Isn't It Lovely?

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

It's here! And it's beautiful! The trees here are fluorescent and glowing. Ollie and I went for a 3.5 mile walk up the prettiest hill. I left my camera alone and just enjoyed the scenery and my company. November might be my favorite month. Did I say that about September??

November 1st also means that 31 Days are over. That month went fast, and I enjoyed participating with the other bloggers. It was good for me to challenge myself both with writing and cooking. There are some new recipes I tried last month that we really liked and turned out to be really easy! And, even though I didn't post every day, I posted way more than usual and it feels good to have a fuller month. As for my budget goals, I kind of lost track mid-October since Caroline and Maria were here. We ate out a little more than we usual do, and obviously had to buy a little more groceries. I'll do some math and maybe write a bit more about that later.

Thanks for following along. I hope you found some new recipes that you and your family enjoyed, too! I have a lot of fun things planned for November so I hope you'll stick around and see what happens next :)

xoxo
Joy

ps. Did you see this giveaway? Make sure you enter for a chance to win a great cookbook! I'll post the winner next week. Open to US residents only, please.

A HappyCandido Giveaway!

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

I've had this cookbook for a couple years and have really enjoyed it. I adapted this recipe for shells from here! There are a lot of other great recipes we've liked, too. Like Oven Baked Crispy Chicken Tenders and Cheesy Chicken Parmesan. I have yet to try the Mango Glazed Salmon, and I'm sure Camillo would love the Buffalo Chicken Wings! 

In the front of the book, there are some great 'swap' suggestions for breakfast, lunch, dinner, takeout, desserts, even drinks! It's a helpful reference when I'm craving something heavy and full of calories :)

 I love a cookbook with pretty food photography and this one doesn't disappoint. I haven't tried this Southwestern Turkey Burger yet but doesn't it look delicious? Yum!

I'd like to share this book with one of you! One reader will get their own Cook Yourself Thin cookbook. And there are 4 ways to enter! If you need a refresher on how to enter giveaways most efficiently, you can read this post here. 

#1 Leave a comment and tell me your favorite home cooked meal

#2 Follow HappyCandido (over on the right, there)

#3 Share on Facebook

#4 Pin this post

Thanks for reading, I'll post the winner next week.

Good Luck!

xoxo

Joy

[ open to US residents only, please! ]

Checking In

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

Hey All! Happy Monday. Did you have a good weekend? We were very busy and had a lot of fun. Saturday we went to a Fall Festival at church. The kids dressed up and had a blast..more to come! And then yesterday we had a crazy long day at the mall. Oh geez. It was cray cray. I haven't been to a mall in ages, let alone with Ollie. But we all found some new shirts so Yay! 

Anyways, tomorrow our company leaves for home so today was low key. Ollie has been a little nutty lately. I started to get a little overwhelmed but then read a couple pages in this book and felt better. Once again, the book was spot on and helped me realize Ollie is just going through a new leap in his development. Poor guy is just trying to figure everything out so he needs Mama a little extra. Okay, buddy. Let's snuggle. ;)

Tonight we had pizza so nothing special there. But tomorrow I have something exciting so see you then!!

xoxo

Joy

Weekend Burgers

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

Sometimes burgers are good on Saturdays, huh? I got these two patties from Safeway, on sale for only a couple bucks! We already had most of these toppings and condiments so this meal was cheap and filling. 

I made a makeshift broiler pan for these burgers with foil, a small, shallow pan, and a cooling rack. Season with your favorite herbs and spices and set under broiler. After about 5 minutes on each side, your burgers should be nice and juicy!

Stack with lots of veggies and your favorite sauce, then open wide! I topped mine with Pepperjack cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and BBQ sauce. Burgers are a fun, easy meal. Perfect for weekends, even in October!

What do you like to stack on your burgers?

xoxo
Joy

Broccoli, Ham, & Pasta

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

Caroline cooked dinner for us the last night, what a treat! There were only a couple ingredients but it was a really, really, tasty meal. And she's going to share it with you, luckies! 

Step One: Steam broccoli until just before tender. You'll sauté it a bit later so don't cook it all the way! Step Two: Put spaghetti on to boil Step Three: Dice the tomatoes, garlic, and ham Step Four: Heat oil over medium high heat and add garlic, sautéing for just a minute. Then add ham, cook for a couple minutes, until slightly browned, and then add tomatoes. Add steamed broccoli and cover, turning down to medium low and simmer. When the pasta is al dente, drain and melt the butter in the hot noodles. Add the meat and veggies, mix, and enjoy! Okay, that last step was kind of a long one…ha! 

I found out this was one of Camillo's favorite dishes growing up. Isn't that fun? Thank you, Caroline, for teaching me so I can make this great meal for Camillo and Ollie :)

Obrigada!
xoxo
Joy

General Tso's Chicken with Coconut Rice

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

Our family really likes Chinese food. We have pretty high standards, though, so we have yet to find the perfect place to eat it. This recipe for General Tso's is pretty good if you ask me. I found it on Pinterest in a crockpot version here. Since we like a saucier dish, the recipe below is double the original. It's simple to make and really hits the spot when we're craving something Chinese.

Let's start with the rice. Growing up, I was taught that rice had to be made very specifically or else it would be ruined. Measure the water, boil it, measure the rice, time it perfectly. Imagine my horror when Camillo came into my life and just sort of haphazardly threw rice together! If you are OCD about your rice cooking regime, I suggest skipping over this part. But if you're up for trying something new and living on the edge, read on!

Coconut Rice
About 3 cups of dry rice, rinsed (see below)
1 can coconut milk
Water
Salt

Camillo taught me what a difference rinsing rice can make. At first, I kinda thought he was full of it but now I'm a firm believer and rinse it every time! Pour your rice into a large pot and cover with water, using your hands to mix it around, then strain it. Do this 2-3 times until the water is clear, and you will have light, fluffy rice once it's cooked!
After you've drained your rice the final time, pour coconut milk into the pot and stir until saturated. Here's the part that used to bug me ... Add just enough water so that it is about 3/4 inch deeper that the rice. Or, to get real technical 'one knuckle worth'. ha! Add some salt to taste, mix again, and set the pot on a large burner. Turn the burner on to High and wait for the water to start boiling. Once you get a good boil going, give your pot of rice one last stir and reduce heat to low. Let it cook for 15 minutes (perfect amount of time to cook your chicken!). When your timer goes off, check the rice. If it has a little bit more moisture, let it sit on the burner a couple more minutes. If it's dry, light, and fluffy, smelling deliciously like coconut, it's ready!!

General Tso's Chicken

1 pound chicken, cut to one inch cubes
1 1/2 tbs minced garlic
6 tbs brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
4 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1-2 cups mixed veggies (more or less depending how you like it)

Over medium-high heat, cook chicken until browned. In the meantime, mix garlic, brown sugar, ginger, and soy sauce in a small bowl. When the chicken is nearly cooked through, pour sauce mixture over chicken and heat to a light boil. Add the mixed veggies and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 5 minutes. Pour your chicken and veggies over the coconut rice and voila!! A delicious Chinese meal, sans the takeout boxes ;)

享受! 
xoxo
Joy

[a witty title that has nothing to do with food but everything to do with our week]

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

Thursday was a weird day. I guess my mind needed some time off because it seemed to be missing all day! The weather was gor.geous. Crisp and bright. Ollie and I went for a nice long walk in the morning, then after nap we explored Discovery Park with Uncle Jordy and his new lens. It was so nice and relaxing. Exactly what I needed but I didn't even know it.

Friday was grocery shopping day. I felt a little overwhelmed because I needed to plan for a week's meals + company! But Ollie was very helpful by keeping a list as we strolled up and down the aisles. ;) And once I had 'groceries' crossed off my to-do list, I felt much better. 

Friday evening Camillo and I went on our first dinner date in 14 months! Oh my goodness, you guys. It was blissful. I ate my own dinner without having to feed someone else. And Camillo and I got to talk and visit the whole evening. Just the two of us. *sigh* After dinner, we walked a couple blocks to Bluebird IceCream. I got Phantograham (graham crackers and chocolate, yum!) and Camillo got Elysian Stout. It was supposed to be a beer flavor but he didn't really taste it..Thank you Julia for a grown up date night!! (and here's to more on a regular basis!!)

Saturday Caroline and Maria flew in to Seattle!! The two kidlets are only 5 months apart and they are getting along SO well. They follow each other around and are constantly giving each other hugs and kisses. Cutest thing ever. Ollie is working on saying Maria but it comes out sounding more like Aria! hehe, He loves his friend Aria, too :) I finally got to bake some cookies, too. Did you see that?! Caroline loves them so I might have an excuse to make them again before she leaves. I'll be sure to send a couple all of them home with her ;)

I'll do my best to keep up with my daily posts but please forgive me if I miss [another] day or two. We have family here through the end of the month and we want to cherish our time together. That might mean no blogging for this mama! You can be sure there will still be plenty of eating though ;)

xoxo
Joy

Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

The long awaited cookie recipe! I finally got my cookies today and they are so good. I found them here a couple months ago and have made them way too many times since. But did you hear me? They're so good. 

Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 bar dark chocolate, cut into small pieces

Cream butter and sugars. Mix in dry pudding package, eggs, and vanilla. Next, baking soda, salt, and flour. Finally, stir in chocolate chips and chunks. Drop on parchment paper covered pan, about an inch and a half apart. Bake at 350* for 8-10 minutes. Enjoy with a nice, cold glass of milk!!

xoxo
Joy

Vegetarian Stuffed Shells

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

Tonight was another vegetarian meal (assuming vegetarians eat cheese) and we all loved it. I'm noticing that we eat a lot of pasta though. Is that normal? Last night we had steak and rice with stir fry veggies. So..I guess pasta isn't on the menu every night. 

Anyways, I adapted tonight's dinner from a recipe in my Cook Yourself Thin cookbook. I put it all together while Ollie was napping so I only had to pop it into the over 20 minutes before we were ready to eat. Sweet!!

Vegetarian Stuffed Shells

15 jumbo pasta shells

6 ounces spinach

1 medium zucchini

1 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups pasta sauce

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

To start this meal, bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook 15 jumbo pasta shells for 6-7 minutes so that they're just undercooked. Drain and lay out on a greased cookie sheet to cool. Don't let them touch each other or they'll stick together and then tear when you try to fill them later! 

In a skillet, wilt the spinach over medium heat, drain, and set aside in a big bowl. Grate one medium zucchini and, using the same skillet, cook until tender. Add to the bowl of spinach.

Add 1 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, and 1/4 tsp salt to your green veggies and mix until well combined.

Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce onto the bottom of an 8x8 pan. If your shells have cooled enough by now, fill each one with cheesy filling - probably 1-2 tablespoons per shell. Cover with more sauce, about 1 1/2 cups (more or less depending how you like it). Sprinkle with a little bit more parmesan, and then top with 1/2 cup mozzarella.

Loosely cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 350*. Remove foil and bake another 5-8 minutes, until cheese is melted and slightly brown. Let cool slightly and then dig in!

Every night this week Camillo has complimented how good I'm getting at cooking. I don't think I'm doing anything better than before, it's just that I'm planning ahead and putting thought into our meals. That results in some tasty dishes and it makes me feel good to know Camillo is impressed!

xoxo
Joy

A Few of Ollie's Faves

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

I started writing about our dinner but then remembered today is Ollie's 14th month birthday! So let's talk about some of his favorite foods.

He's been working on his eating-by-himself skills and as you can see, the spoon is making it into his mouth. All of his food? Eh, different story. But he's better today than even yesterday and I'm really proud of him! He really likes greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and applesauce. Not mixed together. Ha!

I've picked up a couple of these pouches for when we're out and about during lunch time. They're really handy, even though I've always thought it was super weird to just give my kid a bag of food. Really, that's all it is, isn't it? But it's cool, they're an occasional treat.

We discovered that he loves corn on the cob! And he insists on eating it like a big boy. Most of the time he just skims off the top of the kernel but every once in a while he gets all the way down to the core! It's so funny to watch him :) He has also started eating his own whole apples. He holds it with both hands and just keeps digging at the same spot until he busts into the core. It's quite possible he's eaten a couple seeds..I'll be on the look out for them ;)

Every once in a while I'll let him eat his snack at the dining table. I can't believe my little is already big enough to climb into a chair and stand at the table to eat.  Obviously, Horsey was hungry so Ollie shared his crackers with him. (Uh, let's not acknowledge the safety hazard that is that pen sitting right there...?!?!)

He also has the funnest time eating edamame. He just pops 'em into his mouth, one after the other..I can hardly get them out of their shell fast enough! These are packed with protein and I feel really good that he likes them. Something else packed in protein? Tortellini! I buy a package when they go on sale and they're just the right size for him to scoop up. Yum! 

At this age, he's pretty much eating everything we eat. He wants to try it all! He even ate little chunks of steak with us tonight! I love that we can share new food with him. Being responsible for what goes into his little body has inspired me to cook healthier so we can all eat healthier. 

xoxo

Joy

Spicy Sausage Pasta

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

This was all that was left of our dinner tonight. It took me about 20 minutes to prep and when we were done, Camillo said 'oh man, I love Pinterest'. haHA! He was amazed by this amazingly flavorful meal!! And I can't get over how easy it was to make. It will definitely be in our dinner rotation from now on - it's a keeper! 

I got this recipe from Amanda and she took some pretty awesome photos to go along with it. So head on over here and make some dinner!!

xoxo

Joy

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Or, The Lack Thereof)

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

So I get home from my photo shoot this afternoon, right? And I'm all, like, 'Woo! I'm gonna make the chocolate chip cookies I've been waiting for all week!' Open the fridge only to be reminded that we used the rest of the eggs for family breakfast yesterday!! Dang. It. You guys, I'm only eating sugar once a week, on the weekends, and I've been looking forward to these cookies for seven days. HOW did I forget to pick up some eggs today? Tragedy.

That means I don't have any pretty cookie pictures for you. You'll have to wait another seven days. But in the spirit of sharing sweet treats with you, go ahead and look through my Pinterest board of delicious goodness that I'm totally gonna make someday. Enjoy!

xoxo
Joy

Mmm..Pizza

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

We, the Candidos, could eat pizza every night. I'm just going to admit that to you. So to save money, I've gotten creative and started making it at home! I buy the Trader Joe's pizza dough for $1.29 and can get two medium pizzas out of it. I top with all sorts of things: red sauce or white sauce, barbecue sauce or olive oil. Spinach or tomatoes, or both! Chicken or pepperoni. Olives, mushrooms, peppers, or pineapples. Yum!

This has definitely been my favorite combo so far. Oh my. The creamy gorgonzola sprinkled underneath the mozzarella is amazing. Then, add a little zing from the barbecue sauce and dang, girl. My mouth is watering, excuse me.

This is a fun meal I like to cook on the weekends when Daddy is home to play with Ollie. It's easy but time consuming so I need the babe to be distracted while Mama's in the kitchen for a while. I roll out the dough and pop in the oven at 500* for just a couple minutes. Doing so helps the crust get a tiny bit crispy before the toppings go on. Carefully take the crust out and spread with barbecue sauce. Layer with spinach (I leave mine raw, no need to cook it first), and then with cooked chicken. Next, sprinkle some gorgonzola crumbs. Gorgonzola can be very strong so don't use too much, okay? Finally, top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 10 more minutes (keep an eye on it) or until cheese is melted and golden.

What are your favorite toppings?  

xoxo
Joy

I Made It!

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

totally unrelated photo of Ollie's smooshed face at the Kid's Place..

Another post with hardly anything to do about food. But I made it! It's been another nice, long day that started at 7:30 this morning and is ending now..11:35pm. So with 25 minutes left of Day 11, I'm signing in if only to say goodnight! We had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner because, let's face it, that's as creative as Mama could be tonight. But it was great. And Ollie is pretty cute eating meatballs. Easy and cute. Win win.

Goodnight, friends. Thanks for reading. This weekend I have some good stuff to eat so come back. We're talking pizza and chocolate chip cookies. But you didn't hear that from me..

xoxo
Joy

Roasted Veggies // Dice Toss Bake

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

I've mentioned before that Camillo is definitely a meat eater. I am, too, but sometimes I get tired of it. For a while, I thought about ways I could take meat out of a couple dinners each week. Sometimes my imagination came up empty and I thought 'then what the heck will we eat for dinner?!'. I know. A little dramatic. But then I saw a picture on a friend's Facebook page and it looked so good. SO GOOD. Sometimes I just crave veggies. Anyways, Ollie and I got packed up and walked to the store. I loaded the stroller with some produce and just like that - a vegetarian dinner was planned!

This dinner was, like, really hard to make. So, just be prepared. Here's what you have to do:

Roasted Veggies

Prep time: 10 minutes   Bake time: 30 minutes

Choose your favorite vegetables (the ones I chose are seen above)

Dice your clean veggies into (almost) same size chunks

Toss in large bowl with about 2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle in some garlic seasoning and parmesan cheese, as much or little as you'd like

Spread veggies onto a large, sided pan (I don't know what it's called but it's a cookie sheet with an inch of siding. Ha! Told you there wasn't anything fancy going on in here!)

Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt (my garlic seasoning was salt free so I didn't double up on saltiness)

Bake for 15 minutes at 350* then take them out and stir them up on the pan. Sprinkle a bit more sea salt and put back in the oven for another 15 minutes or so

Poke a couple veggies with a fork and if they're tender, they're done!

Serve hot in a dish..like a pie pan!  

And that's it! If you didn't catch my sarcasm before, this was not a hard recipe. It took me 10 minutes to wash and dice my vegetables and then I just let them roast in the oven! Camillo really liked it and I was so glad he didn't miss the meat. We'll be eating this more often, for sure. There are so many possible variations! I also used a bit of left over cauliflower sauce for dipping. And these leftovers will probably find themselves in a frittata this week. Yes! 

What vegetables would you choose?

xoxo
Joy

{Delicious} Healthy Pumpkin Bread

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

Would you guys believe me if I told you I've never tried a Pumpkin Spice Latte?! I know. What's wrong with me? I lovelovelove pumpkin and stock up on it during the holiday season so that I can bake with it all year. Like this pumpkin bread. I searched for a healthy version months ago when I was craving something pumpkin-y. This recipe only calls for 1/3 of the sugar that others call for, and has oats in it, too. I don't feel so bad eating it any time of day, even for breakfast! Add a bit of cream cheese frosting (and maybe a Pumpkin Spice Latte?!) and you've got yourself a delicious, healthy treat! Enjoy!

xoxo
Joy

Chicken "Alfredo" Bake

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

My, oh my! This was a huge hit in the Candido house tonight! Camillo was ranting over it and Ollie wolfed down so much, I could hardly believe it. This Chicken 'Alfredo' Bake is a delicious meal that I felt really good serving my boys. Wanna know why? There's not a hint of cream or flour..The alfredo is actually cauliflower puree!! I found the recipe for this tasty sauce on Pinterest and was excited to try it. So good!! 

It was also a great meal to make throughout the day. I made the sauce during Ollie's morning nap, and then cooked the pasta and baked the chicken during his afternoon nap! By the time 5:30 rolled around, dinner was practically made, I just had to mix all components together and bake it! Here's how you can make it for your family:

Chicken 'Alfredo' Bake

1 lb chicken, cooked and cubed 

1 box penne pasta, cooked al dante

2 cups creamy cauliflower sauce (more if you like it extra creamy)

1 1/2 frozen peas

1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used colby jack)

Once you have your chicken, pasta, and sauce prepared accordingly, pour all ingredients into a large bowl and gently stir until coated with cauliflower sauce. Add more until you get the creamy consistency you like. Pour into medium casserole dish and top with shredded cheese. Cover loosely with foil and bake at 375* for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until cheese is golden crispy. 

Bon appétit! 

xoxo

Joy

Nothing To Do With Food

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

Ollie feet flailing as he climbed into the submarine through the window!

In honor of my commitment to write every day for 31, I'm here to say goodnight! We had another great day. I just love adventuring with my little nugget. He's my sidekick! We drove down to Olympia to have lunch with my mom and grandma. Since it was stormy outside, we played at the kid place inside the mall. It was perfect! Ollie had a blast and really wore himself out. Mama's pretty tired, too. Thankfully, I'd put a pork tenderloin in the crockpot before we left!! I got home and made up some mashed potatoes (frozen from Trader Joe's!) and peas. Delicious! :)

Night night!
xoxo
Joy

Breakfast For Dinner // Cheesy Bacon Biscuit Pull Aparts

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

Today was a really, super long day. Enjoyable, but long. I got home at 6pm without a clue as to what to make for dinner. Thankfully, I had all the fixins to make this, and Camillo didn't mind having breakfast in the evening! Add a couple scrambled eggs and OJ..another quick, easy meal. Can I get an Amen!?

Some things I'm really grateful for today:

the perfectly gorgeous weather (for reals)
the two hour walk me and Ollie enjoyed
a spontaneous trip to a dear friend's house
coming home to an empty sink (it was full of dishes when I left - thanks so much, babe!)
clean, folded laundry (thanks again!)
Ollie's tight bear hugs
and his sweet dance moves
an easy dinner
time to rest

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend..tomorrow is Monday already!!

xoxo
Joy

Coconut Banana Bread // A Saturday Sweet Treat

this post is part of my 31 Day series. here is the beginning

I kind of love banana bread. And by kind of, I mean with my whole heart. It's something my mom used to make a lot when we were kids and it reminds me of my childhood home whenever I eat a toasted slice spread with peanut butter. Yum!

This recipe was adapted from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. Instead of using white flour, I used whole wheat flour. And instead of regular cooking oil or butter, I used a half cup of coconut oil! Oh man, it was so moist, and had a sweet, subtle coconut taste. You gotta try it! Here, I'll tell you how to make your own batch:

Coconut Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cup bananas, mashed (about 5 medium)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil

Turn the oven on to 350*. Grease the bottom of one 9x5x3in pan, or two 71/2x31/2x2in pans. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Set aside.

For the wet ingredients, I whip out my NutriBullet! This helps get the bananas creamy and combine everything super smooth. No NutriBullet? Try this with your blender! Either way, just do a couple pulses, so the eggs don't get too whipped up. Or, you can totally go the traditional route and mash with a fork ;) Once it's smooth, add to dry ingredients. Stir just until everything is moistened, not too much.

Spoon batter in to pan(s) and bake for 55-60 for 9in pan, 40-45 mins for 71/2in pans.

Now, the recipe says to wait until the next day to serve but I can't usually wait that long so..what the heck. Grab a spoon full of peanut butter and have at it!

I hope you like the coconut oil substitute! If you make your own banana bread, I'd love to hear how it goes!

xoxo
Joy