Powernap: Quick Recipes For When Time is Limited!

Two weeks ago I shared my trip to our neighborhood crepe truck as part of my year of exploring street food as a flavor correspondent for Sargento. (If there is a truck you think I should see please let me know!) This program features myself and a few other food bloggers as we spend the year exploring the top 10 food trends of 2013 as identified by Rick Bayless. I was bummed I couldn’t go to the program kick-off at the headquarters in Wisconsin in early February, but I had just had a baby so that was impossible! Instead, I joined the conference via Google + hangout and enjoyed Rick’s talk about food trends remotely.

This week marks my first week back in the gym since my son was born in late January. Hooray for exercise! Hooray for touching my toes! Hooray for skinny jeans this summer! And, most importantly, hooray for Advil! It is time for me to tackle the baby weight once and for all and it starts here. First, I’ll be working out regularly. Second, I’ll be doing my best to eat exceptionally well. I am the first to admit I am not a dietitian. But I know it is time to cut out the sweets and stick to the lean and healthy. It won’t be easy but it will be worth. I have so many clothes I can’t wait to wear again! Plus, since we are done having babies, this is the last time I’ll have to embark on any kind of weight loss endeavor.

Grocery shopping takes twice as long with two children. Before baby brother arrived my daughter and I had our grocery visits down to a science. Grab a cart, circle the store with our list, and would be in and out of the store in a heartbeat. Now we are much more scattered. Not only do I have to take my daughter by the hand but I also strap a baby to my chest as we peruse the aisles. This added weight slows me down considerably. Then there is the laborious process of getting everyone in and out of car seats as well as unloading the actual groceries and getting them into the house. So, when Blue Apron Meal Delivery contacted me about trying out their grocery service I jumped at the chance to skip the store and have the food delivered straight to our kitchen!

I will admit, I was a tad skeptical when I received an Actifry machine in the mail in December. I am not a fan of deep frying, especially since I am now concentrating on losing the baby weight. However, the claim of the Actifry was intriguing. Could this machine really make ALL the dishes in the book and keep them on the healthy side? Why was Oprah telling the world that that machine changed her life when she is not a paid spokesperson? I always thought machines like this were strictly for making donuts and french fries – delicious, but most unhealthy. Curious, I put the machine to the test last weekend.

There are three things I missed when I was pregnant: wine, raw milk cheeses, and oysters with mignonette sauce. I didn’t really care about missing out on raw fish since I am not a big sushi eater, and I couldn’t have cared less about the minimal caffeine guidelines since I can barely stomach more than a milky latte three times a week. I just really missed sipping a glass of wine while nibbling on a yummy cheese plate (my favorite no-cook dinner!), and ordering the occasional oyster platter with my husband on date night. Today, to celebrate Valentine’s Day AND my return to non-pregnant status I am celebrating with a Valentine’s Day champagne cocktail, a trio of delicious cheeses from our amazing local cheese shop, and the promise of oysters the next time we go out.

I don’t have many words of wisdom to share today. The lesson here is that it is always good to keep the preschooler occupied while waiting for a baby to arrive. And, if said preschooler wants to be occupied with a baking project, make it easy on yourself and choose the simplest thing in your repertoire. Like popovers, for example.

Happy 2013! Wow, can you believe how time flies? I mean, seriously, where did the year go? I am so thankful for the wonderful year that was 2012 and am thrilled to be looking forward to all the milestones that 2013 will bring. My first big milestone should be arriving toward the end of this very month (!) In light of this heavily-pregnant-oh-so-tired feeling I’ve been focusing on simple, easy meals lately. I just don’t have the energy for anything too involved. This is one of the reasons I loved this post on Food52 about using one healthy gremolata in several different dinner recipes over the course of a week. Not only is this efficient (and delicious) any time of year, it is especially relevant to my cooking strategy these days!

I know I’ve been concentrating a lot on entertaining and homemade gift recipes this month. When I asked about it on Facebook in November you all said they were things you needed this season. You also said you needed some easy make-ahead breakfast recipes for the holidays which is what I am going to talk about today and tomorrow. Today we are starting off with a simple overnight french toast made with that loaf of panettone someone may have just given you the other day.

For my third day of holiday food gifts I am pleased to present an exclusive shopping discount at the Food52 Shop. As most of you know, I am huge fan of Food52 and am so proud that three of my recipes are in their first cookbook. I also highly recommend their holiday iPhone/iPad app, it is so useful during the entertaining season! Today I am psyched to offer this discount because I think their web-based store is a great place to shop for friends and family. Amanda and Merrill personally vet everything that is available for sale and work directly with sellers to create special products and pricing. It is like shopping at the most well-cultivated online food and kitchenware store on the entire internet! Here are some of the awesome things available this season:

This holiday season I am parring down my sweets list. I simply can’t stand on my feet for hours on end baking like I usually do every other Christmas season. I was a little bit sad about this at first until I realized that it is actually a good exercise in editing for me. Instead of manically baking endless batches of cookies and bars with no end in sight, this year I’ve been forced to identify a select few that will appease everyone in our house. For my daughter I’ll make classic Peanut Butter Blossoms and cut-out butter cookies she can decorate. My husband has requested Buttery Pecan Snowballs, and I want simple shortbread in holiday flavors like chocolate espresso and this warm, cinnamon chai.

Today’s post is in honor of my daughter who is celebrating her birthday this month. She is at such a fun age and this year I am going a little overboard with the whole occasion. This week she’ll be having two small parties. The first will be at school where I will bring in a little art project for all the kids to make together. The second will be outside of school with some of her closest friends. Finally, at the end of the week I’ve promised her a special manicure at our favorite nail place followed by special snack of peppermint hot chocolate and a donut (her favorite treat) at home with Mom.

We have a bit of a cranberry sauce divide in our house. My husband insists that it should be served straight out a can, preferably still in the shape of a can with the rings from the actual can visible on the jiggly tower of sauce. For nearly ten years I’ve tried my best to understand why he thinks this is the most desirable way to eat cranberry sauce and still haven’t figured it out. I, on the other hand, find the gelatinous canned stuff completely unappealing and prefer a simple scratch recipe. I love this because it is so good on the dinner table and is even better on turkey sandwiches the day after. Who doesn’t love a condiment that performs double-duty?!