Roasted Artichoke Antipasto

Happy Easter!!  It’s been a long day (and weekend)…and I would love to get to bed right now.  I feel like this:

want to do this

My Easter consisted of a 10 mile run and then a family party at my mom’s house!  We’ve always had Easter at our family’s house ever since I can remember. 

First the run.  My first double digit run ever!!!  I’m so excited that I did it!  It was definitely hard for me.  It was also pretty warm out today and I have a sweet racer back sunburn.  It’s hot…so is the tan line from my ipod arm band.  At least I had sun block on my face!

I had about 4-5 quick walk breaks throughout the whole thing.  One longer one after mile 5 when I couldn’t figure out which way to go…woops. New route :)  This is also where I enjoyed some Gu Chomps!

LOVE the Strawberry flavor!!  Much more than the orange.

It’s funny, I go up and down on these long runs… I’ll feel good at some points, then feel like I’m struggling…then good again.  It’s goes back and forth throughout…not good at the beginning and struggle at the end. 

Today’s 10 miles took me 1:53:30, averaging 11:21 min/miles.  I think 10 miles is on the schedule for next weekend as well, so it will be interesting to compare. 

I’ve also been kind of slacking on my 3rd “easy run” of the week.  I’m supposed to do a 4 or 5 mile easy run during the week, in addition to my speed runs, but I always seem to cut them short or miss it for some reason or another…  Bad Bridget.  Need to work on that! 

The good news is that I’ve been back at Body Pump!  Yay :)

FOOD!

I never know what to bring to family parties.  First of all there is usually SO much food that half the time I don’t really need to bring anything… everything is usually taken care of and then some by my aunts/uncles/grandparents. 

But I was always taught never to arrive anywhere empty handed :)

Plus I love making things!

The weekend was busy busy, so I wanted something fairly simple that I could prep the night before.  Literally.

I got a manicure at 6pm yesterday, then went to 2 grocery stores and came home and got to business. 

My inspiration came from my new Barefoot Contessa cookbook!

 A recipe for Roasted Artichoke Hearts, and the picture of the antipasto platter hooked me in!

I made the artichokes and purchased everything else for the platter!!  Easy and beautiful.

I more or less doubled the recipe

The pan was too crowded, so my artichokes more steamed than roasted, but in this case it’s fine as your going to marinate them anyways.   Although I’d love to make it again and get them nice and roasted.

The vinaigrette in the recipe is TO DIE FOR!!  I have extra and can not wait to use it on a salad.

 

Then toss artichokes and dressing with some chopped red onion, roasted red peppers, parsley and capers.

 

Along with the artichokes I also whipped up a quick batch of the goat cheese + peppadew pepper spread.  So quick and so good!!

This was the spread I tasted at Whole Foods over the holiday season.

Basically it’s just goat cheese mixed together with some chopped peppadew peppers (and a little juice from the peppers).  SUPER easy!

My platter for today (taken with iphone)

  

• Artichokes
• Peppadew + goat cheese spread
• salami (Trader Joes)
• Sopresatta (Trader Joes)
• Fresh Mozzarella (Whole Foods)
• Mixed Olives (Whole Foods antipasto bar)

I also got the peppadew peppers from the WF’s antipasto bar.

On the side was sliced baguette (white and whole wheat), and crackers

Everyone seemed to enjoy all the different items to choose from :)

This is a great item that makes for a beautiful presentation!  If I had more time (or thought of it earlier) I would of gone to an Italian market for some good meats but Trader Joe’s has great options as well!

Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow!

What’s your go-to quick dish to bring to a party?? 
I need more ideas!

The Great Bunny Masacre of 2009

Easter was so much fun! The food was amazing...as usual, AND I won $10 in the egg hunt!!! Thanks Papa!!

The Egg Hunt is quite intense. When I was much younger and there were only a handful of us grand kids we'd go out and find as many eggs as we could, and I was pretty skilled in finding colorful plastic eggs :) However, now that there are 25 of us grand kids...ranging from 30 to 3...there have been many more rules set in place.

• you can only find 1 egg
• each egg has a piece of paper with a number on it (along with candy)
• you bring your number to papa (my grandfather) who has a master list
• each number corresponds to a dollar amount!
  
• You then get your cash :)

The paper number system was set in place after we smartened up and started opening the eggs outside and seeing how much money was in them haha...there was always the "big money" egg, and everyone wanted it!

I don't have pics of all the eats...but a few choice items :)

Some apps:CHEESE!!! Mmmm some of my FAVS!

• 2 Aged Cheddars: a 1 yr and 2yr
• Aged Gouda! This stuff is incredible. My mom brought some back from Holland years ago and ever since the whole family has been obsessed! I believe its either 3 or 5 yrs old.
• Fromager d'Affinois - OH.MY.GOD. If your ever going to by a soft brie-like cheese, GET THIS!!! Its so creamy...spread it on a slice of baguette and it's heaven.

Here's what wikipedia has to say about it:

Fromager d'Affinois (pr. fro-mah-ZHAY dah-fee-NWAH) is a French double-cream soft cheese made from cow's milk. It is produced by the Fromagerie Guilloteau company.

Fromager d'Affinois is similar to Brie in production, appearance and flavour. Unlike in Brie production however, before cheese making the cow's milk undergoes a process called ultrafiltration. Ultrafiltration removes water from the pasteurised milk, concentrating all other components. ^[1] One effect of this process is that it allows the acceleration of the cheese making process. Whereas classic Brie takes eight weeks to make, Fromager d'Affinois can be made in two weeks. Ultrafiltration also results in a milk that retains more nutrients and proteins, and the cheese has a relatively high fat content of 60%.

The cheese is made in 4.4 pound wheels, and has a soft oozing texture inside with an edible white rind on the outside.

Seriously...try it. I also had some organic fig spread on hand...insanely good with all of these cheeses!

Served with crackers and sliced baguette!Olives

There was also delicious veggies and dips! There were many more dips as well, but not pictured.
The main course was Turkey Dinner! Along with ham :) All the sides...including my second favorite: Squash Souffle!I can't even begin to describe how good this is...I'd almost eat it for dessert!! Actually it would make an awesome dessert. I still can't have anything move my beloved stuffing out of first place, but this was SO close :)

The "famous" Easter Dessert in my family is...Bunny Cake, made by one of my aunts.It's a simple chocolate cake, shaped into a bunny and covered in fluffy boiled icing (it's similar in consistency to Fluff!)...and decorated as so.

I wouldn't say it has any WOW factors...its really simple, but just one of the traditions that makes it SO good :)

People might go crazy for Bunny Cake...Ok who cut the eye out!?!?! I've heard rumors it was one of my cousins, but the mystery goes unsolved. I did however take a piece of the ear home with me.

I also contributed a dessert. I have been making similar versions of this the past two years, but usually in a "trifle" form. This year I simplified it as just a cake.
I also used a Cooking Light recipe for the cake and Lemon Curd!! I LOVE lemony things...so tart and tasty :) This curd recipe is much lighter...usually curds call for many more egg YOLKS and much more butter! My only alteration was using 2/3cup sugar instead of 1/2. I read the reviews and someone suggested this sugar increase as it was VERY tart. I might of liked it with just 1/2cup, but when serving to a crowd I don't want to cut TOO much sugar.

I also used regular flour instead of Matzo meal.

I also added some freshly whipped cream to my dessert, as well as used strawberries instead of raspberries...I am not seeing Raspberries ANYWHERE?!

There was also Pavlova!!! YUMM!!!! If you've never had pavlova...go make some! It's light and amazing!

It's basically a giant Meringue...topped with fresh whipped cream and berries!This meringue was so thick it almost tasted like angel food cake on the bottom :)

Amazing Easter!

Don't forget...last day for my Giveaway!!

Happy Easter!!

Hope the Easter Bunny was good to you today!

I heart the Easter Bunny :)

My Easter Basket: (the same basket I’ve had since I can remember)

Those Teenee Beanee jelly beans are THE BEST EVER!! We always buy that kind, and this year I actually had to order some online for my mom because none of the stores had them!! They are similar in size and texture to Jelly Belly, but without the RANDOM flavors…just the classics and perfect.

Surprisingly I haven’t dove into my candy yet…I have however had a few “samples” of stuffing…you know just to make sure it’s seasoned enough ;)

I also did the 30min SHRED this morning because my hopes of a run were squashed when the thermometer read 32* this morning!!!! WTF!!! It was like 60 two days ago :(

For a little breakfast snack I had 1/2 of the heel of Arnold Double Protein bread with Raw Almond butter (TJ’s) and a sliced strawberry…mmm.

Easter Egg Oats

So I have been waiting FOREVER to post this. I made them a while ago…like when Cadbury Eggs first made their appearance (probably right around Valentines Day).

Sometimes I’ll add 2 or 3 choc. chips to my oats…let them melt in and make for a few decadent bites within my bowl of oats. So I could only imagine what a Cadbury Mini Egg could do!!

So I made a standard bowl of oats one morning…topped with:

• Zoe’s Honey Almond Granola
• Unsweetened shredded coconut
• spoon of White Choc. Wonderful PB
• 1 Beautiful Cadbury Egg nested in the middle
  
  

I could tell it was getting melty as the yellow candy coating was looking shiny and melting off into my oats haha

…so I know a little artificial coloring is probably not the best oat topping but it was worth the end result.

I had already brought it back to my desk to eat, and 1 min later I HAD to take my bowl and camera (very discreetly) back into the kitchen for a picture of THIS:

LOOK AT THAT MELTED CHOCOLATE EGG!!!! It was fun “cracking” the egg open into the oats!!

This would make for a Perfect Easter Breakfast in my opinion :)

Well the WHOLE Family is coming over here (to my moms house) this afternoon…along with Brian and his mom and step dad for the FIRST TIME his mom and step dad will meet my WHOLE FAMILY!!! I almost feel nervous for them…my family is big and loud hahah…nothing is held back, but they are also super fun so its okay. Plus better now than at the wedding :)

Hope I win some big money in the egg hunt!! (hey you laugh but 1 egg is even worth $50)…

HAPPY BUNNY DAY!!!!!!!!!!