Mickey Mouse Theme Birthday Party

My son absolutely loves, loves, loves Mickey Mouse. So, it only seems fitting that for his first birthday in March, we throw a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse themed party! Below is a picture of the invitations I made for the party. Once I have more decorations made and the party has actually happened, I will post more pictures and helpful tips for throwing a 1st birthday party. It is going to be very fun and my husband and I are getting very excited! 

Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Thyme Glazed Carrots

Monday was my dad's birthday, so I made pot roast with rice and carrots for his birthday dinner. I stuck the pot roast in the slow cooker and let it cook all day until it became juicy and tender. The carrots are also an one pot dish, so the entire meal is pretty easy and there is little clean-up involved, those are my favorite kind of meals! It was super delicious and will definitely feed a crowd. 

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

1 (4-5 lb) boneless round bottom roast; you could also use a chuck roast or top round roast

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to season the meat

Garlic powder, to season the meat

Onion powder, to season the meat

1 1/2 cups good red wine, whatever you prefer to drink  

1 large onion, grated or finely chopped

4 large garlic cloves, smashed

1 packet Au Jus mix or Brown Gravy mix

2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce

3 tbs. Dijon mustard

1/4 cup Ketchup

2 or 3 sprigs of thyme

1 tbs. Kosher salt

1 tbs. freshly ground black pepper

2 cups water

Season all sides of the meat liberally with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Place the roast in the slow cooker with the grated/chopped onion, garlic cloves and thyme sprigs. In a medium bowl mix together the red wine, Au Jus mix, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, ketchup, water, salt and pepper. Whisk until combined and then pour over meat. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 8 to 10 hours, depending on how much time you have. 

Once the roast is cooked, slice into 1/2 in. pieces and serve over white rice or mashed potatoes. Ladle the juices from the slow-cooker over the pot roast and enjoy!

Thyme Glazed Carrots

2 lbs baby carrots

2 tbs thyme leaves

4 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. While the olive oil is heating, strip the leaves from the thyme stems (no chopping involved) and wash the carrots. Make sure to thoroughly dry the carrots, as you do not want to get any water in the cooking oil. 

Once the olive oil has heated up place the carrots, thyme leaves, brown sugar, salt and pepper in the skillet. Stir together so all the carrots are coated in the brown sugar. Place a lid on the skillet and cook for 25-30 minutes depending on how tender you like your carrots. Stirring occasionally to ensure the carrots and brown sugar do not burn.

Serve with the pot roast and rice or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Note: This meal will serve a lot of people! There were 5 of us on Monday night and there were enough leftovers for four lunches. 

Quick and Easy Bruschetta

I absolutely love bruschetta, it is one of my favorite dishes. To make the traditional tomato and basil bruschetta a little more filling, I like to add mozzarella. Then I have a quick, easy, and delicious lunch that will hold me over till dinner. Or until I open the fridge and see the chocolate chip cookie dough :p

12 grape tomatoes, sliced in half; you could also use one large tomato or 2 small ones cut into cubes

1/4 cup mozzarella, cut into cubes

2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 large clove garlic, grated or finely minced

2 tbs. basil, chiffonade

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

3 slices crusty bread, 1/2 in thickness

Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing on the bread

Heat a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat. Brush each slice of bread with a little olive oil on both sides. Place the bread in the skillet and let toast until it is golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. 

While the bread is toasting, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir to combine.

Once the bread is toasted top with the bruschetta mixture and enjoy!

Chicken, Pear, and Gorgonzola Salad

Lately my husband and I have been trying to eat healthier, salad of course is not my husband's first choice for dinner, but he actually really enjoyed this new recipe I tried. I love this recipe because it was quick, easy, and super delicious.

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1 tbs apple cider vinegar

1 tbs. Dijon mustard

Juice and zest of one lemon

8 cups of your favorite salad mix; I like the Spring salad mix in a bag from my local grocery store, usually 2 bags is about 8 cups

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 1/2 pears, thinly sliced

1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese; if you don't like Gorgonzola use whatever cheese fits your taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet lined with tin foil (easy clean-up), coat the chicken breasts with 1 tbs. olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake the chicken breasts for 25 minutes, depending on the size of the breasts the cooking time will vary. 

While the chicken is cooking, in a large bowl whisk together the remaining olive oil, vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste. Add the dried cranberries and let sit until the chicken is cooked. 

Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. While the chicken is cooling, combine the salad mix, almonds, pear, and Gorgonzola cheese with the dried cranberry and vinaigrette mixture. Toss until the salad is lightly coated. When the chicken has cooled, slice thinly, add to the salad and toss to combine.

Serve with a slice of your favorite crusty bread and enjoy!

Homemade Pizza

Prosciutto-Arugula Pizza

My husband and I love to make pizza at home, it is much cheaper then delivery and you can customize to your taste and liking. 

1 lb prepared pizza dough, at room temperature

Flour, for dusting

4 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 large clove garlic, grated

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

4 cups arugula

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

Juice and zest of one lemon

4 oz. prosciutto, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2 in. strips

Parmesan cheese, for topping

Start by placing a pizza stone, or upside-down baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. While the pizza stone is heating up, roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle (from the picture above you can see that my circle is not perfect, so do not stress about getting a perfect circle). Once the pizza stone/baking sheet and oven have come to temperature, remove the pizza stone/baking sheet from the oven and carefully transfer the pizza dough onto the pizza stone/upside-down baking sheet. Prick with a fork to avoid the dough from forming bubbles while baking. Place the pizza stone/upside-down baking sheet, back in the oven and bake the pizza dough for 8 minutes. 

While the pizza is cooking, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl with the grated garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk mixture until combined. Once the pizza has cooked, remove from the oven and brush with the olive oil mixture, then top with the mozzarella cheese. Return the pizza to the oven and bake for another 6 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. 

Next, in a medium bowl whisk together the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, shallots, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the arugula and toss with dressing to coat. Remove the pizza from the oven and top with the arugula salad, sliced prosciutto, and parmesan cheese. 

Cut into slices and serve.

Fake-out Takeout

Pork Gyoza (Dumplings/Potstickers)

Vegetable Fried Rice

Instead of ordering Chinese takeout, why not try and make it at home? It is easy, fun, and friendly on your wallet! Below are the recipes for each dish.

Pork Gyoza (Dumplings/Potstickers)
1 lb. ground pork
6 oz. cream cheese; brought to room temperature
2 large eggs
4 scallions, diced
3 large garlic cloves, grated
2 tbs. ginger, grated
4 tbs. soy sauce
3 tsp. sesame oil
3 tbs. vegetable or canola oil
wonton wrapper; approximately 60

In a medium bowl whisk together the softened cream cheese, eggs, grated garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Whisk ingredients till combined - it is alright if there are still a few lumps of cream cheese. You can also mix the ingredients with a hand-mixer but I find that a whisk works just fine.

Next fold in the scallions and ground pork and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over work the mixture, as the meat will begin to get tough and will become chewy when cooked. Place a heaping teaspoon of the mixture into the center of a wonton wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wonton wrapper with a little water using your finger, fold the wrapper in half but do not seal. Pinch one end of the wrapper closed, then begin to create pleats along the edge of the wrapper until you reach the other end. Flatten out the bottom of the dumpling so it will sit nicely in the skillet. Repeat until all the wonton wrappers are filled.

In a large skillet, heat 3 tbs vegetable or canola oil on medium-high heat. Place the dumplings, flat side down, in the pan; making sure not to over-crowd the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the bottoms of the dumplings are golden brown. Next, pour 1/4 cup of water into the skillet and cover with a lid, cook the dumplings another 3-4 minutes until cooked through. Working in batches until all the dumplings are cooked. 

Serve with honey-soy dipping sauce and enjoy!

Note: This recipe makes a lot of dumplings, we generally freeze half of the dumplings to enjoy later.

Honey-Soy Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
4 tbs sesame oil
4 tbs rice vinegar
3 scallions, diced
1 large clove garlic, grated
1 tbs ginger, grated

Combine all the ingredients into a tupperware, tightly secure the lid, and shake until combined. Serve with pork gyoza.

Vegetable Fried Rice
1 c brown rice
2 1/4 c water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c edamame
1 c shredded carrots
1/2 c peas
4 tbs. vegetable or canola oil
1 packet of fried rice seasoning mix
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 scallion sliced thin for garnish

In a small sauce pan bring the water and salt to a boil. Once the water has boiled, stir in the rice, cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes. 

After the rice has cooked, heat the oil to high heat in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, place the rice, vegetables, soy sauce, and seasoning mix into the skillet. Stir to combine and let sit for 4-5 minutes until the bottom of the rice gets crisp and browned. Flip the rice and cook for another 4-5 minutes. You want the pan to stay very hot so you can get the rice crisp and a little crunchy, mimicking the traditional fried rice texture without having to "fry" it in too much oil or a wok.

Garnish with sliced scallions and serve!

Note: You can add whatever vegetables you like or substitute white rice for brown rice. 

Tips for Angel Food Cake

Here are some helpful tips to make perfect Angel Food Cake, courtesy of Grandma Bauer:

1. First you need to start with very cold kitchen equipment, make sure to put your mixing bowl and hand-mixer beaters in the refrigerator a couple hours before you want to make the cake.

2. Clean your Angel Food Cake loaf pan or circular pan right before using, to insure there are no dust or food particles have been left behind. You need to use a loaf pan or circular pan that is meant for Angel Food Cake, a regular bundt pan with not allow the cake to rise properly and you will not be able to remove the cake from the pan correctly.

3. Make sure to have all the ingredients and pan ready to use before you make the cake, that way the egg whites will not deflate or fall while you are preparing the pan.

4. Make sure to use ice cold water in the cake mix.

5. Follow instructions on back of the cake mix box, my Grandma uses Duncan Hines Angel Food Cake mix.

6. Bake the cake until it is nicely browned, very dry to the touch, and has risen.

7. After the cake comes out of the oven, hang the pan upside down (if you pan doesn't have legs, you can prop it up on a long-neck bottle) until completely cooled. If using a loaf pan, turn upside down and prop up the two short edges so the pan is lifted off the counter about an inch.

8. Once the cake has cooled completely, you should be able to easily remove the cake from the pan. If the cake seems to stick, run a knife around the edges and then try to remove.

9. Serve with your favorite fruit and ice cream. You could also frost or lightly glaze the cake as well.

Enjoy!