right? Apples and eggs and yogurt on their own? Well that would just be a snack.

Apple Cake

1-2 tbsp softened butter for greasing pan

1 1/2 sticks of butter at room temperature for cake

3/4 cup of granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt

2 1/2 cups unbleached cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

2-3 cups of peeled, cored, diced apple

Streusel

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

4 tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:

Grease a 10-14" Bundt pan with softened butter. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat the sugar and the butter until lightly whipped.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and vanilla yogurt.  In a separate bowl, mix the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. With the mixer set to low, add the flour mix to the batter until just combined. Don't over-beat.

To mix up the streusel: In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry streusel ingredients.  Add the butter, and pinch it into the flour or mash it with a fork, making a crumbly streusel mixture.

Spoon part of the batter into the bundt pan. Sprinkle with streusel mix. Add batter, then streusel. Repeat until the pan is full.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean once inserted.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes.  Turn the cake out onto the wire rack and allow to cool completely.

 

 

 

 

Indulge me? Back to School Pics...

I know, I know...but I can't help myself.  I'm embarrassed to say that I was so shocked that the boy let me take his picture that I didn't think to reset my camera settings from the night before.  Apologies for the grainy-ness, but I have a feeling he'll probably like it better that way anyway. Did I mention he wears a 10 1/2 shoe? He'll be taller than me soon...I can see it from here.

The Girl?  Well...there's not much to be said.  She looks forward to this day the whole year and as usual, she worked tirelessly to assemble her perfect outfit for the occasion. POW!
This year feels like kind of a coasting year for us.  No major transitions or milestones at school...just a bit of a breather.  Well unless you count The Boy's birthday next month when he officially becomes a teenager.  Oy...my stomach just knotted up a bit.  Hmmmm....what will I call him then?  I can't rightly call him The Boy forever...or for that much longer really....

Squeeeeeeeeeel!

LOOOOOK at what I got for my birthday!!!  I'll have to get the story about how it all came to be, but my Mama gave me this amazing camera strap from my homegirl Kathie over at Ramonsterwear.  How they managed to make it all work without me finding out is a mystery...especially since Kathie was galavanting up and down the west coast for most of the summer, and Mama was occupied with helping babies be born. It's so gorgeous, and of course the workmanship is freakin' top-notch...I just can't stop looking at it. Just. so. dreamy.

Added touch...

Last month my family came over to help me celebrate my birthday.  My mama and sister (aka Auntie) coordinated the dinner. I didn't have to lift a finger or do any of the pre-party shopping.  My mama did most of the prep work at her house and then brought the food over to my place.  I just wanted to share this pictures of the stuffed artichokes that she brought over.  I've written before about my deep love for artichokes...and these fancy stuffed 'chokes were indeed delicious...but what I really wanted you to see is that she put my first initial on the tops using curved slices of red bell pepper.  How sweet is that? Only a mama, no?  Still making me feel special after all these years...

Wordless Wednesday: Windowsill Affirmation

Sparkling Strawberry Limeade

We have officially reached HOT here in the ATX.  All things considered, the heat has seemed manageable up to this point but now we're smack dab in the middle of the temperatures that we dread all year. Looking for a quick cooler to kick back with this weekend, nothing sounded quite as refreshing as homemade Strawberry Limeade.  Made with or without vodka, this is a cooling, summery drink that is so simple it's silly.

Making the strawberry puree is super simple. Rinse the strawberries and trim off the greens.  I just throw them in the little food processor, but you could also use your blender.  Pulse until you have a nice, liquid strawberry puree. I suppose some people would strain it, but I don't mind the strawberry bits...in fact I think it lends a nice texture to the limeade. For added zing you could also add a few mint leaves to your strawberries as they puree.

Sparkling Strawberry Limeade

This is the recipe for one drink

2 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice

2 oz. strawberry puree

1 tbsp simple syrup

2 oz. vodka (if desired)

ice

club soda

mint for garnish

Add ice to a tall glass.  Mix the first three ingredients (add vodka now if desired) and pour over ice.  Fill remainder of glass with club soda and garnish with mint.

Tweak as desired to please your palate.  Around here, I always squeeze a little more lime in mine, but everyone else likes it a little more sweet.

 

 

Favorite Things: SFC Farmers' Market (Part II) - San Miguel Seafood

Each Saturday as the girl and I make the rounds at the farmers' market, we always stop and take a gander at the San Miguel Seafood booth.  The enthusiasm that these two men bring to their booth is contagious. They will take the time to give each person tips on how to best prepare their freshly caught bounty.  Each week I watch them pull out the whole fish and present them down low where the younger children can get a good look.  These fishmongers smile and laugh and tell stories...they are truly hands on and it's a treat to watch them engage with the public.