And....I'm back!

So...I've been gone for a while...okay, three months one week and two days, but who's counting?

During that time, I guess you could say I was busy...

I had a baby. This is Ethan, the littlest McD.

I watched Kyle win some ribbons on swim team.

 

 

 My parents made their first trip to Bahrain.

My hubby got a promotion and now only works days (thank goodness!)

And, yeah, like I said...I guess I was busy.

In all truthfulness (because you know I keep it real), I had a rough time dealing with things after Ethan was born. I've always thought of myself as someone who could do it all. I've always wanted to be that mom/wife who could handle all her family's needs with ease. And, considering where we're living, I thought I was doing a pretty good job handling Eric's schedule and Kyle's, bring on a baby...I'm ready!

It's been quite a while since Kyle was a baby and maybe I had somewhat chosen to forget I had my parents and family around to help. Here in Bahrain, I've been pretty much solo. Eric tries to help out when he can, but his job with NCTS Bahrain is still quite demanding. Also, the many comforts and conveniences of home are no longer here. It was overwhelming some days and to know that there was no safety net was stressful. Plus, while I'm already back to my pre-baby weight/size, it didn't quite come off as easily and my body shape still feels kind of foreign. I felt like everything had changed and I had no control over any of it.

It's taken this time away to try to learn a new way of living, including a new way of eating and approaching fitness. My family and I have pretty much adopted a Paleo lifestyle and it seems to be making all of us thrive. The scale is slowly no longer the determining factor of my worth or capability. I hope within coming days, months, years I can show myself and others a way to break from certain trivial numbers/measures to determine happiness.

Being healthy and loved is the goal.

Ten Thing Tuesday

1. I made these, aka Slutty Brownies, yesterday because when I picked up Kyle from school, I discovered there were no sweets in our house (blasphemy, I know). I haven't a clue why they're called Slutty Brownies, but I do know that they're deadly good.

2. I'm currently 39 weeks 5 days pregnant. And for the past couple weeks, it really has felt like 39 weeks and 5 days of being elephant-size pregnant. I've barely gained over the minimum "healthy" weight for my age/height, but with the heat in Bahrain there's been swelling issues. I'm very ready to have the newest little boy join our family and to have my normal-sized feet back.

3. Eric is now on maternity leave helping me await Baby Ethan's arrival. It's been a really long time since I've had him around for more than 6-8 hours in a day. I really like it. We're seriously the biggest dorks and make each other laugh by making strange faces at one another. Did I mention we're easily amused?

4. Kyle has recently joined the swim team at his DoD school. For a kid who, a few years ago, didn't like to get his face wet he's actually surprisingly good. He actually was put in the fastest lane for freestyle. I'm very proud of him.

5. I don't know what is with the food blogger world's current obsession with cookie butter. Apparently, it's so good that it makes angels weep. I wish there were somewhere here that I could purchase some to try.

6. Most days, I realize I enjoy making food more than eating it. I love food, but maybe I'm too lazy to eat? I dunno...I'm strange.

7. I am in desperate need of a haircut. My hair, though normally stick straight, has suddenly become very big and kinda wavy, wild with all the humidity here. Plus, it's just above my butt...not a good length for 100+ Middle Eastern heat.

8. Game of Thrones. So sad next week ends the season. Whatever shall I do with my time?

 9. WANT! I have been craving salads for weeks now, especially a huge Wedge Salad. Unfortunately, don't think I'll be getting my fix until we're back in the states. Sadly, quality salad greens are almost nonexistent in the Middle East.

10. I've got about six recipes I really need to blog about, but I find it difficult to balance my laptop to type on a almost constantly moving baby bump. Plus, I am being uncharacteristically lazy. I'm ashamed, but not really.

Sundays With Joy: Avocado Fries

See these...

They're Avocado Fries.

Yes, you read correctly. Avocado Fries.

I bet you're thinking...how the heck does Joy come up with this stuff? 

And the truth is, I have no idea. However, I'm so very glad she does.

While I'm speaking the truth, as I always do with you, I am NOT a fan of avocados. When I bought Joy's cookbook and saw that there were avocado recipes, I had planned on skipping them. That's how much I am not a fan.

Want to know something really funny? All of my friends and family think I make some of the best guacamole they've ever tasted. But I've never tasted it before in my life. True story.

My boys enjoy avocados, Eric especially. Whenever I prepare something with them, I inwardly cringe. Seriously, I sometimes feel like I will gag. In fact, once or twice I kind of did. There's something about their texture, that kind of creamy, waxy texture, that while many enjoy...I am not one of them. In fact, I'm always trying avoid these creamy, green fruits.

Then I joined Sunday's With Joy.

I decided, however much I had already decided that I greatly dislike avocados, I would make every recipe in Joy's book and I would try them.

This past week has been especially difficult for me because I'm 39 weeks pregnant. Everything I do seems to be slower. I can't bend over very well. My ankles have been swelling from the extreme heat. And the past few days I've been having very erratic, strong Braxton-Hicks contractions so I've been worried about going into labor pretty much every day. 

It hasn't stopped me from being in the kitchen cooking every single day. Although, I was contemplating using my impending labor as an excuse to not have to face touching, let alone tasting an avocado.

However, I put on my big girl pants, bought a couple avocados, and hunkered down to make the avocado fries. I pretty much followed the recipe verbatim, but since panko bread crumbs aren't available at the NEX or in town here in Bahrain, I made my own from fresh french bread following HowSweet's tutorial. Also, I found that adding a couple tablespoons of cornstarch to the flour and dredging the avocado slices in the flour before the egg helped make a crispier fry.

Eric and I weren't quite sure frying an avocado would taste all that good, we thought it would get too mushy. And Kyle, well...he didn't sound all that thrilled, when I told him what I was making this week, but we all decided to try them. 

I'm glad I did.

Eric ended up really enjoying them, He actually ate the majority. Kyle, his eyes lit up for a second, and he ate a few. Then he proceeded to talk to me about maybe what we could do to alter them for next time. And me...(*drum roll please*) I ate two avocado fries! And...I actually didn't die. I almost, kind of, liked them!

While, I don't think I will jump onto the avocado train any time soon, I am glad that I didn't die and I actually found a way to eat avocados.

Thank you Joy!

Sundays With Joy: Leek and Asparagus Quiche (Bacon too!)

First of all, let me start off this post by saying, "Happy Mother's Day" to all my blogger mamas out there.

Being a parent/spouse can sometimes feel like a thankless job. Between being the one to provide a comforting home, cleaning up messes, cooking, and wiping away tears...sometimes it seems that everyone in the house assumes what you do for them is YOUR JOB rather than something you do out of love for your family. Believe me, I've met plenty of parents and spouses who hardly do a thing and I simply can't be one of those. 

Do I sometimes go above and beyond unnecessarily? Of course! 

Do I sometimes needlessly get upset because my boys don't seem to notice the extra care I give? You bet!

But would I ever take back a single thing or stop doing what I do? Never!

Part of what I think is so inherent to being a good spouse/parent is that deep-rooted love for your family that, no matter how hard you try, or how much you threaten at times...you can't help but love and want to do anything for them. And what better way to show your love than cooking something delicious?

This week in Sundays With Joy, we made another recipe from Joy's book, the delectable Leek and Asparagus Quiche. Although, with Joy's permission (of course) I added bacon.

Everything is better with bacon, right?

This quiche was the first time that both Eric and Kyle have knowingly tried leeks. And I think they were both quite pleased with the introduction.

The one thing that quite a few people don't seem to know is that leeks can harbor sand in between their layers. In order to escape the grit, you need to make sure you rinse your leeks well.

Here in Bahrain, asparagus is not exactly common. And the few places you can purchase it, they come in "baby" size. That's what I ended up using. Tender baby asparagus cooked down with creamy leeks in a bit of olive oil and bacon fat...heaven!

As if having the leeks and asparagus cooked down in rendered bacon fat wasn't decadent enough, I added six slices of thick cut smoked bacon...

I wish you could smell the smoky, salty goodness here...it should be bottled and sold. Seriously.

All these ingredients laying in a buttery puff pastry shell waiting for a bath of cream, eggs and cheese...yes please!

After a nice little bake in the oven, you've got Sunday brunch gold.

Make this for your mother, sister, wife....believe me, you'll thank me that you did ;)

A Cake for Avery: Lemon Raspberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Today, is a bittersweet day...Avery Canahauti would have been 6 months old. Today should have been another day her parents got to spend with her, another milestone to mark of many, but it isn't. Sadly, Avery's parents lost their little angel to SMA less than two months after she was diagnosed.

Her parents were amazing and strong during what would have been a very dark period for many parents given the same news. They handled Avery's condition with a grace and strength that not many people possess. They took those days they had with Avery and made the most of each one. They started a bucket list for Avery. They dedicated a blog, twitter account, and facebook page to Avery's honor. They've gained a lot of attention to a little known disease in an effort to raise awareness and to one day have a cure found so other parents won't have to go through the same heartbreak. There surely should be more people like Avery and her parents in the world.

So...in honor of what would have been Avery's 6-month birthday and to celebrate the time her parents had with her, I reached out to fellow food bloggers and friends alike to ask if they would bake their favorite celebration cake...A Cake for Avery.

To celebrate Avery, I made a bright layered lemon cake filled with homemade raspberry filling and topped with girly pink cream cheese frosting. I thought the slightly tart lemon and raspberry covered with the rich frosting would be a kind of testament to a life that was filled with so much in such a little amount of time. Plus, I think the pink and flowers were a perfect tribute to such a darling little girl.

 I hope you will share Avery's story and spread the word about SMA testing.

Happy Birthday Avery! May you rest in peace and your family/friends find comfort and healing!

Lemon Raspberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes a frosted 9-inch two layer cake

Ingredients:

LEMON CAKE

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
16 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
Zest of 2 large lemons, finely grated/chopped

Lemon syrup (recipe follows)

For the syrup
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup water
2/3 cup sugar

RASPBERRY FILLING*

2 cups of raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1/4 cup water 

1 TBSP lemon juice

4 TBSP sugar. 

1 egg yolk

1 TBSP + 1 tsp corn starch

2 TBSP water

2 TBSP unsalted butter

* You may substitute 2/3 cup raspberry jam instead

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

24 oz cream cheese
4 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

Food coloring (optional)

Directions: 

LEMON CAKE

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

1. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with non-stick spray and line bottoms with parchment.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together, baking powder and salt.

3. In the large mixing bowl, add softened butter and sugar. Beat until very light and fluffy - at least 3-5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each one. Scrape down the bowl, when necessary and continue.

4. Mix in the dry ingredients alternately in three additions, with the milk in two additions, beating just until incorporated after each addition. Gently fold in lemon zest.

5. Pour batter into prepared pans.Smooth batter with spatula.

6. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the cake begins to pull away from the sides and a toothpick comes out mostly clean when inserted into the center. Let the cake stand in the pan for 5 minutes. Invert cake onto a wire rack and remove pan - set over a piece of parchment or a plate to catch the drips from the syrup.

For the syrup

In a small saucepan, whisk together syrup ingredients. Heat on low, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Brush cake all over with the syrup. Let cake sit for at least 4 hours before leveling and filling. 

RASPBERRY FILLING

1. Cook raspberries, water, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until berries have broken down. 

2. Puree the raspberry mixture. If you wish, press through a sieve to remove the seeds or leave the seeds in. Return to the saucepan. 

3. Add corn starch and water to make slurry. Add the slurry to the raspberry mixture and heat until the raspberry mixture starts to become thick. 

4. Beat egg yolk in a small bowl adding a bit of the hot raspberry mixture to temper. Slowly add the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan, stirring constantly. Allow to cook down and thicken.

5. Remove from the heat, add the butter and allow to cool.

 

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Beat on high until light and fluffy.

2. Slowly add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy.

3. Add food coloring if you would like.

Bacon Meatloaf Muffins and Ranch Potato Casserole

What's a more "All-American" dinner than bacon, meatloaf and potatoes?

I know that meatloaf can get a bad wrap, but honestly it can be a very good dinner. One of the best things about it is that it can be altered to fit your family's preference and you can pretty much add anything you like in it. Plus, it tends to be a pretty cost effective meal. No one could really fault you for wanting more bang for your buck, right?

Truth be told, growing up in an Asian household, we didn't have too many All-American dinners...

With foodie parents like mine, I did have a very abundant source of different cuisines and most of them were pretty good. It's just, I don't know if it was seeing my friends lament poor dinners or watching too many shows about moms making disgusting food, but most American-style dinners didn't appeal to me. Least of all...meatloaf.

When I was younger, the idea of hamburger meat being formed into a brick of sorts, mixed with raw eggs and crumbs (or worse yet, oatmeal) and topped with ketchup seemed quite gag-worthy. And having it once at a neighbor's house solidified the notion that I DID NOT like meatloaf.

Skip ahead a few years when my mom decided that she was going to offer an assortment of meatloaves for a dinner party at our house...needless to say, I thought I was going to starve because I had already decided that I didn't eat meatloaf. Thankfully, my mom used recipes from a gourmet magazine offering up such tasty morsels as: Greek Meatloaf made with a mix of lamb and feta, Italian meatloaf studded with sundried tomatoes...that's when I decided that maybe meatloaf wasn't so bad...if made right. 

Eric hasn't always been a fan of meatloaf either, though he can't exactly pinpoint his initial aversion, but he does seem to like my meatloaf. Kyle, well...he's used to mom's version of things, so he's a fan. Plus, now that he's a bit older, he likes to help cook which I really believes helps bolster a child's love of diverse cuisine.

 

Tonight's dinner was one that was quite easy to throw together and filling, both qualities I find very appealing when feeding a house filled with boys.

I hope your family will enjoy this dinner too!

Bacon-Meatloaf Muffins with Spicy Sweet Topping

 

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

MEATLOAF

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef

1 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

1/3 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBSP oil

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup milk

4-5 slices of bacon cut into 2-3in pieces

SPICY SWEET TOPPING

2/3 cup ketchup
4 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP prepared mustard

Tabasco to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

1. Cook onions in a pan with the oil until translucent and slightly golden. Cool slightly.

2. Mix cooked onion and all other meatloaf ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
3. Spray a cupcake pan with cooking spray. This will keep the meatloaf from sticking. Scoop meatloaf into the prepared cupcake pan.
4. Cover each meatloaf muffin with bacon pieces.
5. In a small bowl, mix ingredients for topping and spread onto each meatloaf muffin. Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes.

Ranch Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

2-2 1/2 lbs small red potatoes

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup mayonaise

1 TBSP + 1 1/2 tsp Ranch dressing mix

1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon (about 4-6 strips) 

1 cup cheddar cheese + additional 1/2 cup cheddar cheese for topping
2 TBSP parsley, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

 

1. Cut potatoes in half (or quarters, depending on the size of your red potatoes) and boil just until can be pierced with a fork. Drain well.

2. In a separate bowl combine the rest of the ingredients (except parsley) and mix well. Pour over potatoes and toss to coat.

3. Put in a lightly greased baking dish. Bake until heated through and cheese is melted. Top with more cheese and bacon or garnish as desired.

Brown Butter Banana Spice Muffins

I said yesterday that I thought brown butter was my new obsession and I'm no liar...I present to you: Brown Butter Banana Spice Muffins.

With almost all of the Joy the Baker muffins I made gone because I sent them off with Kyle for Teacher Appreciation, I knew more muffins with brown butter needed to be made...

Unfortunately for me, I had used all my berries and had forgotten to get peaches at the hypermarket when I got groceries. But, not one to be deterred, I looked around my kitchen to see what I could put in the brown butter muffins I NEEDED to make.

Though I'm sure that a basic muffin made with brown butter would probably have been delicious, I wanted to add another element to play off the nuttiness of the brown butter. And that's when I saw the bunch of bananas sitting on my counter...perfect!

As the butter was browning on the stove top and I was mashing bananas, I knew I still couldn't leave well enough alone. I NEEDED yet another element for these muffins. That, was a no brainer: an oat crumble!

These muffins came out heavenly! They are surprisingly light and supremely moist. The spice supports the brown butter without being up in your face and the oat crumble adds a nice little chew.

I'm sure that you could add more spice if you should like or a bit of chopped nuts to either the batter or crumble. I encourage you to use this recipe as a jumping off point to test your muffin boundaries.

I hope you enjoy them as much as my boys and I did!

Brown Butter Banana Spice Muffins

Makes 18-20 muffins

Ingredients:

MUFFIN BATTER

1/2 cup butter, browned
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 medium bananas, mashed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking sod

1/2 tsp cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt

OAT CRUMBLE

1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 TBSP butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

1. Melt the butter in a pan until all the milk solids  fall to the bottom and turn a beautiful golden brown and it smells nutty.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the browned butter and sugar. Add the eggs, smashed bananas, yogurt, and vanilla, mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda cardamom, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Pour into prepared liners or greased muffin tins.

3. In a small bowl mix all of the oat crumble ingredients together until clumps about the size of small peas form. Sprinkle over prepared muffins.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.