recipe month - skillet poached huevos rancheros

An easy brunch or dinner...courtesy of Real Simple.

Ingredients

1 16 oz jar salsa

1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed

4 large eggs

kosher salt & black pepper

2 scallions, sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

4 small flour tortillas, warmed

1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

• In a large skillet, combine salsa & beans. Bring to a simmer.
• Make 4 small wells in the bean mixture. One at a time slide eggs into the wells. Season with salt & pepper. Cook covered over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.
• Sprinkle with cilantro & scallions. Divide among plates & serve with tortillas & sour cream.

...and we're back.

It's been a long few weeks, but things seem to have calmed down now.  At least for a while.

So first, a video of each of the girls & an update...since they are the important ones!

Cassidy is getting so big! She's talking & talking lately, which is nothing new, but words are getting clearer. She speaks in short sentences most of the time - although needs some reminding about it. We're so proud of her lately since "please", "thank you" & "you're welcome" are beginning to come naturally. She's still definitely two & shows it sometimes, but is starting to understand & verbalize feelings. The other night she was none to happy about going to bed & I had to take a deep breathe to remain calm.  She looked at me & said, "You frustrated Mama? I give you big hug...feel better?" Pretty good for two, right?

Kalea is growing like a weed. She had her 6 month appointment last week (yes, even though this week she turned 7 months!). Her updated stats are: 16 lbs 2 oz (50th percentile for weight), 28 inches long (90th percentile for height).  The pediatrician said she was just perfect for growth & development. We have to agree. In the last week she's found her voice & is constantly babbling. It's ridiculously adorable.

Michael & I are also doing pretty well. My work conference went pretty well & I'm glad it's over for this time around. We got some good & constructive feedback for next time around. We also got some not so constructive feedback from attendees who complained that we had the conference on a day that it snowed. If only I were so powerful to control that! But, I too was quite surprised that it snowed the last two days of April & into the first few days of May! I'm spending this week wrapping things up & then on to the next project - National Health Center Week (8/8-8/14). Michael has been keeping busy at work as well. I think, though, we're both looking forward to summer & a vacation. Maybe this will be the year we get to the beach. Can you believe that, in the almost 7 years we've know each other, we've never been to the beach? It's a little ridiculous.

Lastly, I'm trying to get back to the Blog Dare topics. Today is "Tasteful Tuesday" & I'd like to share my new favorite cookie from a box. May I present "Newman-O's Hint O'Mint" cookies. I am an Oreo fan, but these are better. Newman's regular Newman-O's are good, probably better than regular Oreos. But these are just fantastic. And they carry them at our regular grocery store too, not just the fancy-schmancy grocery store.  Try them!

fresh tomato, sausage, and pecorino pasta

Something that I'd like to add to our blog is a running list of good food we make. I'm sure it will progress from this initial post (where I'm simply going to list the recipe with my comments & use the stock picture from Cooking Light) to something a little more exciting (maybe I'll do step by step pictures sometimes!).

I really enjoy cooking. It makes me feel good to put ingredients together a certain way & have a nutritious, good looking & good tasting meal come out of it. I try to include Cassidy in meal preparation (she does a bang up job as the ingredient taster!) & hope that, in doing so, she will learn to try new & different foods. Already we're pretty proud that she'll try almost anything we give her. She may not eat more than a bite, but for a two year old I think that's pretty impressive. So, on to today's meal which, by the way, Cassidy will chow down on like a crazy person. And it's easy to make - usually,from prep to table, it takes me less than a half hour. My comments are in italics.

Fresh Tomato, Sausage & Pecorino Pasta (from Cooking Light, September 2009)

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 2 cups pasta mixture, 1 tablespoon cheese, and 1 tablespoon basil)

Ingredients

• 8  ounces uncooked penne I've also used bowtie pasta with success - C loves it.
• 8  ounces sweet Italian sausage We, being vegetarian, use Morningstar Italian Sausage
• 2  teaspoons olive oil
• 1  cup vertically sliced onion
• 2  teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/4  pounds tomatoes, chopped My favorite time to make this is in the summer with tomatoes right out of the garden.
• 6  tablespoons grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese, divided Or the regular Romano or Parmesan that's already in your fridge!
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1/8  teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4  cup torn fresh basil leaves When it's winter & we don't have any from the garden I use the freeze dried stuff from the store - I think it's the next best to fresh.

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

While it's cooking chop your onion, garlic, tomatoes & basil. If you're using the Morningstar Italian Sausage, which comes frozen, nuke it in the microwave for about 30 seconds to thaw it a little prior to following the next direction.
 
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add sausage and onion to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring to crumble sausage. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 2 tablespoons cheese, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and basil.

Let me know if you try it & what you (& your family!) think!