Rigatoni all'Amatriciana

I wish this recipe was as fancy as the name sounds, but in reality, it's an easy and delicious pasta dinner that was always a quick go-to in our kitchen growing up. My parents learned to make this from my Godmother (a REAL chef) and it's just divine. I had to apologize to Mark for waiting OVER TWO YEARS to introduce him to this dish. Thanks to my non-paleo friendly, carb induced pregnancy cravings when nothing sounded tasty in October, I found all the ingredients for this pasta in my kitchen and had it on the table in no time. I just did what I remembered my parents doing, maybe made a few alterations and in the end, it tasted like it came from the Nido Kitchen, which is ultimate success! We devoured it again last night and the leftovers are already gone. It's almost better the next day.

The distinct flavor of bacon simmers together with garlic, onions and tomatoes to bring together a rich, yet simple sauce. I prefer this sauce served over Rigatoni and topped with freshly grated Romano cheese. 

Rigatoni all'Amatriciana

1 lb. Rigatoni pasta 
6-8 slices of good bacon, chopped
1 yellow onion, diced (or more if you are an onion lover)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can crushed tomatoes (no salt added)
salt + pepper to taste
Romano cheese to serve

In a large, heavy bottom sauce pan (I just use my French oven so I can toss in the pasta at the end), cook bacon on medium heat until cooked. Add onions and garlic, and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add crushed tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until sauce thickens. Toss with rigatoni and serve with freshly grated Romano Cheese. 

...Wrigley's nickname of the week has been Wrigatoni. It only seemed fitting that he wanted in on the Rigatoni dinner action. Ohhhh Wrigley.

#holycannoli #OMG #andbabymakesthree

Actually, four. Since the Wrigster is a family member that we love oh so much. Obviously.

We are so excited about this new adventure we are on and expanding our little family. This pregnancy is almost halfway over and I think it has yet to sink in that we are bringing a mini version of ourselves into this world! It is the biggest blessing. When we found out about Baby Moore at the beginning of October, we went through so many emotions as we tried to grasp what was really happening in the coming months. Anxious, nervous, can we do this?...but mostly we were filled with so much joy and even more love. It was an out of body experience. 

I am 18 weeks as of yesterday and feeling great! I have actually felt great from the very beginning, which I am truly thankful for. 

I haven't really changed up my workout routine much which I think is a huge factor into keeping my energy up and my mind focused on keeping my body healthy and in tip top shape for the entire pregnancy. I try to run every other day and on the days I don't run, I do other cardio and strength training. I like to take advantage of classes at the gym, too! My belly is slowly growing and I'm patiently waiting for the day that it magically pops- or so that is what everyone says happens. And pregnancy cravings are a REAL THING. Chocolate and ice cream are a given, but these days, I can't seem to get enough BLT sandwiches. Toasted. With mayonnaise on both sides. I DON'T EVEN LIKE MAYONNAISE. I guess there are worse things I could be craving? Strange craving #2- cucumber water. Crystal and I had a lunch date at Fern in early December and the water they serve is cucumber infused! It was love at first sip and I now always have some cucumbers steeping in a pitcher of water in the fridge. It's so refreshing and spa-like.

This has been the most exciting journey so far and I can't wait to see what the next 22 weeks bring. I hope to keep documenting a little bit over the next five months as we get ready for Baby Moore. We are most excited to meet our sweet little lovie in June. We aren't finding out the gender which means we will have the most magical surprise to look forward to this Summer. 

Happy 2013 to all!

For the Four Legged Furry Foodie

Amidst the delicious holiday baking that happened in my kitchen this Christmas season, it dawned on me that my curly little (giant) doodle monster deserved some special Christmas treats, too. Dogs may not have the sophisticated palates of us humans, but that certainly doesn't mean they can't be spoiled every now and then.

I found this dog treat recipe via Pinterest and it couldn't have been easier. With only four ingredients, I feel good about giving these to the Wrigster. We made one batch of these cuties and packaged them up for some of Wrigley's furry friends and still have a tupperware full in our pantry. Christmas trees, fire hydrants and hearts! What more could a dog want? 

We loved spreading a little Christmas cheer to Doodles and dog cousins far and near.

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits
recipe via Brown Eyed Baker

1 cup all natural peanut butter
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a large bowl, combine flour and baking powder and whisk together. In another bowl, mix milk and peanut butter. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and mix well, creating a dough.

Knead dough and roll out to 1/4" thickness on a floured surface. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly brown. 

Store in an airtight container.

 *These treats have been taste tested and approved by Wrigley Leonard Moore.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone peace, love and a very Merry Christmas.

Love, 

Mark, Nina, Wrigley and our first little lovie (arriving in June 2013!!!)

P.S. Yes. #wearehavingababy!

Dark Chocolate and Mint Chip Clouds: Hey, That's Pin-Tastic!

Today's pin-tastic post is brought to you by the fabulous Skinny Taste. Mint + chocolate + clouds in the same sentence as pertaining to dessert? It's a dream come true. 

These minty cloud like cookies are puffs of dreamy delight that literally melt in your mouth. Ashley treated me to these last week after our Monday night workout and I have already whipped up two batches of these sweet clouds. Even my "I kind of prefer a cookie with more substance, you Nido lovies love anything that's entirely sugar" speaking husband can't help but grab a cloud to go when he passes through the kitchen. 

These light and airy cookies make a great addition on a cookie plate delivered to neighbors or on a dessert at a Christmas party!

Minty fresh. 

Dark Chocolate and Mint Chip Clouds
recipe from Skinny Taste

3 large egg whites (room temperature)
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup dark chocolate and mint morsels (Nestle)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cover a nonstick cookie sheet with a silicone pad or parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together in large bowl at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar a little at a time, then vanilla, beating well after each addition until you get stiff peaks, the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is glossy.

Fold in mint chocolate chips. Drop mixture by tablespoons onto cookie sheet.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes or just until dry. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely on wire rack. Store covered, at room temperature. Makes about 30 cookies.

NOTE: I found these Nestle Dark Chocolate + Mint Morsels at Target.

 

Check out all of the other  pin-tastic delights on I Love You More Than Carrots!

Another Visit from Dudley the Elf

The air always has a little bit more magic in it at the Nido house. I may be biased, but I only speak from my heart. Add the red twinkle lights, the smell of sugar cookies and cinnamon and a mile long list of traditions and the magic can be felt from miles around. My family is pretty darn amazing.

The story of Dudley the elf made its debut on my blog last year and it deserves to be shared every year. There is nothing quite like it and I am fairly confident that this perfect little elf is most likely what caused the Christmas crazed girl in me. I'll never stop believing. Thanks, Dad. 

..... 

Long before Elf on a Shelf, the Nido girls had an annual, magical visitor straight from the North Pole. Too shy to see us, he would appear after we were asleep, and visit with my dad over mugs of hot cocoa. His visit came after our family tree was lit with red lights and decorated from head to toe. This is a tale, as told by my dad, is near and dear to my heart. So many of my favorite memories of the magic of Christmas, all lead back to Dudley the elf.

The Tale of a North Pole Ambassador

written by: The Elf Whisperer

On a snowy winter’s evening in mid-December 1989, after locking the doors and taking a gander at the sparkle and glow of our home we created for Christmas, I reduced everything to darkness and was headed up the stairs when I was startled by a rustling noise coming from the direction of our kitchen. Frightened, I eased my way down the steps and around the corner, only to find a strange little man sitting at the kitchen table. He had a luminescent glow about him and was so short that his feet didn’t even touch the floor. He smiled, but didn’t say a word. Suddenly, I felt I was having some crazy dream, until he spoke.

“Where are the girls?” he said.

Okay, I thought that maybe I’m crazy, but I’ll play along so he won’t harm me. “They’re in bed”, I said.

“Did Nina say her prayers?” he asked.

How does he know her name, I wondered? I wasn’t sure what to do next but he seemed pleasant enough, so I answered his questions. “Yes she did” I said.

“But, before that you had to discuss what she was going to have for breakfast in the morning” he said. “Her palate is quite mature for her young age. That’s going to be trouble for you when she grows up”.

“HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS??”

He squinted and the corner of his mouth turned up in a half-smile that told me he knows more than I can ever imagine. “What about Andi? Has she quit talking and gone to sleep yet?” he said.

Now I was worried. He knew too much about my precious girls for my liking. “What do you want, and who are you anyway?”

“The name’s Dudley and I come from the North Pole. I’m the Chief Elf and everything goes through me.”

“How did you get here and why did you choose us?”

“Serendipity” he said. “I was out for a ride and saw the warm red glow from your Christmas tree. I couldn’t resist.”

“Okay, so what do you want from me?”

“Just a mug of hot cocoa.”

Still wary of this funny-looking little fellow, I asked how he got here. “Olaf” he said

“Pardon me?”

“Olaf” he said again.

“Is that a foreign car I’ve never heard of?” I said.

“No. He’s a reindeer. One of the spare ones. My favorite. Let me show you.”

He led me out to the porch where to my astonishment, was a large smiling reindeer. He had a fuzzy brown rack with enough points to hang 20 stocking caps, bells around his neck and a saddle strapped to his back. Now I was convinced that this wasn’t a dream and I wasn’t on Candid Camera. We returned to the kitchen and I fixed each of us a mug of hot cocoa. We chatted about all kinds of things, but he was especially interested in Nina and Andi and their activities. He asked if I would take him up to their bedrooms so that he could give them a kiss on the cheek. We tiptoed up the stairs and went into Andi’s room first. He bent over and gave her a kiss on the cheek and of course, she didn’t stir. We proceeded to Nina’s room, and being the light sleeper, as soon as he kissed her, she grumbled and rolled over. Dudley made a beeline for the stairs and ran down to the kitchen.

I followed him and asked “what’s the matter?”

“I’m shy. Your girls can’t see me. Only you.”

“How long have you been doing this” I asked.

“I’ve been the chief since I was 348 years old.”

“How old are you?”

“572 years. I must go.”

“Why?”

“I must be back to the North Pole by daybreak.”

Before he left, he reached into his pocket and pulled out two small trinkets to leave for the girls, and promised he would be back next year and the year after that.........

He returned the following year and every year after that and still does today, always bearing three small trinkets. His arrival is always the evening after our family Christmas tree is put up. How does he know? He waits for the warm red glow. Since that first December night, we added one more daughter, Natalie to our family. As the girls got older, my kitchen table chats with Dudley changed as did our beverage of choice. We now chat over a pint of ale and discuss their boyfriends, husbands, college, careers and whatever else is on our minds. Even though he has never seen them, he knows them as well as I do. Dudley knows...........

Mike Nido, aka The Elf Whisperer, lives a quiet life with his family in Charlotte, North Carolina and still waits up every year for Dudley.

Christmas Treats at Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's just might be the most magical place in all of the land during the Christmas season. Besides the happy hustle bustle that is always apparent in the store 365 days of the year, the presence of holiday treats adds a little something extra and I have to use all self control to make sure I don't place one of everything in my shopping cart. But then again, how fun would that be!? 

Our pantry shelves seem to be stocked with extra fun things around Christmas time and thanks to Trader Joe's, we have some new favorites around here. 

Chocolate Rings with Sprinkles...these are simple, fun and the Nido girls are sprinkle-holics (or sugar addicts as Mark calls us) so these should go without saying. I made a cookie plate for my parents and placed a few of these little sprinkletastic rings on the plate to add some color. Love them.

Peppermint Joe-Joe's...OMG. If you are like me and a lover of all things chocolate kissed with mint, then rush to Trader Joe's and grab a few boxes of these. Apparently the Peppermint Joe Joe's were so popular last year, that they ran out and could later be found for ridiculous prices on e-bay. I would probably purchase a box on ebay if it came down to it. I prefer to eat them Santa-style. With a glass of ice cold milk.

Gingerbread House...I picked this up for my sister's and I to decorate next week. We like to pretend like we are five.

Dark Chocolate Powerberries...addictive little buggers. My sweet friend Mary Katherine introduced me to these and once you pop, you can't stop. Berries equal vitamin C and dark chocolate equal antioxidants, so you might as well categorize these in the super foods group.

Dark Chocolate Minty Mallows...oh how I love you. I bought these last year for a hot chocolate bar and thank goodness Joe's brought them back for Christmas 2012. Let them melt in your hot chocolate or enjoy them plain like I do. Every time you walk past the pantry. 

Cocoa Truffles...not too sweet, super chocolatey and melt in your mouth mmmm mmmm good. These would be great in any holiday gift baskets or with a nice bottle of red as a hostess gift!

If I make it until December 25 without a re-stock on these Trader's treats, it will be a Christmas miracle. Happy shopping!