Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Being pregnant, I am all about the baking now. Today I made ziti lasagna (which came out delicious), a fresh loaf of bread, a gingerbread loaf with homemade icing, and hot chocolate cupcakes for a friend of mine who is sick in the hospital.

I got the recipe from the december issue of Family Circle, pg 192. I am far too lazy and full right now to type it out, lol. They came out so pretty, I took a crappy picture of course!

Pea Soup

Ingredients:

2 ham hocks (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 pound green split peas
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 32-ounces containers low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions:

Rince the ham hocks. Place them in a stockpot or Dutch oven along the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer ham hocks to a plate and let cool. When the meat is cool enough to handle, chop or shred it and return it to the soup. Ladle and enjoy :)

Also, this can be frozen......for up to three months. Just thaw it overnight and warm the soup in a covered sauce pan for 15 minutes on medium-low. You can add up to 1 cup of water if it seems too thick.

Mushroom Barley Soup

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Barley
1 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1/2 salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 carrot, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
20 ounces of button mushrooms (I used 16), chopped
2 14.5 ounce cans low-sodium chicken broth, or 3 cups of chicken stock (can also use vegetable broth)
2 bay leaves
8 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions:

Bring the Barley and 4 cups of water (I used 3 cups of chicken stock) to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender, 30 minutes to 1 hour (do NOT use quick cook barley). Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the carrot and celery and cook for 6 minutes more. Add the mushrooms, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until they release their juices, about 3 minutes. (can reduce heat if onions start to brown). Add the broth, bay leaves, and sprigs of thyme and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the barley and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove bay leaves and thyme. Season w/ salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

It's been a while!

Some updates:

Ben is now walking and feeding himself. One day Damien and I took him out to TGIFriday's and he reached into my fry basket and picked up a french fry and randomly put it in his mouth. The look on his face....it was incredible. Like...."omg, it's food!". I literally could see the thought process play out on his face. It was adorable. Now, it is full steam ahead, and he doesn't even want me to feed him at ALL. My baby is growing up!!!!!!!!!!!!

Healthy Snack Recipe

One can of chickpeas
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder (i know, I know)
Smokey Paprika

Drain chickpeas. Put in bowl. Toss with olive oil and spices, arrange on pan. Roast in oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour till crispy and rattle. mmmmm snacks.

Ben pics!!!!!!!!!

As everyone knows, I am always on the hunt for a cheap wine that doesn't taste like battery acid. My favorite wine is sauvignon blanc and I actually found a great wine that retails for under $10 - Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc! Woohoo! I'm actually not suprised I liked it as it is from New Zealand (Marlborough) where most of my favorite Sav Blancs come from.

Please note: I have only tasted the 2008.

Anyway, I was originally drawn to this wine by the label. Umm, hello, I love cupcakes. I chilled it and decided to enjoy it one Saturday night with a cheese plate. Cherries, sharp chedder, crackers, and some hazelnuts (I got the idea after a dinner out with Carrie and Brendan). This wine is delicious!! Some sauvignon blancs can have too much acidity - it's overwhelming at points not to mention the heartburn it can cause. I think this wine did a great job in balancing it. This is definitely a lemony, citrus wine - best served extremely cold.

Two Fantastic Recipes, Plus Two Sandwichs!

I made some really fantastic chicken on Sunday, and then used the leftover chicken to make sandwiches for work yesterday and today. I also made some really awesome snacks, so I thought I would share the recipes.

Citrus Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:
Skin on, Bone in chicken Breasts
Lime (juice of, and zest) - if you are using more than 5 breasts, use 1 and 1/2 lime
Orange (juice of, and zest) - if you are using more than 5 breasts, use 1 and 1/2 orange
5 Garlic cloves (smash with side of knife)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions (so easy!):
Zest the Lime and orange into a pole. Squeeze the lime and lemon juice into the boil. Discard both (or eat, whatever floats yer boat). Add salt, pepper, and olive oil (I don't measure it, but make sure there is enough to coat the chicken). Add the garlic cloves. Mix thouroughly. Add the chicken and coat evenly with the mixture. Cover, refridgerate, and allow to marinate for 2-3 hours (don't leave it in any longer as lime juice will start to cook the chicken. I recommend marinating for an hour and a half).

Preheat oven to 375. Place chicken breasts on a wired roaster. I stuff the garlic cloves under the skin, then pour the remaining mixture over the chicken. Roast for around 45 minutes, or until juices run clear.
You can remove the skin before eating, it is just as good!!

Sandwich One:

Two thick slices of homemade bread
Sharp Cheddar
Brewery Mustard
Escarole
Fresh cracked Pepper

Assemble Sandwich. Enjoy!

Sandwich Two:

Ingredients:

Shredded Chicken
Greek Yogurt
Sliced Grapes
Salt and pepper to taste
thinly sliced celery
Spinach wrap


Directions:
Assemble all ingredients. Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut (or Almond) Butter Banana Bites

Ingredients:
Peanut (or almond butter) - Make sure it's the creamy kind
Your favorite chocolate
Banana Chips

Note: Ingredients should be 3 parts chocolate to 1 part peanut/almond butter

Directions:

Prepare a double boiler. Melt the chocolate slowly, stirring constantly. Add peanut or almond butter, mix thoroughly. Let sit for one minute. Transfer to a pipette bag. Pipette chocolate mixture on to banana chips. Place another banana chip on top of the mixture to create a sandwich. Allow to sit for a half hour to harden. ENJOY!!!!!!!!!

It's Been A Long Time Since I Updated!

So it's been a long time since I updated, I know. I can't believe how big Ben is getting. He has started pulling himself and "cruising" around on furniture. He really is the light of my life and brings me such great joy. Every morning when he sees me he acts like it is Christmas! His new thing is to pull himself up on his crib rings and jump up and down. Gotta love him :)

Random picturers

Pictures of Ben, aka "Chubs"

A Ben Update :-)

Sorry I haven't been posting more. I have been so, so busy (I know, same old, same old).
Ben gets really excited at the character to the left. His name is Chica and he is on the Sunny Side up show on Sprouts. I don't let Ben watch tv but in the morning when I get ready for work I turn it on for him. I didn't know that baby's could recognize certain objects like that, but the minute he hears Chica he starts laughing hysterically. He also focuses and waves his hands around like he is really excited. If anyone knows where I can get a Chica toy, please let me know!! I think it would make him really happy.

He was sick last week, but is feeling better. One thing that I have been dealing with is "stranger anxiety". He gets upset when meeting new people that he is not familiar with. He'll stare at you, then his face will slowly crumple and he starts howling. He is also very, very clingy with me at the moment. He gets upset when I leave the room, and has started to do a fake laugh to get my attention.

That's all I have right now :-) I'll had some pictures in a bit.

My favorite author

I enjoy reading, it's a hobby I've had my whole entire life. I never understood how people cannot like reading. For me, when I read, it is an escape. I don't even see the words on the page, it becomes a movie in my head.

This is going to sound strange, but my thoughts in my daily life are very spastic. They never run continiously, this is a byproduct of having ADD. Think of it like a television where the tv channel is constantly changing. That is my thought process. It takes a good deal of concentration for me to be able to focus on a single point for a long time, and I quickly get bored.

Anyway, I digress. Reading is the one activity where this doesn't happen for me, and I love it. When I was younger I would read anything and everything. I also read extremely quickly as well. When I was younger (like middle school age), I could polish off a three hundred page book in a day. Lately I have had no time to read. My reading consists of Parents and US magazine.

I do not like reading cookie cutter mysteries that certain writers churn out. I like authors that put a great deal of thought into their work. Consequently, some of my favorite books include Memoirs of a Geisha, Midnight in the Garden of Evil, For Whom The Bell Tolls, Catch 22, and Cather in the Rye.

My favorite author who I love, love, love is Christopher Moore. The first book I ever read from him was Dirty Job. I loved this book. It's the story of a male who realizes that he is the Grim Reaper, and it is his job to collect souls so that demons don't get them (after people die, of course). This led me to explore his other works. His stories are all interwined, meaning that different characters pop up in different books. I love him because he is sarcastic (just like meeeeeeee). I highly recommend that you read him.

Yet another Ben video

Ben is such a happy kid, and I am so glad. He is constantly laughing and smiling. Lately he has done a combination/laugh scream. So adorable.

My weekend was good, except for a bank of america fiasco. I transferred money from my savings account to my checking account to pay my for my first semester of school. I transferred (got the confirmation number) and paid the bill. Unfortunately, BOA didn't log the transfer and overdrew my checking account by a large amount of money, and then tacked on a large amount of fees. They told me they can't refund anything until everything goes through. I'm pissed, but such is life, I guess...and it will get resolved. We had beautiful weather this weekend and I had fun cooking. I experimented with my new springform pan and made a strawberry tart that goes along with Weight Watchers.

Life is really busy. I'm working 50 hours a week and Damien has started school, so sometimes I feel like I never have a moment to myself. But then Ben laughs and he makes it all worth it.

On a side note, I'm really looking forward to visiting my brother and Carrie in Maryland in the middle of June. It will be a much needed vacation! They bought a new house this past fall and I can't wait to see it.

Guacamole

This is kind of random and out there, but I have been completely obsessed with guacamole lately. I love putting in on everything - burgers, sandwiches, and of course, for nachos. I didn't "discover" guac until I went to NYU and started hanging out at Burrito Loco (but that's a story for another day).

I have a fabulous guacamole recipe, from my man Alton Brown. And really - what beats salty margaritas and chips w/ guacamole on a hot summer night?

* 3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
* 1 lime, juiced
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
* 1/2 medium onion, diced
* 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
* 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
* 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated. Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

Restaurant I Am Obsessed With

About two months ago I found a little restaurant in a strip mall about a mile from my house. Actually, I shouldn't say *I* found it, Damien knows my love of falafal and he discovered it and suggested that we eat there. I didn't want to, and I'll admit, it was because it was in a strip mall. It's called The Garlic Lover's Corner.

I was pleasantly suprised when we walked in for the first time. The decor was upscale. Tiny christmas lights, a long mahogany bar, piano music. Not something you would expect out of a strip mall.

They immediately brought us over warm pita bread chunks with garlic olive to dip in. Um, can you say love? We ordered falafal as an appetizer. I ordered the apricot lamb stew, and Damien got the filet with bleu cheese sauce.

The falafal was delicious. We also got salads with our meal with a cucumber sauce and olives.

The lamb stew...oh. my. god. You wouldn't think that lamb and apricot go together, but they do. They give you a HUGE portion of it, too! It's served over orzo. I swear, I could eat this stew every single night.

Ever since we went there, I make it a point to have the stew at least once every two weeks. Screw the rest of the menu. I even took my mother here when she was visiting, and she liked it (and I like to think she has fabulous taste).

Here's the website:

http://garlicloverscorner.com/

And if you ever visit me in the land of Troy, you bet your ass I'm taking you here.

More Ben Stuff!

Sorry that I have been slacking on posting. I have been really busy for a variety of reasons. I just wanted to share a few cute pictures of Ben and two videos of him laughing his head off at my dog, Fenway.

Just a few random Ben things

An Ode to Toblerone

This might be kind of a stupid blog post, but I just wanted to let everyone know how much I love Toblerone. It's a whole lot of fantastic.

My love affair with toblerone began in early 2005. I weighed about 120 pounds and hadn't really eaten carbs in over a year. I decided to visit my brother and his now wife in Maryland and rode down w/ my brother. The trip was going very smoothly until we hit traffic in Maryland. I started whining to him that I was hungry. He directed me to a yellow package in the backseat.

"What is this?" I asked him.
"It's Toblerone - chocolate," he answered.

Keep in mind that at this point, I don't think I had had chocolate in months, possibly even a year. But I was starving.

"Okay, I'll just have one piece," I told him, "Just one!"

Uhhh no. I had one piece and it was, like I said, a whole lot of fantastic. It was all over for me right there. That one piece turned into me eating their whole entire stash of toblerone. I buy it at airports (duty freeeeee!!), and I always have at least a triangle in the freezer.

My other favorite candy are kinder eggs, but that is a whole different story.

Great Weekend :-)

I had such a nice weekend. Friday I found out that I officially was accepted to the nursing program that I worked so hard to study for. Then we went out for Indian food and came home and had some red wine. It was nice.
Saturday we went to my aunt and uncle's house to return my cousin's bassinet. Their house is on a lake and it is very beautiful. Ben got to meet his second cousin, Alexendria, and we had a really nice dinner.
Sunday Damien took Ben over to see some of his family members.... AND I GOT TO SLEEP IN!!!! Woohoo!!! I slept from from 11 pm - 11 am. When I got up, I made myself some coffee, read the paper, and had a nice breakfast. This might not seem like a big deal...but it's the first time I've had any time to myself in a long while. Then I went shopping. I hit up Target to pick out some stage 2 food for Ben Ben (he gets to move up to meats!). Did you know that they make jarred stage 2 macaroni and cheese dinners? YUCK! That is SO not nutritious. I tried to pick out some healthy things, like chicken and apples, turkey and wild rice, apples and peaches, etc etc. I also got some work clothes for myself, because I haven't bought anything for myself in a really long time. Oh! And I also got a 10 inch springform pan that I've been wanting (so I can make tarts).
Sunday afternoon I went food shopping and cleaned the house. All in all it was a great weekend!

9/11 - Part One

For some reason, on my way to work today, I started thinking about September 11th. I do this every so often...although less frequently as the years have passed. I can't believe it has been almost 9 years. I'm not sure what makes me think about it, and I don't like thinking about it.

September 10th I went around to different sororites at NYU because my roommate and I were thinking about pledging. We had so much fun - on the way home we even stopped at the cafeteria and had a late night snack. I remember being so pissed when I got back to our dorm because my roommate had locked herself in our room w/ a boy. I slept on the couch in my suite.

On September 11th I woke up at 6:30 am, showered, dressed, and grabbed a bagel at Bagel Bob's on fifth avenue w/ my roommate. Then I ran to meet my calculus study group in Washington Square park. It was a gorgeous morning, and I was literally running - it felt so good. We studied, talked, basically got to know eachother. At 7:45 I walked with a throng of students to the main building in Washington Square park. It was such a pain to wait for the elevator, so I trudged all the way up to the 14th floor. I remember thinking - I fucking hate climbing these stairs. I'm fat, and I need to quit smoking.

My calculus teacher was a boring, boring man. I swear, he was about 90. He was sweet as anything, but very cut and dry - you know the type. He would spend about 90 minutes going over one problem. Because I was having trouble, I chose a seat at the front of the class. Class started at 8 o'clock...the professor droned on...and on...and on...I could barely keep my eyes open.

All of a sudden, a kid at the back of the class exlaimed "Holy fucking shit!! A plane just hit one of the towers!" - which jolted everyone out of their lull. Everyone crowded to the back of the class (which had windows that looked out over lower Manhatten). Everyone was talking excitedly - at this point we thought it was a horrible, tragic accident. There was a girl in my class, I remember her, she was talking about how her dad was working in the other building, but she was worried. She tried to call him on his cell phone, but he didn't answer. We all just stood there and stared - it felt like eternity. The sounds of sirens and ambulances started sounding everywhere...they would get louder and fade, louder and fade.

What happened next I will never forget. I swear, it is burned into my retinas and brain. I heard a girl scream "WHAT IS THAT" - saw a shadow...saw the plane...as it slammed into the second tower. Clear as day. The plane didn't even try to avoid the fucking thing, it just slammed right into it. There was a huge billow of smoke. Well, the girl who's dad worked in that building let out a scream that I will never forget. It was almost like a howl, and she fell to the floor and started sobbing uncontrollably. I swear, everything was happening in slow motion. I can still see the looks on everyone's faces - shock, disbelief - the girls friend helped her up and they rushed out of the room. I don't think anyone knew what to do.

The fire alarm in the building was pulled, so we got ready to leave. Then campus security came by and said that the building was on lock down, and no one could leave. So we all filed back to our seats.

I'll post the rest of my story later, right now I have to get some work done. Heavy thoughts, man. Heavy thoughts. *sigh*

Portrait Pictures

Portrait Pictures

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Just wanted to say Happy St. Paddie's day to everyone. My, how things have changed. I remember on my first St. Patrick's day being 21, my friends and I headed out to the bar at 11 am w/ the goal to make it to 12 am. We spent the whole day bar hopping, and somehow managed to make friend's w/ a giant group of people and ended up on a party bus. It was awesome. This year I'm going to wrap myself in my Snuggie and hang out w/ Ben on the couch. :-)

I had to wrestle with a 14 pound corned beef that Damien brought home from his job. I had to trim the fat (quite extensive) off it this morning and I cut my finger pretty bad :-( Oh wells. This better be the best damn corned beef and cabbage ever. Also, I couldn't find my green shirt.

In case you are wondering why mr. Snuffleupagus is hanging out in my blog post...well...it's a shout out to my favorite Sister-in-Las...Mrs. Carrie Gaffney :-) Hehe.

New York State Drivers

Suck. Or is it just drivers in general? I don't know. One of my biggest pet peeves is this. You see me coming. There is no one behind me. Why oh why, do you pull out sharply in front of me and then slam on your brakes, causing me to slam on my brakes, and then go 30 mph (when the speed limit is 45)? Do you take great joy in this, or is your intellectual level that of a small rock?

I also can't stand it when people tail me, especially now...when I have Ben in the car. It annoys the crap out of me and I've noticed that it's often young drivers. It's dangerous, and it shouldn't be done.

I had a young girl almost hit me the other day...we were driving and she almost pulled out INTO me!! I stopped the car and got out, where she started apologizing profusely, but I screamed at her. I'm not proud of myself, but how is "I didn't see you"? and excuse? I don't think so.

I'm a bit cranky this morning...long day at work ahead of me.....and I didn't have a chance to get coffee this am because I had to pick up a birthday cake (yes, at 5 am) for a work party, because I forgot to make cupcakes last night. :-(

Grammy K Visits!!

My mom came to visit this weekend...we really had a lot of fun. I miss her because she lives in Boston and I never really get to see her. We had SO much fun!!! I was pretty sad to see her go. We went out to dinner at The Garlic Lover's Corner, shopped, watched Precious, and had Ben's portraits taken (Sunday).

Here are some pictures from our weekend!

An Ode to Burritos (and burrito bowls...and just good Mexican food in general)

Can I even begin to explain how much I love Chipotle? Burritos are magical. My favorite is carnitas, guac, lettuce, medium salsa, and fajita veggies, with rice on the bottom.

Albany is kind of a black hole for decent eats (I have a vision of Alton Brown coming to visit Albany and standing in a parking lot screaming...why????) but there are a few gems when it comes to Tex Mex or Mexican Food.

I love the following retaurants:

1) Jose Malone's - Troy, NY: http://www.josemalones.com/

Five words: Giant. Margaritas. Top. Shelf. Tequila.
Need I say more? I think not

2) El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant: 144 Washington Avenue, Albany (no website)

This place is probably the most authentic of the three. Their mole sauce is unbelievable. Usually when I go their I get their vegetarian enchiladas topped w/ mole sauce - or their stuffed peppers topped with mole sauce (I like mole sauce. Got it?) They also have pitchers of margaritas (notice a theme? Awesome) and sangria. The only downside is the area. Last time Damien and I went there, I had to step over a homeless man to get inside. I would recommend parking on Lark street around the corner.

3) El Loco Mexican Cafe: http://www.ellocomexicancafe.com/

This place is right of of Lark Street and definitely has more of the ambiance thing going on. It's in a college area, so that's the crowd you'll find. It's small and noisey - but they make guacomole at your table and have 15 different types of salsa to choose from in their salsa bar. I am partial to their hard/crunch tacos. Carnitas and all the fixings stuffed in a hard shell taco wrapped in a soft taco. Kind of like a high class Taco Bell crunch wrap, without the questionable meat.

The only thing that pisses me off about this place is that they charge you per drink. Damien ordered 3 diet cokes the first time we went there and they charged us $9.75 for them. Their margaritas are thimble size too, and made with cheap tequila unless you upgrade at considerable cost.

In summation:
For great drinks, go to Jose Malone's. For great food, go to El Mariachi. If you're looking for ambiance and something that is a short walk to bars, go to El Loco Mexican Cafe.

Gracias por la lectura. No hay nada mejor en vida que buenas bebidas y buenos amigos.

What can I do to reduce my carbon footprint?

This has been weighing on my mind a lot lately, and in the next few years I would like make some changes in my life to reduce my carbon footprint. It seems like it would be a waste of time if I didn't use some of the extensive education that I've had on earth sciences to use it for some good. This year we are starting a sustainable garden to grow fresh veggies for Ben. We are also going to make a compost heap (I know, ewww smelly). I have changed out all my lightbulbs to energy savers. We started recycling, and we also joined a Co-Op. I think that's a good start, but if anyone has any suggestions I am all ears.

Pictures of Ben

Just wanted to share! He's getting so big I can't even believe it. I recently bought him a "jumper" and he's discovered jumping. He likes to take his binky out of his mouth and throw it on the floor, too.
Today we had an EPIC diaper blowout. Applesauce + Ben = bad. I swear, he had it in his hair. How does it make it from the diaper all the way up to his hair?

Update: blogger is giving me problems uploading pictures. I'll add more later.

xoxo,
Jenn

Weekly Wine Recommendations

My weekly wine recommendations are the following:

1) For a cheap, yet good tasting white wine...I would recommend Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc. This has been a staple in my life since I discovered it in 2001 at a wine tasting in Allston. For it's price, it is suprisingly good! It's definitely a spring/summer wine (although you can def. be like me and drink it year round). I'm bad when it comes to what wine tastes like (wtf is gooseberry, anyway?) - but even I can tell you that this wine is heavy on the citrus....lime...grapefruit..with a bite. It's delicious, but def not rich and buttery...so if you are a huge fan of the oaky/buttery chardonnays from Cali..this might not be your favorite pick.

2) For a cheap, fantastic red I would recommend Layer Cake Shiraz. I first had this wine in 2006 and it has also become a favorite of mine. I believe they make a Malbec as well, but I've never had it. If it's as good as the Shiraz (which I normally hate) then you're in for a treat. One to learn a wine tidbit? Shiraz is made from the same grape that Syrah is. Anyway...this wine is suiting of it's name. It's dark and decadent. If I had to pick any underlying flavors I would say chocolate....and heavy cream. Yet....it's still light. Delicious.

First Post Ever

Welcome to my blog! I've never really done this before, but I figured that it would be a good way for everyone to keep track of Ben Ben. I'm pretty sure no one will read this but I'm okay with that. I'd love to blog about stuff like wine, food, and gardening....books....I'll leave the political views to my brother.