April 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008, by Leigh Anne
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“Feeding the people we love”
Today’s Lovely Lemon recipe is one I have had in my file for over a year. It was given to me by my brother’s mother-in-law, Marilyn. Last year when we were together for my nephew’s birthday, Marilyn told me about this amazing dessert she had made for Easter dinner. It was a lemon recipe so of course I had to have it. Marilyn graciously emailed me a copy of the recipe. I printed it off and stuck it in my file.
I pulled the recipe out this week because you see, last week, I attended Marilyn’s funeral. The last time I saw Marilyn was a year ago when she shared this recipe with me so I thought it was fitting that, in memory of Marilyn, I tried the recipe this week.
Marilyn was small in stature but large in spirit. She was a successful entrepreneur who loved beautiful things, fashion, good food and most importantly her family. We did not see Marilyn often but when we did she always made us feel welcome and took the time to talk with us and find out what was happening in our lives.
Marilyn’s recipe was originally called Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Pie in Toasted Pecan Crust. It is from Jamie’s Restaurant in Pensacola, Florida. Marilyn was right - it is amazing. In fact as I tucked one of my girls in bed last night she commented, half asleep, “That dessert you made tonight was really good.” Later as I climbed in bed with sweet hubby, he too commented, “I really liked that lemon dessert you made tonight.” So it is a keeper, but from now on it will be known, at least at our house, as Marilyn’s Lemon Curd and Ice Cream Pie.
LA Notes: Be sure and use quality ice cream. I used my ice cream of choice, Haggen Dazs. The pie is made in stages and needs freezing between each stage so make sure and allow yourself enough time.
Lemon Curd
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
6 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. finely grated lemon peel
pinch of salt
Crust
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
3 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened, divided
Meringue
4 large egg whites, room temperature
pinch of cream of tartar
6 Tablespoons sugar
For Lemon curd: Whisk eggs and egg yolks in medium bowl. Melt butter in medium metal bowl set over large saucepan of simmering water. Whisk in sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt; gradually whisk in egg mixture. Whisk until thick and thermometer inserted into curd registers 178-180 degrees; about 8 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Press plastic wrap on top of curd, chill 4 hours (Do Ahead: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled)
For Crust: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix pecans, sugar, and butter in medium bowl until moistened. Press pecan mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9 inch diameter glass pie dish (mixture will be crumbly). Bake until crust is lightly toasted, about 12 minutes (crust will sip down sides of dish as it cooks). Use back of spoon to press crust back into place. Cool on crust on rack. Freeze crust 30 minutes.
Dollop 1 1/2 cups ice cream over crust; spread into even layer. Spread lemon curd over ice cream; freeze until firm, about 2 hours. Dollop 1 1/2 cups softened ice cream over lemon curd, spread into even layer. Cover and freeze until firm, about 2 hours
For Meringue: Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until frothy. Beat in cream of tartar. With mixture running gradually add sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon meringue over pie, spreading to seal at edges and swirling decoratively.
You can freeze it again at this point if you want or you can cook the meringue and serve. To toast the meringue you can either use a kitchen butane torch, toasting meringue until golden in spots or place pie in a preheated 500 degree oven until meringue is golden in spots, watching to prevent burning, about 5 minutes. Cut pie into wedges, serve immediately.
Popularity: 36% [?]
Categories: Nourish, Recipes
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Tuesday, April 29, 2008, by Leigh Anne
“The things that make you feel, think, laugh”
Sorry there was no new post yesterday but it was “re-entry” day at our house. You know - the day after you return from a trip. There’s the mail, the email, the voicemail, the unpacking, the laundry, the empty refrigerator and the kids that need some attention! Now if my body can just re-adjust to Pacific time everything will be great. Jim and I had a fabulous time in Florida and loved the break and the sun! I tried to soak in as much Vitamin D as I could.
Our trip to Florida was a gift from my company to the top level leaders. They spoiled us with 4 nights/5 days in the beautiful luxury Marriott resort on Marco Island. We enjoyed wonderful food, spa time, fun shopping, exciting excursions, pool and beach time and did I mention SUN!
One of my favorite excursions was the Shelling/Dolphin boat trip. If you have never been to Marco Island (it is the southwest tip of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico) the beach there is covered with millions of shells. I really don’t even think there is sand - it is just crushed shell. If you are from Oregon you know that it is an exciting day when you find an intact shell on the Oregon Coast - well in Florida they are everywhere!
Our boat took us out to a private island that was only used for shelling. The beach there was covered with shells. As everyone departed the boat they began walking along the shore line collecting the shells that lined the beach.
I noticed a woman walking by who had a bucket full of shells. But they were not the shells that were so abundant along the beach - they were not the common shells you can find everywhere on Marco Island - these shells were different. They were beautiful.
I wanted shells like hers.
As I watched her, she did not walk along the shore line like everyone else. She actually got into the water. So I decided if I was going to find shells like hers I too was going to have to get into the water - to get wet. So I lifted up my cover-up and got into the water.
These particular shells were not as abundant as the others - I had to search for them and sometimes I had to wade out a bit farther than I really wanted to and get a bit wetter than I really wanted to. I had to step on some pretty bumpy terrain a few times and almost lost my balance a time or two. But I found them - the beautiful shells I wanted.
My shells are now home with me, in a glass bowl on my kitchen counter - I love them. They will be a reminder of our wonderful time in Florida but they also remind me of something else.
They remind me of those goals that we set - whether it is one of the goals we have set for our 40 Days of Fanatical Focus or a more long term goal.
When we set a goal:
1. We are setting ourselves apart. We are not looking for the common, everyday. Just like I didn’t want those shells that were so abundant on the beaches, I wanted the unique shells - we want to accomplish something unique, something different.
2. We need to look for a guide. Someone who has done it before us, someone who has forged the path for us and has provided a map that we can follow, just like the woman I saw with the bucket of beautiful shells. By watching her and what she did I knew where to find those shells - in the water!
3. We need to differentiate ourselves from the crowd. We need to be willing to not follow the easy path - walking along the shoreline where all the common shells are. We need to veer off the path and get into the water - we need to get wet!
4. We need to realize that we may need to get wetter than we want and maneuver over some rough terrain but that it will be worth it. By getting wet and enduring a little pain I found what I was looking for - I found seashell success.
5. After we have found success we need to share it with others. When I got back on the boat to sail back to the hotel, Jody Summers, another top leader in my company was also on the excursion. She had not found any of the beautiful shells that I had so I shared a few with her.
Greater joy can be found in our success when we are willing share it with others.
Here’s wishing you Seashell Success!
Popularity: 26% [?]
Categories: Goals, Inspire
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Friday, April 25, 2008, by Leigh Anne
“Feeding the people we love”
This Friday’s Favorite was not on the original meal plan for the week but when I received the phone call that our friends, The Kangs, had just had their SIXTH baby girl and asked if I could take dinner in - I knew what I would make.
This is my favorite meal to make when I am asked to take dinner into someone; first, because it is so good and second, because it makes a TON - and I mean a TON!!
I halved the recipe and had enough to fill two 9 x 13’s!! One for us and one for them.
LA Notes: When precooking the pasta be sure and cook it “al dente” so that it doesn’t get too soft after baking the dish in the oven. Don’t let the amount of cream used scare you too much (this is not a low calorie dish) - remember it makes a TON!
The Kangs loved it and asked for the recipe so I thought I’d share it with all of you.
Just had to share a picture of the darling Kang girls with my two girls - this was taken before Baby Lilly was born but you will know exactly what Lilly looks like when you look at her sisters - DARLING!
I found the recipe on the food blog Pimp My Dinner - remember I halved the recipe!
Ingredients:
12 oz. grilled chicken breast (marinate in olive oil and garlic salt overnight, then grill on barbecue for best flavor)
½ pack thick bacon
48 oz. (3 boxes) penne pasta
2 large red bell peppers- diced
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
½ tsp paprika
Gratinata Sauce:
2 tsp butter
2 tsp chopped garlic
1 cup marsala wine OR 1/3 cup apple juice + 2 tbsp red wine vinegar +enough chicken broth to equal 1 cup
1 tsp dijon or dry mustard
1 tsp salt1 tsp chopped rosemary
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
8 cups heavy cream
Directions:
Sauté garlic in butter in large pan. Add marsala wine, mustard, salt, rosemary, cayenne pepper, and heavy cream.Cook pasta according to directions. Cook bacon. Slice chicken into medium-bite size pieces.Combine sauce, cooked pasta, diced chicken, cooked bacon, bell peppers, parmesan cheese, and paprika and mix thoroughly. Spread in pans. Top with chopped rosemary and mozzarella cheese.
Bake @ 475 for 10 minutes. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator the day of. Cover with foil and bake @ 375 for 1 hour. Remove foil during the last 15 minutes.
Number Of Servings: Yields one 8×8 and two 9×13 casserole dishes.
Preparation Time: More than an hour
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Categories: Friday Favorites, Nourish, Recipes
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Thursday, April 24, 2008, by Leigh Anne
No new post today because Jim and I are reacquainting ourselves with the sun - in Marco Island, Florida. Hopefully as you read this we are lounging poolside at our hotel with a group of other top leaders from my company networking and having a wonderful time together - and yes, I will be reading a couple of good books I brought along too!
Check back tomorrow though for a Friday Favorite recipe! It’s a good one.
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Wednesday, April 23, 2008, by Leigh Anne
Yes, there is another birthday at our house this week. My two sweet college boys are exactly two years and five days apart.
Clark James turns 22 today! Unfortunately, Jim and I are on our way to Marco Island, Florida (well - fortunate for us - unfortunate for Clark) and Clark will be on a plane home this evening for his break between semesters. We are sad we will miss most of Clark’s visit home but he will have a good time with his two sisters and rest assured I have stocked the house really well with all of Clark’s favorites. There are ten bottles of Gatorade in the garage refrigerator and the cupboards are overflowing!
I wanted to share one of my favorite photos of Clark - he was 18 months old.
I had this picture taken right before his father MADE ME cut those beautiful blonde curls off. Daddy just couldn’t handle having people ask if he was a boy or a girl! So off they came and they never grew back. So sad!
I love this picture too - it was taken last summer during our family reunion at the beach right after Clark had returned from his two year church mission to Chile.
You may wonder how a 5′2″ woman married to a 5′10″ man ended up with a 6′1″ son??? Well - that 5′10″ man has a brother that is 6′7″ - that’s how!
I love my big boy! Clark may look like a big, tough guy but he has such a gentle heart. If Clark is anywhere around babies or little children you can be sure that he will be rolling around on the floor with them or holding that baby.
One of my favorite memories is the night we brought Baby #3, our first sweet baby girl, home from the hospital. It was the middle of the night and she was sleeping in a cradle in our room. She woke up crying. As I got out of bed I saw that 3 year old Clark was already there, rocking the cradle, trying to soothe his new little baby sister back to sleep.
What a sweetie. Clark just completed his sophomore year of college, majoring in American History. He is planning on attending law school after completing his undergraduate degree.
Happy Birthday Clark - we love you and are so proud of you!!!
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Categories: Family
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Tuesday, April 22, 2008, by Leigh Anne
“Feeding the people we love”
Today’s recipe is for my southern, biscuit loving friend Sherra. Don’t all good southern girls love biscuits?
If you ever visit food blogs you may have discovered a weekly challenge that many of the food bloggers participate in - Tuesdays with Dorie. The group is, recipe by recipe, baking their way through Baking from my Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. Each week a recipe is chosen and each food blogger puts their own spin on it and posts their version and photos on their food blog.
I have enjoyed watching their weekly challenges and even trying a few at home - maybe some day I’ll get brave enough to officially join the group.
A couple of months ago the recipe of the week was Pecan Sour Cream Biscuits. I copied it off and finally gave it a try for Sunday dinner this week. They are awesome!!
My husband commented not once, but twice at the dinner table on how amazing they were. Later in the day I overheard him on the phone to his mother when he told her that I had made “the best biscuits he had ever tasted” for dinner that day.
Now, my husband is not a southern boy, he is an Idaho boy, but he sure liked those biscuits!
LA Notes: If you have not made biscuits before, the trick is to handle the dough as little as possible - the less you handle it, the fluffier the biscuits. I used frozen butter and then grated it instead of cutting it in with a pastry blender. It worked great! I bought my pecans already chopped and toasted from Trade Joe’s. The brown sugar in the dough makes these biscuits extra yummy! I also used skim milk because that’s all we had in the house. Maybe it saved us a few calories?!
2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/3 cup cake flour)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
5 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces* (or grate frozen butter)
1/2 cup cold sour cream
1/4 cup cold whole milk
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans, preferably toasted
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425F. Get out a sharp 2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter, and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
Whisk the flour(s), baking powder, salt and baking soda together in a bowl. Stir in the brown sugar, making certain there are no lumps. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You’ll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between - and that’s just right.
Stir the sour cream and milk together and pour over the dry ingredients. Grab a fork and gently toss and turn the ingredients together until you’ve got a nice soft dough. Now reach into the bowl with your hands and give the dough a quick, gentle kneading - 3 or 4 turns should be just enough to bring everything together. Toss in the pecans and knead another 2 to 3 times to incorporate them.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Dust the top of the dough very lightly with flour and pat the dough out with your hands or roll it with a pin until it is about 1/2 inch high. Don’t worry if the dough isn’t completely even - a quick, light touch is more important than accuracy.
Use the biscuit cutter to cut out as many biscuits as you can. Try to the cut the biscuits close to one another so you get the most you can out of this first round. By hand or with a small spatula, transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet. Gather together the scraps, working them as little as possible, pat out to a 1/2-inch thickness and cut as many additional biscuits as you can; transfer these to the sheet. (The biscuits can be made to this point and frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight and kept for up to 2 months. Bake without defrosting - just add a couple more minutes to the oven time.)
Bake the biscuits 14 to 18 minutes, or until they are tall, puffed and golden brown. Transfer them to a serving basket.
Popularity: 34% [?]
Categories: Nourish, Recipes
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Monday, April 21, 2008, by Leigh Anne
Last week I shared with you one of my goals for my 40 Days of Fanatical Focus - to work on my high school senior daughter’s scrapbook using a Fifteen Minute Focus 5 days a week and 2 Power Hours a week.
Before I report in on my progress I want to thank those of you who are joining me and who shared your goals - thank you! It’s not too late - leave a comment today and let me know what you are going to focus on for the next 40 days!
Well - now for my report -I wasn’t totally focused! Those 15 minutes a day just didn’t happen but I am happy to report that the 2 Power Hours did happen this weekend, so progress was made. Even though I wasn’t totally focused I moved forward and accomplished more than I would have otherwise!
I hope to do better this week even though I will be out of town for four days. (I won’t count those 4 days in the 40!)
I decided not to start out with four goals (Health, Spiritual, Family, Business) all at the same time - instead I will add in a new one each week and so my 40 days will actually last 70 Days.
This week’s new goal falls into the “Health” category. I want to focus in on my exercise routine - or lack of!
My goal is to walk 5 days a week - lately I’m lucky if it is 3. I have a friend who walks with me 2-3 days a week and that works great - it’s the other two days when I am left on my own to do it that I have a problem.
So -for the next 40 days I will focus on walking 5 days a week. I just purchased a new WalkVest to wear when I walk to add some resistance to the workout - not exactly the height of fashion but it does give me a better workout.
I am also going to wear a pedometer each day with the goal of walking 10,000 steps a day!
The last part of the goal is my water consumption. I have pulled my big water jug out from the back of the cupboard and my goal is to drink that amount of water or more everyday. So a lot of those 10,000 steps will probably be in and out of the bathroom!
So how are you doing with your 40 Days of Fanatical Focus? If you haven’t set a focus goal yet - do it today and share it with me below in the comment section. Let’s cheer each other on! Even if we aren’t perfect (as you see I’m not!) we can make progress.
Popularity: 25% [?]
Categories: Goals, Inspire
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Friday, April 18, 2008, by Leigh Anne
I just had to take a minute today and wish my sweet baby boy a Happy Birthday! O.K. - so he’s not my baby boy anymore but he sure is sweet.
Logan McKay is 24 years old today - how can I possibly have a child that old!!! I could go on and recount the story of the day he was born but I won’t bore you with it although suffice it to say I am glad my water broke when it did because fifteen minutes later and I would have been on a city bus on my way downtown to work - yuck!! But I will share a few pictures!
Isn’t he a cutie - Logan has always had the most gorgeous, brown eyes!
They are still gorgeous and he is still a cutie! He is a senior in college getting ready to graduate next Spring in Public Relations. He heads off to Australia next week for a three week tour of the country with the group he performs with - The Young Ambassadors.
So, Happy Birthday sweet boy. I wish you were here so I could fix you a dinner of all your favorite foods! That will have to wait until you are home in June. You have grown into an amazing man. I love you and am so proud of who you are and who you are becoming. I love you! Mom
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Categories: Family
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Friday, April 18, 2008, by Leigh Anne
“Feeding the people we love”
Last week I mentioned that on Sunday evenings I am posting the Wilkes Weekly Dinner Plan on my family blog. I am doing this for purely selfish reasons - it helps me be more organized with my grocery shopping! Instead of making daily trips to the store now I can go at least go every other day! So if you want to see what we are having for dinner each week along with the recipes pay us a visit.
On Fridays I will share with you our favorite recipe from the week. Last week it was Garlic Knots (which would be great served with this week’s favorite) and this week it is Pasta Chicken Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Spinach and Bacon - now that’s a mouthful! I found it at one of my favorite food blogs - My Kitchen Cafe.
This week Jim was out of town for three days so last night I decided to try a recipe that I consider more “girlfriend” or “luncheon” type food although this dish is definitely filling enough for dinner. The girls and I, and sweet high school senior daughter’s “friend” Jameson, enjoyed it. It makes lots and we sent most of the leftovers home with Jameson for the rest of his family and saved one container full for our lunch the next day.
The flavor is wonderful. I loved the combination of the balsamic vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes and bacon. It calls for Cellentani pasta. I don’t think that is what I used though - it was a pasta that starts with a “C” but I can’t remember the name and the box has already gone out with the recycling. You just want to use a small tubular shape pasta.
This dish would be perfect for a luncheon, a potluck or a regular family dinner! It is fast and easy to make and is a great way to use leftover chicken. We will definitely be making this one again.
Pasta Chicken Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Spinach and Bacon
5 strips bacon, fried and chopped into bite-sized pieces
3-4 green onions, chopped
1 lb tube pasta (Cellentani), cooked, drained and cooled to room temperature
1 lb chicken, cooked and shredded (I used 2 chicken breasts)
4 cups fresh spinach leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (I used oil-packed, if using dry, plump them in hot water before using)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Place the mayonnaise and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk well. In a large bowl, combine pasta, bacon, green onions, shredded chicken, spinach leaves and sun-dried tomatoes. Toss lightly. Add about ½ to ¾ of the mayonnaise and vinegar mixture. Toss to combine. Add more dressing if the salad seems dry.
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Categories: Friday Favorites, Nourish, Recipes
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Thursday, April 17, 2008, by Leigh Anne
“Feeding the people we love”
This morning I was in the pediatrician’s office with my two girls. No one is sick - just some updates on their immunizations. While we were waiting for the nurse we had a good time reading the poster that was on the wall entitled “Things I Know…”
We got a kick out of the “I know you can’t hide broccoli in a glass of milk” and “I know if you spread your peas around the plate it looks like you ate more.”
But the one that caught my attention was “I know that a chocolate chip cookie should be eaten warm.” I so agree with that one!! My favorite treat in the world is a warm chocolate chip cookie and a cold glass of milk.
So guess what I came home from the doctor’s office craving - yep - warm, chocolate chip cookies. The oven is preheating as I write!
I know everyone has a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. My favorite has varied through the years but today I want to share with you my current “favorite”. It is from www.allrecipes.com and the description of the cookie reads…
“These cookies are the pinnacle of perfection! If you want a big, fat, chewy cookie like the kind you see at bakeries and specialty shops, then these are the cookies for you!”
I am pretty particular about my chocolate chip cookie. I won’t waste calories on a so-so cookie!
I don’t like them too thick but also not too thin - I like them just right. I sound a little like Goldilocks!
This recipe is “just right.” My favorite way to make chocolate chip cookies is with half milk chocolate chips and half white chocolate chips - yum!
This recipe is great because it calls for melted butter - don’t need to worry about softening the butter.
What’s your favorite way to eat a chocolate chip cookie?
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups chocolate chips (I use 1/2 white and 1/2 milk chocolate)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15-17 minutes (depending on size of cookie) in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
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Categories: Nourish, Recipes
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