lemon-glazed citrus-yogurt pound cake



It's as good as it sounds. In fact, it didn't last that long at all in our house, mainly because of me. I must say the extra calories you need when nursing are not forgotten here- they are taken advantage of!  I think when I stop nursing I'll miss the extra I need, but then again it probably won't be too terribly long before I'd be pregnant again and back on the same "need" for more calories.  I'm sure there are a lot of articles about how this mindset isn't healthy and will leave you without every losing your "baby fat" but I'm sorry, life's too short.



So far I'm finding motherhood to be quite active in fact and I'm sure that will continue.  After all, we take lots of walks and soon I know I'll be racing him around the house, then around the playground.  All this to say, there will be many more cakes and cookies and snacks in my culinary future.  It's my hope Anderson and any other child we have will want to hang out at our house, or more-like their friends will, because of the snacks I'll happily provide.  Then I'll know who their friends are more- all a sneaky Mom plan... :)



This recipe is thanks to Food and Wine

{Ingredients You'll Need for the Cake}

  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup grapefruit juice
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt- full fat or lowfat- no fat free!
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
{Ingredients for the Glaze}
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  1. First off make the cake.  Preheat your oven to 350 and butter and flour or spray a loaf pan.  In a  small bowl mix the flour through salt then in another bowl mix the grapefruit juice and yogurt.
  2. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until fluffy then add in the eggs and the zest.  In in the dry and wet ingredients, alternating about 3 times.
  3. Scrape the batter into the pan and bake for 50 minutes, until golden and when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  **tent the cake halfway through with foil so that it doesn't burn the top**
  4. transfer the cake to a rack to cool for 20 minutes then unmold and let cool.
  5. Make the glaze by combining the lemon juice and sugar.  Microwave those on high for 20 seconds until the sugar has dissolved.  Transfer 2 tablespoons of the syrup to a bowl and whisk in the confectioners sugar and butter.  With the remaining syrup, poke holes in the cake with a toothpick then brush the syrup on top so that it soaks in and let it set for 10 minutes.  Next spread the glaze on top and let stand until that is set about 30 minutes...if you can wait that long!
The cake was better the next day so perfect to make the night before you need/want it!

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto


This right here was a perfect way to jazz up some simply grilled salmon.  The following day we used the pesto on a sandwich and that was lovely too.  It comes together easily and is perfect if you have some red peppers hanging out in your pantry or fridge just asking to be used up.


This is the first time I've blogged while Anderson is awake so I'll make this brief- after this we're headed over to the bread shop to pick up some bread to jazz up that fact that we'll be having BLT's tonight.  Real life.

Recipe thanks to and loosely adapted from Cooking Light

{Ingredients You'll Need}
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup bottled roasted red peppers
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 7 whole raw almonds
  • 1 garlic clove
Combine the above ingredients in a food processor until smooth.  Serve over fish or on a sandwich!

22 weeks


These little smiles are thanks to Benjamin making him laugh.  What a cutie.  Remember when I said he was waking up at 2 or 3 am?  Now we're sleeping from 11pm til 4 which is even more lovely.  The other day he slept in til 9 then proceeded to take a two hour nap two days in a row!  Today was a bit of a different story and I like to think he's getting a tooth but who really knows.  I did get him a new teething toy today at Target... and so begins being a sucker and thinking he "needs" a new toy because clearly he's getting bored with the same old things to look at and chew.

This past week we enjoyed the 70 degrees days and took advantage of the weather by wearing some warmer clothes I have for him.  I have a fear that once it warms up for good there will be some things he won't be able to wear because he'll have grown out of them already.  Oh well..that's why you have more kids, right?  Just kidding.

Tonight I got to work on some art projects- more on that later- and now it's time to spend time with the husband.  Looks like we're being very cliche and watching "Up All Night.."



seranno, manchego, and apple sandwiches


These were dinner last night.  Thankfully I had some soup that I had defrosted too because I think the husband would have been hungry if this is all we had.  Regardless, they were delicious and brought me back to Santa Barbara.  It tasted a bit like something I would get at Panino, a sandwich shop that is quite delicious.



Have this trick up your sleeve, along with some salame, cheese, good bread, apples, and oh, arugula, and you're sure to have friends calling.



Recipe thanks to and adapted from Cooking Light

{Ingredients You'll Need}

  • mayonnaise
  • dijon mustard
  • 4 slices sourdough bread
  • 2 shallots, sliced
  • 4 ounces serrano ham, proscuitto, or salame
  • manchego cheese, enough to shred about 1/3 cup
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • 2 cups arugula
  • 1 granny smith apple, thinly sliced
1.  Preheat your broiler.  Spread a thin layer of mayo then mustard on each slice of bread.  Top with shallots then meat.  Shred cheese a top each slice then sprinkle with pepper.  Broil for 3 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile combine the arugula with olive oil and vinegar.  Toss in the apple.  Remove the sandwiches from the oven and top with arugula.

Enjoy these open faced or put two together for a big sandwich.  That's what we did because having all the salad on top was a bit difficult to tackle.  

roasted buffalo shrimp


I've been making a lot of soup and other 'girl food' of late and figured I'd add some more protein to tonight's dinner and make some shrimp.  Potentially more girl food but this recipe was simple and it came together quickly that I'll probably make it again.  It would be great as an appetizer as it literally only bakes for 5 minutes and can be served with some sour cream that has a bit of lemon juice in it.



I didn't marinate the shrimp for long at all but you definitely could- in fact you could throw them together and have it all prepped before your guests come.  All you'd need to do is bake them for 5 minutes and you're done!

Recipe thanks to and loosely adapted from Martha

{Ingredients You'll Need}

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest or about 2 teaspoons dried lemon rind
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3/4 teaspoon celery seed
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp 
Preheat your oven to 450 and place a baking sheet in the oven while it preheats.  Combine the lemon zest or rind through oil and then toss in the shrimp.  Remove the hot pan, pour out the shrimp and bake for 5 minutes.  Done!

Serve with sour cream with a splash of lemon juice if you'd like!

21 weeks (5 months today!)


Oh buddy.  You're getting so big.  You so badly want to be sitting up and you're oh-so-aware of everything around you.  You just fell asleep and recently you fall asleep best when we sing to you.  We have to brush up on our nursery rhymes.  Until then you're hearing a lot of worship songs these days.  

The past two nights you've slept from 2 or 3 am til 8 am and I am oh-so-thankful!  Keep it up, babe!  You're growing like a weed too.  Today I put you in a 9 month short sleeve onesie because it's a lovely 70 degrees out, and it fit!  I was expecting there to be some more room but I think I can dip into the bigger clothes I have in your dresser now.  It seems like you packed on the pounds in the last week.

You cackle at the most random things and I'm excited for when you really laugh.  I love being your Mom and seeing you look up at me, or the sweet looks you give your dad when he comes home.  You love your daddy!  We got to see Grammy and Grandpa a bunch this week and I think you know who they are too.  You definitely know who your Grammy is because she keeps singing "You are My Sunshine" to you and emphasizes to me..."Please don't take..my sunshine away!"  

I can't believe in a month you'll be eating food...and in a month you'll be so much bigger too and I bet sitting up, laughing, and maybe even sleeping through the night!

keema beef (or venison) curry


Here's another recipe that can come together quickly and is great for the weeknights.  I was happy to use up some more venison we had but of course you could use ground beef.  Apart from that you've got to chop an onion, some garlic, potatoes, and ginger and you're about good to go.  I think I'll be making this recipe again soon as I'm getting over the taste of venison burger but my frugal self can't see it be wasted.

The recipe hails from Food & Wine and the dish is served well with rice and some naan if you'd like.  I forgot to add peas into mine but next time I would add them in and even top with fresh cilantro as suggested.

{Ingredients You'll Need}

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds lean sirloin or venison
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1 yukon gold potato, diced, or a handful or red skin potatoes, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • One 14-ounce can coconut milk
  • One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with their juices
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
  • cilantro, naan, and rice for serving
1.  In a skillet heat the oil then add the beef and brown.  Add in the onion, ginger, garlic, and curry powder and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook over high heat for about 3 minutes then add in the potato, broth, coconut milk, and tomatoes and bring to a boil. 

2.  Cook over medium heat until potato is tender, about 15 minutes.  Add in the peas and cook a few minutes more until heated through.  Serve over rice and top with fresh cilantro!

sweet and sour shrimp


I'm all about quick dishes that come together in no time these days.  That said, I'm still all about making sauces and things from scratch that will result in meals that are more homemade than the result of cans and packages thrown together.  Sure I've made a soup recently that involved a packaged item, but I'm not proud of it.



This dish was a winner and filed under recipes that can be made in a pinch assuming your fridge is stocked with the sauce ingredients and you've got some shrimp in the freezer.  Start the rice before you start the shrimp and have some snap peas you can steam real quick (even in the microwave) and you're good to go.

{Recipe thanks to Food and Wine}

{Ingredients You'll Need}

  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Chinese chile sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled
1.  In a small bowl whisk ketchup through vinegar for the sauce. Heat a skillet then add the oil and ginger and garlic for 10 seconds before adding the shrimp.  Cook just about 2 minutes until just cooked then whisk in the sauce and cook about 3 minutes more until the sauce has thickened.  Done!

Serve with rice and snap peas!

quesadilla pie



This is a dinner I've been thinking about and trying to figure out when I'll make it next.  It'll probably happen sometime this weekend because it was simple and oh-so-satisfying.  It was a perfect new-mom meal. New-Mom as in I had time to make it, and I'd like to bring it to new mom's too.



I'm tempted to even make a few and stock my freezer with them for when we're hungry or when I need to bring someone a meal, a task I think I'm finally now up for seeing as I've been able to figure out our schedule more and get back in the kitchen.

Apart from pulling apart the chicken this dish comes together really quickly.  The original recipe calls for 1/3 cup chopped pickled jalapenos, an item I thought we had in our fridge but it turns out what I thought were pickled jalapenos were actually molding olives.  Not so great.  Next time I'll add in the jalapenos but they're definitely optional.


So this weekend, you should make this.  Dare I say my mouth is watering just thinking about it...or maybe I'm thinking about the fact that a friend is currently having In-N-Out for her first time ever.  Oh man.  I think we'll be in California this summer and I cannot wait to sink my teeth into In-N-Out again.  That's and delicious Mexican food.  Until then, I'll enjoy quesadilla pie.

{Recipe thanks to Cook's Country}

{Ingredients You'll Need}

  • 1 10-inch tortilla (buritto size) or you can overlap smaller tortillas
  • 1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded 
  • 1/2 - 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/3 cup drained pickled jalapenos- chopped (optional)
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
{Recipe}
  • Preheat oven to 450
  • Grease a deep-dish pie plate, plate the tortilla inside then spray it with cooking spray.  
  • In a bowl toss the chicken, cilantro, jalapeños 1 cup of cheese and add 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Add the filling to the pie plate
  • Now whisk together the egg, milk, flour, and baking powder.  Pour the filling over the chicken mixture then top with remaining 1 cup of cheese.  Bake until golden about 20 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes or so then cut and enjoy!

simple drop biscuits


These biscuits are perfect for when you want to add a little something special to your weekend breakfast.  They come together quickly and are delicious fresh out of the oven.  To be honest I wouldn't make them and have them sit out for awhile- they're best consumed warm and on the spot.



The recipe hails from "Mad Hungry," a cookbook I was given from a good family friend.  The cookbook is all about feeding "men and boys" something I'll be hopefully getting really good at. I'd make these again soon and on a whim.  You should follow those instructions as well.



{Ingredients You'll Need}

  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter cut into small pieces
  • 3/4 - 1 cup milk
{Recipe thanks to Mad Hungry}
  • Preheat oven to 450 and line a baking sheet.
  • In a bowl whisk together the dry ingredients then cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until crumbs appear.  Add in the milk and allow yourself to add a little more so that you're able to get the batter to a good "drop" consistency.
  • Don't over mix and simply drop the biscuits onto your baking sheet then bake for 13-15 minutes until golden brown.  
  • Cool oh so slightly and enjoy with some more butter!

20 weeks


I snapped this picture before the camera battery died.  Sadly I can't find the charger right now so in an effort to get the picture up, this is what we have.  Serious Anderson who is most likely thinking, "really Mom? Again?"  



Today my life changed with the little one and he's no longer stationary.  I put him under his play mat while Grammy and I put away some clothes and tried to figure out what we have for him for the next size and my Mom said, "Laura...look at him!"  I looked over and captured this.  Oh dear.  So much for thinking, "oh, I'll just put him there and take a quick shower..."  The kid scooted his way off the mat and onto the floor to play with the plastic from the paper towels.  

Don't mind the fact that he's just got a diaper on and an awesome hat.  I was trying to see if the hat fit- which it did since he's just such a big head.  Oh Buddy, please sleep tonight, ok?!  Your Mamma is a tired one.

19 weeks


It feels like it's been weeks since I've been on the computer.  I do a lot from my phone and lately the little man hasn't been staying asleep once he's down.  In fact, he likes waking up an hour after he's down, then 2 hours later, then maybe every couple hours at night.  Last night he was down at 7, up at 8, 10, 2, 3, 5, 7.  I'm hoping he's teething because that's just silly.  Now that I'm writing this I'm sure I'm jinxing myself and he'll be up any minute.



All this to say, he's growing up so fast.  Just today even it seems as though he is a different baby, but I'll leave those details for the week 20 post.  


Love his blue eyes, and blue bowtie onesie thanks to Mamma T.  How precious is he?  Precious.


He really wants to sit up.  He doesn't like leaning on my legs anymore and even in his car seat he seems to be doing crunches to try and sit up.  The day he does it will be soon enough I know.  Until then, remember a quote I saw recently, "The days are long, but the years are short."  Amen to that.

PW's Slab Apple Pie with Caramel Sauce


There are a few cooking shows Benny will watch with me and Pioneer Woman is one of them.  Probably because we're a little bit intrigued by her crazy success and how she takes simple recipes and makes them famous.



Here's a perfect example- slab apple pie.  Nothing too exciting here, but make it, taste it, and you'll feel like you need a reason to make it again soon.




Birthdays anyone? Who wants to come over for dessert?  I want to make this again in the near future.  I'm a sucker for Apple Pie and this was nice and easy enough minus peeling apples and prepping the dough a day before you want to make it.  I made the pies the day before we were going to eat them as well as suggested by the PW.

Here's the link for the pie and crust on Food Network and here's the recipe for her Caramel Sauce- a must make.


  • 4 T. butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half
  • pinch salt
  • 1 T vanilla
Whisk the first 4 ingredients until melted and thick and then add in the vanilla and serve atop the warm apple pie!

18 weeks



18 weeks brought you a doctor's appointment, a round of shots, and the realization that you've got some eczema.  Sad times in the life of little Anderson and sleepless times in the life of Mom.  I write this now as you're 19 weeks going on 20 and we're thankfully getting some more sleep around here.  I think the dry itchy skin had you waking up a lot which who wouldn't?  Your skin is dry and itchy and you aren't coordinated enough to itch it.  Rough times.


The bumbo is a new source of excitement around here and lucky for me because you can hang out in there for a little while I make myself a meal.  You're tracking food like you're ready for it, but I'm going to hold off til 6 months to walk down that road.  I suppose I should start looking at the baby cookbooks I have...in my spare time.


Everything seems to be going in your mouth and although you're working on getting some teeth there's no sign of any just yet.  Makes me wonder how loud you'll scream and how much you'll fuss when they really do come.  The joys. You're growing up so fast.  It's funny how we try to get you to reach for things or hold onto them now, when pretty soon we'll be saying, "hands off!"  

eating up pinterest

I'm hooked.  Pinterest is way more interesting, insightful, and entertaining than any other social media time waster out there. Then again, so far it hasn't been that big a waste of time seeing as I've made many a meal from it and have even done myself some home remedy-ing as well. (remedy-ing...new word.)



For example, this Rosemary Goat Cheese Pasta was whipped up in no time and perfect for when we had friends over last minute.  Garlic..rosemary...goat cheese...and lots of cream. Can't go wrong.



Then there's the Butternut Squash and Lentil Stew I made last week for some vegetarian friends.  Hearty, healthy, and the 2 year old kept saying, "mow wowa" several times.  He liked it and I think you would too!





Tonight's dinner will be the Braised Peanut Chicken and tomorrow we might do the Tomato and Parm Soup.  I've also got ingredients for the Rice and Chicken soup seeing as we're on the mend here from getting the lovely stomach bug that made it's way into our bellies this past weekend.



If you want to follow what I'm eating on Pinterest, be my guest by clicking here.

Oh, the home remedy-ing.  I saw this lovely idea on how to clean your shower head and decided to clean our shower head and bathroom faucet like this the other day.  No more pink mildew and hopefully no more gross "stuff" coming out of the spicket into Anderson's bath water!



Are you pinning your interests too?!