The Comedian

Asher came up with this funny voice the other day as I was giving him lunch. He had me on the ground rolling because he would stay in character despite my cracking up. Of course I caught the tail end of his "act" on video, so unfortunately I didn't capture the best and full effect.

Monkey Joe's

Last week most of our playgroup got together at Monkey Joe's, a new play gym that just opened up. The kids had a riot. As soon as I let Asher free, he was running around non-stop like a wild man! It was perfect because we went at 10 am when it was really empty and there were no "big kids" to worry about having collisions with.

Asher was a machine climbing up all these steep ramps. And then he took on the all the slides without any hesitation. It cracked me up when he decided to go down on his belly, feet first. I guess he's like his dad; they both like to take calculated risks.

Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispies!

Who doesn't love rice krispy treats? I made these for our last play group that Asher and I hosted. I made a few minor changes that really take it up several notches.

And what were those changes? Ummm, just a bit more, ummm, butter (like double) which you toast until it’s brown and nutty and help along with some coarse salt, just minor things. But like I said, it changes everything.

Makes 16 2-inch squares or 32 1- x 2-inch small bars

4 ounces (1/4 pound or 1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (about half a 12-ounce box)

Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan with 2-inch sides.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute.

As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.

Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan. I liked to use a piece of waxed or parchment paper that I’ve sprayed with oil to press it firmly and evenly into the edges and corners, though a silicon spatula works almost as well.

Asher, why so serious?!

Just relaxing at our hotel in Dallas.

Big Eyes!

A while back I showed Asher the owl eyes by holding my eyes wide open with my fingers and said, "big eyes!" He thought that was hilarious and now he won't stop doing it. So here is a shot of his version of "big eyes". Hopefully one of these times I'll get it on video.

BOOTS!

Smoky Fried Chickpeas

Perfect for parties or pre-dinner snacking. They don't store well so eat them right away... which won't be a problem.

• 2 large cans chickpeas
• 1 cup Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest, strips
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 coarse salt to taste
• 4 pieces garlic, sliced

1. Drain Chickpeas and set on paper towels over a colander to dry throughly (can be done 1 day in advance)
2. Heat oil in large pan (preferably cast iron) to 355 or until oil make bubbles around 1 chickpea.
3. add lemon zest, thyme sprig, chickpeas in batches so pan doesn't crowd fry about 5 minutes until crunchy color & changes
4. remove from oil, drain well over colander/sieve, add garlic, fry till golden
5. Toss with smoked paprika & salt, add more if necessary..serve warm

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 1/4 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
2/3 cup quinoa
4 extra-large or 5 large bell peppers, mixed colors
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 oz zucchini, quartered lengthwise then sliced across thinly
6 oz yellow squash, quartered lengthwise then sliced across thinly
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 oz crumbled feta cheese (about 1 cup)
3 tablespoons tomato paste

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan, add the quinoa, cover the pan and reduce to simmer for about 15 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Cut the stems and top half inch off the bell peppers and scoop out the seeds and membranes. Place peppers upright in a baking dish and roast them for 15 minutes or so, until they soften, then remove them from the oven until the filling is ready. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onion, zucchini, yellow squash, fennel seeds, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes, chickpeas and tomato paste. Using a fork, scrape the couscous into the skillet and toss with the vegetables. Stir in the crumbled feta. Fill peppers with the quinoa mixture. Bake 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Spice-rubbed Brisket

To really put this brisket over the top, cut the cooked brisket into large chunks, toss it with the rootbeer BBQ sauce (recipe in post below), pile it on crusty rolls, and top it with creamy coleslaw. So messy and so good!

SPICE-RUBBED BRISKET

2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons dry thyme
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder *
1 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoons pimenton (a Spanish smoked paprika)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground anise seed
1 tablespoons ground ginger
1/4 cup light brown sugar
one 5-pound first-cut brisket
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
olive oil
2 large Spanish onions, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 head of garlic, unpeeled, cut in half horizontally


-Preheat a 6 1/2 quart slow cooker to Low. Combine the first 9 ingredients in a small bowl.

-Salt and pepper the brisket on both sides. Rub the brisket with a little olive oil. Generously coat the brisket on both sides with the rub.

-Place the onions, carrots, celery and the garlic in the slow cooker insert. Lay the brisket, fat side up on top of the vegetables. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours.
-Trasfer the brisket to a cutting board or platter, cover loosely and let it cool completely before slicing.

-Strain the drippings through a fine-mesh strainer into a storage container. Discard the vegetables. Cover and refrigerate until the fat rises to the top and hardens. Remove and discard the fat. The broth can be served, reheated, as a sauce with the sliced brisket. Serve the Root Beer BBQ sauce if you like.

*Ancho chiles are dried polcano peppers. You can purchase dried ancho chiles from many grocery stores and Mexican markets or online and make your own powder.

To make the powder: Stem and seed the chiles. Tear them into peices, place in a spice grinder (I use a coffee grinder that I have strictly designated to spice grinding). And process to a powder. Strain any large peices and reprocess them.
Store in a tightly covered container away from light for up to 3 months.

Rootbeer BBQ Sauce

This goes great on chicken, short ribs, and brisket. You can store it, covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze it for up to 3 months. I like to make extra to keep on hand in my freezer.

2 cups root beer (don't use diet!)
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup bourbon or apple cider for non-alcoholic
1/2 cup crumbled ginger snaps
1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon light molasses
1/2 teaspoon minced lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced and mashed iwth the side of the knife
1 medium onion, grated
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover ande cook on High for 6 hours.

Creamy Coleslaw

This is a great refreshing side dish. In general I don't really like coleslaw very much, but this has such a nice balance of tangy, sweet, creamy and crunchy. It makes it an ideal topper for sandwiches or along-side brisket. It can be stored, covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.

1 1/2 pounds shredded cabbage mix
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup homemade aioli (see recipe below) or store-bought mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sugar
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Place cabbage and onion in a large bowl. Combine the aioli or mayonnaise, sugar, lime zest and juice in a small bowl. Add to the cabbage mixture and toss to coat completely. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Aioli

2 garlic cloves, finely minced and mashed with side of knife
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup neutral favored oil such as canola (you may not need to use all the oil)
kosher salt and pepper

Directions:
Place first five ingredients in a non-reactive bowl. Whisk until smooth. Slowly drizzle oil while continuing whisking. The mixture should resemble a loose mayonnaise. Add salt and pepper to taste.

You can also make this in a food processor or blender, adding the oil in a steady stream at the end.

Happy 80th Grandma!

Asher and I went to Salt Lake Lake for my grandma's 80th birthday bash. It was a nice time seeing cousins, aunts and uncles that I haven't seen in ages!


Asher and Gunnar (they are second cousins) hanging out together and checking out each other's shoes.

Visiting Babi and Bampa in Park City

Asher was so excited to sit on Bampa's four wheeler... he LOVES all things with wheels!


Just after I told Asher it was time to go down for a nap, he put his dinosaurs to bed by saying, "night-night dinosaurs," and laying them down on the blanket.


My mom made this delicious quinoa salad that Asher happened to love as well; or maybe he liked saying the word "quinoa" more!

Dallas

Moises had a business conference in Dallas where Asher and I decided to tag along. One of our evenings there we got invited to a horse race. The best part was watching Asher get excited about all the "horseys"!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I made these for all of Asher's playgroup friends for Halloween treats. They were so yummy!

Makes 12 whoopie pies

• FOR THE PUMPKIN WHOOPIE COOKIES
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground cloves
• 2 cups firmly packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups pumpkin puree, chilled
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• FOR THE CREAM-CHEESE FILLING
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined. Add pumpkin puree and whisk until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.
3. Using a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Transfer to oven and bake until cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cookie comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on pan.
4. Make the filling: Sift confectioner' sugar into a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat just until smooth. (Filling can be made up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate; let stand at room temperature to soften before using.)
5. Assemble the whoopie pies: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Transfer filling to a disposable pastry bag and snip the end. When cookies have cooled completely, pipe a large dollop of filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edge of the cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate cookies at least 30 minutes before serving and up to 3 days.