Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich, No Food and No Meat, Just the Sauce

No, I have not gone off the deep end. The title refers to my son's exact phrasing when requesting (okay, demanding) a PB&J. I am not sure how it started, but he has recently become infatuated with the childhood staple and begs for one each day with this phrasing:

"Mom, I want a peanut butter & jelly with no food and no meat."

I asked him yesterday, what is peanut butter & jelly if it is not food. His reply 'it is sauce'. I can see his point.

Outside with Lil' Boo ~ Virtual Book Launch with Daddy Bookins

I had recently begun emailing with Daddy Bookins of PeasandBananas.com as I learned about his child's food allergies and I am thrilled to annouce that he has released his first children’s book Outside with Lil' Boo! and there is going to be a Twitter Party to celebrate the Virtual Book Launch Celebration that will be held today, Thursday January 28th 8-10pm EST

Twitter Party #LilBoo ~ 8-9pm ~ we'll discuss early childhood development and the importance of reading aloud to our children followed by a show on MomTV

MomActive Channel ~ 9-10pm ~ Daddy Bookins will answer questions and discuss the book Outside with Lil Boo.

There will be LOTS of giveaways ~ TO ENTER head over to MomActive.com and add your twitter ID to the linky! Be sure to follow myself @savorthethyme, @banteringblonde @childhood @peasandbananas Join us for a chance to win!!

Keurig Platinum Brewer and K-cups - Keurig is great for those who love a cup of gourmet coffee, but dislike the measuring, mess and hassle that comes with an ordinary drip coffee maker. The system uses an innovative single-cup technology that ensures a fresh-brewed, perfect cup of coffee or tea every time. Simple choose your favorite K-Cup, brew and enjoy. With over 200 K-cup varieties of gourmet coffee, tea and hot cocoa from your favorite brands (Green Mountain, Tully's etc) to choose from, even the most discerning coffee drinkers can find something they love!

Keurig offers a range of brewers, which can be found on Keurig.com. In particular, the Keurig Platinum Brewer is a higher end model and offers the following features:
- Auto On/Off, Digital Clock, Adjustable Temperature Control and the "Set Your Favorite Cup Size" option.
- Five cup size settings including an iced coffee and travel mug setting
- Available at http://www.keurig.com/ and retailers such as Bed Bath and Beyond for $169.95.

Autographed copies of Outside with Lil' Boo -an illustrated children’s book based on the creative events experienced through the eyes of Lil Boo in an array of outdoor adventures.

From Ants to Birds or Oranges to Potatoes, you will be amazed at the wonders of playing outside. Follow Lil Boo and his imaginary friend Onote from the letters A to Z in a fascinating rhyming adventure.



Huge gift basket from Earth's Best - assortment of Earth’s Best products—baby food, diapers, wipes, cookies, cereal and more!





Webkinz Jr. from Ganz - Webkinz Jr. pets are lovable plush animals that each come with a unique Pet Code and access to the virtual Webkinz Jr. world!




$50 Amazon gift card - we love love love Amazon.com!


$25 Starbucks gift card - make a pit stop, grab a paper and your favorite beverage ... on us!




$50 gift card for Label Daddy from The PR Place - What is not to love about a story where two best friends put their experience together to create a product that is so practical and easy to use?



Gift card for Planetshoes.com
Shoes shoes shoes! Planet.com carries all the top brand name shoes and will even ship and return purchases of $49 for FREE!






e.l.f French Manicure Kit - trendy and stylish, do-it-yourself!

Crock Pot (Slow Cooker) Pulled Pork

My husband and kids love pulled pork sandwiches so I tossed this together yesterday at 9 am and it was done at 5 pm. I also have plenty left to freeze or per husbands request, make a pulled pork chili. Hum....

Ingredients for Dry Rub:
1 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3.5-pound boneless pork Boston butt
1 cup light beer or low sodium chicken broth

Sauce for 4 servings
· 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
· 3 teaspoons agave nectar or honey
· 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
· 1.5 teaspoons Dijon mustard
· ¼ cup Ketchup
· 1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients from brown sugar to pepper in a small bowl. Trim excess fat from the pork.

2. Place the crock pot on low for 8 hours. Rub the pork with the dry rub and place into the crock pot, add the beer/broth and cover.

3. You may wish to 'baste' with the beer/broth every few hours but it is not necessary.

4. Once the pork is ready, remove it from the crock pot and allow to cool while you make the sauce.

5. To prepare the sauce: mix all ingredients in a pot and boil gently, while mixing, for about 4-5 minutes and set aside. Pull enough pork apart for 4, mix with the sauce and serve on the rolls.

Broccoli and Squash Macaroni & Cheese: 30 Days 30 Ways

Happy Monday Everyone,

I am taking part in the 30 days, 30 ways with Macaroni & Cheese. You can find my contribution of Broccoli and Squash Macaroni & Cheese today. Enjoy and indulge.

Tastemaker Countdown has begun

As many of you know, I have beem taking part in a 3-month long virtual Iron Chef-like competition called The ‘Tastemaker Challenge 2k10’. For the months of October, November and December, I have received a box at my door with a potato challenge that I then needed to post on YouTube for all to vote on.

Well, the final cook-off is at the Blissdom Conference in 2 weeks, I am asking for your support. It will only take seconds to do the following:

1. Log into (or create) your YouTube account
2. Go to each link below and vote-> To Vote, all you need to do is CLICK ON THE STARS (5 is best) if you feel it is deserved.

Links:
a. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6w5WEomAGM
b. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW74uEi7qBA
c. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG1JZV1XvVQ

Oh, what do I win? The title of ‘Fan Favorite’.

Also, if you want to pass this onto your friends or tweet it out, feel free:

Support @savorthethyme #tastemaker videos by clicking 5 STARS https://webmail.east.cox.net/do/redirect?url=http%253A%252F%252Fbit.ly%252FPrtBm , https://webmail.east.cox.net/do/redirect?url=http%253A%252F%252Fbit.ly%252F5VxUEe & http://bit.ly/7O8QVr

OR

5 stars for @savorthethyme #tastemaker videos-> fun & creative way to cook https://webmail.east.cox.net/do/redirect?url=http%253A%252F%252Fbit.ly%252FPrtBm , https://webmail.east.cox.net/do/redirect?url=http%253A%252F%252Fbit.ly%252F5VxUEe & http://bit.ly/7O8QVr

Thank You!

Wordless Wednesday - Under the Bed

Super Thyme Savor - English Muffin with Hummus and Tomatoes

It seems that an old standby for many of us is the toasted English muffin with peanut butter. I decided to be creative and whipped together a fabulous little 'breakfast' or anytime option and just had to share.

First of all, I want you to find a quality (actual whole wheat flour, no preservatives, no enriched/modified anything) English muffin, toast it and then smear it with some hummus and place a few slices of tomato (I had some 'grape' variety) on it. I promise, it is satisfying.

EatingWell Wednesday : Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon

Since I have been running around to many appointments this week, I had already planned on having Salmon and relying on EatingWell for my Wednesday main dish. All I had to type in was 'Vinegar Salmon' and up popped this Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon. I bet you are thinking 'that is a strange combination of words'. Well, this family loves vinegar so I figured a tangy recipe would pop up.


I am guessing that most of you have a bottle of vinegar, some honey and soy sauce in the house so give this a try. It honestly takes 1 minute to prep, 15 minutes to marinate and then a few minutes to broil. Toss some tomatoes and leftover grain on the side and you are done.

Baby Arugula, Spinach & Brown Rice Salad

I came up with this recipe spontaneously as I was thinking about way to incorporate more brown rice into your diet. Give it and try. I promise that you will not notice the chewiness that would normally bother you. It adds some fiber and texture to the salad.


I promise to make this picture prettier once I am home with the right software

Ingredients:
A cup of Baby Arugula & Baby Spinach mix
1/2 cup brown rice
A few slices of Red Onion
1/2 English Cucumber, chunked
1/3 cup grape tomatoes
a handful of Cilantro, chopped
your favorite light Vinaigrette

Mix well and enjoy.

Butternut Squash Polenta

Two weeks ago, I went to dinner with my friend Kim (my comrade in the Martha Stewart adventures) and we both loved the sweet potato polenta side dish. From then on, I was determined to try making some myself. While I was at the store, I saw a 'tube' of prepared polenta and came home all excited to give it a try.


Yes, I have some corn meal so I could try to make it myself but one step at a time. My plan was to make sweet potato puree however, I found myself devoid of any so grabbed some squash puree from the freezer. You can find it boxed and labelled as either 'Winter Squash' or Butternut Squash' in the freezer section.




This was quite easy to make and I look forward to trying to make it all from scratch as well as adding different spices and combinations. My husband thought it needed more flavor so I added the paprika and cheese. I was shocked that my picky son was so eager to eat some and yes, it is all gone.


Ingredients
Box frozen butternut or winter squash

1 'roll' of prepared Polenta, cut into chunks

A few ounces of Parmesan cheese

A few shakes of paprika

Instructions:

1. Place the frozen squash into a pot over a medium heat. Continue to stir and when about half melted, add the polenta and mix well.

2. I then used a potato masher to blend them together and add the paprika and Parmesan cheese. Mix well, season to taste and enjoy.

Martha Stewart Blog Show - Part 11

So, I promised a wrap up of food & other adventures so here we go: When it was obvious that Martha was not asking me to stay (in fact, they do not even give you more than 10 seconds to get a coat on before you are tossed out into the cold), we realized we needed to feed ourselves. We crossed the street to 'BRGR'. The window stated that not only did they have amazing beef-fed burgers but that they had the 'best shake in town' so this had to be a winner.

I ordered the Rainforest burger and my friend and I had agreed to share the 'Trio' which contained shoestring fries, onion rings and sweet potato fries. I was really only excited to try the sweet potato fries as they are so hard to find. I am happy to report that I honestly prefer my baked version. The burger was delectable and juicy. Also, lunching with us was Tonya from This and That, Susan from She's becoming Doughmestic and Alejandra from Always Order Dessert



Oh, breakfast? It was a power protein pack from Starbuck's that contains egg, bagel, peanut butter, grapes and cheese.

After lunch, the main priority was shopping at Anthropologie. I had a great time filling up the dressing room but had to leave empty handed. Naturally, the item that looked best on me was over $200. I will be getting this necklace soon though. I will use it to spruce up my old 'too dull for Martha' clothing.



While my friend was enjoying some shopping, I met up with my friend Lindsay from Rock and Roll Mama and she was sweet enough to buy me my first Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcake. Yes, a thick topping of super sweet icing on top of a dry tasteless cake may be ideal for some, but I was disappointed. Then again, it was good to know that my cupcakes can beat theirs any day. Also, you should know that even though the cupcake was a disappointment, Lindsay declared the lemon bars to be the best on earth.

After having dessert, the three of us went to eat at Brassierie Ruhlmann. We had some great conversation over my salad 'Ruhlmann'. A delicious and lively combination of baby lettuces, radishes, olives, cucumbers, feta, corn and fresh herbs.



We then headed out of the city but as we entered Connecticut, I stated to my friend that I was astonished to realize I had not purchased any of the desired Latte Bowls from Anthropologie. The iPhone was put to work and we soon found ourselves with 15 minutes to shop in Greenwich. I am happy to say that I purchased four of the Latte Bowls and they have been put to good use.



In conclusion, this trip was a fun & social event that I will always remember with fondness.

Please remember to read Part 1 here and for your viewing pleasure, you can flip through the Whrrl stories.

Other Folks I met/saw:
Stylemom
Multitasking mama
PartyBluprints

Martha Stewart Blog Show - Part 1

Where to start? I have so much to share with you. It was a whirlwind trip to NYC all for the purpose of attending the Martha Stewart ‘Blog Show’. First of all, I will share how the trip came to be: A Tweet. Yes, a tweet that said something about ‘to apply for tickets to Martha Stewart’s Blog Show, go here’. I did a double take.

I applied and heard a few days later that I was in and could bring a guest. My guest was to be the hubby, ‘Mr. Dom’, but we could not workout the schedule so I called my friend Kim. I was thrilled that she was going to be able to make it (she would rarely would miss a trip to NYC anyway).



The acceptance email was fully loaded: many questions (maybe to see if we are in fact worthy) and details: when to arrive, where, the technology that we must bring and the requested attire was dictated:
*Please dress to impress
*A chic dress, dressy jeans, or trendy and fashionable outfits are suggested
*Bright colors photograph best; recommended: Solid Bright Attire/Dress shoes/heels.
*DO NOT WEAR: Black, gray, tan or any muted colors, T-shirts, prints, logos, hats, or sleeveless tops.

Our plan was to arrive in NYC Wednesday night and attend a TweetUp. I was super excited to meet some folks I had not met yet as well as catch up with others. During the tweetup, we got so hungry and since it was taking 20 minutes just to order a glass of wine, we ran across the street for some pizza. It was a mozzarella and tomato with a 'circle' of pesto on top. It was heaven.


Does it look like I am wearing a Bumpit?

At this tweetup, I was able to spend some time with Colleen of Fresh Vintage (and her lovely sister Erin). She is super funny and we were able to add to our adventures, the first being stalking Tim Gunn at Blogher. We returned to the tweetup and ended up meeting this super funny man who I thought was eyeing my purse. Well, I thought he was but turns out, he wasn’t. Apparently, he works for Honora pearls so I assuming that some sort of package full of jewelry will be arriving next week.



We turned in for a good night’s sleep and woke up eager to grab some Starbuck’s and head to the studio. I was thrilled to meet two fabulous food bloggers as soon as we got in line: The Sophisticated Gourmet (Kamran) and In Jennie’s Kitchen (Jennifer). As we were ushered in, we were given tickets with secret codes that indicated where we were to sit. It was obvious that we were brought in so early so that there was ample time to shop in the MS store. I was tempted.

Once we were ushered in, there a such an adrenaline rush. You can see everyone working on the kitchen and in her set. The music was pumping and soon, Joey Kola was out there giving us some rules, tips, reminders and asked us to all tap into the Wi-Fi networks and make sure there were no glitches. I was thrilled to be sitting in the front row but soon learned it was the ‘Non-VIP’ section and that the place to be is in the first 10 rows on the middle section. I did not really care. I tweeted a bit abut biting the camera man if he did not come over. I guess it worked a little as I am told I was on camera for 1 second before a segment.



First up on Martha was a casual chit chat with her daughter Alexis (hiss), Jennifer Koppelman-Hutt(hilarious), Chez Pim (YES!) and two other bloggers that were approved stalkers of Martha’s. We watched Martha and Pim make Pad Thai and smelling it was heaven….except we did not have any. However, we did get a copy of 'The Foodie Handbook'. Then we watched Martha teach stalker #1 how to frost a cake. There were many cakes on set but none were sliced up and shared. Finally, there was a craft segment where Martha presented Stalker #2 with a basket of her new cleaning products. Finally, Martha took a few questions from the audience off camera.

The highlight had to be when Martha, asked about her shoes, tossed her limber leg up onto the table and showed off her 5-inch Yves St. Laurent (on sale she stated) and let us know that the trick to wearing them is the extra lift on the front of the shoe. I borrowed these photos from Fresh Vintage.

Get your fill with all 3 Whrrl stories

Up tomorrow, the food that followed and the conclusion of the trip….stay tuned.

Blogging with Martha Stewart

I am off to NYC for the taping of the Matha Stewart 'Blog Show'. I expect her to be signing me on immediately so I may not blog for a bit as I get the family situated in NYC. Play along with me folks.

EatingWell Wednesday - Toasted Sesame Noodles

We all had the craving for some sesame noodles so I decided this would be a perfect opportunity to use some whole wheat noodles. I love this recipe from EatingWell.com but note, the full recipe will make a lot of noodles so this would be a very affordable dish for company.

My dish did not come out as pretty because I had bought angel hair instead of spaghetti but it tasted just as good. Make this now.

By the way, it is very simple to toast sesame seeds: Use a wide pan and heat the sesame seeds on medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally until they darken and become fragrant. Store in a jar at room temperature.

2010 - A Year to Savor the Thyme (Tip #8) Seasonal Activity

Toasted Isreali Couscous Salad

Have you tried Isreali Couscous yet? It is also known as Pearl Couscous. I enjoy toasting it as it brings out a bit more of a nutty flavor with little effort. This makes a lovely side dish or lunch on it's own.

Naturally, you do not need to use the exact amount of ingredients I use-find what suits your taste.

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons Olive Oil
1 1/3 cups Isreali Couscous

1 3/4 cups low sodium Chicken Broth or Water

2.5 ounces Reduced Fat Feta, crumbled
1/2 Red Pepper, chopped
1/3 cup sliced Almonds

3 tablespoons Scallions, minced
Orange Rind
2 teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
2 teaspoons Orange Juice
2 teaspoons Olive Oil

Instructions:

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add couscous and cook, stirring frequently, for about 6 minutes.

2. Stir in broth and salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until water is absorbed about 11 to 12 minutes.

3. Place the couscous in a bowl to cool while you prepare the feta, pepper, almonds, scallions, and orange rind. Combine all ingredients and toss with vinegar, orange juice and olive oil.

2010 - A Year to Savor the Thyme Tip # 7 - Cucumbers & Vinegar

There are days when you, as well as the kids, crave something crunchy & salty. Here is one of our favorite snacks that you can doctor up to suit your preferences: Try different vinegars, adding onions, and even red pepper flakes.

Eating Well Wednesday - Onion Rings (Tip # 6)

In some circumstances, trying to replicate a fried favorite with baking, proves a failure but this is an exception. EatingWell has done an amazing job at creating a fantastic and satisfying baked onion rings recipe. Let me also say this: My husband was not thrilled when I said I making baked onion rings as he expected that would not able to compete with the fried version but he loved them.

Tip #6: Try making your favorite fried items (FF, chicken tenders, poppers) into a baked version. Your circulatory system will approve!



I altered to things in this recipe: I used whole wheat flour (I wonder why they do not) and I used sweet onions but can see how the yellow would be even better as their flavor is a bit stronger.

2010 - A Year to Savor the Thyme (Tip #5): Ham Steaks

Super Thyme Savor: Steamed Haricot Verts, Wax Beans & Baby Carrots with Olive Oil and Chives (& Tip #4)

Having a stocked freezer full of frozen vegetables is a great way to be able to make a multitude of side dishes quickly. It also helps alleviate the boredom of the same old veggies as you can mix them and change up the toppings.

This is a perfect example: I mixed some favorite sides with a bit of olive oil and chives. So go ahead and steam your favorite medley and top with your favorite herbs.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen haricot verts (green beans)
1/2 cup yellow wax beans
1/2 cup baby carrots
Olive Oil
Chives, minced

Directions:
1. Steam the vegetables until tender but not mushy
2. Add olive oil, chives and mix well.

2010 - A Year to Savor the Thyme (Tip #3) - Kids in the Kitchen

Feta, Pecan & Apple Salad

I was looking forward to having some 'long lost' family over on New Year's Day and realized after all the meal prep, that I had very little that would fall into the 'Vegetable' category. I literally, threw this salad together in 3 minutes.

Anyone know how to get Blogger to stop turning my photos sideways?

Ingredients:

Mesclun Mix (organic)

1 Red Delicious Apple, thinly sliced

Package reduced fat crumbled Feta

a cup of whole Pecans

Toss and serve with your favorite dressings.

2010 - A Year to Savor the Thyme (Tip #2) - Kids in the Kitchen

Plan Ahead: 5 o'clock hits and you panic thinking "What's for dinner?!"

When this happens, the probability of less nutritious meals increases. So, whether you plan it each day, a few days at a time, or a week at a time, set the time aside to plan the meals. Work with the family's schedule to decide when the meal planning time will be.

Once the meal plan is set, you can plan the grocery list.

2010 - A Year to Savor the Thyme (Tip #1)

Happy New Year! Why does YouTube find the oddest expression and put that on the screen?


A Year of Whrrl