honey pie

Cherry Pie.

Big Cheese.
Strawberry Swing.
I Want Candy.
Mean Mr. Mustard.

It seems like there is a song for every delicious food out there. Except one. The onion.
And I just don't get it! ...Okay, I get it. They stink. They make you cry. They can be strong and piquant and just plain evil. I use them every day in just about every meal that I make, but sometimes I feel resistance to slicing one open and balling my eyes out. I always fight that resistance.
It's always worth it.
But last night I decided to try to find the sweeter side of my mascara's arch nemesis. Caramelized Onion, Bacon and Blue Cheese Tart. I found the recipe in a recent issue of Woman's Day Magazine. What? I got a subscription free with some airline miles I had accumulated. Fine, I'm lame. Whatever. Back to the tart.
Did you know that onions could taste sweet, but not too sweet? Be soft, but not mushy? Take on a beautiful color and really earn the whole CARAMELized bit?
I did. I really thought I did. But I had no clue. Not until last night.
I served this easy and unreal tart along-side some Cream of Asparagus Soup (I stole this pic from a google search since I didn't bother to take one of mine. It looked this good, though. Trust me.) which is SO easy and SO creamy and SO delicious. I adapted the recipe from one I found online at allrecipes.com:

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 stick butter, unsalted
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup water
• 4 cups good chicken stock/broth
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
• 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and coarsely chopped
  
• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
  

Directions

1. Melt butter in a heavy cooking pot (I use my enameled cast iron guy). Add onions and chopped celery; saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in flour, mixing well. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add water, chicken broth, and chicken soup base; stir until smooth. Bring to a boil. Add diced potatoes and chopped asparagus (reserve the heads of the asparagus in a bowl on your counter for post-blender). Reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes.
   
2. Puree soup in a food processor or blender in batches (I use my stick blender). Return to pot. Return soup to simmer, add asparagus heads and simmer 5 minutes.
   
3. Stir in half and half cream salt and pepper. Bring soup just to boil. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve hot*.

*I like to garnish mine with a swirl of half and half as I serve it, which makes it look fancy and cools it down just enough to dive in. Just use a teaspoon or two on each bowl.

aww nuts

Avery's favorite thing to say when she is disappointed is "Awww Nuts!!" She picked up this expression from her daddy, of course.
I would complain, except she has picked up "Oh my goodness!" as well as "Geez Louise!" from me. So, yeah. We're even. Speaking of nuts, I have made Smitten Kitchen's Peanutella Recipe twice now, as well as one from the LA Times that was just plain old Nutella (make no mistake: there was nothing plain about either one!) and I am hooked! This will definitely be a staple in our house from now on. It goes on fresh strawberries, toast, and even in K's protein shakes. It's easy. It's cheap. It's delicious. It has no artificial garbage in it. It makes my house smell delicious. And, finally, anything that I get to seal up in a cute little jar is on my nice list.

gripe

I hate it when a film meant for adults masquerades as a kids movie.
Because then my kid wants to see it.
And we both hate it.Thanks for nothing, Rango.

say hello to my little friend

Have you ever found yourself on a road bike, pedaling away the miles while feeling like a powerhouse and humming happily to yourself? No?
Me neither. Well, until this weekend, that is.
My triathlon is a month away and the snow is melting and, well, it was time. If you have never been on one of these thin-wheeled beauties I think you are missing out. Yes, the seat is narrow and hard. Yes, it is tall and the wheels look wobbly. But pedaling a mountain bike feels like driving a Cadillac with your feet, Fred Flinstone-style, compared to this easy-breezy ride. I feel an addiction coming on. If only it would get above 40 degrees here so I ride without feeling like I am on the back of Harry's scooter putting up to Aspen to find the girl of my dreams and give her back her briefcase.

Yep, that was a Dumb and Dumber reference. I guess that's what road biking does to me.

Also, if you are looking at this picture and thinking to yourself, "Wow. She definitely does not have the physique of a triathlete." well... bite me.
...Okay, that was a little harsh. Sorry. But I'm dealing. You'll get over it.

Oh and if anyone out there is a road-biking afficionado, please tell me that these crazy, hard-as-a-rock, metal-spiked clip-in shoes and pedals that I have are going to be okay. So far I am terrified of them.

pat a shoe

That's how you pronounce the name of the pastry I learned to make today during three glorious hours of Pastry II class at Rush's Kitchen store in Downtown Idaho Falls. Pate a Choux is the stuff eclairs, cream puffs, grougeres and this gorgeous little swan are made of, and, yes, it is as good as it looks.
No, strike that.
It's better.
Here was the reaction to my glorious homecoming this afternoon...

**See here for Pastry I details one year ago.

How does a spoiled girl change a lightbulb?

She says, "Daddy, I want a new apartment."

And he would give it to them, too. Wouldn't you?

do the pretty girl rock

Girl Talk.

Naptime in Carter's Crib. Literally.

A family in our ward (who I love love love) brought a MEGATUB of cheeto ball thingies over just in time for our January Junk Food Hiatus, so we finally dug into them the other day. Poured just about the whole thing into a big bowl. Avery was in Gross Kid Heaven.

PM Dance Party Chez Nous. Girls Only. Mama Mia (the movie) playing on the big screen at full-blast is a must. Songs only. Lots of spinning. Carter prefers reading (shredding) magazines, but she thinks mommy and Av are pretty funny.
Now do the Pretty Girl Rock.

and you played it to the beat

Just bought this.
Thank you Adele.
You know, in advance.