Surprise

OK this is just a little late... but here is what the surprise was. Challah (braided bread), did you guess it right? To go with those yummy Lentils, so much fun to make.



Baked fresh from my oven


The final result

Someones in the kitchen

Ok so with all this staying home business I have been getting in touch with my domestic cooking self. I love trying new recipes as well as perfecting the old ones I love. Here is the latest fun find.

Hearty Lentil and Sausage Soup

Serves 6

This robust one-pot dinner packs in lentils, sausage and plenty of vegetables, including mushrooms, spinach, onions and garlic. A loaf of crusty bread is the only accompaniment you need for a complete meal.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 pound mushrooms (such as white, cremini, shiitake, portobello and oyster), chopped
1 cup (about 7 ounces) dried French or brown lentils, picked through and rinsed
2 1/2 cups beef broth
2 1/2 cups mushroom or low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup chopped tomatoes, with their juice
1 cup dry red wine
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 pound baby spinach, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Method

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent. Add sausage and cook, breaking into small chunks, until it begins to brown. Add mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms have released most of their liquid. Add lentils, beef broth, mushroom or chicken broth, tomatoes and their juice, wine and pepper flakes; cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add spinach and salt and pepper, stir well and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes more; stir in thyme. Ladle soup into bowls and top with Parmesan.

Here is the web link to the recipe. I found it on wholefoods market website. http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/408








Warm oil and add chopped, carrots, celery, onion and garlic.




Chopped Sausage ( I used Staggs all natural Chicken sausage, Mango Habanero flavor)

Add sausage to veggies

Chopped Crimini Mushrooms

Add Mushrooms to mixture

Chicken and beef broth. I use Better than Bouillon organic Chicken base and Beef base. You just add 1 teaspoon for every 8 oz of water.


My moms canned tomatoes, juice and all.


1 cup of lentils rinsed and ready to go


Add the broth, tomatoes and Lentils and simmer for 30 mins.

Once lentils are cooked.. add fresh spinach stir and simmer again for a few mins.

Enjoy!!


I also have a special surprise I am making with the soup... See if you can guess.....

Ok a little close peak....

Months 4 & 5

Where has the time gone! Here is months 4 & 5 updated in one lovely little post.

In September we ventured across the country to Florida to attempt a vacation to Walt Disney World. It was memorable to say the least but not quite the vacation we had anticipated it to be. We were thankful for the opportunity to travel with friends however I think we have a new found appreciation of traveling far with young ones let alone going to theme parks with two 2 year olds and a 4 month old baby. FUN TIMES!! Once I get my act together there maybe some pictures to show, but for now you will just have to take my word on that.

October was a roller coaster ride for me as I started back to work. What a hard thing that was for me... much more difficult than I thought it would be. That said I quit my job 4 weeks later and am now staying home with my sweet baby boy. He is so much fun to be around that it was killing me to miss this precious time. So I am officially a stay at home MOM and I LOVE it.

As for Landan, he has started to roll from his tummy to his back and loves playing on his back. He is not too sure what to do when he is on his tummy but we are working on that. He laughs and plays and loves to discover his new toys. I will be starting him on solids at 6months and so looking forward to that.

Hope Fall is treating everyone well.... I am sure loving it!



Big smile at 4 months

5 Months
I just love the CRAZY hair

Sneak Peek

Here is a sneak peek (a little taster if you will) of Landan's 3 months pictures... taken by none other than his Auntie Christina. I can't wait to see the rest!

3 Months

So Landan is 3 months, and with the delay of this posting he is actually closer to 4 now. Here is his 3 month picture with his bear taken on his actual 3 month mark. I love seeing how much he is growing and am loving every minute I am able to spend with my sweet baby boy.

12 Weeks

Landan Turned 12 weeks on Aug 11th. Here are some pictures I tried to duplicate to notice the difference of when we 1st came home with Landan vrs him at 12 weeks.

July Happenings

Here are some of the things that we did in the month of July.


Katelyn turned 3 so we celebrated at the English Rose Tea House in Pleasanton.







Katelyn loves to hold Baby Landan, Everytime we are together she asks to hold him.


It's been so nice to have the time to spend these summer days with my sister and all the kiddos (between the 2 of us we have 4). Here we are with my mom getting Kyles 1st official hair cut.


Landan's Mohawk after a bath


My little Chubber Bubber


Landan loves his play mat


Me and My cousin Patty. We were inseparable as kids.



My Father-in-law and Nate finished our back splashes

4th of July BBQ at my in-laws, My sister in law took these fun pictures

Landan in his 4th of July outfit. We stayed home on the 4th and watched fireworks on the TV.


Some other things we did that I don't have pictures of, Nate and I celebrated 7 years of marital bliss together. Landan stayed with my sister while Nate and I went out to dinner, Simply Fondue in Livermore, I highly recommend it. It was so fun to get out and have time together, not to mention all the yummy food.

One other HUGE thing for me this month was Landan started sleeping longer stretches thru the night. Ahh 8 hours of sleep for me again was AMAZING! Let's hope it lasts.


July come and gone. Gotta love summer time.