food related t-shirts i adore

Check out these food related t-shirts from threadless.com. These were some of my favorites.

"Milk Moustache"

"Pancakes Mountain"

"Food Chain". If you can't see it very well, it's a zombie on top of the food chain.

"Cheesy Friends Forever"

"Playin' in the Sprinkler"

"Cookie Loves Milk"

"I took a bite out of crime. . ."

I don't remember what this one is called, and it's from a while back, but I couldn't find it anywhere on their website. That makes me sad, because I really loved this one enough to buy it.

They sell these in little kids sizes too and onesies. I thought the "cookie loves milk" would be so cute as a onesie on our little guy.

bentos no. 24-26

dinosaur sandwich with just cheese inside, a pretzel rod broke in half, craisins, and strawberry yogurt.
Mrs. Officer's delectable pumpkin bread, carrot sticks, black olives on picks, mozzarella cheese cubes, and a little mixture of almonds, craisins, dried apricots, and chocolate chips.
black olives and mozzarella cubes on picks, trail mix of dried apricot, craisins, peanuts, raisins, and chocolate chips, raspberry jello in foil ghost, and more amazing and moist pumpkin bread from Mrs. Officer.

kitchen wish list part I

(click on image for more details)

Le Creuset 12-piece Cookware set at Williams-Sonoma

set of biscuit cutters at Williams-Sonoma

mandoline

Cook's Illustrated or Cook's Country magazine subscription

Apple Pocket Pie Mold at Williams-Sonoma. They also have heart and star shapes.

Can you tell that I love Williams-Sonoma?

Blessings Mix

inside the bag

the tag

the final product: the template found here

This is a fairly new Thanksgiving tradition of ours. We make Blessings Mix. A friend of mine made it for us a couple years ago and we stole the idea. But apparently we are not alone. I had no idea that it was a widely known thing to do. It's all over the internets. This is what we will be giving to Daisy's teachers.

Blessings Mix
2 cups Bugles, original or Caramel
2 cups mini twisty pretzels
1 cup nuts or seeds (I used a combination of whole almonds, cashews, and peanuts)
1 cup dried fruit (I used dark raisins and craisins)
1 cup candy corn
1 cup m&ms
Hershey's Kisses (I also use hugs)

In a large bowl, gently mix together all ingredients except for Hershey's Kisses. Once thoroughly combined, put 1 cup into cellophane bag. Put a couple of kisses and/or hugs on top. Print out tag with Blessings Mix poem and loop onto ribbon or twist tie used to secure bag.

BLESSINGS MIX

Bugles: Shaped like a cornucopia or Horn of Plenty, a symbol of our nation's abundance.

Pretzels: Arms folded in prayer, a freedom sought by those who founded our country.

Candy Corn: The sacrifices of the Pilgrims' first winter. Food was so scarce that settlers survived on just a few kernels of corn a day.

Nuts or Seeds: Promise of a future harvest, one we will reap only if seeds are planted and tended with diligence.

Dried Fruits: Harvest gifts from our bountiful land.

m&ms: Memories of those who came before us to lead us into a blessed future.

Hershey's kiss: The love of family and friends that sweetens our lives.

yummus hummus

We love hummus. We've been making it a lot lately. It is a popular middle eastern dish containing chickpeas or Garbanzo beans. We've tried different flavors, but this one suits us best. I know it doesn't exactly look appetizing, but it is delicious and nutritious! I warmed up some pita bread and cut up orange and yellow bell peppers to dip with it. I sent a batch to work with HF and the officers enjoyed it as well. There are many varieties of hummus, the most popular probably being Red Pepper Hummus. We like this basic recipe. You can adjust it to your taste and add other spices and ingredients if desired.

HUMMUS

4 garlic cloves, minced and mashed

2 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

2/3 cup tahini (roasted not raw)

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup water

¼ cup olive oil

½ tsp. coarse salt

In food processor, combine garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, water and olive oil. Press until smooth. Add salt a little at a time, to taste. Serve with warm pita bread, crackers, chips, or raw vegetables.

birthday cupcakes

I could not come up with a birthday cake idea for my son's first birthday on Halloween. I had romantic ideas of what I would do, but reality hit. HF was out of state the whole week and I was tired and busy. On the way to a Halloween party for the kids, I had a light bulb moment. I should go to a fancy cupcake bakery and get assorted cupcakes for the next day's birthday celebration!

If you are looking at the above picture and thinking that something is not quite right, you are right! When I got home, I accidentally dropped the box upside down and the cupcakes tumbled around the box and got a little smooshed and well, a little less than perfect. It was kind of sad. I fixed them up the best I could and I think they still look pretty great. They tasted fantastic. HF loved them and had no idea that cupcakes could even be this gourmet. The flavors in this box were pumpkin chocolate chip, strawberry shortcake (one of my faves), Vanilla (this one was given to the 1 year old with a candle instead of the cherry), Chocolate and Peanut Butter (my other fave-the pb frosting was astounding!), New York Cheesecake, and Key Lime. For my daughter's 7th birthday in March, I am inspired by Whitaker Woman's ballerina party and I just might have to special order ballerina cupcakes from this place.

Birthday party inspiration for Luke's 4th birthday: Wendolonia's Robot party, except I want to make or buy these Martha Stewart Robot cupcakes.

adventures in frugality: 1-2-3 Soup

Okay, I didn't think there was anything particularly special about this soup, but my family GOBBLED it up! They loved it. I enjoyed it as well, just didn't think it was anything to get all excited about. So the story of the bread bowl. Every Fall, our local grocer makes bread bowls in the color and shape of pumpkins. It is the cutest thing in the world, and something not only I look forward to, but the kids do as well. This was to be used for Halloween dinner, so I knew I needed a Halloweenish soup to go inside. I decided to make 1-2-3 Soup. So simple. So frugal. So comforting. So tasty. Ready for the ingredients? You'll see why it's called 1-2-3 Soup.

1 onion, chopped (I use yellow)
2 carrots, chopped
3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
1 can water
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
salt, pepper, seasoning to taste

Boil gently the onion, carrots, and potatoes in a pot with the chicken broth and water. When soft (20-30 minutes), blend in small batches until smooth. Return to pot and add evaporated milk. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper and other seasonings if desired (I just used salt and pepper). If too thick, you can thin it with a little milk at a time. We like a thicker soup. It's easier for the kids too. Serve in bread bowls (or not) and shredded cheddar cheese on top. We didn't add cheese in ours, but we have before and it's yummy. Enjoy!

over the top blog award

Thank you Connie for this "Over the Top" blog award! Connie blogs at Living My Glamorous Life. She makes you want to shop with all the beautiful and glamorous stuff she finds and she also posts lots of yummy food and recipes. She's happy and fun to *be around* so go check her out!

These are the rules:
1. you can only use ONE word
2. pass this along to 6 of your favorite bloggers
3. alert them that you have given them this award
4. have fun

The Fun Part:
1. Where is your cell phone? LOST
2. Your hair? PONYTAIL
3. Your mother? KIND
4. Your father? SMART
5. Your favorite food? MEXICAN
6. your dream last night? SCARY
7. Your favorite drink? CRANBERRY-LIMEADE
8. Your dream/goal? TRAVEL
9. What room are you in? OFFICE
10. Your hobby? FOOD
11. Your fear? DEATH
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? EUROPE
13. Where were you last night? HOME
14. Something that you aren’t? RELAXED
15. Muffins? PLEASE
16. Wish list item ? LASIK
17. Where did you grow up? CALIFORNIA
18. Last thing you did? FED BABY
19. What are you wearing? JEANS
20. Your TV? HULU
21. Your pets? NONE :(
22. Friends? GENEROUS
23. Your life? BUSY
24. Your mood? TIRED
25. Missing someone? TIFFnTODD
26. Vehicle? MINIVAN!
27. Something you’re not wearing? JEWELRY
28. Your favorite store? WILLIAMS-SONOMA
29. Your favorite color? ORANGE
30. When was the last time you laughed? MINUTES AGO
31. Last time you cried? TUESDAY
32. Your best friend? ROSEMAY
33. One place that I go to over and over? GROCER
34. One person who emails me regularly? JENN
35. Favorite place to eat? BAJIO

halloween lunch

Witch's Broom: Pretzel rods, string cheese, and black licorice rope. I cut a string cheese in half and then finely peeled it. I took a bunch and squished the top 1/4 of the pieces around the bottom of the pretzel rod and secured it with the black licorice. I thought it turned out like a broom! What do you think?
I made Witch Fingers: baby carrots with slivered, toasted almonds as fingernails. i used a teeny dab of cream cheese to secure the almonds. The palm of the hand is a slice of a side of a Sonya apple. Sonyas are my favorite.
I let the kids put black olives on their fingers to make Monster Fingers. They loved that.
And Halloween wouldn't be complete without Mummy Dogs. I left the cheese off.

no bake cherry cheesecake

My family loves cheesecake. All kinds. Then I married HF, who is a major cheesecake man. My mom made this no bake cheesecake often through the years. Probably because it was so easy. I think she got it originally from the back of an Eagle Brand can of sweetened condensed milk. I've changed it a little by doing one thing. I leave the vanilla out. I think it's so much better without. I also am a brand snob sometimes. I use Philadelphia cream cheese, Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk, and I always use juice from a real lemon. Makes a difference in my opinion. Especially the lemon juice. Watch out, this is super rich and sweet!

1 (8oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
graham cracker pie crust
1 can cherry or blueberry pie topping

Let cream cheese sit out until softened. Mix with beaters until smooth. Add can of sweetened condensed milk. Mix until completely smooth. Add lemon juice and mix completely. Pour into graham cracker crust and refrigerate for several hours. I usually refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, spread can of pie topping over entire surface. Cut into wedges and serve.

recipe cards

This is a somewhat labor intensive project, but this year for Christmas I am making recipe cards of our family's favorites for family members and some friends.

Here's what you need:
1 package of 4x6 index cards
glue stick
variety of scrapbook paper cut into 4x6 pieces (same as the index cards)
metal rings for holding the cards (i don't remember what they are called, but they open so you can slip more cards on or take them off)
hole punch
stickers and other embellishments if desired to stick on your recipes

Directions:

1. First of all, I am not a person that is a scrapbooker or even knows where to begin, but we have a big craft store that had 50% off all of their scrapbook paper. So I picked up A LOT of paper for just around $4 or $5.
2. After cutting up all my colorful paper into the same size as the index cards (4x6), I took a glue stick and glued a scrapbook piece to the front of the index card and one to the back. You can also use photo squares or some other method, but I found a glue stick was best. This isn't supposed to be professional, and the little imperfections give it a cute folksy look, I think.
3. Then you will take your hole punch and punch 2 holes about 2 cm from the left and 2 cm from the right and 1 cm from the top on each side.
   
4. Loop the cards on to the rings and clasp shut.
   
5. On Word, I set it up so that the recipes would print out within a 3x5 space on each card front and back. Once you've glued your recipes on the cards, let dry. Then finish up with any embellishments such as stickers, and other scrapbooking decorations you prefer. You can include a table of contents on the back of your top card where you've put the name of your family's favorite recipes as a title.
   

guest blogger: mrs. Officer's pumpkin bread with brown sugar glaze

*It's that time of year. Time to whip up the pumpkin recipes. This is a guest post from a fellow police wife, Michelle, aka Mrs. Officer. She blogs over at MRS OFFICER 2 U. She posts lots of yummy recipes, talks about her husband, family, and their daily adventures together. She has a happy life and you can tell just from reading her blog. A couple of days ago she posted this pumpkin bread picture on her blog and mentioned that this family recipe is coveted by friends and family and that she's lucky if she ends up with one loaf out of six. I knew I had to have this recipe when I saw it. It looks and sounds so delicious. Thanks for sharing Michelle!

PUMPKIN BREAD WITH BROWN SUGAR GLAZE

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 16 ounces canned unsweetened pumpkin
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 2/3 cup water

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 9x5 loaf pans. Stir together sugar and oil. Stir in eggs and pumpkin. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl. Blend dry ingredients and water into wet mixture, alternating. Divide batter between two loaf pans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cool.

Glaze
3 Tbsp. water
3 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. brown sugar

Place in a small sauce pan and stir until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Then drizzle over pumpkin loaves!


*Do you have a favorite Fall or pumpkin recipe you would like to share? Email me at apolicewife@gmail.com and be a guest blogger!

italian salad

The salad looks kind of bland and dressing-less in the pictures, but it's covered in a delightful mixture of seasonings and oil.

This is one of those test and taste recipes. There are no specific measurements.

Ingredients:
2 heads of romaine lettuce
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
olive oil
rice vinegar
salt
basil leaves
grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Mince fresh garlic and spread on the bottom and sides of your bowl (1-2 depending on the size of the bowl/salad)
2. Wash and chop romaine lettuce, put in bowl
3. Sprinkle olive oil over entire salad
4. Sprinkle rice vinegar over entire salad
5. Sprinkle salt
6. Sprinkle Basil leaves (you can probably use dried if you want)
   
7. Mince at least 1 clove of fresh garlic on top of lettuce
8. Toss salad, taste. Add more oil, vinegar, salt, basil or garlic as needed
9. Right before serving, add grated parmesan cheese on top

Add chicken to make a complete meal.

bentos nos. 21-23

daddy bento: pb and honey sandwich with cucumber face, cheddar cheese cubes, carrots, grape tomatoes, red grapes, and a mix of raw almonds, fried chow mein noodles, and giant chocolate chips.
carrot sticks (from our garden), banana cut in half, 2 babybel cheeses with flower shape cut out of the wax, 2 mini blueberry muffins.
almond butter and honey sandwich on wheat cut in triangles, strawberries, a babybel cheese, and a cup of milk chocolate moose munch (Harry & David's) Have you tried the white chocolate and cranberry? TO DIE FOR.