The Big 37, My First As a New Father

I had the opportunity to celebrate my birthday this year while my mother-in-law was in town helping Holly and I out with Oscar in his first few weeks. My birthday is the 3rd, and my mother-in-law's birthday is the 4th. It was nice having her in Seattle and being able to celebrate together. We've never had the opportunity before to do that.



Our birthday sign that we enjoy getting out for each other's birthdays.



I of course decided to make my own birthday cake. I wanted homemade devil's food with lemon curd, cream cheese frosting. Cupcakes were easier this year with all the company in town, and all the baby garb spread out all over our living room.



Holly, as always, ensures I get a nice spread of gifts each year. She spoils me rotten.



Cupcake close-ups



Color coordinated sprinkles.



A homemade birthday card from my niece Olivia. She knows I like Cookie Monster, and she did a fantastic job drawing this by hand for me to enjoy. I feel honored that my nieces love me so much on Holly's side of the family.



Close up of said Cookie Monster birthday card.



Opening up my loot. I wanted a food dehydrator. This way I can dehydrate my own fruits and vegetables at home and ensure that I control everything in the process. So many of the dried fruits at the stores still have cane sugar in them, even if organic. It's hard to fine just 100% dried fruit with nothing else added.



A candid shot Holly took of me enjoying my evening with family around. It's always good to celebrate with those that I love. This year was extra special cause I had Oscar around for my first birthday as a new father. Looking forward to many more celebrations together with our little family.

Chocolate Shortbread Shamrocks

I grew up with distinct family food traditions at holidays. No exception even for St. Patrick's Day. Growing up my Mom had a cookie cutter collection all over the kitchen. Nails everywhere with cookie cutters hanging just about everywhere. There were cookie cutters for just about every holiday and every important family celebration like birthdays, graduation, back to school etc. One of my favorites growing up was this shamrock cookie cutter. Last summer when we were down in Utah visiting family, my Dad decided to divvy up Mom's cookie cutters and cook books so we could take them home and enjoy them in our own homes. While she's not longer with us, it's nice to reflect on the fun family memories and food traditions.

I decided to do my own twist on the Craven family favorite, sugar cookies. Instead I made a short bread chocolate cookie dough base. Then I decided to make a pistachio-lime glaze for the top.



Prepping.



Rolling.



And cutting out dough in the shape of shamrocks.



Mom's shamrock cookie cutter from when I was a little kid.



Spacing out the cookies on my silpat baking sheet.



Cutting dough.



Getting ready for baking.



Some luck of the Irish Shamrock's on our dining table.



Our holiday table.



Roasted pistachios for the lime glaze.



Zesting & squeezing fresh lime juice.



Adding powered sugar to fresh lime zest, juice and some melted butter.



Finishing up the glaze.



Holly & I frosting the cooled cookies.



A few treats for us to enjoy on this 2012 St. Patrick's Day. Holly and I look forward to keeping many fun family food traditions alive and sharing them with Oscar as he grows up.

Chocolate Shortbread Shamrocks

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl and sift them together. Add sifted dry ingredients to creamed mixture, blending well. Chill dough about 1 hour until firm enough to roll out.

Once dough is firm, portion out on a floured work surface. With a floured rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with shamrock shaped cookie cutter. Place on a prepared baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 6-7 minutes. Cool and glaze. Makes about 15-18 cookies.

Pistachio-Lime Glaze

1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
Zest of one lime
Juice of one lime
Pistachios, roasted & finely chopped

In a small saucepan or skillet melt butter over low heat. Remove from heat and blend in powered sugar, zest & juice. If glaze is too thick add more juice to get to desired consistency. Frost cooked & cooled shamrocks and sprinkle roasted pistachios on top.

Sunday Comfort BBQ Meatloaf

I was in the mood to make good home comfort food yesterday. Meat loaf sounded like it was just the trick, while Holly & I took turns feeding Oscar and fitting in much needed Sunday afternoon naps...LOL.



Dan's BBQ Meatloaf

1 & 1/2 pounds organic ground sirloin
1 pound organic Italian sausage
1 C rolled oats
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 eggs *(see note below)
1/2 C Worcestershire sauce
1 C BBQ sauce, preferable home made
3 T dried basil
3 T dried oregano
1 T dried thyme
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Directions

In a large frying pan saute onion, bell pepper, carrot and garlic until caramelized. Add Worcestershire sauce to pan to loosen up the browned bits. Add salt, pepper, dried herbs and BBQ sauce. Allow mixture to cool completely.

In a large bowl mix sirloin, Italian sausage, eggs and rolled oats together. Add cooled vegetable-spice mixture. Thoroughly combine and place in a 9X13 baking dish. I use a large size baking dish, cause I like my meatloaf not very thick, so it gets a crispy crust on it. Spread the BBQ sauce over the top and bake for 350 degrees for one hour, or until done.

* Note: While this recipe of mine is gluten free, it is not dairy free as I felt the need to use eggs to bind this all together. I'm sure you you could make this dairy free as well and find a suitable binder in lieu of eggs.

Our Little Miracle

I'm definitely eating a lot of words since I became a Father. All those aspects I worried about. The hesitations. The insecurities. The fear of the unknowns. All are seeming to dissipate as I transition into "daddy-ville" and bond with Oscar. I love his mannerism's. I can see a lot of myself in him. Not just some of the physical traits, but also the personalty traits as well. I love that he furrows his eyebrows and always looks "concerned." That has long been a trait of mine. I love how he smiles slightly out of one side of his mouth, a token Dan Craven smirk. And when he does smile, he sort of squints with one eye shut. I see myself in my boy in so many ways.

Words can't express how grateful I feel that Holly and I get to be parents. I still have a hard time fathoming that he is in our lives. It's so new still, but almost like he's always been with us.

And I continue to marvel at women in general. Those that choose to have children and are willing to put their bodies through so much to bring life into this world. I told myself I didn't want to watch all that labor & delivery with Holly. But jumped right in and assisted the doctor's and nurses. I was so proud of Holly for what she did for Oscar. I'm all teary typing this again, but I continue to marvel and the miracle of childbirth and am honestly amazed that every woman does not die in childbirth and that any children come out of the birth canal alive. Regardless of my dramatic choice in words, our own family miracle has happened. Holly and I have created life, and are being entrusted with a spirit to raise. And we get the opportunity to teach & train Oscar to stand on his own two feet in life. And love this little son of ours to pieces.

So yes, I continue to eat my words about not wanting to be a parent. Not wanting to have kids. I love this boy to pieces, and look forward to the day where Oscar can have a sibling of his own to grow up with.

I love you Holly. You are already, and will always be a compassionate, gentle, loving, nurturing and amazing Mother to our children.

Pickled Fig Preserves

Again, canning for me is relaxation at home. I enjoy creating new unique twists on traditional favorites. One of my favorite quick & easy appetizers is some crackers or rustic bread, slathered in some goat or blue cheese, with a generous helping of my picked fig preserves. I adapted this from two recipes and came up with something that I really enjoy flavor wise.



Dan's Pickled Fig Jam

2 lemons
4 pounds ripe fresh figs, stemmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 9 cups)
4 cups sugar
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Directions

Using vegetable peeler, remove peel from lemons (yellow part only) in long strips. Cut peel into matchstick-size strips (about 3 tablespoons).

Combine lemon peel, figs, sugar, red wine, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt in heavy large deep saucepan; let stand at room temperature 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Bring fig mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium; continue to boil until jam thickens and is reduced to 6 cups, stirring frequently and occasionally mashing mixture with potato masher to crush large fig pieces, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat.

Ladle mixture into 6 hot clean 1/2-pint glass canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch space at top of jars. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe jar threads and rims with clean damp cloth. Cover with hot lids; apply screw bands. Process jars in pot of boiling water 10 minutes. Cool jars completely. Store in cool dark place up to 1 year.



The finished product. All ready for storage in our pantry at home.