Charlotte turns TWO & Sesame Street hits MOBU

I love hosting parties and entertaining in my home but when you live in a smaller space it can be hard to get all your friends and family together so sometimes you just need to find an alternative space. For years I agonized over my phobia generic party spaces, every shower, holiday or just family get together I stressed over space limitations because I wanted to make sure the event felt personal.

This past weekend, our dear friend Charlotte celebrated her second birthday Sesame style at MOBU and I immediately realized I have been missing out! I couldn’t have been more impressed with the entire set up from the attentive staff (hello, clean-up crew!) to the level of personalization. The party felt way more comfortable than it would have in my home, let’s face it, 15 toddlers in anyone’s house is enough to call in the reinforcements.

The birthday girl in her Elmo dress and matching party hat!

I loved the fact that the kids had a huge area to blow off steam, that there were staff to help out and that they let you bring in your own food and decorations to really make it your own event. The kids had a great time with the activities and I couldn’t get enough of all the cute details Charlotte’s mommy had made to completely personalize the party. 

Clockwise from the top Left: Charlotte sign/goldfish centerpiece, B's handprint Elmo card for Charlotte, party place setting, adult goody bags, kids eating snack, invitation, crayon and goldfish goodies for kids, party room set up.

If you are in the market for a Sesame Street birthday party (Amber) all the print items came from the Etsy shop Amanda's Parties To Go  and were personalized to perfection for the beautiful birthday girl.

Zucchini Burger

We got more zucchini in our CSA box this week so I decided to try to make a zucchini burger out of squash and beans for veggie night. I based the recipe off of my usual falafel recipe and incorporated shredded zucchini into the bean mixture. While I thought the result was quite tasty little B did not want to touch them. He ate a full patty if I put the chunks into his mouth but he was not a fan of the squishy texture in his hand. I guess you win some and you lose some. 

 

1 Can Chick Peas

1 C whole wheat bread crumbs

1 zucchini grated

1 small red onion, grated

1 clove of garlic

1 egg, lightly whisks

1 tsp salt

¼ c EVOO plus extra for pan

Place the chick peas and garlic in a food processor and blend until slightly smoother than chunky. Switch the attachment to the grater and grate zucchini and onion into the same bowl. Pour mixture into a large bowl and incorporate other ingredients. Make small slider sized patties and set aside. Oil a frying pan and pan fry each of the patties until crispy.

Not So Homemade Cherry Berry Cobbler

We got a couple of boxes of sour cherries in our CSA Box last week and while I love a tart and tangy treat I didn’t think I would be able to make it through these bad boys without some extra sugar involved. I had my heart set on making some sort of baked good so I went trolling on pinterest again to see what goodies I could find and ended up going for the recipe that looked like it required the least amount of work… after all, pitting cherries is a lot of work. 

The recipe I found was for a three step berry cobbler made with a box of yellow cake mix, a can of sprite and a bag of frozen mixed berries. Since I had all the ingredients in the house I decided to give it a try substituting half a bag of frozen berries for my fresh tart cherries. The pinner said to bake at 350 for 30 minutes but I actually had to bake mine at 350 for closer to 45 since the center was still super loose. I remained a skeptic through the first bite but I will say it presents well, is quite tasty and is so easy that I might even let little B help next time I make it. 

 My only caveat is that the cake mix and Sprite are super sweet so it might have been too sweet for me if I had not added the tart cherries. I definitely liked how easy the recipe was so I am going to have to think about ways to recreate this, maybe using pancake or cornbread mix to cut down on the sugar. Stay tuned for the results.

Mexican Succotash

Friday night at our house was chicken taco night. Since I had a couple of ears of fresh corn and a boat load of zucchini in the fridge I decided to whip up a tasty side salad highlighting these two summer veggies. We ended up using the salad in a variety of ways, as a standalone side, a condiment on the tacos and mixed up with some chicken, cheese and tomatoes as a one dish wonder for little B.  

It is light and refreshing with just the perfect amount of smoke from the cumin.The best part is that it stores well so you can make extra for leftovers!

2 Ears of cooked corn cut off the cob

1 zucchini, cut into quarter moon slices

1 lime, juiced

2 tbs EVOO

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

½ tsp chili powder

S&P to taste

Mix the last six ingredients in a bowl and toss the veggies in the dressing. Super simple and delicious!

Mango Salsa with Cilantro

Katie here!  I just made this for a BBQ that we hosted.  It was easy and I love the use of fresh ingredients to take the party food to a whole another level. This recipe yields 3 cups and we had plenty left over to enjoy for a few days.  I found this recipe in the cookbook called Delicious Dips.  One thing to note is to try to use the ripest mangoes that you can find.

2 mangoes, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 medium red onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
4 green onions, including green tops, diced
2 tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 jalapeno chile, seeds and ribs removed, finely minced
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
Juice of 1 large lemon
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbs of olive oil
1 tsp salt

In medium bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients.  In a small bowl stir together the lemon, lime, oil and salt.  Stir until salt dissolves.  Pour over mango mixture.  Stir gently to combine.  Set aside for 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.

Dairy Free Oatmeal

Katie here!  I'm really excited to share this recipe with you.  I've been tweaking it over the last year.  It is a weekend staple for our family and my son can't shovel it in his mouth quick enough.  The secret ingredient was taken from my Father, apple spice seasoning.  It gives the oatmeal a flavor blast and makes it taste like a delicious cobbler.  The other benefit to this recipe is that it is so versatile.  During the winter I use whatever frozen fruit is in my freezer and during the summer whatever fresh fruit is currently in season.  Mix it up with you have available.  If you are using frozen fruit, make sure to allow the fruit a few minutes to heat up in the oatmeal prior to serving.  Also in the below recipe I use brown sugar and almond milk.  You can easily swap these ingredients out with other types of sweeteners, like agave nectar, or use soy or regular milk.  I use steel cut oats for this recipe, which tend to take longer to cook but are very heart healthy for you.  You can also use quick cooking oats, just adjust the cooking time based upon the carton's instructions.  I usually refrigerate the left overs and serve them to my son through out the week.  The below recipe is using frozen blueberries and peaches.  I often switch out the peaches for a banana.  If you use a banana I recommend mashing it prior to putting it into the oatmeal.

4 cups of water
1 cup of oats
1/4 cup of lite brown sugar
A few heavy dashes of apple pie seasoning
1 cup of frozen blueberries
1 cup of frozen peaches
Almond milk

Bring the water to a boil.  Slowly stir in oats.  When oatmeal begins to thicken (approx 5 minutes) reduce heat.  Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add brown sugar and apple pie seasoning.  Season to taste.  Gently fold in fruit.  Add a few tablespoons of Almond Milk.  Gently stir to combine.  Heat at low heat for approx 5 minutes, until fruit is warm all the way through.

Asparagus and Grape Salad

The first time I had this salad was at a bridal shower I helped throw for my dear friend Gaylen. Her MOH Sara is a total kick butt entertainer so she obviously shared nothing but her best for our favorite gal. We actually made this salad as a vegetarian option that day and I love it both ways. I love the pops of color and the brightness that the almost fresh asparagus provides.

The original recipe from Sara calls for Gorgonzola cheese but since 703 Daddy doesn’t like stinky cheeses I have substituted that out for goat cheese crumbles which we both love.

3 Chicken Breasts or 6 chicken tenderloins (boneless/skinless)

Asparagus (1 Bunch)

2 Cups Grapes (off the vine)

½ Red Onion (Medium)

3-4 Tbsp chopped walnuts

¼ cup soft cheese crumbles

Balsamic Dressing (to taste)

3 Tbsp EVOO

Sea Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

Herbs’ de Provence

Season chicken with S&P, Herbs’ de Provence and EVOO. Either bake at 350 for an hour, grill or pan cook it in a skillet on medium heat. Cut the cooked chicken into bite-size cubes and place in a bowl in the refrigerator. Cut asparagus into 1 to 1.5 inch pieces and blanch the asparagus in boiling water for 1 minute and run it under cold water to stop cooking time. Add cooked asparagus to the bowl in the refrigerator.

Chop the red onion and add it to the bowl. Cut the grapes in half and add with walnuts and cheese. Toss in your favorite balsamic dressing before serving.

Fresh Summer Squash Salad

This summer squash salad is now one of my go to favorites for my extra garden haul. It has come in handy a bit early this year with all the yummy squash we have been getting from our Great Country Farms CSA. The squash is fresh and delicious and this is the perfect way to highlight every bite.  A bonus is that little B LOVES his "chini" so he can really power through this super delicious and nutritious

The recipe is super simple and easy with only five ingredients. The salad is much flashier if you thinly slice the squash on a mandoline but since I don’t own one L I have to settle for thinly shaving it in small quarter moon sections using the food processor. Since you really want the squash super thin my advice is to not press too hard when sending the squash through the food processor or I guess just to use a mandoline if you have one. You could also do it by hand but I really don’t have the cutting skill for that.

2 Summer Squash, I usually use two different varieties such as zucchini and yellow crooked neck.

½ C pine nuts or sliced almonds

EVOO

1 lemon, zested and juiced

S&P

Thinly slice the squash, toast the nuts on a cookie sheet or in a toaster oven for just a few minutes so they have not browned but their oils are beginning to open up. Toss the squash and nuts in the oil, lemon and S&P.

Father's Day Recap

We had the best time celebrating our favorite Dad's this past weekend. So much fun that it took me an extra day to finally catch up on things and do a Father’s Day post! There was tons of family, food and fun to be had by all and I think it’s safe to say that we made the most of it!  On Saturday, Little B went on his first Annual father’s day bike ride with his Dad, Uncle and Grandpa while I got some house/yard work tackled with my parents and then we celebrated with a double grandparents post-bike ride BBQ. Sunday we woke up and made some delicious banana chocolate chip pancakes for Daddy and Grandpa Doug and then headed down to the Georgetown waterfront for a late lunch and some boat/plane watching. B’s favorite part, feeding the ducks his Daddy’s sandwich. 

As a special treat for Father’s Day dinner, I made the most delicious Korean BBQ recipe pulled from the Washingtonian Best Bites Blog. Korean BBQ always takes me back to family time in Hawaii and all the paper plate lunches we have shared on the beach. Lucky for me, 703 Daddy loves it just as much as I do so he actually requested it for his big day. The recipe featured is from Honey Pig which I am ashamed to say I have still not tried, and it was absolutely spectacular. After eating my homemade version of their BBQ Beef I have a feeling that Honey Pig has made it to the top of my Must Try restaurant list although I really wish that I could get it for $5 from a road side grill on Oahu.

Homemade Honey Pig Beef BBQ

When making this recipe, I used the thin sliced rib eye which I purchased from the H-Mart in Fairfax. If you have never been to this Korean Grocery and you have an adventurous palate you should definitely make the trip out there. They have a massive produce section and fish market and also carry hard to find spices, sauces and other condiments. The best part really is their prices... they are arguably the best around.

The only alteration I made to the recipe was that I finely diced the Asian Pear instead of grating it because honestly I just couldn’t imagine taking that much time to grate it. I marinated the meat overnight and although I purchased FIVE lbs. of rib eye we only cooked half of it. I froze the second half in a zip lock bag so that we can have a super tasty dinner another night this summer. So just in case you missed this Father’s Day post from Washingtonian here we go: Honey Pig’s BBQ Beef

Little B and I even managed to get a couple of super cute Father’s Day crafts prepared for the occasion that could totally be adapted for any other special person or day. 

“I love You THIS MUCH” Craft

 This was a super easy activity to do with B and was also easy to replicate once I made the original hand template. I traced each one of his hands on card stock and then cut them out to use as a template. I then traced out 4 new sets, one for 703 Daddy, one for each of his Grandpas and one for his Ojiisan (Great Grandpa) I glued each hand print to one end of a strip of card stock and wrote the words “This Much” on the strip. I folded the strip like an accordion so that it would fit in an envelope and then wrote the text “Daddy/Grandpa/Ojiisan, I love you” on the front hand and Happy Father’s Day 2012 Love, B on the back hand.

This craft would also make a super cute valentine, birthday or just because card for any of your loved ones. I know it was a big hit in our family and of course I love it because it reminds me of the children’s book book Guess How Much I Love You.

Dilly Potato Salad

Katie here! Do you need an easy and healthy salad for a weekend picnic? Add the additional perks of being vinegar based and dairy free.  I found this recipe years ago when I was trying to find a twist on the traditional mayo based salad.  It packs alot of flavor and has greens in it!  This recipe is from the McCormick/Schilling's New Spice Cookbook.  A recipe book that is a staple for my whole family all year long.


3 lbs red potatoes, quartered
1/2 lb green beans, trimmed
1/2 cup chopped fresh onion
1/2 chopped celery
1 can (2 1/2 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbs white wine vinegar
2 1/2 tsp Season-All Seasoned Salt
2 tsp Dill weed
2 tsp ground mustard

Cook potatoes in lightly salted boiling water for 5-6 minutes.  Add beans and cook 2 minutes or until potatoes are just fork tender.  Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.  Set aside and cool slightly.  Place potatoes and beans in large salad bowl and add onion, celery, and olives.  Toss gently to combine.  Place the next 5 ingredients into a small bowl and beat with a fork.  Pour dressing over veggies and toss gently to coat.  Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

GIVEAWAY: One Year Subscription to "Our Kids"

I am so pumped for our latest giveaway. Our Kids is one of the DMV’s best sources for family fun. Their website provides tons of free information on seasonal activities, special events and of course in depth reviews of all things related to raising “Our Kids.” 

I can’t tell you the number of times Our Kids has saved us from a day of boredom. They truly are 703 Super Moms so I am super excited to be able to offer a FREE year of Our Kids membership to one of my readers. 

Subscribing to their site provides you with access to even more information and deals including:

·         A weekly newsletter with events happening in our area

·         Presale Codes: exclusive advanced ticket sales to the area’s top events at discounted prices.

·         Giveaways and Contests: Chances to win tons of free child friendly swag!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vote in the Best in Shelter Contest

I love shelter animals, in fact, I have never had anything except a rescue cat or dog and they have all been exceptional animals so I was extremely excited to hear about this Best in Shelter contest which will match up dogs from four area shelters giving them the chance to win up to $50,000 to support their cause.

Our beloved rescue dog Sawyer

Voting takes just a minute of your time and is an easy way to support your local area shelters. Little B and I chose our favorite (Pepper) this morning together and had a blast watching all the videos and looking at the pictures together. If you are wondering why we chose Pepper Ill tell you two important deciding factors.

A. We love the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation
B. Our dog Sawyer or "Oh-Da" as B calls him resembles Pepper so that was B's pick.

Watermelon Agua Fresca

Agua Fresca is like a party in my mouth. It makes a super refreshing nonalcoholic drink and is absolutely AMAZING with a little splash of vodka so to me it’s the perfect summer party drink. I love serving it up in a festive glass pitcher with plenty of mason jar glasses to boot. This sweetly pink drink was the perfect addition to celebrate our play group’s newest additions.

1 large seedless watermelon cut into small chunks

3 C water

3 Limes, juiced

½ tsp Salt

2-3 bottles of seltzer or sparkling water

Garnish: additional wedges or slices of lime

The real way to do this is to puree batches of melon in a blender or food processor with water as needed and then drain it through a cheese cloth or a mesh strainer which you then squeeze out to ensure you get all the liquid. My thicker but way easier way of doing it is to puree about ¼ of the melon with the water and then just soak the rest of the fruit in the juice liquid in a covered pyrex overnight. As the watermelon breaks down it makes more juice on its own to make the watermelon concentrate. The next day you add the lime juice and salt to the liquid and pour it and fruit chunks into pitchers. Add the sparkling water and stir. Any additional chunks I throw into the freezer to use as ice cubes later. Serve over ice with chunks of watermelon and a slice of lime.