Catz in the Kitchen

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Tuesday's Tidings for April 8, 2014

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1. This past Satuday, I took over the breakfast cooking and made cinnamon rolls. I hadn't made them in a few months and they were so good! But of course, there were to many for us to eat, so I had to share. :)

2. Saturday late afternoon, Josh and I ventured to the mall area for swimsuit shopping for me. I think most girls will agree with me that swimsuit shopping is something of the devil. It is not fun. It's annoying. It's frustrating and uncomfortable. By the end of the first store (we went to Kohls first), my neck and arms were sore from having so many straps wrapped around me. But, we went to Macy's next and I found the swimsuit I had been looking at online...the only one in my size hanging there on the rack. It wasn't the color I had wanted (I wanted black and this one was a dark navy) but I went and tried that one on, along with a million others. And guess what, It fit!!! Like a glove! It was the only one out of the thousands that was the most comfortable. It didn't tug anywhere, I wasn't falling out anywhere, slimming. It was perfect. I tried on everything else just to be sure...but we ended up getting this one and I love it! Worth every single penny! I was afraid it would be a little matronly, because sometimes swim dresses tend to go there, and while I wanted to be modest and covered up, I still wanted to feel comfortable and classy. This one completely fit the bill and Josh loved it!

3. So for over a month we've been having water pressure issues with our sink. We already had a guy come out and replace the whole faucet because we thought that was the problem with the water pressure, but then a week after he came out, the water was barely there again. It makes washing dishes such a chore #punintended and its frustrating. Now, our garbage disposal is backed up again and I don't even want to cook in my kitchen! But, tomorrow, the guy is coming back out to hopefully trouble-shoot the problem. Wish me luck!

4. I know some people find it impossible to shop for clothes at thrift stores, but I tell you, I find such good things there for amazing prices! I always have to dig a little bit, but I usually walk away with one or two goodies. On Saturday, I went to Goodwill while Christian was napping and started digging through the clothes. I've been on the hunt for dresses that I can wear in the spring or summer. I tell ya, I hit the jackpot! I found this dress from Old Navy for $7.99  with the tag still on it and nothing wrong with it. ( I wore it on Sunday with a little cardigan.) and then I found a really cute floral drop-waist dress from the Gap for $7.99-super cute and flattering on, I wore it yesterday and it was perfect for the warm weather we had and I found a like-new dark blue v-neck tank top from Victoria Secret for $4.99! I couldn't believe it! I promise, that if you look for clothes at thrift stores like Goodwill and you bring some patience with you, you can find some treasure. I would say, half of my wardrobe is either Goodwill finds or clothes that have been given to me from my mom (we wear similar sizes and she loves to shop, so it works out in my favor) the rest, I buy on sale or clearance from usually places like Kohls or Old Navy. In fact, I snagged a Lauren Conrad shirt from Kohls the other day for $4.20 on clearance! You just have to be willing to look! :)

5. Please tell me I'm not the only one who has to be in bed by 10pm? Josh, needs to be in bed by that time for work, but I tell ya, I am so tired, that if we're still up by 10:30pm, I'm starting to fall asleep.

6. I finished the 30 day shred again and yesterday I started this dvd back up again. I forgot how much I enjoyed it and how hard it does push me, oh and I still hate burpees! But oh my goodness, today...my lower back and abs are sore city!

7. It amazing how 70 degrees feels like 80 degrees! I've been so used to the 40's-50 degree weather we've had that anything over 65 degrees feels incredibly warm!

8. Last night we made this Skinny Fettuccini Alfredo and it was such a hit and so delicious! I think this will be our new go-to recipe, because it didn't taste healthy-ish or skinnier to me!

9. I mentioned in last week's Tuesday's Tidings, that I didn't really understand what BB Cream was. So I looked it up and it sounds like it's kind of like a beauty blemish cream that can also work as a foundation?? Some even have SPF. I was given a sample of a Coconut BB Cream from the Body Shop when I was there last and I really like it. I use it in the mornings instead of my usual moisturizer and not only does it smell good, I swear my skin is softer. But, I can't find it on their website, lol! I'm going to have to go to the store I guess. So for those who do use it, what brand do you like the best.

10. I need tips for riding on planes with a 16 mth old- GO!

Weekly Menu 4/7-4/13

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Our weekend was awesome! How was your's? First, none of us were sick! Yay!!! Have we finally beat all the bugs? Plus, I just got a lot of things checked off of my mental checklist of things I needed to get for our trip for example: New coloring book, crayons, and sunglasses for Eden-Check! Swimsuit and some spring and summer clothing items for Grace-Check! Easter outfit and swim shorts for Christian-Check! It feels so good to finally have that stuff done and not hanging over my head. YAY!

This week is supposed to be nice here; as in sunshine and upper 60's-70's! Holla!!! I've got us grilling one night this week and I cannot wait! Do you have plans for the sunshine??

Monday
(Meatless)
Skinny Fettuccini Alfredo with Caesar Salad
Tuesday
(Taco)
Wednesday
Thursday
Cream Cheese Burgers, Fries, and Fruit
Friday
(Pizza)
Pepperoni and Olive Pizza with Salad
Saturday
B-day Dinner with Family
Sunday
Fried Egg Sandwiches and Smoothies

Shepherd's Pie

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**This recipe has just been re-edited from the archives. It was one of the first posts I think I ever wrote and the photos were bad, bad, bad. I can't say these are much better, but Josh and I are under the impression that this is one dish that is not easily photographed, lol! But it is a dish you don't want to pass up making.**

When I first married Josh, I was a very basic cook. I don't even really think you could call me a cook, since everything I made either came out from a box, jar, or a freezer bag. I think our first year of marriage would of turned out differently in the cooking department had I not been pregnant or been sick the entire length of my pregnancy.

 I still remember the list I wrote for my pre-marital counseling about what expectations I was placing on myself for our first year of marriage. The two things that stand out in my mind are A) I would have dinner ready and waiting for Josh when he got home (haha) and B) I would brew him coffee daily. (This is pretty laughable now). In our 7 years of marriage I have not made him coffee once. I've poured him coffee...but never actually made it. He on the other hand, makes me coffee all the time.


The first real meal I do remember making for him after Gracie was born was Sheperd's Pie. I was juggling a new baby, trying to keep a clean house (err, apartment), and basically just survive and many of our dinners still consisted of ready-made items. But this shepard's pie was so incredibly easy and so delicious. It gave me hope that I was not destined for ruin in the kitchen just yet.

As a bridal shower gift, my sister in love, Jennifer made a recipe box with a bunch of family favorite meals inside it. That gift has proven to be priceless to me and this particular recipe has become a family favorite of ours as well.

This is probably one of the meals I make the most often when I have brought a meal to someone who needed it. It can be thrown together ahead of time and baked up whenever you're ready. Throw in a side salad, and you are ready to go! Easy Peasy Japanesey!

*A side note on the choice of protein you use. I use ground turkey breast because it's healthier than beef and I think it is also gentler on the system if you were to give this as a meal to someone. But if you like ground beef or ground chicken even, that would be delicious too.

Shepherd's Pie

Recipe by The Rief Family
Sheperd's Pie takes a bit of a tex-mex approach when it comes to this easy meal that can be thrown together in about 25 minutes.

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 35-45 minutes
Total time: 65 minutes
Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground turkey breast
  • 1 packet mild taco seasoning
  • ¾ cup water
  • 1 (15 oz) can yellow corn, drained
  • 1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese
  • 6-8 servings instant mashed potatoes, as prepared by box recipe
  • Pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a frying pan, brown ground turkey. Add taco seasoning and water and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  3. In a 2-3 qt casserole dish, layer cooked meat, corn, mashed potatoes, pepper, and cheese. Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes or until it's hot all the way through.
  4. **For meal ministry, serve with a green salad and buttered french bread.***

California Pizza Kitchen Kids: Release your Inner Chef

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This past weekend, the kids got to make their own pizza at California Pizza Kitchen! As you know, my kids are foodies and Grace wants to be a chef when she grows up, so we like to encourage anything we can in this area for her. And Eden loves pizza! So it was a win/win for both of them.

I looked on CPK's website so I could link you to their "Inner Pizza Chef" program, but I couldn't find it online. The way we found out about is because Josh and I subscribe to their emails, and we've been getting emails monthly about this activity. So a couple of weeks ago, Josh signed the girls up. It's only $10 per child, and the kids get a free drink and get to make their own pizza. The parents even get a free plate of some of their flatbread-which is delicious.

The kids start out by putting together their own pizza boxes and decorating them. As you can see, Grace named hers" Grace's Famous Pizza Restaurant!"

Then they get to decorate their pizzas, putting on as much or as little cheese, sauce, meat, and other toppings as they like.  *Forgive the picture quality, Josh was snapping these on his iPhone*

Christian hung out and watched and sampled the leftover toppings.

*Grace's Pizza*
*Eden's Pizza*
Then they got baked and the kids got to devour them! This was such a fun and inexpensive activity to do with the kids and I really adore our local CPK. The staff has always been wonderful and really encourage the kids to have fun. Grace has been telling Josh and I for years that when she is old enough to get a job, she wants one at CPK and I think this experience just her more sure of that choice!
If you've got kids that love pizza (what kid doesn't), I highly suggest you sign up for their emails so you can get the April offer for the CPK kids program. Or you could call your local California Pizza Kitchen and see if it is something they offer. Either way, it is a really enjoyable way to spend with the kids.
**I was not paid for this post. All thoughts and opinions are mine and thought it was a really neat experience that I wanted to share with you. 

Tuesday's Tidings for April 1, 2014

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1. We surprised the kids last night with an invitation to Disneyland! The girls have been wanting to go for a few years now. We've got family down there we want to see and have a relaxing vacation. We leave in a few weeks! I wanna hear all the tips you guys have on saving money and great, affordable places to eat in Cali.

2. You guys, I've got to share this new bath product I picked up this weekend with a Groupon I bought about a month ago. If you ladies love a good bubble bath, then I've got a bubble bath product you're going to want to run out and grab! It's from The Body Shop and it's called Honeymania Bubble Bath Melt! This stuff smells amazing. Not so much of honey, but more of a floral aroma. I took a bath  the other night with this stuff and was in there for 45 minutes which never ever happens! The bubbles and fragrance stayed FOOREVER, even while the tub was draining and I think because the bubbles stay for so long, it kept the heat in the water as well. My skin was so soft afterwards and I smelled super good. This is a product I can see myself buying over and over again. And you don't need much at all. Only about a tablespoon. So if you are in the market for bubble bath-try this stuff out!


3. So I bought this chambray shirt from Old Navy a week ago and I Love It!! I used the rest of a gift card I had and got it on sale. Love, love, love this shirt. If there was one negative thing about it, it does bleed against my white clothes. I wore it with a white tank underneath and later I had blue ink blotted onto me, lol! I have washed the shirt since, but haven't worn it to see if it still bleeds. Either way, it's worth it. This shirt is incredibly flattering.

4. What time do you go to bed at night? I feel like an old person. By 10pm, I'm beat and need to get in bed!

5. Okay...so what is the deal with this BB Cream stuff I see advertised all over the place. What is the purpose of it, what does it do, and how is it different from the moisturizer I already use and love?

6. Those who have little girls that are obsessed with My Little Pony may already know that Rarity and some of her friends were released at Build a Bear last week. We, or course had to go get them! It was Eden's turn to stuff the pony and Grace got Scootaloo and now we have a whole house full of My Little Ponies. But ya know what? I don't mind, they are so cute and the show is so healthy for my little girls. I don't ever worry about what they are learning when they watch that one.

7. April Fool's Day. Who tries to pull pranks on people on this day? I've never been much of a pranker. What's been your best prank?

8. Josh and I made this Taco Pasta last week and it was so good! It's really quick and easy and all the kids ate it up! This is just one of the many wonderful recipes of Lauren's that we've made and they all turn out so good. Gotta love that she is also living in Oregon like me! :)

9. I can't remember if I mention this at all, but back in February when Josh went San Francisco for the night for work, I had to make my own coffee...which I never did until recently. Now I make my own coffee like I've been doing it for years. But I had a sample of Folger's Vanilla Biscotti coffee grounds and it is so good! Grace always gathers around me when I open the package up and takes a big whiff! This is my favorite coffee, the way it smells and tastes...so much better than the stuff my husband drinks.  I just wish they sold it in bigger containers. :(

10. Now that we're headed to Cali in 25 days (Yes, we have a countdown on our chalkboard right now), we plan on doing some swimming. I actually don't like to swim. I used to love it, but then I started coloring my hair and wearing makeup and I just hated having to redo my hair and makeup, lol! Yes, this would be called VANITY. But anyways, I do not own a swimsuit. I threw the ones I had out because they didn't fit me...because I have 3 gorgeous kiddos! But anyways, I find swimsuit shopping to be the very worst thing to do in the world and I dread it more than possibly even going to the dentist. Most department/retail stores just don't carry flattering swimsuits for woman who've had a figure make-over. Target and Old Navy, while I love their clothes...I can't wear the swimsuits. I'm going to check out Kohl's hopefully this weekend, but I'm not sure where else to look and I'm hesitant to buy online. Although, I found this one and this polka dot one from The Loft. It's more money than I would like to spend, but from what I hear, sometimes you have to spend more money on a suit that fits your body well than on something that doesn't do a great job. I would be willing to spend the money...but I would love something a bit cheaper. I'm looking at one piece's since I can never find a Tankini that works for me. Do you guys have any suggestions on where to look?

Weekly Menu 3/31-4/6

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This past week! Oooohhmyyygaaawwrrsshh! Talk about a long and dreary week. It rained ALL week at our house! Then Tuesday afternoon comes along and I'm busy preparing food and trying to photograph it and I get sick! Bam! Out of nowhere! I think I had some weird stomach bug. All I wanted to do was lay in bed, because doing anything that required effort was to difficult. But finally Sunday morning rolled around and I felt better than I had and I was actually hungry and something sounded good. I wanted a blueberry muffin. So I made Josh run to the store and get me one and I was able to eat normally the rest of the day. This was not a fun way to spend Spring Break though.

This week is still supposed to rain, but I think we're going to have a few days where it doesn't. So that will be nice.  How was your weekends? Aside from getting over the stomach bug, I think we made the most of the weekend and it felt so good to get out of the house. I've got lot's of things I want to talk to all about, but that will wait till tomorrow. For now, here's the menu.

Monday
(Meatless)
Spaghetti, Roasted Broccoli, and Garlic Bread
Tuesday
(Taco)
Lime Chicken Tacos with Rice and Beans
Wednesday
(Crockpot)
Creamy Chicken Stew and Biscuits
Thursday
Cooking Class
Friday
Pizza and Salad
Saturday
Sunday
BLT Sliders and Kettle Chips

Cooking with Gracie: No Bake Raspberry Cheesecake

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I've decided to start posting occasionally on Saturdays. Grace and Eden got a cookbook for Christmas ( I think I mentioned it in Tuesday's Tidings) and she has been really excited to cook through it with me. Cooking and baking is something Grace has shown a huge interest in and I'm so happy too, because it's kind of something you need to know how to do, so you might as well enjoy it. But I asked her, how she would feel about if we take pictures of the recipes we make out of the book and I'll let her help me pick out food props, etc and if she would be okay with me posting the recipes on maybe a Saturday here and there. She loved the idea, so this is our first ever Cooking with Gracie post! Isn't that exciting?!

Before we begin, I want to tell you a bit about this book. At this current moment, we've only tried two recipes. This cheesecake and a burger recipe. They've both been excellent! The cookbook is called "The Cookbook for Girls, Fun Food for Fun Times." You should check it out on Amazon! If you've got a daughter who is interested in cooking, this might make a great gift for them.

What I think is funny about this recipe, is that it looks nothing like the picture in the book. The cheesecake in the book is a very soft pink and obviously, here it's very bright! Grace was very concerned that we made it wrong, lol! But I told her sometimes, depending on different brands of ingredients, things can look a little different, but that as long as it set up the way it was supposed to and tasted good, it didn't really matter. I happen to love this bright color! It demands attention!

Josh and I were a little skeptical of how this was going to taste at first because because we made it with the bigger box of raspberry JELL-O and thought it might be a little to gelatin-y. Is that a word?? The first bite, kind of is like WOW, that's bright. But then you find yourself going back for more bites and the flavor is actually really good. The graham cracker crust is perfect with it and the chopped fresh raspberries mixed into the cheesecake are delightful. Josh, whom I thought wouldn't really enjoyed it, wanted to keep sneaking slices of it. What I loved about it was that it was really easy...there is no oven/stove involvement at all and there is no added sugar.

If you've got a couple of kids who really love to get in the kitchen with you, this would be a great recipe for them to try out! They'll have fun pouring out the ingredients and tracing the parchment paper to line the springform pan with!

No Bake Raspberry Cheesecake
Recipe by Cookbook for Girls
Looking for an easy dessert to get the kids involved in? This No Bake Raspberry Cheesecake is fruity, fun, and festive for the upcoming spring months.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Total time: 2 hours and 20 minutes
Ingredients

  • 6 TBunsalted butter
  • 1 ¾ cupscrushed graham crackers
  • 5 oz raspberry flavored gelatin
  • 1 cupevaporated milk, chilled
  • 1 cup cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cupraspberries, roughly chopped

Cooking Directions

  1. Line the bottom of an 8 inch springform pan with parchment paper.
  2. Place the crackers in a food processor or in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin. Melt the butter and pour into a medium sized bowl along with the crushed graham crackers and stir until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press into the bottom of the springform pan and chill.
  3. In a measuring cup, put the gelatin in 4 oz (half a cup) of boiling water and stir until dissolved.
  4. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, whisk the evaporated milk until light and fluffy and doubled in size. Beat in the cream cheese, until the mixture is smooth. Beat in gelatin.
  5. Pour the chopped berried into the batter and stir. Pour over the cracker crust and place in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Julia Child's Parmesan Chicken with Brown Butter Sauce

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I had almost forgotten about my Julia Child monthly challenge when Sunday rolled around and I was making my grocery list for the week. With all of the kids various illnesses and things we had going on, I had kind of forgotten to plan ahead! I remember back in February thinking I wanted to make a dessert...but I think I'm going to leave the dessert for the April post since Easter isn't to far away.

The original name for this dish is Supremes de Volaille a la Milanaise...which translates to: Chicken Breasts rolled in Parmesan and Fresh Bread Crumbs. Either way, both titles are very long. So I shortened it to Parmesan Chicken which I think is perfectly acceptable.

For those of you paying close attention, you'll notice the above picture are not chicken breasts, but chicken tenderloins instead. Well...so I have a gas stove and I love it. But we buy our chicken breasts from Cosco and for anyone that buys their chicken there knows that their breasts are huge and it is a lot of work to get that thing cooked all the way through without burning it. Well...as you guess it, I burned the top of my breasts.

But lucky for me, I had thawed out some chicken tenderloin as well because the breasts are to big for our kids to eat. So I ended up using that for the picture. You could say that I'm swaying from the original recipe a bit, but really, who cares! The flavors are there and that's the main thing right? I don't think Julia Child would strike me on the hand for adapting the recipe a tad.

Funny that I mention adapting the recipe a tad...I did adapt it just a smidge so that I wouldn't burn these tenders too. What I found worked really well in the case of the breasts and the tenders was actually a lot simpler and easier to clean up. I sautéed the chicken in butter to get that great caramelization on the chicken and then once the crust was perfectly golden, I through it in the oven to finish baking the rest of the way through!

It was a perfect solution. You get that tasty, crispy crust and a completely cooked through and moist chicken tenderloin or breast. In my case, it was both. Seeing as my breasts weren't completely cooked through when I put them in the oven. But 20 minutes at 350 did the trick!

Because I'm on Spring Break with the kids right now, my goal has been to get a lot more cooking and baking done than I would usually do during the week, so I made these in the afternoon and once they cooled stored them in the fridge until we were ready to eat. I was scared that they would dry up...but I put them all back in the oven in a baking dish at 350 for 20 minutes and they were perfect! Julia says in the recipe that you can make these ahead and just reheat them...but I didn't buy it, because chicken dries up so easily. This was not the case, they heated up perfectly and the chicken was devoured, by all three of my kids...including Christian!

Because this dish is rather easy...now that I've adapted it for my kitchen and the chicken I keep on hand, I would make this a lot more often. It is actually really easy to make and it is so good. And the brown butter sauce is the perfect sauce to accompany the chicken with.

Julia Child's Parmesan Chicken with Brown Butter Sauce

 

Recipe by Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking cookbook

French cooking at its easiest! This chicken has a beautiful crispy parmesan layer and is finished by baking in the oven and topped with a drizzle of brown butter.

Prep time: 20-25 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

    • 4boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    • ¼ tspsalt
    • Big pinchpepper
    • 1egg
    • ⅛ tspsalt
    • ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
    • ½ cupgrated parmesan cheese
    • ½ cupplain bread crumbs
    • 1 cupall-purpose flour
    • 2-4 TB unsalted butter

Brown Butter Sauce

 

Ingredients

  • 4 TBunsalted butter
  • 3 TB minced parsley
  • 1 TBlemon juice

Cooking Directions

  1. In three separate shallow bowls, like a pie plate, pour the flour in one plate, the egg, salt, and olive oil beaten together in another plate, and the parmesan-bread crumb mixture in another plate.
  2. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper on both sides. One breast at a time, roll them in the flour and shake off excess. Dip in beaten egg mixture. Then roll in the cheese and bread mixture.
  3. Lay the chicken on a baking sheet that's covered in wax paper and all the cheese and bread mixture to set for at least 10-15 minutes or for several hours.
  4. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Saute the chicken on both sides in butter, for about 3-5 minutes until a nice crispy, golden brown crust forms and transfer to a baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked all the way through.
  5. Drizzle brown butter sauce over the tops of the chicken breast.

German Apple Crepe Pancakes

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I really enjoy making breakfast. I mean, I love to grill, and I love to deep fry, and I love to sauté, but more than anything else - I love to make breakfast. It could be because it's the first meal I ever learned to cook, or it could be because my dad was the one that taught me, and while he was quite talented in the breakfast-making arena, he generally didn't venture into the kitchen outside the morning hours (turns out my dad can cook, and is an excellent grill-master, but I learned these things later on - when I lived at home, he was master of the morning meal). Whatever the reason, I have always enjoyed waking up in the morning and spending my first hour or two crafting something tasty with which to beckon the other members of my family downstairs!

A couple of weeks ago, I was in the mood to cook something scrumptious, but we were just on the verge of heading to the grocery store, and there really wasn't anything in the house, which is, quite frankly, the worst. Breakfast and fruit go hand-in-hand, of course, and I often look to a particular fruit purchase to inspire the rest of my breakfast entree. On this particular morning, the fruit was scarce, but we did, as we always do, have apples. Somehow, though we eat them everyday, we almost never run out of apples. I moseyed on over to Epicurious, as I am wont to do, and began searching for breakfast apple recipes.

This particular recipe caught my eye for two reasons - one, it said it was "German," and true or not, foods claiming to be of a particular ethnic origin always pique my interest. Two, the description mentioned crepes, and I love crepes. I hesitated to get too excited, as my ingredients on hand were so few, but as I scanned the list of requirements, I realized that every single item was a staple for us - things we always have on hand! I got to work and soon discovered why they were described as a cross between a pancake and a crepe - that's exactly what they are! The consistency is definitely crepe-like, but you eat them like a pancake (and you don't roll them up). Bottom line? I love crepes, Chels loves pancakes, and we both loved this recipe. Try it!

German Apple Crepe Pancakes

Recipe from Gourmet Magazine via Epicurious

We love pancakes. We love crepes. We love apples. We love cinnamon and sugar. We love this recipe.

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 20 min

Total time: 40 min

Yield: 8-12 pancakes

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 apples
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • ½ tsp salt

Cooking Directions

  1. Add the ¼ sugar and the cinnamon to a small bowl and mix together to create the topping. Set aside.
  2. Whisk together dry ingredients (remaining sugar, flour, and salt) in a large bowl, and then add milk in a steady stream, whisking constantly but gently. Whisk eggs in one at a time.
  3. Cut apples into "matchsticks" roughly ⅛ in thick, discarding the core. Toss with lemon juice and fold apple mixture into batter.
  4. Place a cookie sheet in oven and preheat to warm.
  5. Heat small skillet (6" to 8") over medium heat and add ½ tablespoon to coat pan.
  6. Add roughly ⅓ cup batter to pan, rotating and lifting pan to ensure batter spreads evenly. When lightly browned on bottom, flip and cook reverse side until lightly browned as well. Remove from pan and place in oven to keep warm.
  7. Repeat with remaining batter and butter, and serve warm with cinnamon and sugar mixture sprinkled on top.

Tuesday's Tidings for March 25, 2014

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1. I mentioned yesterday in my Weekly Menu post that Josh and I had done a little bit of yard work over the weekend and that we had put a whiskey barrel in our front yard where the plant had been. Actually, my brother in love, Jeff helped Josh do all the yard work and lifting of the barrel. I went in and out of the house a bunch to check on their progress. But I digress, we want to plant flowers and and rosemary in the barrel. For those of you who are gardeners, what would you suggest we plant? What is hearty enough to take morning sun and afternoon shade and weird Oregon temps?

2. Eden is almost finished with all of her Kindergarten school books. Of course we are on Spring Break this week, but that is no reason why we should let her progress with reading slide. So Josh and I got her a couple of "Learning to read" books from Barnes and Noble. She always starts out being a little scared to try and read a book, but after she settles down and starts doing it, she is great! I hope she turns into a little bookworm like the rest of us.


3. Last week I finished my Proverbs bible study and it was excellent and this week I'm working on 1and 2nd Peter, but we began the study with a deep look into Peter's personality, qualities, and the kind of person he kind of changed into. It's been pretty awesome to learn a bit more about him. He starts out so obedient, yet unsure and then changes into a strong leader with a flair for speaking! If you haven't read Acts 2:14-38 then you should. It is such a powerful speech by Peter! I kind of wanted to stand up and clap for him.

4. For the past few weeks I've been on the hunt for some stationary. But everywhere I looked, it a lot of cards and envelopes. I like cards, I think cards are great, but for sending letters, I wanted stationary and it is really hard to find a bunch of paper with a design you like that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. But I found this set at Barnes and Noble and I actually really love it! My favorite part, you don't have to fold the letter in half a million times to make it fit into the envelope. Just fold in half once and it fits like a dream inside the envelope!

5. We did our first true grilling of the season this last weekend! Grace and Eden received a girls cooking book for Christmas and Grace found a burger recipe she wanted us to try: Cream Cheese Burgers. Oh my word-they were so good! I promise, the next time we make them, I'll take pictures and we'll share them with you guys.

6. I have a few tulips that the person who lived here before us had planted, but I love Daffodils! Ever since I saw the Disney version of Alice and Wonderland, I've always pictured them talking and singing to me as I walk by. (Yeah, I know I'm weird). #don'tcare
But Trader Joes has bunches of Daffodils for $1.29 a bunch and I just had to have them. They perk up my dining room perfectly!

7. Speaking of Disney, one of my favorite bloggers, Kristan from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen posted these Mickey Mouse Cinnamon Rolls over at Spoonful and I love them!!! I need to make them and I think the kids would adore them!

8. We went to Old Navy the other day to get Eden some flip flops and I fell in love with the clothes for Grace's age! Oh my gosh, they are so feminem and modest and completely Grace. I wanted to buy everything I saw.

9. Christian got his first hair cut on Saturday and wailed through the entire thing! He was so not impressed with getting his hair did!

10. Tell me: What's your favorite and least favorite thing about Spring?