Meatball Subs Caprese

I stumbled upon this recipe last week on Epicurious and it was one of those recipes I knew I had to try A.S.A.P. 

So I did! 

As you can tell, they were a big hit. :)

If you love marina, love good meatballs, love good bread, love fresh basil and love mozzarella you are going to LOVE these subs!

Courtney, Justin and Josh and I all enjoyed them immensely.

In all their messy, delicious glory.

And now I am even more excited for football season to start because...well, because I love the Bears.  But also because I think these subs are going to be just the ticket or some football Sunday lunches this fall.

Enjoy!!

Meatball Subs Caprese

Serves 4-5

Make the sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, chopped, juices reserved
• 15 oz. meat flavored spaghetti sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add red pepper flakes, tomatoes and reserved juices. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomato sauce, sugar, basil and oregano. Cover and cook 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Make the meatballs:

• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (preferably Italian)
• 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoons ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Long Italian or French rolls, split lengthwise 
• Fresh basil
• Sliced fresh or whole milk mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray heavy large baking sheet with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Combine ground beef, grated Parmesan cheese, eggs, chopped fresh parsley, crushed cornflakes, minced garlic, dried oregano, ground white pepper and salt in large bowl and blend thoroughly. Using moistened hands, shape meat mixture into 2-inch rounds and place on prepared sheet, spacing evenly. Bake meatballs until just firm to touch and cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.

Add meatballs to sauce in pan and simmer uncovered until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat before continuing.) 

Assemble subs:

Gently press center of bottoms of rolls to compact slightly. Spoon sauce on bread, then 3 press meatballs into depression in each roll. Spoon more sauce over to coat.  Top with fresh basil and sliced mozzarella.  

Broil for a minute or two, until cheese is melted.  Place tops to rolls on bottom shelf of oven briefly to warm.

Place tops of rolls over and serve.

Rangers vs. Twins. GO WHITESOX!

All the Cousins

Knox probably won't often get to be with both of his cousins at the same time, so this was a special moment... worth documenting!

This picture makes me so happy, and so thankful for our families.

God is good.

Last Hurrah

This week we are enjoying one last hurrah with my sister Courtney, brother-in-law Justin and nephew Max before they move back to Indonesia in just a couple of weeks.

Justin needed to take a helicopter course in Fort Worth this week so it worked out perfectly for them to stay with us.  We are so happy they could come!

So what have we been doing together so far?

Well, we have learned that there are only two things that are fun to do in Dallas in July.

1.) Stay in the air conditioning.

  
And

2.) Stay in the air conditioning.

So we have been staying in the air conditioning. :)

We are thankful for every moment we get to spend together.

In the air conditioning. :)

Five Years and First Steps

Five years ago, Josh and I set out on a new adventure, together.

We've lived in Chicago, we've lived in Nanchang and we've lived in Dallas.  We've been through exciting times together, scary times together, hilarious times together, stretching times together, sweet times together, and painful times together.

We've created a million happy memories.

We've both taught each other a lot...about ourselves, about God, about love, about forgiveness, about grace.

Five years ago today, God blessed me with a man who is ridiculously smart, gentle, adventurous, opinionated, funny, and kind.

God blessed me with a man who is just right for me.

I would marry him all over again today if I could...I love him more today than I did five years ago!  I can't wait to see what the next five years bring.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, Josh!  I love you!

Today, on our 5th anniversary, we are already embarking on another adventure.

It's called WALKING!!

Check it out, folks! :)

New Kid on the Block

Elijah Raymond Pritchard

 Our newest, precious little nephew!

July 20, 2011

8 lbs. 5 oz.

21 inches

He has already stolen our hearts.

Welcome, sweet Eli!

Italian Creme (Birthday) Cake by Josh

Whose husband would make them an Italian Creme Cake from scratch for their birthday?!

Umm, MINE!!!

I wish I could have shared a slice of my birthday cake with each of you, because it was SOOOO GOOOOD.

Beyond words.

Thank you, Josh, for making my birthday so special.

We originally fell in love with Italian Creme Cakes after trying the mini ones from our little neighborhood Italian deli, Jimmy's.  We love their cakes.

But let me tell you, Josh's cake left Jimmy's cake in the DUST.

I'm not joking. 

This was one of the moistest cakes I've ever eaten.  It's flavored with buttermilk and real vanilla, studded with shredded coconut and glazed pecans, and spiked with LOVE. :)

And the frosting?  Think cream cheese and more chopped glazed pecans.

Are you hungry yet?

I am!

Happy Birthday to me!!

It's a good thing I got new running shoes for my birthday. :)

Italian Creme (Birthday) Cake by Josh

Cake

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 egg whites
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (3.5 ounce) package flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped glazed pecans

Frosting

• 1 1/2 packages cream cheese (12 oz total), softened
•  3/4 cup butter, softened
•  6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped glazed pecans

1. Preheat oven to 325. Grease (well) three 9 inch, round cake pans. Combine soda and buttermilk, and let stand a few minutes.
2. In a large bowl, cream sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup oil and shortening. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix buttermilk mixture alternately with flour into creamed mixture. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
3. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain. Gently stir in 1 cup pecans and coconut.
4. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
5. To make the Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat together cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar. Stir in pecans. Frost and fill cooled cake with cream cheese frosting.

Note:  The glazed pecans really make this cake extra special, but they did create a little problem when Josh was removing the cakes from their pans.  You can use plain pecans if this worries you...otherwise just grease your pans extra diligently, work carefully when removing the cakes, and don't worry if a little piece of the cake sticks to the pan.  Just glue it back on with frosting. :)

BIG fan of Daddy's cake!

Sweet & Flirty Thirty (+1)

It's official!  I'm in my early thirties now.  

Yesterday I celebrated the big 31. 

I LOVE birthdays.  

Yes I definitely already have a few more gray hairs than I did in my twenties, but I don't mind.

Too much.

At least I didn't let them get in the way of enjoying opening fun presents, like these:

See?  If you look close this is the "sweet & flirty" variety. :)

eating fun food, like this:

I'll tell you more about this CAKE tomorrow!

and hanging out with two of the funnest people in the whole world:

No, I don't think I mind leaving my 20s farther behind.  

I feel so blessed.  

I have everything I ever wanted, and so much more.

So far 31 feels just right. :)

Hidden In My Field

The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field,

which a man found and hid;

and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has 

and buys that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant 

seeking beautiful pearls,

who, when he had found one pearl of great price,

went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Matthew 13:44-46

I have found my treasure...my one pearl!

His name is Jesus.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,

I will come in to him and dine with him,

and he with Me.

Revelation 3:20

Not All Cows Are Created Equal

One of Uncle Malcolm's Jersey Cows

If there's one thing a Vermont girl knows it's that not all cows are created equal.

Jersey cows, for example (the brown ones) are the best. 

This is what my Uncle Malcolm says, anyway, and I take his word as law when it comes to cows. 

You should, too.

Holsteins (the black and white ones) might give you more milk, but everyone knows that the quality of a Holstein's milk is far inferior to that of a Jersey cow. 

A Holstein will give you lots of skim milk but a Jersey will give you pure cream. 

I am very loyal to Jersey cows, as you can tell, but this summer I did discover one Holstein that could give a Jersey a run for its money.

VS.

That's right, Holstein vs. Jersey and it was a close call!

Have you ever heard of Cornhole? 

I hadn't, until our July 4th picnic when my uncle, aunt and cousins brought this game over for us to play.  I LOVE Cornhole.  It's my new favorite game.  And as soon as I move to a place where I actually have my own yard I'm going to hire my cousin Maria's fiancee Matt to make us one of these sets, and my cousin Lauren to paint it for us.  Didn't they do an amazing job with that one?!

The object is, of course, to get as many bean bags in the hole as possible.  You also get points for landing on the board, which is harder than it looks.  The first team to 21 wins, but you have to be careful because if you go over 21 you LOSE.

Jerseys rule, Holsteins drool!