E is growing

I have been terrible about posting things about Emmie--or keeping a baby book.  Poor second child.  Anyway, our little girl loves to move, cuddle, explore, and tease.  She is a social butterfly and never meets a stranger without a smile.

Today she had a doctor's check up for 15 months.

She weighed 19 lbs 9 oz (7%)
Is 31.5" long (80%)

She is a petite built, tall thing.  She is a bright little ray of sunshine.

A new recipe

So, it's World Cup time again, and last night I created an amazing recipe inspired by Chicken Cordon Bleu and Scott's favorite dish at a local French restaurant called Chicken DeBergerac.  I couldn't find a recipe for that, so I just used what he could tell me and what I knew about make Cordon Bleu, and I morphed them.  The results were great.  I'm writing it here to record it before I forget!

Box of puff pastry (2 sheets cut in half)
4 Thin, small chicken breasts
2 slices swiss cheese
4 slices smoked ham
broccoli/mushroom pate (recipe below)

Thaw pastry and cut sheets in half to now how four pieces

Preheat oven to 375 and prep large cookie sheet with parchment paper

On each pastry: spread 1/2 c of pate in center, then add 1/2 slice of cheese, and 1 slice of ham, and then one breast (I cut my big ones in half, and then went back and added a little, so each was a bit more than a half of a flattened breast)

Fold up pastry, and pinch closed.  Brush tops with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 T of water)

Bake about 40 min--until juices run clear

Serve with Mornay sauce (basically a cheesy Beschamel)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/classic-mornay-sauce-recipe.html#!




Broccoli-Mushroom cream cheese pate  (make ahead and refrigerate)

1 can (lg) mushrooms or fresh, cooked
1 bag chopped broccoli--steamed
1 block cream cheese, softened
dijon (1 T or more)
olive oil (2 T)
sherry 1 T (could sub white wine)

blend all ingredients (and adjust as you need) together and add salt and pepper to taste


I served this with Ina Garten's\Warm green lentils

K dog loves a fire

worldless wednesday--bows

Just Blah

Want to know a secret?  I don't blog b/c I feel so uninteresting anymore.  I do nothing but sit in my family room.  I don't really hang out with people, I don't go to the gym that often, I don't do amazing crafts or meals usually, I don't read amazing books, and I'm just plain boring.  I know this is part of a season of our lives with having a baby and it being winter.  But uh.  I always feel busy or bored--like I'm pulled between the two in a very strange and inexplicable way.  I could really use some encouragement.  I want to do stuff, but then I feel overwhelmed with how hard any of it will be with my kids.  I just feel like I'm sinking a bit.  Anyone else feel this way?

Christmas time recap in photos

Of course we loved Christmas, so I won't bore you with the details.  E could have cared less except to eat the paper. 

What's for dinner-meal plan and Potato soup recipe

This week was a bit funky after the Baptism, so it was sort of work with what was leftover

Mon: leftover pizza

Tues: homemade pork tacos (own taco seasoning)

Wed: Chicken pot pie soup

Thurs: Chicken, broccoli, and rice

Fri: ???

Sat: baked potato soup

Sun: dinner with our small group

Here's my potato soup recipe--you know me--terrible with amounts.  I just go by looks and taste.

4-5 red or Yukon golden potatoes;

1 lb bacon;

carrots, diced

celery, diced

onion, diced 

salt and pepper;

3-4 c chicken broth; 

butter; 

flour; 

heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk; 

sage (and any other herbs you desire);

salt and pepper to taste, cheddar cheese.  

Garnish: scallions, cheddar cheese, bacon

Drizzle 4-5 potatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper- wrap each in foil.  Bake in oven until just tender- about 1 hour.  Brown bacon.  Drain off fat, reserving 2-3 T of grease.  Meanwhile, chop carrots, celery, and onions.  Brown veggies in reserved grease until just tender and seasoned.  Add chicken broth (2-3 c depending on your desired consistency).  Add desired seasonings and potatoes.  Bring to a simmer, cooking potatoes and veggies until tender and broth is almost absorbed.  Can refrigerate at this step until ready to serve.  

Mash the potatoes and veggies roughly with a potato masher.  Create a well in the center of your potatoes or in a separate pan-melt 2 T butter.  Add 2 T cream and 2 T flour.  This will create a roux.  Add this to your potato mixture.  Add more chicken broth and cream until desired consistency.  Sprinkle a small amount of cheddar cheese in soup. Bring to a simmer and then serve immediately.  Garnish with crumbled bacon, scallions, and cheese.