Runza

While we were in Omaha, Blake decided it was time to introduce Isaac to the great, wonderful, Nebraskan Runza {to help him get in touch with his roots. We've already got him wearing Nebraska Cornhusker clothing}. I admit, as a born and raised Iowan, I am also a fan. All of our Omaha friends swear that Runza has the best fries.

Judging from Isaac's obvious enthusiasm for being there {picture 1 - obviously Daddy is excited about what was going to transpire}, Blake just knew Runza would be a hit. Personally, I think Little Man needs to eat it a few more times before he's sold on it.

Dairy Free

Eating dairy free is tough. I already had a slight little mess up. I ate one crab meat Rangoon Friday night, forgetting that cream cheese is used for part of the filling. Happily, it didn't seem to bother Isaac too much...yet.

In an attempt to help plan better meals this week, here's what our dinner menu looks like:

Monday: Leftover homemade chicken noodle soup
Tuesday: Homemade BBQ pork sandwiches, tater tots, canned pineapple, and garden salad
Wednesday: Oven baked chicken with baked beans and garden salad
Thursday: Grilling out - pork patties, chips, carrots, and strawberry Jell-o with bananas
Friday: Fried rice and egg rolls
Saturday: Leftovers clean-up

Only 10 more days of this dairy-free madness. Then, I get to slowly add stuff back in. I'd give anything for a piece of cheese right now. At least Isaac seems to be feeling a bit better.

Don't taunt me cow!

Yellow watermelon?

Or, maybe you would just prefer a mango, dragon fruit, Asian pear, apple, pineapple, or regular pink watermelon?


Regardless of what kind of fruit they offer in Taiwan, my suggestion is to eat it. I only have one word to describe it all: Delicious!


P.S. Usually fruit comes with a side of freshly brewed tea. Also delicious. :)

Apricot glazed pork medallions

I discovered this recipe on the Food Network last week, and added it to my menu for the week. It has a slightly Asian twist and is super-easy and delicious! My parents and brother came over to help us enjoy them. We ate them with fresh stir-fried green beans and some steamed rice {per suggestion of the Food Network. Such lovely colors on one plate!}.

Apricot Glazed Pork Medallions
{with my tweaks, since I didn't use the exact recipe. See the original here}

1 lb Pork Tenderloin cut into 1/2" thick medallions {I actually ended up using a pork loin roast}
2 T. Sesame Oil
2 T. Minced Ginger or 1 T. Ginger Powder
1 1/4 c. Apricot Preserves {18 oz. jar}
2 T. Tamari Sauce {I used some generic stir-fry sauce instead}

Heat sesame oil in medium sauce pan. Sear pork medallions. Salt and pepper to taste.
Add ginger into the sesame oil and pork loin juice mixture and cook for about 30 seconds. Spoon apricot preserves over and add tamari sauce. Bring to a simmer and simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until meat is cooked to desired wellness.

Fantastic Lasagna

Growing up, I thought the only way to make the sauce for a lasagna was using the handy jar of spaghetti sauce. Don't get me wrong, it's still tasty, but having eaten lasagna at other people's houses that tasted {and looked} nothing like my mom's, I wondered what they did differently. When Danielle lived with us this summer, she made lasagna for us one evening, and it was positively delicious! The difference was that she makes her own sauce. Tonight, I recreated her lasagna {minus the cottage cheese}, with fabulous results. I've posted the recipe below if any of you are interested in giving it a whirl. Bon appétit!

Lasagna a la Danielle

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Makes a 9x13 in pan --> I cut the recipe in half and made it in a 9x9 pan.

Sauce Ingredients:

2 lbs hamburger

¼ large onion

2-3 cans of mushrooms --> Since I'm not a fan of canned mushrooms, I used fresh, sliced ones

1 large can of tomato sauce --> I used one 15 oz. can + one 8 oz. can in my 9x9 recipe

3+ large cloves of garlic chopped

Sauce Seasonings to taste:

Oregano --> I used the most of this herb

Parsley

Basil

Rosemary

2-3 bay leaves

Lasagna Noodles --> I used 7 in my 9x9 pan, chopping off excess on the edges and reusing them on different layers

Container of cottage cheese (whatever %)

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

Brown hamburger and diced onion with a little salt and pepper. Add mushrooms ½ way through so they can cook down a bit

Once browned, add tomato sauce, garlic, and the rest of the seasonings to taste.

SIMMER for 15-20 min or until the sauce is well seasoned/combined...REMOVE BAY LEAVES!!!

While sauce is simmering, boil noodles and drain.

Put a little bit of the sauce in the bottom of the pan so the noodles don’t stick, then put a layer of noodles…

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce over the noodles, then layer cottage cheese, and Mozzarella cheese. Repeat until all noodles are used leaving just a little sauce to cover on top of the noodles so when you top it off with mozzarella cheese, it has some moisture and doesn’t bake onto the noodles completely...

Bake in oven until cheese is just starting to brown. Remove from oven and enjoy!

Pretty Latte

The next time I get a latte, I hope it looks like this:

It turns out that Latte Art is becoming more and more popular as a way for coffee shops and baristas to set themselves apart from the competition. This latte looks so cute, I really just want to drink it up! :)
Click here to watch a short segment on latte art (there is a short advertisement first).

As a side note, I realize how completely sad I must look updating my blog multiple times a day and for multiple days in a row. But, in my defense, I'm on my very last week of my "summer vacation" which started at the beginning of July, Blake is studying for his National Boards this weekend, and it's ridiculously hot and humid outside, so I really have nothing better to do, during my breaks from getting our place ready for the real estate market, than make friends with my blog. :) I know how much you enjoy my updates, right? So, consider yourself spoiled with my abundance of entries. In the coming weeks, they are sure to become less frequent.