So, Fat Tuesday is here…and after stepping on the scale this morning I can tell you that Fat Tuesday it is indeed.

Today is the end of the fat food around here for awhile… and by fat food I mean the food I’ve been cooking up in my new deep fryer. You know, the homemade yeast doughnuts, the fish tacos, the beer battered onion rings? Those recipes have been so easy to make since my deep fryer has been out. I’ve now packed my deep fryer away after using the heck out of it for a couple of weeks and am looking forward to some non-frying days to come.

I’m not bidding farewell without sharing one more recipe with you though. I was browsing through Coastal Living magazine the other day when I stumbled across this recipe for Avocado Fries. I had never heard of such a thing and knew I needed to become familiar with these little nibblers as soon as possible. If you think avocados couldn’t get any better, you were wrong. Slicing them into strips, breading them and then putting them in the fryer for a few minutes makes for one fantastic snack.

Of course, avocados are wonderful without taking any of these extra steps, but if you just want to somehow fit avocados into a Fat Tuesday treat, Coastal Living certainly has the way with these delicious Avocado Fries.

Recipe: Avocado Fries (From Coastal Living Magazine)

• Canola oil for frying
• 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/4  teaspoon  kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 2  large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/4  cups  panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2  firm-ripe avocados, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

1. Pour oil to depth of 1 1/2 inches in a medium saucepan or Dutch oven. Heat to 375° over medium-high heat.

2. Meanwhile, combine flour and salt in a shallow plate. Put eggs and panko in separate shallow plates. Dip avocado wedges in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, and then dredge in panko to coat.

3. Fry avocado wedges, in batches, 30 to 60 seconds or until golden brown, and drain on paper towels. Place on a baking sheet in a 200° oven to keep warm while frying remaining wedges. Sprinkle with additional salt to taste.

I’m linking this post up to I’m Lovin’ It on the Tidy Mom Blog!

One of my very first posts many moons ago on Dine & Dish was about how I don’t “do” snow. I’m not a fan. I think it’s pretty and all, but I’d rather sit in by the fire, snuggled up with a good book, looking out on it falling gently on the trees rather than being outside with the snow falling on me.

That attitude was the old me. After a phone conversation last night with my friend DeAnn as we were discussing our personal Happiness Projects, it kind of hit me that I have one chance at this life I’ve been given. As much as I hope I can be reincarnated someday as a Glee cast member, I have to be mindful that as far as I know, today is my one and only chance to live today. I have one chance to be the best mom I can be to my kids… to make the most of the memories and days we have together.

So today, outside of my normal snow hating character, I got bundled up with the kids and we headed outside into the most beautiful Kansas snowfall I have seen in a very long time. And not just once… twice I did this! For hours at a time! We had a fantastic time, I shoveled our driveway and sidewalk with the help of a good friend, and then we all came inside to warm up with hot chocolate. Picture perfect, memory making kind of day… and had I not stepped out of my old self and into my new self, I would have totally missed out on being present with my kids during such a fun time.

Part of my Happiness Project is to focus on being present, and with that comes me actively being a part of my family’s life. Not just sitting on the sidelines, but jumping in, getting off my butt, and being among their chaos.

This is also part of my Eat. Live. Be. initiative. You all were so fantastic last week with my nakedness and I hated to think of letting you down. Each time I almost flubbed on my Weight Watchers points, your positive comments came into my head and I got myself in control… most of the time. I had some slip ups but I also did a pretty darn good job of keeping on track. I exercised every day, which for me is unheard of. I drank a ton of water, which again… I’m the Diet Dr Pepper queen, so this is a huge improvement. Most importantly, I was present and mindful of what I was putting into my body and attempted to stay clear of mindless eating. Thank YOU for supporting me, watching me and helping me along this journey!  (I’m down 2.8 pounds this week from 180.9 to 178.1!)

Finally, I made the most delicious roast chicken, adapted from a recipe in the January 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Served over a salad of mixed greens and Honey Mustard Vinaigrette Salad Dressing (still a fave of ours), this chicken made me feel like I was “cheating”, it was truly that delicious. An added bonus it that this one chicken was able to be stretched into multiple meals. Gotta love that! (Oh – and ignore the extra black roasted crispies and potatoes on the cookie sheet…. we kind of like our roasted potatoes well done around here!)

Hope you all had a great week! Can’t wait to read your updates.

Recipe: Crisp-Skinned Chicken with Roasted Potatoes (Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine, Jan 2011)

• 6 redpotatoes, quartered
• Coarse salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 whole chicken (about 4 1/2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoon butter, softened
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook potatoes in salted boiling water until tender, 11 to 13 minutes. Drain. Return potatoes to pot, and shake over low heat to dry and fluff. Coat with oil, and season with salt.
2. Mix together 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the cornstarch (this was new to me, and really made a huge difference in the flavor and crispness of the chicken!). Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Combine minced garlic and softened butter. Rub skin with butter, and season with salt mixture. Rub the inside of the cavity as well.
3. Place chicken, breast side up on sprayed baking sheet and tuck wings under. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Scatter potatoes around chicken. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and flip potatoes. Return to oven, rotating sheet. Roast until chicken juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reaches 165 degrees, about 30 minutes more. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.

It is frigid outside. The kind of frigid where you just want to curl up in your favorite fluffy slipper socks and PJ’s, the biggest blanket you can find and hibernate for the day, getting lost in a good book. Add to that putting on a  pot of my favorite comfort food on the stove to warm our bellies, and you’ve got the recipe for a perfect, indoor, veg out away from the cold kind of day.

We are so fortunate to have a warm roof over our heads, more than the basic necessities of life, and food on the table each and every day. It is this time of year, when most of us are trying to figure out how to avoid eating too much, that my mind wanders to those who are less fortunate. Those people who aren’t concerned about how much they eat, but rather…

whether they’ll get to eat at all…

I have partnered with Share Our Strength and over 50 fabulous food bloggers to raise awareness and funds through the “Share Our Strength Holiday Table“ progressive dinner. Families are in crisis.. single family households, dual parent households… hunger is not showing any discrimination in this tough economy. Awareness is key. Stopping to help is essential. We all need to do our part to make sure that no one goes hungry. How can you help? There are many ways you can help to ensure that the 17 million children who went hungry this year don’t suffer that same fate again. By making a simple donation…whatever your heart and wallet can spare… to the Share Our Strength foundation, you will assist in assuring those in need won’t go go hungry again.

My contribution to the progressive dinner party portion of the “Share Our Strength Holiday Table” is a roll recipe that uses up leftover mashed potatoes. Nothing says warmth, comfort, and love like fresh, homemade bread at your holiday table.

Recipe: Homemade Potato Rolls adapted from Taste of Home Magazine

• 7 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• 2 eggs

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a saucepan, heat milk, shortening and water to 120 degrees F-130 degrees F. Add to dry ingredients; beat until moistened. Add mashed potatoes and eggs; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough. Do not knead. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
2. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and punch down. Divide in half. With greased hands, shape each portion into 12 balls. Roll each ball into an 8-in. rope; tie into a knot. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets; tuck ends under. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks.

This giveaway is now closed! The winners, chosen by Random.org, of the Cooking Light Magazines subscriptions were: Ria from Rias Collection, Megan from Megans Cookin‘, and Dana (Drsalbghir). Hilary Gercken won the Perfect Portions scale! Congrats everyone and thanks for participating!

The pumpkin biscuits with the orange-honey butter I made yesterday were certainly a big hit around my house. We gobbled them up in no time, and my kids were wondering “Pumpkin muffins one day, pumpkin biscuits after that…what’s next, mom?” Well, I couldn’t disappoint them. In fact, I had a half a can of pumpkin leftover because the biscuits only use 1/2 a can. What pumpkin treat could I make that would work with only a half a can of pumpkin?

Later in the day when I was thumbing through the November 2010 issue of Cooking Light magazine I happened across a recipe for Pumpkin Pie Pudding requiring only a 1/2 cup of pumpkin. I instantly knew what I would be making with my leftover pumpkin. Let me tell you, these little beauties did not disappoint. (Just found out that this recipe is from our very own food blogging friend, Susan from Food Blogga! I love seeing my blogging friends in print. Great recipe, Susan!)

Another thing that never disappoints me is Cooking Light magazine. As someone who writes for magazines, I know how hard it is to put a magazine full of great recipes together and they seem to hit the mark with each issue. Every time I open an issue of Cooking Light, I seem to run out of post-it note sticky flags because I have page after page after page marked with recipes that I want to add to my I Will Make This Someday List.

I’m giving 3 lucky readers the chance to win a 12 month subscription to Cooking Light Magazine. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post.

And, if you are into lighter cooking or just measuring out your food, I have a Perfect Portions Kitchen Scale to giveaway as well. I’ve been trying out the Perfect Portions scale for a couple of weeks now and I am a huge fan. If you are concerned about portion control, this handy scale needs to be a part of your kitchen. Read all about the Perfect Portions scale on their website. To win a Perfect Portions scale, leave a comment on this post as well.

So, my friends, you have the chance to win 1 of 3 Cooking Light 12-month magazines subscriptions and the chance to win 1 Perfect Portions kitchen scale. Leave a comment on this post by midnight CST next Friday, October 29th. Make sure to include a way for me to contact you. All invalid entries will be removed.

The folks at Perfect Portions have given me the opportunity to share their product with you since I love it so much. The Cooking Light magazine subscriptions are from me because I love their magazine so much!

Last night, I returned from a long weekend in San Francisco where I had attended the BlogHer 2010 Food Conference. I was overly exhausted, but perked up the second I saw my husband and four kids peeking through the airport gate, waving enthusiastically at me. I walked closer and when I was close enough I brought each of my kids in for a tight squeeze.

As I stepped away from them, I looked at their faces and noticed that things had changed. They each had grown…looked bigger and more mature, all in the matter of the 4 days while I was gone. Was that possible? Could my kids really had changed that much in the short amount of time I was away?

As I was collapsing into bed last night, I reflected on how crazy the past few weeks had been. On top of work and deadlines, I was helping to coordinate a lovely party I co-hosted at BlogHer Food and prepared to speak on the value of a blogging community at the conference. School was in full swing and life was back to its crazy nuttiness. It was then that it hit me. My kids hadn’t changed while I was away, I just hadn’t been clearly seeing them for the past several weeks. I was too caught up in the noise and the fog of everything else that I hadn’t been focused on what I should really be, which was my family. Sometimes, it takes stepping away for a bit to be able to see clearly again.

This is the same with anything you do…blogging, crafts, photography, painting, writing…it is easy to get caught up in all the noise, but to really see clearly when things get foggy, you sometimes need to step away for a bit. When you return, you’ll have a new perspective and will be able to see clearly again.

This is another post where the recipe has nothing to do with what I am writing about, and if I would listen to some of the talk I heard at the conference, it is perfectly unacceptable to have such disconnect. But, you know what? This is my blog, my space and I want to share this recipe for cast iron skillet potatoes with you because its a good one. So here you go!

Herbed Potatoes Recipe (From the September 2010 issue of Cooking Light Magazine)

• 1 1/2  pounds  Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2  tablespoons  olive oil, divided
• 1  teaspoon  butter
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 2  tablespoons  small basil leaves
• 2  tablespoons  coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes; drain and pat dry with paper towels.

2. Heat a large cast-iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of potatoes; sauté 8 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and potatoes. Add butter and garlic to pan. Stir in reserved potato mixture, salt, and pepper; sauté 1 minute or until mixture is thoroughly heated and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; sprinkle with herbs.

Want more recipes for your Cast Iron Skillet? These bloggers have some great recipes for you to try:

• Apple Cake in an Iron Skillet from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
• Brownies in a Cast Iron Skillet from Amanda’s Cookin’
• Spicy Pinto Bean Ravioli from The Perfect Pantry
• Cast Iron Skillet Pineapple Upsidedown Cake from A Bloggable Life / Inn Cuisine

I am a dessert girl. If you didn’t know that already, just take a look at my thighs and you’ll easily notice that desserts and I spend a lot of time together. What can I say… I like something sweet. Even if I am stuffed full after dinner, I can always find space for dessert.

I enjoy making a delicious dessert, but do you know what I love making even better? A delicious dessert that has a beautiful presentation and takes less than 10 minutes to make. This recipe…the one I’m blogging about today for the easy, low calorie Oven Broiled Blueberry Dessert… is just that. Dump some fresh blueberries in a ramekin, add some yogurt, brown sugar, put it under the broiler for a few minute and voila! The sugar caramelizes on the top, the blueberries warm and soften, and oh my goodness… talk about delicious.

Next time you crave dessert but really don’t feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen whipping up something fabulous, go for the Broiled Blueberry dessert. Delicious enough for company or for a night where you just need that something sweet to fend off a craving.

Low Calorie Oven Broiled Blueberry Dessert (adapted from Aug / Sept 2010 Simple & Delicious Magazine)

• 3 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
• 1/2 cup light vanilla yogurt (or sour cream)
• 4 Tablespoons brown sugar

Divide blueberries among four ovenproof 8-oz ramekins. Spread with sour cream and sprinkle with brown sugar. Place on a baking sheet.

Broil on high 4 inches from the heat for 5 minutes or until bubbly and sugar is caramelized

School starts in two weeks from today. Jacob is so ready to go back to school and is it bad if I say that I am really ready for him to go back to school? Kelly will be in school all day (last year it was just half day Kindergarten) and I’m really not ready for her to be gone all day. She is a better mom than I am and is a huge help with the girls around the house. She has a patience level with Ella that I just don’t seem to have all the time.

We had a big long list of things we wanted to do this summer, and unfortunately, that big long list still has a lot of things not marked off. I feel like I need to soak up these next two weeks and cram as much summer fun as I can into it.

I am feeling the same way about the fresh berries of summer. Summer is almost over, so I feel like I need to hoard and buy up all the berries I can and make all those recipes I haven’t had the chance to get to yet this summer. The May/June 2010 issue of Cooking with Paula Deen has some great berry recipes in it. (Incidentally,  this is the first issue of this magazine I have ever read and it has some great recipes. Is it always this good, or is this just a particularly good issue?)

If you are trying to cram the last of the summer berries into your escaping summer, this Raspberry Parfait recipe is a great one to try. Refreshing, rich and delicious, not to mention beautiful, you can eat it and savor the final days of summer just a little bit longer.

Raspberry Parfaits (from the May/June 2010 Issue of Cooking with Paula Deen Magazine)

3 pints fresh raspberries, divided

½ cup sugar, divided

1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fresh raspberries for garnish, optional

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 pints raspberries and ¼ cup sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently for 8 minutes or until raspberries have softened. Press mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, discarding solids. Cover raspberry sauce, and chill thoroughly.

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining ¼ cup sugar at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Add cream, and beat until soft peaks form. Fold in sour cream and vanilla.

Layer cream mixture, raspberry sauce, and remaining 1 pint fresh strawberries in four parfait glasses. Garnish with fresh raspberries. Makes four servings.

(The folks of at The Times News used strawberries in this recipe with great success too!)

When you are a mom, especially with a curious and very busy toddler on your hands, turning your back for just a few minutes can lead to lots of extra work for you. This is a picture of Leah after she decided to eat a Red Crayola Marker (thankfully non-toxic) for dinner while I was on the phone with my friend, Amy from She Wears Many Hats. Doesn’t she look so pleased with her little self? Mmmmm….markers. Little stinker.

As much as I love to cook, making dinner with this little one constantly under my feet or into something has become a bit of a challenge. I have to either make the decision to 1) let her get into anything and everything, which will make her quiet and happy but triple my cleanup work or 2) hold her and entertain her while I also stir, sautee, slice, boil, steam, etc. Since she is the fourth kid, I’ll admit that I probably let her get into things just to keep her quiet more often than the alternative (and now that I have the joy of older kids, they get to come and clean up after her! Parenthood is paying off!)

Instead of spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately, I’ve been going for those dinners that are quick and easy to put on the table, simply so I don’t have to do the dinner disco with Leah under my feet. The crockpot has been taken out of the cupboards and dusted off for use more often. “Fast Foods” (like shrimp, polish turkey sausage, pasta) are making a regular appearance on our weekly menus. Anything I can do to get dinner on the table without a lot of time devoted by me is pretty much what is happening anymore.

This recipe from the May / June 2010 issue of Cooking with Paula Deen magazine caught my eye for just that reason. It is quick, easy, hearty and since I was going to be cleaning red marker off of Leah’s face, I might as well let her get all down and dirty with the red sauce from this dish.

What are your tips for keeping the kiddos out from under your feet while you cook dinner?

Skillet Ravioli (adapted from the May / June 2010 issue of Cooking with Paula Deen)

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat for 8 to10 minutes or until browned and crumbly; drain. Return beef to pan, and add tomato sauce, paste, parsley, basil, and garlic salt; cook 6 minutes or until heated through.
Add cooked ravioli to tomato sauce. Sprinkle with cheese, and serve immediately.

Summertime… when the living is easy. Or at least it was when I was a kid. I have fond memories of playing Red Rover, having dance contests to politically incorrect songs, working lemonade and brownie stands on 30th Drive, playing Wonder Woman in my underoos. Life was easy and carefree. As I got older, playing outside turned to sun tanning on tin foil with baby oil (hello, skin cancer), bleaching my hair with Sun In and listening to top 40 tunes (which are now considered retro/oldies…am I really that old??)

Even though the memories of the activities I participated in during the summer changed over time, there is one thing that was present all throughout my childhood during the summertime. My mom and her love of Ice Cream Soda floats. I cannot have an ice cream float without flashing back to being in the kitchen watching my mom pour the soda over the ice cream and watching the bubbles fiz up, almost pouring over the edge, but stopping just in time. For me, summer is not complete without our fair share of ice cream floats.

That’s why when Simple and Delicious magazine had this delicious looking Cherry Chocolate Float in their most recent issue, I knew I had to have one. My kids had never had an ice cream float, other than root beer, and I couldn’t wait to share with them what equals summertime to me.

What do you think about when you remember your childhood summers?

Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream Float from Simple and Delicious Magazine

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups carbonated water, chilled
• 3 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
• Chocolate syrup
• 14 scoops chocolate ice cream
• Whipped cream in a can
• 7 maraschino cherries

• In a large saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes. Cool. Stir in carbonated water and cherry juice.
• Drizzle chocolate syrup in each of seven chilled glasses. Place two scoops of ice cream in each glass. Pour carbonated water mixture over ice cream; top each with whipped cream and a cherry. Serve immediately. Yield: 7 servings.

The other day, I was sitting in a room full of moms, when a lady came in with a screaming toddler. He had cut his big toe something awful and needed a band-aid. In that room full of moms, I was able to open my purse and pull out a first aid kit with band-aids. He had his choice…flexible band-aids, round band-aids, liquid band-aids, invisible band-aids…I had an arsenal of band-aid choices. 10 minutes later, a little girl came over crying her eyes out. She had a splinter and her mom was looking for tweezers. Guess who had tweezers? Moi. I was feeling so proud of myself because I was prepared. I looked, for a brief few minutes, like that mom who really had her stuff together. Head held high, I was feeling pretty good about myself. This mom of 4 has it together, people!

Fast forward 6 hours later and I was at the ballpark watching my 6 year old play ball. My 3 year old climbs up onto the bleachers, loses her balance and lands in a huge puddle of spilled nacho cheese sauce. With nacho cheese sauce from head to toe, she was absolutely filthy. I dig in my purse, knowing that since I am now “Mrs. Has It Together”, I would have something to remedy this situation. I pull out my wipes container, open it up and it is empty. Empty! “Mrs Has It Together” would never leave the house with an empty wipes container. Kicked down on the togetherness pole several notches, I had to sheepishly look around and ask some other moms if I could have some wipes to clean up my cheese covered child. So much for that little pipe dream I had about being the mom who has it all together.

One little secret weapon I have in my life that makes me feel like I can inch up on the togetherness ladder a bit each day is black beans. They are healthy, delicious and so versatile. If there is one thing I keep in my pantry in abundance, it is cans of black beans. Why do they make me feel like I have it together? Because… you can heat up a can of black beans, sprinkle some cheese on it and call it a side dish. Mix black beans, corn, taco meat and cheese and put over tortilla chips – you’ve got nachos. Mash ‘em up some, mix with cream cheese, some chili seasoning and cheese and you’ve got a dip. Black beans are so easy and versatile. The one problem with black beans is, they don’t ever seem to last around here long enough to make it into an actual recipe. They are my go to food when I need to feed people in a pinch. Black beans are what allow me one step closer to that esteemed title of “Mrs. Has it Together” and for that, I bow to the bean, forever grateful. We all know, I need all the help I can get.

Turkey Black Bean Burgers (from Simple & Delicious Magazine)

• 3/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 pound ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 hamburger buns, split
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 4 romaine leaves

In a small bowl coarsely mash beans. Add the egg white, zucchini, red pepper, chili powder, onion powder, pepper and salt. Crumble turkey over mixture and mix well. Shape into four patties.
In a large skillet, cook burgers in oil over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 165° and juices run clear. Serve on buns with onion and lettuce. Yield: 4 servings.