Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Ham and Sweet potato hash

So, I wanted something different and kind of breakfastey for dinner so I tried this recipe and Ryan and the kids loved it! 
Ham and Sweet Potato Hash

*Serves 4-6
3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 onion, minced
3 tablespoons heavy cream
10 ounces thinly sliced deli ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 large eggs
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting microwave-safe lid and microwave for about 6 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but not overcooked – they’ll cook a bit more in the skillet later. Stir the potatoes halfway through cooking. Drain the potatoes of any excess liquid and set aside.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is hot and rippling. Add the onion , stirring often, until they are tender, about 4-5 minutes.
Stir in the drained potatoes and the cream.  Let the potatoes cook without stirring them for about 2 minutes so they can start to get nicely browned. Flip the potato hash mixture, one portion at a time, and lightly repack into the skillet to let the potatoes brown on the other side. Continue this flipping process every few minutes until the potatoes are nicely browned, about 8-10 minutes.
Stir in the ham and lightly repack the hash into the skillet. Using a large spoon, make 6 shallow divots about 2 inches wide in the surface of the potato mixture. Crack one egg into each indentation. Season with salt and pepper and then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet. Let the mixture cook until the eggs are set to your liking, about 5-7 minutes. Serve.


I served this with toast and Orange Julies Smoothies
12 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
2 cups Milk
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
15-20 ice cubes
Combine it all together and Blend until smooth. ( My blender isn't big enough so I had to do 1/2 a recipe at a time)

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Belly photos

Tonight we went to the Botanical Garden and let the kids run around and took some belly shots.  We figured we had better take the pictures now before my belly gets any bigger and isn't "cute" anymore!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Wildlife Museum

There is a Wildlife museum close to our house and the kids have been begging to go for a while now.  We finally decided we didn't have anything going on this weekend and took them.  They had a blast!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Homemade Cow Pinata

I don't know where the kids came up with this idea, but they decided they needed to make a homemade cow pinata.  Maybe it has something to do with getting to destroy something and having candy fall out...

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Beach Street Lemon Chicken Linguini


1 lb. linguine
2 tablespoons olive oil
Zest from one lemon
Juice from one lemon
3 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Marinade:
½ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 chicken breasts, sliced
Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk lightly before pouring into a ziploc plastic bag. Pat chicken dry and toss in marinade to coat. Refrigerate 3-12 hours.
When ready to cook, preheat skillet over medium heat and pour contents of plastic bag (both marinade and chicken) into the skillet. Saute over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked.
Combine juice of one lemon, lemon zest, olive oil, green onions and fresh parsley together in a small bowl. Set aside.
While the chicken is sauteing, cook linguine in boiling salted water until done; drain and return to warm pot. Pour lemon juice/olive oil/green onion mixture over pasta and mix lightly. When chicken is finished cooking, add hot pasta mixture to the skillet with the chicken and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss in parmesan cheese. Serve warm.