Friday, December 4, 2009

What could I do with Pomegranate?

So, reading a friends blog I came across a "Blog Chef Challenge." I love to cook, though I am not great at it yet, I am learning all kinds of new things. Thanks to books, foodnetwork, and other friends blogs. So, when I saw the challenge to come up with a recipe using a pomegranate I immediately wanted to try it!
My first thought was I wonder how it would taste in a risotto? I have never actually made risotto but always wanted to so I started there. I then tried to think of ways to make this an entree. Well, here is what I came up with.



First of all, I looked through different websites to get ideas, but did not take one recipe and make it. It was sort of a compilation of several recipes. And I couldn't tell you where I found them because I looked a few days ago, and looked at tons of recipes for ideas. So here is what you get.
Ingredients:
6 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Small onion
3/4 C water
2 cloves of garlic
1 16 oz Pork Loin
1 Large Pomegranate
1 Cup Arborio rice
1/2 package of bacon
4 Tb. Olive Oil
3 Tb. Butter
Salt and Pepper
pinch of dried rosemary
1/4 remaining pomegranate seeds
For the glaze:
Seeds of 3/4 of the pomegranate (you will be suprised at how much juice you get out of the seeds.)
2/3 cup of water
1/4 of sugar maybe more to taste
Start by preheating oven to 375.
Then, start with one large pot and add all of the chicken stock to it put on medium low to bring up temperature to the point where it is not quite boiling but there are little bubbles on the bottom.
Next, in a large pan add 2 Tb. olive oil and the bacon. Sautee the bacon till somewhat crispy. Then add the onion. Continue to stir till onion is transluscent. After onion is transluscent add the arborio rice and 3/4 C. of warm water. Once the water is absorbed into the rice add one ladle of chicken stock. Continue to stir frequently till liquid is absorbed then add another ladle of stock. You will continue to add stock till the rice is al dente. You just have to taste it to know really.
In the meantime salt and pepper the pork. In another pan add 1 Tb. olive oil and heat up. Once heated add the pork carefully and let it sear on that side. After crisp on one side flip to crisp on the other side. Then put into the oven and let it roast. I roasted mine for about twenty maybe twenty-five minutes so it was well done. If you like it more rare I suggest 10 minutes or so.
Continue to ladle stock into the rice and let it absorb. The risotto is finished once the rice is cooked slightly al dente. I believe it was around 5 1/2 Cups of the stock. It may be different for everyone.
Finally before pulling the pork out of the oven take the seeds of the pomegranate and put in zip lock back to smash juice out of them. Then drain juice into pan with other ingredients of the glaze/reduction, and bring to a boil on medium to med.-high heat. Let it boil for just a few minutes to reduce slightly. If you let it reduce too much you will be left with a very thick syrup and no pomegranate flavor it also burns very easily.
While this is boiling pull the pork out and put back into heated pan with Butter, garlic and rosemary. Tilt pan and spoon butter mixture over the pork so that it is bubbly and making it nice and crisp on the outside. Remove from pan and let it sit.
Once you have the glaze reduced slightly you are ready to plate!
Spoon risotto onto plate, then slice pork 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick. Place on top of risotto. Drizzle with the reduction of pomegranate, sugar and water. Top with remaining pomegranate seeds. And there you have it!
I have to tell you, I wasn't sure if it would turn out once I got cooking. However it was delicious! I think the best part was the pomegranate glaze. I tasted it before it reduced too much (because I let it boil too long after glazing the first plate) and it was so good, you could probably make a drink out of it! I made enough for the family but wasn't sure if my kids would enjoy it because it was not something they were used to. They totally went to town on it. Especially the pork!
I think if I do this again I'll use a low sodium stock, because it did have a bit too much salt, but other than that it was really good.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Getting ready for the end of school!



 

Ryan and I have been working like crazy to do well in school this semester! And have fun by going to the football games! I can't believe it has been almost 4 months now! We have managed to survive thus far, but learned some great lessons along the way. Number one lesson being that it is WAY too much to have us being two full-time students, and parents and take care of our three kids, and trying to have Ryan work part-time ALL at the same time. Let's just say we won't both be going to school at the same time again. If I weren't so exhausted I might try to go part-time in the spring while Ryan continues full-time, but it's not going to happen. Another lesson being that I don't enjoy the classes required for being a nurse. Maybe that will change when Ryan is done with school and I start going again. But as for now, I'm thinking when I'm able to go back to school it will be in elementary education. Anyway, I am so glad that we only have three weeks left! I can't believe we survived. I am glad that Ryan will have the opportunity to be done somewhat sooner with me taking a break from school. I look forward to the day (as I know he does too) when he will have his own classroom! But for this semester we are almost done YAY!!!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Halloween 2009


So, Halloween week started with me helping out in Tanner's halloween party at school. I walked in the classroom to see this. He was being wrapped up like a mummy and was having a blast! So cute!



Later in the week, we had some friends over to carve our pumkin with us. The kids had mixed feelings about helping to get the "stuff" out of it, but were so excited when it was all finished!




All week, I had been working on these costumes, only to find out Friday that Tanner and Jordan both have strep. So, we couldn't go out for long but they insisted on going out, and since they had both been on antibiotics for 24 hours we figured it would be ok for a short bit. Tanner has been wanting to be a train for three halloween's now, and I never liked the ones in the stores. So, I decided to make my own this year, and they LOVED them! Tanner was James, and Jordan was Thomas. Josh was sir Topham Hatt. I think they are the cutest train engineers and conductor ever!
Making their costumes was a lot more work than I had anticipated but they turned out cute, and saved us a lot of money! Only about $20-25 to make all three costumes. Lots of cardboard, paper plates and cups, butcher paper, felt, cotton balls, and spray paint.
Ryan and I both agree that this has been one of the best Halloween's since being married. Even though the kids were sick, they felt great and absolutely loved their costumes! Josh didn't even try to take the hat off, now that is an accomplishment in and of itself!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Wordless Wednesday...just for fun

Match the baby picture to the toddler picture :)

A
B
C


1

2

3











Thursday, October 1, 2009

Attempt # 2

This is my second attempt at a cake. There is a lot of white frosting that should have been cleaned off the top but it was very busy at my house with 6 kids running around, and wanting to eat the cake as I was making it. So, I didn't take my time like I would have liked. But, I enjoyed it tons! I will be making another cake soon, I just need an occasion! And it will be much more neat and clean hopefully! Anyway, the kids loved it, and I loved creating it!

Friday, September 11, 2009

Slacker? Or just busy!


Just for fun...

First of all, just had to show you all my latest experiment. This was the first time I had ever used fondant to decorate a cake. There was no occasion for this, just has always been something I wanted to try. I enjoyed it, but I think with more practice I'll get much better results...hopefully! It was a lot of fun though! Anyway on to the past few months a brief update with more to come.



We spent some time in August just trying to recouperate from the summer semester of school because we knew this fall would be hectic. We started by making our way down to Utah to take a short vacation. We celebrated our six year anniversary by going to this excellent restaraunt, that was tucked in the mountains. These past six years have been amazing! Very challenging at times, but also very rewarding. I am so grateful to have the best companion and my best friend by my side every step of the way. I can't believe it has already been six years! But I also can't believe it's only been six years...we began dating almost 10 years ago. It's crazy! He's an amazing Husband, Dad and wonderful friend and I couldn't ask for a better guy! I am so blessed every day! Love you Ryan..here's to eternity! We also celebrated Ryan's birthday by going to Lagoon and had a blast! It has been years since either one of us had been there and we had a great time!


My Dad bought the boys fishing poles and took them fishing with no luck but it was still fun. And Josh, wow he is just getting so big, he loves to cuddle on our shoulders just out of the blue sometimes. I will definitely miss that when he grows out of it.





And when we returned it was time for Ryan and I to start school and to get Tanner started in school! He was so excited to start kindergarten! Wow time flies. Jordan on the other hand was ver sad that we had to leave Tanner at the school for three hours. He was quite bummed all afternoon. He has since gotten over it and enjoys the quiet time with Mom while Tanner is at school and Josh naps. Priceless. My boys are getting so big! I am such a lucky girl!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

A fun weekend with great friends

This past weekend was a lot of fun! It started with some great friends of ours, the Woitts coming down to visit us from Washington. They got here on Thursday night. Friday morning we sent the boys off (with the exception of Josh) out for their first Father Son Camp-out, so Noelle and I had a little over 24 hours with no boys! It was fun, we went swimming, then to a pottery shop to paint some ceramics. Noelle and I stayed up chatting for a bit and then went to bed. The next morning we were pretty much just lazy waiting for the boys to get home.
Ryan, Tanner, Jordan and our friends Landon and Jordan Funk and Eddie, and Carter Woitt went up to Tripod meadows for the campout and had a blast camping!

Ryan told me after getting back that these three Tanner, Jordan and Carter stuck together and had a blast playing together the whole time! Aren't they so cute!?? Tanner has some great friends

After the boys got back we quickly decided to get a sitter so that we could get out on a double date since it is rare for us to get out alone, let alone with some friends. So we were fortunate enough to get a sitter that the kids loved! We had a great time just visiting over dinner.

We then decided it would be fun to have a picnic with the Woitts before they had to return home the next morning. We went to Settler's park to have a BBQ and let the kids play in the water. Tanner loves that park and was so excited to take his friends there!They really are great buddies.This was the whole group of kids at the park. It was very difficult to get them to all sit and smile for the picture. So this was the best we could do!
Jordan and Kaylee had a lot of fun playing together. We were trying to have scripture study with them on Sunday night and we could not get these two to quit playing around. Then Kaylee would tell Jordan to be quiet (As you can see) and Jordan would just giggle at her. He loves playing with girls he is so funny!
They all played duck duck goose at the park, Jordan was the only one that didn't really get that you don't get up to run EVERY time someone says goose, even if it's not on you. It was hilarious.
All the kids once again, this was a fun picture to try and take, you'd get all six kids down then Josh or Kaylee would try and get up. But it's still cute. So glad we could have a fun weekend with our friends from Washington . It doesn't happen often so we do all we can to make it a blast for the kids and ourselves! It was a lot of fun.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Our mini vacation before school


So, before school started last week Ryan and I wanted a vacation to spend some time with family. We decided to stay with my parents, and take some time to visit Ryan's grandparents and other friends in Utah. We had a great week! Played lots of games, went out in canoes, played at parks, and just had alot of good family time. Spending time with Ryan's grandparents is always so much fun! We have a lot of great memories of spending time there before his mission, and took a good majority of our wedding pictures around their yard which is beautiful. The boys loved playing on their tree swings! We decided to seize the moment and recreate our favorite wedding picture on one of them. So, thank you Tanner for taking such a great picture for us! Little did we know that almost 6 years later we'd have our 5 year old taking that picture again. It really made for a great mini vacation!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Bubble Wrap...what's next!?!?


Today after playing outside in the sun and at a friends in their pool and what not we came home to relax. We decided we wanted to BBQ tonight so Ryan got out the grill and there was bubble wrap in the box. After getting Josh down for a nap, this is what I see. Yes, he did this ALL on his own! He found the wrap must have thought "this would look wonderful!" and put it on. When asking him to take it off so he could be Jordan again his reply was this "I want to look wonderful mommy!" This "phase" of his wanting to be wonderful and like a dream come true has been going on for quite some time now, I wonder when he will grow out of it. It was cute for the first year or so, now it's just getting...well....I don't know kind of old? It is hilarious to see what he comes up with. But at the same time I would love for him to be just a t-shirt and shorts kid ya know? Oh well! At least he makes us laugh and smile!

PS yes, he is posing for this picture. And no, I did not pose him, he came up with this pose entirely on his own. Really? Would I put him in a pose like that? That is Jordan's personality summed up with one pose.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

how a 5 year old cleans his room...

So, this evening after playing outside we told Tanner that we had invited a friend to come over and play tomorrow. He was told that if he wanted his friend to come over he needed to clean his room. He willingly agreed and headed straight off to his room. No more than 5 minutes later he runs and and says "Mom, Dad, I cleaned my room!" Ryan decided to go and check it out and a minute later is going "Jalynne come look, Tanner cleaned his room!" So with no further ado this is how a 5 year old cleans his room.His floor was actually cleaned great job but where did it all go?

Yep, under his bed.
And on top of the bed. Very proud of his cleaning job. We asked him where he was going to sleep and his response was this..."Oh I guess I have to take these clothes off the bed." Where are you going to put them Tanner? "umm, in the closet" It was hilarious. It was a great effort on his behalf. After we told him how great his effort was we helped him clean the rest of the room but it was definitely cute to see his idea of clean!