Twice Baked Potatoes

Sometimes you just gotta have meat and potatoes; nothing less will suffice. On those kinda days, you may want to think about preparing these twice baked potatoes. There's even some nutritional value in the form of sweet potatoes aka a superfood. Cheesy healthiness? Sounds like a win!

Next time, I think I'll use a mixture of cheeses on the top so you can actually see the cheese. Afterall, you eat with your eyes first :) Cheddar is just a little too similar in color to the sweet potatoes!

Ingredients

• 2 large russet potatoes
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 5 scallions chopped (reserve about a tablespoon of green portion for garnish)
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1-2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon white pepper
• Optional: ½ pound bacon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place russet potatoes and sweet potato on center rack of oven and bake 30 minutes. (Place sweet potato on a small sheet of foil to catch drips). Open oven, flip potatoes and prick with a fork. Bake for another 30 minutes. Sweet potato may need another 15-30 minutes - bake until soft. Remove potatoes from oven to cool.
3. Turn oven down to 375 degrees.
4. In a bowl, mix together scallions (except for reserved tops to be used later for garnish), butter, shredded cheddar cheese, salt and pepper.
5. Lay baking potatoes flat and cut in half horizontally. Scoop out each potato down to the skin (but leave enough potato so it keeps its shape) and place the filling in a large mixing bowl. Remove skin from sweet potato (you can also leave skin on!) and place in the bowl with the scooped-out russet potato filling.
6. Roughly mash both potatoes with potato masher. Add cheese mixture and stir until smooth.
7. Fill each potato with mixture, dividing evenly between the four halves.
8. Sprinkle additional cheese on each filled half and place on sheet pan.
9. Bake for 30 minutes or until mixture is hot and just golden brown.
10. Top each with chopped scallion greens and serve immediately.

4 years ago: LakeHouse Trip

3 years ago: Hot day needs ice cream!

2 years ago: Milne Point Camp

1 year ago: Ptarmigan Lakes Pt 2

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5 years: Wooden Silverware?

Because Ross's sheep hunt coincided with our actual anniversary, it bought me a little extra time to think of something to get him. Afterall, Ross set the bar pretty high by surprising me with a diamond necklace. (Maybe this will become a once in five year event??)

Anyhow, I thought a more thoughtful gift was in order this year. I googled "anniversary presents by year"; the traditional interpretation of the 5 year anniversary present was wood and the modern interpretation for 5 years was silverware. So, this got me thinking of comment Ross made over dinner at a nice restaurant (after he pulled out the diamonds)... He said that the steak knives were really nice and that we should get some.

Jackpot. Wood AND silverware in one. Steak knives it is. Genius. Williams Sonoma had just what I was looking for: Laguiole Knives with wood handles.

Each knife is a unique wood, inlaid with a unique metal pattern.

6 different types of wood: Olive, Apple, Noyer, Juniper, Boxwood, & Prune

Sliced through the steak like a dream. And yes, that's Caribou!

4 years ago: Salum we Alaikum

3 years ago: Cajun Jambalaya

2 years ago: Dorie's Toffee Bars

1 year ago: Ptarmigan Lakes

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New Music: Fifth Harmony

Somehow I stumbled across the music group "Fifth Harmony" and their YouTube cover of Taylor Swift's song "Red."

Ummm, hello people who can actually sing.

Which version do you prefer?

Here's Fifth Harmony's cover of "Red":



Compared to Taylor Swift's original version of "Red":



I'm pretty sure I'm Team Fifth Harmony on this one...

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Family Caribou Hunt

Ross, Roma, and I made a last minute trip North to do a weekend family Caribou hunt. Let's just cut to the chase...

YES!!!

We saw quite a few other hunters and Alaska has such strict hunting rules (only this specific area and it must be a bull not a cow, etc) that we were not feeling overly confident about killing a caribou. So, we made it more about the "together time".  We stopped in Talkeetna for some Roadhouse bakery deliciousness, made the long drive, put the boat in the water about 5pm, and set-up camp once we got upriver about 9pm.

We saw a complete rainbow on our drive out to the Susitna river. 

Just set-up our tent.

Dusk in the wilderness.

Camping with Roma is always an adventure. Her teeth were chattering as we were going to bed, even with her jacket on, so ross wrapped her up in a towel. 

The next morning we woke up to a gorgeous day! We were kinda lazy getting out of bed-- the sleeping bags were so warm! We feasted on a Mountain House (dehydrated eggs, sausage, and hash browns) and had hot chocolate/coffee. We saw a couple other hunters cruise by on the river before we packed up.

Where's Roma?

Happy 6th Birthday Roma! We're pretty sure she had lots of fun on her special day.

Captain Roma

On the lookout

"Glassing"

As we were cruising along I saw a caribou on the left bank. It was the first we had seen our whole trip!

E: "Ross LOOK!!!"

R: "It's probably a cow, see the small antlers. Wanna look in the binoculars?" 

E: "Ok, I'm looking, but how can you tell it's not a boy? I can't tell"

R: "Let me see the binoculars again"

E: "Well, what would you do if it was a boy? Do you have all your stuff together ready to shoot"

R: "It's a bull, I'm going to shoot"

In the meantime, the caribou had decided he needed to swim across the river right in front of us. When he got to the right bank, BOOOOM! Dead with a single shot. But, he fell back into the water and started drifting down the river. So there was some chaos as we unbeached the boat and intercepted him, but it all worked out. And now we have a story AND a full freezer!

Quite possibly Roma's favorite birthday ever :)

4 years ago: There are Hits and Misses

3 years ago: It's a Birthday!

2 years ago: Guess Who Turns 4?

1 year ago: Roma Turns 5

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Skillet Chicken Parmesan

How long has it been since you've had a good (I mean really good) chicken parmesan?

It probably wasn't in your own kitchen... but it can be next time, with this recipe (girlcarnivore.com)!

FYI, this meal ranked very high on Ross's Effort vs Reward Matrix too :)

Cheesy deliciousness!

Ingredients

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 day-old baguette
• 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbs finely chopped fresh basil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 15oz can tomato puree
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teas red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Recipe

• Take out some workday frustration and pound the chicken between two sheets of plastic or in a heavy duty bag to 1/4″ – 1/2″ thick.
• Dice the baguette into cubes, and place in a food processor a few at a time with the motor running to make coarse crumbs. You want about 1 1/4 cups total when all said and done.
• In a large ovenproof nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbs olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast, about 3 minutes, stirring. Add 2 tbs parmesan cheese and cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a plate or bowl and stir in the 2 tbs of the basil.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Return the skillet to the cook top and add the remaining olive oil. Season the chicken with 1/4 teas salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to another plate.
• Return the skillet to the cook top and add the tomato puree, fill the can with water and add it to the skillet as well. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and 1 tbs of parmesan. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium / medium-low and simmer, stirring as needed until the sauce has thickened, 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining basil and season with salt and pepper as needed.
• Add the chicken back to the skillet and turn to coat. Top with remaining parmesan cheese and some of the bread crumbs. Spread the mozarella cheese on top and the rest of the bread crumbs. Place under the broiler until the cheese has melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

4 years ago: 2 Years Old!

3 years ago: Baked Shrimp

2 years ago: iPhone Pictures

1 year ago: Goodbye Summertime

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Soon to be Six

There's a big day coming up this weekend...

Can you believe that Roma is turning 6 years old??!

I doesn't seem that long ago when were potty training Roma at my apartment in Houston; every time someone would use the bathroom, she would go tinkle on the carpet too :)

The first couple nights she slept in a laundry basket next to the bed so she wouldn't howl.

And now she's 80 lbs of grey, furry love. Mommy's little baby girl :)

4 years ago: 2 Years Old!

3 years ago: Natalie's Bachelorette

2 years ago: Skinny Raven Half Marathon

1 year ago: Peanut Soba with Edamame and Kale

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Bronson's First Bday

Bronson celebrated his First birthday a couple weeks ago. He had a birthday party, complete with lots of other babies (and their adults) and a cake all to himself. What a big boy!!

LOUD noises!!

Spectators. 

4 years ago: Baseball & Ceiling Fans

3 years ago: Boys will be Boys

2 years ago: Kitchen Update

1 year ago: Newborn Pictures: Baby Bronson

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Greek Pasta Salad

I really love a good cold pasta salad; it's one of my go-to meals when I don't know what to make. (or when ross is out of town). I double up on the recipe (well, the veggies at least) and it feeds me for days.

I found this recipe, which includes a Sun-Dried tomato dressing that I really enjoyed. This picture is sub-par and doesn't do it justice!

Ingredients

For the dressing:
1 garlic clove
7 sun-dried or slow-roasted tomato halves, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp plain nonfat yogurt
1 tsp Greek seasoning
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 tsp agave nectar (or honey, or sugar substitute)
5-6 tsp water

For the salad:
8 oz rotini (I used whole wheat)
1-1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 red onion, diced
1 cup diced cucumber (I use seedless English cucumber)
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, or more to taste

Optional topping: toasted walnuts, grilled chicken

Directions

In a blender, combine all dressing ingredients, and blend on high speed until smooth. If you'd like the dressing thinner, add a bit more water. Set aside.

Bring 4 quarts of water to the boil in a large pot. Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and add to a large mixing bowl.

Combine all remaining ingredients in the mixing bowl along with as much of the dressing as you like. Top with toasted walnuts, serve at room temperature.

4 years ago: Baseball & Ceiling Fans

3 years ago: Weekend Drink

2 years ago: Thai Beef Salad

1 year ago: iPhone Picture Round-Up

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Hawaiian Ladies Night

Kelley hosted an extra special Hawaiian themed ladies night tonight! We had pulled pork sandwiches, pineapple, coconut rice, and ahi tuna. Delish!

Our surprise post-dinner activity was making Hawaiin Leis :) Kelley ordered fresh flowers from Hawaii. Ummm, Kelley is definitely stepping up the dinner party game, that's for sure!

Fresh flowers!

Clockwise from me: Kim, Sierra, Catherine, Allison, Emily, & Kelley

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Strawberry Bruschetta

Last Sunday I "hosted" Stamp Club, but since we meet at the same place every month hosting basically just means that I provided the snacks. I went back and forth on what to bring, but I knew I wanted to provide a dessert, a salad, and a protein. When I went to Costco the strawberries looked yummy, so naturally I had to buy them. Which meant I had to find a recipe that used lots of strawberries...

Enter Strawberry Bruschetta, served with fresh basil and creamy feta. It was a hit a stamp club so it will probably be a hit at your next dinner party too!

Strawberry feta bruschetta
Recipe adapted from zap*


French Bread
Feta cheese, slice block
Strawberries
Honey
Balsamic vinegar
fresh mint and basil leaves

Cut the baguette into diagonal, thick slices. Brush with oil and put under broiler about 10 minute until crispy.
Slice the feta and arrange on hot toast. 
Slice or quarter the strawberries, depending on size, sweeten with honey (to taste) and pile on the feta. Add a handful of mint and basil leaves. Drizzle some balsamic on top.
Serve.

4 years ago: Mom & Brother Visit

3 years ago: Problem Solvers

2 years ago: Roma's Summer Time

1 year ago: Curried Chicken in Pepper Sauce

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First salmon run, in a boat!

We adopted a new fishing motto this year. It goes something like this, "Fish until it's not fun, then stop" and so far it's been working out really well for us  me. We've got a nice stash of silvers and reds to last us through the winter.

A few weeks ago, Ross and I took out the boat on its inaugural trip for Reds. It was beautiful weather and just nice to be out on the water. (But don't get me wrong, fishing is WAY more fun when you're actually catching fish).

It makes me happy to look at sunny pictures because it's been raining the last 5 days...

Our booty, on a stringer!

What, like they're heavy?

We realized we need a better set-up to fillet, including astroturf and a folding table.

4 years ago: Mom & Brother Visit

3 years ago: No Flowers, Lots of Love

2 years ago: Which One?

1 year ago: Reed Lakes Le Duex

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