diapers and skinny jeans

Today, Erick is celebrating a birthday. Never have I met someone with the drive and ambition as this man. (Certainly this is one out of the many reasons I married him!)  And to think it is just a coincidence that he was born on the exact same day as my father, oh it's just too much!  January 19th is definitely a special day in our house, and our wide-eyed and bushy-tailed alarm clock woke us up extra early.  I spent the morning trying to envision the perfect cake while making a batch of french toast for the hungry little clutching to my legs. Coffee in hand, we shared breakfast together and sat at the table like we always do, not being able to imagine my life without this family of mine.  The years keep flying by for both of us, and I know we are looking forward to many more of them together. Happy birthday, my love. GOLDEN LAYER CAKE WITH BLUEBERRY MERENGUE BUTTERCREAM YOU WILL NEED: • 2-1/4 c flour • 1-1/2 c sugar • 3-1/2 tsp baking...

My Pa loved pears more than anyone I had ever met, but despite his constant urging I wouldn't have anything to do with them.  Now much later in life, I've gotten over my silly fear of their texture, and have been savoring every bite of these juicy fruits.  Pears to me will always be a fruit to be enjoyed in the winter, simmered or poached with soft spices and sweet honey.  This was my first attempt at any type of jam, and I'm pleased with the way it turned out!  What makes me most happy is that while I would have normally had to use almost 55-85% sugar to "set" the jam with pectin (which is normally loaded with preservatives), I found an amazing alternative that allowed me to only use a few tablespoons of honey and nothing more.  Perfection!  I had already fallen in love with the idea of a low to no sugar jam - then finding out it was naturally free from preservatives... could this be real? WINTER VANILLA PEAR JAM YOU WILL NEED: •...

Sometimes for lunch we're craving something warmer and heartier - especially as the temperatures begin to fall.  This is super simple to throw together and most importantly, is absolutely customizable to whatever you happen to have on hand.  (Always a plus, no?)  We had some leftover bacon to cook, but I'm thinking this might be just as great without any meat at all: spinach and feta, apples and havarti?  I know I've been trying to incorporate the all-mighty kale into our diet, and thankfully just about every way I've cooked it so far Sofia has really enjoyed.  It is loaded with so many wonderful nutrients for grown-ups & littles alike! Baked Eggs with Kale and Bacon YOU WILL NEED: • 4 large brown eggs • 1/2 c half and half • 1/2 c milk • 1 cup cooked kale • 1 shallot • 1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese, divided. • 4 strips of bacon, chopped. (save grease!) • salt and pepper to taste • olive oil for greasing pan DIRECTIONS: Preh...

Can you even believe I'm posting more cookie pictures?  Normally I wouldn't do that to you all, but what better last-minute Christmas Eve recipe than something warm and chewy.  We have done more baking this year than I've ever done in my life and it makes my tummy (and my family) so happy.  Dough had dried between our fingers, nutmeg spilled over the table, and the warm aroma of cinnamon and vanilla filled the house for hours.  All perfect ingredients coming together for this very special muma-daughter cooking date, if I do say so myself!  More photos, plus the recipe for my spiced cupboard cookies with cinnamon glaze are over on Gathered Heart for Katherine's seasonal  12 Days of Christmas Cookies series. Have you seen it yet?  It's dangerously delicious... PS- thank you all for your lovely messages on my last post! Sofia, Erick and I are truly grateful for all of your kind words, messages, comments and emails thr...

Happy Thanksgiving, friends.  We are off to spend the whole day with both sides of our family and have a lot of driving ahead of us. After seeing this post  a few days ago, I just couldn't help myself and needed to satisfy my chocolate cake craving.  The recipe can be found over at Teresa's place.  Both are fantastic blogs to spend some time getting inspired in!  The recipe is high in protein, grain-free, gluten-free, heart healthy and dairy-free... just to name a few.  It's also jam packed with nutrients, so don't even begin to feel bad about eating that last piece. We'll be back soon, but for now we're signing off to take a few days to be thankful with each other.

Okay-- so I know I said health posts were coming... and hopefully you didn't think I'd go all salad and quinoa on you right away!  To start, I should clue you all in that I can't really "bake" anything, so I figured I'd throw together a raw desert where the only thing I had left to do was freeze it!  Easy as cake! So, as you may have guessed I'm not really making any bold moves here, this is a very simple recipe to make as long as you have a good (enough) blender.   Why I've been considering more "raw" options as well as easing into a grain-free diet isn't a fad or a plan to lose weight.  Last November after having Sofia, I was rushed to the ER one night for excruciating abdominal pain.  We didn't know if it was appendicitis, an ovarian cyst, an ulcer... there were so many possibilities.  You name it.  After a long eight hours and a rude staff to boot, I was sent home with some Maylox, Vicodin, and an unclear diagnosis....

I can't wait for you guys to try this classic summer dish.  It's relatively easy to prep, and doesn't it sure look yummy?  I've included the recipe for you all if you want to print it, try it, or save it for that summer night on the grill.

Smoky, garlic-y, hot and fiesty.  What's NOT to love about delicious hot wings?  Perfect for parties, game day, cook outs and... staying in at home on a Sunday night. Don't you just want to eat your screen?  Mmm.  Seconds please.