Behr + Spinach

Behr seriously loves spinach...when it is in a quesadilla. In fact, he will eat most food when it is easy for him to pick up and fun shaped. (we consider triangles fun shapes in this house!) Once a week or so, I dedicate time to making a big batch of quesadillas to serve as a quick meal when he Behr needs to be fed stat. We have a short window when we get home around 6:00 and bedtime between 7:30 and 8:00, especially on bath nights.

So here is the drill that has been working for us:

I get a package of 10 tortillas and begin to shred cheese. I like finishing things, so this is typically a mix of whatever is open. All the while, I have a box of frozen chopped spinach cooking on the stove top. I also tend to throw in other left overs like this chicken from my tacos. The first batch of quesadillas takes the longest to cook, so I tend to prep the rest of the tortillas with filling, fold them over and stack them on the cutting board. By the time we get to the end, they cook much faster. (professional mommas, am I simply not letting the pan heat long enough?) After they cooked, I lay the quesadillas on the cutting board and let them cool before cutting. All of the cooled, cut, triangle quesadillas go in a container for easy access all week. The trick to making these work, is to understuff. I put far less filling in Behr's quesadillas than I would if I were making them for adults.

 

Behr's slightly pissed face, mauling his quesadilla.

If Behr is in the room, it is a mad dash to get some ready for him to eat...immediately! He loves these so much, he goes bonkers when he sees me start to prep! I couldn't get a single picture of the quesadillas on his tray before he went at 'em like a banchee. Oh, and see that casualy quesadilla under his elbow? That was stufffed with chicken. He's no fool, he wanted his green veggies. What can I say? My kid loves spinach.

joining mini meals on with two cats

Tuesday Tacos

 

 

 

These are some seriously good chicken tacos. Last Spring, after returning to work and being a bit frantic juggling life with baby, having several family emergencies, including out of town travel, these tacos became my happy place. A dear friend saw our little family floundering and stepped in to cook us one of the best dinners I have ever had. These chicken tacos, complete with all the fixings and warm straight from her oven corn tortillas. I will always be greatful for her servant's heart when I indulge in my new favorite meal. So after begging for the recipe and tweaking it a bit to fit our family, per her recommendations, here it is:

 

This meal takes about an hour to cook, but the hands on time is minimal. It also doubles easily, making it the perfect meal to bring to a friend in need. Thanks Diane!!

     Directions:

• mix together tomato sauce, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and sugar. 
• heat oil in large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat
• once the oil is nice and hot, add the whole chicken breasts, cooking until light golden brown on both sides
• add the tomato sauce mix from the first step to pan and bring to a boil
• lower heat, cover, and simmer, about 20 minutes or until until cooked through. if the sauce does not cover the chicken breasts, flip once mid way through
• transfer chicken to cutting board and shred
• transfer chicken back to pan, mixing to combine
• continue to cook while you prep the toppings, about 10 minutes
• be sure to serve in warm corn totillas, my favorite!

Mount Vernon on Presidents' Day

We woke up last Monday morning with an adventure ahead of us. We drove to Mount Vernon to celebrate Presidents' Day at Washington's home. The weather was beautiful, the sheep were friendly, and the view across the Potomac was stunningly beautiful. It was a terrific family day for us, we hope you enjoyed our snapshots.

A few tips if traveling to Mount Washington with a child:

1. The grounds are fairly stroller friendly. We took the wooded path (not stroller friendly) with the stroller and still survived.
2. Arrive early, about opening time. Parking looks like it is a bit crazy, or full, but there is plenty of parking tucked away.
3. Check the schedule. There was a ceremony on the main grounds at 10:30, so we planned to do most of our sight seeing during that time, which meant no long lines and great views for us. We will go back and see the performance when Behr is old enough to appreciate it.
4. There is more than enough to see in one visit!
5. The site allows and recommend your own bottled water. Bring it.

Baptism Day

we sent the announcement out 

and would love for you to also join us in celebrating this day

we will be celebrating with Behr grandparents, aunts and uncles

good food, and lots of quality time before our evening church service

have a lovely Sunday.

Dreamy Blues and Greens

this may look like the start of a fashion post...

...but this anthro window is actually my latest party planning inspiration!

No sooner than I recovered from planning Behr's birthday party, I began planning his baptism. On Sunday, we will have a small gathering with our immediate families. However, never one to miss an opportunity for snail mail, we sent announcements to our loved ones, asking them to join us in prayer from their homes and churches across the world.

My obsession with watercolor continues, along with the rest of design world! So it should come as no surprise that watercolor and my favorite cool shades are the common theme here. Take a sneak peek at our top invitation choices from tiny prints*

1/2/3/4/5/6

Our design has been picked, envelopes have been addressed, and lovely cards have been delivered to homed of our beloved.

Can you guess which design we chose?

E-A-T your brussels sprouts

I originally posted this recipe in 2008, and tweet about it every once in a while. It became a quick family favorite, and we were thrilled when Behr loved it too. My affinity for these green beauties has grown with time, but this is still my favorite recipe.

Ingredients:

2-3 medium sweet potatos, peeled and cubed
1 pound brussels sprouts, halved
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons curry powder
4 green onions or shallots, thinly sliced
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 can light coconut milk
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup of rice or quinoa

Directions: Heat the canola oil in a dutch oven or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Leave them alone to brown, 2-4 minutes. Add the curry powder and green onions/shallots to the pan and stir for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and coconut milk, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the Brussels sprouts are almost tender, 10-15 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir. Cook a few more minutes. Serve over rice or quinoa and garnish with lime juice and cilantro.

Note: I scoop the sweet potatoes and brussles sprouts out so Behr can eat these as finger foods.

Joining Lauren of With Two Cats for Mini Meals:

Photo Booth Back Drop Tutorial

After hunting for weeks for a sky back drop, the perfect cloud print sheets, or anything else that would make our party guests take flight, I resorted to making my own sky. I used a roll of plastic table cover left over from a baby shower a few years ago, crepe paper, pom pom fringe (an obsession inspired by Sarah Richardson), and painter's tape. In total, this project set me back about $20 and an hour of my time.

You can see more of the pictures here. But the real gem is the late night, poorly lit, zoomed out view showing how everything held up.

How about that? Another bold impact that was easy as pie! And didn't even have to look pretty, although I might have trimmed it out in painter's tape if I had thought of it at the time. You may also notice that we needed to widen the streamers after the first round of pictures. 

We Are Heading West

Do you remember way back when we won two free plane tickets?

Well, we have picked a location, San Francisco! We have been to the bay area before, but this time, there won't be any work conferences. We plan to visit good friends, and hit up the sights. If you have suggestions and recommendations for restaurants, vineyards, hikes, or more, please, please share. While we have just begun the planning, my bags are practically packed already! Here is what I am planning to bring or hoping to buy for this trip:

my packing will be basic black with warm berry brights

Already have: camel swag cardigan // my three favorite necklaces, including the newest one // raspberry thermal // polkadot dress // j.crew white scallop lace shell (and the black one!) // gingham check shirt (similar to this one) // baseball tee // maritime stipe shirt (similar to this one) // black prairie boots // red toms // + my packing list

Hope to get: new black flats // rebecca minkoff mini 5 zip clutch in orange // backpack inspired by bridget // emerson made dress

Still hunting for: the perfect skirt and one or two funky scarves

Linking up with {av} for Friday's Fancies!

The Box

Trying to take a picture of a boy with a mysterious box placed in front of him...

...well, let's just say, I never should have tried.

The adage from parents is that a free cardboard box always trumps the fancy toys. Over the weekend, this wisdom was reinforced. Behr was excited about the box as soon as we picked it up from claims at Pottery Barn. As soon as the box made its way into our apartment, his eyes widen. And then the box opened. There was plastic wrap, styrofoam and cardboard strips. Behr wanted to touch and feel and try to taste...everything! He was in his glory. As you can see, helping Dad is hard work. And Behr was certainly a huge help.

Linking up with Mogan of Mama Loves Papa for Small Style

Behr is wearing:

Fleece Vest: A birthday gift from Koala Baby

Rugby Stripe Zip: babyGap

Jenas: babyGap

Shoes: Robeez

side note: my parents have been so gracious and have outfitted Behr with some of his most adorable clothes, including nearly everything he wears from babyGap. Thanks Yia-yia and Popouli!



Whole Family Italian Soup

When I posted this photo on instagram, I claimed that it is a meal the whole family enjoys! And the request for the recipe began flooding in. Let's just say that meal time can be a challenge and recently we have been struggling. Making separate food for Behr is no longer an option, because he only wants to eat what we are eating. So I have begun a new adventure of transforming recipes to be Behr friendly. It is so exciting to join Lauren of With Two Cats for  Mini Meals and hopefully bring smiles all around the table.

Original Recipe via Pioneer Woman tweaked to be whole family friendly in our household 

The main changes: 
I omitted the jalapeno to reduce the intensity of the flavor

Replaced the fryer chicken with chicken breasts (because I don't know what a fryer chicken is, gasp!)

And added a can of cannelloni beans, because Behr loves them. 

Ingredients:
1 box mini shells - pasta small enough for little fingers
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Oregano
3 Chicken Breasts
8 cups Chicken Broth
1/2 Medium Onion, Diced
2 Green Bell Peppers, Diced
2 stalks Celery, Diced
1 can Cannelloni Beans
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 cans, Diced Tomatoes (don't drain)
2 cups Heavy Cream
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste


Directions: reworked to use less pots! My kitchen is far too small for the original directions.

Cook pasta according to package directions, being sure not to overcook it. Drain and rinse in cold water to cool. Toss in 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside in a separate bowl. (see note below)

Place chicken in the pasta pot and cover in chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer chicken, covered, for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and leave covered for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and shred meat.

Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add olive oil and oregano and turn off heat, stirring over the next minute to keep oregano from burning. Set this aside in a small prep bowl.

In the oregano pot, saute onion, green pepper, celery, and cannelloni beans in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth, shredded chicken, and tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add cream. Finish by stirring in the oregano and olive oil

Note: This recipe made 3+ dinners for our little family of three, so I left the pasta to the side. When I reheated each evening's serving, I added in the pasta to keep from getting soggy. This recipe also freezes well, pre-pasta.

Once I put the food on Behr's tray,

I couldn't keep him still long enough to get a good picture.

Whole Family Italian Soup was gone in a matter of minutes!

Balloon Garland Tutorial

 

a few extra minutes and common household goods can bring life to your party or your valentine's day!

begin by blowing up your balloons

pull a long piece of twine, one and a half times the length you desire

and tie about half of the balloons down the length of twine (be sure to leave room at the ends) until you have what you think you need. test it to be sure.

 after you have tested your single row of balloons and confirmed the placement, secure the twine.

then gather your twist ties and remaining balloons

alternating up and down, fill in between the twine tied balloons with twisties 

it is important to alternate up, down, high, and low to give you garland a full look

step back and examine your work, filling in any remaining gaps

it only takes a few minutes to give your party and extra boost of excitement

just in case you don't have these items laying around, 

check out Olive Manna, my new favorite stop for all things home!

Behr's First Photo Booth

 

The birthday party photo booth may not have been as successful as most wedding photo booths. But we managed to coax almost everyone into the front room to get their mug shot. Props or not, the photos turned out to be a wonderful way to see the love that is poured out for Behr. This group of people truly loves this little dude. And that makes me very happy.