thishomemadelife

How to Have an Ice Cream Party

Alison — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:31:39 +0000

Our summer is off to a grand start! We are checking items off our Summer Bucket List and enjoying the warmer weather and sunshine. One of those items on our list was to throw an ice cream party for our friends and neighbors. A couple of years ago we did this for the first time, and the boys have been wanting to have another one ever since.

Today, on ‘The Creative Mama’, I’m sharing our ice cream party, along with a few tips on how to make planning and throwing a party fun for everyone.

Have a great weekend!

Strawberries & Whipped Cream

Alison — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:19:15 +0000

During these busy days of summer I am finding myself drawn to simple. Simple meals and easy routines have been the theme. Thankfully, this is the time of year when eating simply could not taste better. Over the weekend, we made our usual trip to the farmers’ market. I was amazed at the amount of produce filling the vendors booths. Beautiful, French Breakfast radishes, baskets full of salad greens, piles of asparagus, spring garlic, green onions and our favorite snap peas.

Later, as I washed up the snap peas to have with our lunch, I popped one in my mouth to taste. The crunch and flavor was amazing. I’m so thankful for this season of eating well and all that this growing season will bring over the next few months.

While we’re on the theme of simple, seasonal and delicious, we should also talk about strawberries. Strawberries with fresh whipped cream to be exact. We did a little strawberry picking last week, and on the way home I asked the boys what they would like me to make with all our berries.

Jam? Muffins? Berry Crisp?

As if on cue, they all shouted in unison, ‘strawberries with whipped cream!’

How could I argue with that request?

I don’t make our whipped cream too overly sweet, instead leaving that job up to the berries. Feel free to add more or less sugar to sweeten to your own preference.

Strawberries & Whipped Cream

Ingredients

2 cups heavy whipping cream
2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 quart strawberries, washed and hulled

Instructions

Pour cold whipping cream into bowl of mixer.
Using whisk attachment, on medium speed, whip until cream begins to thicken and form soft peaks.
Add powdered sugar (if using) and vanilla extract.
Continue mixing until well incorporated.
Serve immediately over strawberries.
Store in airtight container, in refrigerator. Use within 2-3 days.

http://thishomemadelife.com/strawberries-whipped-cream

How to Make Iced Tea Concentrate

Alison — Wed, 29 May 2013 12:46:50 +0000

As of today, we’ve been out of school for a week. In that time, we’ve managed to fill our days substantially with all things that summer should be…friends, family time, bike rides, ice cream treats, water gun fights.

The list goes on and on.

It’s always like this in the beginning. I know this now, and brace for it. A frantic pace that leaves us all exhausted by the end of the day. It seems to take about a week for everyone to unwind, to shake loose the scheduled days of our school routine and settle into summer.

We’re getting there.

In the meantime, I’m holding on to a few small routines of my own. Those that keep me energized, to keep up with the pace of my energetic offspring. Things like early morning boot camp and runs, chats with friends, playing with my camera and glasses of iced tea.

Big glasses of iced tea.

I have a bit of a love affair with Starbucks shaken green iced tea (hold the sweetener, please). It began last summer and remains. I know for many, green tea is an acquired taste, but for me it has a wonderful, refreshing taste that always just seems to be exactly what I need. While I would love to run to Starbucks everyday, it’s just not always convenient, so I’ve taken to making it at home for those occasions when I can’t. This recipe works great for green tea (I use Tazo Zen green tea bags), but it’s equally good for herbal teas too. My mom introduced me to Celestial Tea’s True Blueberry last summer and it has become a warm weather favorite too.

How to Make Iced Tea Concentrate

Ingredients

4 cups boiling water
6 bags of tea
1 quart mason jar or other airtight container
Sweetener, optional

Instructions

Bring water to a boil.
Add tea bags and allow to steep for 3-4 minutes. The longer it steeps the more concentrated it will become.
Allow to cool and seal in an airtight container.
Store in the refrigerator.
To make tea, use 1 parts tea to 3 parts water ratio. For a stronger tea, add more concentrate and less water.
Add ice and sweetener (if using), shake to mix and enjoy!
Concentrate will keep for about a week.

http://thishomemadelife.com/how-to-make-iced-tea-concentrate

Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce

Alison — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:21:15 +0000

Yesterday marked the end of another school year. I can hardly believe how fast it all went, seems like we were just buying school supplies, and now here we are making our summer bucket lists. It’s all good though. We are ready. Ready for a slower pace in the mornings, summer adventures and time at the pool.

While I look forward to warm summer days, and time together at home, there’s usually a bit of trepidation too. It’s only a matter of time before the bickering sets in along with, ’Mom, what are we gonna do today?’ followed closely by the ever popular, ‘Mom, I’m hungry!’

Feeding 3 boys is like trying to fill a bottomless pit, it’s unending. What I have figured out is that filling them with good, whole foods usually keeps them full longer than junk. In the morning they usually have whatever fruit we have on hand, or a yogurt (vanilla whole milk greek is a favorite). The afternoon snack is usually bigger, and often times doubles as an early supper as baseball games start to fill the evening activity calendar.

We are big fans of mexican fare at meal times, leading to the inspiration for this cheese sauce. It was actually the request of my 8 year old, who thought it would be fun to make nachos at home, including the “gooey” cheese sauce. The spices you add can be flexible, but I highly recommend adding the ancho chili powder. It adds a nice smoky flavor.

Our toppings include chunks of avocado, pico de gallo, black and pinto beans, green onions and salsa, all a top blue corn flax chips.

Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

2 cups freshly shredded cheddar (we use a mild, white cheddar)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup milk
2-3 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Toss shredded cheese with tablespoon of cornstarch to lightly coat.
In a medium saucepan, over low heat begin melting cheese. Stir occassionally, adding milk in 1/4 cup increments until cheese is melted and you have your desired consistency.
Add in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika (optional) and garlic powder.
Stir until spices are combined and sauce becomes fragrant.
Serve immediately over nachos.

http://thishomemadelife.com/homemade-nacho-cheese-sauce

Fresh Fruit & Yogurt Parfaits

Alison — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:35:03 +0000

It finally started to feel a little like spring around here this week. And by finally, I mean that there was no snow in the forecast (yes, we had SNOW in MAY) and the temperature reached a balmy 72 degrees with sunshine.

Our whole neighborhood seemed to emerge in celebration of the sun. The rumble of lawnmowers and children’s laughter filled the air. My boys have started asking when we can fire up pizza on the grill and eat outside. My answer? Not soon enough!

Not only has spring arrived, but also strawberries! They’ve been making a regular appearance at our house, finding their way into lunch boxes, snacks and desserts. The favorite has been adding them to yogurt for parfaits. A little maple syrup stirred into greek yogurt balances out it’s tang and making it just sweet enough.

With only 3 weeks left of school we are already making our Summer Bucket Lists and thinking of what adventures we can fit in between baseball games and swimming lessons. I know I’m looking forward to a trip to the strawberry patch. Strawberry jam….strawberry ice cream….strawberries topped with homemade whipped cream….

What are some of your favorite ways to enjoy strawberries?

Fresh Fruit & Yogurt Parfaits

Ingredients

Makes 2 parfaits in 8 ounce Mason jars
2 cup berries (we often use a mixture of strawberries and blueberries)
1 cup whole milk greek yogurt
2 tablespoons maple syrup (use the real stuff)
Additional optional toppings: granola, chopped nuts, toasted, shredded coconut

Instructions

Stir greek yogurt and maple syrup in a small bowl until well combined.
In alternating layers, add berries, then yogurt (and any additional toppings) repeat until jars are filled and ingredients used.
Serve immediately or cover and store in refrigerator until ready to eat.

http://thishomemadelife.com/fresh-fruit-yogurt-parfaits

How To Live Bravely

Alison — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:24:34 +0000

Today, I’m over on ‘The Creative Mama’ sharing a more personal post. Something a little different for me outside of family, food and photography. It’s about how I’ve learned to add a bit of bravery to my days. After much trepidation about pressing, ‘PUBLISH’, I took a deep breath and did just that.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! I will be running half marathon #6 and hoping that our crazy weather (snow…on May 2nd!!) has settled down by the time the starting gun goes off.

Buttermilk Pesto Dressing

Alison — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:49:10 +0000

The sun in finally shining here today. Finally. Despite the thin layer of frost, it feels like maybe spring is going to try and make an appearance. It feels like we’ve been waiting and waiting…counting down to spring days, waiting for the our favorite parts of this season to begin….

Crossing off the days until my oldest boy turns 12 (that actually might be him more than me) ….

Beginning the taper days leading to my spring half marathon…

Counting down to the opening day of our local Farmers’ Market…

It’s that last one on that list that has me very excited. Maybe it’s the fact that spring is in the air, or that it’s been almost six months since I last had fresh salad greens. Probably a little bit of both. I crave fresh greens this time of year. Give me a big bowl full of salad greens and I am one happy lady. Usually, my favorite way to enjoy them is with thick slices of avocado and toasted, green onions, slivered almonds, s & p and a drizzle of homemade vinaigrette.

I love making salad dressings at home. It’s really so simple, and once you start making your own, you won’t want to go back to the store bought version. Promise.

This dressing will be just one more reason for me to make and freeze pesto this summer. I’ve been using store bought, just until my parsley and basil take off in the garden. Although I’ve only used basil pesto to make this, I can’t wait to try it with my favorite parsley pesto too.

Buttermilk Pesto Dressing

Ingredients

Makes 1 cup
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise (my fave is Veganaise...just like the taste better)
1 tablespoon basil pesto, homemade or store bought
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients.
Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
Store in mason jar or covered container in refrigerator if not using right away.
Stir before serving.
*Flavors of dressing get even better over time, so make up to an hour ahead if you are able.
adapted from Midwest Living

http://thishomemadelife.com/buttermilk-pesto-dressing

Lemon Layer Cake

Alison — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:28:51 +0000

April is birthday month at our house. 2 out of 3 boys will be celebrated for turning a year older. Birthdays at our house have turned into an all out food fest as they have gotten older. Homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast, a favorite meal at supper and a special dessert.

For dessert this year, the birthday boy requested a 3 layer cake with lemon curd and whipped cream frosting AND he wanted to make it himself. I’ll let the pictures do the story telling, but let me just add; I never realized how much one can concentrate on cracking eggs, how far flour truly can fly and that if making a layer cake was always this fun, I would make them every week.

Lemon Layer Cake

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
3 cups sifted self-rising flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 lemon, zested
Lemon wedge, for garnish
For Filling: I'll be honest, I cheated and purchased the lemon curd (Trader Joe's). Very delicious.
For Frosting:
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
Juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.
To make the cake: Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy.
Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
Add vanilla extract and lemon zest.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes.
Invert cakes onto cooling racks.
Cool completely.
To make frosting: Using an electric mixer, on medium high speed, with whisk attachment, whip heavy cream until it just begins to form soft peaks.
Add in confectioner's sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest.
Continue to whip just a few more seconds until cream thickens and forms soft peaks.
To assemble: Add 1 tablespoon of lemon curd to the cake stand.
Place the cake layers on the pedestal, spreading lemon curd between the layers.
Frost entire cake with whipped cream frosting.
Garnish with lemon wedges.

http://thishomemadelife.com/lemon-layer-cake

*Cake recipe adapted from Food Network, frosting recipe my own.

Simple Egg Pasta

Alison — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:31:28 +0000

As many parents know, when it comes to feeding our children it often feels like the job is never done. Feeding the 3 boys in my house is like trying to fill a bottomless pit. They are always hungry. Fortunately, we are able to put food on their plates for 3+ meals a day. They have no idea what it really means to go hungry.

This is not the case for many children.

In a country that seems to have so much in excess, there are still those that go without. There are children that go hungry. Everyday. Not just the kind of hungry I hear my children complain about when they want a snack, but the kind of hunger that includes real hunger pains. For many families, feeding their children on a budget of $3-4/day is a reality.

Today, I am participating in Food Bloggers Against Hunger, a part of The Giving Table’s promotion of the documentary, ‘A Place at the Table’ a film that highlights our country’s issues with poverty and hunger. In addition, Share Our Strength’s, call to action is asking you to send letters to Congress so that they might continue to provide funding for school meals, WIC and SNAP programs that feed many children and families that struggle to put food on the table.

The challenge in today’s post came in creating a recipe that was budget friendly and simple enough to feed a family. Egg Pasta is my contribution. It includes staples that I always have on hand and can be made when cupboards are bare, and time and budgets are tight.

Simple Egg Pasta

Ingredients

1 lb spaghetti (we usually use whole wheat, but any spaghetti pasta will do)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (a tablespoon of butter works too)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
3 eggs, beaten
Parmesan cheese, optional
Kosher salt
Parsley, chopped, optional

Instructions

Cook spaghetti pasta according to box instructions, drain and set aside.
Using same pot that spaghetti, over medium heat, sauté minced garlic in olive oil or melted butter.
Add pasta back into pot with the garlic, combine well.
Beat 3 eggs well and pour over spaghetti/garlic combination.
Using tongs, toss pasta and eggs until eggs are cooked and coat spaghetti.
Season with salt and pepper.
Top with grated parmesan cheese and parsley (optional).

http://thishomemadelife.com/simple-egg-pasta

Berry Fool

Alison — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:20:58 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, I sent a friend a text that went something like this…

“I think I’m going to call 2013 the year of living bravely.”

Just a few weeks before, I’d taken the plunge and registered for the Chicago Marathon (my first full), something I said I’d never do. It felt too big, too scary. But something inside me said it was time to be brave, so I filled out the entry and hit ‘submit’, butterflies and all.

Fast forward to the email and phone call that led to the afore mentioned text. A local news station had inquired about whether or not I would be interested in doing a couple segments for them about cooking with kids. Me? Really? I’m usually more a behind the scenes, behind the camera kind of girl. After a few deep breaths I answered the email with a ‘yes’ along with ideas to share in the segments. My oldest boy, Ben, would be joining me and we’d be cooking together.

On the day of the taping we were both buzzing with nervous excitement. Ben kept saying, “I can’t believe we’re doing this Mom.” All the while I nodded in agreement. I really couldn’t believe we were either. The anchor put us at ease immediately as we rehearsed our plans for the segment. The camera began rolling and I quickly forgot it was even there.

The segments completed, we loaded up the car to head home. Ben turned to me and said laughing, “Mom, that was so fun! I never thought I’d be able to ever do anything like that!”

My thoughts were the same.

It’s a day I will remember for a very long time. A day that taught both Ben and I that while taking chances can be scary, they can also lead to amazing experiences and meeting new people. Worth every moment of butterflies and doubt. If you’d like to watch our segment, just click HERE.

This Berry Fool is one of the two recipes we made for our TV segments. It is light and delicious and the sweetness of the berries really shines. If you haven’t decided on a dessert for Easter, this would be perfect. It’s an easy dessert to make with your kids, as you can see from the pictures, my own boys enjoyed every minute.

Berry Fool

Ingredients

Serves 6-8 (this is a doubled version of the original recipe)
14 small strawberries, plus 2 small strawberries, halved (optional)
2/3 cup sugar, plus more, to taste
1 1/2 cup raspberries, blackberries or blueberries, or a mixture
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cup heavy cream, well chilled
8 small fresh mint leaves (optional)

Instructions

In a small bowl, stir together the quartered strawberries, lemon juice and the sugar.
Using a fork, smash the berries until they are jamlike and mostly pureed.
Add the raspberries/blueberries/blackberries and crush lightly with the fork.
In a chilled bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream on medium to medium-high speed until firm peaks form when the beaters are lifted.
Scoop the chilled fruit into the cream and, using a rubber spatula, fold the fruit into the cream until just incorporated.
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate overnight.
Spoon into dessert bowls or glasses. May also be served over a slice of pound cake or angel food cake.
*adapted slightly from Williams Sonoma

http://thishomemadelife.com/berry-fool