At our house, Valentine’s Day is definitely a family affair. While hubs and I cherish our date nights, we’re not going to pay high prices or beat the crowds to get a table while dining out. Instead, we hunker down at home for a yummy meal together.

For the last few years, I’ve made our “First Date Meal.” I can’t remember where I got the idea, but since it’s a meal that most of us like anyway, I make Chicken Parmesan every Valentine’s Day, typically served with spaghetti and steamed broccoli or a salad. In years past, I’ve baked my own bread, but next week, I think I’ll have hubs pick up some baguette on his way home from work. We usually end the meal with some kind of chocolate.

I don’t know that we had chocolate on our first date, but who can say no to chocolate?

So how ’bout a Triple Chocolate Sundae for dessert? And you don’t even have to wait until Valentine’s Day.

Recipe: Triple Chocolate Sundae

Ingredients

• one brownie, try Butternut Squash Brownies for fun
• two scoops chocolate ice cream
• store bought chocolate syrup or this homemade version
• whipped cream
• chopped nuts, chocolate chips or sprinkles
• maraschino cherries

Instructions

1. Crumble half of the brownie square into a sundae dish.
2. Add a scoop of chocolate ice cream.
3. Crumble the remaining half of the brownie over the ice cream.
4. Add the second scoop of ice cream.
5. Drizzle with chocolate sauce.
6. Top with whipped cream.
7. Sprinkle with nuts, chocolate chips, or sprinkles.
8. Top with a cherry.
9. Serve immediately.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 1

How ’bout you?

Triple Chocolate Sundaes (Ultimate Recipe Swap: Valentine’s Day) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

A Kings birthday cake, whether for an LA Kings Hockey fan or other special guest of honor, is super easy to make with a layer cake and a cardboard crown.

I am not a big fan of purple. I’ll admit it. But, I couldn’t very well serve a black cake to my LA KINGS hockey fan of a husband. So, even though I am not a fan of purple, I took one for the team, as they say.

I actually shopped in three different stores trying to find the right inspiration for this cake: Party City, Target, and Michaels. Hockey paraphernalia is hard to come by as are paper crowns, believe it or not. (At least those that match the color scheme I was going for.)

I cheated this year. Yes, I kinda did. I chose a very simple cake to serve my husband on his birthday. I guess that’s becoming my MO. The last year’s worth of birthday cakes have not been some of my best work. They’ve been uber-simple, not that fancy.

I think part of that has been that my bigger kids aren’t all that jazzed about themed birthday cakes. The older two no longer request Bionicle Thornax or Roman Gladiator birthday cakes. Instead, both requested cheesecake on their birthdays.

I definitely pulled out all the stops when they were little guys. The younger ones are easily pleased. And I’m getting old.

I’m not sure how I did it, back in those days when I stayed up into the wee hours of the night sewing capes for 2 dozen knights in shining armor. I don’t think I could — or would — do it today.

But, I’m a firm believer in making birthdays special nonetheless.

Good Meals

On FishPapa’s birthday on Sunday, he requested a full breakfast. This is by far his favorite meal. Typically, we go out to breakfast, but it is often very expensive and not that great. So, I stocked up on everything I needed to make ham and eggs, bacon, biscuits, pancakes, and hashbrowns and we feasted at home. My kids adore a full breakfast.

Good Cake

Later in the day we sang to him and ate cake. LA Kings Hockey Cake. Here’s where the cheating part comes in. In retrospect, the cake would have looked cooler if it had been fondant for a crown instead of cardboard. But, we don’t like the taste of fondant. Nor the taste of cardboard, either, for that matter. But, it seemed less wasteful to recycle a paper crown than to chuck one made of fondant.

And hubs didn’t mind. Though he did miss the chocolate frosting. I think he’ll be requesting cheesecake next time, too.

A Kings cake, whether for a hockey fan or some other royal dignitary, is super easy to make, especially with a paper crown. Frost a round layer cake and place the crown around it on the platter. I made sure that the crown would allow you to peek at the purple frosting. And I added a touch of silver sprinkles across the top. The purple kisses also added a little sparkle to the other wise plain Jane cake.

And there you have it: super simple cake for a King.

Baked any fun cakes lately?

You can view the upcoming topics on the URS Calendar. Next week: Valentine’s Recipes

LA Kings Hockey Birthday Cake (& a Birthday Cake Round-Up) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Head’s up! If you make a purchase through the Amazon links in this post, I do receive a small percentage of the sale.

Years ago, almost twenty to be exact, I was une jeune fille americaine living in France. I left the States speaking horrific French, but not caring. It had been a lifelong dream to live in France, and I was going.

Thankfully, I had the opportunity to meet and dine with a number of French folk, and to be indoctrinated into the world of wonderful cheeses. And to brush up on my French.

Oh, sure, when I first got there, I reserved my purchases at the cheese counter to Mimolette, a soft orange cheese that reminded me of cheddar. But, as time went on and I rubbed shoulders with more of the natives, I got bolder to try different cheeses, loving the strong flavors and smells.

On occasion, my French family would break out the Fondue pot or the raclette machine and I would stuff myself on cheese and carbs, either baguette or potatoes, depending on which cheese dish was featured that night.

FishPapa came to visit me that year and we traveled throughout the South, visiting different areas and being regular tourists. Within a year of my return home to the States, we got married and flew back to France on our honeymoon. I assumed we would make it a yearly trip.

We haven’t been in years, almost twenty to be exact. But, I’ve got my eye on 2014.

Anyway, this post is supposed to be about cheese. And it is. Or will be eventually. My publisher sent me a copy of the lovely book La Bonne Femme Cookbook by Wini Moranville. I love it! It’s taken me back. I even dreamed of France the first night reading it.

So, a few days or so ago, I was strolling through Trader Joe’s thinking about France… and voila! In the cheese section there was raclette. And I had to buy some as well as some cornichons. I knew we had ham and new potatoes at home and on the spot, come pantry challenge or high water, I switched meal plans for the evening, so we could enjoy raclette.

I entertained visions of my children scarfing down melted cheese and potatoes and thanking their mama profusely for her kindness. Instead, they all plugged their noses and tried to hide from the delectable feast. Hubs and I looked at each other in disbelief. How could they respond this way?

Clearly, in 2014, it may be a second honeymoon.

Raclette is a cheese, traditionally a Swiss cheese, as in “made in Switzerland.” It does not have big holes like you may imagine when you hear the words Swiss cheese. But, my package of cheese was from France. So, whatever.

Hot and melty raclette is served with boiled new potatoes, baby pickles, and charcuterie (ham). It was a fantastic, easy supper. Whereas you can buy a unitasker machine specifically designed to melt the cheese and heat the other ingredients, I don’t have one. Instead, I warmed all the items that needed to be warmed, like ham, potatoes, and sauteed mushrooms. And then I broiled the cheese in a pan in the toaster oven. Not as fancy as the machine, but it worked.

I apologize for no photo. Our plates were so pretty. But the light wasn’t. Bummer. I guess I’ll need to make it again soon. On a date night. Without children.

Recipe: Casual Raclette

Ingredients

• new potatoes, boiled
• sliced ham or other charcuterie, warmed or at room temperature
• 1 jar cornichons (baby pickles)
• other vegetables, like sauteed mushrooms, steamed asparagus, etc
• 1 package raclette cheese, sliced

Instructions

1. Arrange an assortment of potatoes, ham, pickles, and vegetables on each plate.
2. Broil the cheese on a pan in the broiler for 3-5 minutes or until melted and slightly bubbling.
3. Scrape the cheese onto each plate.
4. Serve immediately.

Preparation time: 30 minute(s)

Cooking time: 1 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

This is by far a favorite cheesy recipe of mine. I would love to hear what YOUR favorite cheese recipes are! Share them with us today on Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Please note if you don’t post a recipe containing cheese, your post will be deleted. Thanks for understanding.

Raclette (Ultimate Recipe Swap: Cheese) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Today on Ultimate Recipe Swap we’re sharing recipes that feature winter squash. Apparently, I have a lot of that! Squash, that is.

For weeks and weeks now, our produce box has included at least one or two squash: acorn, butternut, spaghetti, and even kabocha. And I’ve been stockpiling them in the pantry, roasting one or two here and there.

But, I’m in need of inspiration! I loved reading Shaina’s EASY way to roast a whole squash. I’m definitely going to try that soon. Especially one of these monster butternuts!

I would love to hear what YOUR favorite squash recipes are! Share them with us today on Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Winter Squash: Ultimate Recipe Swap is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

When life hands you lemons (or any kind of citrus), zest ‘em, juice ‘em, make all kinds of good things with ‘em. Today we’re sharing recipes that feature citrus fruits.

Once upon a time, I grew up in a fairytale castle with a golden tree growing in the backyard….

Ok, so it wasn’t a castle, but gold really did grow in the backyard. Lemon gold. The lemon tree “came with the house,” as they say. The house my parents bought when I was 2 is where they still reside. That makes the lemon tree at least 38 years old and it’s still producing.

Hundreds of lemons every year are harvested from its branches. And since I moved back from the frozen tundra, I am the happy recipient of a king’s ransom of lemons. Considering that lemons are often $1 a piece at the stores, I’d say, yes, a king’s ransom.

Lemons and limes are different than their citrus cousins in that you don’t typically eat them fresh. (I have on many a day as a teenager when I forgot my key and climbed over the back fence to wait until my mom came home. But, my stories of eating whole lemons are for another post.) My point is that lemons and limes typically aren’t the fruit you just take a bite out of.

At least not if you’re a normal person.

Instead, you use them as garnish or take their zest and juice to enhance both savory and sweet recipes. They are flavoring, if you will.

Lemon Walnut Coffeecake

So, what do you do when you have a surplus of lemons?

Now, I know not all of you are spoiled to live in the Land of Eternal Sunshine where trees of gold sprout in the backyard. But, I have lived in the frozen tundra we call Kansas, and I know that while living there, I found lemons on sale from time to time, so I stocked up. Because I could. And because I love lemons. And probably because I missed home.

So, what do you do when you have a surplus of lemons?

Or limes, or oranges, or grapefruit, for that matter. Winter is citrus season, so no matter where you live (north of the equator), you should be finding citrus at a lower price than normal right about now. Stock up when you see a good sale. If you can eat the citrus fresh (like with oranges or grapefruits) go for it.

But no matter the variety, I suggest these two wonderfully, freezer friendly options:

1. Zest the citrus fruit.

Citrus zest contains a huge amount of flavor. It’s the colorful, oily part of the fruit’s skin. Don’t go too deep, into the white, that is bitter. Just scrape off the zest with a zester or microplane. Store it in an airtight container in your freezer to use in recipes throughout the coming months. Thanks to my friend Jessika for the tip! It has been a wonderful asset to my cooking.

You can do this for lemons, limes, grapefruits, and oranges, just store the different kinds separately.

2. Juice the fruit.

This year I finally broke down and bought a  new power juicer for citrus. Prior to that purchase the kids and I were using an antique citrus juicer with the well, similar to this style, but in milk glass. A family heirloom that is better to stay that way.

Plus, using a power juicer is so much quicker. Throughout the last few months we’ve had Valencia oranges and lemons from our produce co-op to juice as well as Meyer lemons from Dad’s tree.

You can use the juice right away or freeze it in small containers for later use. You can even freeze it in ice cube trays, transfer the lemon cubes to another container or a ziploc bag and return it to the freezer.

Favorite Citrus Recipes

Use the juice and/or zest in these family favorites:

• Lemon Walnut Coffeecake
• Caesar Salad
• Lemon Blueberry Scones
• Lemonade Like Chick-Fil-A Makes
• Meyer Lemon Tea Muffins
• Lemon Roasted Potatoes
• Lemon Ginger Bars
• Cherry Limeade Muffins
• Coconut Lime Muffins with Chocolate Chips

And use the fruit in these:

• Cutting Grapefruit Sections
• Orange Salad with Feta and Almonds

Got a great CITRUS recipe to share?

When Life Hands You Lemons (Ultimate Recipe Swap: Citrus Fruit) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

A homemade baking mix gets jazzed up with two forms of chocolate and a cheesecake like topping. Delicious and easy to pull together!

As you may know, we’re in the midst of a Pantry Challenge over here. While I’ve not completely sworn off grocery shopping this month, I am “shopping my closet” as it were before buying something more. I love the Pantry Challenge because it really encourages me to be creative with what I already have. These muffins are a great example.

I had a bag of homemade muffin mix in the freezer just begging to be used. And I’d been wanting to choco-fy it for some  time. So, in went cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Then, to gild the lily — and use up one of many cream cheese packages in my fridge — I added a cheesecake topping.

We tested these muffins twice this week. I say “we” because my kids all had opinions about it. Yesterday’s cheesecake topping was better than today’s. But, today’s chocolate mixture was better than yesterday’s. So, I’m giving you the best of both worlds.

This recipe is an awesome way to jazz up a homemade baking mix.

Recipe: Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups unbleached flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips
• Cream Cheese Topping
• 8 ounces neufchatel cheese (light cream cheese)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 °. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flours, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. (If preparing as a mix, simply combine all these ingredients in a ziptop bag, label well, mark with the wet ingredients and baking instructions.)
2. In a separate bowl, combine milk, oil, sour cream, and eggs. Whisk to blend. Add wet ingredients to dry. Fold gently until mostly moistened, but still lumpy. Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Divide the mixture amongst the muffin cups, about 1/4 cup batter for each cup.
4. In another mixing bowl, combine the neufchatel cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Divide the cheese mixture amongst the cups.
5. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until a tester comes out with a few crumbs attached.

Preparation time: 20 minute(s)

Cooking time: 20 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 12

Welcome to this week’s chocolate party! Share a favorite chocolate recipe in the comments or in the linky below.

Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins (Ultimate Recipe Swap: Chocolate) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Serving simple appetizers is a great way to ring in the New Year without a lot of fuss.

Once upon a time, I tried to create fancy spreads for holiday meals. Roast leg of lamb on Easter, roast turkey on Thanksgiving, prime rib of beef on Christmas. What took days to plan and hours to prepare was consumed in about 15 minutes, with only a few crumbs and a mountain of dirty dishes to tell the tale.

It was one of those moments where I felt run ragged and asked myself, “Why?”

Since then, I’ve learned that holidays — those occasions when I really want to rest and relax and have a day off — weren’t really getting that kind of treatment. This past Thanksgiving when I cooked for hours and tangled with an undercooked turkey and a finicky oven in exchange for a mediocre meal, I made a mental shift.

I’m not doing this anymore!

Hubs and I talked about it and realized that while we love tradition, we love making our own traditions more. And while turkey may be a wonderfully frugal meal to serve, it really isn’t what we love or would consider a special occasion meal. Quite honestly, we’d both rather have tri-tip. So, we made a pact that for special occasions we’d prepare meals that we really enjoy and not worry so much about keeping tradition.

Unless, of course, said traditions were meals we really enjoyed!

So, it’s with great relief when I say New Year’s is all about food we love AND is easy to prepare. We do appetizers each New Year’s Eve — and it’s always a tradition that we’re happy to repeat year in and year out. Earlier this week on Good Cheap Eats, I shared some of our favorite appetizers.

This year I’m going with an Asian flair and preparing some very simple apps that I can pull together quickly or make in advance.

• Potstickers with Dipping Sauce
• Summer Rolls
• Asian Chicken Skewers

This is one of our family’s favorite ways to ring in the new year.

This week on URS: New Year’s recipes

Make Something Easy and Delicious (URS: New Year’s Feasting) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Homemade Christmas bread, full of cranberries and baked in a paper pan is reminiscent of store bought panettone, but the dough features whole wheat pastry flour and is prepared in a bread machine.

I was first introduced to panettone the year I lived in France almost twenty years ago. My French family lived in the south of the country and exposed me to all sorts of wonderful Christmas traditions, like the Buche de Noel. The Italian bread called panettone was another.

A few years after I returned to the States, I started seeing it available seasonally in specialty shops. Nowadays even the drugstore sells it. However, the bright yellow packages we’ve purchased have yielded some awful tasting bread. This year, rather than waste our money on those breads, I made a wanna-be panettone.

I hesitate to call my recipe panettone. While this has the fruit and the pretty paper, it does not involve the proofing and variety of candied fruit that is in the real deal. Consider this a delicious, American knock-off.

Please note that my cheater way involves a bread machine and two 4-inch panettone paper molds. But, you can form the bread dough in the traditional way and bake it in a bread pan if you prefer.

Recipe: Cranberry Christmas Bread

Summary: a panettone-like sweet bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Lay two 4-inch panettone paper molds on a baking sheet.
2. Combine the ingredients in the pan of a bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Set the dough cycle and turn it on.
3. When the machine beeps at the end of the dough cycle, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it in two pieces.
4. Form each piece into a tight ball and place in a paper mold. Cover and allow the dough to rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 °.
6. Bake the breads for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a rack before serving.

Preparation time: 2 hour(s)

Cooking time: 35 minute(s)

What’s a favorite Christmas recipe of yours?

Cranberry Christmas Bread or Wanna Be Panettone (URS: Christmas) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Looking for a quick, hot meal? How about a quick supper to give as a gift? I gotcha covered on both counts with this make ahead chili spice mix!

Quick meals, especially those that can be made ahead, are the name of the game in these here parts. Especially since I came down with the Plague on Saturday morning. I’ll spare you the details, but it was another case of “Mom gets the germ after everyone else is better.” So, quick meals it is.

I whipped up this chili in the slow cooker on Sunday morning to go with hotdogs or with chips and toppings later in the day. Everyone was very satisfied, and the next day I added cooked rice and beef broth for a quick riff on Beans and Rice Soup. Yes, yes, I did. Two meals for the price of one.

This chili, dubbed The Quickest Chili in the West, is super make-ahead. You can combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker and then go on your merry way. Or you can simply gather all the ingredients in one place and mix it in about 20 minutes before serving. Either way, you can do a lot of the “heavy lifting” in advance.

You’ll be so pleased to have this chili spice mix on hand. It costs just pennies in comparison to those little brown packets you buy at the store. And you can give this meal as a gift!

Bag up all the ingredients to gift a meal for another time.

FREE Printable Recipe Card

Print out this printable recipe card sheet, cut it into fourths, and then combine all the cans, spice mix, and a bag of chips into one bigger bag along with the recipe.

It’s a wonderful gift for the busy family, allowing them a home-cooked meal when they want one. This is an easy meatless, gluten-free, dairy-free meal that should fit all diets and food preferences. Just double check the food labels to make sure that there aren’t some tricky allergens lurking in your cans and bags.

Go here to print out your recipe cards.

Recipe: The Quickest Chili in the West

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef or turkey, browned and drained, optional
• one 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• one 28-ounce can pinto beans, drained
• two 15-ounce cans black beans, drained
• one 15-ounce can hominy, drained
• 1-2 cups water (depending on how thick you like your chili)
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon onion flakes
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• Toppings: salsa, grated cheese, sour cream

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook for at least 4 hours on high.
2. Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a stockpot over medium heat. Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Serve with toppings and chips.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 20 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 6

Celebrate a Simpler Season! 

Life as MOM is offering a dozen FREE “grab and go” ideas for the holiday season to help you simplify and enjoy more sweet times with your peeps. Check out past posts in the series, each featuring a FREE download to help you make the most of this season:

1. Planning for a Simpler Season
2. Thankfulness is Something to Practice
3. Thinking About a Simpler Season
4. Time Management for the Holiday Season
5. Thanksgiving Fun Booklet
6. Christmas Countdown
7. Bake Someone Happy
8. Make a Big TO DO Out of Christmas
9. Get Wrapping with Printable Christmas Tags
10. Go Retro with a Printable Pencil and Paper Game Book
11. Get Dinner in the Bag with the Quickest Chili in the West

Be on the lookout for installments of A Simpler Season each week, from now until New Year’s.

What’s YOUR favorite make ahead meal?

Quickest Chili in the West (URS: Make Ahead Meals) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Doesn’t Broccoli and Cauliflower soup sound delicious for a wintry day? Aunt Sandy’s version is full of vegetables and cheese. Yum!

When I was a child, my family spent each summer driving from California to Minnesota and back again. My parents were from Minnesota and so we spent a month or two visiting the grandparents and our many aunts and uncles and cousins each year.

Most of my relatives are fabulous cooks, so it was always an eating adventure. One summer my Aunt Sandy welcomed us to her South Dakota home with a big pot of this Broccoli Caulifower Soup. It was so warm and comforting. Yum!

With her permission, I’m sharing it with you, with slight adaptations.

Recipe: Aunt Sandy’s Broccoli Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups chopped broccoli
• 2 cups chopped cauliflower
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 4 cups milk
• 2/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large stockpot, combine the broth and vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer until the vegetables are tender.
2. Stir in the milk.
3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour, whisking until smooth.
4. Add this mixture to the stockpot, stirring until well combined. Stir in the cheeses and simmer until melted and well combined, stirring.
5. If desired, blend the soup slightly with an immersion blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preparation time: 30 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 8

Ultimate Recipe Swap is a chance to share one of your favorite recipes, according to theme. Please hop around and visit the other participating bloggers and just say HI. Please stick to theme. This week is soups.

Aunt Sandy’s Broccoli Cauliflower Soup (URS: Soups) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.