The Thinker....Intellectual Curiosity is Highly Overrated

At a family party earlier this year I was watching Nick, deep in conversation, and was struck by what a bright and articulate young man he has become. It dawned on me that it would not be long before he was way smarter than me, and we could very easily run out of things to talk about. I haven’t been able to understand his complicated Math for eons, and I’m really not that interested. As for Science, well quite frankly, I would rather step on a rake than ponder the Scientific Method. Nick is just wrapping up Latin III, and that’s all Greek to me, so to speak. But English? I’ve got a fighting chance because…….I can read.

Suddenly, I had a flash of genius (otherwise know as a Lucy Ricardo moment)! I could keep up with him by reading the same fine works of literature that were assigned to him in his English class (these are of course assignments I myself would have missed in High School while I was hanging out at the Mc Donald’s across the street. Oddly enough, Ronald Mc Donald did not distribute a syllabus at the beginning of the semester, and likely the only thing to read, other than the menu, would have been the calorie count for each item lovingly fried in their kitchen. I know that must have been frightening, which would surely have been the reason that I didn’t read that either.). I was very proud of myself for being so noble, and inquired, “What are you reading now?” Unfortunately Nick responded with, “Macbeth.” Macbeth? Really? The Bard? The only thing I know of Shakespeare is Jack Benny asking, “To be? Or not to be? That is the question.” That’s not the question. The question is: what the Hell does that mean?

I guess I thought he’d be reading something cool like To Kill a Mockingbird or Catcher in the Rye. Saddened by my rotten luck, I asked Chuck to stop at Border’s on his way home from work and pick up a copy of Macbeth. I was determined to struggle through. My mom suggested, since I wouldn’t be tested on it, why didn’t I just get the Cliff Notes (I’m showing my age, because the youngsters today go directly to Spark Notes on line…..), you know, in order to get the flavor of the story (she never suggested that when I had to read a book!)? This was just the kind of idea that I could run with.

Well, then I looked at the Cliff Notes, and they looked super boring, so then I thought about renting the movie. But, who had time to watch or read boring Shakespeare? I zipity zipped over for a quick TJ Maxx and More fix instead. You know, intellectual curiosity is highly overrated. I have come to the conclusion that Nick and I have a lot in common. We love the Cubs, our baby Wrigley, silly movies and 30 Rock marathons. We’ll have plenty to talk about because love and laughter (and Vince Vaughn) are a universal language…..

If One is Good....Two Must be Better

I am a More is More kind of gal, so you can only imagine how much I love jewelry! I have an awesome collection, if I don’t say so myself. I am partial to all kinds of baubles, particularly in quantity……..

Of course I am enamored with fine jewelry (Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend), but I am also a total sucker for fabulous costume finds! My favorite go to purveyors are J Crew, Banana Republic and the Kate Spade Outlet Store, but I am an equal opportunity horder. In fact, about this time three years ago I was invited to an in home jewelry party (not the Silpada kind that is so popular. Actually my neighbor is a Silpada “Dealer”, gems being her drug of choice. Years ago I hosted an in home party for her and so many gals came, imbibed and shopped that I received almost $900.00 in complimentary product. If is sparkles…they will come.) featuring knock off Tiffany pieces. Being the thoughtful and considerate guest that I am, I made a little purchase. I had been eyeing a Butterfly Necklace in the real Tiffany catalog, and when I saw the knock off I thought, “Why not?” Well, I’ll tell you why not……because Chuck was mad as a hornet (!); certainly not because I bought something, but because he wanted to surprise me and had already purchased the real Tiffany Butterfly Necklace for me for Mother’s Day. I loved it, cherished it, and wore it all the time.

Last year for Mother’s Day I was lucky enough to have a beautiful Roberto Coin necklace bestowed upon me. How ever did they know? (Oh yeah…..it was the picture of the necklace that I ripped from the catalog, with a rewards coupon, that I left on Chuck’s desk that might have been the tip off). Well now I was in quite a quandary. Which necklace should I wear? I loved them both. As the More is More Mom® the answer was crystal clear…….Wear them both! If one is good, clearly “MORE” must be better!!

Not Quite 27 Dresses.....But Almost

(This is a re-enactment of Amanda repeatedly locking herself out of the fitting room. She is a gal on a mission, and has little time to waste waiting for the nearly non-existent sales girl to return with a key. She’s in 8th grade; we don’t have time to wait until prom.)

As I am the More is More Mom® it should come as no surprise that my daughter would “need”…….. more dresses! Amanda is graduating from the 8th grade at Our Lady of Perpetual Donations Grammar School. One might think that it is kind of a given that our children graduate from 8th grade (though they would certainly have surpassed famed scholar Jethro Bodine), and question the reason for such jubilation, but you have to understand the situation to appreciate all of the pomp and circumstance.

Our Lady of Perpetual Donations is a wonderful and magical place. It is a tiny bubble, with in the bubble of Winsome, IL…..where winning is a way of life. Amanda, following in her brother Nicholas’s footsteps, began her academic pursuits as a student in the Three Year Old Pre-School class at Our Lady of Perpetual Donations eleven years ago. She was so cute! The Pre-Schooler’s are not required to wear a uniform to school, but because Amanda had been chasing after Nick and the “big kids” for the previous 2 years, she was determined to be excluded no longer! She wore an authentic, hand-me-down, blue plaid jumper, with her favorite denim button down shirt, argyle tights and gold sparkle shoes. She was smashing!

There are 67 students graduating in Amanda’s class, most of whom have known each other since the age of three. The class is small, the experience intimate. They will go to one of 8 different High Schools, so the end of their 8th grade year really is the end of an era. The festivities that lead up to graduation are a celebration of their year’s together and becoming young adults.

And how does one celebrate such milestones? With excessive, fabulous attire and accessories of course! We were in “need” of dresses for; Confirmation, May Crowning, the Formal Eighth Grade Dance and Graduation Day (Heaven forbid a dress be worn twice!). We kicked off Dress Shopping Extravaganza 2010 with two of Amanda’s closest friends CC (see Fourteen and Fearless, January 2010) and Rosebud, for a Mother/Daughter Day of perusing and lunching (read: no cocktailing, as it was the middle of the afternoon, and we had to drive. Responsible Mother’s of the Year.); so many dresses, so many absolutely and completely inappropriate choices! Good people of the fashion industry please take note: most mothers don’t want their daughters dressing like Hoochie Mama’s (and their father’s like it even less). Watch the cleavage and watch the hemlines!

The prevailing number of outrageously inappropriate offerings necessitated numerous excursions to The Mall (my happy place). We shopped with friends, we shopped alone, and we had a wonderful day with my mom and Auntie Terri. Of course once we found the dresses we were on a mad search for shoes. Amanda is a gem of a girl who is true to herself (I LOVE THAT!). She flat out refused to consider a shoe with even the slightest heel (really, have you ever seen the little girls playing dress up, teetering around in shoes that would make a street walker cringe? Ridiculous.), and we found three fantastic pairs of shoes that suit her, and her charming dresses, to a “T”.

The Confirmation Dress, from Von Maur (Please note the poppy sweater, Old Navy, Spring Collection, 2009):

We loved these linen look ballet flats with the satin rose embellishment (also from Von Maur, by Blowfish, Malibu. They were only $40.00!). They are also perfect with Amanda’s selection for Graduation as well.

The Graduation Dress, from Nordstrom’s:

May Crowning, from J Crew (they have the best t-shirts, sweaters, costume jewelry and flip-flops EVER):

Look at these little hot pink creations by B.P. for Nordstrom’s. I can’t get enough of the pink and white gingham check!

For her 8th Grade Formal Dance (which just so happens to be on the same night as Amanda’s Gymnastics Team Banquet. You know we love more of everything, including complicated matters….), another offering from Von Maur:

Lastly, the piece de résistance, a beautiful pair of glistening, buttery yellow, snake skin sandals with amazing ruffle detail (if only they were a half size bigger!), by Kelsi Dagger, also from the fabulous shoe salon at Nordstrom’s:

While the dresses are lovely, and the shoes perfectly appropriate, the very best part was the time I got to spend with my gal. Creating meaningful experiences is what it’s all about…….

Champs Like Us....Baby We Were Born To Run.......

You would never look at me and say, “Oh yes, she’s definitely a runner.” The words that would come to mind run more along the lines of moth-er, shop-er, merry mak-er, cocktail-er…..all the other “er’s.” But, the fact of the matter is, I love to run. More than loving to run, I love to run with my Wrigley. We are not fair weather runners either, we’re hardcore. Everyone likes to be outside when it’s nice, but we’re not like everyone else. If it’s raining, I wear a slicker. Heaven knows I’m not sweet enough to melt. And Wrigley, well, he’s a water dog, so he dries pretty easily. Winter’s no problem. I bundle up and wear one of those face masks that make me look like an armed robber, but really after about a mile I’m so hot the hat comes off, then I have to unzip my coat, and finally I take off my mittens. As for the Wiggler, he’s a Labrador. He’s a man’s man. He could go on forever in the cold.

I do my best thinking while on our runs. When else would I possibly have the time to conceive all of my hair brained schemes? There is just nothing like being outside, listening to your music and being with one of your favorite people of Earth. I’m not kidding, as we jog along Wrigley glances back at me, over his shoulder, and smiles.

This past year has been kind of a stinker for us. I am a big loser and tore my meniscus. I was out for five months, which meant that poor Wrigley was out for five months too. While I was able to bike and go to the health club, my little pup was bored out of his mind. Wrigley is a serious athlete. Going for a walk around the block was boring, and going to the park for us to throw a tennis ball for him was a rather pathetic substitution. I begged Nick to take him for a run, and he obliged me on a few occasions, though he always returned in a huff telling me that I trained him to run too slow. Hello…that’s how we run. I said we loved it, I didn’t say we were any good it.

As the More is More Mom® I have little time for rules and a reasonable course of action, so I released myself from inactive duty. The day we got back in the saddle was one of Wrigley’s happiest days. He panted, and slobbered and grinned from ear to ear. Fast forward to January 19th of this year; my baby and I were on a quick jaunt and I felt a twinge of pain in my right knee. RATS! Having previously been to the doctor for a knee injury, I felt fairly confident about making a diagnosis (never mind that I’ve not been to medical school. I watched General Hospital for years, especially in it’s hey day with Dr. Noah Drake.).

Another three month break from running seemed completely sufficient. Anyway, Wrigley was bored to tears and I just couldn’t take it anymore. Thursday I was on a mad search for the knee brace we paid $75.00 for when Nick was complaining of knee pain two years ago. For $75.00 it should be practically bionic. I slid it on, tightening the Velcro to the point of nearly cutting off my circulation, tied my shoes, put on my head phones, cranked the tunes and took my baby for a spin. What a day; the sun was shining, the breeze was warm, I wasn’t limping and Wrigley was smiling……….

Catch Up......With Cupcakes!

Why are the days so fraught with obligations and commitments? It’s absolutely exhausting. The frenetic pace of a busy family is akin to a tornado whipping through our homes, leaving destruction and ruin in our wake; the piles of paperwork and projects, discarded clothes and shoes, the yard work, the housework. Absolute madness I tell you. Today I was thrilled to have a “Catch Up” day, where I just got to be a mom.


I know it doesn’t sound relaxing, or exciting, but to me there is little as thrilling as trying, in some small way, to get my life in order. I relish that feeling of accomplishment when I check something off my list. It makes me feel like I’m making progress somewhere. Let’s see, after I went to the health club this morning, and worked my facial muscles (mostly around my mouth) more than anything else, I came home to sort through the miles of piles of papers that have begun to over take my kitchen counter. I folded laundry, brought those items to the appropriate bedrooms, started more laundry, washed the mudroom floor (it gets filthy. I don’t know what’s worse; that which Wrigley tracks in, or that of the children…..like Nick wearing his dirty golf shoes, with grass caught in the spikes, in to the house? Hmmmm, I think man’s best friend might not be the biggest factor. That’s why he’s man’s best friend.).


Having the luxury of time today, I looked in my pantry to find that I was in possession of Dunkin Hines chocolate cake mix. What screams “great mom” better than a freshly backed after school treat (which was made practically from scratch)? I whipped up the mix in a matter of seconds and made 28 cupcakes (I might have made more, but I was too busy licking the bowl…..breakfast of champions!). I do always like to be prepared for any potential event, or social situation, so I am usually pretty well stocked; cupcake liners, mixes, frosting and sprinkles for instance. I frosted my cupcakes (and was brave enough not to lick the spatula afterward) and embellished them with colorful pastel sprinkles.

Sadly, because I had made so many, I didn’t have enough room for all of the treats on my pedestal cake plate. As the More is More Mom® you can imagine that I am rather well equipped to manage most household matters with relative ease. So, I zipped down to the basement and pulled out two of my portable treat carriers. These are awesome. I got them about 100 years ago at Wal-Mart for $2.98 each (I have four…and you must be totally shocked that they do not hail from the land of Target), and they are perfect for transporting cupcakes. They have a handle and a lid and they stack very nicely. I filled up two and stored them in my extra refrigerator in the mudroom.

Well, as I was finishing washing the dishes (I do have a dishwasher, a lovely one as a matter of fact, but I love doing dishes….and ironing. Is that weird?) Amanda called and asked if she and her group of classmates could come to our house to work on their school project. Perfect! Now I knew what I was going to do with all of those cupcakes!

Why Go To The Pharmacy When There's An InstyMed Machine?

As the More is More Mom® my days are over run with more unmade bed making, breakfast preparing, lunch packing, laundry sorting, floor sweeping, dish doing, grocery shopping, kid schlepping, dog walking, dinner cooking, homework policing, clean-up nagging, wine drinking and go to bed begging……illness denying. I can’t afford to be sick. Mother’s of America…... I know you, you know, what I mean.

On a Saturday morning, six weeks ago, I finally broke down and went to Urgent Care for goopy head stuff that had become unbearable. The nice doctor did the nice thing and juiced me up with meds and told me to go home and get some rest. I said I would right after I went to my son’s hockey game, to which she replied, “A cold ice rink is the perfect treatment for an upper respiratory infection!” In agreement (wink, wink), I was off.

Over the next several weeks, I’ve gotten only marginally better. Because I am the mom, I self diagnosed and determined that the remedy was a course of Claritin D, Sudafed PE and a wine chaser. Today I could take it no longer. For weeks I have had ears popping, post nasal drip, dripping, and now my throat…..excruciating; I pulled in the driveway, dropped off Amanda, picked up my book (Jodi Picoult’s Handle With Care, so far so good), you know I’m a multi- tasker, and zipped over to Urgent Care.

This is the best place ever. No line. Nice staff, nice nurse, nice doctor……and a very nice InstyMeds machine. No need to drive to the pharmacy, no need to wait 40 minutes for your prescription, no need to buy magazines and sundries you don’t need. The InstyMeds machine is one of the best inventions of the 21st century, just behind the I-POD (my most prized possession). It’s just so Jetson’s. The machine asks that you confirm your birth date, punch in your prescription number and insert your method of payment, and within three minutes……your medicine! All that’s left is to head home, take the first dose, follow up with a wine chaser and watch a little American Idol and re-runs of Modern Family!

Why Set a Spring Table....Unless You Serve a Beautiful Meal.....RECIPES!!

There are so many elements that go in to being a lovely and gracious hostess. One, of course, is the style in which your home greets your guests. The only thing a guest hopes to experience is a warm and welcoming feeling. As the More is More Mom®, I am crazy for over the top, but that’s my interpretation. Simple and straight forward is beautiful too. The only true requirement is that as a host your efforts are genuine.


One way for your guests to feel comfortable is for you, as their hostess, to be relaxed and ready to enjoy their company. If you have a pulse, the only way to be relaxed is to be prepared. I am a complicated kind of gal, and I like to make everything as difficult as humanly possible, but the only way to achieve that sort of near perfection, and pull it off with ease, is to streamline your efforts on the day of your event. You need to do as much in advance as possible.


I get heart palpitations when I entertain because I want everything to be perfect! I get totally stressed if I am racing around at the last minute shopping, chopping, cooking or cleaning. I like to be so prepared that the day of my event is spent nearly in leisure, addressing the last minute details at the very last minute; putting ice in the water glasses, turning on the music and lighting the candles. Organization and preparation is the only option!


Take for instance Amanda’s Confirmation this past week. We were on a super time crunch. Our family came at 4:30PM, we ate at 5:00PM (when Amanda got home from gym….a little extra preparation for her Regional Gymnastics Meet), Amanda and her sponsor (my cousin Terri, who is the go to gal in our family. She is my brothers Godmother, my Confirmation Sponsor, my Matron of Honor, Amanda’s Godmother and now Amanda’s Confirmation Sponsor. It’s a wonder that she doesn’t tire of us) needed to scoot out the door by 5:45PM (don’t be late for God). That gave the rest of us a window of thirty minutes to get the kitchen squared away (lest there be a feast left out for Wrigley. He would be the world’s happiest dog, but what a mess that would be!). Time constraints should certainly play a role in your menu selection.

I decided to prepare some of our personal family favorites. I made Roasted Chicken with Pancetta and Olives, Twice Baked Potatoes and Green Beans with Balsamic-Shallot Butter. If that doesn’t make you hungry, I have no idea what will.

Roast Chicken with Pancetta and Olives:

(I can’t remember if this recipe is from Gourmet or Bon Appetit, but there is a note that mentions that the contributor frequently prepares this dish for his family with rabbit. Ewwwww. Clearly I am not a connoisseur, but that sounds rather disgusting. I like my rabbit in the form of the Easter Bunny, or Bugs Bunny, or even the Energizer Bunny, but never on a dinner platter.)

2 chickens (about 3 ½ lbs each) backbones cut out and each chicken cut into 12 pieces

I, however, don’t love all of the various chicken parts, and cutting up a chicken sounds gross (Julia Child, please forgive my savage ways), so I figure that 7 lbs of chicken breasts and drumsticks are a perfect substitute. I find that is typically 3-4 breasts and 5-6 drumsticks, that way everyone in my house is happy.
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (I’m more of an eye-baller, so I combine the other ingredients first, then I add what looks like a good amount to cover all of the chicken)

1-2 Tbsp chopped thyme (I prefer fresh)

1 -2 Tbsp chopped rosemary (the rosemary that they carry at my local markets comes in a plastic container. I typically will use a whole container for every 7 lbs of chicken, which is more than 1-2 Tbsp. Rosemary is so fresh and lovely and tasty.)

1 Tbsp fine sea salt (I’m a salt-aholic and this is plenty, especially once you add the olives)

½ - 1 tsp hot red pepper flakes (or a little more….some like it hot!)

10 garlic cloves, peeled (I’m telling you that the huge container from Cost Co is awesome. You just grab a huge heaping handful and toss it in.)

2 (1/4 inch thick) slices pancetta, cut in to 1” pieces (they have got to be completely kidding. The pancetta part is one of the very many best parts. I put at least three whole slices of pancetta on each breast, and then one for sure per drumstick, and what ever is left over I just toss on top. I mean really now, who can bear to have only a teensy weensy taste of bacon? That would be quite a teaser, and besides, who doesn’t like to dine on swine?)

1 cup dry white wine (Now who’s kidding who? Everything NEEDS MORE WINE. And anyway, the chicken stays really moist as it roasts in the shallow wine bath. Sounds like Heaven!)

24 oil-cured black olives (24? Really? Do they think we are just going to count out 24 olives? No way. Drain a jar of pitted Kalamata Olives and toss ‘em on top.)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with the rack in the middle.

In a bowl combine the oil, thyme, rosemary, sea salt, red pepper flakes and for good measure some pepper. You know I always love the cracked black pepper. Mix well.

Place your chicken, skin side up in a pan. Please note this entertaining helpful hint: My preference is to never serve a guest out of a disposable anything, however, chicken can be a juicy mess, and for the sake of a quick clean up prior to flying out the door, I used two disposable roasting pans. It was perfect. After we ate, I tossed the pans in to a garbage bag and took them out to the trash and……voila a quick, clean kitchen!

Once your chicken is in the pan, pour your oil mixture generously all over the chicken.

I then place the slices of pancetta over the tops of the chicken.

Scatter the garlic cloves on top, all over. Be generous.

Roast chicken for about 20 minutes until it begins to brown.

Drizzle wine all over the chicken, and roast for another 8-10 minutes.

Scatter olives over chicken, and roast for an additional 15-20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. This chicken is mouth watering goodness!

Twice Baked Potatoes:
If once is good, twice must be better!

Butter (1 ½ - 2 sticks, room temperature)

Cream Cheese (1 brick, room temperature)

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Scallions or Chives, chopped

We were 11 people for dinner, so I started out with 8 baking potatoes (figuring that once cut in half that would be 16 potatoes, and then there are always a few casualties in the scooping process, so I really ended up with 14 halves. We like leftovers, so I wanted a few extra. That was a perfect amount.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl place the butter and the cream cheese.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.

Cut additional pieces of foil to wrap the potatoes in for baking (enough sheets for each potato).

Scrub your potatoes. With a fork, poke several holes in the potato.

Pour oil in a small bowl. Brush oil on to each potato and then wrap each potato in a piece of foil. When all of the potatoes are wrapped and ready, place them on the cookie sheet, and put them in the oven. Here’s the thing, I like a really creamy potato, so I think that it helps to use very soft potatoes. I cook them until they are pretty mushy, for at least 1 ½ hours, maybe even a little longer.

After the baked potatoes have cooled, I cut them in half, and remove the centers. I find it works well to score each potato. Using a knife I cut all the way around the potato, using the edge as a guide, I leave a border of about ¼ of an inch. You want to leave a wall thick enough to maintain its shape. After I cut an oval shape around the perimeter, I then make a slice down the center, and another one across leaving four quarters cut. A teaspoon is the perfect size to remove the pulp without compromising the structure of the potato. This makes it much simpler, less messy, and more likely to leave the base of the potato in tact.

One by one, I scoop out all of the pulp and put it in to the bowl with the softened butter and cream cheese. With a hand mixer I start to whip the potatoes, adding splashes of milk until it achieves a beautiful, creamy consistency. Once you are completely satisfied, add a generous amount of shredded cheddar, and mix well. I realized that I had forgotten to pick up scallions or chives once I got to this point, but if I had them, I would have mixed them in now. Scoop the potato mixture back in to potato boats. After the fact I scattered chopped chives over the top of the twice baked potatoes, which worked out just as well.

I prepared the potatoes a day in advance, placing them on a foil lined baking sheet. I simply covered them tightly with foil and put them in the fridge until the following day. If I am preparing a number of dishes in advance, I will take a handy dandy Sharpie, and directly on the foil, I will record what temperature the dish requires, the duration it needs to cook and the time of day I need to put it in the oven. Simple and streamlined! After about 30 minutes in the oven they should be perfect! Clean up couldn’t be easier; throw the foil lining away, and put away the cookie sheet.

Green Beans with Balsamic-Shallot Butter:
These make the very best leftovers. My family thinks the balsamic is a little stinky while it simmers in the saucepan, but I don’t mind it at all. This is an oldie from the 2001 Bon Appetit magazine.

½ cup balsamic vinegar

2 large shallots, finely chopped

1 stick (or two) of butter, room temperature

2 lbs of green beans, trimmed

Again, the beauty of this baby is that it can be prepared a day in advance of your event.

Combine the vinegar and shallots in a heavy saucepan. Boil over medium heat until most of the vinegar is absorbed. Stir frequently for about 6 minutes. Transfer mixture to a small bowl and cool completely. Add the softened butter and mix with a fork until well blended. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cook beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp tender, about 6 minutes. Drain. Dunk beans in an ice bath and drain again. Because I like to do this all in advance, I line a 2 gallon Zip-loc baggie with paper towel (again, Bounty is my favorite brand), add the green beans, and top with more paper towel to absorb the moisture. Refrigerate until ready to use.

When you are ready to serve, take a large skillet and melt the balsamic and shallot butter. Add the green beans and toss until well mixed.



So there you have it; a gorgeous and delicious meal! Spend less time cleaning and more time with your family and friends!

Chocolate Means Love.....

Ah….Sunday morning. Sunday is such a day of transition. Most weekends we have an opportunity to sleep in a little bit and enjoy a leisurely morning. Then about half way through the day it becomes apparent that there is a mad dash to the getting-prepared-for-the-upcoming-week finish line. It would certainly be nice if we had a three day weekend every week. When I am Queen of the World, that will be my very first order of business, a Three Day Weekend (right before I make the 9th of each month Donny Osmond Celebration Day, the 9th being in honor of his birth date, FYI).

I usually start my Sunday mornings by making Chocolate Chip Pancakes for the week (I swear sometimes we eat fruits and vegetables too, but chocolate makes us happy. Recently, Nick ate a box of 36 packages of Reece’s Peanut Buttercups from Cost Co, in 9 days. I guess that is kind of gross, but he argues that the peanut butter is protein. I suppose he’s got a point.). My pals like pancakes in the morning before school, unless Nick is running on Teenager Time and requests a toasted Pop Tart for the road. Only the best…..

Anyway, I prefer Mrs. Butterworth’s brand buttermilk pancake mix, and I make a double batch. I like the batter to be on the thicker side so my pancakes are nice and fluffy, which sometimes means I add a little extra mix at the end to achieve a thicker consistency. When I’m happy with the batter, I add a heaping serving of Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Mini’s.

I store my pancakes for the week in a 13x9 glass baking dish with a lid. I line the bottom of the dish with parchment paper, and then as I flip my pancakes I place them inside, topping them off with a little bit of butter and a hearty sprinkle of powdered sugar. I fit six pancakes per layer and place a piece of parchment paper in between each layer, so they don’t stick together. In the mornings we just warm them up, and top them with our favorite maple syrup, which happens to be Hungry Jack.

If my pals are really lucky, some Sunday mornings I make bacon (actually, if I am going to make a mess I will make 2 lbs of bacon). Years ago my cousin Terri taught me the most excellent bacon making secret ever (as a substitute to frying it in the pan with grease splattering everywhere and taking forever). Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Line rimmed cookie sheets with foil (for easy clean up). For 2lbs of bacon, I need three large cookie sheets. Bake for 30-45 minutes, depending on how well done you prefer your bacon (I like crispy). Then for storage I line a Rubbermaid rectangular container with paper towel and layer the bacon with alternating sheets of Bounty (you know, my favorite…quicker picker upper) to absorb all of the grease, and refrigerate until ready for use. You’ll have days and days of savory bacon-y goodness! Just warm it up for a few seconds in the microwave and you have a tasty treat.

Greasy bacon and chocolate chip pancakes? I suppose we should just eat cookies for breakfast, but what kind of mother would that make me? POPULAR ……and the Best Mother Ever!

How to Set a Beautiful Spring Tablescape.....

As the More is More Mom® there is little I enjoy more than planning a party! In fact, I am frequently inspired to have a party because I want to share a new recipe, or I’ve found great plates or a fun centerpiece. I’m all about the cart being in front of the horse! However, this most recent party was to mark a special occasion in honor of my Amanda making her Confirmation (just one of the reasons that she needed four new dresses this season!).

You know I have theories and methods for just about everything, and setting a beautiful table is no different. I’m excited to share with you my beautiful Spring Time Tablescape!

Every good tablescape starts with a base. For this event I selected a chocolate brown tablecloth not only to protect my table, but also to set the tone for my event (another Target purchase from their Hotel Series). I am sorry that I am not a purist, I am and extremist and therefore feel that white tablecloths are just plain dull. Here’s a little tip: your iron may not seem like it, but it is your friend. It is imperative to smooth out all of the wrinkles and put your very best foot forward. It is the first step in making a good impression!

Next, because I am a More is More kind of gal, I begin the process of adding layers. I like to set the tone for my design theme by adding some personality by way of a runner or a table topper. For this party, I have chosen a lively, modern floral runner featuring hot pink, turquoise blue and apple green on a clean white base.

The next layer I am going to add is the all important placemat. In addition to being a pretty detail that adds to the richness of the design, it is functional. The purpose of the placemat is two-fold. One, it helps to protect your tablecloth, and two it delineates your guests personal space. It gives them a little elbow room. Because my table was crowded with ten people in attendance (eleven if you count Amanda, the guest of honor, who only joined us for a few moments at the corner of the table to scarf down her dinner at break neck speed. She actually went to gymnastics for two hours after school and had to eat, get in the shower, dry her hair, put on her pretty dress and be out the door at 5:45pm. Race, race, race. Run, run, run.), I selected a round placemat (another Target find from last year. I bought a slew of them on super clearance) because it doesn’t take up quite as much space as a rectangular one, and my guests flatware and glassware aren’t on top of each other overlapping. I liked the pink woven placemat, with its several different shades because it complimented my runner.

I am the Queen of More and like everything else, chargers are no exception. I have chargers that are; leather, rattan, plain gold leaf, gold leaf with a hob nail trim, plain silver leaf, silver leaf with a hob nail trim, ruby red, turquoise, the list goes on and on. I love a charger because it adds to the layering by giving dimension, and because of its formality. I have selected a turquoise charger (shockingly not from Target, but from the store of fabulous finds, Tuesday Morning) with a scalloped edge detail to compliment and re-enforce the turquoise stripe that runs down the center of by runner. Here’s a little tip for creating a seamless and symmetrical table setting: select one element of your charger, in this case I chose to feature a scallop in the same position at each and every one of my place settings.

To set a tone of elegance for every party I throw I set my table to the nine’s, even if that means that I will make extra work for myself by removing items I need when it comes time to serve my meal. I love for my guests to be wowed when they walk in the door and get the full impact of my entire tablescape. When it’s time to serve dinner, I rarely serve family style, I will gather up all of the dishes to plate my meal. Today I selected a beautiful white dinner plate with a scalloped edge that mimics the scallop in my charger, and compliments the white background of my runner. I am not a proponent of good china. It’s ridiculously expensive, and just plain boring. I prefer to have the option to mix and match and create fantasies. You can’t create a fantasy out of dull and ordinary. Fantasies require that dream like quality that can only be achieved from excess. For instance these plates are from Lenox. While the white china adds a delicate sensibility, the embossed vines, leaves, and butterflies add an air of whimsy. I got these gems at TJ Maxx and More (more, more and more). They really pop’s against the turquoise charger on top of the pink placemat. Here’s another little tip: just like we did with the charger, we are going to select one element on the plate, in this case I have chosen one particular embossed butterfly, and I am going to place each plate in the exact same position. For this setting I have placed the butterfly at the bottom directly across from, and in the middle of the scallop placed at the top of the charger. Our objective is to create a harmonious and peaceful table. If all of the elements were askew the tablescape would be an unpleasing, jumbled mess.

Whimsy and detail trump function every time. I love to incorporate a salad plate or a dessert plate in to my place setting because it gives both dimension and personality to my tablescape. Once again, when it is time to serve my meal, I will simply remove the items not being used from the table. It is of course extra work, but then again More is More! I have these super great, multi colored polka dot plates (one of the keys to successful entertaining is INVENTORY. So, it will come as no surprise that the plates came from Target several seasons ago, at a very reasonable price). Polka dots just scream fun! Help hint: again, I chose one element from the plate, a particular polka dot, and lined it up on top of the embossed butterfly. I did this at each place setting around my table.

The meal I was serving was simple since we would be racing out the door shortly after we ate. The only utensils we required were a fork and knife. I love to pull out my good silver, but when we’re entertaining on the run convenient clean up is key. Attention to detail is what sets apart an ordinary table from that which is spectacular! I am a proponent of mixing high quality, just can’t live without, items, with inexpensive finds that help pull the whole ensemble together whether it be in tabletop design, home staging or fashion. I have gobs of flatware. Sometimes simple silver will just not do! Because my vision was a colorful garden bouquet I chose to use these fantastic apple green handled pieces (once again, from Target years and years ago……I keep everything forever!).

Now, I hate to lecture, or be a complete snob, but when you entertain in your home paper and plastic products should all but be banned. I can live with a paper cocktail napkin because there are so many fantastic wonderful designs that you are certain to find the perfect tie in to your event. However, for a dinner party you must never use disposable products, only cloth napkins, real glassware and tableware will do. I collect everything in quantities of 20 when I can, though I am a bargain hunter, so my mission frequently takes me on a treasure hunt from store to store. I love everything and cloth napkins are no exception. For this tablescape I decided upon these sweet little pink napkins, to tie in to my color scheme, with small white polka dots to re-enforce the polka dots in the dessert plates. I got these beauties some time ago at Kohl’s at a drastically reduced rate of $.97 a piece. Amazing! To continue my garden theme, I used these fun watering can napkin rings. I can’t remember exactly where they came from. My guess is Steinmart, but I can’t be completely certain. At any rate….they’re perfect! Help hint: the napkins should all look the same, and be placed in the same position at the individual place setting. I chose to feature the handle of the watering can napkin ring on the inside of the setting with the spout facing outward, and repeated that detail for each guest.

We have come upon the ever important topic of glassware. Why, as you can imagine, I think that more is never enough! I have a huge inventory but my preference when entertaining a crowd is to incorporate some of my signature, dishwasher safe pieces. I’m crazy for bugs (not the creepy crawlers) in my décor. As a water glass I have selected to use a footed goblet, with a bumble bee raised embellishment (a great TJ Maxx and More find). Helpful hint: on your glassware, when you have the opportunity to identify a feature, select one element to line up at each place setting. In this instance I lined up the bumble bee with the knife to form a uniform, straight line.

We’re ready to put the finishing touches on this tablescape. A centerpiece grounds your design and solidifies your vision. I have used this brown iron basket for many different purposes over the years (in fact it is featured in a previous post as the home to four fun snowballs that I found at Pottery Barn years ago). It’s a charming piece, detailed with birds and leaves, another tie in to my spring theme (you must think I live at these stores…..I do. This was a great find from a day of rummaging through the treasure at TJ Maxx and More a few years back). The other reason I felt it worked so well in this tablescape is that the brown iron basket compliments the chocolate brown tablecloth and really pops against the bright colors in my runner. The beauty of the basket is that you have the opportunity to fill it up with anything. I really like the organic quality of the moss and raffia balls. These accent pieces can be found at your local craft store, but my gems are from, you’ve got it, Target! Really, is there a need to shop much of anyplace else (this is not a paid endorsement, but I think it totally should be!)?

The very last element to address before your guests arrive (other than the cooking and cleaning) would be…illumination. Candlelight is soft and beautiful, and everyone looks especially lovely in its glow. I have these amazing, crystal, hot pink candelabrum (TJ Maxx and More is a beautiful thing, though I am certainly sounding as though I need to be in a 12 step program for my addiction). Rather than enlist the aide of predictable white candles, I chose green taper candles because I love the completely Preppy pink and green color combination. Like, Oh my God!

So there you have it…..a beautiful Spring Tablescape. I hope you are inspired to throw a dinner party, and I hope you invite me along for the ride, because I love a party. Next time…..the menu!

Chicken Noodle Soup is Umm, Umm Good!

As the More is More Mom® I love more of everything, including making dinner for my family. This afternoon I am heading in to the city for an Interior Design Style Event and I won’t be home for dinner. We rarely eat out. I have found that my pals are always so busy that they typically prefer to be at home (except for Nick and his new found love of Chipotle), and besides, I must admit, I am a pretty good cook. I am all about planning ahead.

I knew that this was going to be a busy week with Amanda making her Confirmation last night (and family joining us for dinner at 4 o’clock in the afternoon), hockey games, seminars, homework and work, work, so planning ahead was imperative. My people LOVE chicken noodle soup; they like it enough to eat it twice a day, so today I made a great big heaping batch of Almost Home Made Chicken Noodle Soup. It’s so easy! In fact I prepared the ingredients on Monday, and tossed it all together this afternoon and voila…….dinner! It’s a soup and sandwiches kind of night.

This recipe is a family favorite from The Food Network.

Almost Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup:

For more, double and triple up!

½ medium onion, thinly sliced

1 small carrot, thinly sliced

2 sprigs of flat leaf parsley rough chopped

2 sprigs fresh thyme

6 cups chicken broth, homemade or canned

½ cup water

Kosher salt and ground black pepper (I always prefer black cracked pepper)

1/3 pound wide egg noodles

1 ¼ cups shredded (chopped) chicken meat (from about one breast). I did this in advance, chopped it up and stored it in a Zip-Loc baggie lined with Bounty paper towels (my favorite brand because it is the quicker picker upper) to absorb the moisture ensuring the meat doesn’t get slimy over night. No one likes slimy food.

In a stock pot filled with chicken broth and water, put the onion, carrots, celery, thyme, parsley (again, I prepared these ingredients in advance and sealed them in a Zip-Loc baggie lined with a Bounty paper towel over night).

Bring to a simmer over medium high heat until the veggies are tender, which should take -5-10 minutes.

Add the noodles and cook until tender for another 5-8 minutes.

Add the chicken, warm through and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with crackers or warm bread for a hearty and delicious treat!

We Have to Get a Hobby....

We have got to get a hobby…….. Over the past thirteen years we have experienced a flurry of activity with our children, but now we have hit a lull. Not too long ago our days and evenings were consumed with cross country, basketball, track, baseball, golf and of course, hockey. My Nick has been skating since he was 4 ½ years old, and we have spent the better part of his childhood racing him from rink to rink at all hours of the day and night. These were truly some of the best moments in our family life. Now that he has his driver’s license, we only accompany Nicky to his hockey games, which leaves us with a heck of a lot of free time. Before Nick got his driver’s license we were at his beck and call; picking up friends, dropping them off, waiting around, picking them up. Now however, he pretty much just goes. Long gone are the days that he would ask, while I was making dinner mind you, “Can you run me over to the links so I can hit a bucket of balls?” The answer of course was nearly always “yes,” even though it was inconvenient, because I knew it would someday all come to a screeching halt. Since Nick has had his driver’s license for the past year and a half, all we really have to do is know his whereabouts, and manage to stay awake until he gets home by curfew, which is 11 o’clock. I can stay awake forever if I am vertical, but if I sit, I sleep. Thankfully Chuck possesses the gift of staying awake even if he’s sitting. It’s sad really.

While Amanda doesn’t flit from activity to activity, she is on a very strict schedule. She trains for gymnastics 20 hours per week, 52 weeks a year. She heads to the gym five days a week, four hours at a time, and thankfully for us we only live three stoplights away from our gym, so we can be there in a flash! During the school year, when she has practice on the weeknights, Amanda is chomping at the bit for us to leave at 4:10 (even though gym doesn’t start until 4:30. She doesn’t have her mothers “gift” for never arriving anyplace on time. She always says, “Gym starts at 4:30. It doesn’t say get there at 4:30.” You’ve gotta love her tenacity and dedication! When I was her age the only thing I was dedicated to was….nonsense. Funny how the more things change the more they stay the same….). We live so close that we don’t even have to leave to pick her up until 8:28pm. So, now what do we do?

Well, the answer to that apparently is a great, big, whole lot of nothing! By the time I make dinner, serve dinner, place dinner for Amanda in the warming drawer (best invention ever!), and clean up the mess that was dinner, there isn’t a terrible amount of time to do much of anything….other than watch the idiot box, and I think you know why they call it that.

Why isn’t there ever anything to watch on TV? Seriously, we flippity flip through our cable channels only to find features from the ‘70’s and ‘80’s flashing before our eyes. What!?! Why don’t the smart executives at the major networks figure out a way to feature clever, smart, entertaining programming? It’s pretty sad when we are glued to our set to weigh in on what’s happening with Dancing with the Stars……especially without Donny Osmond as a contestant.

Sunday Nights:
When does Entourage return to HBO? There is nothing to watch, thankfully we frequently have hockey games to attend and we are traveling during Amanda’s meet season.

Monday Nights:
Monday night programming has been enormously improved with Rules of Engagement as a mid-season replacement on CBS, though that only accounts for 30 minutes of the night (22 if you DVR….the only way to watch TV). However, Jeff, played by Patrick Warburton, is not featured nearly enough, as he is the very best part of the show. Though to me, he will forever be Putty from Seinfeld.

Chuck loves Two and a Half Men. If he has his way we turn it on at 6pm and 10:30pm on WGN, so Monday is Charlie Harper bonus day. All I have to say is: thank God they finally ditched that Chelsea because she was sooooo boring. We are thrilled to see the egomaniacal, alcoholic, aging lothario back in business!

Tuesday Nights:
I really dislike Jay Leno, as I am David Letterman kind of gal. Cancelling his awful show has opened up the door for the Tuesday night replacement Parenthood on NBC. I was an enormous fan of the movie and the new series certainly does not disappoint. I give it an “A”.

American Idol is really boring this year. We have given up.

Wednesday Nights:
Best show of TV…..ABC’s Modern Family. Why is it only on for half an hour? One character is funnier than the next, but what I love about this show is that while it’s hysterical each episode concludes with a tender moment that brings the family together and re-enforces their connection and commitment to each other. The More is More Mom® gives Modern Family an A++++++

Thursday Nights:
I want to get it, but I just don’t understand the appeal of The Office. On the other hand I can’t get enough of the hip, fast talking 30 Rock on NBC. Tina Fey has amazing vision, Tracy Morgan is a scream, and Alec Baldwin, well, he’s a comedic genius.

What’s not genius…..Bravo's The Housewives of……fill in the blank. We always look forward to the New York girls, but they’ve become so boring and one dimensional. When we first met the girls from the Big Apple they were interesting, they had careers and they were charitable. Now they are self obsessed mean girls, one cat fight away from being on Jerry Springer.

Friday and Saturday Nights:
The weekend always brings a potpourri of activity between sports and friends. Thank God for the diversion.

I suppose for now a hobby will have to wait until our little chicks leave the nest. Until then it looks like we’re stuck with the idiot box………..

The Cub's Opener.....A Holy Day of Obligation

For those of us Cub’s fans, today is practically a Holy Day of Obligation…..Holy Cow, its opening day at Wrigley Field! With the arrival of spring comes renewed hope for a successful run at the pennant race. Come on Lou, it finally has to be next year…….

The Friendly Confines is my neighborhood. I grew up four blocks from Wrigley Field. My dog’s name is Wrigley Sheffield for Heaven’s sake. I am what you would consider a die hard Cub’s fan. That’s why this past October, instead of watching my team in the World Series, I was paying homage to them at Our Lady of Perpetual Donations Fourth Annual Trivia Night.

Trivia Night is a fun-draiser (emphasis on the fun….and hence the name Our Lady of Perpetual Donations) where a group of ten lively people (usually five couples) is assembled and your team competes in a trivia contest, against dozens of other teams, with categories similar to those found on Jeopardy, only way harder and more obscure. That part is definitely fun, but the very best part of this group’s participation is that each table devises a theme for their group, which includes costumes, decorations and food. As the More is More Mom® I take this task quite seriously, paying close attention to detail and authenticity. Our themes have included The Soprano’s, Superhero’s, The Cast of Gilligan’s Island and this year…..The Bleacher Bums.

Each team is provided with a round table and ten chairs, but I always require more. I knew that the only way to do justice to my theme was to actually sit in the bleachers. I mean really, where else would the Bleacher Bums sit? Certainly not at a round table. My dream was to build a scoreboard, but the question was how? My initial concept was to build it out of plywood, but it got complicated when I considered how I would make it stand safely. Suddenly I had a stroke of genius……I would make it all out of felt. It was brilliant and quite simple. I purchased three yards of wide width green felt. On my sewing machine, I ran a seam for rod pockets across the top, and down both sides leaving the bottom un-hemmed. I notched out both corners, leaving room for elbow brackets that would connect the side poles with the top. Chuck is a very good sport, and super handy, so we made a quick run to Home Depot to purchase two ten foot lengths of PVC pipe, two elbow brackets, two four foot lengths of PVC pipe, a t-bracket that allowed two inch pipe fittings on either side, and the top notch allowed for a ¾ “pipe to extend to the Heaven’s. This was working out beautifully!

In the mean time my friend Judy and I got together and cut out 93 letters in varying colors of felt, and cut out 16 color coordinating banners to represent each on the 16 teams in the National League. We glued together the pennants, and then I punched two holes in the two corners on one side of each pennant and strung them together with twine, to hang in the wind at the top of the scoreboard. You will note that the pennants are in their final team standings for the end of the 2009 season, save for the Cub’s. I of course have my Cubbies finishing 1st in the National League. Hey, it’s my fantasy…….In the meantime I traced and cut out an additional 126 letters and numbers, and all of the lines for the scoreboard, made a clock for the sake of authenticity, and glued it all in place. Standing this sucker up was like an old fashioned barn raising. With the pipes in place, we made a notch at the very top of the ¾ “pipe, ran the twine across the notch and secured the twine on either side at the elbow brackets. From the top of the ¾” PVC pipe to the bottom, I ran the pennants for the Central Division, by adhering them with double sided carpet tape. It worked like a charm. We laid the scoreboard face down on the ground, attached a clamp-on bedside lamp at each corner (left over’s from the days when my Nick still had bunk beds….I never throw anything away) because the only way to have a Night Game at Wrigley Field is with LIGHTS! We slid a six foot piece of one inch PVC in the slot of each of two umbrella stands (for your market umbrella on your patio), tilted them forward and then slid the two inch pieces of PVC over that for stability and brought them to a vertical position. I couldn’t believe it…it worked! From the very top to the bottom my scoreboard stood fourteen feet in the air. It was a sight to behold.

Part of the experience of sitting in the bleachers at Wrigley Field is the wall of ivy. This was so very easy. On our trip to Home Depot we picked up a sheet of lattice. I purchased ivy garland from Hobby Lobby and intertwined it through the lattice. Making it stand up was easy too. I took the two pieces of the plywood base from a left over decorative round table and slid the lattice through and it stood like a champ! Chuck insisted we pick up chicken wire and we secured it to the front of the lattice from side to side to make the basket that runs along the ivy in the outfield. Because we would be at a night game, I draped Cubs twinkling lights across the front and made a 400 feet sign out of sticky numbers we had left over from a Science Fair project. Seriously, I never throw away anything.

To sit in the Bleachers one needs stadium seating. That was easy. I contacted my local party rental store and rented two 4 foot platform sections and we were off and running. Five chairs up top, five chairs on the bottom……voila, bleachers.

The clincher of course would be the authenticity of the food. My pal Karen is an amazing cook, and coincidentally… a caterer. I decorate, she cooks. It’s the perfect arrangement! We knew ballpark food was in order; pizza (gourmet), nacho’s (out of this world), burgers (to die for), brats (of course), plus your basic popcorn, peanuts, and Cracker Jacks. The piece de resistance…..her homemade Chocolate Malt Cups. Because really, what would a trip to the Friendly Confines be without a Malt Cup? Karen was amazing though. She prepped everything at home, but brought an electric burner and a hot plate to pull together the finishing touches. You can only imagine how good our table smelled. She wrapped everything in authentic wax paper and brought cardboard trays. It was incredible.

Out buffet table was quite lovely. I brought an urn and filled it with baseballs; a sign with the rules of sitting in the bleachers, Cubbie blue and red Mardi Gras beads and lime green disposable cups reminiscent of the infamous Mai Tai glasses. I rented a 120” blue round table cloth, because who wants to look at the ugly table legs? I then covered it with 1 ½ yards of Cub’s licensed fleece (makes a great table topper…and the beauty is that it’s washable!).

With each round of Trivia or “inning” we were able to manually score the game with numbers I had cut out in advance. They were adhered with straight pins. In between each inning we did the wave, and we had a bucket full of squishy balls to “throw back” at surrounding tables. We were completely obnoxious, but we could have cared less, because we were having a blast!

Please note that we are playing the White Sox in a Cross Town World Series…..and naturally, we win! At the end of the game we proudly hang our “W” flag and pose for pictures with Harry Cary. A one, a two, a three…….

Fantastic and Fresh......Pork Tenderloin with Tomato-Peach Compote Recipe

One of the very best things about the arrival of spring is the sweet anticipation of beautiful, fresh produce! Last year I found this delicious recipe in Gourmet Magazine (I am greatly saddened that Gourmet has since halted the presses, and is trying, unsatisfactorily, to pass off Bon Appetit as a suitable substitute.):

Pork Tenderloin with Tomato-Peach Compote
This is so simple. You are going to love it!

4 garlic cloves (you know that since More is More I always use way more garlic than called for)
1 Tbsp chopped peeled ginger (if one is good, two must be better!)
1 tsp curry powder (that’s totally enough curry)
2 (¾ lb) pork tenderloins (love to stock up on tenderloins as Cost Co…great prices)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Compote (double up if you like leftovers):
I like to prepare all of my ingredients before I start cooking. Then I can just follow along…..no stress!

1 medium onion chopped
¾ lb tomatoes cut into 1” pieces
1 peach chopped
2 tsp chopped thyme
1 tsp sugar (optional…..but it does sweeten the deal)
Special Equipment: Mortar and Pestle

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, placing the rack in the center.

Peel and rough chop the ginger (that makes it sooo much easier to mash).

Peel and rough chop the garlic (I actually buy the mother of all enormous containers of peeled garlic for like $5.oo from Cost Co. It’s so convenient that it makes cooking a snap! Now I only wish they did that with onions because I cry like a baby every time I chop them…but I can’t live without ‘em).

With the mortar and pestle:
Mash garlic, ginger, curry powder, ¾ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper to a paste.

Rub paste all over pork tenderloins.

Heat oil in an oven proof 12” heavy skillet over medium-high heat until the oil simmers.

Brown the pork for about five minutes on one side, flip it over and put the skillet in to the oven. Roast until an instant read thermometer registers 145-150 degrees, approximately 10-12 minutes. Place the tenderloins on a cutting board, uncovered. Return the skillet to your cook top.

The handle of the skillet will be extremely HOT, so be careful.
Add the onion and sauté over medium high heat, until the onions get nice and soft. 5-7 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and the peaches until just soft, but not mushy. 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme and sugar (so sweet).

Slice the pork and top with the delectable compote. To accompany this lovely dish, I served brown rice and broccoli.

The beauty of the Tomato-Peach Compote is that is as tasty warmed up the next day, possibly served with a simple grilled chicken breast. However you choose to serve it, it’s delicious! Enjoy……..