Checkerboard Lunch

Checkers anyone?

This Laptop Lunchbox is filled with interactive pieces.

Top left: grape tomatoes and ranch. 

Top right: sandwich cut in half and standing on sides covered with a carved piece of fruit leather (checkerboard) and a circle and "x" from the fruit leather pieces.  2 granola bars fill the gap.

Bottom left: Checkerboard apples (playing pieces are to the right.)

Bottom right: Yogurt & chocolate covered raisins

Update - He liked this interactive checkerboard lunch that he's asked for it multiple times since then....Just don't tell them that they can't play with their food.

Fall!

If you live in Texas, then you know that we all were afraid fall may never come.  The extreme heat combined with the worst drought we've ever had has been truly miserable.  This weekend's cooler weather inspired me to decorate for the new season that's on the horizon.  (It is September after all!)

The mirror is one that we've had for a while, and it's from Hobby Lobby, as is the old mirror that I put inside the fireplace.  The battery-operated candles (with timers) are from Target.  The new painting, "Poppies", is my newest purchase during last week's 50% off sale at Hobby Lobby.  I love the colors and knew it would be a good match for the mantle wall. 

I made the banner with burlap, twine and a paint pen.  I love that it's subtle, but still gives more depth and texture to the overall decor.  I tried to do it the "easy" way by using iron-on heat & bond.  Honestly, it would have been easier to sew the straight line on the burlap triangles.  (They were 9" wide and 12" tall when I started, and then I folded the top over the twine and trimmed the edges.)

I have some branches and leaves that I may or may not put in vases and flank the mantle.  I just haven't found vases that I love yet....

Bento: Crinkle Cutter

Our son got a new lunchbox this year, and although it's "cool", the Laptop Lunchbox system doesn't fit as well in it as it does in last year's box.  He REALLY likes the Laptop Lunches though, so he's willing to have the old lunchbox regularly.

It's amazing what "crinkle-cut" can add to a lunch in the eyes of a child.  Today's Laptop Lunchbox (use code Earleyfam for a discount) is filled with crinkle-cut items.  (I used a crinkle cutter from Pampered Chef that's sharp enough to cut through raw carrots with ease.)
The top left compartment has grape tomatoes with a couple of pics from AllThingsForSale.com, light ranch dressing, and crinkle-cut carrots in a silicone cupcake "flower" from World Market.
The second compartment is the dip (or "ketchup") for the "fries."  However, I also included a spoon in case he wants to eat the Light Vanilla Yogurt and Raspberry Preserve mix by itself.
The bottom right is full of crinkle-cut apples.
The bottom left is a honey-wheat sandwich with almond butter, grape jelly, and spun honey.

Orange Bento

We are a week into this school year, and although I packed lunches all last week, I didn't get one picture of any of them. 

The note says "Orange you glad I packed your lunch?" 

I made the note in Word last night after searching for fun inspiration on lunchbox notes.  I didn't find one that was applicable, but I did find several that I'll share soon!

I used the Laptop Lunch system and included:

• Carrot sticks and Ranch dressing
• Goldfish
• A sandwich with almond butter, spun honey, bananas, and apricot fruit leather decor
• Mandarin oranges
• and canteloupe in an additional container from Container Store

Grilled Broccoli & Cheese

With several food allergies and some finicky-ness, lunch can be one of the trickiest meals of the day for me.  All of my kids LOVE broccoli, but it hadn't occurred to me until this week to put it in a grilled cheese!  I used leftover steamed broccoli, chopped it, and added it to a "standard" grilled cheese sandwich.  This allows for a protein/dairy, vegetable, and grain all in one neat package without any food substitutions or tricks.  They all loved it, and so did I!  I ate one, too.

Dawn's Homemade Beer Bread

There's not much that makes me happier than fresh warm homemade bread.  With the extreme heat in Texas, my beer bread has been an easy fast bread to make!  Usually it takes longer to rise, but not this summer, and it's still just as delicious.  My husband LOVES this bread.  Loves it.  I love that it's yummy and so easy!  I can throw it together so quickly - sometimes as little as 2 hours from start to finish.  (Cold climates will take longer.)

Dawn's Homemade Beer Bread

Ingredients:
3.5 C all-purpose flour
1/4 C cooked brown rice (I make up a batch and then divide it up into ziplocs, and then I throw them in the freezer for future beer bread.)
3 T packed light brown sugar
1 T plus 3/4 t active dry yeast
2 T wheat flour
1.5 t salt
8-12 oz of strong beer, ale, or stout at room temperature (I place it in a warm water bath if I forgot to take it out ahead of time)
1/4 C milk or buttermilk at room temperature (Buttermilk can be made by using 1/3 T lemon juice and 1/4 C milk, let stand for 5 minutes)

Directions:
Mix all dry ingredients, including rice.  Add 8 oz. of beer and the milk.  Stir until combined.  Mix on medium speed with a dough hook until the dough comes together.  Add additional beer as needed.  Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or with dough hook until the dough is smooth and elastic. 

Add olive oil to the bowl and turn the dough to coat.  Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and set in a warm place (73-90 degrees) to rise until doubled in volume.  (In warmer weather, this can be 30 minutes.  In cooler temperatures, it can be an hour and a half.)

Grease a standard size loaf pan.  Punch down the dough; form into a loaf shape and place in the pan seam-side down.  Cover with oiled plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in volume.  Same times apply as the 1st rise.

Preheat oven to 350.  Bake loaf until the crust is golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, 35-45 minutes.  Remove loaf from pan, coat top of loaf with melted butter and let cool.

Enjoy!

Marinated Manchego

This is an incredibly easy and oh-so-yummy appetizer.  It's made up ahead of time and then served at room temperature which makes it even less work.  This is one of my favorite apps, and it's bite-sized!

Manchego Marinated in Olive Oil & Herbs

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil; more if needed               

3 large sprigs thyme

3 4-inch sprigs rosemary                                            

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 small dried red chiles, cut in half or thirds             

8 oz. manchego (more aged is better), rind cut off, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes

In a small saucepan, heat the 1 cup oil and the thyme, rosemary, and chile over medium heat until the oil is hot (160°F) and looks shimmery, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool completely at room temperature.

Put the manchego in a glass or ceramic bowl. Pour the olive oil, herbs, and chile on top. Add more oil to cover, if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Remove from the refrigerator a few hours before the party to return the oil to room temperature.

To serve, transfer everything to a pretty bowl, with toothpicks alongside for spearing the cheese .

Light Spinach, Bean, and Cheese Enchiladas - aka Good for You Enchiladas

If you are anything like me, then you CRAVE Mexican food.  I know I've said it before, but I absolutely love Mexican food and Tex-Mex.  However...my waistline does NOT crave Mexican food OR Tex-Mex.  So, maybe I don't absolutely love it...it's more love/hate.  This is my most recent attempt at a "healthy" option for enchiladas.  We gobbled them up before I got a picture, so I had to add this image later.  The good news is that we did all love them.

Light Spinach, Bean, and Cheese Enchiladas

a.k.a. Good for You Enchiladas

by Dawn Earley

2 cups low-fat (1% or 2%) cottage cheese
1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
Spinach, sautéed and chopped
Cumin (to taste)
Kosher salt and ground pepper
16 corn tortillas (I prefer home-style yellow corn tortillas)
Nonstick Cooking Spray
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 large white onion, diced small (1/2 cup reserved for serving)
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 can (15 ounces) tomato puree
2 cups vegetable broth
fresh cilantro leaves and salsa for serving

Preheat oven to 350^o.  In a food processor, process cottage cheese until smooth.  Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in black beans and spinach.  Season with cumin, salt and pepper.

Wrap stacked corn tortillas in a damp dish towel and microwave until softened, 2 minutes.  Working with one tortilla at a time, lightly spray both sides with cooking spray, place two rounded Tablespoons cottage cheese mixture down center of each, then roll tortilla around filling.  Place seam side down, on rimmed baking sheet.  Bake tortillas until heated through, 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high.  Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 5 minutes.  Add chili powder and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.  Whisk in vinegar, tomato puree and broth, bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer mixture to a blender and puree until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids).

To serve, divide enchiladas among plates and top with sauce, onion and cilantro.

Serve with Salsa.

Patio Makeover

One of the things we loved about our home when we moved into it almost 2 years ago was the back patio.  Don't ask me the dimensions, because I honestly don't remember (although it seemed important during the building process.)  We installed 3 ceiling fans upon move-in, and we hung a new clock/thermometer/wind chime. We used some pieces that we had at the last home as well for candles, etc., but not much to speak of.
Regardless, our patio was furnished with "leftover" furniture from our last house.  That included outdoor cushions that I purchased years ago when we bought the furniture. 
We had:

•  A wrought iron table
•  4 wrought iron chairs
•  An umbrella and stand (intended for the table)
•  A "loveseat"
•  2 ottomans
•  2 individual chairs
• A coffee table

We had some large pots filled with herbs and a gas grill as well.  That's it.  We hadn't really done any work out there, because it always seems so expensive.

I had *HAD* it.  I was sick of it.  My husband flinched when I said I wanted to update the patio, because he had been shopping with me before as I yearned for new cushions and all of the fun patio pieces.  First, he insisted on going with me to shop.  After 3 stores (Garden Ridge, Target, and I don't even remember where...), he agreed that I should do it on my own, because the sticker shock was too much to bear. 
Ultimately, I went back to Garden Ridge for the cushions.  I also found other elements that I purchased at Home Goods, World Market, Ikea, and Pier 1.
When my hubby returns from his trip, he has a ton of battery-operated lanterns to hang in clusters of 3 all around the patio, but everything else is to my liking.  Well, except that I still need plants for my 3 new planter boxes that I got at Pier 1....  I'd also like another 3-5 pillows, but I can't seem to find what I want.
Without further adieu......

White wicker table and metal vase are from Pier 1.  The flowers are from Hobby Lobby.

The chargers are from World Market and the lanterns are from Garden Ridge & Home Goods.  I'm anxious to get the lanterns all hung up!

  I bought 3 baskets at Home Goods to hold outdoor toys and slide under the loveseat.  The cushions are from Garden Ridge, and the pillows are from Pier 1.  Even outside toys need some organization.

 I fell in love with these 2 hurricanes at Home Goods.  They look fantastic at night when they're lit as well as during the day. 

The large vase is from Pier 1.  The 3 small ones are from Ikea. 

The side table the vases are on is from World Market.

Rolling beverage cooler that has some minor imperfections that was marked down at Home Goods.

 I added white vinyl decals (I made on my Cricut) on each side of the lid to make summer "drink diving" a little easier.  I hate rummaging through a huge cooler of ice only to find that the last can of what I want is on the other side at the bottom. 

 

 

Garden Bento with "Bugs"

Summer inspired this bento lunch.

An apple "ladybug" with sesame stick antennae and celery stems fill the first compartment.

Graham crackers as "dirt" lead the raisin "ants" into the peanut butter "mud."

Yellow pear-shaped tomatoes round out the garden. (These are from our garden, and my son can eat them by the bowl-full.)