The finished product....

Slow cooker beef on top of mashed butternut squash with spinach and side of broccolini

Mashed butternut squash with spinach

1 butternut quash
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp butter
1/4 C grated parmesan
2 handfuls of chopped fresh spinach
1/4 C grated parmesan
1 tbsp butter

1. Preheat oven 425
2. Bake butternut squash 1 hour
3. Lower over temp to 350
4. Remove and allow to cool until you can handle
5. Remove any "guts" and discard
6. Separate squash from skin, discard skin
7. Place squash in bowl, and mash like you would potatoes
8. Add next 6 ingredients and mix
9. Scoop into greased casserole dish
10. Spread remaining paremsan cheese evenly over top of casserole
11. "tear" apart butter and randomly top cheese
12. Bake 10-15 minutes until cheese melted, slightly golden
13. Serve with favorite roasted meat or the Slow cooker beef...

Slow cooker beef

1/3 C flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/2 lbs of beef (I used london broil cut into lg chunks)
1/4 C butter
2-3 sliced shallots (or 1 chopped onion)
1 minced garlic clove
1 C beef broth/stock
3/4 C red wine vinegar
3/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C tabasco sauce (or chili sauce)
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp chili powder

1. Put flour, salt and pepper in ziplock bag
2. Add beef and shake to coat
3. Brown beef in butter in lg skillet
4. Place browned beef in slow cooker
5. In same skillet, combine remaining ingredients
6. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally
7. Pour over beef in slow cooker
8. Cover and cook on low for 9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

Fabulous Carrot Cake from Babbo-Mario Battali's restaurant

Carrot Cake from Babbo

Torta di Carote

1 ½ cups unbleached flour
½ cup almond flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup orange juice
Freshly grated zest of ½ a large lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely grated carrots (about 3 medium carrots)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a 9-inch square pan by greasing and flouring it.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking soda and baking powder, salt and spices.

Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat them on medium speed until they are very light in color and tripled in volume, about two minutes. Beat in the orange juice, lemon zest and vanilla, then beat for another full minute. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until it is all fully incorporated.

Beat in the dry ingredients halfway, then add the grated carrot and beat well, until the dry ingredients have disappeared, about 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the machine and run a spatula through the batter and around the sides of the bowl several times to ensure that all the ingredients are fully combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes, turning the cake halfway through the baking time to ensure it cooks evenly.

The cake is done when it is golden brown, springs lightly back when touched, and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for ten minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool completely. Dust the cake generously with confectioner’s sugar before serving. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

Makes 9 to 12 servings, depending on size

New day in bloom...

I had just dropped off Cinnamon at the kennel (we're going out of town for a couple of days), feeling sad and it started to downpour. Great day...me being sarcastic. Then pulled into my driveway and what do I see? My very first Lily that I have ever grown on my own!!! As you can kind of tell the sign started to shine bright too! So hopefully this a start to a great weekend...NYC here we come!!!!

Smores bars

* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1-1/3 cups (8-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S Mini Milk Chocolate Bars OR 5 HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Bars (1.55 oz. each)
* 3 cups miniature marshmallows


Instructions
1. Heat oven to 350 degree F. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.

2. Beat butter and sugar until well blended in large bowl. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Press half of dough in prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes.

3. Sprinkle mini chocolate bars over baked layer or arrange unwrapped chocolate bars over baked layer, breaking as needed to fit. Sprinkle with marshmallows; scatter bits of remaining dough over marshmallows, forming top layer. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or just until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. 16 bars.

2 years...

It will be 2 years on Monday, June 8 since I left the land of 10, 000 lakes. 2 years. Some days it feels like 10 years other days it feels like 2 weeks since I made that long drive to the East Coast. Has it been worth it? Definitely. In the beginning it was starting an adventure with someone I truly loved. Now I realize it was the start of my life with the love of my life. Of course I miss all that I left behind. I have gained a great home, good friends, a beautiful pup, and a man who takes the good with the bad.

There have been some drawbacks to moving though. I can't just stop and see family on a whim. Or if I don't feel like cooking stopping at Mom and Dad's for dinner. I can't call up my friends for any impromptu girls nights. And I have gained about 30 lbs. I call it my CT weight.

But hopefully that will be gone! I am determined to lose it and today was Day 2 of the beginning of my healthier more active life. I'm not saying I won't have any drawbacks. And there will still be recipes posted on here. I just plan on being more active. Not Jeremy active though....how do you find time to sleep Boy?!

So what have I learned in 2 years? Don't be afraid to take a chance and do something you never thought you would. I was afraid to leave my comfort zone (family, friends, known surroundings). I took a chance and drove my care alone over 1, 000 miles. What did I find? I have a small group of friends that I wouldn't have found if I didn't move here. I've been able to tell family and friends "I love you" and if you know how I grew up, we never said those words.

So too all my family and friends near and far...I LOVE YOU! Now will someone please come and visit me out here?! LOL!

Brownie Bonanza!

· 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) butter, melted, plus a little more for greasing the pan
· 1 1/2 cups sugar
· 2 large eggs
· 2 tablespoons water
· 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
· 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
· 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9 by 13-inch cake pan (aluminum is fine) with butter. Beat the 1 1/2 sticks butter and the sugar together in a large bowl until blended. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then stir in water and vanilla. Sprinkle the salt and baking powder over the mixture, then mix in. Do the same with the cocoa. Finally, stir in the flour until just blended.
This is when I add in whatever I want. (ie, crushed thin mints, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips) Fold the "add in" into the batter thoroughly. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the center is set, the edges look a bit crusty, and the top of the brownies start to crack a little. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Fevers, snow and heat waves!

This week we experienced all three. Jon caught a cold and battled the dreaded fevers for 2 days. He was pretty much out of commission Monday and Tuesday. By Tuesday night he was much better. Monday we woke up to almost a foot of snow. But it was all gone by Friday. With temps in the 50's and 60's, and almost 70 on Saturday! Can you say heat wave?

Balsamic chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 onion sliced
1 garlic clove minced
1/4 c chicken broth
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1/4 c red wine vinegar


Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat medium pan with olive oil. Add chicken. Cook on each side about 3 minutes each. Remove from pan, chicken will not be cooked. Set aside. In same pan add a little more olive oil. Add onions and garlic. Cook until onions are just cooked through, add broth and vinegars. Add chicken. Cover and lower temp to low or simmer. Cook for another 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice and a green vegetable or salad.

Mini meatballs

1 lb ground beef
1/4 c bread crumbs
1/4 c water
1 tbsp italian herb mix (optional)
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp frank's hot sauce (optional)

Preheat oven 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil.
Gently mix above ingredients. Form 1 inch balls, I use a small ice cream scoop.
Bake in preheated oven about 10 minutes or until browned.

Club 30's....

Well yesterday Jon joined Club 30's. It was his 30th birthday and I think it was fabulous! We were both able to have the day off, so that was great! Weeks ago Jon signed us up to do a mystery shop on a restaurant. It is called Barcelona. It is a Spanish-style tapas restaurant. I was sooo excited. Unfortunately, we left disappointed. The food was bland and the menu was pretty limited. But the service was great!

Later on in the day, I think I have found my favorite restaurant so far. It's called Grant's and its in West Hartford Center, and right across the street from the restaurant that Jon chef's at. Grant's was such an amazing experience! The service was great, the atmosphere was cool, and the food was just amazing. For those of you back in MN, beware I will be taking you here when you come to visit! We tried taking pictures, but they didn't turn out well. We forgot the camera and were resorting to camera phones..LOL!

Is winter over yet?

So is winter over yet? I'm ready for it to be over. Bring on Spring! I'm tired of the snow, ice, and cold. I really only need snow for Christmas morning. I definitely could live without the ice and cold! So once again, the driveway needs shoveling. I'm dreaming of the snowblower we'll have next winter...sigh. Tried training Cinna-buns to do the job, but she's not cooperating. Is it too much to ask her to help out with some household duties?

I'm so excited!

I got fantabulous news today! My request for a 4 day work week was finalized. Starting the week of Feb 15 I will be working four 10 hour days! Tuesdays off. So now I get to see Jon for more than a couple hours a day, if that. Lately most of the time we spend together is sleeping. But that's what happens when you work different shifts. He works restaurant hours and I worked bankers' hours. So this will be nice :)

Why is it raining in January???

It was snowing when I went to work. Then I heard it had turned to sleet. When I was going home it was rain! It is not fun chipping away at about 2 inches of snow covered in ice. Then driving my 10 minute commute, which turned into 30 minutes! sigh Well I'm home now. So I can relax a little until its time for Jon to make his drive home. Gotta love the New England winter. We never know what we're going to get!

Recipe of the Day

Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

1 tbsp canola oil
1 md onion minced
1 clove garlic minced
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne
pinch of salt
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
flour or corn tortillas
shredded monterey jack cheese
enchilada sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Spray baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
In pan heat oil, then add onions and garlic. Cook until just softened. Add beans, cumin, salt and cayenne. Stir until just warmed. Remove from heat.
In tortilla, spoon bean mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Roll and place in baking dish seam side down. Repeat until mixture is used or pan is full. Evenly pour enchilada sauce over rolled tortillas. Sprinkle with desired amount of cheese.
Spray aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover dish with sprayed side down.
Bake for 30-35 minutes
Serve with Spanish rice and side salad.

Chúc mừng năm mới!

Or in other words Happy New Year! It is the year of the Ox. Not sure what that means yet, but I know my mom will give me my forecast soon :) Today is also special for another reason. Its my little bro's 1 year anniversary of his wedding to his beautiful wife Michelle. Happy Anniversary Hung and Mick! To an eternity of more anniversaries. So on this day of a new lunar new year, I wish everyone love, happiness, health and prosperity. In which ever order is most important to you.

Joining the fun...

So I thought it was about time to start a blog. So that all of my loved ones can keep up with the goings on with Cinnamon, Jon and myself out here in the Nutmeg State. Yes, Jon and I left the Land of 10,000 Lakes to move to the Nutmeg State. Hopefully I will be able to tell of our adventures out here in New England. And update with pictures of our house. I have been bad and not done either since moving here! But its a new year and anything is possible for 2009 right?!