I have a new favorite drink.

Yesterday we had dinner with Charlie's aunt and uncle and his aunt shared with us that cherry juice naturally reduces swelling. So, since my feet seem to be swollen I decided that cherry juice is something I had to try and guess what? It's my new favorite drink! Cherry Juice and a splash of 7-Up is really good! Get the 100% cherry juice from Trader Joe's (THANKS for picking some up for me Kate!) I will have to let you know if I notice any changes in my feet.

Baby News!

Hello! We are starting to get really excited for baby Malley's arrival and we have some new updates to share:

1) We have picked out a name! The middle name is still being worked out, but the first name will be: Abigail! So get ready for the newest Malley, Abigail (Abby) Malley.

2) The room is getting more and more complete each day. We only have the crib and dresser set up as of now, but I have some decorations going up very soon and I've picked out some other furniture items so it's sure to look a little fuller soon. In the meantime check out what I've got so far.




Here's the view out of Abby's window... should be a nice view of the sunrise. Hopefully that will cheer us up on the mornings when we're up WAY too early. :)

I guess that's all for news right now. I am feeling good and Abby is an active little baby, squirming and kicking almost all night long. Hopefully she will switch her night owl ways as soon as she's born, but I'm not holding my breath.

January Dinner Club

We had dinner club at our house this weekend and my goal was to make something that could be prepared ahead, did not involve my meat thermometer and had a cozy feeling... so I made Chicken Pot Pies. I was a little concerned because I'd never made a crust before and the recipe I found came highly reviewed but the ingredients seemed totally wacky to me, I made it anyway and although the ingredients still seem incompatible, I was glad I ignored my instincts because it sure tasted good! Who knew that sun dried tomatoes, shitakes, green onions and rosemary went together? As for my meat thermometer I have become obsessed with making sure everything is cooked to the absolute correct temperature (after I have this baby I'm going back to my old ways of half thermometer, half eyeballing it) I think my meat thermometer must be broken because it always seems to get stuck at the same temperature...

Anyway, make these chicken pot pies, they are easy to make, were a big hit and sure look cute in their own little containers.

Crust
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cut into pieces, room temperature (I used the 1/3 less fat kind and the crust was still rich and delicious)

Chicken
1 3 1/2-pound whole chicken - I used a rotisserie chicken from the store. SO easy, oh and canned chicken stock, so I basically skipped this step.
12 cups water
2 large onions, quartered
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
1 large leek, sliced
12 small thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf

Filling and assembly
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
1 large onion, chopped
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced
4 ounces green beans, boiled 1 minute, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup whipping cream
4 1/2 teaspoons beef base*

1 egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)

For crust:
Mix flour and salt in processor. Add butter and cheese; blend until moist clumps form. Shape dough into 6-inch-long log. Wrap; chill while making chicken and filling.

For chicken:
Place all ingredients in large pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes. Transfer chicken to large bowl; cool. Discard skin and bones. Cut meat into 1-inch pieces; return to bowl. Strain cooking liquid into large saucepan. Boil until reduced to 3 cups stock, about 1 hour.

For filling and assembly:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add peppers and onion; cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Transfer to bowl with chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until just brown, about 4 minutes. Add to bowl with chicken; mix in next 4 ingredients.

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; whisk 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in 3 cups stock, then milk, cream and beef base; bring to boil. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Stir 3 cups sauce into chicken mixture (reserve remaining sauce for another use).

Cut prepared dough crosswise into 6 equal pieces. Roll out pieces to 7-inch rounds on lightly floured surface. Divide filling among six 2-cup soufflé dishes. Cover each dish with 1 dough round. Press overhang to side of dish to adhere. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush top of each dough round with egg glaze; cut 3 slits in each for steam to escape. Bake pies until crust is golden brown and filling is heated through, about 45 minutes.

*Sold at specialty foods stores and in the soup section of many supermarkets

New Favorite Mac and Cheese

Yesterday I felt like having something cozy and wintery for dinner and Mac and Cheese seemed like just the thing. I searched online for a recipe that included sausage because Charlie loves those chicken and apple sausages you can buy at Costco and I have a bunch of them, so that led me to Emeril's Kicked Up Sausage Mac & Cheese. Emeril had his hey day a while back and I have to admit the Food Network snob in me longed for something a little more Giada, but after reviewing the ingredients and reviews of people that had made it I decided to go for it and I was NOT disappointed. Here's the recipe for all of you who may want something wintery and delicious. Happy 2009!!

Emeril's Kicked Up Sausage Mac & Cheese - I only made 1/2 and it was enough for about 4 servings
9 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
1 pound homemade-style spicy pork sausage, removed from casings and crumbled (I used Chef Bruce Aidell's Chicken & Apple Sausage - SO, SO good)
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers - I hate green peppers so I used red
1 tablespoon Essence - I used plain old Cajun Seasoning from my spice rack
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon anise seeds - skipped this
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk - Used non-fat and you couldn't tell
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces)- I used a combo of Coastal Cheddar from Costco and medium sharp cheddar... very good. I think you could get away with some low-fat cheddar in here if you were so inclined.
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a large casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Drain well.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, stirring, until browned and the fat is rendered. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Add the onions, bell peppers, and 1 teaspoon of the Essence, and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and anise seeds, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Melt the remaining stick of butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, and stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook over medium heat until thick, 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to let the flour brown. Using a whisk, add the milk in a steady stream and cook, whisking constantly, until thick and smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne, and 2 cups of the cheese, and stir well. Add the noodles, cooked sausage and vegetables, and stir well to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup of cheese with the breadcrumbs and remaining 2 teaspoons of Essence. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Christmas with the Gamma Phi's

Last weekend was the annual Gamma Phi gift exchange. We had a great time despite the windy weather, cold temperatures and BAD traffic. Thanks everybody for another year of GPB holiday fun! This year we added a cookie exchange to the festivities. It was a big hit and hopefully we'll make it part of the annual celebration. We were left with a lot of left over cookies. It was a long weekend of trying NOT to eat another cookie. If there's any truth to my baby getting a taste for foods that I'm exposing her to in the womb the poor thing is going to have a sweet tooth like you wouldn't believe. Hopefully she'll take after her dad and she'll be tall and slim and able to eat whatever she wants!

We had a great soup for dinner from the Barefoot Contessa. Very easy and very delicious.

Sausage and Lentil Soup
Lentil and Sausage Soup

1 pound French green lentils (recommended: du Puy)
1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for serving
4 cups diced yellow onions (3 large)
4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only (2 leeks)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 large cloves)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups medium diced celery (8 stalks)
3 cups medium diced carrots (4 – 6 BUY 10 carrots)
3 quarts Homemade Chicken Stock, recipe follows, or canned broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 pound kielbasa, cut in 1/2 lengthwise and sliced 1/3-inch thick I just used Italian Sausage
2 tablespoons dry red wine or red wine vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving - I skipped this and I can't really imagine adding cheese to it, but cheese generally does make everything taste even better, so who knows?
Directions
In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.
In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, leeks, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for another 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender. Check the seasonings. Add the kielbasa and red wine and simmer until the kielbasa is hot. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

Wheatberry Salad - Junior League cookbook (the one with Rain in the title)
1 C. red wheat berries- pearl barley can be substituted
1/4 t. salt
1/2C diced apple or pear tossed in 1T. lemon juice
2/3C. hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
2/3C. finely diced Gouda cheese (optional)
1/2C. dried cranberries
1/2C coarsely chopped dried cherries
1/2C chopped dried apricots
1/2C minced celery
3T. minced parsley
Red Onion Dressing
1/4C vegetable oil
1/4C cranberry juice
3T. raspberry vinegar
1T. balsamic vinegar
1 1.2t. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
¼ c minced red onion

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat;
add the wheat berries, reduce the heat to medium and cook until tender but still a bit chewy, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add water if needed. Drain the wheat berries well, set aside in a large bowl and let cool. Add the rest of the ingredients. Toss with dressing.



Trios - Gourmet Magazine
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
About 2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
About 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
About 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves

Equipment: a 1/2-inch-thick wooden spoon handle or dowel
Make dough:
Whisk together flour and salt. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until very pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes, then beat in egg and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches just until a dough forms. Divide dough in half and form each piece into a 6-inch disk, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 hour.
Assemble and bake cookies:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll 3 separate level teaspoons of dough each into a ball, then flatten each ball slightly (to 1 inch wide and less than 1/2 inch thick). Arrange them in a triangle on baking sheet with edges touching in center, then make a deep indentation in center of each round with wooden spoon handle. Make more cookies, arranging them 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
Fill indentations in each cookie with about 1/88 teaspoon jam (each cookie should have 3 different fillings), avoiding any large pieces of fruit.
Bake until cookies are baked through and golden-brown on edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
Bake more batches on cooled baking sheets lined with fresh parchment.
Cook's notes: • Dough can be chilled up to 2 days. • Cookies keep, layered between sheets of parchment, in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.



Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies - Bon Appetite (These were my favorites)
Cookies
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg

Filling
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract - Careful with this ingredient they can get too pepperminty
2 drops (or more) red food coloring

1/2 cup crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes or hard peppermint candies (about 4 ounces)
For cookies:
Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in egg. Add dry ingredients; beat until blended. Refrigerate dough 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out dough by level tablespoonfuls, then roll into smooth balls. Place balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Using bottom of glass or hands, flatten each ball to 2-inch round (edges will crack). Bake until cookies no longer look wet and small indentation appears when tops of cookies are lightly touched with fingers, about 11 minutes (do not overbake or cookies will become too crisp). Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer chocolate cookies to racks and cool completely.
For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Add peppermint extract and 2 drops food coloring. Beat until light pink and well blended, adding more food coloring by dropfuls if darker pink color is desired. Spread 2 generous teaspoons filling evenly over flat side of 1 cookie to edges (I only added about half as much frosting to each cookie, maybe it's just me, but they were pretty rich and very sweet with this much filling); top with another cookie, flat side down, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies and peppermint filling.
Place crushed candy canes on plate. Roll edges of cookie sandwiches in crushed candies (candies will adhere to filling). (Cookie sandwiches can be made ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.)



Orange Coconut Snowballs - Bon Appetite
1 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar (sifted, then measured)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon coconut extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake coconut on rimmed baking sheet until light golden, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes.
Using electric mixer, beat butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and both extracts in bowl to blend well. Beat in flour, orange peel, and salt. Stir in coconut. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Soften dough slightly before shaping.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using 1 level tablespoon dough for each cookie, roll dough between palms of hands into balls. Place on prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until golden on bottom but pale on top, about 18 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks; cool 5 minutes. Place remaining 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar in bowl. Roll hot cookies in powdered sugar, covering completely. Cool cookies on rack. Roll cookies in powdered sugar again, coating generously. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.)

Baby Room Excitement

I've started decorating the nursery... it's been SO much fun already. So far I have some bedding and some artwork. I still need furniture, drapes, a rug... lots of stuff, but I have a pretty good start. I found some adorable artwork on Etsy and the perfect bedding on sale. Charlie told me that I should wait till January to buy anything, but the bedding was on sale and never would have lasted till January and the artwork is one of a kind and may have sold before January so I ignored his rules and went with my gut. I think he picked January just to test my patience anyway, so my patience loses again, oh well, our baby's room will be cute!

Notice that the Pottery Barn picture shows the crib in black. I think it looks very striking, but I can't decide if I'm ready for black baby furniture. What do you think? Also, one wall is going to be painted with chalkboard paint. I saw it in a Domino magazine profile that showed the designer for J Crew's baby's room and she had a whole wall painted as a chalkboard, we may just go for a stripe, but I haven't made any definitive decisions yet. Anyway, just wanted to share my progress. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!




These are mobiles but I emailed the artist and she said that they work well in frames too. I'd love to frame them without backing so that the pale yellow wall shows through the back. I may hang one mobile too just for variety.


Here's the bedding. So cute!

Commercial Real Estate by Day and Rockers by Night...

Charlie and his work friends my seem like stiff suits during the day, but check them out them while they ROCK at night. :) Here they are practicing, hopefully they don't quit their day job anytime soon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw4S4R9K9gw