I know it's not 5 yet but God, I am good!

Who would have thought I could create something so good at one in the afternoon? We spent the morning in the pool and by the time I got everyone dry, clothed and fed I was exhausted. I started digging in the fridge looking for something easy to eat and right before I gave in to the chinese takeout leftovers that were calling my name, something caught my eye... the leftover mushrooms from pizza night. Immediately, I came up with a plan- Triskets topped with wild mushrooms and fresh mozzarella. I washed, chopped and piled and stood back to look at my creation. Something was missing. It looked dry, then it hit me- balsamic vinegar. A little splash here, a little splash there and done!

Oh my goodness gracious. Amazing. I know what you are thinking and yes the Triskets got a tad soggy but it wasn't too bad. If anything the Triskets absorbed some of the vinegar and the "soggy" ones were the best.

I think this will go into my lunch rotation.

Pizza Heaven

Ansley and I made the pizza tonight. We had so much fun. I am so glad she is big enough to start cooking with me. I chopped the mushrooms and sliced the mozzarella and prosciutto and she spread the ingredients out. She said she wasn't going to like eating it because of the mushrooms and I could feel the dinner battle brewing.

Fast forward 20 minutes, we are at the table and Ansley takes her first bite. "Mother, this is the best pizza you ever made BUT Daddy's is better." Really? I guess for a mushroom hater and picky eater, it's a pretty good compliment but I could have done without the comparison since "Daddy's pizza" starts off frozen and is out of a box (a Publix one at that).

Anyways, it was an amazing pizza and I will definitely be cooking it again.

Homemade Pizza with wild mushrooms, prosciutto,gorgonzola,and both fresh and shredded mozzarella
Kristen- *****
Matt- *****
Ansley- *****

5 stars all around!!!

The Great Delimmia

I have a fridge full of (delicious) leftovers- Sausage Ravioli Bake, Lime Chicken and Yellow Rice, Orzo, and even 1/2 of my lunch from Steak and Shake yesterday. The sensible (and lazy) side of me says dinner's done but the bored food lover in me says no way.

What am I thinking? I am thinking homemade pizza. Wild mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, shredded mozzarella, gorgonzola, prosciutto,tomato sauce and fresh basil. Maybe with an italian salad. Doesn't that sound yummy?

So the question is- what should I do? If I make the pizza what am I going to do with this weeks leftovers? Am I going to be a good girl and eat them tomorrow night or are they going to end up going to waste? AND if I have pizza, am I going to get off my lazy ass and take the girls to the store today for all the ingredients?

Decisions, decisions....

Orzo, oh no?

I had always heard orzo was hard to prepare and was best left to the experts but last night I decided I was up for a challenge. I put on my apron, poured a glass of wine and got to work. I read the directions and then read them again. I was sure I was missing something. I couldn't figure out what the big fuss was, what was so hard? I followed the directions and while it boiled I chopped some tomatoes, basil (fresh from my porch) and feta. When it was done, I tossed it all together and added it next to the salmon on the plates. Ansley set the table (is she really that old already?) and I put down the plates explaining that I wasn't too sure how it would taste. I was convinced that I was missing "the hard part" and that it was going to taste horrible. Wrong- it was amazing!


Lemon Dill Salmon and Tomato Basil Orzo with Feta
Kristen **** (that would be generic stars)
Matt *****
Ansley ***** for the orzo, no stars for the salmon

The 5 o'clock hour

I am having an affair with my kitchen. I have always loved it but as a working mom, I didn't have time to cook, to create. I was the take out/restaurant queen. Now that I am home full time, my kitchen has been come my heaven. Well, it becomes my heaven after 5 pm each day. Before that it's my hell. I spend too much time in the kitchen from 7 to 5, making quick breakfast, lunch, and baby food, pumping breast milk and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. From 7 to 5, I hate my kitchen but come 5 o'clock it's my playground, my canvas, my life.
This is a peek into my kitchen after 5 (I'll spare you from the chaos of the rest of the day)- the food, the conversations, the wine, and the memories in the making....