Tasty Tidbits - Birthday Week!

We had a wonderful time at the cabin last weekend. It was sunny all day Saturday, so we got to go for a long hike, do some gardening & stone moving, & enjoy the sunshine. Then it started to drizzle in the evening, followed by a mostly rainy night & day on Sunday. We love hearing the rain on the room & seeing it across the pond, so it was a great mix of the two.

The birthday boy was happy! He was spoiled this week, with 2 cakes (both chocolate with choc-pb icing. of course.), plus several special dinners & time with friends & family. That's the way birthday weeks should be! :-)

Here's what we've been eating in the last week:

Breakfasts

• Blueberry yogurt with Cinnamon Spiced Granola 
• Veggie omelets with honey whole wheat toast
• Blueberry buckwheat pancakes
• Whole grain rice krispies with fruit & almond milk
• Oatmeal with peanut butter
• Bananas, blueberries, & peaches

  

Lunches

• Sandwiches
• Leftovers
• Smashed avocado on rice cakes
• Fresh corn chowder
• Peaches, watermelon, canteloupe, & honeydew

Dinners

Saturday:
At Bear Mtn. for W's birthday weekend! This dinner was his choice of menu.

• Grilled Pizza - whole wheat crust with tomato sauce, sauteed onions & peppers, kale, mushrooms, & cherry tomatoes
• Green salad
• W's birthday cake #1: Ashley's Chocolate Cake (Gluten Free) with my Healthy Peanut Butter Frosting & Ashley's Chocolate Cashew Cream Frosting

Sunday:

• Broccoli, mushroom, & onion quesadillas
• Black Bean & Cucumber Salsa Dip with tortilla chips

Monday:

• Baked Bruschetta Pasta - I had a sales dinner at work with a client who I went to college with - small world!! W ate the leftovers I brought home...this was a MEGA bowl of pasta, plenty for 2!
• Green salad

Tuesday:
Potluck picnic at our house with church members

• Grilled bean burgers with whole wheat buns
• Fresh veggies with Eating Well's Classic Hummus
• Others brought: beer-battered zucchini, Asian pasta salad, taco dip & chips, pretzels, bean salad, watermelon fruit salad, red beet eggs, hot dogs & sauerkraut, potato salad  
• W's birthday cake #2: Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

Wednesday:

• Mama Pea's Zucchini Quinoa Lasagna - I made this a couple years ago & kept thinking I should make it again sometime. We have tons of zucchini right now, so I saw it as a sign. It was as good as I remembered!
• Cooking Light's Balsamic Tomatoes - We love these & they're perfect for using up our crop of cherry tomatoes. They were delicious spooned over the lasagna.

Thursday:

• Green salad with mushrooms, onions, dried cherries, cucumber, green pepper, almonds, & Italian Vinaigrette

Friday:

• New potatoes with kale, cherry tomatoes, & garlic

Treats

• May's Drive In - We always stop here on the drive home from the cabin. I got a scoop of chocolate marshmallow ice cream on a cone, W got an Oreo stormer (like a  Blizzard).
• Bruster's for ice cream cones - They had the blood bank there, and I tried to give for the first time, but my iron level was 1 point too low, so I wasn't allowed. I know I'm prone to low iron, so I wasn't surprised. And they were nice enough to give me the free ice cream coupon anyway!

Birthday Weekend

Last Friday was my birthday & the Bup & I took off work to celebrate with a 3-day weekend. We met my grandparents at Shady Maple to take advantage of my free birthday breakfast. Whew they have a lot of food there. I'm overwhelmed everytime we go. The main reason I like to go is for the fresh pancakes. This time, I got 2 small pumpkin pancakes - one with coconut & apples, the other with pb & choc chips. So good!

After breakfast, we went to the market next door. Look at these crazy huge, "overly obese" pumpkins!

Such abundance! We bought some produce off of the $1/bag rack, plus a few other things. They had avocados for 77 cents each!

I was drooling over their almond & coconut milk selection. None of the stores around us sell So Delicious brand. Plus, they also had rice milk & flax milk. I didn't get any, but now I know where to go if I want to.

We spent the afternoon around the house. I finished my book (Let's Pretend This Never Happened: (A Mostly True Memoir) - for a snippet, go here & prepare to laugh!). Tink curled up with me & was being so sweet.

My parents had us up for my birthday dinner. Mom & I split a Blue Moon Caramel Apple Spiced Ale. It was really good, although not as caramely or appley as I expected.

I requested pizzas, & Mom came up with some tasty topping. The one on the left has a pumpin parmesan sauce topped with bell peppers & artichoke hearts. The right pizza is fresh smoked mozerella with thinly sliced lemons & fresh basil.

The third flavor was basil-lemon balm pesto topped with broccoli, jalapeno slices & mushrooms.

I couldn't decide which one I liked best. I kept alternating bites, trying to decide. So delicous! We also had a big green salad with dinner - yum!

Before we had cake, we played a game of Farkle. We played another game afterwards. I didn't win either, but it was still fun.

My cake was Happy Day cake with chocolate icing - my favorite!

Mom swapped a few ingredients & made the cake with whole wheat flour & coconut oil - just how I love it. It was fantastic.

We tried for some nice family photos afterwards, but everyone was being a ham. Here we are, all in red.

My family. <3

When we got home, the Bup hung my final b-day present. He made me a rack to hang my necklaces! The free necklaces I got from my jewelry party this summer didn't fit in my little box. I think I tripled my necklace collection at that party! Tink kept trying to play with them, so this was the perfect solution.

On Saturday, we went for an hour long bike ride & then worked a little around the house. We stopped to play a round of mini golf (I had free coupons - can't let them go to waste!) on the way to my friend's birthday party. This pic makes me laugh - he looks sorta short. We were a little dressed up for mini golf.

Celebrating with the birthday girl!

The Bup bought his own bottle of wine because the wines offered were sweet. They made sure that they knew it was his! I was surprised by how much I liked the dry wines offered. My tastes are changing!

Sunday was pretty quiet. We went to church, had lunch, took a walk, worked in the garden, did some cooking for the week, cleaned out part of the basement, & watched a little Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Netflix. It was a relaxing final day of a great weekend!

Thanks to everyone for all of the birthday wishes!

Dinner at Highlands Grill

We continuted the Bup's birthday celebration on Monday night. He got a coupon from Hershey's SweetMail for a free entree at any of the Hershey restaurants. When Highlands Grill first opened, I was still a concierge, so we got the chance to go to the pre-opening & experience it. We both really enjoyed it & have been wanting to go back ever since. The restaurant is set on the grounds of the Hershey Links golf course, so the dining overlooks the golf course & in the distance you can see The Hotel Hershey. We ate outside since it was such a nice evening.

To start, we had beer! I got the Sam Adams seasonal, which is the Fall variety already. Time's flying! The birthday boy got Yuengling Porter (on tap - he was happy).

I was so excited to see that they had a Strawberry Spinach salad on their menu! It came with a light vinaigrette, thinly sliced almonds, & blue cheese crumbles. I thought it was a little pricey, but they did give me a decent sized portion.

The Bup had his usual favorite - Caesar Salad. It had thinly sliced parmesan cheese & brioche croutons on it.

My main dish was the Vegetable Flatbread, with roasted tomatoes, broccoli, caramelized onions, baby spinach, red sauce & fresh mozerella. The crust was nicely crisped & I loved the broccoli on top. Plus, I had enough that I brought some home for lunch the next day.

For his dinner, the Bup had the Grilled Portabella Mushroom sandwich. It was a brioche roll stuffed with roasted veggies, provolone cheese, herb aioli, & the mushroom cap. I had a taste & it was delicious!

I was hesitant about getting dessert because every time I order chocolate cake at a restaurant, I'm disappointed. We decided to go for it anyway & split an order of the Flourless Chocolate Cake with layers of cake & chocolate buttercream, topped with dark chocolate ganache. It sounded so good, but just wasn't chocolatey! I wasn't impressed. I need to always remember this & not get the chocolate cake when we're out.

Overall, it was a great evening & we enjoyed being there. I got a text from my mom part way through dinner that their van was making weird noises, so they might need us to pick them up. Thankfully, they made it home safely! We walked up later to drop off some things & say hi, which made for a nice end to a relaxing evening.

Happy Bup-day!

It's his birthday today! :-) I'm so happy to be celebrating another year of his life!

We started the celebrations early by taking a trip to the cabin for the weekend. The weather was gorgeous (pics coming soon!) & we hiked, played games, ate, & relaxed. All the usual things.

For his b-day dinner with my parents, we made pizzas on the grill. Mom made a whole wheat & semolina flour crust. I sauteed some onions, mushrooms & garlic, plus chopped tomatoes, peppers, & basil. We didn't have any mozerella, so we used provolone. It was delicious! Provolone has a lot more flavor than mozerella while still melting well.

My pizza...half garlic/olive oil & half bbq sauce.

 

The Bup's pizza...all bbq sauce.

Mom's...half & half.

Dad's...half & half. His looked the tastiest to me. I think it was beause it was so colorful. He had a lot of green on there!

While the rest of us used knives & forks to cut ours before eating it, he just dove right in.

Perspective: the pizza was almost bigger than his head!

For dessert: Dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate peanut butter icing. It's his new favorite. Thank goodness, because for awhile it was red velvet & that's not nearly as good. I used about 2 tablespoons of jet black cocoa powder for the icing. It makes it super chocolatey!

Here's to many more years! Happy birthday to my love!

Monkey Smash Cake

 Last week was my nephew's 1st birthday! They had a party for him on Saturday, & asked me to make him a birthday cake. It was to be a smash cake, which means it's small & all for him to do with as he liked. I knew immediately that I wanted to make him one with the monkey design that I saw awhile ago on Smitten Kitchen. His mom asked for chocolate on chocolate, so it was perfect!

When we got to the party, I showed him the cake & he immediately wanted to stick his hands in it. Smart boy! :-) I used a chocolate zucchini loaf cake recipe from Summer Harms. At least that way he got in a few veggies!

Instead of baking it in a loaf pan, I used two 8" round pans. It was about 1.5" thick, the perfect height to make a small cake with. I drew the monkey head shape with a toothpick on one of the rounds, then cut it out. I put the cut piece on top of the other cake round & used it as the pattern for the second layer.

I think his favorite part was the icing. I made my usual chocolate peanut butter icing. I waited to add the cocoa powder so that I could take out a bit of plain peanut butter icing for the face. Then I mixed in the cocoa powder & iced the whole cake. I put it in the fridge for a few hours, then used a plastic bag to pipe on the icing for the face.

He seemed to like the texture of the icing. It took him awhile to really dig in & get down to the cake, but once he did...what a mess!!

 

Happy 1st Birthday!

Happy Day Walnut Cake

I'm a bit of a cake snob.

It took me about 25 years to realize it, but it's true.

When we go out to eat, I always get excited about the dessert tray. Most times, my eyes are drawn to the chocolate cake, always so dark & covered in plenty of frosting, but when I get it, it rarely lives up to my expectations. It's always either too dry, not chocolatey enough, or just mediocre all around. So now, I try to remember that & order something different. Or just go for ice cream. That's always a safe bet.

This cake ranks in the "something different" category. The walnut cake recipe is a traditional one that my mom gave me from her recipe cards. I believe she got it from her mom, who got it from hers, etc., so I'm not sure of the origin. I just know it's good! Mommom always served it with a fluffy white frosting & stored it in her silver cake carrier.

I found an identical carrier at our church rummage sale & just had to buy it. I love using it because it always reminds me of Mommom's cakes.

Poppop's birthday (85 years!) was on Saturday, so Mom invited my grandparents & us over for dinner on Sunday to celebrate. I offered to make the cake, & Mom said he loves walnut cake, so she shared the recipe. I'm not a fan of the fluffy frosting that's the norm, so I went a different route & made rhubarb frosting.

I love the way the flavors blend together. The hint of rhubarb cuts the sweetness of the frosting & compliments the nutty flavors in the cake. The first time I tried the frosting, it was on rhubarb cupcakes. That was good, but this was great!

Enjoy!

Happy Day Walnut Cake

Recipe from Mom's Archives, adapted very slightly

Serves 10-12

1 c all-purpose flour

1 1/4 c white whole wheat flour

1 T baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 1/3 c sugar

1/2 c non-hydrogenated shortening

1 c almond milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 organic eggs

1 c chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375*F. Grease and flour two 8" round pans. In the bowl of a stand mixer, sift together flours, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add shortening and mix. Once combined (mixture should be crumbly), add 1/2 of the milk, the vanilla, and 1 egg. Beat for 2 minutes. Add remaining milk and egg. Beat another 2 minutes. Gently fold in walnuts. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until bake pulls away from the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pans and allow to cool completely on cooling racks before icing.

Rhubarb Frosting

Adapted from Food Doodles

1/2 c organic butter, softened

1 c pureed raw rhubarb, cooked until reduced by half & cooled
5 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a medium bowl, beat the butter, rhubarb puree, and vanilla together to combine.  In 1 cup increments, add the powdered sugar until the frosting is thick and smooth.  Depending on how wet your rhubarb is, you many need to add addtional sugar.

The Birthday Celebration That Just Doesn't End!

I'm prolonging this birthday as long as possible. So far, it's going on 1.5 weeks. :-D

Don't count, okay?

Mom & Dad were away for the week, so they had us over for the "official birthday dinner" on Sunday.

We started with olive bruschetta & goat cheese toasts. They were really good! The recipe was from Better Homes & Gardens, and it was actually an Olive-Cherry Bruschetta, but Mom left the cherries & prosciutto out. I'm glad, cause it was delicious as it was. We decided that anything with lime juice in it is always excellent.

For pre-dinner drinks, I brought Pumpkin Mudslides. The Food Network posted a mini-recipe on Twitter that I had to try. If you like pumpkin & you like Bailey's, this is for you. Yum!

To compliment the pumpkin in the mudslides, we also had roasted butternut squash candy.

Dinner was a white lasagna that was chock full of veggies!

Broccoli, cauliflower, onions, mushrooms, kale, zucchini, eggplant, green beans, & tomatoes with whole wheat lasagna noodles & a variety of cheeses.

Pairing Wine: Riesling, compliments of Dad's wine making

When we go to dinner at my parents, Mom always makes sure to have a super huge salad. Half for me, a quarter for her, the rest for the guys to split. :-)

My traditional birthday cake is always white with chocolate icing. It's my all time favorite, at least when it's made by Mom! She made Happy Day cake, which is an older recipe that she's tweaked a little to make it healthier. I love cake!

After dinner, we played pinochle. All of my hands looked about like this...decent but nothing special. Mom & I were a team against the guys, just like last weekend. We lost, but only by a little! I guess they deserve to win sometimes, too. ;-)

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend! It always goes by WAY too quickly!