Rainy day with the Pioneer Woman

It's raining...and I've got a clean house and a little chic that is occupying herself with dolls. What to do...what to do? Well, unfortunately for my waist line, I decided to surf around my usual food sites to see if anything looked interesting.

I shoulda known to stay off of Pioneer Woman's site. I shoulda! But noooooo, I had to go snooping around and I came across THIS recipe. How could I NOT make that? I mean look at it. Plus I have a can of Sprite left over from one of the chic's illnesses and they are just dieing to drink it. Every time I open the fridge, they ask for the Sprite. The pound cake was a perfect way to get the Sprite out of the fridge and out of their minds. I know, I know, making a pound cake so your kids won't drink a Sprite seems way ridiculous, but I'm trying to make excuses for myself, so just go with me, people!

Remember yesterday when I said that the big chic isn't a big sweets eater? Well she did NOT get that from me. I love dessert...love it! And the fact that this pound cake only had a few ingredients AND the Sprite factor...it was a done deal. I had to make it.

Mixing it up in the bowl (Notice the flour all around the bowl? I'm a messy cook!)

Ready for the oven (The hubs' grandmother's bundt pan. Only appropriate I thought since she actually WAS a pioneer woman!)

It was a long hour and ten minute wait time! It smelled divine!

Here's what it looked like hot out of the oven...

...and here it is when it's hot out of the oven...and the hubs comes home from work early...and just WON'T wait until it's dropped out of the pan (yes, it smelled THAT good!):

Fortunately, the destruction of the pound cake didn't affect the taste. It was really good. Very sweet, but very good. And super moist. Even a couple days later, it was still yummy and moist. Definitely a keeper recipe...simple AND delish! Gotta love that Pioneer Woman!

Ham and Cheese

The chic requested a "ham and cheese" lunch like her friend brings. Her friend brings a Lunchable...almost every day. You all already know how I feel about those things, but this time I had to explain it to the chic. She asked why I never buy "those lunches". We had a pretty good conversation about chemicals and preservatives and packaging and such. She told me that she was glad that I make her the "good kind".

Cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese flowers, Ham skewers, Pita bites, Blueberries, Green beans


Frozen green beans are awesome for school lunch. By the time she eats, they will be defrosted but still cold. She has always loved green beans. So much so that for her first Easter, we stuffed the eggs with green beans. True story...I've got pictures to prove it! Some of my friends thought it was so mean, but the truth was that green beans were the only thing that she loved enough to actually search for other eggs. And she did! She went crazy searching for eggs, popping them open, and shoving the green beans in her mouth. She was never a sugar baby and still isn't. She doesn't care about dessert at all. The little chic, though...that's another story!

Student council pizza day is tomorrow so I'm off of lunch making duty until Monday. Have a great weekend!

Taco Salad Tuesday

Somehow I forgot to post yesterday's lunch?? The chic took a taco salad and some dark chocolate cookies that the hubs added to the Costco cart this weekend.


This salad was made up of all the leftover chicken taco ingredients from dinner the night before - chicken, lettuce, cheese, red peppers, tomatoes, etc...The dressing was sour cream that I thinned with milk. She loves sour cream!

Pinkalicious and the Princess

Since the little chic's birthday party was this weekend, I thought the big chic would love to take a leftover cupcake in her lunch. Little chic wanted Pinkalicious cupcakes so I went with a princess theme for big chic's lunch.

Princess wand with pb roll up and cheddar cheese star, Monterey jack crowns, Grapefruit, Mini pepper and carrot rings, Pinkalicious cupcake.

I don't know why I insist on making the chics' birthday cakes. I get so frustrated when I'm making them because I never think they look good enough. I will keep messing with them and messing with them until eventually, I totally mess them up. I made the hubs help out with this batch of cupcakes though and he made me stop perfecting them before I was at the point of no return. I didn't love them when I put them in the fridge last night, maybe because my brain was pinked out! Fifty six hot pink cupcakes covered the counter tops on one side of the kitchen and the other side was covered with a huge bowl of pink frosting and piping bags filled with MORE pink frosting. It was definitely Pinkalicious in my kitchen last night!

Oh and did I mention that this was the day that I finally decided to make Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon (which was freakin fantastic, btw!)? Ya...my kitchen was a mess. I'm lucky that I didn't accidentally put pearl onions on the cupcakes instead of cherries! But this morning, with rested eyes, and after placing the cherries on top, I think they turned out super cute. The little chic absolutely loved them, so I think they were a hit.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

When a recipe is on the cover of Bon Apetit magazine, I expect it to be good...no...I expect it to be GREAT! We've made several of the cover recipes over the years and most have been outstanding. When I got the latest issue, I knew immediately that I was going to have to make the cover recipe...Spaghetti and Meatballs All'amatriciana. It looked fantastic! The hubs doesn't normally like many pasta or Italian dishes (crazy, I know) but I knew that he would be willing to give it a go if it was the COVER recipe.

Finally we had a day, a few weeks ago, where I had a chance to make it. I have to say that I was a little disappointed with the recipe overall, but the chics devoured it. The recipe made a ton so I froze the leftovers with my lovely Foodsaver. I'm so glad I did cause the big chic asked me to make it for her lunch for tomorrow!

Spaghetti and meatballs on whole wheat pasta, Breadsticks, Cucumber slices, Clementine, Pecorino Romano cheese

The Do It Yourselfer

I don't know about your kids, but mine love to make their own food. When the oldest chic learned to make her own pb&j, she would sneak into the kitchen before anyone woke up so that she could make herself a sandwich before I could tell her "no". She loves to eat things that she creates herself (hmmm...wonder where she gets that from?) Tomorrow's lunch will be whatever she makes of it. I included some things that she can spread peanut butter or honey onto and eat however she wishes...muffin and cheese, peanut butter and celery, celery and cheese...whatever. She can make it as she wishes. She'll love it!

Whole wheat English muffin half, Natural peanut butter, Cheddar cheese, Strawberry fruit strip, Graham crackers, Honey, Celery sticks

Just a bit of leftovers...

We just got home from an all day shopping extravaganza. (Seriously...since 7:30 am, people!) Although I am exhausted, I still had to throw something together for lunch tomorrow. We had sushi and teriyaki chicken at dinner and this bit of teriyaki chicken is all that was left. I added some edamame to make it more filling.

Teriyaki chicken, Cinnamon pita chips, Valencia orange

Everyone have a great weekend!