Review of Brown Butter Gnocchi by Blue Apron

Brown Butter Gnocchi with Summer Squash, Almonds & Soft-Boiled Eggs

This. Dish. Is. Fantastic.

This dish is a cup of warm apple cider, sitting by a crackling fire, and the smell of newborn baby wrapped up in a soft, fresh from the dryer-warmed blanket.

Not literally but, this dish is a real comfort food dish (the above listed are some of my favorite comfort items FYI).

As for my personal list of comfort foods this dish ranks right up there with mashed potatoes, macaroni n' cheese, apple pie, and vanilla milkshakes.

Review:

I love that with minimal effort we were able to create a restaurant quality dish.

The final product was filling yet, did not feel heavy after being eaten.  Craig and I have never had a pasta dish with a soft boiled egg on top but, it really added to the savory flavor of the dish.  We both really enjoyed the nutty flavoring paired with the bite of lemon.  It was that beautiful mix of tart & savory which is not found in too many of the dinners we tend to eat.

Despite the minimal effort, this dish was a pleasure to make.  I loved the nutty fragrance that permeated my kitchen as I added the chopped almonds to the brown butter and summer squash.

Again, the produce and "knick knacks" (i.e- eggs, creme friache, almonds, etc...) as previously mentioned in my last post were very fresh and came un-damaged.

Our only critique is the recipe calls for WAY more salt than we are used to consuming (I have noticed all of the meals that we have made thus far from both Marley Spoon & Blue Apron all call for too much salt).

When we were making our meal we simply omitted the salt when boiling our gnocchi and the additional salt we were instructed to use after adding the almonds to the cooking squash & brown butter.

We will definitely be making this dish again in the future.

Review of Blue Apron's Empanadas with Tomato-Cucumber Salad

Yesterday, I received my first Blue Apron delivery.

This is a review of Empanadas de Picadillo with Tomato-Cucumber Salad & Lime Crema.

I have tried empanadas before made by a friend's mother who is from the Dominican Republic.

They. Were. Stellar.

I chose to make this dish with the glimmer of hope that I could possibly replicate those amazing empanadas.

Plus, I wouldn't have to make the dough for the empanada wrapper.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the tomato was stored in a cardboard container to help reduce risk of damage during processing and shipment.

The produce- tomato, scallions, lime, and cucumber were all in excellent condition and appeared fresh upon arrival. Unlike the Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon produce which overall had seen better and fresher days.

Overall, the dish was okay.

Critique:

1) I feel that the dish was on the bland side.

I expected the dish to have more depth and flavors. In particular, I was disappointed at the lack of "bite" to the dish.  I was especially dissatisfied with the blandness of the empanada's beef filling which relied on basic Mexican spice blend aka: taco seasoning for the bulk of it's flavor.

In my opinion, I would have added fresh diced peppers such as poblanos to add some heat and some white onions to further add some complexity to the flavor of the filling.

I found myself slathering on the Lime Crema to add more flavor to the empanadas.

My husband on the other hand has no criticisms of the meal and did not feel the dish was bland.  Worthy of noting my husband prefers a blander diet than I do and also does not prefer hot sauce in general (his preferred hot sauce is Frank’s Red Hot and when he is feeling adventurous minuscule amounts of Sriracha).

2) The Tomato-Cucumber Salad was a refreshing side dish especially on a hot summer day.

The empanadas recipe produces extra beef filling (I estimate about a quarter cup) which I was not sure what to do with.

I decided to alter the salad recipe by adding the extra beef empanada filling and combining.

I ended up liking the salad more than the empanadas but again, the salad was on the bland side as well in my opinion.

Overall, I feel that this dish was good but, needs more complex flavors and heat. I think the dish is milder than expected to cater to the broad spectrum of customers- many of whom I suspect dislike spicy foods.

For now, I will have to continue my search for a stellar empanada recipe.

2014

Happy Monday and Happy New Year!

I started this year off on the right foot.  I booked myself a Swedish Massage (my first) on new years day.  Let me say- best decision ever.

Also had a mani/pedi around Christmas, and a facial last Saturday. 

New Years Resolution:

The hubs and I have decided that this year we will "get our act together" and better organize our home and plans.

We are nicknaming this year YOBP in honor of this.

So far this year we are on a roll!

We had a snow storm January 2-3rd which left our area with quite a bit of snow and a day home from work on Friday the 3rd.

Those of you who know me I CANNOT, "DO NOTHING" UNLESS I AM SICK.  To my husband's dismay this means that I have a perpetual need to leave the house at least once per a day or I feel like I have done nothing and wasted my day.  

To combat this- my husband regularly encourages me to go out and if he notices that I have stayed home almost all day then he will come up with suggestions to keep me busy.

Yes- I understand the child-like quality of this...it's endearing right?...I hope?...maybe? (hides face and shakes head).


Anyway- while home Friday I was reading through my Real Simple magazine which had an advertisement that jumped right out at me.

"30% off all Elfa closet organizing systems"  at The Container Store.

I was a goner.

Immediately jumped online and designed my own closet organizer for the master bedroom. Did a quick market analysis and presented my case to the hubs.  He agreed it was a fair deal.  I then stated, "going to buy it right now!"

I bundled myself up and drove to Brookline, MA to the nearest container store (about 20ish miles away- in the poorly plowed snow). Designed a custom closet with one of their reps and handed them my credit card.

Holy. Wow. Talk. About. Expensive. Impulse. Buy.

Also paid for delivery and installation too. The hubs estimates we have increased our storage capacity in the closet by about 30%.

Below is the finished project:

We removed the old sliding doors to the closet and we are now looking for double doors in white which we hope to buy and install soon.

We also took the time to go through all of our clothes and we now have two large bag fulls of clothes to donate. 


Other projects in the works:

Bath tub renovation:

Our bathtub is horrifying...I mean...horrifying.

The folks we bought this house from specialized in painting and caulking everything. I MEAN EVERYTHING.

Yes everyone- we have a purple and white bathtub.  Do you also see the discolored subway tiles?

The previous home owners thought painting the purple bathtub white (which started chipping immediately and revealed we indeed had a purple tub) and then putting a "protective layer" of caulk OVER the grout in the shower tiles was a great idea. It is impossible to clean under the caulked grout. *ICK*

Back to the bathroom renovation- we have picked out a new Sterling brand jetted bathtub, shower wall surround by Swanstone, sliding shower door by MAAX, and shower faucet/control set by Symmons.

We are very excited- everything should be delivered within the next 3 weeks or so.

Will post photos when the project is complete.

I have also ordered black out cellular blinds for the craft room (which can double as a bedroom), guest bedroom, and the master bedroom.  I bought non-blackout cellular blinds for our bathrooms.  I was *this* close to buying roman shades and had to pull myself back- cellular shades were half the price.  I can't say I care THAT MUCH about blinds.

The blinds are white colored and should be arriving this week.

I have also pulled down the valance over the sliding doors in the living room.  I have disliked the valances that came with the home.  I still have no idea if I want to pull down the vertical blinds, keep, them, put up a new valance, or...add long curtains on the ends and keep them pulled back. OR- just have nothing and patch up/pain the wall where the curtain rod/ vertical blind track was.

Original Valance

Current Photo (sorry for low quality photo)

The curtains on the side of a linen fabric curtain which I actually bought to use in the craft room.  I put them up to see how it the window would look with long curtains off to the side but I don't know what to think.

Any advice on window treatments?

Other projects we hope to work on this year is painting the house, finish changing the switch plates from yellow to white, replace hallway and master bath lights, go through things in storage and donate what we do not need.

I would like to have our home organized by the end of 2014. 

On a final note- we are also trying to organize things in our personal lives like possibly booking two vacations during the upcoming year.  We shall see! Very exciting prospect.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

 So I read this questionnaire on Beantown Prepster's blog and I figured why not?

1) If you could have a theme song to play when you walk down the street what would it be?
 I would choose Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gee's.  Silly I know but every time I hear that song I imagine myself walking down the street with a groove in my step!

  
2) If you could only watch one TV Show for the rest of your life, what would you pick?
 Gosh, I would have to pick Downton Abbey at this point.  The second season was Très fab!
 
3) French fries: Skinny and crispy or big and mushy?
Crispy!!!
 
4) What is your guilty pleasure outfit?
I love to wear my college sweats a tee shirt!  I have been known to wear them all day when I am home only to change when I get ready to leave the house! 
 
5) Soda: Fountain, bottle or can?
There is just exciting to drink soda from the fountain...you never know if what you're trying to get will come out of the spout!
 
6) Favorite thing to do at the gym?
Oh goodness...the gym unfortunately I haven't been to the gym in FOREVER and my waistline shows.  I used to enjoy the elliptical and the leg press!
 
7) If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?
I would live in France- great healthcare and vacation...ALL. MONTH. LONG!
 
8) What was your first animal and do you remember its name?
My first animal was a black lab named Ceaser!  
 
9) What is one thing that you carry in your purse that you absolutely cannot live without?
I absolutely cannot live without my nail file!  I am ALWAYS breaking nails.  I have in my car, bathroom, purse, and my nightstand drawer!
 
10) What is your most embarrassing habit?
I vote to skip this one!
 
11) If you could meet and be BFFs in real life with a blogger that you follow, who would it be and why?
 Ohh...hmm...not sure!  Everyone seems so fun and creative!  I also think everyone is so well traveled!  I think I would like to meet and BFFs with all the bloggers I follow!

Day off

I had the day off today and did many things which make me happy!

Here are the highlights of my day:

Ordered this Duvet from Pottery Barn I have been lusting after:



Though I secretly have been lusting after this one (my fiancé thinks the bumble bees are creepy):





Read about grades of Cotton Sheets...

Went to Bed Bath & Beyond and bought a sage green set of 100% cotton 300count sheets (though I was lusting for the 500 count that was oodles more money) we'll see how the fiancé and I like the set!


Next I drove around Hingham and lusted after the homes & their gardens near Derby Academy...


Went to the beach sipped sweet tea and read People Style Watch & Glamour while soaking up some Vitamin D!



After I left the beach I stopped at Marshall's in vain hope that they would have wide brim hats re-stocked (I have been searching for a wide brim hat I like for two weeks...I mean SEARCHING...I went to South Shore Plaza, Natick Mall, Burlington Mall (and went to like every store that carries hats for ladies) and Marshall's twice to no avail. I have been in love with one from Goorin Brother's which is just WAYY too expensive for a chapeau).

Anyway- while I was there I came across two incredible finds!

First- I found a 2lb box of risotto rice from Italy for $4.00 and I also found a hat!!!

Ralph Lauren Wide Brim hat for $20!!!!

(photo taken from the Dillard's Website)



Picked up my Fiancé at the T station...and now I am off to make salmon pinwheels and stuffed clams for dinner. Salad greens courtesy of our vegetable garden!

rather down post

Sorry but this is a rather depressing post but I just need to clear this out of my system.

As a nurse I strive to save lives and it is a fact of life that everyone dies someday.

It has been a very tough month- I have had three patients pass away (one on my watch, two after I had went home).

The most recent death has hit me harder than I expected. I can't speak much about the patient but what I can say is they developed aspiration pneumonia and had an acute exacerbation of CHF.

I have never heard someone speaking and their voice is gurgley and they sound like they are speaking under water because their lungs are literally drowning in excess fluids and aspirate (the family gave orders to let the patient continue eating despite failing a swallow-evaluation with recommendations for nothing by mouth- they felt it was a quality of life issue). Despite the best suctioning I could provide I wasn't able to handle it on my own.

I called respiratory therapy and had them suction the patient- you know what they suctioned out of the patient's lungs?

Not just fluid... but tuna fish which is what the patient had for dinner. Yes folks- the patient aspirated tuna fish into their lungs.

Anyway, after respiratory left the patient was back to sounding gurgley and having trouble breathing by the end of the shift. I sat with the patient holding their hand while the patient kept on mumbling "I am going to die", "I am scared" and mixing in prayers (this person has dementia and for them to recognize their impending death is humbling). The patient held my hand and didn't want me to let go. I felt terrible leaving the room but I had to check on my other patients. The patient eventually fell asleep (they had a lot of trouble sleeping earlier in the night and I was betting the patient was exhausted) and I kept on checking on them to make sure they were comfortably sleeping and still alive.

I knew the patient wouldn't last too much longer. Since this person wasn't on full comfort care measures I was able to provide more suctioning, a one time does of IV push lasix to hopefully get rid of some of that excess fluid, and some low doses of IV morphine to help with breathing & pain. If the patient had full comfort care measures I think I would have felt better about this whole situation.

I went home and the patient died later that day. I was happy to find out that in the morning the doctors talked with the family and the patient was placed on comfort care measures.

Still- having seen this person for seven days and didn't know the family or the patient that well I formed a bond.

I guess it is experiences like this that harden nurses for the future.

What I can say right now is that I am hurting inside and just writing this out brings tears to my eyes.