Happy Birthday Tenacious A!

You are one today!!



It's so hard for me to believe that you are already one. It seems like I was just preparing myself for your arrival only months ago but at the same time, you are such a big part of our family that it seems like you've always been around.



Your once laid back personality has been replaced by an intense curiosity for life that keeps you constantly on the go! I love the fire in your spirit and I'm so excited to watch it grow.





It's amazing how much you've changed and grown in a year! And even though I get sad sometimes at how fast this year with you has gone and how you are no longer my little baby, I am in love with the little thing you are today and I'm so excited to watch you grow into the person God created you to be.



Happy birthday to my sweet, tenacious A. You are so very, very loved.

Oh, and thank you auntie for taking letting us play with your chicks and for taking her one-year pictures!

And that super cute banner was a custom order made by CMHandmade!

Resurrection Rolls

I posted this recipe last year for Beautifully Rooted and thought it would be a good time to share it here. I hope you enjoy it!

Here's a tasty little Easter treat to make with your family and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus!

Now, I didn't come up with this "recipe" and, in fact, I didn't know they were called Easter rolls or Resurrection rolls until I someone else told me. See, my husband's grandma makes them for brunch all the time and they are a delicious, easy treat.

My daughter isn't old enough to help out yet, although she sure tried, but these would be great to make with older kids. As you put them together it's an easy way to share the true story of Easter!

There's only 5 ingredients and they take less than 20 minutes.

1. cinnamon and sugar
2. melted butter
3. jumbo marshmallows
4. crescent rolls

To assemble the rolls, dip the marshmallow in butter, roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture and wrap it in a crescent roll.

As you make them, you can explain use the illustration of the marshmallow being Christ's body, how he was anointed with oils (butter and cinnamon) and placed in a tomb (roll).

Then each assembled roll in a muffin tin and bake according to the instructions on the tube.




When you open the "tomb" the body of Christ is gone!

Happy Easter!

Hey, mom.

It's been a while since I posted pictures of the girls, as my mom pointed out the other day. So, mom, this post is for you.

We got a new kitchen sink about a month ago, the girls loved playing in the box it came in.

Friday donut date at home. I asked her if she wanted blueberry donuts. Her reply, "That's not a good idea. Let's do pink."

Pictures from Chinese New Year, like forever ago.

More Chinese New Year.

1. front yard truck sitting - classy 2. Jim's 3-way 3. "nap" time 4. popcorn sneaker

1. daddy painting toenails 2. egg in a pancake hole 3. doctor waiting room antics 4. annual Valentine's chocolate dipped strawberries from my dad

1-2. lunch at Andolini's 3. Maccheroni pizza 4. new shoe obsession, Sseko

Garden prepping

fairy bed jumping, dress made by her nana

1. she carried the watermelon (dirty dancing anyone?) 2. the day I snuck out for a coffee shop run to Phoenix 3. babysitting some girlie girls 4. her new favorite

1. our land 2. new prints to the shop 3. friday donut date 4. I made coconut milk for the first (and last) time

1. the coconut milk became pork panang 2. they hate it when i clean the sheets 3. oh my word - this cheesecake 4. zoo fun

1. open mouth baby kisses 2. some of my prints and cards are now at Made : the indie emporium shop! 3. more spring rolls 4. it was actually warm enough for swimsuits - and big sister splashing cold water

Whew. That wraps up about 2 1/2 months of photos from the phone! I'll try to do better. But don't hold your breath.

Happy Monday! Also, I'm having a sale in the shop all day tomorrow. Use code TUESDAY20 for 20% off. Also, I'm doing a giveaway on Instagram, so if you don't follow me, @recipeforcrazy, that's your heads-up.

Happy Monday! 

Perfect Pad Thai

It's been a while since I shared a recipe, other than stuff I mix in the Vitamix, ha, but today I have a goody for you, Perfect Pad Thai.

I absolutely love Pad Thai. It's one of my top 5 favorite dishes ever and up until this week, I've always been too intimidated to try making it myself. I mean, have you seen the ingredient list on some of those recipes? And few of those I ever have on hand so I don't mind paying $10 for someone else to make it.

Well, I also started doing this food co-op thing and last time there was an option to get a Thai basket. I immediately knew I'd be making Pad Thai in the near future. So my basket came in and this is what was in it:



All kinds of goodies! So I took to instagram to get some recipes and tips for these ingredients, one of those being how to make Pad Thai.

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this guy before, but if you like food, want to be inspired to try new ingredients or just be hungry all day by his pictures, follow @omarchris. He amazes me with all the dishes he creates from scratch. Anyway, he emailed me a link to a recipe he uses, you can find it here.

That's what I used for my version, minus a few things. It was so good. Exactly what I was looking for. And one of the best things about this recipe is that it makes a lot of sauce that you can store in the refrigerator up to 3 months. Needless to say, I'll be making Pad Thai a lot in the coming months!!

Like I said, I did a few things different, so here's how I made it.

First I made the tamarind water the day before. Really easy after you find tamarind paste! I found some, along with the remaining ingredients I didn't get in my basket, at an Asian market.

After the tamarind water was made, I went ahead and made the Pad Thai sauce and refrigerated it over night.


The next day I made the rest.

I got all the toppings ready: chopped cilantro, washed some bean sprouts, cut up some green onion, mashed some salted peanuts, and cut the limes.



Then I soaked the rice noodles for 40 minutes or so and got to work.

I like chicken in my Pad Thai so I pan fried some sliced chicken and set it aside. Next, I sauteed 5 cloves minced garlic, 5 crushed, dried peppers and some sliced green onion.



You know I like spicy so that's why I added 5 peppers. It had some kick but I'll probably add 7 or so next time. But, if you don't like spicy, you may want to use less.

Anyway, then you just add the softened noodles and toss to coat.



Then I pulled the noodles to the side and cooked an egg, the recipe calls for 3 eggs but I just did one. I felt all fancy at this point.



Once the egg was set I broke it up and tossed it with the rice. Then add the Pad Thai sauce. The recipe calls for 8 tablespoons but I ended up using about 12. I like the sauce.



Toss to coat and continue cooking until the noodles are to your liking. Then add some of the peanuts, bean sprouts and chicken and toss to coat.

Now it's time to top it!

I love lime juice, cilantro, sliced green onion, a little fresh bean sprouts and a little more crushed peanuts on mine. And what's great about making it at home is you can put as much or little of each as you want. I like more lime than the husband so we each got our own perfect plate of Pad Thai.



The only thing I thought was wrong with this recipe was that I said it served 4. I could, and nearly did, eat the entire pan by myself. Next time I'll double the noodles.

So if you want to make my version, adapted from this recipe, here's what you need:

Pad Thai noodles:

• 1 lb medium Rice Noodles
• 4 tbsp. vegetable oil or peanut oil
• 1 cup cooked, sliced chicken
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 green onions, sliced in half then in 1 inch lengths
• 5 dried whole chili peppers, chopped
• 1 egg
• 12 tablespoons Pad Thai Sauce - recipe here
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup salted, roasted peanuts, crushed with a mortar and pestle

Toppings:

• 1/3 cup salted, roasted peanuts, crushed with a mortar and pestle
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 4 scallions
• handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts

Enjoy!

Oh Vitamix, I really, really like you

It's no secret that I love my Vitamix. If you follow me on instagram (@recipeforcrazy) you have seen a few of these pictures and are probably sick of seeing my Vitamix concoctions! I just can't help myself - this thing is so great.

When people ask me what it is, I tell them it's a magical blender. Because it is.

We have been proud owners of ours since Christmas but I've wanted one for years. My love for the Vitamix began in college. Did you know the husband and I helped our friends open a Smoothie King? We did. And that's when I saw first-hand, the powers of the Vitamix.

If you've ever wondered what's so special about this blender, let me tell you.

1. It crushes ice like no blender I've ever seen. This is essential in a good, smooth smoothie. There are no little chunks and nothing to chew. Also pretty amazing when making fresh fruit sorbet!

2. It purees like none other. We love a good veggie puree alongside roasted chicken or pork tenderloin and have recently discovered the awesomeness of pureeing part of your soup and adding it back in to make the creamiest soup imagined.

3. It chops too. Not much more to say on that subject but I have enjoyed this feature while making black bean burgers and salsa.

4. Clean up. In less than 2 minutes you are done. Just warm water, 2 drop of soap and blend. I mean, who doesn't like easy clean up?






I could go on and on about this thing because it is just that awesome but I'll let some pictures do the talking and trust me, it makes more than killer smoothies.

Why yes, I did start off with a margarita! (recipe from the Vitamix Create cookbook)

Green smoothie for lunch and a little cereal mixed in for the youngest. Healthy goodness all around.





kale and basil pesto - so so good. (from the Vitamix cookbook)

spinach and feta hummus (recipe from the Vitamix Create cookbook)

quick and easy salsa!
1 can HOT rotel, 1 can diced tomatoes - drained, 1/2 onion, handful of cilantro, juice from 1/2 a lime, fresh black pepper and a little salt - blend and done!

strawberry milkshake





oven pancake - so easy

fresh orange sorbet (recipe from Vitamix Create cookbook)

People have asked what model we have and why so here goes, we have the Professional Series 750 model. We chose to get this one because of the pre-programmed settings, pulse, shorter container so it would fit under our cabinet and it also came with their recipe book. And we've had experience with the Vitamix verses other blenders so that's really what sold us.
 
That said, if you've looked into these you might have had a little sticker shock and this machine isn't for everyone. Not everyone cares about the pulse, pre-prgrammed settings or even wants a blender that does all this. I get it, but if you are interested in one, there are several different models to choose from and really any one of them would be awesome and do the trick.

Also, I was in no way paid to write this post, although, when I think of all the people that now have a Vitamix since I started posting, I really should get something! Like a referral credit, the grain canister, something, right?