For once, I am sitting in a quiet house. My boys are peacefully napping, which means I have time to get some work done. But I am having a hard time finding words today. Apparently I am only able to be productive when, "MOMMY! My toe just fell off!" is being screamed across the house. Productive under pressure. That should be the subtitle of my life. 

Last night after I ran across the idea of a one-pot meal in the most recent issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine, I threw one together myself. Why had I not ever thought of this? Throw everything into a single pan and 10 minutes later, dinner is ready! The version I made last night was so easy and delicious. The leftovers are sitting in my fridge, begging me to come take a bite. I can't wait till dinner!

And there goes my quiet, so certainly now the words will flow with ease!

Nice weather is (mostly) here, and that makes me one happy girl. At this very moment I am working outside while my little boys run around and play "castle" in our bushes. I have longed for this moment for seven months and it is finally here! Pinch me! Dan and I both make most of our money in the summers, so it is a very busy but good and productive season for us. Welcome, summer!

I have had this lonely box of quinoa sitting in my pantry for a while now. The other night Dan and I had fed the boys since they adore eating at their little table outside when the weather is nice. We were feeling lazy and didn't know what to make for ourselves. I remembered the box of quinoa and thought about transforming it into a breakfast! For dinner! Scandalous!  

In a medium saucepan, combine:

1 cup quinoa

1 cup water

1 cup almond milk

Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove from the heat and add:

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix well and divide between 4 serving bowls. Sprinkle with blueberries, or fresh fruit of your choice, and serve!

Enjoy!

Printable recipe: Breakfast quinoa with blueberries

You know you have been using a plentiful amount of hot peppers in your cooking when you begin receiving concerned emails regarding the state of your stomach lining. I'm not worried in the least about my stomach's lining, but I am worried that I might be addicted to hot peppers! They make everything better, don't they?! 

Before I get to the recipe, I feel I should share that I laid my tired post-workout body on the sunny and very warm ground this afternoon in the very spot where a giant Yard Glacier stood mere weeks ago. Spring is finally here and I absolutely could not be happier about that. Spring is finally here! 

Onto the salmon! This was seriously yummy and it could easily be grilled instead of baked. May as well grill while the grilling season is here!

Place a 1-pound salmon fillet into a shallow baking dish. 

Add:

2 tablespoons hot sauce

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 jalapeño pepper, diced

1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper

Stir the marinade ingredients around and heap everything on top of the salmon fillet.

Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (or light your grill).

Pour the marinade into a small saucepan, leaving the salmon fillet in the baking dish. Bake the salmon in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.

Bring the contents of the saucepan to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for an additional 10 minutes.

Drizzle the warm glaze over the cooked salmon and serve! Soooo good! I'm off to enjoy a little bit o' spring with my cuties!

Printable recipe: Spicy buffalo salmon

This beautiful weather is almost too much to comprehend. I'm finding that it is very difficult NOT to put on a coat when I go outside. It's been a habit for so many months! And just when I break that habit, the cold front will blow in. It looks like it's going to be in the 30s again by the weekend. Living in Minnesota certainly is an adventure!

We didn't get the news we had been hoping for, but Elijah's surgery went flawlessly last week. Our sweet boy who has already endured way more than his share is now minus all ear bones in his left ear and has very limited hearing. He will need to undergo another surgery in a few months to have a prosthetic device placed in his ear that will hopefully give him some of his hearing back. One more thing to tackle! 

Can you read the name? Here's a closer look.

Congrats, Tiffany Henriquez! Please send me a mailing address using the CONTACT button at the top of the page in order to receive the $200! Please contact me within the next 48 hours, or the loot will go to the runner-up. 

Needless to say, we were VERY happy to say goodbye to the Yard Glacier today. It was a beautiful, very-cherished and much-anticipated day.

Below is a list of commenters/guessers who have a great chance of winning the $200!

4/26 guessers -- Katie, Roni, Deanna F, Melissa, Susie and Holly B

4/27 guessers -- Tiffany H and Connie

4/28 guessers -- Kristin W. and Kate4

4/29 guessers -- Heidi, Sadie and Sally @ Splash of Whine

4/30 guessers -- Amy's Cooking Adventures, Misty Cruz and Kristin1969

5/1 guessers -- Bobbi, Terri and Kim T

Good luck! Who knew that an ugly, dirty chunk of ice could be so exciting?!

It's smoothie season, right?! Well alright, it's nearly smoothie season. More snow is heading our way, so we aren't out of the woods yet here in Minnesota. That hasn't stopped me from making a ton of smoothies for my boys and myself. This cherry-pineapple version is my favorite concoction so far. It is packed with vitamins and nutrients, and you would never know it. Even my picky-eating boys slurp it down!

Tomorrow we are heading to Children's for my son's ear surgery. We would GREATLY appreciate prayers for him! We are all very eager to be on the other side of this.

Uhhh, yeah. As you can see, I have crossed the line into crazy.

I actually sat down to write about something that has nothing to do with winter. Salads! I love salads. Eating salads makes me feel hopeful that the weather will change. And like grilled cheese sandwiches, there is so much room for creativity. So I thought I would share some of my favorites with you on this snowy spring day. Enjoy!  

By the way, our yard glacier (the toothless variety, thank goodness) is still standing. I didn't want to subject my camera to the elements this morning, but I'll take a pic tomorrow so you can gauge whether or not you might be the winner of $200!

Chicken Raspberry Salad with Lemony Vinaigrette

It is always hard to write when I have a heavy heart. Boston's tragedy is weighing on me, as they all do. Airplanes, movie theaters, kindergarten classrooms and now marathons?! It is sad, sick, tragic and incomprehensible. Normally I would set my computer aside and try again in the morning. Since we will be traveling for most of the day tomorrow, that unfortunately is not an option. And so I write!

We have had such a nice vacation in North and South Carolina. Dan and I had a solid 48 hours of time sans kids, which was cherished beyond words. My dad and stepmom watched our boys while we enjoyed the ocean and warm sun and friends and each other. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. [insert very deep and strained groan] We will get on a plane and fly back to the land of never-ending snow and cold. Yes, the yard glacier still stands. No, I am not excited about leaving. Yes, I will miss my dad and stepmom and our vacation terribly. No, I am not excited about leaving. No, I am not excited about leaving. No, I am not excited about leaving.

Perhaps grilling season will open its welcoming arms soon. Until then, we will continue to grill burgers in the cold upon our arrival back home. This batch was a great one to start "the season" with last week. Have you noticed that I have had a bit of an obsession with hot peppers lately?

Light a grill over medium heat.

In a medium bowl, combine:

1 pound ground turkey (or beef, if you aren't worried about slimming the burger down)

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, chopped

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Using your hands, mix the ingredients together thoroughly. Divide the mixture into four equal portions and form patties.

Place the patties on the lighted grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side, or until desired level of done-ness is reached.

Layer each burger as follows:

Bottom bun

Burger

1 slice of cheddar cheese

1 tomato slice

1/4 of an avocado (peeled, pitted and thinly sliced)

A couple spoonfuls of salsa

1 large piece of lettuce

Top bun

Happy delicious burger eating! 

Printable recipe: Spicy avocado turkey burgers

Are you curious about how the yard glacier is holding up? I hope you are! There is $200 on the line! I will write an update at the end of this post. Aren't I mean? Making you read through my loooong boring post first? Actually, the yard glacier, which is now just a dirty, disgusting pile of snow, is truly ugly and that is why it has been placed at the bottom. 

Today and tomorrow are busy days for my boys and me. We are heading out of town early Thursday morning for a little vacation [insert excited squeal here]. Our boys get to spend a couple nights with my dad and stepmom in North Carolina while Dan and I attend a friend's wedding in South Carolina. I've never been to SC before! Any suggestions about what we should check out in the Charleston area?

As is the case before any vacation, I have a million things to accomplish before bedtime tomorrow night. I'm wishing I had more of these stuffed peppers leftover so we wouldn't need to think of something to make for dinner tonight. We ate every morsel in less than 24 hours. If you are looking for a healthy, spicy (or not--doesn't have to be), delicious dinner, you have found it!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Pour a half inch of water into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.

Using a sharp knife, cut a circle around the stems of 4 large (or 6 small) red or green bell peppers. Twist and remove the stems. With a knife or side of a spoon, remove the ribs and seeds from the insides of the peppers. Rinse out with water and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat.

Add 1 to 2 finely chopped jalapeño peppers to the skillet. (Omit this step completely if you wish to avoid spice.)

Cook for 3 minutes, or until the peppers are soft and fragrant.

Add to the skillet:

1 cup cooked chicken, shredded

15-oz. can corn kernels, drained

14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes (use a flavored variety if you're feeling saucy)

15-oz. can black beans, drained

1 bunch green onions, sliced (white and light green parts only)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Juice from 1 lime

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Divide the mixture between the hollowed-out peppers. Place in the prepared baking dish.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. 

Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (total) over the tops of the peppers and place back in the oven for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Quite honestly, if you want to slim the recipe down, avoid the cheese altogether and it will be just as tasty. I added it simply to capture a prettier photo.

We LOVE these! Hoping you do, as well! 

Printable recipe: Mexican stuffed peppers

This was the state of the dirty, disgusting pile of snow yesterday morning. Before the rain came. It is a lot smaller today. But! Snow is on its way! Possibly a significant amount, from what I hear. If that happens, then the dirty, disgusting pile of snow may grow. Since we will be out of town for a few days, I am hoping to get one of my neighbors to monitor the situation. "Uhm, would you mind checking on my dirty, disgusting pile of snow, please?" Is that is an odd request?