LADDventure

Grapenut Bread Stuffing Recipe

Besides my husband, the Ladd Family Stuffing Recipe is one of the best things I've inherited along with my new last name. This recipe started with an improvisation (as all good things seem to). One Thanksgiving long ago, before I entered the picture, Mr. Ladd's grandma realized she didn't have the bread to make her usual stuffing. But, she did have on hand a few loaves of Grapenut Bread (a homemade sweet breakfast bread with a lovely texture), so she improvised. The result was a simple, savory/sweet combination and everyone loved it, so her stuffing has been made that way ever since.

I've tweaked the recipe to make it my own, and it's now one of my favorite parts of the Thanksgiving feast. The stuffing is a multi-step process I usually start a day or two before Thanksgiving only because you have to first make the Grapenut Bread, and then turn it in to stuffing. But, other than that, it's very straightforward and not at all fussy. Happy Thanksgiving, and If you're in charge of stuffing this year, or want to switch up your usual recipe, give it a whirl and let me know what you think...

Grapenut Bread

(Makes 2 loaves)

• 2 C sour milk (one T lemon juice to one cup milk)
• 1 C Grapenuts cereal
• 1 egg
• 1 C sugar
• 1 t salt
• 4 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 3 1/2 C flour

Preheat oven to 350. Combine milk, Grapenuts, and lemon juice and let soak for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, beat egg and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to egg and sugar mixture. Stir in grapenuts and sour milk mixture. Bake in greased loaf pans for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack (especially before turning it into stuffing)

Grapenut Bread Stuffing

(Use 2 loaves of grapenut bread per 20 lb bird)

• 1 C chopped celery
• 1 C chopped onion
• 2 sticks butter
• 2 t salt
• 1 t pepper
• 4 t sage
• 2 t rosemary
• 2 t thyme
  

Saute onion and celery in butter until celery is softened and onions are translucent. Add seasonings to sauted mixture. Tear the 2 loaves of grapenut bread into pieces and add the saute mixture. Add milk to moisten as necessary to form the stuffing into a ball. Put the ball of stuffing into a bowl and cover with saran wrap to chill in the refrigerator overnight. If stuffing the turkey with it on Thanksgiving morning, both the stuffing and turkey should be cold. I don't actually stuff mine, I cook it in a 13 x 9 pan covered with tin foil at 350 for 30 minutes, and then keep it warm in the slow cooker for the meal.

Soup of the Week - Vegan Lentil

I'm not a vegan or a vegetarian, except accidentally. I'm kind of picky about meat, and we try to eat a couple of meatless meals a week. I also have friends and family members who are vegan or vegetarian, so I'm always on the lookout for good recipes to make for them. This is a winner. It is incredibly simple and is right out of one of my favorite cookbooks ever, Bread & Wine, by Shauna Niequist. It's very healthy, but doesn't "taste healthy," if you know what I mean. I think it's best with a big swirl of balsamic vinegar to top it off in your bowl. I make this at least once a month.

Robin's Super Healthy Lentil Soup (from Bread & Wine)

• 3 T olive oil
• 2 C onions, chopped
• 1 C celery stalks, chopped
• 1 C carrots, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 6 C chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 C lentils (The best for this are the red split lentils from Trader Joe's. I've used others, and it's not as good)
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
• balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat (I talked about the importance of the pot in last week's post, but any big pot will still do the trick) Add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic: saute until vegetables begin to brown, at least 15 minutes (this is one of the best smells, yes?)

Add broth lentils, and tomatoes with juice, and bring to boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.

Season with salt, pepper, and a splash of vinegar.

Soup of the Week - Vegan Black Bean

Every Sunday in October is soup day for me, and then I'll share my soup of the week with you here on the blog every Friday. It'll be like the Soup of the Day in some cozy little diner, only weekly and virtually.

This week's soup recipe was unearthed as I organized my dusty office. I had forgotten all about this gem from my lovely neighbor. It came from one of her favorite vegetarian cookbooks, and it was a hit. It's vegan (unless you can't resist some sour cream and shredded cheddar on top, which I couldn't), very easy to make, and oh so tasty.

Before we begin, a word about soup pots...I use this dutch oven, and I love it. (I have the 7- quart, but it looks like it only comes in a 5.5- quart now, which is plenty for most things.) It heats very evenly and I use it for everything from soups and sauces to pasta dishes and meat. It can go from the stovetop to oven and holds up to high heat.  The enamel coating is better because metal can make sauces and soups with a tomato base taste tinny.

Vegan Black Bean Soup (adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home)

• 3/4 C sun dried tomatoes
• 1 1/2 C finely chopped onions
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 jalepeno minced
• 1/4 t cayenne
• 2 T olive oil
• 1t ground cumin
• 1/3 C water
• 2 (14 oz) cans of diced tomatoes (I used the fire roasted ones)
• 2 (16 oz) cans of black beans (undrained)
• 1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
• avocado, shredded cheddar, tortilla strips or sour cream for topping (optional)

In a soup pot, saute the onions, garlic, jalepeno, and cayenne in the oil for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the onions are translucent. Add the cumin, water, and tomatoes. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.

Chop the sun dried tomatoes. Add them and the beans to the soup and cook for 5-10 minutes longer, until the onions are tender. Stir in the cilantro and remove the soup from the heat. Puree half of the soup in a blender or food processor and return it to the pot. If the soup is too thick, add some water or tomato juice. Reheat gently. Serve with toppings of your choice.

Next in October

My theme word for the year is "next," both a reminder to take one step at a time, and to keep going when things get tough. To do the next right thing to move me toward the big goals and happenings of this year. So, each month I'm looking ahead to what's next.

It's October! Fallelujah! Enough said.

Next in travel... No travel to speak of lately around these parts. But, I do love being home this time of year, fallifying the house and planning for holidays and entertaining ahead. We definitely have a few mountain weekends in mind though. I'll keep you posted.

Next in adoption... I painted one of the kids' rooms, and have been rearranging them both and setting them up. We got the carpets cleaned and both are a blank slate now, ready for some finishing touches. Hopefully we'll have our final home visit by the end of the month, and our agency specialist told us we're her next adoptive family to submit for certification. Also, our friends threw us a suprise adoption shower! More on that Monday. 

Next in writing... This is tricky for me right now. After working on Candid Classroom for the past year and a half, I'm finding myself flailing a bit in the writing department now that the concrete project of finishing the book is over. I'm trying to get back into a more consistent writing schedule, set some goals for completion of a new project, and generally stop staring at the screen blankly. Stay tuned. In the meantime The Girl Next Door Podcast is keeping me busy and so much fun. Check out this week's episode where we freak the freak out about fall!

Next in food... I declare every Sunday this month as soup day. I've discovered how simple and tasty it is to make my own soups, and I can't get enough. There is something so comforting and relaxing about a big pot of soup simmering on the stove on a lazy Sunday afternoon. So every Friday for the rest of the month,  I'll share a Soup of the Week recipe here on the blog, so you can grab your ingredients in time for Sunday.

Next in life... As I've said, we've been purging like crazy around here in preparation for expanding the family, and I am once again reminded about the very real connection between cluttered homes and cluttered lives. I'm feeling more and more passionate about surrounding ourselves with truly useful and/or beautiful things and letting go of the rest to make some breathing room. We are pretty neat people in general, but it is mindblowing how quickly things accumulate.

Dessert and a Drink Rhubarb Recipe

Desserts and drinks are two of my very favorite things. So, when I find a two-for-one recipe that yields not only a cocktail, but also tasty treat, I just have to share. When it involves rhubarb (my pumpkin of the summer) I have to share immediately.

This recipe involves making a rhubarb thyme simple syrup and then turning the leftover cooked down rhubarb into a crisp. It's perfection on two levels, and very easy. I stumbled upon a new blog recently, called Cider & Rye. Michele shares beautiful cocktails and recipes made with fresh, simple ingredients, and takes lovely pictures of them. What's not to love? Her instagram feed is so pretty and inspiring, and I just knew this rhubarb deliciousness needed to happen when she posted a picture of it.

I made it for an upcoming episode of The Girl Next Door Podcast and shared some crisp with Kelsey, but then immediately made more for Memorial Day weekend. It's that good.

The margarita recipe involves first making a rhubarb thyme simple syrup (which would also be tasty in iced tea or lemonade), but leaves you with tasty reduced rhubarb compote, which makes the perfect base for a summer crisp. So, I'm sharing both. Cook once, enjoy twice.

Rhubarb Thyme Margarita

(adapted from Cider & Rye)

Simple Syrup

• 6 C chopped rhubarb
• 2 C of sugar
• 2 C of water
• one bunch of fresh thyme

Combine all in large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is fork tender.

Pour mixture through a strainer lined with cheese cloth (I found cheese cloth at Target. Sounds fancy, but it's not.) Let gravity do the work of separating the liquid from the compote. Save and set aside the compote.

Pour cooled simple syrup into bottle with a fresh thyme sprig and store in fridge for up to two weeks

Margaritas (makes 2)

• 3 oz tequila (I used Hornitos)
• 2 oz orange liqueur (I used Cointreau)
• 4 oz rhubarb thyme syrup (see recipe above)
• 1 oz fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
• a small bunch of fresh thyme to muddle and some for garnish

Rhubarb Crisp

(adapted from Bread & Wine, by Shauna Niequist)

• Cooked down rhubarb compote from making simple syrup
• 1 1/2 C Old Fashioned Oats
• 3/4 C almond meal
• 3/4 C unsalted, raw sliced almonds (pecans are also great)
• 1/3 C Olive Oil
• 1/3 C Maple Syrup
• 1/2 t salt

 Add compote to a 8x8 or 9x9 pan.

Combine all other ingredients in bowl and top the compote with it

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes

Serve alone or with vanilla yogurt (breakfast) or vanilla ice cream (dessert)

How I Meal Plan

I work from home, and am lucky enough to have lots of flexibility built into that arrangement.  You would think that means I always have a spotlessly clean house and four course meals on the table every night, but you would be wrong.   I'm very much still figuring out a system to tackle all the household tasks that need to get done.  First and foremost on that neverending list is grocery shopping/meal planning, and through lots of trial and error, I think I've come up with a pretty good system. While I am no Betty Crocker, my system has definitely improved from my days of teaching full time, during which it was a small miracle that food magically made it into our pantry and fridge and eventually ended up on a paper towel in the microwave plate for dinner.  Here's what's working for us right now:

List making and grocery shopping on Thursdays

Shopping on Thursdays works best for me for a few reaons.   First, the stores tend to have just switched their sales (usually on Wed.), so there is a big selection of sale items available.  Second, I can pick up anything special I might need for weekend gatherings or events since plans are already in place.  I also avoid the weekend or Monday crowds. Bonus - my favorite cashier always works Thursdays.  She is a sweet older lady who's fun to talk to and always makes sure my chips and bread don't get smushed.

Shopping primarily at Target

We have a Super Target in town with a full grocery.  It's so great to take a swing through cute shoes and Nate Berkus' latest collection at the same place I buy deodorant and olives. We do supplement with a few bulk items at Sam's/Costco once a month and fresh produce from the farmer's market occasionally, but for the most part it's a one stop shop, which is very convenient and makes grocery shopping less of a chore.  I also combine their online coupons with the Cartwheel app on my phone.  This week, I saved $19 between those two things.

The grocery notebook

I have a specific notebook that's just for grocery shopping.  I use this one (also found at Target).  It seems to be the perfect size and has two different pockets to keep coupons together.  Every week I open up to a new two page spread.  On the left, I plan meals for the week based on what we already have on hand, what's on sale, etc.  I also do not plan a new meal for every night.  I schedule leftovers, dinners out, or even a frozen pizza right in there.  I also use that space to write down any other recipes I might want to make like banana bread, or a new dessert.  Doing this meal planning first helps me make sure I include any ingredients I need on my list.  On the right I make my list using a four corners method.  I do this so it can all fit on one page by grocery store area.  For example, I might start my dairy list in the upper left corner and meat in the upper right going down, but then produce in the lower left and dry goods in the lower right going up.  This is a little OCD I will admit, but it really makes grocery shopping go faster and ensures I don't forget things.

One person in control of the budget and shopping

I'm responsible for the groceries around these parts.  While Mr. Ladd will certainly run to the store for a few things every once in a while, we find it's easier for one person to primarily take care of it.  We have a set grocery/household budget, and every other week on payday, I take that amount of cash out for the next two weeks.  This has been a huge help in staying on budget and not just throwing random things in the cart.  It's easy (especially when you find cute things at Target) for that grocery bill to creep up, but this really helps.

Being flexible

Lest you think I am an organized control freak when it comes to planning our meals, this is all very flexible, and nothing is set in stone. If we spontaneously decide to order take out instead of making tacos, I just make the tacos the next night.  And, sometimes we're just not in the mood for whatever's on the menu so I keep quick things like quinoa, pasta, and even that frozen pizza on hand.

I hope some of these ideas are helpful for you, and I'd love to hear what you do to organize your grocery shopping and meal planning.  I'm always looking for suggestions in this area.  Also, Kelsey from Rising*Shining and I are always talking about this topic, and we get into it in this episode of The Girl Next Door Podcast.

Grown-Up Mac & Cheese

I talked to my dear friend Jessica last week, barefoot from my big Arizona armchair, while she sat cuddled up in a warm sweater and blanket on her cozy Minnesota couch.  FaceTime is a beautiful invention.  It's so nice for connecting in a deeper way, to see all the familiar hand gestures and facial expressions, and to bridge the gap between Minnesota and Arizona while sitting in each other's living rooms.  We caught up and talked about kids; her two I haven't even met yet, and my two I haven't met yet either.  We talked about careers and our extended families, and had the inevitable weather conversations between a Midwesterner and a Southwesterner.

I've known her since we were both about 13.  We met in middle school.  She knew me before braces, before high school, before Mr. Ladd even, which is rare.  We laughed until we cried on countless summer afternoons, sleepovers, and church youth group winter retreats.  We both got our drivers' licenses and first serious boyfriends the same year.  We argued and debated, and challenged each other to be better as we figured out love, life, faith.  We drove to prom together, looked at colleges together, and were in each other's weddings.  We've been there for some of the lowest and highest moments of each others' lives.  Now we exchange texts and Facebook messages, but there is an irreplaceable connection with someone who's known all versions of you, who you feel you can be your truest self with.  

Adult friendships can be tricky. As we get older and settle into careers and families, I find this time after college and into our 30's the toughest time to maintain old friendships or make new ones. It's a big switch from the high school and college years of built-in social networks with you all day at school, and then on the phone all night.  It's much more complicated when plans aren't just a few feet away, down the dorm hallway with an open door.  Now we actually have to pull out calendars, check schedules, even hire sitters sometimes, for a chance to hang out.  Even a simple conversation sometimes just needs to be scheduled, so she and I have been making conversation dates. I've found it to be one small way to keep in touch with those long distance friendships.  Sometimes a week or two in advance one of us will send a text saying, "We need to catch up. Phone/FaceTime date next week?  What works for you?"  and we put it on our calendar.  It's better to just schedule a time when you know you have an hour or two to sit and truly catch up, because a quick phone call when you haven't talked in a while just never seems to cut it.

There are certain little things that never fail to remind me of Jessica.  Honeysuckle or cherry almond scented lotion always bring back memories.  Movies like Newsies and The Sandlot always recall memories of quoting our way through them more times than I can count.  To this day, I can't eat macaroni without thinking of Jessica.  In high school we used to drive her hand me down Toyota back to her house for lunch a couple times a week.  Sometimes it was boiling hot tomato soup, but frequently on the menu was her "homemade" mac and cheese. It was elbow macaroni with loads of melted butter and shredded cheese in the microwave, and it was so good. 

I came across a mac and cheese recipe a while back that immediately reminded me of Jessica.  It's a sophisticated, decadent, version with gruyere cheese and sauce made from scratch.  I've made it my own, and dubbed it Grown-Up Mac & Cheese.  It reminds me of my friendship with Jessica, and keeping in touch with old friends in general. Much like those friendships, it might be more sophisticated, and take a little more work than the Mac and Cheese of old, but it's good for the soul in the same familiar way.

Grown-Up Mac & Cheese

• 12 oz ziti pasta
  
• 4 oz bacon
• 2 T flour
• 2 C milk
• 6 oz shredded gruyere cheese
• 6 oz shredded fontina cheese
• 3 oz shredded parmesan cheese
• chopped chives

1. Cook pasta and drain pasta.
   
2. Fry bacon meanwhile over medium heat until brown and crisp.  Drain on paper towels.
3. Pour off all but 1 T bacon grease from pan.
4. Add flour to pan and whisk over medium heat. 
5. Pour milk 1/4 C at a time, whisking after each addition until incorporated and smooth.
6. Add cheeses in 3 batches, whisking continually and making sure each batch is mostly melted before addng the next. 
7. Stir pasta into cheese sauce.  It will thicken upon standing. 
8. Divide pasta among individual bowls or ramekins and top with bacon and chives.

How do you stay connected with old friends?  How do you set aside time to make and keep friends with busy careers and families?

Bloody Mary BBQ Chicken

It is still prime grillin' season, and I have an easy summertime supper for you.  There is no need to even put this one into standard recipe form, because it's so easy.  It might sound like a strange combo, but it is super tasty!

Defrost whatever kind of chicken you have in the freezer. Skinless boneless breasts work just as well as drumsticks.

Stick the chicken in a ziploc bag, and marinate it in your favorite Bloody Mary mix for a few hours or even overnight.  I'm partial to ZingZang, but even if you don't drink Bloody Mary's (in which case, we can't be friends), any Bloody Mary mix will do because it's just about the seasoning, and the acid of the tomato juice tenderizing the chicken. 

Cook on the grill, brushing with your favorite BBQ sauce as it cooks. (I have no idea how long this takes.  Ask Mr. Ladd)  Sweet Baby Ray's tends to always be in our pantry.  No need to get fancy and try to make your own unless you want to, but you're on your own with that one.

Serve with anything you think goes good with BBQ chicken.  In my house that's sweet corn on the cob, potato salad, and quite likely a cold beer.  Enjoy!

Favorite Finds

I have kind of a running list of things that I adore.  It's getting pretty full, so I think it's time to share.  I'm not getting paid to promote any of this, I just am really excited about all of these things.  Here's what I'm loving as of late...

At Target

We have a Super Target close to us.  I do most of our grocery shopping there, which is a great excuse to be at Target at least once a week!  Here's a look in my cart.

Wishbone Light Buffalo Ranch
This dressing is great on salads, but my favorite is just to use it as a dip for celery sticks.  It's like wings without the guilt.

Method Tomato Vine All Purpose Cleaner
This stuff is like a garden in a bottle.  It smells incredible and is great for cleaning the kitchen counters.  Plus it's all natural with no harsh chemicals and the bottle is pretty enough to just leave out on the counter.  It's a seasonal limited addition kind of thing, so hurry!  I've been stocking up like mad.  Today it was on sale for $2.66 and I had a $1 coupon today so get in my cart you glorious summer in a spray bottle!

Threshold Organic Blankets
I bought the one in Clownfish Orange, for the guest bedroom, but I really want to get one of each color.  They are the perfect lightweight cotton alternative to a big comforter here in Arizona, and I love the herringbone texture.

Dreyer's Outshine Fruit Bars in Lemon
These are only 2 points on Weight Watchers, and taste like those lemon chills at fairs/carnivals (or if you're from southeastern Wisconsin, Six Flags Great America or Summerfest).

Revlon ColorStay Foundation
As I get older more mature, I'm realizing I need to use foundation regularly to even out my skin tone and provide a good base.  Before it's always just been maybe a little tinted moisturizer and face powder and good to go.   But, lately I've been using Revlon ColorStay Foundation for combination/oily skin (in Warm Golden now that I have a tan), which has a great matte finish for fully made up days or nights out.  I am still experimenting with BB creams and primers for a less made up look (more on that another time)  because it is definitely a full coverage makeup.  But, it  hides shine, spots and wrinkles all day without feeling too cakey or heavy.  It also photographs really well, as I am the queen of the shiny forehead photo otherwise.  They do make another formula for normal/dry skin which has a bit of a satin finish to it for less greasy folk, but I definitely need the matte.

Revlon ColorStay Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain
Ok friends, I tried this on Hollywood Housewife's recommendation the other day.  I am now obsessed - as in I picked up two at Target to try, and had to go to Walgreens later that same day to get 2 more colors obsessed.  I'm usually a lip gloss kind of girl, but sometimes that's just too sticky for me, and often not enough color when you want something kind of bold.  Lipstick seems like too much color sometimes, and I really don't like the texture or way it wears.  This stain is the consistency of a nice moisturizing balm, but with tons of color.  It's also a great way to try bolder colors without looking like a clown. 

On Pinterest

 

Can I just tell you that Pinterest makes me a better person?  No exaggeration.  Now, a lot of my time is wasted on Pinterest, and it can make you feel inadequate if you let it.  But, overall I am far more creative, and life is easier because of Pinterest.
 
Baked Artichoke Chicken
This seems way fancier than it is, but you just throw everything in one pan and stick it in the oven; easy and tasty.

Southwest Quinoa Salad
Absolutely delicious and it is really a filling, hearty, fresh meal.  We had it warm, but it was even better cold the next day.  Perfect for summer!

Confetti Chicken Pasta with Spicy Cream Sauce
I had Mr. Ladd just grill up a few chicken breasts that were marinated in italian dressing and then used half of them for this and half of them for chicken salad the next day.

Breakfast Ham Cups
Everything good about breakfast in convenient, easy to personalize, great to cook for a group little cups.

A Box of Sunshine 
I have now sent out 3 of these boxes of yelow as gifts.  It is so fun to collect all the sunshiny goodies, and it's the perfect gift coming from Arizona to chillier parts of the country.  Such a sweet way to let someone know you are thinking of them.

How about you?  Have you tried any of these?  What are you obsessed with currently? Do share!

WAIST Management - Week 2

Current Weight:  184

Weight Lost This Week:  .6 lbs

Total Weight Lost: 2.3 lbs

I'm moving in the right direction!  It's encouraging and exciting to see pounds, even if they are just fractions of pounds, melting off as I work hard at saying no, getting up, and keeping track.  Here are some insights I've had this week:

Sometimes store-bought is better.  Let me explain.  Usually homemade is a healthier option, right?  There are less preservatives and added salt and sugar.  You know exactly what is going into your recipe, and you are more likely to eat healthy when you are taking the time to plan and prepare things on your own.  Well, this weekend we went out Jeeping (more on that tomorrow), and it has become kind of a tradition to pick up a bag of Chex Mix Muddy Buddies (also known as puppy chow) at the gas station before hitting the trail.  Well, I decided to just make the Muddy Buddies at home this time and bring some along.  Bad idea.  The recipe makes 9 cups of muddy buddies, so there was about 3 times the amount of that crack around the house then there would have been if we just bought one small bag of it.  Lessons learned #1 - I should just cut the recipe in half for making treats so there is not so much around to tempt us.  #2 -  Sometimes buying a small package at the gas station is built in portion control.

Take advantage of what's in season.  Winter in Arizona is actually a really great time for fresh local produce.  I have used every single vegetable or fruit that was in our Chow Share last week from Chow Locally.  The watermelon radishes were tasty and pretty in a salad.  I roasted the beets with  cauliflower, made this veggie version of buffalo wings with the cauliflower, and still have some left for snacking.  I made this winter greens gratin with the mustard greens and red kale.  Then there were Arizona Sweet oranges and Meyer lemons.  Delish.  I've got some Meyer lemon greek chicken marinating currently.   The citrus abounds this time of year, and I am loving it!  Let's just hope it doesn't all freeze in our latest cold snap.  I just heard on the news that this is the longest cold streak we've had in the valley, with temps down in the 20's at night, since 1998.   

Here's to a week of lots of produce and no muddy buddies.  Happy Monday!