Bleu Cheese & Roast Beef Panini Sandwiches

Roast beef, bleu cheese and other deliciousness

I am definitely a sandwich junkie.  Knowing that tonight was going to be the last night alone before my kids come home from their road trip with the Grandparents, I decided that it would be a perfect time to indulge in a fabulous grown-up sandwich.  I decided on a rare roast beef sandwich with a tangy garlic, bleu cheese mayo that smothers both sides and gets even more oozy good as it grills in a panini press.

What do you need:

1. Sliced roast beef (get the rarest you can find) about 1/4lb per person
2. Favorite melty cheese. Mozzarella for me, pepper jack for the hubs
3. Fresh tomato. We used the heirlooms from our garden
4. Spinach.  Stolen from our salad pack.
5. Red onion
6. Ciabatta bread rolls
7. Mayo, about 1/4 cup per person
8. Chopped garlic - 1/2 tsp per person
9. Bleu cheese - fat tablespoon per person
10. Panini grill if you got one.  Otherwise a hot skillet with some Olive Oil and a heavy cast iron pan to put on top would also work well.

I got home and mixed up a 1/2 cup of mayo with 1 tsp of chopped garlic and 1/4 cup of bleu cheese and let it rest in the fridge for a couple hours, until I was ready to assemble.

When it's time to get cooking, first turn on your panini machine and slice the ciabatta bread. Go ahead and smother each side with a tablespoon of the mayo mixture.  

Next layer the spinach leaves, then the roast beef and then the tomato.  For the red onion, I don't like really strong onion flavor.  Take the onion and put it in a bowl with some cold water.  This takes that extra bite of the onion, and leaves it very pleasant tasting, yet not overpowering.  

Top with your favorite cheese and then with the top of the roll.  I give my panini machine a little spritzing with Olive Oil cooking spray and then place them in the center of the machine and give a nice smoosh before locking it in place.

Even the "before" looks good

Waiting...waiting...waiting

After about 4 minutes, check on these little beauties and make sure the cheese is starting to melt, but the bread isn't burning.

Perfect golden delicious color

Slice and serve with a nice salad and you have a gourmet dinner even a food truck might be jealous of.

Custom & Freshly Made Ice Cream...In Just Seconds

Who's hungry for ice cream?

Apparently, our family vacation has turned into a food frenzy vacation.  After our day spent at Seven Peaks Park in Provo (say that 7 times really fast), my brother suggested a detour on the way home for a quick snack.

The road to ice cream here is very different

We wound up at Sub Zero, which is apparently not that new around here.  California is behind the curve on this franchise.  The owner was there and is an ex-pat from our neck of the woods in Orange!  She explained the process of picking a base, a flavor and then the mix ins for add into the ice cream.  She could tell we were completely overwhelmed, and suggested some of their favorite combinations that were up on the menu.

Unlike Cold Stone, which mixes the base with the mix-in on a chilled slab, these ingredients are poured in to a metal bowl and the liquid nitrogen is shot into the bowl while she uses a tool to mix it up.  In about 30 seconds, you have your ice cream ready and freshly made.

Nitrogen being sprayed into the ice cream base

Quick and tasty

It was certainly entertaining to watch, and the kids loved seeing it change right before their eyes.  As for the taste?  It was actually pretty good.  It's a great place to go to pick our unusual flavors.  My daughter had cotton candy mixed with marshmallows and sprinkles and topped with Pop-Rocks!  My mom had a simple Black Licorice serving, which is something you can almost never find.  Your imagination is truly tested with the bases and mix-in combinations (over 50 mix ins alone).  We are all looking forward to coming back next summer and enjoying another.

Kid approved

Food n' Fun at the Salt Lake County Fair

My post this week is far from the beaches of Orange County.  We are visiting my brother and his family in Utah.  I actually love Utah.  Clean air, picturesque mountains and the cost of most things is much less and allows our family dollar to stretch a bit further.

For example, yesterday we went to the local county fair.  Unlike the massive Orange County Fair that lasts for a few weeks and costs money to enter, this local fair is only around 4 short days and has free entrance.  The small size might sound like a disadvantage, but I have to say that I was really impressed with the ease of navigating a smaller fair.

Family fun at the fair!

To get us started at the fair, we took the all the kids into the "Walk On Water" inflatable balls.  I loved seeing the kids squirrel around in there.  Only the older ones were able to kind-of walk, but that didn't make it any less fun for them to try or us to watch.

Almost there!

I was a bit worried that the food options would be too limited.  This was proven to be completely untrue.  Within the food court, we had choices of regular fair favorites like funnel cake and kettle corn.  What I didn't expect was the completely delicious unique fare we were lucky enough to enjoy within a small area.  I didn't need a map to find delicious choices and I didn't have to walk a football field to go enjoy it!

Delicious and so cold

The weather was extremely warm and I headed straight for the snow cone area.  These were no ordinary snow cones.  The ice was shaved in front of us and the topping choices were all natural.  I especially liked that the fruit flavors were from locally grown organic fruit and the root beer flavor was home brewed.  There were tremendous flavor choices and the mojito was incredible.  Hard to admit, but it was the best shaved ice I had ever enjoyed.

Raspberry, Root Beer and Pineapple

We kept the shaved ice booth busy!

Next on the eating agenda was the visually appealing Cyclone potato.  They take a potato and cut it into one continuous curl on a stick and then fry it up.  The result is a crispy, yet tender potato.  Imagine a thicker potato chip that has a tender center.  This item really has fare appeal:  Easy to carry, easy to share and easy to enjoy!

How could you resist this?

I had noticed the Indian fry bread stand and the line there was finally coming to an end.  Sticking with my dessert theme, I ordered the fry bread covered with honey butter, powdered sugar and cinnamon sugar.  It was fresh  I know because I couldn't even touch it for a full 5 minutes.  I was light, fluffy and dripping with  honey butter.  For me, it was preferable to funnel cake because of the airiness of the dough.

Don't let its unassuming look fool you....it's delicious

My pick for best value?  The $4 foot-long corn dog.  It was not only big, but really satisfying.

The drink prices border on ridiculous.  $8.00 for Coors Light?  $2.50 for a bottle of water?  No thanks.  I found a vendor inside the main building who was selling bottles of water and bottles of sodas for $1.00.  We loaded up and took them back to the eating area.  I don't mind people making a profit, but when it is close to 100 degrees and you have kids, that is a disgrace to charge so much for water without another option.

Before I left, I had to revisit an old favorite.  The deep-fried Snickers was the last fair treat I had in Orange County when I went about five years ago.  I had really loved it, and it is just one of those things that you cannot get anywhere but a fair.  I stopped by and picked one up.  It was just as I had remembered, soft gooey and oh-so-good.

Did I mention it was covered in even more sugar?

What else did the fair offer?  Well we enjoyed perusing the vendor area, the kids rode a few rides and petted some animals.  My favorite was the Kids Tractor Pull.  My daughter and her cousin loved it.  It wasn't done for any glory or trophy, but just for fun.  The kids loved the activity and I loved the fact that it was free and done without pressure to buy anything.

Ribbons for everyone!

Thank you SLC Fair, I hope we do this again soon!

An American Girl Birthday

I do try to have mostly family celebrations for my kids birthdays.  I unfortunately managed to have my two girls 3 years apart...well, 3 years and one week apart!!  Very hard to plan big celebrations when they are so close together.  The older one was having a sleepover, so I struggled with how to give the 7 year old the perfect birthday for her.

Let's go to the American Girl store!

Both of my girls are big fans of American Girl dolls.  I have to admit, I am always amazed at their durability and high quality in their products.  Last year, my daughter was given a matching pajama set for her and her doll.  The elastic came loose and I contacted the company.  I simply printed the mailing tag, filled out a slip with my information and sent it in.  A brand new nightgown was sent back within 3 days!  That my friends, is the kind of customer service that keeps me coming back.

Celebration!

For my daughter's 7th birthday, a simply trip to the American Girl store and cafe in The Grove Los Angeles, turned into a big, fun birthday celebration.

We started with just the girls and myself.  We then invited my mom, who suggested her sister, whose daughter I then asked and her daughter in law.  We also invited a Godmother for good measure.  I very smartly called ahead a month or so to reserve our spot for lunch and to inquire about retaining a personal shopper.

I was given an email and within 24 hours I received an email back from Winnie, an American Girl personal shopper.  She answered all my questions about visiting and suggested we come in the morning, before our lunch, to shop and explore the store.

Thank you Winnie!

We arrived at 10:30am and were quickly whisked away to a private shoppers room in the back of the store.  She explained that it was our homebase for the day.  We were then taken on a complete tour of the two story building and loved the explanation of all of the historical dolls that were on display.  I had never noticed that the doll from the 70's never actually was pictured in the VW bug!  She is too young!  I also loved the detail of the rope bed from the 1800's that helped to coin the phrase, "Sleep tight".  Winnie knew everything there is to know about the dolls.

Touring the store

Winnie knew EVERYTHING!

Private ring up saved time!

Once the tour was over, we gave the girls big red bags and told them to pick out anything and everything they wanted.  Don't freak out!  We weren't going to buy all that, but once they were done, they brought everything down to the shoppers room and everyone that came could pick out what to get their girls for their birthdays.  With such a variety in their bags, there was a price point for everyone and the girls knew they would love whatever they got.  We were even rung up in private, so we were able to avoid the growing line at the front register.

Zoe checking out her new gifts!

Now I know this sounds extravagant.  Having a "personal shopper" and all.  Guess what?  This service is 100% free!  The shopper doesn't work for commission or tips and they make the experience special and personal.  Just be sure to plan in advance and reserve one!

We didn't use the doll hospital or doll hair stylist that day, and we were very sad that the photo studio was down. (only sad thing of the day, since my 7 year old desperately wanted to do that).  

Great shopping girls

We finished just in time to go to our birthday lunch.  I had asked for a patio table and was happy that it was perfect and shaded for all of us.  The girls got their dolls into their doll chairs that were provided by the cafe and we started the lunch with warm mini cinnamon rolls.

Saige is ready for her lunch too

We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch.  My pasta with chicken, broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes was wonderful and my girls loved their mac n cheese and mini pizza.  Lunch is all inclusive and the dessert was unquestionably my favorite part.  Everyone received a plate with a flower pot filled with delectable chocolate mousse, a small flower shaped cake and a heart-shaped iced sugar cookie.  The mousse was my favorite and I boxed the cookies to take home, since we were so full!

Time to sing Happy Birthday!

You can pay extra for a birthday package.  It included a crown, invites, thank yous and special cake.  We did not do the extra package, and we really didn't need to.  We were completely happy with what we got and loved that she still got a candle and we sang "Happy Birthday" to her.

We loved our incredible day at the American Girl store in Los Angeles and I know we can't wait to go again.

Best Birthday Ever

Thank you American Girl for a great day!

Great Gifts for a Wedding Shower

I am definitely NOT the most crafty person on the planet, and I actually get a little freaked out at the prospect of making something by hand.  It is especially terrifying when the gift is for someone's once-in-a-lifetime wedding shower.  I do, however, like to give a gift that is somewhat personalized and really from the heart.

This was my dilemma last month.  My lovely cousin, Lisa, is getting married in September and she was a junior bridesmaid in my wedding 13 years ago and my two girls are now in her upcoming nuptials.  This kind of incredible family circle was deserving of thoughtful and well thought out gifts, even from my two girls.

My youngest turned 7 years old on the day of the shower!  She was so excited to share the day with Lisa.  We talked for a long time about what she could give her.  Lisa is marrying a firefighter, and you may know what kind of crazy schedule they keep.  He will be gone for days at a time and she will be all on her own for the first time.  To help keep her company, we came up with the idea of going to Build-A-Bear and making her a very special bear to hug while her husband is gone.

She picked out the perfect bear

My daughter loved picking out the perfect snow white bear.  She put love in to the heart that goes inside, she helped stuff it and she even gave it a dry bath before picking out a pair of fun PJ's for her to wear.  This unusual gift is a great example of really thinking about the bride and her future life and trying to ease changes that happen when people get married.

Helping to stuff the bear with love

She put the bear heart on her's and made a wish for her cousin

My oldest daughter is very crafty!  She loves getting craft oriented gifts and she loves making them too.  We spent some time on Pinterest and came across an idea to create handmade photo-tile coasters and we were able to use the pics from Lisa's engagement shoot that she had posted on Facebook. (sneaky, right?). Read a detailed how-to here.

My daughter LOVED this project.  If you wanted to make this project and did not have photos ready to use, you could use photos from your loved one's Facebook photo albums and they would love it!  You can even just buy one larger tile and buy a display stand for it instead of using it for coasters.

A fun bow is the perfect way to wrap this up

For my present, I wanted to gift the couple with some nice bottles of wine.  I remember when I first got married and my husband and I would come home from work and enjoy a bottle of wine with some sliced Italian meats and cheeses with some fresh bread.  Mmmmmm.  We would talk for hours and enjoy each other's company.  That all changes so fast!  Everyone seems to have no problem celebrating the BIG days, like Anniversary's or Valentine's Day.  I think most married couples need to learn to celebrate the everyday.  To help the couple along, I created some custom wine labels to put on the wine.  Things like, "First Time Locked Out Of The House" and "First Mid-Week Date Night."

Labels were put in the back of the bottle, so the couple will still know what they are drinking!

To do this, I first went and bought an assortment of red and white wines.  I searched and found a great free template for wine bottle labels.  Once I downloaded and customized them, I printed them on a full page sticky label and cut them out.  Finally, I bought some basket filler and found a terrific collapsible picnic basket in her wedding colors!

With a little planning, some brainstorming, Google and Pinterest....finding and making the perfect gift can really be easy!  Making that extra effort will make any present more meaningful for you and the recipient.

Kid-Made Photo Tile Coasters

When making crafts at home, I am always aware of how much work is done by me and how much is done by my kids.  I much prefer the kid dominated crafts because the kids enjoy them more and frankly, so do I.

My 10 year old daughter made these coasters for my cousin, as a wedding shower present.  To start we went shopping for our materials:

1. plain tiles
2. felt circles
3. Small sponge brush
4. glue gun with glue
5. photos- we got two of each in case we messed up (we went with matte finish)
6. Photo cutter, not madatory, but makes it look professional!
7. Mod Podge
8. acrylic sealant spray

The first three items were from the local hardware store and the rest were from our local crafting store. (minus the photos, thank you Costco)

First...PLAN AHEAD!  Make sure you have at least 2 days to really get the layers to dry and to get rid of the sealant smell.  This is not a hard craft, but you do need to plan ahead to make it easy.

My cousin had posted her engagement photos on her Facebook page and we simply downloaded them and sent them to Costco to be printed.  We picked out which photos my daughter liked the best.  We had printed more than we needed, but that was just in case we didn't like how it looked or if it didn't fit right on the tile.  

I took a white piece of paper, placed a tile on top and marked the corners of the tile onto the paper.  Then she cut out the paper.  She took the cut paper and laid it on top of the photo and held it up to the light, so she could see how the photo would look trimmed.  Once she lined it up, she marked on the photo where the edges were and then used the photo trimmer to trim it up.

Lining up the paper with the photo

Once the photo were trimmed, she dipped her sponge brush in the Mod Podge and spread on the back of the photo.  The photo was them glued onto the tile.

Gluing the photo onto the tile

After all of the pictures were adhered, we waited a couple minutes and then she put on a layer of Mod Podge on top of the photo, using only vertical sponge swipes.

Then we waited another 20mins and added another layer of Mod podge and she used only horizontal swipes.

Horizontal swipes this time

Why the different directions?  Mod Podge leaves a texture behind and it is more visually interesting to change directions (at least to me).  Just don't go crazy and start doing swirls...I can't vouch for how that will look.

So she did three coats total, with about 20-30mins in between each layer. Afterwards, we moved the tiles to a half sheet cookie pan that was lined with newspaper.  We moved to the outside and she sprayed on her first sealant layer.  She sprayed a light layer about 6-8 inches away from the tiles.  We let that dry for half the day, sprayed the second layer and then let it rest overnight.  Final layer was the next day.  

Drying is important!  Don't rush it!

Then we broke out the hot glue gun, and she glued on the felt circles, so they won't scratch any tables.  We used three per tile because they were large.  Four per tile would be better for smaller circles.  The circles come sticky, but hot glue really makes them stay.  She also signed the back of each tile with her name, so Lisa will never forget who made these for her!

For the final touch, we found a beautiful ribbon and wrapped them up with a big fancy bow.  My daughter loves this project so much, she is coming up with other people to make these for.  Since the process was easy and totally within her comfort level of complexity, I hope she makes some for me!

Made with love