What's Cooking? - Skinny Tortilla Soup

Skinny Tortilla Soup
from Light & Tasty
1 can (16 ounces) fat-free refried beans
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth I used vegetable broth
1-1/2 cups frozen corn
3/4 cup chunky salsa I used mild taco sauce
3/4 cup cubed cooked chicken breast I omitted
1/2 cup water
2 cups (8 ounces) reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided I used regular cheese
28 baked tortilla chips, divided I used regular tortilla chips

In a large saucepan, combine the beans, broth, corn, salsa, chicken, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 cup cheese; cook and stir over low heat until melted. Crumble half of the tortilla chips into soup bowls. Ladle soup over chips. Top each serving with two crumbled chips; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Yield: 7 servings.

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Sophie Update - Photo Shoot

I got Sophie all dressed up for another photo shoot today. We're still trying to get a good photo for our Christmas card. Sophie doesn't sit still for long these days so it's challenging to shoot a good picture, particularly without an assistant. We went to Jackrabbit Park here on base because it's the one place where there's lots of grass and trees. This picture isn't a good candidate for the card because it doesn't show enough of her face, but I thought it was very cute. She's been sitting and looking at books on her own lately.

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Sophia Update - Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving with Sophie's grandparents up in Northern California. Sophie didn't feel well for Thanksgiving dinner, but she ate plenty of leftovers the next day.

We tried to get a picture for our Christmas card after church on Saturday, but by then Sophie was tired and hungry. As I chased after her to try and put her in place for a picture she fell face first into a mud puddle. Luckily her Ralph Lauren jumper could be thrown in the wash!

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What's Cooking? - Thanksgiving Menu

Thanksgiving Menu
Southwest Cornbread Dressing with Veggie Sausage
Apple Cheddar Tossed Salad
Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes
Green Bean Salad
Pumpkin Knot Rolls
Roasted Sweet Potato Cheesecake with Maple Cream

Southwest Cornbread Dressing with Veggie Sausagefrom Sunset Magazine

Makes 10-12 servings.

The original recipe called for chorizo sausage.

You can prepare the dressing through step 4 up to 1 day ahead; cover and chill veggie sausage mixture, and store cornbread airtight at room temperature. Before continuing with step 5, let veggie sausage mixture stand at room temperature about 30 minutes.

1 butternut squash (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb.)
2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 onion (6 oz.)
1 red bell pepper (8 oz.)
1 fresh fennel head (9 oz.)
1 pound mushrooms I skip these
1 pound veggie sausage
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 large eggs
1 cup vegetable broth
Cornbread - Make enough to fill a 9x13 inch baking dish.

1. Peel and seed squash. Cut into 1-inch chunks; you should have about 3 cups. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over high heat, combine 1/2 cup water with brown sugar and the squash. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring once, until squash is almost tender when pierced, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover and cook, occasionally stirring gently, until most of the water is evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Peel and chop onion. Rinse, stem, seed, and chop bell pepper. Rinse fennel and trim off and discard base of head and tough stalks. Chop enough fennel to make about 1 cup. Rinse mushrooms and slice 1/4 inch thick.

3. Cut veggie sausage into chunks. Fry in a 12-inch frying pan or 5-to 6-quart pan over medium-high heat; stir often until lightly browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add butter to unwashed pan over medium-high heat; when melted, add onion, bell pepper, and fennel and stir often until vegetables begin to soften, 7 to 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and stir until limp, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sausage, cilantro, sage, and thyme. Add squash.

5. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and broth. Break cornbread into 1/2-inch chunks and drop into bowl. Add sausage mixture and stir gently to combine. Scrape dressing into a buttered 9- by 13-inch baking dish and cover with foil.

6. Bake until hot in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is crisp and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes longer.

Apple-Cheddar Tossed Salad
from Taste of Home Magazine

10 cups torn mixed salad greens
1 cup chopped red apple
1 cup cubed cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted Use slivered almonds instead
HONEY DRESSING:
2/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil Use olive oil

In a large salad bowl, combine the greens, apple, cheese, and walnuts. In a blender or food processor, combine the first eight dressing ingredients. While processing, gradually add the oil in a steady stream. Serve with salad.

Yield: 10 servings

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes
from Taste of Home Magazine

8 medium red potatoes, quartered
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk, warmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Place potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender. Drain well. Add the butter, milk and salt; mash. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Yield: 6 servings.

Green Bean Salad
from The Healthy Kitchen by Andrew Weil and Rosie Daley

1 pound young tender green beans, preferable French filet-type
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 bay leaves (Turkish) or 1/2 bay leaf (California)
Salt to taste
1 lemon, preferable organic

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.

Trim the ends off the beans and drop beans into rapidly boiling water. Boil them, uncovered, until they are bright green and just crunchy-tender. Taste one after 5 minutes. You do not want them overcooked.

Drain the beans and cover them with cold water to stop their cooking. Drain them again thoroughly, then dry them in a kitchen towel and toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, garlic, bay leaf, and salt to taste.

Use a vegetable peeler to remove 4 strips of yellow zest from the lemon. Add these to the beans, toss well, and let them stand, covered, at room temperature for several hours until the flavors merge.

Remove and discard the bay leaf, toss well, and serve.

Serves 4

Pumpkin Knot Rolls
from Taste of Home Magazine

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk (110-115 degrees)
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
5-1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cold water
Sesame or poppy seeds

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the butter, sugar, pumpkin, 2 eggs, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape each portion into 12 balls. Roll each ball into a 10-in. rope; tie into a knot and tuck ends under. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, beat water and remaining egg. Brush over rolls. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks.

Yield: 2 dozen
Roasted-Sweet Potato Cheesecake with Maple Cream
from Sunset Magazine

Makes 12-16 servings

You can make this cheesecake up to 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Garnish with cream up to 6 hours before serving; cover and chill until serving.

2 dark orange-fleshed sweet potatoes ( 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb. total), such as jewel or red garnet (sometimes sold as yams)
1 tablespoon melted butter
Pecan crust (recipe follows)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, regular or light (neufchatel), at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Maple cream (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel sweet potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Place in a 9- by 13-inch baking pan and brush with melted butter. Bake until potatoes are soft when pressed, 45-55 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare crust. Bake in same oven with potatoes until lightly browned all over, 10 to 12 minutes.

Scrape any charred spots off potatoes, then cut potatoes into chunks. Whirl in a food processor or mash in a bowl with lemon juice until smooth. Reserve 1 cup; save any extra for another use.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. In a bowl, with a mixer on high speed, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in granulated and brown sugars, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally, until mixture is well blended and smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended. Add reserved sweet potato mixture, the whipping cream, sour cream, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix on low speed until well blended.

Wrap bottom of cheesecake pan with heavy-duty foil, pressing it up the sides. Pour batter over crust. Put the cheesecake pan in a 12- by 15-inch roasting pan at least 2 inches deep. Set pans in oven and pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cheesecake pan.

Bake until cake barely jiggles in the center when gently shaken, about 55 minutes. Remove pans from oven. Lift cheesecake pan from roasting pan and let cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour, then chill until cold, at least 1 1/2 hours, our up to 3 days (cover once cold).

Up to 6 hours before serving, cut around inside of pan rim to release cake; remove rim. With a pastry bag, pipe dollops of maple cream onto cake. Or serve maple cream separately, to spoon onto each wedge.

Pecan crust. Whirl 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans in a blender until finely ground; you should have 1/4 cup. In a bowl, mix pecans, 1 1/4 cups fine graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 5 tablespoons melted butter. Pour into a 9-inch cheesecake pan with removable rim (2 1/4 in. tall). Press mixture evenly over bottom of pan.

Maple cream. In a bowl, with a mixer on high speed, beat 3/4 cup whipping cream until stiff peaks form. On low speed, beat in 1/4 cup maple syrup just until blended.

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What's Cooking? - Cranberry Cheese Spread

Cranberry Cheese Spread
from Taste of Home Magazine

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 can (16 ounces) whole-berry cranberry sauce
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Assorted crackers
In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, honey, and cinnamon until smooth. Spread onto a serving dish or plate. In a bowl, stir cranberry sauce until in reaches spreading consistency; spread over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with almonds. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Serve with crackers.

Yield: 12-14 servings

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Sophia Update - Sophie Gets Stuck

Poor Sophie. She's able to get into places she can't get out of. This time she sat down in the quilt rack and had to yell for help.

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Sophia Update - Sophie's Corner

I thought Sophie looked very cute sitting in her corner, leaning against her chair with her ankles crossed, drinking her juice. I'm happy she stayed still long enough for me to snap her picture.

Sophie's Ikea furniture is all put together now. She has her own little corner with a table and chairs, a stuffed chair, and a toy box. She's able to get the taller toys out of her toybox herself. She sits on her chair and reads books. She entertains herself quite well. She likes to play with us though too. Last night she had a fit of giggles when I crawled around like a pony with her on my back. Thirteen months is a nice age. She's sleeping 12 uninterrupted hours at night and she's very sweet.

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My Piece - Turning 30

I had my 30th birthday last weekend. Wow. Thirty is an age that I always assumed would come, and I'm not necessarily happy that it's here. I've spent the last few days trying to figure out why I'm not celebrating.

The progression to a new decade feels strange maybe because it's only happened to me twice before. Turning 10 wasn't a big deal except for the nice 12-speed bicycle I got for a birthday present. Turning 20 wasn't a big deal, perhaps because 18 and 21 are bigger milestones. Kenny and I had Chinese food in Sagunto. So, why should 30 be a big deal?

When I was 20 I had a lot to look forward to. I had very specific goals. In fact, a few months ago, Kenny and I found an essay for a scholarship application that I had written in college. One of the requirements for the essay was to outline some future goals. My goals were to graduate from college with an Accounting degree and a high GPA, pass the CPA exam, work for a company that would pay for my MBA, get a law degree, travel the world, and start a family. I accomplished all of that in my 20s with the exception of getting a law degree. I decided that I was too sensitive of a girl to make a very good lawyer.

So, I had a very successful decade. I did well scholastically and professionally. I married a great guy. I got to live in Germany for three years. I had a healthy baby girl. I guess I keep waiting for the good luck to end. Is today the day I find a lump in my breast? Is today the day I find out my baby isn't perfect? Is today the day Kenny tells me he has to deploy?

All fears aside, hopefully my 30s will be even better than my 20s. I'm more comfortable financially and I'm able to pursue interests rather than requirements. Kenny made my 30th birthday special by arranging for a personal shopper at Nordstrom, a facial and eyebrow threading at Ziba, lunch at The Cheesecake Factory (I like to get their pumpkin cheesecake on my birthday when I can) and dinner at One World Vegetarian Cuisine.

Using the Personal Touch service at Nordstrom was amazing. It is a free service. I showed up at the appointed time and my personal shopper and her assistant had a large dressing room prepared with clothes for me to try on. I was able to request different things and they would bring them to me. It was particularly nice to use the service because Nordstrom was having their semi-annual sale and it was nuts in the store. I didn't have to try to elbow my way through the mass of shoppers, or hunt through racks for items in my size and budget. Kenny was happy because I actually spent less than my budget and was able to get quite a few things.

Ziba is a full-service South Asian beauty salon. They offer eyebrow threading in addition to other salon services. Threading is a hair removal technique practiced in India. I thought it would be interesting to try something new. I'm not sure it hurt any less than waxing, but it was definitely less messy, and I was given a nice shape by the master shaper. The facial was one of the best I've ever had, although the aesthetician asked if I used eye cream and when I said no she said I should. Happy birthday!

We ate more than our fair share on my big day out. We ate at The Cheesecake Factory for lunch. I wanted to go there because that's where my co-workers and I used to go for my birthday lunch when I was working. I liked to get the pumpkin cheesecake which is always in season in November. For dinner we ate at One World Vegetarian Cuisine. We were a little nervous taking Sophie there because it was very small, maybe only ten tables. But, she behaved herself very well.

We couldn't help to thinking back to my 29th birthday when Sophie was just over a month old and we tried to have big day out. We managed to have lunch at Soup Plantation, buy a few things at a quilt shop, and take a quick stroll through Temecula. It was a stressful trip because I was having a very painful time breastfeeding and we had to haul the big old pump around. The pump got jarred around so it wasn't working. I thought the charge had run out so I hauled it into Target to plug it in but it still wouldn't work. Oh my. We had a much better time this year. We left at 7 am and didn't get back until after 10 pm and Sophie did very well.

So, thirty years old. I guess I should be proud of everything I've managed to achieve so far. That's not to say that I'm not thrilled when people are shocked when they learn my age. "You're 30?!" And I smile and say "yep."

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What's Cooking? - Nutty Lentil Loaf

Nutty Lentil Loaf
from the Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook

This recipe is very healthy tasting. It probably needs a gravy. I just put ketchup on top of mine. The raisins were a nice surprise.

1 cup dry lentils
3 cups water
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2/3 cup chopped carrot
1/3 cup chopped celery
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup unsalted raw cashews, chopped Okay with salted
1/4 cup raisins 1 teaspoon dried thyme

In a medium saucepan, cook the lentils in the water until soft, about 45 minutes. Set aside. Cook the onion and garlic in the oil, stirring, until the onion is translucent. Add the carrots and celery. Simmer, covered, until the carrots are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together the lentils, vegetable mixture and remaining ingredients. Spoon into an oiled loaf pan. Bake until firm, about 45 minutes. Serve warm. (or let the loaf cool and wrap it in foil for transport. On the trail, slice and serve loaf as is, or use the slices in sandwiches.

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What's Cooking? - Tortilla Espanola with Simple Red Salsa

Tortilla Espanola with Simple Red Salsa
from the Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook and Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian

Kenny and I lived on Tortilla Espanola (also called Spanish Tortilla or Spanish omelet) when we went to college in Spain. It was a good, cheap vegetarian option that we could find anywhere. The Spanish would not serve theirs with salsa. We were surprised at how bland the food was there. We had our parents send us hot sauce packets from Taco Bell to help season our cafeteria food. So, the salsa twist was my idea.

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
2 large Spanish onions, sliced thinly I used one sweet onion since I'm not a big onion fan
6 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt I used one teaspoon
1 to 2 teaspoons virgin olive oil

In a saucepan fitted with a steamer, steam the potatoes and onions until tender but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat the eggs with salt. Fold in the potatoes and onions.

In a nonstick skillet, heat the oil. I use the smallest nonstick skillet I could find. I did not have luck flipping the tortilla out of a large skillet. (More oil may be needed for other types of skillets.) Pour in the egg mixture and cook over medium heat. It's important to use medium heat. You don't want to have your tortilla burned on the outside and raw in the middle. When the bottom becomes crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes, flip the omelet and cook 5 to 6 minutes more. To flip, place a plate that is larger than your skillet upside down over the skillet. While holding the skillet handle in one hand, and holding the plate tightly over the skillet with the other hand, flip the tortilla onto the plate. Then slide the tortilla carefully back into the skillet. To serve, cut the omelet into wedges. Serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled.
Simple Red Salsa
1 good-sized tomato (about 8 ounces), peeled I like this recipe better with canned Petite Diced Tomatoes
2 tablespoons very finely chopped onion
1/2 to 1 fresh or canned jalapeno, finely chopped I always use fresh, and I start with 1/2 and add more as needed. Jalapenos vary wildly in hotness.
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Chop the tomato finely and put it in a bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

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Sophia Update - Sophie Turns 13 Months Old

Sophie turned 13 months old yesterday. I took the picture of her without her shirt last night after dinner. We are always amazed at how big her belly gets after she's eaten. Since it wasn't a very flattering photo, I decided to post a couple more that I took today.

Sophie loves to play in our new big back yard. It has a nice fence so if I'm in the living room I can let her go out to play and still be able to see her from the door and windows. She doesn't even have any toys out there. She just likes to walk on the rocks and grass and sidewalk, and practice going up and down the step. Sometimes Kicsi goes out there to run with her. Kicsi will charge and spray rocks and Sophie will giggle.

She's my little mountain goat. She likes to try to climb everything. She climbed my step ladder the other day. I'm hoping there will still be a gymnastics class available when she turns 18 months old.

She's cried the last couple of times I've left her at MOPS. Maybe separation anxiety is really starting to set in. She even gets a little upset when Kenny takes her away from me.

My friend Mary came over to sew yesterday afternoon and she was amazed that Sophie went into her own room and sat down to look at a book. She actually entertains herself quite well. That's not to say she doesn't ever get in trouble. She still likes to go after Kicsi's food and water, and she likes to take all of the books off the bookshelf.

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