Pasta with Sausage Broccolini and Garlic A Year Supply of Pasta Giveaway!

The folks over at Golden Grain Pasta generously offered to send me 8 boxes of their new Hidden Veggie Pasta, and also offered to sponsor a giveaway of years supply of pasta (2 boxes of pasta a month -24 boxes total) for one lucky reader!  I couldnt turn down such an opportunity to try pasta, which is one of Familys absolute favorite meals, so I asked them to send me my sample!

Although the pasta does have some vegetables in it (carrots and squash), it isnt enough for me in terms of providing my family an adequate mix of protein, vegetables, and starch.  Time is always short in my house so I wanted to make a one pot pasta.  I decided to make one that used the vegetables that are dark green, broccolini, with some yummy Italian sausage and garlic.  The end result was a meal that everyone enjoyed and gobbled down.  The recipe has a dairy free option, which uses more chicken stock, and a dairy option which uses some heavy cream.  Both versions are very delicious.

Pasta with Sausage and Broccolini
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 box of Golden Grain Hidden Vegetable Pasta (or your choice of another pasta)
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casing removed, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves of garlic, minced or through a press
¼ chicken stock
1 lb broccolini, chopped into 1 inch pieces
¼ cup heavy cream or chicken stock (depends if you want it to be dairy free)
3 tablespoons of basil, finely chopped
¼  cup Parmesan cheese (for serving)

Method
Boil water for pasta. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In the same pot, over medium heat, add olive oil and sausages. After sausages are browned, add garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add chicken stock and broccolini. Cover and cook until broccolini is slightly tender and bright green about 5 minutes.

Toss in pasta, and toss together well.  Finish with cream or additional chicken stock.  Add basil and serve.  Pass Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.

Printable recipe

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Rice Pudding Gluten and dairy free No resolutions this new year

When I was younger, Mom and Dad would ask Brothers and me every December 31, "What are your resolutions for the coming year?"  Id stare at Parents blankly, because mostly I couldnt think of anything.  Usually Id mumble something like, "My resolutions are to study harder and practice piano more."  What else was there to say?  Maybe two weeks tops Id work on these resolutions, and then within three weeks, Id be off doing my thing, my own way.

This year, thoughtfully, deliberately, willfully I made no such resolutions.  Why should I torture myself on a day trying to figure out how Im going to make myself better when in reality - one day of thinking Im going to get better, do better, live better isnt necessarily going to end up with results.  Change, true change, comes from within, with slow deliberation, willful determination, and a lot of time.  One day to decide all of that just doesnt make sense to me.  So instead, Ive decided to throw caution to the wind and not resolve to do anything.  Im going to make it through 2013 and not accomplish, resolve, fix or do anything extra.

The lovely folks over at Stephen James Organics sent me a bag of their Carazuc, which is a sweetener made from the sap of the buds of the coconut flower.  Its dark brown in color, and the flavor is reminiscent of brown sugar with hints of molasses.  I looked at it and decided that it might be interesting to make rice pudding with it and make the rice pudding something that Son could enjoy.  Enter coconut milk.

The end result was something that Daughters and Son alike enjoyed.  Daughters preferred it warm, and Son liked it with a dollop of apricot jam on top.  I liked the fact that it was a slightly sweet dessert, but not so over the top that I felt guilty feeding it to the kids.  And so, despite my attempts to the contrary - I end up doing something - a dairy free, refined sugar free dessert that the entire family can enjoy.

Ah well.  Happy 2013 to me.

Coconut-Milk Rice Pudding
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
¾ cup sushi (short grain) rice, rinsed
¼ cup Carazuc or regular sugar (brown sugar also works)
Pinch of salt
3 ½ cups unsweetened coconut milk (not the kind in cans, but the kind in cartons - So Delicious brand or Trader Joe’s brand)
1 cinnamon stick
3 or 4 whole cardamom pods
Fresh fruit or fruit preserves/jam for topping

Method
In a large saucepan, combine the rice, carazuc (sugar), salt, 1 cup of the coconut milk, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods.

Cook over low heat, stirring, until coconut milk is absorbed, at least 5 minutes.

Add ½ cup of coconut milk at a time, stirring and cooking until the milk is absorbed, then repeat, adding another ½ cup again until you have added an additional 2 cups of milk and the milk is mostly absorbed, about 25 minutes.

Remove cardamom pods and cinnamon stick carefully.  Let cool and then add remaining ½ cup of coconut milk.  Serve topped with fresh fruit or jam.

Printable recipe

Heres to a year of doing less.

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Countdown End of school year preparations and Momento App Giveaway!

If youre like me, youre counting down the days until the end of the school year, not necessarily because youre looking forward to it (heh) but maybe because, like me, youre looking for a hot air balloon to whisk you away before things become too intense.

The countdown to the last day of school is typically so insane, filled with end of school year activities, parties, celebrations, and last minute scheduling of EVERYTHING before kids are fully yours for the summer.  Our countdown happens to be longer than 30 days, but were at a year round school, so Im guessing that most of you are at fewer than 30 days.  (In case any of you are wondering how I created that cool countdown above - I found a super fun app called "MOMENTO" and it allows you to create fun little countdowns.)

It becomes the time of year that we begin thinking about how we honor our teachers, and believe me Im thinking the same thing.  Ive got a little plan in works with my friend over at Sillie Smile, and hopefully in a few days well have a fun and neat project for you to do for your teachers.  Im thinking some yummy cookies (if I could only perfect my popcorn cookie) as well as some movie tickets or coffee gift cards.  For me, the most important thing that teachers do (this includes me of course) is RELAX and not think of students and just rest their brains after a grueling school year. I like to give them things that will allow them to do this - hence this years idea of movie tickets and coffee.  (If only I could guarantee they arent going to run into students at the theater - because when I was teaching, I always ran into mine.)

 This was the first round of something I tried, and it is going in the direction I wanted, but isnt complete.  Ill come up with something a bit cuter I think in the coming week or so.

Giveaway details!
And for a little bit of fun - the creators behind Momento are allowing me to give away 4 free apps! In the essence of time, Im just going to give them to the first four people who leave a comment below.  Be advised, Momento is currently ONLY for iOS, so if youre not on an iphone, its not as useful.  In the comments, please let me know what is one thing youre counting down right now!  The first four commenters, Ill be emailing you a redemption code and instructions!

If you want to buy the app, after I have my first four winners, click here.

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End of Year Teacher Gifts When youre not ready to say good bye

For JH - missing you

Its here.  The final last day of school.  Its my last day of preschool ever, as Children will all be in elementary school next year.  Tomorrow Ill say goodbye to a community of teachers, staff, parents, and children who have loved my family and me for the past six years and a part of me breaks.

Im not even sad that Son is growing up - because, you  know, its TIME.  His preschool years were amazing, fun and awesome, but were ready for some new learning and new growth.  Its not like I wish that he could stay longer as a preschooler.

Its that I wish I could stay longer as a community member of the school.  And saying good-bye has never ever been my strong suit.  Im not worried about Son, Im worried about ME.  Son has already announced to his teacher, "My mom is going to cry tomorrow" and Im sure I will.  Ill bawl with tears streaming down my cheeks.  Im readying the kleenex and the ice packs because I dont think my heart will be able to handle it.

It becomes a question of how one says goodbye to a community.  Im not sure.  This community was there for me when we arrived from Korea, not knowing anyone, and my first new friends in California came from this community.  My first parenting support and help came from this community.  And the friends that Children love best came from this place, so the ties are strong.

I decided to say my good-byes today in small ways.   For the office staff, I wanted to give them something small to take home that they could enjoy, and usually I make them a bunch of cookies.  This year the office staff universally is getting in shape and trimming down, so I decided on these gorgeous succulents that I found ($5 at Trader Joes) and wrote simple cards to all.

For Sons teachers, I went the route of humor.  This year has been one fraught with a lot of changes and flux at the school and the teachers were amazing and wonderful.  I wanted them to know that I KNEW that they needed time to recover from their work this year, so I decided to take this idea that I bounced off of my friend blogger over at Sillie Smile.  I wanted little prescription pads with space where I could tell the teachers how I thought that they should relax.

Sillie Smile came up with the bottle labels, prescription sheets, and the cute idea to put movie tickets (I purchased mine from Costco) into a medicine bottle as a form of packaging.  I loved the idea and I have to tell you that the teachers all did as well.  Check out her post with all the details here.

The cookies I made for the prescription were the Oatmeal Brown Butter cookies.  They are Husbands current favorite cookie, and the flavors and textures are awesome.  I made the dough ahead of time, rolled them into logs, and then sliced them.  It definitely works just as well to simply make them and make round balls of dough and bake them immediately.

Anyways, tomorrow Ill say goodbye.  Ill try not to embarrass Son with snotty face and red eyes, but who knows.  I only have an ugly cry and that will be the one that comes out.  I may need to write my own prescription pad, "How to recover from saying goodbye" and it will  say,  "Profuse amounts of chocolate and caramel.  French fries.   Chips."

  

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