I'm back :) with Cheery Chowder!

Ok so I am back from a couple months of blogging vacation. I wish I could say I was taking a life vacation too but I've been surprisingly busy. My life as a stay-at-home daughter has turned into my life as a substitute teacher, cupcake sales woman, nanny, etc. Much to my mother's chagrin her stay-at-home daughter has not been making dinner as much as we both had anticipated, but I am working on adding that onto my list of responsibilities :) I've been comparing my life since May 5th with what the first few weeks in a college semester used to be like (at least for me). The first few weeks any given semester had a few set in stone scheduled weekly events (e.g. classes), then a few weekly events that hadn't yet been fully scheduled but I knew eventually they would have to be scheduled in (e.g. lab meetings, bible study, thesis meetings), and because of these unscheduled items I felt like I had all this free time so I would schedule tons of lunch/coffee dates and then the next thing I knew the semester was underway and I had overcommitted myself. Without fail that was how every semester at JMU started for me and I wouldn't have had it any other way! Now my life feels a little bit like that every week. Each week has a different schedule and I always seem to fill every waking minute with as much as I can. I absolutely love calendars and planners and I love filling them (I know I am so weird)... but I just feel like I am accomplishing things when I have a full planner :)

Anyway, I have finally had a chance to make something awesome and winter-y that I know you all will LOVE! I like to call it Cheery Chowder. I went to visit one of my best friends last weekend and she made me a delicious version of this chowder. When I came home I told my mom about it and she said she used to make something so similar when I was a kid. So I did a little combination and here it is!

Cheery Chowder

How about that bowl for a self-esteem boost ;)

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbps butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1 celery stick chopped
• 1 cup finely chopped carrot 
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 4 cups chicken broth 
• 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups chopped broccoli
• 2 cups chopped cauliflower
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup of water
• 2/3 cup of milk
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 can white corn (drained)
• 1 package of Canadian bacon diced 
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Cooking Directions:

1. In a large soup pot melt the butter.
2. Add the chopped onions, celery, carrots, and garlic over medium heat until all are tender.
3. Add chicken broth and worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil.
4. In a separate pot steam the broccoli and cauliflower for about 7 minutes or until it becomes slightly tender (you don't want it to become mushy)
5. Mix flour and water, then add it to the soup and bring to a simmer until it starts to thicken a little.
6. Add milk and cheese, stir until cheese is melted.
7. Finally add in the broccoli, cauliflower, corn, Canadian bacon, and salt and pepper.
8. Serve hot and add a little more cheese as a garnish if you are feeling extra cheesy :)

College Student to Mother of Three

I have spent the past few days overnight nannying for my neighbors who have three wonderful children. As a theme for this summer, I kind of feel like I graduated from college and immediately became a single parent. I absolutely love nannying and spending time with children and it is giving me excellent practice for when I have my own kids one day (a long time from now!). I really felt like a mom when I was taking the younger two kids to their Elementary School open house, which was at my old elementary school, and all the other mothers are looking at me and trying to do the math... The most fun thing about my job is that I get to be a kid again. And this week I actually got to use my Bachelor's Degree in psychology... I know what you are thinking... I did not psycho analyze the children, but I did get to share some of the research I did and some things I learned that I find extremely fascinating. My neighbor's oldest son is going into high school (I know he is too old for a babysitter but I was mostly just there to make sure the house didn't burn down and provide protection overnight because I am big and strong and can almost do 2 pull-ups now... I digress) and he is very curious about the human mind. So, put the two of us together in the same vicinity and I am on cloud nine. Surprisingly all three of the kids became fascinated in what I was telling them about human development and how infants perceive things differently than adults because of something called perceptual narrowing... And now the middle child wants to do social psych experiments on her mom. Anyway, I had a great time and I knew my formal education would come to good use someday ;) And I've still got a long way to go. I also had a chance to bake with the kids and this is the delicious concoction we came up with.

Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas (smashed)
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup veggie oil
• 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter (melted)
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp each of baking soda, vanilla, and salt

Baking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine all ingredients until flour is mixed.
3. Butter a 9x5 bread pan.
4. Pour batter into the bread pan and sprinkle with sugar.
5. Put in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes.

After a few days of overnight nannying I came home to share a slice of this delicious bread (more like dessert) with my mommy while sipping a spot of tea. Then my dad came home from work and we took our new paddle board down to the river for a nice relaxing paddle. This is the life... 

My daddy made that paddle board carrier :)

More adventures to come. 

LP's final requests

My little sister is currently enjoying a fun-filled orientation weekend at the best university in the nation, James Madison University of course. She had a couple final requests before she left and we made sure to oblige. For her final dinner she requested a salmon specialty, which I have perfected over the years (recipe to follow), and on the morning of her departure she requested I play Just Dance 3 with her one last time. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Just Dance, it is a video game that tracks your body movement to ultimately compete for the title of the best dancer!

The salmon I made is our family rendition of an entree my mom once had at bonefish grill. It is baked naked, then broiled with cooked spinach, bacon crumbles, and blue cheese. To finish it off we top it with a lemon, white wine, cream sauce :) I usually serve this particular salmon dish with a side of cauliflower mash, yumm!

Salmon à la Haley

In the words of my Gran: "Doesn't that look DI-LICIOUS"

Ingredients:

• A filet of salmon sectioned into 4-6 servings
• 1 bag of spinach (9 oz)
• 4 oz. of cooked original bacon
• 1 container of crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola 
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

White Wine Sauce

• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup of heavy cream
• 3 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp lemon
• 10 Tbsp butter

Cooking Directions:

Salmon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with tin foil (for easier clean up) and place the sectioned salmon on the sheet. 
3. Season each section of salmon with a little olive oil and salt and pepper (save some olive oil for the spinach).
4. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 25-30 minutes. 

Toppings

1. Sauté spinach over medium heat with a little olive oil and salt (add a pinch of garlic powder if so desired).
2. Crumble the cooked bacon into little pieces.

Sauce

1. Simmer wine and lemon for about 15 minutes.
2. Slowly add cream and cook until slightly thick.
3. Turn heat to low and whisk in chilled butter.

Final Preparation

1. Remove the salmon from the oven.
2. Top each section of salmon with spinach, bacon crumbles, and blue cheese.
3. Return salmon to the oven on broil for about 3-5 minutes, or until cheese begins to melt. 
4. Remove the salmon once again and top with a tablespoon or so of sauce.
5. Serve and enjoy!

A Grassroot Soccer Going-Away Party

Throughout the summer I have enjoyed standing alongside Matthew as he prepared to leave for a year long internship in South Africa. I knew our time together would fly by but it went even faster than I could have imagined. To celebrate his last few days in Alexandria, I threw together a little going away party. I had the best time creating decorations, cooking bbq (my mom did most of the cooking!), and coming up with an African themed playlist with my siblings. As "rains down in Africa" played in the background, friends from high school, James Madison, and Virginia Tech came pouring in! By the end of the night I had everyone write encouraging notes to Matthew and we all wished him the best on his upcoming adventure!
Here are some pictures from the night:

Mason Jars for collecting spare change towards Matthew's fundraising.

I printed Matthew's address and blog address on cardstock
and added these ribbons to make little bookmarks.

I love cowboy boots :) Doesn't necessarily match the African or Soccer theme
but it's a little touch of Haley :)

I made this giant map of Africa and gave myself a little geography lesson!

Spice cake cupcakes are my favorite, Matthew likes them too ;) I also made his favorite... chocolate covered strawberries!

Lindsey, Mommy, LP, and Me waiting for the guests to arrive!

 Matthew said he felt so special at the end of the night and was extremely encouraged by the amount of support he has received from so many family members and friends. I was so pleased to be able to put this little shin-dig together for him! Thank you to everyone who helped and came! Click here to hear the latest details from Port Elizabeth!

Yummy Hummy!

Hi friends! I'm back after a long break from the blog. Sorry to keep you waiting but here is a recipe that I can guarantee you will love! My mommy, sister, and I are obsessed with hummus. Needless to say we have been working on perfecting our own Mertins Family Recipe and are a little bit snobby when it comes to the store bought brands (we love sabra). We also love edamame so, this recipe is for an edamame hummus that we have lovingly named Yummy Hummy.

Yummy Hummy

Ingredients:
1.5 cups drained chick peas (save 1/2 cup of the juice)
1 cup peeled edamame
1/2 cup tahini paste
1/4 cup olive oil (I used light olive oil)
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp ground cumin
Juice of 1 lemon
chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Drain the chick peas in a strainer with a bowl underneath to catch the juice.
2. If your edamame are in their shells, pop the seeds out of the casing.
3. Combine all ingredients in a food processer and puree until smooth.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve with pita chips and carrots and enjoy!

Yummy Chicken in a Cabernet Sauce!

So a lot has happened since we've spoken last!
1. I spent a wonderful weekend in Chicago with some lovely friends and Matthew at the APS annual Convention. We had a great time exploring the city, eating wonderful food, and of course enjoying the convention. If you are ever in Chicago make sure you go to a restaurant called the Purple Pig, it is very unique and fun!
2. Upon returning home Matthew found out his placement for where he will be living in next year... Port Elizabeth, South Africa!! From all the research I have done it looks absolutely wonderful and I am looking forward to visiting ;) After that exciting news we celebrated Date Night with a couple rounds of corn-hole and made Matthew's family dinner.
3. Our dear friends, Paul and Erin, were married this past weekend! Matthew and I had such a wonderful time celebrating with them and many other friends as we danced the night away! Congratulations Paul and Erin :)

Now that you are all caught up, it's time for a recipe!

Chicken in a Cabernet Sauce with Roasted Mushrooms and Onions

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless chicken breasts halves
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 2 ounces of bacon
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 8 ounces of baby portabella mushrooms cleaned
• 1/2 a sweet onion chopped or 10 shallots quartered
• 1 cup of Cabernet Sauvignon 
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Cooking Directions 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Flatten each chicken breast half by placing it between two sheets of wax paper and pounding with a kitchen mallet til the chicken is about 1/3 inch thick.
3. Once flattened, spread 2 tablespoons of mustard on one side of each chicken breast and press two sage leaves into the mustard. Set Aside.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the bacon until it is crispy. Remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel to drain the grease. Set the skillet aside.
5. While the bacon is cooking, cube the mushrooms and combine with the onions in a baking dish along with 2 tbsp of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. In the set aside skillet, add the remaining olive oil and put over medium heat. Place the chicken breasts in the skillet. Cook each chicken breast 3-4 minutes on each side (turning once) until breasts are golden brown. Remove the breasts from the skillet and set them aside. 
7. Raise the heat of the skillet to medium-high. Add the Cabernet Sauvignon to the skillet, scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula to loosen any brown bits. Stir until the wine is reduced by half. Add the cream by stirring and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low boil and cook for 2-3 more minutes until the sauce becomes slightly thick. 
8. Return the chicken and bacon to the skillet with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve the chicken topped with the roasted mushrooms and onions as well as a spoonful of the sauce and enjoy!!

Yellow Tomato Caprese Sandwich

My boyfriend is going to be doing an internship in Africa starting in August for a year! We decided it would be fun to have a weekly date night where we plan something special for each other until he leaves. Last night I planned and I took Matthew on a picnic!

Our menu was:
A fresh mixed greens and baby spinach salad with champagne dressing
Yellow tomato caprese sandwiches (yellow tomatos are my favorite)
Chocolate covered strawberries for dessert (Matthew's favorite)
Orvieto Classico white wine

My sister showed me this wonderful spot that overlooks the Potomac River to take Matthew for our picnic.

Here is my recipe for 

Yellow Tomato Caprese Sandwiches

Makes two 6-inch sandwiches
Ingredients:

• 1 multi-grain french baguette
• 1 lb fresh mozzarella
• 2 medium yellow tomatoes 
• 2 medium red tomatoes
• A couple slices of grilled chicken (optional, I gave Matthew chicken because he loves meat!)
• 2 tbsp basil pesto (I used a Trader Joe's brand)
• 6-8 leaves of fresh basil
• fresh ground pepper to taste 

Preparation:

1. Slice the mozzarella and tomatos into thin slices. 

2. Using a serrated knife, cut two 6-inch pieces of the multi-grain baguette and then slice all the way through both leaving the baguettes facing open. 

3. On the inside of the baguette spread the pesto on one or both sides then begin to assemble the tomatoes (alternating red and yellow slices), mozzarella, basil, and chicken on one side of the baguette. Top it off with a sprinkle of fresh ground pepper.

4. Place the other half of the baguette on top of the prepared side and place the fully assembled sandwiches in a panini maker for about 5 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. 

5. Enjoy!

I'd say it was a successful first date-night to kick off the summer!

Now my mom wants to know when I am making dinner for the family... Stay tuned :)