Who is this kid's hairstylist?!

You gotta love the bedhead. When I went in to get Reece from his morning nap, I was greeted with a laughing, giggling baby. As if he KNEW how ridiculous he looked. How can you not grab a camera in moments like these :D

Zucchini Fries

Zucchini - Healthy. Zucchini fries - not so much. But they are oh so good. I like to dip mine in ranch, while Chad prefers a tempura sauce. Either way, zuchinni fries are a great way to totally ruin the healthy.

Ingredients

2 large zuchinnis
1/2 flour
1/2 panko, slightly crushed
2 eggs beaten
salt
pepper
oil for frying


Directions

Slice the zuchinni in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Cut the zuchinni in half again but the other direction. Then slice into strips resembeling fries.  Place the strips in a bowl with 1/4 of the flour and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to completly coat. Shake off excess flour and transfer to the bowl with eggs. Toss again to coat. Add the zuchinni into a bowl with the remaining flour and the panko. Place the fries on a cooling rack and let sit for 15 minutes while the oil heats up. Once the oil reaches 350 degrees, fry the zuchinni until golden brown. Remove from oil and immeditaly sprinkle with salt. Serve hot.

Officially a Toddler

Another one of my favorite developments. When they start to consistently walk, instead of taking a few steps here and there. The wobbly frankenstein walk is so adorable. And they are so proud of themselves. And BONUS this is probably the last time you'll be able to still catch them when they take off.

The Sand Box

The sand box. As much fun as it is to watch the boys play in it, has become another thing for me to clean up.  Why sand is obviously so much more fun to play with OUTSIDE of the box, I'll never know.  Sand all over the porch, sand all over the boys (including in Reece's diaper which has been fun!), sand all over my carpet. I live at the beach apparently.  And Mr. Smarty Pants Keegan has figured out that sand is alot more fun when it's wet. Which of course causes a whole new level of mess. It's a good thing they're so cute ;)

Garlic Steak Marinade

This recipe has become my go to marinade for all things steak. The vinegar really helps the flavors penetrate into the meat and the garlic flavor is wonderful. I've marinaded anywhere from an hour to overnight. I think you get the best flavor somewhere in the middle, around 3-4 hours. Only letting the steaks marinade for an hour doesn't seem to let enough of these wonderful flavors soak into the meat. And overnight just tends to overpower the entire thing. The recipe also calls for ribeye steaks, but it works well with almost any steak.


Ingredients


1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 (1/2 pound) rib-eye steaks

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, honey, olive oil, ground black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt, liquid smoke, and cayenne pepper.

Place steaks in a shallow glass dish with the marinade, and turn to coat. For optimum flavor, rub the liquid into the meat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 3-4 hourss.

Preheat grill for medium-high to high heat.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill steaks 7 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Discard leftover marinade

Local Competition

A local bakery is having a competition. Post pictures on their facebook page of you with one of the items they sell. Of course I thought this would be a great opportunity to take cute pictures (like I need more) of the boys. So for your entertainment, the pictures I submitted. Look for a post in the future about voting!

John Besh's Jumbalaya

I have found a new show hosted by John Besh, one of my favorite chefs (hey that rhymes!). The show is called Inedible to Incredible. Basically friends and family nominate someone they think could be the worst cook in America. John Besh shows up, tastes their food (very brave move on his part) then remakes their "signature" dishes so they can actually be eaten. Some of the signature dish gems include: hamburgers with Special K and strawberries (yup strawberries IN the hamburgers), steak and fig newtons, puree'd veggies with frozen meatballs and sliced fake american cheese. YUM! While watching this show with Chad, John Besh makes a Jumbalaya recipe that had us drooling. The results were delicous! I'll admit, the andouille sausage was a little spicy for me. I think next time I'll put andouille in Chad's jumbalaya and a milder sausage in mine. I cut this recipe in half and we still had enough leftover for two lunch servings.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound bacon, diced
1 pound Andouille sausage, diced
2 Tbs canola oil
1 pound fresh pork sausage, removed from casings
4 skinless boneless chicken thighs, roughly cut into 1 inch cubes
salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 onions, diced
2 bell peppers, seeded and diced
5 stalks celery, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 1/2cups converted Louisiana white rice
1 Teaspoons dried thyme
1 dried bay leaves
1 1/2 Tablespoons pimenton de la Vera or smoked paprika
1/2 Teaspoon celery salt
3 cups canned crushed tomatoes
3 cups basic chicken stock
1 bunch green onions, trimmed and chopped





Preparation:

1.First, you’ll need to heat a very large pot over a high heat until it is hot, then reduce the heat to moderate.This will allow the heat to be uniform all over, preventing those little hot spots that are likely to burn.

2.Render the bacon with the sausages and the lard in the hot pot, stirring slowly with a long wooden spoon. While the pork is rendering, go ahead and season the chicken thighs with salt and black pepper.

3.Add the chicken to the pot, stirring and cook until the chicken becomes golden brown, about 5 minutes.

4.After the chicken has browned, add the onions to the pot and allow them to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add the bell peppers, celery, and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Continue stirring from time to time so that everything in the pot cooks evenly.

5.Next add the rice, thyme, bay leaves, pimenton, cayenne, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon pepper, and celery salt to the pot and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes.

6.Increase the heat to high, and add the tomatoes and Basic Chicken Stock to the pot. Bring the stock to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

7.After the rice has simmered for 15 minutes, go ahead, remove the lid from the pot and fold in the green onions.

8.Turn off the heat and let everything continue to cook in the hot covered pot, for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff the Jambalaya, and serve!