A little holiday (chocolate) cheer

I had some food photos and recipes to post, but this week has been a blur. Like many people the Sandy Hook Tragedy has been on my mind all week. Working at a K-8  school definitely made it all more real and horrifying to imagine for me. My school did a good job of putting in the safety and emotional supports needed for teachers and students this week. I was also home sick most of this week with gross bronchitis, cold, and fever.

So, with that being said, I haven't done much cooking this week. But I've been antsy sitting around the house, especially since I love being out at this time of the year.  I did a little project today to get some holiday spirit in my week, and make a little treat for teachers after a long semester (and week). My after school program shares space with lots of teachers, so I like to make little holiday gift thank yous instead of buying random crap that ends up being overpriced.

Growing up my mom always went a little overboard with the gifts she gave my sister and my teachers at the holidays. She would make homemade breads, candy, lemon squares and more. I remember her always being up till 2am the night before putting it together. She was/is definitely hard core.

I'm not quite as hardcore. At all. But, I did take some inspiration from the "bark" she would make our teachers. It's festive, pretty, cheap, and easy.  The great thing about this is that you can use your chocolate of choice and any combo of toppings: peppermint, chopped nuts, caramel, cookie crumbles, pretzels, graham crackers, orange zest. Basically whatever!

To keep it simple and cheap I did toasted coconut and dried cranberries. I would usually also do pistachios to add some festive color, but I was worried about nut allergies at school.  My mom always did white chocolate with cranberries and pistachios.

Chocolate Holiday Bark:

Ingredients:
1 lb chocolate of your choice ( I got the big 1 lb milk chocolate bar at TJs, but you could do any type...like dark chocolate for dairy free)
1/4 cup of each topping


Recipe:
1. Grease a baking pan (I use a 9 by 12 inch)
2. Put parchment paper over greased baking pan.
3. In a double boiler(or with a heatproof pan over simmering water pot) melt chocolate.
4. As soon as all chocolate is melted, pour evenly across baking pan.
5. Use a baking spatula to spread evenly (but doesn't have to be perfectly even, and can be pretty thin, like 1/4 inch thick)
6. Sprinkle toppings evenly across hot chocolate (I then press the toppings lightly into the chocolate with the back of the spatula to make sure it is stuck in the chocolate).
7. Place pan in fridge for an hour (or until solid)
8. Break sheet of chocolate into pieces. They don't need to be even but can be the size of your liking.
9. Put in bag and tie with ribbon!( I like to string on a tag with the ingredients as well)

Enjoy!

Holiday Partay in a bag!

I'll be in NYC and Portland,ME for the next 10 days or so. Hopefully I"ll kick this cold(knock on wood) before I leave. Happy Holidays!

Latkes for the win

Pheewwww. And done!

This week was a blur. My after school program ended it's fall session last night, which means 2 kiddo free weeks ahead. We had our parent night/student showcase last night, which went really well. But it meant a crazy week of preparing and executing the event. Burnt myself out a bit, and per usual, woke up this morning with a sore throat, stuffy nose, and aches. Seems to be what happens after a week like this week.

But I've got some fun things on tap for the weekend, so I'm taking today to rest, rest, rest. Fingers crossed this doesn't get worse. Weekend plans include a Chinese dinner at my fiances organization, and a Hanukkah/winter holidays party at our apartment tomorrow night.

Tomorrow night's party will have some seasonal festive Hanukkah bites including latkes(Trader Joe's- I'm lazy) and some crock pot pot roast (I'll post my recipe after the partay). Additionally we'll have some small bite appetizers, which is my favorite way to eat!

The highlight of last week's eats was a kick off Hannukah dinner at my parents. My mother's latkes are the BEST. So crisp and delicious! Also had some fabulous brisket, chopped salad, and vegan chocolate cupcakes for dessert. I could eat stacks and stacks of these latkes...

Looks like your average salad. But so much more. Chopped romaine, tomatoes, olives, cukes, feta, and lemony dressing.

Latkes and Brisket. Best Ever.

I don't even try to attempt to make my own latkes. First, the smell permeates everything in the house you cook them in, which drives me crazy. Also, I just couldn't make them this delicious!

On another note, I'm doing mostly gym workouts. My run on Sunday ended with my shins getting aggravated again which was frustrating. Just getting overall frustrated with my runs, so trying to rest and take a break. Not liking it though.


And to end things.........

Best Hanukkah gift ever. I don't know where to start because everything looks so delish!

The week in recipes and some twinkly lights

Once again, I neglected my posts. Oh no! As we get close to winter break, things with the kiddos are busy busy, and I've been exhausted. I have made time for some cooking though! Here is a little photo(with some recipes) recap of some highlights from the last week or so.

I also threw in a twinkly light photo from beautiful Boston at this time of year. I seek out all outdoor lights displays I can. I'm a little obsessed. Yesterday afternoon, I went for a run through the twinkly lights. So lovely!

This is the park strip in the middle of Commonwealth Ave. The lights go all the way from Boston Commons to Kenmore Square. They are on every night till like March. Go to it! Now!

I have been taking long stretches between runs to make sure I don't strain my shins again. The benefit is that when I go on a run now, my legs feel so much better and rested, and I've also been trying out some new types of classes and exercise (Check out my Weekly Exercise page to see what I'm up to).The downside is I'm having trouble building up mileage. I also don't have an upcoming race anytime soon, so that also makes it hard. I like to have a goal I'm working towards, so it's hard to build up mileage with no real race or set distance goal in mind.  Maybe I'll check out if there are any races in the late winter/early spring I'd be interested in....I"m thinking my next challenge will be a 10 miler.

Now, on to the food!

Big batch of kale pesto this week. Tossed with oriochette pasta(from TJs), kalamata olives, and sprinkled with parmesan cheese(Approximate recipe follows. I estimated the amounts, since I usually just eyeball it as I blend)

I added chicken to the mix the 2nd night we had it.

Kale Pesto:

1 large bunch kale(any variety)

1/4 cup chopped nuts of choice(I like walnuts or almonds)

1/4-1/3 cup parmesan cheese( I freshly shred it)

1/4 cup olive oil 

1/4 cup water (or a little less if you like thicker)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp lemon juice or red wine vinegar

1. Put kale, nuts,and cheese in food processor. 

2. Drizzle oil through top while blending, then do the same with the water(this is based on how liquidy you like your pesto. I also try to limit the amount of oil,but you can definitely add more to make it more saucey)

3. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.

4. Blend and add more oil or water until reach desired consistency.

One of my favorite Sunday dinners is a good roast chicken. You can then use it throughout the week. We used it in the pasta and made some chicken salad with it later in the week. When I first roasted a chicken about 1 1/2 years ago, I loosely used a Thomas Keller recipe I found online. I now do some variation on that. The key is the heat level to get a good crisp skin! 

Some breast and drumstick. With sweet potatoes, wilted spinach, and slow roasted garlic and onions on the side.

Roast Chicken:

1 roaster chicken(I usually do about a 4.5-5 lb bird)
garlic
lemon
onions
salt and pepper
thyme
olive oil

1. After cleaning out the bird, I put it in the roasting pan.
2. Sprinkle thyme, salt, and pepper into the cavity of the bird. 

Rub into cavity. Stuff cavity with 1/2 lemon, 2 garlic cloves, and 1/4 of an onion.

3. Lightly oil bird. Season generously with thyme, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Rub seasonings into skin.
4. Cook for 25 mins at 475 degrees.
5. Turn down heat to 400 degrees and cook for about 50 minutes(or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees). Add onions and garlic to roasting pan about 40 minutes into cooking, and let caramelize.
6. When it reaches internal temperature, remove from stove and let rest about 25 minutes before carving.
7. Serve with any assortment of goodness. I like some roasted sweet potatoes and a spinach salad.

****The high heat at the beginning creates a great crisp skin. Also I do NOT baste the chicken. I read that basting creates steam, and leaving it alone gives you a crispier skin. As you can tell, I'm all about the crispy skin.


And something random I found at a bookshop that includes one of my favorite people and one of my favorite creatures. 

Ok, that is all! I"ll be back soon with a recap of a fabulous dinner out from last weekend. Let's just say it included duck and mussels. Enough said.

T-giving Recap a.k.a the week of food

Where to start.....

Well the last week consisted of lots of eating, lots of family, and lots of bustling around the city. Just a few family squabbles thrown it, but that is par for the course. I also was able to keep up with some exercise which made me feel good and not too lunky from all the Thanksgiving festivities.

Some Food highlights included:

- Thanksgiving, obviously. My mom and I did the majority of the cooking(my mom doing most) and my dad did the turkey. I love making all the side dishes and getting down and dirty in the kitchen all morning. I have to say though that cooking all day makes me exhausted by the time we eat. I enjoyed eating leftovers the next day, which did not include hours of cooking. My favorite dishes of the day were my mom's potato leek soup (Barefoot contessa recipe), the maple glazed carrots, and the cranberry/chestnut/sausage stuffing. Both the carrots and sausage stuffing are from a William Sonoma cookbook my mom found a few years ago, and we love it! Well..I also can't forget the Parmesan brussel sprouts AND pecan pie(homemade by my mom). So full! But not too full to eat it again the next day.

Green Beans with mushrooms and shallots!

Stuffing with sausage, cranberries, and chestnuts. Now that's the good stuff.

Maple glazed carrots

Parmesan brussel sprouts

- Lunch at The Parish Cafe with my fiance's parents. It is this great restaurant in downtown Boston. They have yummy salads and appetizers, but their claim to fame is the sandwiches. They have the recipes for sandwiches from a bunch of famous restaurants around Boston, and they recreate them. I got a great beet salad, and Robert (fiance) had a delicious chicken sandwich and a fried fish sandwich.


- BBQ! On Saturday night we got take out from Blue RIbbon BBQ which is delicious! We had some groupons from there that Robert saved up. We are using them to cater our wedding, so we had the family try it for the first time. Ohhhh burnt ends....they are a religious brisket experience. Must try!


Otherwise, life is back to normal. Lots of middle schoolers, lots of tiring days. But this is my favorite time of year, so I can't complain. Nothing is better than the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Not only is there Hanukkah and potato latkes, but all the music, lights, and holiday cheer make me oh so happy! We're hoping to go see the "lighting" of the trees in Boston Common tomorrow night. I may faint from excitement.

In exercise news, I did my first spinning class and loved it. Went by so fast and pushed me harder than I usually ever push myself while exercising. And the bumpin' music makes it fly by. I've done a few runs, and my shins have felt OK (knock on wood), but i"m still trying to slowly build up mileage again. Hoping for 4 miles this weekend....we'll see!

Ode to the appetizer meal

Our Thanksgiving week of festivities kicked off with a little get together at our apartment. It was cozy to say the least, with 8 people in our little living room. Tonight we are having a full dinner with all of my Fiance's family. Should be ultra cozy!

One of my favorite types of meals is an appetizer spread. I think that's why I love tapas so much, because you get to have a variety of little bites and graze all evening. I think I end up eating much more because I"m just munching away, but it's such a fun(and easy) way to eat and entertain. Growing up we'd often have Friday night appetizer "dinner" in the living room in front of the fire. We'd have things like bread and cheese, hummus and carrots, and often a big salad as well.

So to entertain our family last night, we'd did an appetizer spread. So yum! My father is the ultimate appetizer man. If he was left to his own devices he'd eat salami, bread, and cheese for every meal. Also  a side of corn chips and salsa. That is all that man needs.


Our spread included:

- Cheese, salami, and cracker platter (the photo was before I put the cheese and salami out)
- Jalapeno jelly I made and canned last year (for the crackers and cheese)
- Olives
- Hummus and Carrots
- Blue Corn Chips and Salsa
- Big Salad of arugula, toasted almond slivers, avocado, tomato, mushrooms. Gorgonzola and mustard vinaigrette on the side.

It was such a lovely night of relaxing while chatting, drinking wine, and eating little plates of food for hours.

Tonight we're doing a pasta and salad dinner for my fiance's family, who is seeing our apartment for the first time. The pasta dish is one that we love. It is Penne with chicken sausage, artichokes, tomatoes, and olives. We then bake it in the oven topped with some Parmesan cheese.

I'll be sure to snap some photos and do a more detailed recipe after tonight!

Today is a half day for kids at school, so I'm scooting out early to try and get in a nice run. We'll see how it goes.

When the running stars align

I had one of those runs on Saturday. It was the kind of run that reminds you why you love running in the first place.

My runs over the past few weeks have been frustrating. Just having a period of tough runs and couldn't seem to get in my groove. I'm also struggling with some shin splints, and it was so frustrating that during each run around mile 1-1.5, my left shin would start to hurt really bad. I was just not feeling running and was having trouble remembering why I enjoy running.

So I tried to actual let myself rest, and didn't run for the week. I went out Saturday for a run, a little nervous about how it would feel. It was good. Really good.

Not only did I run 3 miles without any shin pain(knock on wood!), but it was one of those runs that was at the perfect place, at the perfect time, and I was loving it. I love running in the fall, especially in the late afternoon, just before it gets dark.

I went on a run down Commonwealth Ave in Boston, which has a park strip that runs through the middle of the street, which is perfect for running. Every year they light the 10 blocks of trees along this path with twinkling lights. I was wondering when this would happen. As I was getting in my running groove, enjoying the pinkish fall sky, and the beautiful foliage, I saw that there were people stringing lights up in the trees. And then...BAM! The twinkling lights were turned on.

It might have been a "you had to be there" moment, but it was quite magical. The mix of no leg pain, a fall evening, and festive outdoor twinkling lights, gave me a good runner's high.

We'll see how the next run I do is. I'm trying to take at least 3 days between runs to allow my shins to not get aggravated again.

Hopefully I'll get another nice twinkly lights run.  I'll be back later this week with some food updates. We have family in town for the holiday week so there have been lots of dinners out or at my parents house. Not much cooking for myself this week, but I"ll be making the meal on Thursday with my mother, so I'll snap some cooking photos.

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

Weekend adventures and eats

Long weekends are always a mixed bag. I love the extra day off, especially when Sunday night feels like Saturday. Very lovely. But, short weeks seem to send students into a bit of a tizzy. They are always a bit off when they return to school after that extra day off. All things considered, most students did well today. Rainy weather and no outdoor recess is always a tough combination. Lots of pent of energy explodes around 2:20 when I begin working with kids. Definitely means I"ll get a good night sleep tonight.

Because I didn't work yesterday, I had some extra time to cook and make a big batch of soup. I followed Kath's recipe I've been eyeing for awhile. Definitely is worth it to cook dry beans instead of canned. I also made a few changes including....
- Didn't use bacon, but added chicken sausage at the end.
- Added about 1 Tbsp of red wine vinegar at the end to add some good acid to balance the flavors.

Big pot of goodness

 So warm and comforting! I made some garlic bread on the side, which I haven't made for years. I took a baguette and rubbed it with garlic cloves. Then added some olive oil, salt, and pepper and put it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 mins. The perfect dipping utensil for soup!

Dipping magic

In the afternoon I also made a batch of granola. My fiance loves granola for his yogurt in the morning, and I do an improvised granola that is different each week. My basic recipe is:

-3 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup flax seeds
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
-1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup raisins
-1/4 cup chopped nuts(usually almonds)
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips.

Easy Granola Recipe:
1. Mix together dry ingredients and almonds (not raisins or chocolate)
2. Pour honey and vanilla into dry ingredients, and combine until evenly coated.
3. Put granola on a greased baking pan(or line with parchment paper).
4. Evenly spread granola on pan and bake at 250 degrees for 40 mins.
5. Check every 15 minutes and stir granola in pan. Remove when oats are lightly browned.
6. Let cool and add raisins and chocolate.


One last thing.......

When I was away in the Berkshires this weekend, we got this delicious hard apple cider. It was made in Mass with Roxbury Russetts, which are named for the Boston neighborhood where the tree was first grown. Pretty cool....and quite the delicious drink.

Just added an exercise page to the blog. I'm using it as a way to keep track of my workouts each week and hold myself accountable.