Tyler + Dad = THE TWINS

In June Tyler had two great events that he was to partake in the twins game and U2 concert. Well, unfortunately the U2 concert is postponed until next year but he got to go to the twins game.
My lovely husband who works so hard, every once in awhile gets a perk at work. It actually doesn't come from the company he works for but the great people that he delivers too. He was given 2 tickets to the twins game!
Tyler was sooo excited that his dad was going to take him. A real father and son bonding time at the new stadium! They took the light rail to the game, toured around the new stadium and watched an amazing game. Which I have been informed is incredible! Had some yummy things to eat but best of all enjoyed each other's company.
Don't worry Mira was not left out. We had a girls night dinner and shopping!

Feed My Starving Children

The salon that i work in DT St. Paul does a lot to support the community. When we have fashions show we link them to a charity, we do a food drive during the winter months, etc. etc. This year a goals of ours was to get our full team involved in some type of charity - some good team building! To really be able to get all of are hands involved in an actual event.
In early June we went to Feed My Starving Children! It was amazing! The whole crew worked hard and enjoyed ourselves.
We had such a fun time that we are going again in August. This time we are actually challenging our clients to join us along with their friends/family on August 23. We are hoping to fill close to 80 spots. I will keep you posted on how we do!
Here are some some pics from our afternoon at Feed My Starving Children:

Strawberry Rasberry Crisp

Hello my friends - I'm still here! Life has been busy! I am hoping to catch on my blogging now that I cut my work hours this summer.
I was craving a yummy dessert the other day and decided to try this. Very tasty -Ron practically finished the whole thing. Of course, we topped it off with a little bit of vanilla ice cream! I found this recipe just randomly on a blog called fishfoodblog.



5 cups of strawberries cut into quarters
1 cup of raspberries
1/2 cup of flour
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
6 tablespoons of unsalted butter
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
3/4 cups of sugar
2 teaspoons of cornstarch
pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together flour, oats, and baking powder, pinch of salt, then set it aside. Mix room temperature butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until fully combined. Then add the oats and flour mix. Mix with your fingers until its well combined.

2. Mix together the strawberries, raspberries, and 1/2 cup sugar, and cornstarch into a bowl. Then transfer into a square 8 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the oat mixture over the fruit, and bake until the top turns golden brown, about an hour. Let cool then eat!!!!

Tasty Dish!

I love to try new recipes and have such fun searching the web for them. I found this on My Gourmet Connection - a food blog. It was easy to make and everyone loved it!




Sesame Noodles with Chicken and Asparagus
Ingredients ~
1 lb chicken tenderloins, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon sriracha (Asian hot sauce)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (see recipe notes)
5 to 6 scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
12 ounces thin Chinese egg noodles (or thin spaghetti)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Preparation ~
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the noodles. Cook according to package directions, or until tender. Drain, rinse with lukewarm water and set aside.

While the noodles cook, place the chicken in a bowl and add the sesame oil, ginger and garlic. Toss to coat thoroughly and set aside for 10 minutes.

Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and sriracha in a measuring cup and set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over high heat and add the chicken. Stir fry for 1-1/2 minutes, then add the asparagus. Continue cooking for about 3 more minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the asparagus is tender. Stir in the the soy sauce mixture, then add the cooked noodles, scallions and sesame seeds. Toss with tongs to combine and divide between 4 serving plates. Top with cilantro and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Happy Easter

Ron and i just returned from a trip to Ixtapa a few days before Easter. Needless to say I was not fully prepared for Easter this year.
We had a nice day, we went to church and then over to my parents house for lunch and the egg hunt.

Steps of Hope Walk

A few weeks we participated in the Steps of Hope Walk for the Autism Society of MN. We have been members for several years and they provide wonderful services for Autistic children and their families. Tyler has been part of the Eagles Group and attended several overnight camps in the summer.
This year our family raised $270 for the walk. That is significantly down from the past when we have raised over $500! But every dollar counts and we appreciate it!

Glazed Chicken with Dried Fruit and Parsnips

I made this last night for dinner - it was amazing. Of course I found the recipe on foodnetwork. Everyone liked it and they even ate the parsnips! I did make one modification and that was I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs.



2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 medium shallots
4 medium-large parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/3 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
8 medium skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup pitted prunes, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add the shallots and parsnips and cook until golden, shaking the pan, 2 minutes.

Whisk the apricot preserves, mustard, ginger and cumin in a bowl. Season the chicken with salt and pepper; toss with the apricot glaze.

Scatter the dried fruit in the skillet. Place the chicken, skin-side up, on top. Add 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until heated through, 6 minutes. Uncover and transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook until the chicken and vegetables are tender and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Push the chicken to the side of the skillet, then stir the vinegar

into the pan juices (add up to 2 tablespoons water if the sauce is too thick). Serve from the skillet.