pretty plain janes

a sweet morning to turn two

May 17, 2013

This morning my baby woke up a two year old. A TWO year old, how is this even possible? Two years ago we were changing newborn diapers and listening to the swish-swash of a baby swing. Today we are negotiating footwear options and melting at the sound of “I love you too” in the sweetest voice. We knew having a little person in our lives would be the most amazing experience, we just had no idea how unbelievably amazing it would actually be. She is the sunshine in our everyday, having her as our daughter is a gift beyond compare.

When one wakes on their birthday obviously celebration is in immediate order. Her official party is tomorrow but we wanted to do a little something today. All we needed was a tablecloth, some balloons and confetti candy pancakes – instant party breakfast. She loved the balloons and pancakes, it was the lit candles she was not too sure of.

Birthday Party Pancakes (basic pancake recipe from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons colorful sprinkles or pearls
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Assorted toppings, such as butter, maple syrup, confectioners’ sugar, honey, jams, preserves, sweetened whipped cream, or chocolate syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees; have a baking sheet or heatproof platter ready to keep cooked pancakes warm in the oven. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, sprinkles and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, butter (or oil), and egg. Add dry ingredients to milk mixture; whisk until just moistened (do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine).
Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast-iron) or griddle over medium. Fold a sheet of paper towel in half, and moisten with oil; carefully rub skillet with oiled paper towel.
For each pancake, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter onto skillet, using the back of the spoon to spread batter into a round (you should be able to fit 2 to 3 in a large skillet).
Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter; cover loosely with aluminum foil, and keep warm in oven. Continue with more oil and remaining batter. (You’ll have 12 to 15 pancakes.) Serve warm, with desired toppings.

Happy Birthday to our beautiful, sweet and spunky Jettie Jean. What a fabulous two years it has been – can’t ask for anything else but to be blessed with many many many more. We love you Jeannie!

Posted in personal, recipes | Tagged Post by Brandy J | 6 Comments

sweet potato and beet chips with garlic rosemary salt

May 16, 2013

Last Christmas I received something that has been on my list for 3 years – a mandoline. I had no particular plans for it which is probably why it has taken me almost 5 months to take it out of the box. To be honest I have been a little intimidated, the people on tv make you feel like you’ll slice your arm off if you’re not careful. After seeing this recipe for veggie chips I knew it was time to put my big girl pants on and take the mandoline for a spin. The review: I. Love. It. As well as these chips (added bonus – all my appendages are still intact).

Sweet Potato and Beet Chips with Garlic Rosemary Salt (recipe from Giada De Laurentis)

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes
2 beets
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon very finely minced fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons salt
10 cups vegetable oil

Directions

Special Equipment: V-slicer or mandoline, deep-fry thermometer

Wash the vegetables and dry very well. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine the garlic, rosemary and salt. Set aside.

Warm the oil in a large pot over high heat to 350 degrees F.

Meanwhile, trim 1-inch off the end of each sweet potato. Using the V-slicer or mandoline, slice the sweet potatoes into very thin slices, about 1/8-inch thick.

When the oil is hot add about a quarter of the sweet potato slices. Let fry until golden and the bubbling has almost completely subsided, about 2 to 3 minutes. Using a mesh sieve or slotted spoon remove the chips to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with some of the garlic, rosemary, and salt mixture. Continue with the remaining sweet potatoes.

Transfer to a serving plate.

Next, fry 1/4 of the beets. Let fry until curled at the edges and most of the bubbling has subsided, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the beets to another paper-towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt mixture. Continue with the remaining beets. Let cool and transfer to a serving plate.

These are about 100 million times better than any bagged veggie chip I have ever tried. Downside is my house now smells like a bar and grill (as did my return to H&M later that day). They were worth it though. Enjoy.

Posted in recipes, what's cooking | Tagged Post by Brandy J | Leave a comment

mixed berry crumble

May 15, 2013

The sunlight that fills my kitchen around 7pm these days is the kind that you just want to bottle up. Summertime is upon us and I can’t get enough of all of the lovely things that come along with it. Brighter mornings, open windows, maxi dresses, playing in the yard, fresh flowers on our kitchen table, desserts served with ice cream.

This crumble is really, really, really good. Especially with ice cream.

triple_berry_crumble_7

Mixed Berry Crumble

Ingredients

Berry Mixture:
2 teaspoons water
2 tablespoon cornstarch
¾ cup sugar
6oz raspberries
8oz strawberries
8oz blueberries
Crumble mixture:
1 cup flour
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoon chopped almonds, toasted
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons applesauce
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

Add water and cornstarch in a bowl and mix to combine. Place cornstarch mixture, sugar and all berries in a large skillet over medium high heat. Stir mixture and heat until it starts boil. Pour mixture into a 9×13 pan and set aside to cool completely.
Add remaining dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Add applesauce to mixture. Add in butter and use a pastry blender or two forks and cut butter into mixture. Sprinkle mixture over cooled berry mixture. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 30-35 minutes or until filling is thick and bubbly and topping is golden brown. Remove from oven; let cool for 20 minutes. Top with ice cream. Devour.

adapted from Bakers Royale

The fun thing about a crumble is that you could swap out any of these berries for whatever you have on hand. Such a quick and easy after-dinner treat.

Enjoy,

Posted in recipes, something sweet | Tagged Post by Shan | 6 Comments

tips for growing longer locks

May 14, 2013

For years and years and years (and more years) I was petrified of getting my hair cut because I knew the work I had put in to getting it that long. Forget the “trim every three months”, I was NOT getting anywhere near those scissors. I was so afraid to go in for a trim and lose six inches (we have all had that happen! yikes!).

All of that changed after I got pregnant. While most women boast that those nine months gave them thick, healthy, Rapunzel hair- mine seemed to do the opposite. As each month past it seemed to get thinner and thinner. And THEN, postpartum hair. Oh, evil postpartum hair. I was losing handfuls in the shower and having nightmares (which really weren’t far off) that I was going bald. So it was time for a haircut.

Fast forward to today, a year since I really cut it all off, and I quite honestly have not gained many inches on my length. My hair grows at snails pace and with a wedding in two and a half months it needs a little kick in the butt.

Here is what I am doing to try to get as much length as I can out of these few months:
1. Skip the hot iron and blow drier! This one is really, really hard for me. A pet peeve of mine is wet hair, so it takes everything in me to step away from that drier- but after a month I can already see the difference it is making.
2. Invest in dry shampoo and skip shampooing as often as possible. Regardless of if you are growing out your hair, dry shampoo is fabulous and brands like Tresemme, Dove and even Suave have super affordable options available that work as well as the salon brands! (Brandy J and I have tried and love all three!!) Shampooing often dries your hair out- leading to more split ends.
3. Protection from heat and sun. Using a good protection product can help protect your hair from those cruel UV rays or the damage from your styling tools. Throw on a hat when exposure is excessive.
4. Your diet is not just good for your waistline. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, biotin, iron and protein are essential to your hair! Think salmon, greek yogurt, beans and lentils, blueberries, and walnuts.
5. Scalp massage. Massaging your scalp stimulates blood flow to the scalp and helps to nourish it- and also helps reduce stress, which slows hair growth.
6. Freshen up ends as needed. Getting a trim is only beneficial if you need one. Trimming your ends does not speed up hair growth, it simply stops your hair from splitting, which results in loosing length, therefor- you see the length quicker. If you notice splitting ends, its time for a trim.

Do you have any tips or tricks? If so, please share!! Hoping for a few inches by August.

Posted in beauty, Uncategorized | Tagged Post by Shan | 2 Comments

mood booster

May 13, 2013

Never in a million years would I have thought my ensemble for Mother’s Day would be mostly black. There were two very good reasons for this though – I woke up grumpy (black always make for easy dressing when being a crab) and it was way chillier than expected outside (yes, black keeps you warmer). 10 minutes before we left I began to rethink my “where’s the funeral” look. Not wanting to put in the effort to change, I grabbed my coral clutch and violà – my outfit, mood and even the weather transformed into something much happier. A handsome man and sweet little girl may have also had something to do with it. I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother’s Day.