Tasty treats for Justin, mom and Cheryl

My mom has been at my house for almost two weeks now (poor gal) and my sister came for the Mumford and Sons concert...on the night Cheryl got here, I put together a yummy platter of nibbles.

Crispy baguette slices, a mixture of olives and stuffed grape leaves from Wegman's, and warmed brie with balsamic fig topping.  Went very well with the martini and goat cheese stuffed olives!

I've been away far too long

Things have been so busy and hectic over the past few months...I can now take a minute to give some updates...

 

Quinoa with butternut squash, kale and pecans

 

My oh my...this is tasty!  I found the recipe in the paper...can't even remember which one but I know it was within the last two weeks.  The recipe was adapted from a recipe by Carolyn O'Neil, MS RD

 

1t olive oil

1/2c carrots, diced and steamed (I skipped the steaming)

1c butternut squash, diced and steamed

1 garlic clove, minced

2c cooked quinoa (instead of water, I cooked it in homemade chicken stock)

2c kale, sliced into ribbons (I steamed it a bit in a little water and a clove of crushed garlic)

1/4t finely chopped rosemary leaves

salt and pepper to taste

1/4c toasted pecans

 

Cook first four ingredients until crisp-tender.  Fold in the cooked quinoa, kale, rosemary and pecans.  Season to taste.

 

Guys...this is good!

 

Good stuff!!  



Vegetable Stock

Having been home for the past two weeks, aside from updating my resume, I have had plenty of time to cook.  This morning, I cleaned out my vegetable drawer(s) and am now making vegetable stock.  Leeks, potatoes, onions, dried mushrooms, carrots, spinach, and celery...not to mention some parsley from the (frozen) garden.  Can't wait to see how it turns out!  Just started and it smells good already! 

Thinking of whipping up some spinach and tortellini soup (vegetarian) this afternoon.  It is a Friday in lent after all.

Isn't that just beautiful?  Can you smell it??  Perfect for a day like today...just started to sleet!

Date night at the Collier house

A month or two ago, my friend Jay and I were on the phone, drinking wine.  How it came up, I don't know...but he suggested we cook a fancy dinner for Justin, his friend Leo, and their ladies (Jessica and Virginia).  Sure...sounds good to me.  Jay was super pumped and went all out.  So wonderful to have a friend who wants to do something nice for my son. 

 

 

We went all out...pulled out the good silver, crystal, etc.  I took the boys to get flowers for their ladies and lit candles.

 

 

Everyone showed up dressed nicely and behaved nicely.  They loved their blood orange soda!

 

Course one was (Jay will kill me for butchering the descriptions) a Thai coconut soup with a slice of pepper (it was an unusual pepper picked up at our farmers' market...supposedly has the taste of a habanero without the heat).

 

Course two was a baby romaine salad with <something something> tomatoes and a homemade buttermilk herb dressing.  Justin said, and I quote..."That was so good!  And it was just a salad".

 

Course three...finally, I contributed to the production...homemade raviolis with ricotta and peas in a tomato water and butter sauce.  Only thing I did was make (fill) the raviolis.  You should have seen the first batch...they were warped!  Saved for the adults.

 

Course four...the entree...it was funny because Leo thought the raviolis were the entree.  Olive oil mashed potatoes, airline chicken breast with a pancetta chicken stock sauce, and baby carrots and hericot verts.  It was so pretty.  Best part was...Justin came to the servents' quarters and told me and Jay that he was going to the bathroom but please "don't take my plate".

 

Fifth course, dessert...mole ice cream with coconut whipped cream and spicy pumpkin seed brittle.  This one got the girls!  They talked about it for awhile!

 

The sweet, and thankful, kids.  Jessica and Justin with Leo and Virginia.

Fall farmers' market in F'burg, VA

 

So often, the most beautiful art is found in nature!

Carter Mountain Orchard

Several years ago, Justin went to this orchard with a friend and his family.  He loved it...talked about it all the time!  I've wanted to go ever since.  So, this morning, I got up and was able to drag him out of bed and we went.  Not too terribly far, about 65 miles, in Charlottesville.

 

 

Gorgeous day...comfy and breezy.  

 

Fuji apples.  Justin's favorite.

 

We searched and searched for trees with apples and finally found one...this is the first we picked.

 

It sure helped to have a tall person with me!

 

Justin enjoying a Rome apple.  The first bite was SOUR!

 

My red delicious.  Yum!

 

Yes, of course we got some apple cider donuts and apple pie to bring home.

FNCE 2012

It's been great so far! Fun showing around a young RD at her first meeting! More pictures to come...