text:
OEMKIOSKS was chosen for the development, production and installation of Outdoor Interactive Digital billboards for HUAWEI perform the activation of its new P9 and P9 PLUS smartphones.
These interactive digital billboards billboard were one of the attractions in the NOS ALIVE , allowing visitors and participants bring forth out "selfies" that were automatically posted on FACEBOOK.
There is some fantastic photos from the event NOS ALIVE of our Outdoor Interactive Digital Billboards, promoting the new HUAWEI P9 Selfie's Interactive Application.
Some photos of the project
PARTTEAM and its NOMYU product, again win an important international award. This digital kiosk is now considered the MOST INNOVATIVE MULTIMEDIA KIOSK OF 2017 in the tourism sector. This year's nominees were elected through an invitation that the Kiosk Marketplace sent to their readers in the fourth quarter of 2016.
V.N. Famalicão city council, chose the interactive kiosks of the PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS group for the autarchy. The multimedia kiosks that are part of this project are the 55'' SENSES wall version with integrated Clusterwall software and the 19'' MINDELO touchscreen kiosk with keyboard and access to the website of the V.N. Famalicão City Council.
The model PLASMV of 32'' is one of the protagonists in the town council of Valencia, in Spain, installed in different locations and whose main function is to provide tourist information to users. Equipped with interactivity, this digital billboard is versatile and can be installed in any environment, indoor or outdoor, with different temperatures and conditions.


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Today (October 7) is the great feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. We thank her in remembrance of saving Europe from the Ottoman Empire's Muslim forces commanded by Ali Pasha.
On the Muslim side, Ali Pasha commanded a force of 206 galleys and 45 galliots. This was the most powerful naval force in the world at the time. The battle was also the last battle at sea between oared fleets. Ali Pasha's fleet had between 12,000 and 15,000 Christian slaves among the 50,000 sailors and oarsmen. Ali Pasha also had 34,000 soldiers under his command. It is important to note that the Turks had not lost a major naval battle since the 15th Century.
The Christian forces were commanded by Don John of Austria.There were 28,000 soldiers and 40,000 sailors and oarsmen. Knowing that the Christian forces were at a disadvantage Saint Pope Pius V called for all of Europe to pray the Rosary for Victory.
During the battle the Turks lost 210 ships, their commander Ali Pasha was killed along with 25,000 others killed or wounded and 3,500 captured. Also, upwards of 10,000 Christian slaves were freed from the boats of the Turks. The Christians lost 50 galleys and around 13,000 men.
This victory prevented the Ottoman Empires expansion West. Saint Pope Pius V was in a meeting hundreds of miles away at the Vatican, but got up in the middle of a meeting, went over to a window and exclaimed with "supernatural radiance" that the Christian fleet was victorious, shedding tears of thanksgiving to God. This day was declared the Feast of the Holy Rosary.
(sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lepanto; http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/navalbattles14011600/p/lepanto.htm; http://www.ewtn.com/library/mary/olislam.htm)
If you would like to show your Love for Our Lady and ask for her intercession (and are in London) why not join us for the 27th Annual National Rosary Crusade of Reparation. It starts at 1:45pm outside Westminster Cathedral and will process behind a statue of Our Lady of Fatima to Brompton Oratory. More details here: http://www.rosarycrusadeofreparation.blogspot.com/

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6126314300865605552017-04-30T06:16:53.505-04:00Vittles and BitsMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://email@example.com://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-45759251708270564062016-12-17T21:45:00.002-05:002016-12-17T21:45:16.943-05:00Antipasto Skewers

I had all intentions of posting this while it was still November. At the very least.

Well, needless to say, that never happened.

On the bright side, I'm getting to it before "Fall" is officially over.

Initially I was going to share a recipe for pumpkin oatmeal cookies. But it seems that once we hit December, everyone's mindset automatically switches to winter and of course the holidays!

So as much as it pained me, I had to abandon it. We can't go backwards!

Although I'd love to go back a couple months and have it be October 17 instead of December 17! You all know I love Fall... and how is it possible that there is only a week left before Christmas? I feel like it was just Halloween. (Although now that stores start putting out the Christmas decorations by the 2nd week of October, I should probably be used to the idea of Christmas by this point.)

Anyway, I'm so sad that Fall always seems to pass by in a flash. But we did a lot this season! In September, the Mini started nursery school - I can't even handle how big she's getting.

The Minion actually proved to be more emotional about the milestone than I was, but I still can't believe my girl is that much closer to Kindergarten!

At the end of October, we celebrated her 4th birthday at home with family, and also at an ice cream parlor with her little friends. Her ice cream party had a Cinderella theme, as she is very into the Disney princesses at the moment.

 The party at our house, however, was a woodland theme.

Her obsession with forest animals continues, as she followed up last year's fox Halloween costume with a hedgehog costume this year!

The fox was hard enough to find (although this year of course I saw numerous foxes available in stores)... but a hedgehog proved to be impossible.

Enter my fabulous aunt, Jody, who actually made the Mini's costume by hand (and did it in just a couple days, no less!)

I have never seen a happier hedgehog. She was thrilled to strut her stuff in her school parade, and we had an awesome time trick-or-treating.

I thought Mini would get tired early, but we actually had to tell her that it was time to go home a little before 8pm! Luckily the Minion was a little more content being a penguin this year than he was being a bat, so he didn't seem to mind the late night.

It helped that Mr. Vittles fed him a slow but steady stream of M&Ms. The white on his costume was streaked with orange, red, and yellow as his flippers kept getting the way of his nibbling.

Ah, the hazards of being a penguin.

Not that it stopped him at all, though. As he would say, "Nom nommmm."

Then came November and of course Thanksgiving. We got to experience the first of many holiday shows at school for Mini, and even though she was quite sheepish, it was totally adorable.

I also realized I spent my 9th Thanksgiving in a row with my in-laws! My first one there was in 2008, before I was a Mrs.

me (left) with my sister-in-law, 11/2008

That year, I brought zesty carrots and boursin dip, and one of these days I will have to post the carrot recipe, because I have brought it probably 7 out of the 9 years by request! (Brought it again this year, too, haha).

But the antipasto skewers was an idea I 'pinned' long ago on Pinterest, and have been wanting to make for a while. I got my chance when I suggested it as an appetizer for my brother-in-law Chris' engagement party at the end of October.

That's right - in June of 2017, I will be getting another beautiful sister-in-law, one that has been part of the family for many years now as well. I am excited for the wedding, and for Kristen to be an official member of the family!

She has an Italian-American side of her family like I do, and I remember at the party her grandma asked if I made the "antipast" skewers. She said they were very good.

They seemed popular, too - at a party of 60-some people, about 2/3 of the tray went in one passing.

So this would be a good appetizer if you are having a holiday party, or even just some company!

It's really more of an idea, though than a recipe, and the amounts are listed as a guide. I didn't see any recipes on the internet that were exactly what I had in mind, so I did my own thing. I thought these flavors and colors (yes, colors - Mr. Vittles made fun of me for that one) went well together. You might have your own twist that you prefer!

I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday!

Antipasto Skewers

1 pint grape tomatoes

1 8-oz. stick pepperoni

1 8-oz. stick salami

1 6-oz. wedge of provolone cheese

2 6-oz. cans pitted black olives

1 12-oz. jar pepperoncini

long "fancy" toothpicks or thin craft sticks

Wash & dry tomatoes. Cut salami & pepperoni into slices about 1/2-inch thick pieces. Cut each piece in half so you have a semi-circle. Set aside. Cut provolone into 1/2-inch thick cubes & set aside. Drain olives then place on baking sheets lined with paper towel to dry. Drain pepperoncini and cut into small pieces, then place on baking sheets lined with paper towel to dry. (Keep sheets in refrigerator if drying for a while). Then assemble skewers. Keep refrigerated if not using immediately.

Original Recipe, Inspired by ideas found on PinterestMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://email@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2016/12/antipasto-skewers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-3850600762127288032016-07-24T21:31:00.000-04:002016-07-24T21:31:11.966-04:00Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream (No Machine Required)

Here we are at the end of July already. A few weeks ago, Mr. Vittles and I were sitting out on the deck, enjoying some toasted marshmallows around the chimnea after the kiddos went to bed.

At one point, some neighborhood kids went flying by on their bikes, laughing and seemingly having the time of their lives.

It made me nostalgic for my own childhood, when summer meant something entirely different. "Remember when we were kids and summer was awesome?" I said aloud.

My husband replied "Yup. Now it's just hot."

And really, that's so true. At some point, summer loses its magic and becomes more of a pain than a wonder. Sure you get to go to the pool or beach and do things like eat outside. But for the most part, you just have to do all the same stuff you do all year, except now you get to sweat while you do it.

But that line of thinking got me wondering if maybe I needed to take a breather from 'adulting' once in a while, and enjoy summer like a kid again.

So one beautiful afternoon, while The Minion napped, The Mini and I blew bubbles and played in the treehouse. We laid down in the grass for what seemed like ages just looking up at the clouds through the trees. And it was wonderful.

The Minion turned one last month and got lots of fun outside gifts like a pirate ship water table, a balance bike, and a whale sprinkler - so we've been having lots of fun with those.

Then this week, I decided to show the Mini how we could made ice cream the old-fashioned way, with rock salt, ice, and some elbow grease. But I always see recipes for vanilla, and while that's nice and traditional, I wanted to try something different.

Mini is all about the baking experimentation, so that was fine with her. We got the "gredients" (as she calls them) at the store, to try a peanut butter version. I have always been intrigued by the peanut butter powder I seem to see everywhere now, and I figured this would be the perfect application. We also bought a huge sleeve of peanut butter cups, and Mini was coveting them like a pirate hoarding buried treasure.

"These are all for me, right?"

"No. They are for everyone. We have to share."

Immediate tears. "But I want ALL of them!"

Boy, do I know that feeling. Peanut butter cups are pretty much the best thing ever. I convinced her to let me cut one up for our ice cream, then we took turns shaking our concoction. By 'taking turns' I mean I did about 95% of the shaking.... and I must say, it came out great.

It was a pretty hot day, and this does melt more quickly than store-bought ice cream, so we had to eat super fast - but she didn't seem to mind!

As it turns out, I still got to enjoy some vanilla yesterday, when my nephew Holt came over to play. The Mini was on a road trip with her dad to go see my brother-in-law compete in an Ironman triathlon (go Uncle Nick!), so it was just Holt and I with the Minion.

I let Holt pick between the two flavors, and he is apparently more of a traditionalist. He is also a much more jovial shaker...

...although despite his enthusiasm, the length of my 'turn' was only reduced by approximately 5% in comparison to my first session, haha! (Needless to say, every kid wants to shake until they try it for about 10 seconds, so get your 'guns' out for this one.) But our ice cream came out just as good, and vanilla is the perfect canvass for lots of sprinkles! Yum.

Happy summer, y'all!

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

Ice Cream:
1/2 C. half and half
1 T. sugar
1 T. + 1 t. peanut butter powder, such as PB2 (I found it at Walmart, in the peanut butter section)
1 large Reese's peanut butter cup, cut into small pieces
1/8 t. vanilla extract

Other Ingredients:
1 large & 1 small ziploc bag
lots of ice
1/2 C. rock salt (such as Morton's ice cream salt, I found it at Walmart in the salt section)

Combine all ice cream ingredients (half & half thru vanilla extract) in a sandwich or quart-sized ziploc bag. (I would recommend first placing the bag over a cup or bowl to stabilize it, before you add the ingredients). Seal bag tightly & set aside.

Next, fill a large, gallon-sized ziploc bag about halfway with ice. Add rock salt and shake to distribute. Nestle small bag inside the large bag, so that it is surrounded by ice cubes. Then seal large bag, and shake consistently anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, or until the ice cream mixture thickens to desired consistency. Make sure the small bag stays surrounded by ice as much as possible. Serve and eat immediately.

Makes 1 to 2 servings (depending on the size of your consumer(s)!)

*Helpful hints: The shaking part can get quite messy as the ice melts, and the large bag may start to leak, so I definitely recommend doing the shaking outside. I also recommend setting out your serving bowl(s) before you make the ice cream, so you can empty it out and start eating right away- it does melt fairly quickly. (Or maybe I'm just too impatient and I don't shake it long enough, ha!) You can also experiment with more or less peanut butter and/or peanut butter cups to your taste. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food.com Maggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2016/07/peanut-butter-cup-ice-cream-no-machine.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-36664138411057908162016-05-15T21:32:00.000-04:002016-05-15T21:32:38.532-04:00Lemon Ricotta Mousse & Raspberry Parfaits

And... just like that it's May.

Soon enough it will be summer, although the weather we've been having lately certainly doesn't seem like it! Apparently April's showers decided to come late this year. At the time when I'm usually deciding whether or not to bust out my sandals, I'm instead deciding if I'm ready to give up my boots! It's been cold and rainy for what seems like weeks, and now I'm just waiting for it to go from cool to blazing hot.

I hate when Mother Nature skips over Spring. Not that Spring is my favorite season, I'm much more of a Fall kinda girl. But I just like a little transition between the seasons!

On Mother's Day last weekend, we had a fabulous break in the nasty weather that seemed almost summer-like. We sat outside for a while at my brother-in-law's house, and it was darn near HOT in the sun!

I can't believe I celebrated my third Mother's Day with my Mini Smalls, and now my first with the Minion. They are getting way too big and time is going by entirely too fast.

This year, the Mini picked out my gifts from her and her brother (cupcake socks, and a stuffed rendition of the 'Kung Fu Panda', respectively). I am looking forward to many more years of 'interesting' gifts from them!

I always get a little sappy around Mother's Day because it makes me think of my own mom and how much I miss her.

This recipe would have been right up her alley, although Mini Smalls was utterly confused. When I was cleaning up the food processor, she asked if she could taste the "batter." I explained that we weren't baking this, it was done- and she was not exactly impressed. Mini's become my little baker, and she couldn't wrap her mind around a 'treat' that was just some ingredients whipped together with no oven required!

But thankfully our Mother's Day guests (my stepmom and dad) were a little more into the dessert than she was.

Unlike my husband who loves cavity-inducing sugar levels in his desserts, my stepmom is not super into sweets. But she said she really liked this dessert because it was refreshing and not sickeningly sweet. I would have to agree!

Lemon Ricotta Mousse & Raspberry Parfaits

1 C. heavy cream
1 T. powdered sugar
1 15-oz. container whole-milk ricotta
1/4 C. sugar
1 t. lemon zest
1 C. raspberries, washed & dried

In a small bowl, toss sugar & lemon zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until well-combined, and set aside.

In a food processor, process cream & powdered sugar for approximately 2 minutes until consistency of whipped cream. (You can also do this with a mixer if you'd prefer). Be careful not to overmix and turn the cream to butter. Place whipped cream in a medium bowl, and set aside.

Add ricotta to the now-empty food processor with sugar/zest mixture. Process until very smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping sides if necessary. In batches, adddd ricotta mixture to bowl with whipped cream, and fold together gently until well-combined.

Set out 4 (or 6) parfait cups, small mason jars, or other dessert dishes/bowls. Place a heaping spoonful of ricotta mousse into each. Top with raspberries, then another large scoop of mousse. Top with remaining raspberries. Sprinkle with additional lemon zest, if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Recipe Adapted from Giada di Laurentiis' Raspberry Ricotta Mousse

Maggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2016/05/lemon-ricotta-mousse-raspberry-parfaits.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-47388294332032619642016-02-11T22:36:00.004-05:002016-02-11T22:36:58.186-05:00Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Crispy Rice Treats

Has it seriously been almost 3 months since my last post?

I can't even believe that is possible.

Then again... a lot has happened since then. Nothing bad or overly exciting... just busy life, I guess.

Besides the craziness that is always 'the holiday season,' I did take a solo trip to Savannah toward the end of January, with my mom's side of the family to surprise my grandmother for her 85th birthday.

My aunt drove her and her two friends up from Florida, to visit my uncle & aunt & cousin (who live in Savannah). What she didn't know is that my other two aunts, my uncle, most of the rest of my cousins, and I were all there too! We surprised her at my uncle's house, but since there were so many of us, we rented a house on Tybee Island.

My Grammy is the 2nd one from the right, in the front row. We are all wearing hats that my aunt had made, which said "Happy 85th from your shorebirds." So cute!

It was tough to leave Mr. Vittles and the kids though, especially because the Jersey Shore ended up getting hit with a really serious blizzard AND I ended up getting extremely sick a few days before we left. But she was so surprised, and it was completely adorable and totally worth it. You could tell that she was truly overwhelmed with joy to see everyone. It has been years since that many of us were together in one place, so it was really nice to spend that time as a family.

Not long before the Savannah excursion, Mr. Vittles, the kids, and I took a trip up to Connecticut to see my dad's side of the family. It was really hard to have our first Christmas without my grandmother Yaya... but of course we all still had a lot of laughs together. She wouldn't have wanted it any other way!

My great-aunt Theresa actually told me a story I had never heard before, which had me rolling. Apparently, when my mom and dad were newlyweds, Yaya gave my mom a baby picture of my dad. Aunt Theresa went to my parents' house one day, and saw the baby picture on my mom's dresser. She was curious to know why my mom had the picture there, and my mom explained that Yaya had given it to her, and it was my dad as a baby.

Except... it wasn't my dad. Turns out, it was my dad's cousin, Aunt Theresa's son.

Now, as a mother of two wee ones, I'm not entirely sure how you mistake a photo of your nephew for your own son? And it's not like she had 12 kids, she had 3. I dunno, maybe in 20 years it will make more sense to me. But either way, it is such a classic Yaya moment, and I loved hearing the story.

She was also notoriously bad at picking out gifts for people, but she LOVED to shop. So at first it was a little sad that we didn't have any crazy Yaya gifts to laugh at this year, but dad and stepmom surprised us all by wrapping every terrifying Christmas gift they had ever received from Yaya, and re-gifting them to each member of the family. A couple of my personal favorites included a light-up crystal paperweight with a hot air balloon inside, and a hat with a photo of my dad, stepmom, and I....and our names underneath (just in case my dad ever forgot who we were?)

Mr. Vittles was lucky enough to get that gem. You haven't lived 'til you've rocked a hat with a captioned picture of your wife & in-laws.

In any event, one thing I noticed over the months of holiday & family gatherings, is that I often get asked "Do you still have that food blog?"

And my answer is obviously yes (otherwise I wouldn't be typing this!) but I am always a little ashamed to admit how infrequently I post. I wish I could say that I still posted 3 or 4 times a month, but with a full-time job and a 24/7 job as a mommy to a 3 year old and 8-month old... there is barely enough time in the day to maintain, let alone do any extras.

It makes me sad, though, because I genuinely enjoy the creative outlet of adapting recipes, making new things, and staging photos. And I have always found writing to be therapeutic. Sometimes I have ideas for a new recipe for the blog that I get so excited about, I can hardly wait to find time to get to the kitchen.

"Ideas." In case you haven't noticed, I have a lot of ideas.

When we were in Savannah, I was actually reminiscing with my cousins about something we all did as teenagers - we went to a non-profit research facility and completed a very extensive aptitude test. My mom did this when she was a teenager, and though she never really shared what her aptitudes were, she apparently found the testing useful enough to bring me to New York City and do it myself. My grandparents started this tradition with all of their children, and as far as I know, all of my cousins did it too. At best, it helped some of us choose a career path; at worst, it was very interesting to see what we were naturally good at, and what we were not.

To be honest, I didn't get much out of it by way of career choice, but I definitely did find it interesting. One part where I scored 'off the charts' in ability was something they called "ideaphoria." For that portion of the test, they give you a jump-off point, and you have to write as many thoughts as possible about that topic in a given period of time.

Apparently, I had a whole lot of... thoughts.

And so far, they hit the nail on the head with that one. Unlike interests, aptitudes are supposed to hold true over the course of your lifetime - and I will tell you that I still have a boat-load of ideas.

The problem is, I have neither the time nor the motivation to execute about 99% of them!

But I do have a blog that I've grown very fond of, and even if I only get to share one idea a month (or every 3 months?) then so be it.

So this recipe turned out to be one that had me really excited, and I ended up surveying the wares of 3 different stores before I found satisfactory ingredients to bring my idea to life.

I was racking my brain to think of what I could add to the marshmallow & butter mixture to make it strawberry-flavored. Initially, I settled on instant strawberry pudding - until I realized there is no such thing. (Or at least not that I found. Maybe someone should develop that as a product? Just sayin.')

The next thing that came to mind was strawberry gelatin, but I was not sure what that might do when combined with hot marshmallow cream. Gelatin overload? So then I settled on strawberry frosting... until I found marshmallows made by Jet-Puffed that are already strawberry-flavored! Problem solved. But I still added some of that frosting for good measure, because let's face it- extra strawberry and sugar can only make it that much more delicious, right?

To match my enthusiasm for the recipe, I wanted to get a decent photo. The winter is the absolute worst time for food photos, because there is such a small window of natural light (especially for someone that works or is tending to kiddos throughout the majority of daylight hours!) But luckily for me, Mr. Vittles and I recently cleaned out our finished basement, and cleared a space for a table and chairs as a craft area for the minions.

When I was a kid, we actually had a special room in our house devoted to creating. My mom called it "the Studio." It was filled with supplies like markers and paper and glue and stamps and glitter and clay and beads.... and more importantly, the space to spread all that out and make something with it. I have a lot of memories of working on things in there, from Christmas presents to school projects. I can see that Mini already has a flair for creating, so I'm thankful we have the room available to have our own miniature 'studio' for the kids.

I dunno, there's something that just seems really nice about having a big, flat area to do stuff. Anyone knows me personally has probably figured out that I have some difficulty controlling the level of clutter in my life, so an empty surface in my house almost seems downright luxurious!

One of the fun things we did in Mini's new craft area was to paint one side of a closet door with chalkboard paint. So last night I decided to draw a little Valentine-themed backdrop for my treats.

My treats! Duh, that's why you're here, right?

I'll be honest, I'm usually not huge on fruit and chocolate together- but there is something so irresistible to me about a chocolate-covered strawberry. They actually remind me now of my sister-in-law, because she prefers them to cake as her special birthday treat. But it's still classic Valentine's Day, if you ask me!

Seriously, these are pretty delicious, guys. Embarrassing fact: I actually gave myself a stomach ache eating too many of them. So just beware of the V-Day tummy troubles, and don't say I didn't warn ya!

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Crispy Rice Treats

Cereal Bars:

3 T. butter, cut into pieces

1 8-oz package strawberry marshmallows (I used Jet-Puffed Strawberry Mallows)

heaping 1/4 C. canned strawberry frosting

5 cups crisp rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)

Topping:

1 12-oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 T. butter

sprinkles, if desired

Grease a 13x9 pan & set aside.

In a large, microwave-safe bowl, heat butter on high until melted (about 45 seconds). Add marshmallows, and toss to coat in butter. Heat about 90 seconds, in 30 second intervals & stirring after each, until marshmallows are completed melted & mixture is smooth. Stir in strawberry frosting.

Add rice cereal, and mix well to coat. Using a greased spatula or piece of waxed paper, firmly press mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Cool completely. Then place chocolate chips and 2 T. butter in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until mixture is smooth.

Pour chocolate over the top of cooled bars, and spread to evenly coat entire surface. Top with sprinkles, if desired. Let chocolate topping harden, then cut into squares. Tip: I like to cut off all the edges, for a more uniform look.

Recipe adapted from Kraft, Jet-Puffed Marshmallow packagingMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2016/02/chocolate-covered-strawberry-crispy.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-55315592496854264122015-11-15T17:07:00.000-05:002015-11-15T17:07:04.676-05:00Apple Pie Smoothie

October, my very favorite month, came and went in the blink of an eye.

Unfortunately, September ended on a very sad note for me, as I lost my grandma - my beloved Yaya - on the 28th. She was truly one of a kind, with the biggest heart and a beautiful spirit.

I feel lucky that we had so many years of wonderful memories with her, and I'm so happy she got to meet our little Minion before she passed. But it was very hard to say goodbye, and there are no words to describe how much she will be missed.

On a happier note, my "baby" girl is officially a threenager. And in true Mini fashion, we had two food-filled celebrations - a great family party complete with a make-your-own-taco bar, and a donut-making party with her little friends.

Best. Birthday. Ever.

We also had a fabulous Halloween! Which is amazing, because I feel like occasions & holidays are always very touch & go with young kids.

Actually, that's an understatement- when they don't completely suck, I consider that to be a great success.

But this Halloween totally exceeded my expectations. Mini had a blast being a fox....

...and while the Minion was cranky at points and clearly did not want to be a bat...

... he did rally at the end of the day, and was very cooperative for trick-or treating (which lasted for about 2 hours!) So aside from the grumpy bat, we couldn't have asked for a better day.

For Mini, it was basically the best week ever. One weekend was her birthday, and the next was Halloween. Cake and treats and fox costumes galore, what could be better when you're 3?

I actually think she is taking after her momma in her love for Fall, which is totally fine with me! I'm especially happy that she also seems to enjoy the Autumn flavors. So we have been getting our fill of pumpkin pancakes and apple pie smoothies as we watch the leaves fall.

I like to make her smoothies a few times a week (or as she calls them, "smoovies") and along with yogurt and fruit, I usually throw in some kale or spinach... which are things she refuses to eat otherwise.

We were having salad recently at a family party, and she commented, "I don't like salad. Except when it's in my smoovie."

Haha. As delicious as "salad smoothies" are, I decided it was time to switch things up and add some fall flavor to our smoovies, so the apple pie smoothie was born. Mr. Vittles and I drink her leftovers, and he commented that it really does taste like apple pie! Straining it before drinking it is totally optional, but I'm personally not a fan of seeds and chunks in my smoothies.

Apple Pie Smoothie

3/4 C. apple cider

1/2 C. Greek yogurt

1/4 t. cinnamon

1 T. pumpkin (or mashed banana)

pinch nutmeg

pinch allspice

2 t. oatmeal

3-4 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender, and pulse until thoroughly blended. If no chunks are desired, strain through a fine mesh sieve into a glass. Makes 1 serving (about 12 oz).

Original RecipeMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2015/11/apple-pie-smoothie.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-242117085369588182015-09-28T21:29:00.000-04:002015-09-28T21:34:19.040-04:00Fall-Spiced Apple Crisp

As you guys know, Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. So I am psyched that it's official as of this past Wednesday!

The weather has been gradually getting cooler, and Friday afternoon was the perfect time to take a couple hours off of work and celebrate Mr. Vittles' 35th birthday with the kids.

It was windy, so we decided to do some kite-flying in a nearby field...

...but lo and behold, the surrounding trees were knocking down all the wind!

So we went to our neighborhood beach instead, and the kite flew like a champ.

The Minion was not a huge fan of the wind (what is it about wind that takes babies' breath away??) but the Mini had fun flying the kite with her dad.

My favorite part of it all may have been that I was in a long-sleeved shirt and leggings. I can hardly contain my excitement for the month of October!

Nonetheless, I was actually saving this recipe because I know there are plenty of Summer lovers out there who were holding on to the warm weather, and were just not ready for spices and apples yet.

It's all good, I don't judge. Though I did originally make this apple crisp for a Labor Day barbecue at my dad's... so hopefully my family was ready for it!

That weekend the four of us went to an orchard, and caught the tail end of peach season as well as the very beginning of apple season.

Mini was also pretty smitten by the giant sunflowers they had for sale, so we got one of those as well.

I had honestly never been peach-picking before, but it was really fun and the peaches were awesome. However, while there is nothing better than sinking your teeth into a sweet, ripe peach, I must admit I'm not a big fan of peach desserts.

So since we had also picked some apples, I decided to get a jump on my fall baking. I love apple crisp because it's a simpler alternative to apple pie (and one that happens to be easier to make gluten-free!) I also love "pumpkin spice," so I decided to use nutmeg & cloves in addition to the traditional cinnamon.

Let the pumpkin-picking, leaf-crunching, sweater-and-boot-wearing season begin!

Fall-Spiced Apple Crisp

Filling:
6 C. peeled & thinly sliced apples (about 6 or 7 apples)
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/8 t. ground nutmeg
1/8 t. ground cloves
1 T. lemon juice

Topping:
3/4 C. old-fashioned oats
1/2 C. flour
2/3 C. brown sugar
6 T. butter, at room temperature
1/8 t. salt
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/8 t. ground cloves
1/8 t. ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8x8 baking dish, and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix sugar with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until evenly distributed. Place peeled & sliced apples in a large bowl, and toss with sugar mixture and lemon juice to coat. Pour into prepared baking dish.

In the now-empty bowl that contained the apples, combine all topping ingredients (oats through nutmeg) and stir with your hands until consistency is like wet sand.

Sprinkle topping over apples in dish, and bake 50-60 minutes until apples are tender and topping is crisp. Makes about 6-8 servings.

Recipe adapted from Chowhound.comMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://email@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2015/09/fall-spiced-apple-crisp.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-88777346022228879802015-08-15T15:58:00.002-04:002015-08-15T15:58:30.948-04:00Creamy Watermelon Popsicles

I know it's been a loooong time since I posted.

I even missed National Watermelon Day! (It was 8/3).

But hey- having a newborn and a toddler leaves very little free time for mommies. And anyway, there is still plenty of summer left for you to enjoy these yummy popsicles.

You know what I've been enjoying this summer?

This face.

Yup, the Minion was born on June 17! He was almost two pounds bigger than his sister at 8 lb 4 oz, and 20 inches.

Unfortunately I don't have any crazy stories for you, like driving myself to the hospital less than 2 hours prior to having the baby at exactly 37 weeks or having a 3 day-old baby during the worst hurricane our area has seen in the past 100 years.

Actually, thank God I don't have any crazy stories for you.

This little fella was in no rush, and made a much quieter appearance. He stayed three days past his due date, to the point where I would have tried almost any trick to evict my overdue tenant. Then a friend from work texted me the morning of June 16, asking "Have you tried triple chocolate cake yet??"

I stared at the phone, puzzled. Was that, like, code for something?

But nope, she meant good old fashioned chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Didn't have to twist my arm with that suggestion! At worst, I'd have an enjoyable treat and add a pound or so to my already-massive body.

So I made the cake that afternoon, then ate some after dinner. By 8:30 that night, I could tell the baby was coming. I told Mr. Vittles he had better shower, because it might be a long night. By 10PM, we called the doctor - then called my stepdad to come stay with Mini, and got to the hospital a little after 11. Our little muffin made his appearance at 3:53AM the next day.

He definitely takes after his mommy and big sister with his love of food. By his one-month checkup, he had already gained over 3 pounds. I am interested in seeing his weight at his two-month checkup because I swear he's pushing 14 lbs now at 8 weeks.

Speaking of big sisters, the Mini has been a great one so far. I can tell she is a little attention-starved, and getting sick of all the crying (join the club!), but she has not complained once about having a baby brother.

She might remind guests who come to meet or visit him that "He can't talk yet," but other than indignantly telling a Starbucks barista "My baby brother is NOT cute!" she has been very kind to him. She kisses him, gives him her most special toys when he cries, and calls him "my Grayden." It's actually pretty adorable.

What's not so adorable is the harsh reminder of how awful it is to wake up in the night (luckily we are down to one time, but it still feels like I haven't slept in years) and spending what seems like one endless day trying to balance two kiddos and my own sanity.

I know this is nothing special, and people do it all the time- many with 3 or even more children. But yikes is it work! The Mini is a very active little nugget, both in mind and body, so constantly tending to both of their needs often seems like more than a full time job.

I just keep reminding myself it's all temporary. Some day I will long for these summer days of snuggles and giggles and bubbles and mornings at the park and watching "Despickle-To-Me 2" a million and one times.

And, watermelon popsicle juice running down my chin.

Creamy Watermelon Popsicles

3/4 C. sugar

3/4 C. water

4 C. cubed watermelon, seeds removed

3 T. corn syrup

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 C. heavy cream

Make simple syrup by combining sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Allow syrup to cool, then pour into blender with watermelon - blend until liquefied. Strain watermelon mixture thru fine mesh sieve into a large mixing bowl.

Add corn syrup, fresh lemon juice and heavy cream - whisk well to combine.

Chill mixture, then pour into popsicle molds. Freeze overnight until solid, or at least 8 hours.

Makes about 4 1/2 C liquid which makes 10-12 popsicles in Zoku's classic mold (shown in photos). Or, you can use popsicle sticks & any mold of your choosing (paper cups, etc).

Recipe Adapted from Paula Jones, for Dixie CrystalsMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2015/08/creamy-watermelon-popsicles.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-76648392633667675562015-05-19T14:03:00.002-04:002015-05-19T14:03:36.211-04:00Chicken Parmesan Casserole

So I recently realized I have some pretty big news that I have yet to share with you guys.

The Mini is about to have her very own Minion... her baby brother is making his appearance sometime in the next few weeks!

I just had my last day of work and I am so relieved. During round 1, I only had 3 full, what-would-have-been-work-days of maternity leave before the Mini made her appearance.

Yup, the first time around I had bought a ton of food, preparing to spend the upcoming weeks making freezer meals so we would have lots of yummy dinners to eat in the midst of Newborn Madness.

Well... that never worked out. Mini came 3 weeks early, and the day after we got home from the hospital Hurricane Sandy came too.

You know what they say... best laid plans...

So you know what? This time around... I have no plans.

I don't even have a hospital bag packed. <Sigh>

But my due date is June 14, and it just hit me this week that if he comes when Mini did, that would be less than a week from today. Meaning... it's probably time to get my act together now.

It seems the 'nesting' instinct is starting to kick in, so I'm hoping that won't be too hard. But we just finished our big upstairs renovation project enough to move our things up, so between that, work, a very active 2 1/2 year old, and just sheer exhaustion-- I can assure you I've had neither the time nor the energy to plan any freezer meals.

Sorry, family. These days you are probably lucky that a meal gets put on the table, that is not hot dogs or grilled cheese. (Not that Mini, or even Mr. Vittles, would complain about either of those choices... but still).

Given that fact, it is a truly joyous occasion when I come across a recipe that is not only this easy but also super yummy. If you like chicken parm, but hate breading chicken, this recipe is for you. The croutons give it a nice crunch without all the work. (I even did a third with gluten-free croutons for myself, and it was still scrumptious!)

Anyway, I probably won't be posting again before the Minion's big reveal, so wish me luck. If I'm MIA for a bit, you know why.

I ran out into traffic.

Ha! No, just kidding.

...I hope?

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

1 T. olive oil

1 t. minced garlic

salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken, cubed

1 C. marinara sauce

2 T. parmesan cheese, grated

1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

2/3 C. seasoned croutons, coarsely crushed (my favorite kind is New York brand Texas Toast croutons)

Preheat oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an 8" square baking pan with cooking spray, and add chicken cubes to cover bottom of pan. Drizzle olive oil over top of chicken, and sprinkle with minced garlic. Sprinkle with salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.

Then, evenly cover the chicken with sauce, and sprinkle with parmesan and 1/2 C. mozzarella. Sprinkle the croutons over cheese, and then sprinkle the other 1/2 C. of mozzarella.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until breasts are cooked through. If desired, place under
broiler for a couple of minutes to brown croutons/cheese. Remove from oven & let stand for 5-10
minutes before serving. Serves 2-4

Recipe Adapted Slightly from Food.com

Maggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2015/05/chicken-parmesan-casserole.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-30779302308758340082015-04-13T22:12:00.000-04:002015-04-13T22:12:11.950-04:00Leftover Easter Candy Fudge

Before Easter, my best friend Lauren and I were discussing how, now that we have children, sometimes the anticipation of holidays is more fun than the actual experience of them.

You envision this fabulous day of family togetherness and tradition... when the actuality is a totally overwhelmed little munchkin, all hopped up on sugar, who is likely to crash and burn at any moment.

Surprisingly... that did not happen this Easter.

Despite a steady intake of chocolate eggs and jellybeans and only a 30-minute power nap in the car, the Mini was pretty much a rockstar.

She hunted eggs like a champ (they had more chocolate treats in them - duh), and despite a few tears over pictures, she was mostly kind to our family members to boot.

Egg hunting pro.. with a little help from Dad

"Look Mom... more chaw-colate."

It's funny to me that we ended up with such a little treat monster. In fact, she loves food in general. She points it out in books, is obsessed with pretend food, and is relentless in her pursuit of another snack. ("Mommy - I want sumpin'.")

I wasn't sure how she would be, just because Mr. Vittles is an "eat to live" kinda guy and I'm a "live to eat" kinda gal. I figured it could have gone either way. But as a true Mini Smalls, she takes after her mommy. Food is forever on the brain.

When I put her to bed the night before Easter, she sighed and said "I hope the Easter Bunny brings me treats."

And he did. He brought the whole Vittles family treats, in fact. Hence, this fudge.

This would also be great with leftover Halloween candy. Or half-price candy that you buy on clearance after either holiday.

Er, not that I would know anything about that.

Leftover Easter Candy Fudge

2 1/2 C. sugar

4 T. butter

1 5-oz. can evaporated milk

1 7.5-oz. jar Marshmallow creme (such as Fluff)

1/2 t. salt

1 t. vanilla extract

1 12-oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 C. chopped candy of your choice (I used Cadbury Mini Eggs)

Grease a 9" square pan, or line with nonstick foil. Set aside.

Combine sugar through salt ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until melted.

Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil (do not mistake air bubbles for boiling). Boil slowly, lowering heat slightly if necessary, and stir constantly for 5 minutes or until mixture reaches softball stage (about 235 degrees Fahrenheit).

Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla. Then stir in chocolate chips, and mix until chips are completely melted and combined with the marshmallow syrup.

Pour into prepared pan, and jiggle pan to level mixture. Sprinkle with chopped candy, and press gently to set. Allow mixture to cool completely and slice into squares.

Recipe Adapted from Durkee Mower Inc, as posted on MarshmallowFluff.comMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2015/04/leftover-easter-candy-fudge.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-68351479392946403892015-03-10T21:13:00.002-04:002015-03-11T19:57:51.054-04:00Chocolate Almond Coconut Granola

It's been a while since I've been this excited about a recipe but... holy smokes, y'all. I am in love with this granola!

I recently saw a recipe for Triple Chocolate Crunch Granola and knew that was something I needed to try. But shortly thereafter, I was inspired by a very nice representative from Nuts.com* to develop a recipe using almonds. I had the idea to make a chocolate granola, with almonds... and coconut.

For a coconut lover like me, that's essentially a trifecta of deliciousness. Almond joy-ous, if you will! Plus I keep hearing about all the health benefits of almonds and coconut oil, so I feel like it's an indulgence you don't have to feel too guilty about.

And while I had a pretty decent first attempt at this, I tweaked a few things and my second try was spot on. I have been sneaking handfuls of this stuff every time I walk by the container. It's addicting!

Honestly. The photo session was like 30% shooting, 70% snacking.

Soo good.

I just feel badly for Mr. Vittles-- he's not big fan of granola, and he's REALLY not a fan of people crunching food in his presence. It's a weird pet peeve of his.

I didn't realize how super crunchy this granola really is until The Mini was chomping away on some as her "after-dinner treat" the other night. Pretty much her dad's worst nightmare. I wasn't sure if I should be more worried about her tiny teeth chipping, or his soul being crushed with every bite.

So... uh, sorry, Mr. V. But everyone else - you're welcome!

Chocolate Almond Coconut Granola

2 1/2 C. old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

1/2 C. sliced almonds

1/2 C. sweetened, shredded coconut

1/4. C. agave nectar

1/3 C. dark brown sugar

1/4 C. coconut oil (use unrefined for coconut flavor)

1 T. almond butter

1/2 C. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 t. vanilla extract

1/8 t. salt

2/3 C. mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment or nonstick foil, & set aside.

In large bowl, mix oats with almonds and coconut until evenly distributed. Set aside.

In small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine agave, brown sugar, coconut oil, and almond butter. Stir until oil and almond butter are melted, then add cocoa powder. Mix until no lumps remain (mixture will be thick, like brownie batter).

Remove saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Add to oat mixture, and use clean hands to coat oats with cocoa mixture until evenly covered. (I know this is messy, but I recommend using your hands because you'll be able to coat the dry ingredients more thoroughly if you stir & squeeze the ingredients through your fingers.)

Spread granola evenly onto prepared sheet, and bake for 30 minutes, stirring well but gently every 10 minutes with a rubber spatula. Remove from oven, and immediately sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Stir well to form larger clusters of granola, then spread back out evenly on pan to cool. Place pan on wire rack until granola has cooled completely & chocolate has hardened (2-3 hours). Store in airtight container.

Recipe Loosely Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

*Note: I did not receive any free samples or compensation from Nuts.com when collaborating on this post.Maggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2015/03/chocolate-almond-coconut-granola.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-75823006105078553962015-02-09T21:41:00.000-05:002015-02-14T15:14:47.984-05:00Red Velvet Frozen Yogurt

Four years ago, I made a really yummy red velvet ice cream, and ever since I've been wanting to try my hand at a red velvet frozen yogurt.

Clearly I was not in any particular hurry, but hey - better late than never.

With Valentine's Day again right around the corner, this is a nice, festive recipe.

For me, it's also a frozen treat my daughter can eat that's not hanging off the side of my house.

(Yes... that is an icicle.)

Ever since the "Great Blizzard of 2015" a couple weeks ago (which turned out to be nothing more than a regular snow storm in our parts), the Mini has been asking for another "ike-icle snack."

Leave it to my child to find something to munch on while playing in the snow.

In any event, since the main ingredient here is whole milk Greek yogurt, this is much tangier than ice cream. To someone like Mr. Vittles, who is not a fan of yogurt, this was a great disappointment. But not to me! I looove yogurt, especially thick and creamy Greek-style - so I say, bring on the tang.

I will caution you, however, this frozen yogurt is best eaten right out of the ice cream maker. That's when it will have a consistency closest to what you'd find in a yogurt shop. If you do freeze it for later, make sure you let it sit on the counter for about 15-20 minutes before trying to serve it. This is how I was able to scoop it to take the photos seen here.

If you choose to add alcohol, that should help make it easier to scoop - but just keep in mind it will still be quite firm.

Red Velvet Frozen Yogurt

1/2 C. sugar

2 1/2 t. cocoa powder

1 oz. white baking chocolate, finely chopped

2/3 C. half and half

2 T. light corn syrup

1 t. red food coloring

2 C. plain whole milk Greek yogurt (such as Chobani)

3 T. vodka, optional if planning to freeze for later*

In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and cocoa powder until no lumps remain. Set aside.

Over double boiler, combine white chocolate and half and half. Heat, whisking frequently, until chocolate is melted. Add sugar and cocoa, and whisk until dissolved.

Remove from heat, and add corn syrup and red food coloring. Whisk to thoroughly combine. Let cool slightly, then fold in yogurt with rubber spatula. Once yogurt is incorporated, whisk mixture until smooth and no streaks remain.

Chill in refrigerator until mixture is cold (about 2 hours). Then churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions (I have a Cuisinart, and I churned for about 25 minutes). During last few minutes of churning, add vodka if using. Serve immediately, or store in freezer in airtight container.

*The vodka helps give the mixture a more scoopable consistency if you plan on freezing for later. If you don't use it, I would recommend letting the yogurt sit on the counter a bit to soften before trying to scoop it.

Original RecipeMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://email@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2015/02/red-velvet-frozen-yogurt.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-54747408238275704692015-01-14T14:39:00.000-05:002015-01-14T14:39:23.646-05:00Mary's Cowboy Caviar

Today, I have for you a special treat. Not only is this bean "salsa" amazing, but one of my favorite people in the world offered to share her recipe and a post. Take it away, Mary!

Hello! My name is Mary and I am super excited about being a guest blogger today! To start, Maggie and I have been friends since high school, and I am actually shocked she asked me (well I may have gently suggested) that I guest blog for her! As it with most friendships, as we get older it gets harder and harder to find time to catch up. We decided though to make the time to get together and catch up over the holiday.

My friends and I were all going to bring something to eat to Maggie's. Now as they know I am not a cook...at all. However I do have one ace up my sleeve, a great bean dip known as Cowboy Caviar which I bring everywhere I go, and it's become a hit with a lot of people.

My sister-in-law gave me the recipe, who had gotten it from someone else- so I am not sure of the origin. But it's delicious and easy, and everyone loves it!

Cowboy Caviar

Dressing:
1/2 C. oil (I use canola)
1/2 C. apple cider vinegar
1/2 C. sugar
1 t. salt

Salad:
1 can black beans
1 can black-eyed peas
1 can shoe peg corn
1 C. chopped green pepper
1 C. chopped red pepper
1/2 C. chopped scallions

Make dressing first so it can cool: put dressing ingredients in pot, and boil until sugar is dissolved.

Meanwhile, pour beans, peas, corn in a colander to drain liquid and rinse well. Add all to a big bowl. Mix well, and pour dressing when cooled. Best to chill at least 4 hours, and prior to serving drain some of the liquid. Serve with tortilla chips.

Family Recipe - Origin UnknownMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://email@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2015/01/marys-cowboy-caviar.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-84039212038928222772014-12-23T20:01:00.001-05:002014-12-23T20:01:43.991-05:00Cranberry Salsa

I don't know how, but this happens to me every year - Christmas sneaks up on me!

I love this time of year but I do wish it wasn't so busy. In the desire to see our loved ones and celebrate the holiday (as well as December birthdays!), it can get a little hectic and stressful.

This holiday season has luckily been pretty low-stress for me so far... our decorations are up, my cards are mailed, I have my shopping done, and this week I've even been able to fit in some baking.

If I can just finish my wrapping, I'll be in good shape!

But that leaves little time for blogging. When I'm not working, it seems I'm either busy around the house, or watching the movie Frozen for the umpteenth time with the Mini. (I know we're a little late on the bandwagon, but she only turned 2 in October - so this is the first time she's had enough of an attention span to watch even part of a movie. Be careful what you wish for, by the way. Saturday we watched it 3 times in a row!)

So anyway, I actually made this yummy salsa for Thanksgiving... but 'tis still the season for cranberries! This comes together quickly, and would be a festive addition to your holiday appetizer table.

Feel free to experiment with the amount of sugar and jalapeno in the recipe. I would start out with less and add more if necessary, to suit your taste. If you like spicy, you might consider more than the two jalapenos.

More importantly - I wish you and your families a wonderful holiday and a happy, healthy 2015!

Cranberry Salsa

1 12-oz. pkg. fresh cranberries

1/3 C. sugar (or, to taste)

1 bunch green onions

1/2 C. packed cilantro leaves

2 fresh jalapenos, stemmed & seeded

Juice of 1 lime

1/4 t. kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in food processor, and pulse until coarsely chopped. For best results, refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours before serving.

Slightly Adapted from Recipe of Unknown SourceMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://email@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2014/12/cranberry-salsa.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-43017773702100972742014-11-16T20:11:00.003-05:002014-11-16T20:11:53.151-05:00(Flourless) Peanut Butter Blossoms

Sometimes, you think you know a person.

Seven years ago in October, I met Mr. Vittles. Five years ago (from almost the same day) I married him.

Two days ago... I found out his favorite cookie.

Friday I had gotten a flourless peanut butter blossom recipe from someone at work, but it had a few ingredients I was unsure of. So I did a quick internet search and found a recipe that had only peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla in the dough.

I was still a little skeptical that it would make a good cookie, but it looked so easy it was worth a potential fail. Especially when I took into consideration the only person I'd be disappointing is myself.

Or so I thought.

When I took them out of the oven Friday night, Mr. Vittles asked "Are those gluten-free?"

"Ummm... yes, duh, I'm eating them."

But apparently his actual question was whether or not the original peanut butter blossom recipe is gluten-free. I said that I didn't think so, but I honestly didn't know - I hadn't made them in years. I thought maybe my mother-in-law would know, because she usually makes them at Christmas.

That's when he said "Yeah I know. Those are my favorite cookies."

Wha-what?

All this time I had thought his favorite cookies were scotcheroos, a chocolate & butterscotch crispy rice cookie that his grandmother makes. But apparently I was wrong. Peanut butter blossoms take the #1 spot on his cookie list.

Who knew???

Then I figured these would be a huge disappointment to a Blossom Connoisseur such as himself. The first pan I made wasn't even rolled in sugar, and he loooves his treats sweet. So I tried to redeem the second pan by rolling them in coarse sugar.

Much to my surprise, he said they were more peanut-buttery than his mom's, but still really good. Success!

On another note... I would like to dedicate this post to my mom, who would have been 60 years old today.

We just celebrated my dad's upcoming 60th birthday with a fabulous surprise party, and I only wish that she was here to celebrate as well.

She is the one who fostered my love of baking and creating, and I know she would love the idea of this blog.

Mom, I miss you every day, and thank you for everything. I would not be the person I am today were it not for you. I hope you are somewhere having a huge piece of cake that's as delicious as all the treats you baked for us over the years. Pssst... I love you!

(Flourless) Peanut Butter Blossoms

1 cup smooth peanut butter (I used Jif's Natural creamy peanut butter)

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

14 Hershey's milk chocolate kisses

Extra sugar, for rolling (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap chocolate kisses, and set aside. Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil or parchment paper, and set aside as well.

In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Stir until well-combined. If rolling balls in sugar, place some in a shallow dish. Wet hands until damp, then roll about 1 Tablespoon of dough into a ball. Roll in sugar (if using) and place balls onto prepared baking sheet at least an inch apart.

Bake 10-12 minutes until set and lightly browned (although dough will still be soft). After removing from oven, press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Let cool on baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 14 cookies. Recipe slightly adapted from nutritiouseats.com

Maggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://email@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2014/11/flourless-peanut-butter-blossoms.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-78209462961109068782014-10-26T08:43:00.000-04:002014-10-26T08:43:27.416-04:00Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

Fall is undoubtedly my favorite season. The cool, crisp air.... the leaves crunching under your feet... Halloween... and of course, the apples and pumpkins.

It's only natural that I would try to foster the same love of everything autumn in the Mini.

So we have been reading books about Halloween and Fall- mostly in an attempt to persuade her to put on her Halloween costume- but we inadvertently created a pumpkin-loving monster.

She points them out everywhere. On walks, at the store, driving in the car. "Mommy look! Punkins!"

So we thought bringing her to the pumpkin "patch" last weekend would be the greatest thing ever. Better yet, they offer pumpkins at the orchard where we pick apples every year, so we figured we'd kill two birds with one stone.

At first it was great...

...but after about ten minutes of apple-picking, she was turning into Grumplestilksin. It was no fun that Mommy kept trying to take pictures and wouldn't let her pick up the rotten apples on the ground, or run around with giant sticks. So she refused to smile for any photos, and said she didn't want to pick out a pumpkin.

Although she did eventually come around a little, and tried to carry her pumpkin to the wagon.

But alas, it was too heavy.

Who knew the pumpkin patch would be a field of disappointments.

But the good news is, Mini has never met a pumpkin muffin she didn't like. Even these gluten-free ones, which no one will even guess are missing wheat flour!

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

2 C. Gluten-Free Flour Blend* (see below)

2/3 C. firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 C. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground ginger

1/8 t. ground nutmeg

1/8 t. ground cloves

6 T. butter, melted

3/4 C. canned pumpkin

1/3 C. buttermilk**

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 t. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place paper baking cups into 12-cup muffin pan cup, or grease cups. Set aside.

Combine flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Whisk to combine.

In smaller bowl, whisk butter, pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Stir into flour mixture just until moistened.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan & cool completely on wire rack. Makes 12 + muffins. Store muffins in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

*Gluten-Free Flour Blend: Combine 2 cups rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca flour and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Use appropriate amount for recipe; store remainder in air-tight container. Stir before using.

**If you don't have buttermilk, substitute 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to equal 1/3 cup. Let stand 5 minutes

Recipe Adapted Slightly from Land O Lakes
Maggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2014/10/gluten-free-pumpkin-muffins.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-38397397096172522992014-10-08T22:05:00.000-04:002014-10-08T22:05:20.626-04:00Roasted Tomato & Jalapeno Salsa

Mr. Vittles and I have grown our own veggies almost every year since we met.

Some years have definitely been more successful than others. Before we owned a home, we would plant everything in containers on our deck, but last summer was our first time having a "real" garden space.

Interestingly enough, it was our worst crop to date.

Thankfully, this year we redeemed ourselves, and I think next year will be even better now that we've had two growing seasons in our home to learn from our mistakes.

One thing I learned this summer was to let Mr. Vittles do all the harvesting. He got rather prickly when I picked a bell pepper before it was apparently 'ready.' Jeez... do NOT mess with a man and his peppers. Just sayin'.

Anyway, our jalapeno and tomato plants were going crazy toward the end of summer, and I could not keep up. I love a good caprese salad, but we were getting tired of that, and there is only so much one can do with fresh tomatoes! And I was really at a loss with the jalapenos, because even if I would use a sprinkling here & there in various dishes, there was always a bunch still left.

So I made this slightly time-consuming salsa, and it killed two birds with one stone... used up our veggies, and tasted amazing. Totally worth the extra time and effort of roasting.

In fact, I'm not gonna lie - I basically had a dinner of chips and salsa a couple nights after I made it.

And even the Mini enjoyed it! My dad & stepmom were over a little while after it was finished, and we were all hanging out on our deck. I put the salsa out with some chips, and my dad (her Poppa) was breaking off chips for her - naturally, she wanted to dunk them in the salsa, too. He was a little skeptical that it would be too hot, but I knew she likes other spicy things, so I figured we should let her try it. Lo and behold, she loved it.

The next day, just Mini and I were sitting on the deck in the very same place. She got a far-off look in her eye and said "Poppa. Chips. Hot."

Dreaming of food - that's mommy's girl.

And that's how memorable the salsa was!

Roasted Tomato & Jalapeno Salsa

1 1/2 lb. ripe whole tomatoes (about 10 medium), preferably plum

2-3 fresh jalapeño peppers, stemmed (amount depends on your preference for spicy & also size of the peppers)

Half of a small white onion, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rings

4 garlic cloves, peeled

1/3 C. chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed

1 t. salt

1 1/2 t. cider vinegar

Preheat the broiler on high. Lay the whole tomatoes and jalapeños out on a broiler pan or baking sheet. Set the pan 4 inches below the flame and broil for about 6 minutes, until darkly roasted on one side. The tomatoes may split and lose some juices. Using a pair of tongs, flip over the tomatoes and chiles and roast the other side for approximately 6 more minutes. The tomatoes may get charred on the outside, but the idea is to cook them through. Set aside to cool.

Turn off broiler, and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place onion rings & garlic on another baking sheet, and roast in the oven, stirring every couple minutes, until the onions are browned and wilted and the garlic is soft and browned in spots (approximately 15 minutes). Cool to room temperature.

Peel the cooled tomatoes with your fingers and cut out the cores, working over your baking sheet to keep all the juices. Place whole jalapenos with the onion and garlic in food processor and process until finely chopped, scraping everything down with a spatula as needed. Place jalapeno mixture into a large bowl. Without washing the processor, coarsely puree the tomatoes & excess juice from baking sheet. Then add them to the bowl with cilantro, and stir to combine. If needed, stir in some water to achieve a spoonable consistency. Add salt & vinegar to taste, using ingredient amounts as guidelines. Can be eaten immediately, or covered & refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Recipe Slightly Adapted from Rick Bayless with JeanMarie Brownson and Deann Groen Bayless, as found on EpicuriousMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2014/10/roasted-tomato-jalapeno-salsa.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-33658071591324062662014-09-05T22:06:00.000-04:002014-09-05T22:06:17.359-04:00Coconut Water Strawberry Banana Smoothie

I hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day weekend - the official "last hurrah" of summer!

We spent a good portion of it at the beach with family.

Long Beach Island, NJ with cousins

Point Pleasant Beach, NJ with Poppa & CandiGram

I find it incredible that The Mini started summer afraid of the ocean, and now she can't get enough. Amazing what a few months can do!

Overall, though, I'm just not sure where summer went this year. I think in large part it hardly felt like summer because we had so many unseasonably cool days.

Except for this week when it decided it would make a September appearance with extreme humidity and near-90 degree temps! Weather like that makes me want a refreshing smoothie.

Cocozia* was nice enough to send me a case of their <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=vittles-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00K65O870&asins=B00K65O870&linkId=C3JDXZQEWROIJ3BS&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true%22%3E%20%3C/iframe%3E">organic coconut water for review here on the blog, and so my first thought was to create a smoothie with it.

Personally, I find that coconut water has a bit of a peculiar taste - which is not to say that it's bad, but rather nothing like you would typically associate with "coconut." However, I started drinking it a few years ago because of its supposed health benefits, and grew to enjoy the taste. Cocozia happens to be one of the better ones I've tasted, and I love that it's organic.

Especially because I like to give it to The Mini - she thinks it's juice, and is perfectly content to drink it plain over ice. Sometimes I throw some fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries in it, and she thinks its fancy.

But make it a smoothie, pour it in her Princess cup, and now you're really speaking her language!

Coconut Water Strawberry Banana Smoothie

1 C. coconut water

1 C. plain yogurt

1 banana

1 C. frozen strawberries

sweetener, if desired (honey, agave, or sugar to taste)

Place all ingredients in blender, in the order listed above. Blend until smooth. Makes 1-2 servings.

Original Recipe

*Special thank you to Cocozia for allowing us to sample their coconut water at no cost. Please note that I did not receive any compensation to write this post, and it reflects my personal opinion.Maggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://email@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2014/09/coconut-water-strawberry-banana-smoothie.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-21942870800458159212014-08-03T21:03:00.001-04:002014-08-03T21:03:55.855-04:00Turkey Meatloaf

A couple of months ago, one of my coworkers asked if I had a classic meatloaf recipe.

I immediately went to V&B, thinking I could just forward her the link ... when I realized I do not have a "traditional" meatloaf on my blog! I couldn't believe it. I make this recipe often, in a rotation with buffalo chicken meatloaf (which is now also a staple in our household.)

So I wanted to remedy this oversight immediately, but it's usually tough to snap a decent picture during the madness of weekday mealtimes. Which meant I had to wait until I made it on a weekend... and the pictures are still pretty rugged, haha!

Look, as I've lamented before, it's tough to make a mound of barf-colored meat look 'sexy.' I think I've gotten a little better, but this time I also had a hungry Mini Smalls circling like a shark.

Don't mess with the Mini when she's ready to eat - trust me, the girl is serious about her chow. Does this look like the face of an amateur to you?

Don't be fooled by the kitty in the bottom of her bowl. She's hardcore, I tell you. Ruthless.

(I think she gets it from her momma - I get "hangry" too.)

In any event, I promise the taste makes up for my poor food styling & photography skills!

Turkey Meatloaf

16 oz. ground turkey (I use 94% lean)

1 egg

2 T. milk

1/2 C. plain breadcrumbs

1 t. garlic powder

3/4 t. onion powder

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. dijon mustard

2 T. fresh parsley, minced

1 t. salt

freshly ground pepper, to taste

Glaze:

1/3 C. ketchup

1 T. barbecue sauce

1 T. brown sugar

1 T. apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a glass pie pan or 8" square baking dish, and set
aside. (If you like to make it in a loaf pan that's fine too, but I prefer to a larger dish so the end result is less greasy.)

Whisk eggs & milk in large bowl. Add breadcrumbs, garlic & onion powders, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Add ground turkey and mix well with hands until
thoroughly combined.

Form into a mound in prepared pan/dish and bake 50 minutes. In bowl, prepare glaze by combining ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Spread over meat, and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 2-4 people.

Original RecipeMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://email@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2014/08/turkey-meatloaf.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-70528697661584600742014-07-04T13:19:00.000-04:002014-07-05T12:09:55.662-04:00Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Happy 4th of July y'all!

It's currently raining here, courtesy of Hurricane Arthur, so there is not much celebrating to report from the Vittles household.

The rest of the holiday weekend is supposed to be beautiful, but I knew most of today was supposed to be a wash. So last night I made this oatmeal to bake in the morning.

I never liked oatmeal until recently, though I was also never sure why. Much like hot tea, it seems like something I would enjoy, yet every time I had it I found it to be... bleh.

I still don't know what brought me around to it. Maybe the fact that I started feeding it to the Mini, and eating her inevitable leftovers? Maybe the fact that I started having it with a little brown sugar and cinnamon? Maybe the fact that I don't have a lot of "hearty" breakfast options since going gluten-free?

Not really sure. But in the meantime, the Mini is also starting to get a little more discerning with her tastes - she has started asking for specific things at mealtime, and refusing others. (Our newest favorite is cherries.) But so far, this has been a hit.

It's also great left-over, so no worries if you don't eat the whole pan.

Hope everyone has a fun & safe holiday - Happy Birthday, America!

Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

2 C. uncooked quick-cooking oats

1/2 C. packed brown sugar

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/8 t. ground cloves

pinch salt

1 t. baking powder

1 1/2 C. milk

1 t. vanilla extract

1/2 C. unsweetened applesauce

2 T. butter, melted

1 large egg, beaten

1 apple, peeled, cored & diced

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease an 8" square baking dish with cooking spray, and set aside.*

In a large bowl, whisk together the oats through baking powder, & set aside. In separate bowl, combine the milk, vanilla, applesauce, butter, and egg.

Add milk mixture to oat mixture; stir well. Fold in diced apples. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish & bake for 20-25 minutes, or until set in middle. Allow to cool 5 minutes, then serve warm.

*Note: This recipe can be made the night before, and stored in the refrigerator. If making ahead, skip the step of preheating oven until ready to bake. Also you may need to add an extra few minutes to bake time.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, as posted on MyRecipes.com

Maggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://email@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2014/07/baked-apple-cinnamon-oatmeal.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-91403843854913179772014-06-22T11:17:00.000-04:002014-06-22T11:17:17.879-04:00Red White & Blue Mini Vanilla Cheesecakes

Strawberries have always been one of my favorite things about summer.

Much like my obsession with pumpkin in the fall, we always have plenty of strawberries on hand during the summer. I look for any excuse to eat them or use them in recipes!

Now it seems our Mini has inherited this love as well, except she refers to them as "strawbees."

Not long ago she went strawbee picking with some of her cousins, and apparently took her job very seriously.

I was also told that she did not eat one single, solitary strawberry while they were at the orchard!

She made up for it at home of course, but I was still able to snag a few to adorn these mini cheesecakes.

I am loving this recipe because you get to enjoy the creamy richness of a cheesecake without having to deal with the fickleness of baking one that's full-sized.

And... you get to cover them with blueberries and "strawbees" (or any other fruit of your choice.) But of course, I love the red, white & blue theme for the 4th of July!

Red, White, & Blue Mini Vanilla Cheesecakes

1 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs

5 T. melted butter

3 T. sugar

Pinch salt

2 (8-oz. packages) cream cheese*, room temperature

2/3 C. sugar

1 vanilla bean, split and seeded

2 eggs, room temperature

2 t. pure vanilla extract

Sliced strawberries & blueberries, for decoration

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line one 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.**

Mix together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, 3 T. sugar, and salt. Place 2 tablespoons of the graham cracker mixture into bottom of paper liners. Using the bottom of a small juice glass or your hands, press mixture down firmly into each cup.

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, 2/3 C. sugar, and vanilla bean scrapings until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla extract, and beat well.

Divide batter evenly amongst cups (each should be about 3/4 full). Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, or until the centers are just set. Cool in pan on wire rack, then transfer to plate and chill for 4 hours or overnight in an airtight container.

Before serving, top with sliced strawberries & whole blueberries. Makes 12 cupcakes. Cupcakes are good for 3-5 days when refrigerated.

Notes:
*You can substitute Neufchâtel for some or all of the cream cheese, that is what I used for a slightly lower fat version.
**I really like the Reynolds StayBrite® baking cups (available in most grocery stores) for these, because they are thick and peel away from the cheesecakes easily.

Recipe Adapted Slightly from Bree at goboldwithbutter.comMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://email@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2014/06/red-white-blue-mini-vanilla-cheesecakes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-6464915814393236722014-05-31T13:52:00.002-04:002014-05-31T13:52:19.186-04:00Corn, Tomato & Basil Salad

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day!

Here at the Jersey Shore, Memorial Day weekend is the official start of summer.

And I am psyched to break out some new summer recipes with you guys.

This one came from my friend Pauline, who got it from her mother-in-law. I'm not sure where she got it from, so I apologize in advance for not properly crediting the source. But I had this at their house last summer, and had to get the recipe. It is super easy, has simple ingredients, and is really refreshing.

In fact, this salad is so delicious that The Mini actually reversed her ban on tomatoes. Yup - cut up tomatoes were a food I tried early and often, but to no avail until I gave her a bowl of this salad. I think it's the garlic and basil, which obviously makes everything delicious. (Although now she will even eat tomatoes plain, go figure.)

I can't complain too much though, because she has actually been a great eater for the most part. I am just crossing my fingers that toddler-hood doesn't ruin that! I know most kids get more fickle with age, and I was pretty much the poster child of picky. Family folklore tells me that when I was a baby, I actually ate (and enjoyed!) a wide variety of foods. My only memory, however, is subsisting on chicken nuggets, yogurt, and mac & cheese for about the next 12 years of my life.

Ugh.

I cringe just thinking about it. I really don't know how that happened because my parents both love food.... but let's hope we don't repeat that. Although I'm sure my mom is somewhere chuckling & saying, "Ohh, just wait. She's only 1 1/2!"

So until then I guess I'll just be happy that we can all enjoy this summer treat together :)

Corn, Tomato & Basil Salad

12-oz. bag frozen corn (about 3 cups, or the kernels removed from about 6 cobs)

2 T. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 C. fresh basil, thinly sliced

1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half

2 T. white vinegar

kosher salt & ground pepper, to taste

Season tomatoes with some kosher salt, stir, and set aside in a colander to draw the juices out. (This is an optional step, it just takes some of the liquid out of your finished salad).

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic, and saute about 1 minute - do not brown. Add corn kernels (still frozen is fine) and saute about 4 minutes, until just cooked through.

Remove pan from heat and add half of the sliced basil. Season mixture with salt & pepper & transfer to a bowl. Stir to combine. Allow to cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, and remaining basil. Adjust salt & pepper to taste. Cover & chill 3-8 hours, or can be served immediately.

Family Recipe - Origin UnknownMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://email@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2014/05/corn-tomato-basil-salad.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-77557585731866588052014-05-07T22:05:00.000-04:002014-05-07T22:05:39.452-04:00Heath Bar Brownies

By now you might be like "Another brownie recipe?"

I dunno. I like brownies, I guess.

And pants with elastic waists.

(In case you didn't know, brownies and stretchy pants go together like Thelma and Louise.)

I made this recipe when Mr. Vittles' parents and grandmother came over for a visit this past weekend, and my mother-in-law also made brownies. Hers were not only deliciously dense and fudgy, they were healthy! I'll share them with you someday.

Alas, these are not healthy. But you knew that already. Your first clue was probably the part about Heath. Anything with toffee in it cannot possibly be healthy, right?

So the Mini has been going through this phase (like many 18-month-olds, I'm sure) where she says "no" when she actually means yes. Our 'conversations' go something like this:

"Mini, do you want to eat breakfast now?"

"No!"

And then she takes off running into the kitchen, climbs into her 'eating' seat, and bounces with sheer excitement and anticipation of whatever food is about to be placed on her tray.

She probably gets that from me. I definitely do a mental dance every time I think of my next meal. (Sadly, The Pancake Shimmy is not nearly as adorable when you're 31 as it is when you're 1.)

As for the confusion between No and Yes - I think she gets that from her daddy.

Mr. Vittles told me he could "take or leave Heath bar," but ended up eating more than half of these brownies singlehandedly. Go figure.

Heath Bar Brownies

1 1/2 sticks of butter (12 T.) cut in chunks, plus more for greasing foil

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 C. sugar

3 large eggs

2 t. vanilla extract

1 C. all-purpose flour

3/4 C. Heath bits, divided (or other brand of English toffee bits)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick or buttered foil, and set aside.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, heat butter and chocolate at 30-second intervals, stirring after each until mixture is completely melted (1 1/2 to 2 minutes total).

Stir in sugar, and beat for 100 strokes. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add flour and stir gently, just until no streaks remain.

Spread half of batter in prepared pan, then evenly top with 1/2 C. of toffee bits. Pour & spread remaining batter over top, then sprinkle with remaining 1/4 C. toffee bits.

Bake brownies until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool, then cut into 16 pieces.

Recipe Adapted from Kim Jameson, as it appeared in Country Living MagazineMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2014/05/heath-bar-brownies.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-59699853846812171922014-04-19T11:52:00.003-04:002014-04-19T11:52:36.084-04:00Banana Coconut Chia Muffins

I'm sorry to report that it's been a bit of a sad and stressful week in the Vittles family. My grandmother (mom's mom) went in for heart surgery on Monday, and on the same day my grandfather (stepmom's dad) passed away.

Luckily Grammy seems to be doing ok, but my grandpa, who we knew as Pop Pop, will be sorely missed.

I have happy memories of listening to him play guitar, and he would always keep us laughing - about anything from how he wooed my grandma, to his fondness for his "cream puff" of a car, that faithfully transported him from Florida to New Jersey at least once a year.

As the years go by, I know I will be forced to say goodbye to more and more people that I love. But now I also watch our Mini grow with each passing day - I guess this is what they refer to as the 'circle of life?'

Well today our little munchkin floored me, and I think that was just what I needed to lift my spirits this week.

Our good friend Pauline came over with her beautiful, almost 5-month old daughter Genevieve, and Mini was going to meet the baby for the first time. They arrived while Mini was napping, and we put G in her old bouncy seat. G was having a blast, but I couldn't help but wonder what Mini's reaction would be - she is not exactly known for sharing.

But after waking up and getting past a brief bout of shyness, she was not only fine with G using her seat, she was excited. G was excited to see her too, smiling and kicking. Then my heart melted when Mini, without any prompting, bent over and gave G a kiss.

Unfortunately Pauline and I were completely unprepared for this moment of cuteness, but we were still able to capture a reenactment a few minutes later:

I said that when they get older, we'll have to tell them they had an instant connection!

Speaking of which, I had an instant connection with these muffins I made to accompany our coffee this morning.

You may know by now that I love me some coconut, but I found out today that Pauline does too! And with both shredded coconut and coconut oil, these muffins have a double dose of the good stuff.

Banana Coconut Muffins

2 C. flour

1 t. baking soda

3/4 t. salt

1/4 t. nutmeg

2 T. chia seeds*

1/2 C. unsweetened, shredded coconut (you can also use sweetened, flaked if you prefer)

1 C. brown sugar

1/2 C. coconut oil

4 mashed bananas

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 12 muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray, or line with muffin cups.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, chia seeds, and shredded coconut. Set aside.

Cream the coconut oil and brown sugar until well combined. Add the egg, and beat well. Add the mashed banana and vanilla, and mix until blended.

Stir the dry ingredients into wet ingredients, and mix only until just combined (be sure not to over-mix here!). Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins, about 3/4 of the way full.

Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Yield 12 muffins. *If you do not wish to use the chia seeds, you can either substitute poppy seeds or leave them out completely.

Recipe Adapted from Jenna Weber, as found on PBS online
Maggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://email@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2014/04/banana-coconut-chia-muffins.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-88845120420993025402014-03-30T22:37:00.000-04:002014-03-30T22:37:40.282-04:00White Balsamic Apple Vinaigrette

I've always enjoyed a good salad, but ever since I became gluten-free about 4 months ago, I've taken my salad game to a whole new level.

Which is probably for the best, since we signed the Mini up for a "parent & me" swim class and I've had to squeeze my doughy, ghost-white body into a bathing suit two months earlier that I usually would.

It doesn't help that my partner in crime looks adorable in her bathing suit.

Ah the things we do for our children.

In any event, I am a creature of habit and when I find something I like, I stick to it. For example, I have spent countless lunches at Panera Bread with my coworkers over the years, and have only sampled probably 4 different menu items.

Even before I went GF, one of my main go-to meals has been their Fuji Apple Chicken Salad. A-mazing. I don't know who decided apple chips would be a good topping for salad, but I would like to thank this person for changing my life.

However, I am not much into Gorgonzola cheese, so I always ask to substitute with Feta cheese. I also prefer almonds to pecans when I make it at home. So it's totally up you what you put this on, but my recommendation for a salad base is as follows:

-mixed greens/baby lettuce
-grilled chicken strips
-tomatoes
-slivered almonds (or pecans)
-crumbled feta cheese (or Gorgonzola)
-red onion
-crispy apple chips (you can find my recipe here, or use store-bought)

Either way, you can't go wrong.

White Balsamic Apple Vinaigrette

2 T. canola oil

1 T. olive oil

1/2 C. apple juice (I recommend using a "natural" apple juice)

3 T. white balsamic vinegar

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1 t. lemon juice

1 t. sugar

2 t. honey

1/4 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. xanthan gum (optional - it just makes the dressing a little thicker)

Whisk all ingredients together, or process in a blender to emulsify. Makes about one cup of dressing. Any leftovers can be refrigerated for up to a week.

Original Recipe
Maggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2014/03/white-balsamic-apple-vinaigrette.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-612631430086560555.post-58015424522070752932014-03-09T21:28:00.001-04:002014-03-09T21:28:33.854-04:00Pina Colada Smoothie

Well... you know you're a parent when you catch an illness you haven't had since the 4th grade.

In fact, my supervisor put it all in perspective when he texted me Friday morning "You worked 31.75 hours in the past 2 weeks - when you come back, I may need to reintroduce you to the group."

Yup. Between a snow day, the Mini getting pink eye, and then ME getting a random virus followed by my own case of pink eye... I did not even work the amount of hours in two weeks that I would usually work in one.

<Sigh>

My father-in-law did warn us that a young child is like a Petri dish, and boy was he right. Although the Mini has been fairly healthy (almost shockingly so), I feel like I  have not been able to go longer than a month without catching something since she was born.

The addition of the Petri Dish to our household has also spelled trouble for Mr. Vittles. Once known for a powerful immune system my friend Joe nicknamed "Super Blood," he too has fallen victim to a surprising number of "bugs" in the past 17 months.

While he was able to avoid the pink eye this week, he was not so lucky with the virus that left us both with the worst sore throat in the history of sore throats, and a cough that still won't quit.

At its peak, the only things that gave us any relief were frozen treats. Not only is the cold temperature soothing, but apparently the sugar is as well. The two days that I managed to drag myself to work last week, I had a smoothie for lunch.

At home, it was more smoothies and ice cream. Not great for the girlish figure... but desperate times call for desperate measures. And after this brutal winter (with snow storms aplenty) I figured a little tropical treat would be good for the soul as well as the throat!

Pina Colada Smoothie

1 C. full-fat coconut milk

1 C. canned crushed pineapple, with juice

1 ripe banana

1 T. sugar (optional)

ice

Add coconut milk, pineapple, banana, and sugar (if using) to blender with about 2 handfuls of ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Makes 2 smoothies, approx. 12 oz. each.

Original RecipeMaggie @ Vittles and Bitshttp://email@example.com://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2014/03/pina-colada-smoothie.html


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Zdzislaw Beksiński
Born: 24 February 1929 Died: 21 February 2005
Country of origin: Poland
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Description: 24 February 1929 – 21 February 2005) was a Polish painter, photographer and sculptor, specializing in the field of utopian art. Beksiński did his paintings and drawings in what he called either a 'Baroque' or a 'Gothic' manner. His creations were made mainly in two periods. The first period of work is generally considered to contain expressionistic color, with a strong style of "utopian realism" and surreal architecture, like a doomsday scenario. The second period contained more abstract style, with the main features of formalism. Beksiński was murdered in 2005. Technique Beksiński had no formal training ... (more)
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