Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Recipe # 10

This was a pretty tedious recipe but it was great to do while watching football games that I wasn't really interested in.  There are a variety of steps to this in order to get the final product: Make the squash, create the raviolis, boil the raviolis, sauté the raviolis, make the sauce, place raviolis on the plate, pour the sauce over raviolis, enjoy! 

*I did find all of the recipes online but changed them according to what I had in our kitchen.


Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with a Sage Mushroom Cream Sauce


Roasted Butternut Squash 

Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 teaspoons butter
 2 teaspoons brown sugar
Salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place butternut squash halves on a large baking sheet flesh side up. Place 1 teaspoon butter in the middle of each squash. Sprinkle brown sugar over each squash. Season with salt and black pepper. Roast 25 minutes, until flesh is fork-tender. Reserve 2 halves for future meal.
By following this recipe you should produce 4 cups of mashed butternut squash

Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli


(This was only 1 of 3 batches that I made with all of the squash ravioli filling)


Ingredients
4 cup mashed, cooked butternut squash
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cup mascarpone cheese
4 egg yolk
1 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 (16 ounce) package round wonton wrappers (or whichever wonton wrappers you can find...I found square wonton wrappers at the Walmart produce section
4 tablespoons butter or margarine 
4 tablespoons minced garlic

Directions


Place cooked squash into a mixing bowl. Add salt and black pepper. Stir in mascarpone cheese, egg yolks, and Parmesan cheese, mixing until the filling is smoothly combined.

Place a wonton wrapper onto a working surface. Wet the tip of a finger in water, and run it all along the outer edge of the wonton skin to moisten.

Place about 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of the wonton. Place another wonton wrapper with moistened edges over filling and other wonton and, with a fork, press the edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers.
Place a deep skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in butter and unpeeled clove of garlic. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil.
Drop the filled raviolis into the boiling water, a few at a time, and cook until they float to the top, about 2 minutes. Drain the raviolis, and transfer them to the skillet. Turn the heat under the skillet up to medium-high, and cook just until the raviolis are infused with garlic flavor, about 2 or 3 more minutes.


Sage Mushroom Shrimp Cream Sauce

Ingredients*
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 whopping Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 package thawed, raw shrimp (We did medium, you can use whatever size your heart desires)

2 Tablespoon butter or margarine
3/4 cup red onion, chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth (I did both!)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp Ground Sage
Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper
1/2 package of mixed mushroom, sliced

Directions

Place the garlic, olive oil, and onions in the pan and brown.  Once the onions become 'clear'ish place the shrimp in the pan and saute until the shrimp is cooked through.


In a large sauté pan, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the onion to the butter or margarine and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Add the cream, chicken broth and/or wine, sage, salt, pepper, mushrooms, and shrimp. Lower the heat to a simmer and reduce the sauce by half. 


*I doubled the recipe for us.  Since the sauce gets reduced I couldn't stand to not have enough ;)*

**The sauce separates with the butter and cream so serving it directly after it is done reducing may be the best idea**



We really enjoyed this! Next time we have this, though, I think I will make it for a date night.  Our toddlers are at a stage where they are very picky with textures so they didn't want anything to do with this lovely meal. 

Friday, December 28, 2012

I know, I know, you missed me ;)

Hi there everyone!!

The holidays are coming to an end and I can finally get my mind wrapped around things other than shopping, wrapping, traveling, cooking, baking, taking pictures, eating, and drinking!

I hope everyone had as blessed of a holiday season as our family did.  We were able to travel to my husband's family's houses for Thanksgiving and Christmas parties while we had Christmas day at our house with the little ones playing with their toys all day!  My husband and twin toddlers were also lucky enough to spend 11 days on the east coast with my family and friends.  What a memorable time!!

Just so you know I wasn't purposefully neglecting the blog, I wanted to explain how busy we were through a montage of pictures :)


Thanksgiving at the McCoy's playing Thanksgiving Bingo!


The kid's 3rd time being on Santa's lap (1st: while in the belly, 2nd: 9 months old, 3rd: 21 months)



Headed to Philly with Byron, my sister, Kelly, and her friend Kayla for the Army/Navy game.  We stayed with my dear friend Stella and her boyfriend Dan in the city.  We started the weekend off with a fun time at the bars.

Just a few of the party crowd at the tailgate at Army/Navy

Never a dull moment, but always a good time. I love my Stella (china doll).

Byron's birthday (12-12-12).  I tried to incorporate as many "12's" as possible.  We started the day off with an order of a dozen donuts.  Aunt Alice and Uncle Mark even surprised Byron by driving from Virginia for his birthday!

...and a dozen oysters...

The kids got a chance to run around on daddy's old practice field on the United States Naval Academy yard.

The kids got to experience what it's like to feed the duckies at Ego Alley in Downtown Annapolis.  I love this place!


We celebrated Christmas early in Maryland with the Savoie/Middleton/Brice family.  Always a great time and always great food!

'
Our annual Christmas pajama picture. Who doesn't love new pajamas?!


While on the east coast, I was able to meet up with most of my college friends for Kristen's wedding in Philly.  WHAT A FUN TIME!!!! I totally lost a dance-off with an older gentleman...embarrassed...

Due to fog, we were forced to sit in the airport for 6 hours and THEN told that our flight was cancelled.   With a frustrated husband and wife with two toddlers it was an interesting situation. Thankfully we have a family that was able to get our flight changed and a hotel room for us. We stayed in an airport hotel, ordered Chinese food that was delicious, and made our flight the next morning (barely!!).  My father-in-law KNEW I was going to need those drink coupons.... Thanks Matt!

Girls' Night Mexican Christmas Party at El Camino in Clinton.  Tis the season to sing "Feliz Navidad"!  This was my first Christmas living in Clinton.  We drove around and looked at the lights in the town and I even got to see the "ghetto"! ;)

The kids' first snow...wasn't much but they got to wear their new boots that Kel Kel gave them.

Oh yea, we got a kitty...it was cousin Sarah's.  Her name is Kiki
Christmas celebration at the McCoy's.  Always a great time!


So...my husband is pretty amazing at sports. He helped his baseball team in high school win States.  Therefore there was a 10th reunion for his baseball team to celebrate what a great game they played.  It was such a fun experience meeting more of my husband's friends.


Christmas celebration at the Shoemaker's.  You can judge the time we had by this picture ;)

Christmas morning at our house.  The MO great-grandparents, Granny, Papa, and Aunt Casie joined us during the day.  Then we were visited by some CRAZY carolers later in the evening.  



As you can see it has been a very busy month. We are so lucky to be able to spend these fun, memorable times with so many loved ones.  I can't thank everyone enough for being in this life of mine AND ours!  Without each and every one of you we wouldn't be where we are today. 

I plan on getting back on the blog after the New Year (...so I can continue picking up Christmas toys that are around the house...) 
I hope you have a safe and enjoyable New Years.  

Also, we are trying to get to 2013 blog views by 2013.  Why not start setting crazy goals now, right?






















Thursday, November 29, 2012

Recipe # 9

I made this for our playdate a few weeks ago.  It was DELICIOUS!!

Italian Panini

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp mayonaisse
1 Tbsp basil (I used the squeeze bottle basil...LOVE it! So handy!!)
1 tsp garlic powder

1 loaf of focaccia bread
6 slices of prosciutto 
1 1/4 cups of fresh mozzarella (about 1/2 of a block) sliced
4 roma tomatoes sliced


Preheat panini maker to medium-high heat.

Mix the mayonnaise, basil, and garlic powder in small bowl.  Cut the focaccia in half (hamburger bun style so you have a large top and large bottom...if you ate enough of these paninis you would TOTALLY have a large bottom!) Spread the mayonnaise mixture on the top slice of the focaccia.  Place the tomatoes, on the bottom slice of foccacia.   Then place the prosciutto on the tomatoes. Place the cheese on the prosciutto.  Place the top slice on the cheese and gently put the sandwich on the panini maker. Be sure to have the height adjusted accordingly for this size sandwich.  I left the panini in the panini maker for about 10 minutes, but I watched it constantly.

Slice into small rectangles and enjoy!!


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Shout Out SHATurday # 4

Well, it's been a pretty busy past two weeks and will continue to be with the holiday seasons and traveling.  I know it's a few days late for the Shout Out SHATurday but, you know, there was lots of shat going on so I'm excused.  (For those of you who don't know what Shat can be here is our definition: cool stuff, fun events, things that can turn your day/life around in a positive way).

This past week's Shout Out SHATurday goes out to my Director of B.S., my aunt, and one of my best friends: Diane Savoie (or as most of us call her, Di).   HEY DI!!

Di is an inspiration to all women and men.  She has definitely put up with some SHAT in her life that can truly break a woman down.  But she has embraced the SHAT.  With her positive attitude towards life and her will to live a strong, happy life she has given all of us another perspective towards our own lives. 







"F" Breast Cancer!!! (DC Breast Cancer walk)

In a few words Di is a laugher, she's a cryer, a dog lover, an artist, a breast cancer survivor, a comedian, a music trader (we like to trade music), a wine connoisseur, a gardner, a lover, she's my older sister I never had (or will have unless there's something I don't know...), she's my "idea bouncer" when I need another brain to do some storming.

Di I can't thank God and you enough for being in my life as well as all of the other lives that you have touched.  You truly are an amazing person and bring so much positivity into everyone's life you enter.

I love you! 

You are the SHAT!!

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Shout Out SHATurday # 3

Although we should ALL be thankful ALL of the time because we are able to live and breathe and enjoy life, this time of year seems to be the time when MOST people are realizing how much they should be thankful for all that they have.  (I do apologize for the multiple CAPS in that one sentence...it can annoy people at times) This Shout Out SHATurday goes out to my family.  Hey Savoie Family!!!

There are many of you that I cannot be with due to distance during this Thanksgiving time and, of course, I wish I could.  I would like you all to know that I am incredibly thankful for the memories that you have embedded in my heart and soul during our Thanksgiving holidays.  We always got together to celebrate what it means to be a family and to be thankful.  There were times, like most families, that it was a very tiring day, but at the end of the day we were always thankful to be able to spend the time with our family.



(Not my family, but "Lord please keep us straight"...read on!)

Some fun memories that I have with my family during the time of Thanksgiving are:

1. Eating at the 'kid's table'...yes one kid was involved at the "kid table" because I was the only child in our family for 9 years.  It was a fun table...

2. Thanksgiving is not the most eventful of holidays with the family, especially as a child, so I did not find it as fun early in my ages.  Therefore, my fun aunts decided it would be fun to tie me to the stair well... Lord I wish I had that picture.... (age 4/5??)

3. Wishing I had more in common with my elders I moped until my aunt actually drew me a picture of Axl Rose (because I loved him as a 6 year old)

4. One too many martinis during the appetizers I realized I REALLY wanted corn muffins....my mom told me I should make them. She likes to add some sugar to her corn muffin recipe so I just had to do the same thing.  (**Remember..one too many martinis)  I put the muffins in the oven. Right before they came out of the oven I said, "Oh shoot...mom...you said sugar, right? I put a cup of salt..."  Needless to say, Nani wouldn't have any of my 'salt-licks' that Thanksgiving

5. My husband and I started dating (long-distance) dating 3 months prior to Thanksgiving. My aunt's friends (who are gay, for the record) brought these AMAZING desserts! Pepere always says his "Grace" before we eat.  At the end of his grace he says, "Lord, please keep our family straight". If we had food in our mouths, it would have been all over the table because everyone tried keeping their mouths and faces straight but COULD NOT and spit everywhere!

6. While Byron was at training in CA I travelled to MD to spend Thanksgiving with my family.  Pepere and I had the Belly-Off. 

7. The kids' first Thanksgiving was in MD. They seemed to enjoy themselves as did we!  Byron and Pepere wanted nothing to do with Apples to Apples, but guess who came back and CONQUERED?!

Audrey with Di's Turkey head
They LOVE Thanksgiving! 
Smith Island Cake??? Di says, "Yes!" Matthew says, "Totally fashionable!"

Enjoy your time with whomever you may be spending it with this Thanksgiving. Be thankful for what you have and what you don't have. 


This Shout Out SHATurday goes out to my family for instilling Thanksgiving traditions in me.  Love, family, food, wine, and memories. 
I look forward to giving our family the same traditions that you gave us and then some!  

I am thankful for you all.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Recipe # 8

This recipe did not come from just my mom and I.  It was inspired from Campbell's Cooking with Soup Recipe book.  However, like most recipes, I changed some of the recipe to my liking.

Supper a la King

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 whopping Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 package Johnsonville Italian Sweet Sausage (5 sausages), cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces
1 cup chopped bell peppers
1/2 bag frozen mixed vegetables (I used the asparagus stir fry)
1 can Campbell's Cream of Celery soup
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup shredded cheese (I used shredded mozzarella)
1 package biscuits (I used pillsbury flaky biscuits)

Place the garlic, olive oil, and onions in the pan and brown.  Once the onions become 'clear'ish place the sausage in the pan, cover, keep temperature at medium-high until sausage is almost cooked through.  Place peppers and vegetables in pan, cover for 4 minutes.  Follow directions on package for biscuits.  Turn heat to low-medium.  Pour soup, milk, and cheese into pan and stir occasionally so the cheese doesn't stick to the pan.  After 5 minutes on low place desired amount of biscuits (split) on plate.  Pour sausage dinner over biscuits.



Happy Life Experiences


Dancing heals stress: Completely stopping what I am doing to dance to Bruno Mars with our children

Funny-kid-parent time:After dinner while chatting with my husband our kids turned their plates over and started banging on them as if they were drums.  Instead of getting upset or teaching them that turning their plates over isn't the best decision my husband and I decided to become professional drummers and drummed on everything we could until we were out of breath.  Our kids LOVED IT!

Girls' night: Wine, apps, and Twilight Saga.  Made me feel like a gitty teenager again!

Play date: Not only did our kids get to have "kid time" the moms got to have "adult time"...there's not many times during the day that I get adult conversations and meals with adults.  Having those times helps me stay sane sometimes!  (See kids banging plates comment above - ha) 

Couples' Thanksgiving Feast: Getting together with friends to celebrate that we are thankful for our friendships with food and drinks! COME ON! Who WOULDN'T love that?!

Sporadic trip: We decided we are going to spend time in the Christmas capital of the country: Branson, MO.  I have never been and we look forward to spend some family time in a different location than usual with great friends!