normal life and new recipes

Well, we've been back for over a week now and we're settling into normal life. Rollie has 5 more days until he goes back to work on November 1st... then we'll really be back at normal life I guess :) Saturday Rollie helped a friend move in the morning so I took the kids to the zoo and picked up some Dunkin on our way.

Today Ben had his 18 month well check and he's doing really well. Almost 27 lbs and 33 inches tall. At 18 months he has passed up his petite "big" sister (3 1/2) in weight by 1lb. Then we took Lydia to gymnastics, which she missed so much (and repeatedly told us so) during our travels. I really like her gymnastics coach and the positive physical changes that we have seen in Lydia since she started gymnastics.

Ben took a 4 hour + nap today. From 11:45-4pm! WHAT? It must have been the shot he received at his well-check today. And he's cutting through his last 2 "I" teeth this week, so I'm not sure he's been sleeping super well at night, as I've heard him briefly cry out occasionally at night lately. Rollie was out golfing during nap time, trying to fit in a last round or two before going back to work next week.

SO during the kids nap time I tried a new recipe to take to playgroup tomorrow morning: Chai Tea Mini Cupcakes. You didn't know that toddlers liked chai? Well, this one is really more for the mommies :) They are good, but not as amazing as I had hoped. They have a lightly spiced cake with an evaporated milk glaze, makes for a good presentation. I would try making these again as they were VERY easy and pretty, but I would either get a stronger tea flavor or make sure I wasn't out of ground ginger. It was just missing a little something. I expected more punch. When Lydia woke up from her nap she helped to make the glaze and ate a cupcake with me, so that was really fun to have some extended time with just Lydia today.

Chai-Tea Mini Cupcakes

Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

3/4 cup milk

2 bags black tea (such as Ceylon)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cake flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon course salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line mini muffin tins with paper liners. Bring milk to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat; add tea bags, and let steep, covered, 15 minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing the bags over the pan, and discard. Allow milk to cool completely. Whisk together both flours, baking powder, salt, pepper and spices.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of tea-infused milk, and beating until just combined after each.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until tops spring back when lightly touched and are pale golden, 10 - 12 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. Cupcakes can be frozen up to 1 month in airtight containers.
4. To finish, dip top of each cupcake in icing, then turn over quickly, and let set. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are glazed; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

Condensed-Milk Icing

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (7 ounces)

Pinch of coarse salt

3/4 cup confectioners sugar, sifted

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk together butter, condensed milk, and salt until smooth. Whisk in confectioners' sugar 1/4 cup at a time until combined, then whisk on high speed until thick and smooth. Use immediately.

Then tonight for dinner I made Cashew Chicken from Martha's Everyday Food. This was so yummy and easy (only 10 minutes to cook everything!). Will definitely make this again. And again.

Cashew Chicken

Total Time 25 minutes, plus marinating
Yield Serves 4

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces (I used thighs and would make it this way again)
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
3 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
Coarse salt
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2/3 cup unsalted cashews, toasted
2 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
Cooked white rice, for serving

Directions
In a medium bowl, toss chicken with sherry, ginger, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch; season with salt. Refrigerate 30 minutes. In another bowl, combine broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch; set sauce aside.

 In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add half the chicken and cook until golden and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. Add 1 teaspoon oil to skillet and cook remaining chicken (reduce heat if chicken is over-browning). Transfer to plate.

 To same skillet, add 1 teaspoon oil, garlic, cashews, and scallion whites. Cook, stirring constantly, until garlic begins to soften, 30 seconds. Whisk sauce and add to skillet along with chicken. Cook until sauce thickens, about 30 seconds. Top with scallion greens and serve with rice.