Baby Showers Galore and Cinnamon Bun Popcorn

The last two weekends I have hosted baby showers for two very important people in my life. We had a blast of course and the parties were filled with Ooohs and Aaaahs!

The BG Shower for Lindsay and Baby Ella was a lot of fun. It is always so fun to get all the Burg Girls together with our moms and throw a party. We had way too much food, but we wouldn't know how to have a party without planning for an army! The Cake by Carrie was incredible of course - lemon flavor and champagne with strawberries flavor. Delicious and BEAUTIFUL! You almost hate to cut into one of her cakes but then you do and never look back! I did make the Ella Ryan banner which was a lot of fun to make and if you would like a tutorial just let me know.

The surprise of the weekend was the arrival of Beautiful Baby Ella! Although I had to fly out before I could get a sneak peak at the bundle of joy, Ella is doing great and she has wonderful parents.

Cake By Carrie

Look at the Detail, she is sooo talented

Just a few of the many presents for Baby Ella!

Best group of girls ever... The Burg Girls

Let the excitement begin! This is what happens when you attend a Just Dance Party

The following weekend, the Pilates on Highland staff showered Holly's baby with some love. We decorated with children's story books since Holly has a love for books. All the food was themed according to a certain book. Think Perfect Piggie Sliders, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Salad, Say Please for Macaroni and Cheese, If You Give a Cat a Cupcake Baby Bites...etc. The decorations were gender neutral, so lots of linen colors with subtle color incorporated in. I had a great time planning for this shower and hosting it at my house! Although it was stressful right at crunch time, it was so much fun to have Holly (and Baby) enjoy the party!

And of course I also made this banner which was soooo easy and if you want the tutorial for it, just ask!

Presents for Baby Jason

Delicious Baby Bites from Pastry Arts

The Grub

Food!

We love Holly and can't wait for Baby Jason to arrive in April

Favors for the Guests!

I leave you with an excellent, addictive, and not so bathing suit friendly Recipe!

Cinnamon Caramel Corn with Pecans Popcorn

AKA Cinnamon Bun Popcorn!

Recipe Adapted From Our Best Bites

12 cup popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup kernels, or 1 bag low butter, lot salt microwave popcorn)

1 cup pecan halves

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup Light Karo Syrup (honey can be used also)

1 stick real butter (1/2 cup)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp good quality vanilla

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place cooked popcorn and chopped pecans in a VERY LARGE bowl. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a BIG microwave safe bowl. Like a 2 quart bowl or a Pyrex Measuring bowl. Stir to combine. Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup over the top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more. It should now be bubbly. Remove from microwave and add in the vanilla and baking soda. Enjoy the science experiment that takes place at this point. Pour this right over the popcorn and pecans, stir right away and stir a lot. Don't waste time or else the caramel will harden on you. Spread the popcorn mixture onto a foil lined baking sheet. Do a quality assurance test at this point, just to make sure that it tastes good! Then bake in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring twice, each 15 minutes. Let it cool and enjoy! Warning, it is very addictive!

Spinach, roasted red peppers, and broccoli Pizza

The pizza loaded down with veggies... before the cheese was added

I had some leftover homemade wheat pizza dough and decided to put it to use. I found this recipe from one of my favorite blogs, Pink Parsley, and modified it a little bit (She actually adapted it from another favorite of mine, Annie's Eats!). Turned out very yummy! It also helps that Ryan Grilled it on our Kamado Joe. Yes, you heard that right, the weather is nice so we can finally grill again! I long for the warmer weather where most of my food is cooked on the grill... i.e. less dishes to clean!

Broccoli, roasted red peppers, and Spinach Pizza

Adapted from Pink Parsley, originally from Annie's Eats

• 1 serving homemade pizza dough (this recipe makes 2 so just used 1/2 of it)
• 1 Tbs butter
• 1 Tbs flour
• 3/4 cup milk (I used 1%)
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• salt/pepper to taste
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 Tbs freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup broccoli florets, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach, packed
• 1 cup roasted red bell peppers (I used the jarred ones)
• 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

NOTE- Ryan insisted that his part of the pizza had pepperoni on it, so I did add that to his "half". He really enjoyed it with the veggies and still felt like he wasn't eating just veggies!

Directions:

Preheat the oven or the grill to 500 degrees. If using a pizza stone, warm it in the oven for at least 30 minutes.

White Sauce: Melt the butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly until the sauce is golden and bubbly (About 1 minute). Whisk in the milk, add the garlic. Continue to cook and stir often until the mixture becomes thick and begins to bubble (not a rapid boil). Remove from heat, add in the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Then add the parmesan cheese. Either make sure that the garlic is completely mixed in or if it is still pieced together then you can just pick it out and discard it. I like garlic left in, so I just made sure it was not lumpy in the sauce!

Now, roll out the dough, brush the perimeter with olive oil, and spread the milk mixture evenly on top. Now top the pizza with the spinach, broccoli, and roasted red bell pepper. Spread the cheeses over the top. Transfer to your pizza stone or onto the grill and cook for 10-12 minutes. You want the cheese to be bubbly when it is finished.

Enjoy! We had this alongside a nice mixed greens salad with a balsamic vinaigrette. It was a great meal and a good way to get some veggies in it.

Valentine's Day

Beautiful Roses, Arranged by Ryan Himself!

The Grub: Filet Mignon, Asparagus, and a Twice Baked Potato

Toasting to many more awesome Valentine's Together

I know that Valentine's day was yesterday but I thought that I would share how we celebrated! Ryan did an excellent job, taking over the grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning! It was great and he surprised me with gorgeous 2 dozen red roses. He was the grill master, all of the food was cooked on the grill and it was amazing. Plus an excellent bottle of Cakebread Syrah to complete the meal (I got to pick the wine)!

Hope that you had an excellent Valentine's Day. I really enjoy the low key celebration ideas for this holiday, and ours was just that. Tucher of course got to "woof" down the leftovers, so he was a happy puppy!

Lots of stuff on the agenda this week, starting with a crown at the dentist this am:( Finishing off the week with a baby shower for Holly and working at POH this weekend. Plus, I need to share some great ideas from Lindsay's baby shower from last weekend. So, check back for lots of blog entries this week. Oh and the recipe for the broccoli/spinach/roasted red pepper pizza that is baking in our oven right now will definitely perk your attention!

EDAMAME

This is a nice snack that I have been enjoying lately. Good source of protein and other nutrients. Quick and easy to make and so much fun to eat!

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 lb frozen edamame

Heat salt, chili powder, red pepper flakes in a small pan over medium heat. The mixture will begin to smell fragrant in about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Set aside.

Boil the edamame pods in water until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain in a colander and pat dry. Toss the edamame pods with the spices and serve warm.

HOW EASY IS THAT

Cajun (Chicken) Pasta

This dish was amazing. When we were celebrating at the Renner wedding, Destin mentioned this recipe and sent the recipe to me. I made it that week and we both loved it. It was pretty easy to assemble and prepare and made excellent leftovers. I especially loved the baby bella mushrooms! And the spice is right on.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Recipe from Destin Jines

Box of Rotini Pasta

2 tablespoons of un-salted butter

1 pound of boneless skinless chicken tenders (optional if you want meat)

3 cloves minced garlic

1 bunch of green onions, chopped (washed well)

1-2 tablespoons of cajun seasonings (I use one called "slap ya mama" from publix)

black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (really this depends on if you want it really spicy or not - a must in my opinion)

6-8 oz heavy cream

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

8 oz fresh baby bella mushrooms quartered (the baby bellas have more flavor than the buttons)

1/2 cup fresh/good grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook rotini according to package directions. Cut chicken strips into bite-size cubes. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned (don't over cook cause it simmers with the veggies too). Add garlic, onions, cajun seasoning, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir to coat chicken. Ad bell peppers and mushrooms; stir to combine. Cover and cook for 5 mins. Uncover; stir in cream and let simmer another 2 mins. Stir in parm. cheese and remove from heat. Pour on top of cooked and drained pasta, toss together and serve!

Notes from Destin: ** I usually use only 1 tablespoon of the cajun seasoning, it gets kinda salty if you add too much. I also take out about a cup of the pasta before I put the sauce over the top. I like it to be more sauce than noodles :) It is also the bomb with some good crusty bread!! )

I must agree that this dish is the bomb! Loved it. And please just enjoy the cream! If you know you are eating this for dinner - have a big salad or green smoothie for lunch!

The Government says to "EAT LESS" - WOW

Well, it seems like the government and the "head" nutrition leaders are finally getting smarter. Instead of encouraging quick, processed, low calorie, or low fat food they have come to a more natural way to eat: "Drink water instead of sugary drinks like soda, fill your plate with fruits and vegetables and cut down on processed foods filled with sodium, fat or sugar." In other words, "Enjoy your food, but eat less" WOW!

What is sad about this? Well it has taken a lot of tax money and people getting paid to do this "research" to come to this conclusion. Is this not COMMON SENSE? Getting rid of 100 calorie pack and exchanging it for something wholesome like a piece of fruit or a plate of veggies? Cutting out the added sugars? Cut out the processed foods that our bodies have little idea on how to metabolize? WOW, I wish that someone would have paid me years ago to come up with this advice, I would be retired and living on an island! Maybe being blunt, and honest with people - like saying "EAT LESS" and "EAT BETTER" is what we all need to hear?

Here is the Link and below is the article that I copied and pasted for you:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/01/business/01food.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&nl=afternoonupdate&emc=aua2

Government’s Dietary Advice: Eat Less

Michael Temchine for The New York Times

The latest nutrition guidelines reiterate much advice from previous years: eat less salt and saturated fats, eat more fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

By ANDREW MARTIN

Published: January 31, 2011

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As the nation’s obesity crisis continues unabated, federal regulators on Monday issued their bluntest nutrition advice to date: drink water instead of sugary drinks like soda, fill your plate with fruits and vegetables and cut down on processed foods filled with sodium, fat or sugar.

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More important, perhaps, the government told Americans, “Enjoy your food, but eat less.” Many Americans eat too many calories every day, expanding their waistlines and imperiling their health.

While the recommendations may seem obvious, it is nonetheless considered major progress for federal regulators, who have long skirted the issue, wary of the powerful food lobby. (The 112-page report even subtly suggests that people eat less pizza and dessert.)

Previous guidelines urged Americans to curb sugar, solid fats and salt, but avoided naming specific foods, let alone urging consumers to eat less food over all.

“For them to have said ‘eat less’ is really new. Who would have thought?” said Margo G. Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “We should have been saying ‘eat less’ for a decade.”

Ms. Wootan said she was nonetheless pleased that the guidelines provided “understandable and actionable” advice rather than the “big vague messages” of the past.

For instance, she applauded the advice to make half of your plate fruits and vegetables.

“Before, the dietary guidelines said, ‘Eat more fruits and vegetables,’ but that could mean add a slice of tomato to your hamburger,” she said.

Robert C. Post, deputy director of the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion at the Agriculture Department, said regulators hoped simple messages would resonate better than the more technical prose of the past.

“Maybe that is what will help this time to get the consumer’s attention,” he said.

While the guidelines are ostensibly for consumers and federal nutrition programs, they will undoubtedly put additional pressure on the food industry to reformulate processed foods, particularly to reduce the amount of sodium, which was emphasized in the report.

Similarly, the guidelines’ advice to reduce portion size could put pressure on restaurants, many of which continue to serve portions so large that they could easily serve two people under the government’s guidelines.

“If companies don’t change their practices and reformulate their products, people don’t have a chance of following the dietary guidelines,” Ms. Wootan said.

Just two weeks ago, Wal-Mart Stores announced a five-year plan to reformulate its store-brand packaged foods and drop the price on fruits and vegetables. Wal-Mart said it would pressure its major suppliers to do the same.

In addition, the first lady, Michelle Obama, and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York have pushed for manufacturers and restaurants to reduce the amount of trans fatand sodium in their products.

Several food manufacturers noted that they had already taken major steps to reduce the amount of sodium in their products, though some critics say they have not gone far enough.

“We feel great about the progress we are making,” said Susan Davison, a spokeswoman forKraft Foods, one of the largest food makers in the world. The company has vowed to reduce sodium in its North American portfolio by an average of 10 percent by 2012, and Ms. Davison said it had already met that goal in 350 products and would eventually reformulate more than 1,000 products.

“We know that our consumers are interested in monitoring their sodium intake,” she said. “We are looking for ways to help them without giving up the foods they love.”

David S. Smith, a vice president at Campbell Soup who oversees research and development, said his company was offering reduced-sodium versions of hundreds of its products, in some cases replacing regular salt with smaller amounts of sea salt. He said the company was continuing to look for ways to cut sodium even further.

Salt is not an easy thing to replace, he said. “It is very challenging.”

The specific recommendations on various nutrients were largely unchanged in this year’s guidelines, compared to the last version in 2005, though reductions in sodium were given much greater emphasis.

Under the guidelines released Monday, about half of the populace should consume 1,500 milligrams of sodium or less each day. That includes children, African-Americans and anyone who is older than 50 or has hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease. Everyone else may consume up to 2,300 milligrams, about a teaspoon.

Now, Americans on average consume about 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day.

In addition, the guidelines recommend consuming less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids, replacing them with so-called good fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The guidelines suggest making fruits and vegetables cover half of the plate at a meal, choosing fat-free and low-fat dairy products and eating more whole grains and seafood.

August Schumacher Jr., a former agriculture under secretary, said government farm policies needed to be revised to provide incentives for farmers across the country to plant more fruits and vegetables.

In addition, Mr. Schumacher, now executive vice president of Wholesome Wave, a nonprofit group that promotes access to healthy foods, said the government needed to help consumers, particularly those on food stamps, get access to fruits, vegetables and other foods recommended in the guidelines.

The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services revise the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a thick booklet that lays out an ideal diet to maintain health, every five years. The panel produces a draft that is reviewed and tweaked by regulators and eventually made public.

In 2005, the last time the guidelines were revised, the government urged Americans to eat more whole grains and less sugar. It was the first time the guidelines recommended replacing refined grains with whole grains, and it prompted major changes in the ingredients used by food manufacturers.

General Mills, for instance, replaced refined grains with whole grains in its breakfast cereals, and many bread makers did the same.

While the guidelines urge Americans to eat less, they do not change the suggested daily caloric levels for most Americans, which vary depending on age and activity level.

But many Americans already eat more calories each day than they are supposed to eat by ignoring the dietary guidance.

Karen Miller-Kovach, chief scientific officer at Weight Watchers, said she was particularly pleased that the advice was so simple. The two overarching themes of the report are: maintain calorie balance over time to achieve and sustain a healthy weight, and focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods and beverages.

“The last many guidelines have focused on process, this many milligrams of sodium, that much fat. I think what these do is lay out the basics,” Ms. Miller-Kovach said. “If you cut calories and you make those calories count in terms of those nutrients, what happens? All those numbers fall into place.”

Sheryl Gay Stolberg contributed reporting.

Shrimp with Feta and Tomatoes

Made this last night and it was delicious. Probably one of the tastiest and easiest dishes I have made lately. Served it on top of hot Orzo pasta which is likely my new favorite pasta! Of course it was from INA GARTEN! I am obsessed with the new cookbook my mom got me for Christmas. If you are in the hunt for an awesome cookbook, this is your best choice! Make sure to serve this on Orzo pasta, it really completes the meal.

Roasted Shrimp with Feta

adapted from The Barefoot Contessa, How Easy is That?
serves 4

• 4 Tbs olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2-3 coves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp. tomato paste
• 1 Tbs minced fresh oregano
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 pounds (16-20 per pound) peeled and deveined shrimp
• 3 ounces feta cheese, coarsely crumbled. Original recipe called for 5 oz, but that seemed like way too much for us, so I used 3
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 3 Tbs minced fresh parsley
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 lemons

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 10 to 12-inch oven-proof skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and saute 5-8 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits. Cook 2-3 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half.

Add the tomatoes with their liquid, tomato paste, oregano, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine and simmer over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the breadcrumbs, parsley, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl. Stir well to moisten the breadcrumbs.

Remove the pan from heat and arrange the shrimp, tails up, in one layer over the tomato mixture. Scatter the feta evenly over the shimp, and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top.

Bake for 15 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked and the bread crumbs are golden brown. You may want to turn on the broiler for the last few minutes. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the shrimp, and serve hot with the remaining lemon cut into wedges.

Ina Garten's Lentil Soup

I think that maybe I should change the name of this blog to "The Pearce's Travels". It seems like since Thanksgiving we have been traveling nonstop. I am soooo ready for a weekend at home but not sure when I will get one... I am also ready to un-pack and re-organize our home. It is crazy how fast you get behind on cleaning, paying bills, and cooking when you are only in your home for a few days during the week before heading out on another trip. We are back from Arizona and a wedding in Eufaula (More pics of Drew and Kelly's wedding on another post - it was a lot of fun)!

I am now finished with my soap box for the day! Here are SOME pics from our latest travels

Ryan and I in front of the ugliest spaceship stadium

Tailgating in Glendale

Hanging out with Kelly at Yardhouse

Julie and I (She forced me to put the AU sticker on my face FYI!)

Tonto National Forest, outside of Phoenix, AZ

The cactus are huge!

Love seeing nature in America

I made an amazing meal today! It is healthy, full of veggies, and delicious. The star ingredient are the Lentils. Lentils are a small but mighty member of the legume family. They are packed with soluble fiber, contain protein, and B-vitamins as well as minerals. They also help regulate post-prandial blood glucose levels.

Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa was the source for this recipe. You can always count on Ina for an amazing outcome.

Ingredients for Lentil Soup

The Finished YUMMY product!

Lentil Kielbasa Soup

From: Ina Garten

1 pound French Green Lentils

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cups yellow onions, diced

4 cups leaks, white and light green parts only, chopped

1 TBS minced Garlic

1 TBS salt

1 1/2 tsp black pepper

1 TBS minced fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp ground cumin

3 cups diced celery (8 stalks)

3 cups diced carrots (4-6 medium carrots)

3 quarts vegetable or chicken broth

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 pound kielbasa (OPTIONAL), cut in 1/2 lengthwise and slice 1/3 inch thick

2 TBS dry red wine or red wine vinegar

Freshly grated parmesan for serving

Directions:

In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Then Drain.

In a large dutch oven, over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, leeks, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for another 10 minutes. Add the vegetable/chicken broth, tomato paste, and drained lentils. Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour or until the lentils are cooked through and tender. Check the seasonings and adjust as needed. Add the kielbasa and red wine and simmer until the kielbasa is hot. Serve drizzed with olive oil and sprinkled with grated parmesan .

Love it! I made mine with no kielbasa and Ryan's has the sausage in it. He loves it! It is great served alongside a nice salad or some crusty bread. Enjoy!