Posted in Food on 06/27/2009 03:37 pm by Cacey
I was feeling in a creative, “try something new” mood the other day and decided it would be fun to BBQ my pizza instead of baking it. I’d heard about it before but had never actually tried it myself.
To start, I googled “BBQed pizza” and came up with a variety of random sites — none of which were very clear or helpful. So I did my best to combine their ideas and here’s what I came up with…
- Preheated my BBQ to get it nice and hot.
- Prepped my pizza (see recipe below) and placed it on a baking sheet.
- Lined the grill with foil and placed the baking sheet on top.
- Left for a few minutes to start a timer.
- Came back outside to discover smoke and flames billowing out the sides.
- Realized that the foil was a very bad idea because it trapped in the air, causing massive flames!
- Removed the foil, put the baking sheet on the top shelf and turned the BBQ to low.
- Cooked it for about 20 more minutes (for a total of 30) – the more you open the BBQ the longer it will take to cook.
- Enjoyed a slightly smoky but very yummy pizza!
In the end it turned out to be quite easy and had a nice crisp crust! My husband and son loved it!
My Favorite Summer Pizza Combo:
- Trader Joes whole wheat pizza dough (did you know you can freeze it? I keep a stock in my freezer and pull it out that morning to defrost – it works great!)
- Your favorite BBQ sauce (Right now I love Smoky Bacon Grill Sauce – a little goes a long way!)
- Cheese of your choice (I use the Weight Watcher blend to help keep it light)
- Grilled Chicken, diced
- Sliced Red Onion
- Pineapple tidbits
Posted in Family on 06/26/2009 04:33 pm by Cacey
Happy Father’s Day to an AMAZING daddy!
Summer at the Klein Household Inlcudes…
Lots of ice cream!!
Afternoons spent by the pool…
…or running through the water fountain!
Enjoying rides at a theme park!
Being really cute!
Hanging out at a baseball game.
And finally – impromptu tea parties with mommy and aunties!
Posted in Adoption on 06/17/2009 03:08 pm by Cacey
I recently discovered a yahoo group for families in the Holt Ethiopian program. One of the features is a database of families waiting for referral and what number they are on the wait list. I didn’t know this was something one could find out but apparently you can!
So yesterday I decided to give it a try myself - our agency was very helpful and gladly told us that we are number 3 on the wait list!! We could receive a call the end of this week or maybe next week (I’m trying not to get my hopes up too high but wait upon the Lords perfect timing!). So watch for a referral post in the near future – we are getting so close!!
Posted in Adoption on 06/17/2009 02:53 pm by Cacey
The annual Northern CA Holt picnic is held at a beautiful park in Roseville. We attended two years ago before we had even received Spencer’s assignment – what a joy it was to go back with our little man in tow! And this time Grammie, Pop and Aunt Dora came along!
We were surprised at how many families we already knew from different adoption classes and gatherings. It was a blessing to spend the afternoon together visiting and exchanging stories.
Auntie Dora helping Spencer color a rock…
New found buddies…
Blowing kisses…
Adult adoptees sharing their stories…
Posted in Quick Tip on 06/15/2009 09:28 pm by Cacey
With wedding season in full swing I thought I’d let you in on a little secret that I stumbled upon – Bed Bath and Beyond has great coupons that never expire (despite the expiration date on the front) and they do beautiful gift wrapping for free! Just go online to sign up and receive special offers by e-mail and/or direct mail.
I like to print the gift registry at home, decide what I want to purchase before I go in, and voila! It’s a ten minute shopping experience that is practically endurable with a busy two year old in tow!
Posted in Food on 06/12/2009 04:47 pm by Cacey
With the right toppings a baked potato can be a whole meal in itself! Here’s an easy way to bake them in your crock-pot…
Crock-Pot Baked Potatoes
- Wash potatoes and prick with a fork
- Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and wrap in foil
- Place in your crock-pot, cover and bake on high for 2 1/2 – 4 hours or low for 8-10 hours
Topping Ideas:
- Grilled Chicken
- Steamed Broccoli
- Alfredo Sauce
- Chopped Ham
- Cheddar Cheese
- Ranch Dressing
- Blue Cheese Crumbles (or dressing)
- Bacon, Bacon
- Chili
- Tostitos Nacho Cheese
- Green Onion
- Salsa
- Grilled Salmon
- Spinach and Herb Dip
- Chopped Fresh Chives
- Roasted Red Peppers
- Herbed Butter
- Sour Cream
- Sautéed Mushrooms
- Carmalized Onions
- Crushed Croutons
Posted in Adoption on 06/11/2009 09:33 am by Cacey
This past Sunday we had the privilege of attending a BBQ for adoptive families. It was a little bit of a trek (about an hour away) and we don’t usually like to go anywhere on Sunday afternoons but I’m so glad we made the effort! It was a blessing and an encouragement to watch so many sweet little children, from all over the world, running around and playing together!
We were also thrilled to meet a local family who just came home from Ethiopia with their two children (a brother and sister – they also have a little girl adopted from China!). What a joy it was to hold and play with their little guy while asking them all kinds of questions about their adoption journey! I hope we can get to know them better and our children can grow up as friends!
Spencer was a little unsure of the pool at first but once we got him to go in he never wanted to get out!
He also met a little buddy about the same age who came home from South Korea a few weeks after Spencer…
More to come…we will be attending the Holt adoption picnic this coming Sunday!
Posted in Favorite Find on 06/08/2009 09:15 pm by Cacey
For someone with a sweet tooth I was excited to find these yummy little summer treats! They are only 14 calories each (or zero Weight Watcher points!), and come in three flavors: Orange, Cherry and Raspberry Vanilla Swirl. They taste like flavored icee and vanilla ice cream swirled together!
I found them at Sam’s Club (not sure where else they are sold?) and you get a box of 30 for $6.88.
Posted in Food on 06/04/2009 11:14 pm by Cacey
As we enter summer and the heat begins to hit the last thing I feel like doing is turning on my oven or sweating over the stove top! So I’ve been working on some easy crock-pot and BBQ alternatives.
The following recipes are easy on your checkbook and you get two dinners for the work of one – Serve Herbed Crock-Pot Chicken on Sunday and then turn the left-over chicken into a fresh and light Chicken Cabbage Salad for Monday!
Herbed Crock-Pot Chicken
(Look for whole chickens on sale at your local store and buy a few extra to stick in the freezer!)
Chicken Cabbage Salad
Ingredients: Left-over chicken from Herbed Crock-pot Chicken, 1 Head Napa Cabbage (or a bag of a prepared Cole Slaw), ¾ cup Green Onion, 1 cup Slivered Almonds, ½ cup Sesame Seeds, 1 package Chicken Top Ramen Noodles
- Shred chicken
- Wash and chop Napa cabbage and green onions
- Toast almonds and sesame seeds in your toaster oven until light brown, stirring once
- Place Ramen Noodles in small zip-lock and crush with the bottom of a glass
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss
Dressing: Chicken Seasoning packet (from Top Ramen), 6 Tbs. White Vinegar, ½ cup Meyer Lemon Infused Oil, ¼ Olive Oil, ½ sugar (or lighten it up by using ¼ cup Splenda).
- Mix well and pour over salad just before serving
This will be part one to several Summer Cooking posts as I come up with more ideas. Please share your “beat the heat” recipes or tips – I’d love to hear from you!
