Lexi and Leif play in the leaves

Home Cookin'

When the weather turns colder, I turn to the kitchen to fill up! I have a couple of recipes that are perfect for cool autumn Sundays at the stove.

Homemade Tortellini in a Cream Proscuitto Sauce

Pasta
3 cups flour
3/4 cup of water
tsp salt

Filling
ricotta cheese (entire container)
shreaded parmesean
shreded romano
fresh sliced mozarella
egg
tsp of breadcrumbs
1/4 cup of fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp of oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Mix dough, kneed and let sit under cloth for 20 minutes. Take a handful of dough, work it through pasta maker, until you've reached the desired thickness. (Ususally a 2 or 3 on your pasta maker). Lay out dough, use cup to make circle cutouts. Mix filling, and put quarter size amount in middle of tortellini. Fold, to moon shape, place pointer finger in the middle of the moon shape fold one edge then another and press together.

Sauce:
tablespoon of olive oil

small container of cream

1/4 stick of butter
proscuitto
1 tsp. dry basil
1 tsp fresh parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter, pour in cream and stir. Stir in seasonings and thinly cut proscuitto. Continue to stir until sauce reaches desired thickness.

World's Best Lasagna (allrecipes.com)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Worlds-Best-Lasagna/Detail.aspx

Yum! You have to try this recipe! I didn't have a dutch oven, but I just used a big pot and kept the lid on it. This was sooo good and there is left over sauce that you can use for spaghetti.

Ingredients
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla soup (allrecipes.com)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Chicken-Tortilla-Soup/Detail.aspx

Another great find! Perfect for a chilly football day and it's very easy to make.

Ingredients
1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil

Directions
Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

First Snow

Snow is nothing unique to Omaha's long winter season. Growing up in the Midwest, snow is about as novel an idea as meat and potatoes, however, this morning my husband told me I was acting like it was the first time I'd ever seen snow.

I'm not looking forward to shoveling, wiping off my black pants, donning snow boots and constantly cleaning off little paws, but I still get an excited feeling at seeing the first snow of the season. The leaves haven't had a chance to fall off the trees, flowers are still placed sporatically in front yards and the white fluffy stuff makes it all look beautiful.

So, as we say goodbye to wearing sandals and no socks (sigh) and hello to swishy boots and mittens, let's also say thanks for the perfect photo opportunity and hope for some warm temperatures still in October, before it's permanently white.

Kathleen's Bachelorette Party Shirt Options

Artwork for either embroidery or sticker:

Embroidered Shirt Option

Pink for everyone, but white for Kathleen

American Eagle Option with sticker:


Old Navy Argyle with Sticker:

Jewel in the Farm Fields

Nearby Wapogassett, another jewel is tucked away in the farm fields of Wisconsin. Built in an historic general store in Amery, WI, is The Potter’s House is an artist’s studio, where Sarah Dudgeon makes magic on a wheel and fires it in the hand-built kiln in the backyard. Each piece of pottery is unique. Colors, lines and patterns remind one of a nostalgic art form caressed with a contemporary eye. There are dishes, mugs, pots and garden décor in nature inspired designs and one can’t help but enjoy the host. Sarah Dudgeon invites you into her home and studio to learn more about her passion and to take in her contagious spirit. The Potter’s House is a special find and a must-stop if you’re driving by.

For more information visit: http://www.dudgeonpottery.com/

Old Fashioned Fourth of July

Tucked away in the farm fields of eastern Wisconsin is a place that reminds you of another time. Past towering red barns, countless hay barrels, and lazy cows slowing grinding grain, there is a gravel road leads you to Lake Wapogassett.

Glassy lake topped Wapogassett is home to snapping turtles and soaring eagles nesting in giant pines, yellow-orange day lilies and smoldering campfires. But beyond the Lake’s simplistic pleasures is a good old fashioned Fourth of July.

I recently had the opportunity to spend a long Fourth of July weekend on Wapogassett, in Amery, WI. The Lake lacked the humidity custom in Nebraska the first week of July. You wake early, don your tennis shoes and head to the local YWCA campground. There a makeshift band, of trombones, tubas and flutes plays America-centered songs on the back of two pickup trucks backed together and wrapped in red, white and blue.

Runners and walkers, spirited in Fourth fashions gather in small groups and prepare for the 27th annual Wapo Fourth of July Run. Participants eagerly await a two mile or 10K, 100-yard dash for the youngsters and even the turtle race—because trophies are involved.

Afterward you head over to Wanderoos, a small town celebrating our nation’s independence on big tractors, horseback and with dozens of beauty queen decorated floats. The mayor smiles in his John Deer cap, faded flannel shirt on the back of an antique convertible.

Firetrucks from 1930 and from 2003 honk at bystanders and children collect tootsie rolls in their sticky fingers.

At the end-you follow the parade to the Wanderoos baseball park. The local men’s chapter of Kiwanis is serving up tasty chicken dinners with potato salad, baked beans and milk.

After lunch, it’s time to prepare for the Lake Wapogassett boat parade. Dozens of decorated pontoon boats snail by in line as speed boats check out the competition.

In the evening, enjoy the camp fire and fireworks with some good old fashioned barbeque. This year, a full moon kissed the flat lake with speckles of light.

Birthday Dessert

Giant Cookie Cake
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened (two sticks)
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well.

Gradually add flour, salt, and baking soda, beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
Spread in throw away foil lasagna pan (13 X 9 rectangle shallow baking pan). I use two and spread the left over in the second pan, sometimes it’s enough for to complete cakes.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Check to see if it’s a light golden color. Cool cookie in pan on a cooling rack. Once cake is completely cooled decorate as desired. (I typically purchase the confetti icing with the sprinkles and make that into two colors).

Five Minute Chocolate Cake

My friend Hailey sent this to me in an email. Yum!

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract

1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous). And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Flower Pictures

Farmers Market Meal

Appetizer
English Cheddar (Jisa, Omaha Farmers Market) and Meritage wine.

Farmers Market Spinach Sausage Pasta
1/2 lb. Pappardelle's Lemon Pepper Pasta or Spinach Pasta (Overland Park, KS, Farmers Market)
1 Italian sausage package (Omaha, NE, Farmers Market)
1 tsp. of minced garlic
2 large green onions
1 package of Flavorino tomatoes (Omaha, NE, Farmers Market)
Large bunch of spinach
Fresh basil

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add garlic and half of saugage ring--ground up, until completely cooked. Add sliced green onions. Add dice tomatoes and spinach leaves, cover and simmer until spinach is cooked down. In a separate pot cook pasta according to directions. Serve sauce over pasta and add italian cheese.

Poetry for your day!

London Morning

Car exhaust,
Highway traffic,
Green leafy trees,
The crisp morning air of a 70-degree day,
Like a smell reminding you of a person.
This feeling reminding me of a city,
My lungs fill with longing,
My heart with desire,
I slow down the walk from my car,
My nostrils make exaggerated flare,
My eyes close,
To any outsider I look like a crazy woman,
in heels, arriving late to work,
enjoying the smell of spring.
But in my mind
It's a beautiful fall day,
As I walk past Earl's Court,
Toward Gloucester.
Madeline-clad school girls hurry down the wide sidewalks,
Cell-phones, zebra crossings, cigarette smoke,
Matchbox cars honking, mo-peds zoom,
Newspapers landscape the streets,
Workers balance lattes and the walk,
I am there, in love with a city,
For one moment in Omaha , NE , I am there...

Have you thought about this?

Erik and I started a debate this weekend. It started with the question on whether or not Yoda is the only being of his race? Are their more Yodas? BUT most importantly does he have nipples? Help us settle this!

Playing with Pictures

Here's a little photo collage of my American Eskimo pup Lexi.

And one of our Norwegian Elkhound Leif:

Photo Frenzy

I love taking pictures. I pulled together some of my favorites.

Budget Diet

As all fad diets, this one isn't lasting, but it is fun. Erik and I have been trying to cut our budget waistline by picking out what we're going to eat throughout the week. We purchased a new cookbook and successfully made it through at least two weeks of recipes. We saved at least $50 a week.

I put this little montage together of our recipe escapades. However, as all new habits, this one is hard to keep up with. When we do it-- we have a great time cooking up something new and delicious.

The best two new recipes we'll definitely revisit are a new chicken stir fry and yummy garlic chicken dish.

Once a week-comfort food!

This one is for Robyn.

Just about every week Erik and I get a craving for Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas. This staple in our lives is loaded with cheesy goodness-- and probably a few calories, but it always hits the spot. So, if you feel like some easy, cheesy enchiladas, with chicken and rice-- try this one out for size.

What you need:

• onion
• pepper (red or green)
• chicken (2-4 breasts cut up in bitesize pieces)
• taco seasoning
• Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla (Hamburger Helper Mix)
• Enchilada sauce
• Cheddar Jack cheese
• Tortillas (We prefer Aztec)

Start off by slicing half an onion and a green or red pepper. Pour some olive oil in a sauce-pan and saute the onion and pepper. Add in raw chicken and cook until white. Add in a few teaspoons of taco seasoning. Add 1 cup of water and 1 3/4 cups of milk. Bring to a boil and add Cheesy Quesadilla (Hamburger Helper Mix), sauce packet and cheese packet and 1/2 can of enchilada sauce. Bring to boil, cover and cook for 25 minutes. Put in tortilla with cheese-- and voila-- yum!

Welcome to the Nest

My husband and I are in the pre-kids-huge mortage-IRA stage of life. We may still be considered newly weds, (we were married June 30, 2007), but we're preparing for big changes in our lives. In one year, Erik will be an M.D., and we'll be starting a new chapter as he enters residency. We're embarking on this huge adventure in our lives together. So, I thought I'd start up some conversations from my newly built nest. The sky is wide open.