St. Patrick's Day Celebration

One of my favorite things is celebrating a holiday with food. We always celebrate our Irish heritage with some go-to favorites. I purchased my parents 23 and me test kits the year before last and it's been so fun to learn more about ourselves. My parents and grandparents always said we were Catholic German-Irish just like most families where I grew up! So, it was interesting to learn about the other nationalities that make up our DNA. A little bit of this and a little bit of that but still heavy on the German and Irish. 

I treated the kids to "lucky" breakfast to start our day and the beginning of at-home school. During these difficult times I want to add a bit of normalcy when I can and a bit of extra special from time to time. 

I want to make sure they are getting plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. They enjoyed starting their day with a rainbow of colors. It was magically delicious! 

We ended the day with Guiness Beef Stew and Irish Soda Bread made from scratch. A benefit of being home all day! I forgot to snap a photo before we dug in but both were so good. The Irish Soda Bread was Ina Garten. 

Sunday night we enjoyed Cottage Pie which is always a hit! 

I wish I had a recipe to share but over the years I've adapted and often times used what was on hand. It really is that easy to make! Saute ground beef (which is what makes it Cottage Pie vs. Shepard's Pie which is ground lamb), add diced onion, carrots and celery. I add tomato paste, thyme, flour and beef broth or stock, and frozen peas. Simmer until it thickens then scoop into a pie pan or square dish. Top with mashed potatoes and bake until heated through and golden on top. 

One of my favorite grocery store hacks is Bob Evans mashed potatoes. If you haven't tried them, you must! They are so good and not expensive. I may never make my own mashed potatoes again! 

On the side, I often serve a sauteed cabbage. So easy, inexpensive and delicious! I like to saute in a butter/EVOO combo until tender and slightly brown on the edges. Stir in S&P and you have an amazing side dish! 

I hope you all enjoyed your St. Patrick's Day too! 

Prayer of St. Francis de Sales

It is a time of uncertainty to say the least. School buildings are closed. Our children will be learning online and at home. Grocery store employees are frantically working to keep the shelves stocked. Medical professionals are working around the clock. Our calendars have been wiped clear but we will be busy as ever as we figure out this new norm. We will wear many hats and play many roles over the coming months. We will comfort our children, our spouses, our friends and ourselves. 

My family ventured out to Mass this morning but practiced "social distancing' while there. Attendance was sparse so it was easy to do. It is possibly the last Mass we will attend in person for the unforeseeable future. I needed this time of prayer to feel more at ease and I am so glad we went. 

Our Monsignor and his homily gave us great comfort. He shared with us a prayer he says daily and one I will be adding to my own prayers. How fitting for these trying times are the words of St. Francis de Sales. 

Sunday Soup Supper {Beef Vegetable}

After a whirlwind spring break, we are happy to be home sweet home! We made a lot of memories, learned a thing or two, and (mostly) had a great time. Traveling with kids isn't always a walk in the park! Thank goodness my in-laws wanted to hear all about the trip and invited the kids over for an overnight. Dan and I were able to celebrate a friend's 40th and run a few errands. Most importantly, I slept in this morning! Spring Break 2019 wore me out and I have a busy couple of months ahead! 

One of our most favorite Sunday suppers in the winter is soup. I know it's technically spring but we have winter temps and snow flurries on this last day of March. I had a request for Beef Vegetable soup which sounded perfect on a cold day. Fingers crossed this is the last Sunday Soup Supper until late fall! 

Growing up we would visit my Great-Grandma every Christmas Eve before heading to Mass. She always had a pot of beef vegetable soup and shredded chicken cooking away. Since we had to visit earlier than others, we were always lucky to sneak a bowl or two and a sandwich while we visited and exchanged gifts. She was the sweetest little lady! 

When I found a vegetable soup recipe that tasted pretty darn close to hers, I knew it was a keeper! I've tweaked it a few times over the past 10-12 years and made it my own. I believe the original recipe is from Martha Stewart. 

This time around I decided to speed up the cooking process and utilize my Instant Pot and the beef turned out perfectly tender. I have the 8-quart which is the larger size and works for our family. 

Beef Vegetable Soup

Ingredients: 

2 T. Olive Oil

1.5-2 lbs. stew beef

2 c. diced onions

1 c. sliced celery

1 c. diced carrots

2 t. Italian seasoning

6-8 c. vegetable/beef/chicken broth (use vegetable or chicken if omitting beef - that is the original recipe)

28 oz. can of diced tomatoes w/ juice

1 T. tomato paste 

8 c. mixed fresh or frozen vegetables (corn, lima beans, peas, potatoes, zucchini) 

Directions: 

Use the saute function on the Instant pot or heat oil large stockpot or dutch oven. Add seasoned beef and saute until brown on all sides. Remove from pot and add onions, celery, carrots, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent. Add beef and juices collected, broth, tomatoes, paste and two cups of water. Add diced potatoes, if using. 

Seal the Instant Pot lid, close the valve, and select the Pressure Cooking button for 15 minutes then use natural release for 25 minutes (I lost my patience at 15 minutes and then did quick release). Add remaining vegetables and allow to warm through. 

If using stockpot or dutch oven, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes until beef is tender. Add vegetables and return to a simmer. Cook uncovered until vegetables are tender about 20-25 minutes. 

Note: I only used frozen vegetables this time. I forgot about the zucchini I bought at the store. I would recommend adding any fresh vegetables when you add the potatoes when cooking in the Instant Pot. Also, be sure to read and follow your Instant Pot directions when using! 

I served with our soup with warm bread and butter. It hit the spot on this chilly Sunday! 

The Little Mermaid

The Pleasure Guild of Nationwide Children's Hospital put on their 61st annual production, Disney's The Little Mermaid, over the weekend! The kids and I were lucky to attend with Nana and little Olivia. It was such a wonderful show! 

Ariel, King Triton's youngest daughter, wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above, bargaining with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs. But the bargain is not what it seems, and Ariel needs the help of her colorful friends, Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull and Sebastian the crab to restore order under the sea. This fishy fable will capture your heart with its irresistible songs, including "Under the Sea," "Kiss the Girl" and "Part of Your World."

Cecilia's favorite Disney princess just so happens to be Ariel so she was on cloud 9! If I had to guess, this is probably why Nana thought to purchase tickets a few months ago. Really, it isn't surprising that Ceci (pronounced CC...we never intended for her to be anything other than Cecilia so when people started calling her C-C we just shortened the first part. I really wish I gave this some thought a decade ago and went with CeeCee. I will blame first-year parent exhaustion but I really didn't think a nickname would stick.) I digress. It isn't surprising that our drama-filled, lover of music, and the one always pushing the boundaries has a favorite princess who loves to sing and is also pushing the boundaries...oh, and she wears a bikini so that's a win in Ceci's book. A match made in heaven! 

The actress who played Ariel was only 17 years old! She had a beautiful voice and was fun to watch on stage. What was most surprising was that she held her own on stage with the famous Nina West who I was thrilled to finally see perform! Nina West as Ursula the Sea Monster was perfection! 

We grabbed lunch at Conadado before heading to the theater. There are not a lot of options for dining downtown near the theaters that I consider kid-friendly that are open on a Saturday afternoon. This was not our first choice but it ended up being a good one. Our kiddos love a good taco and guacamole! 

The Palace Theater is a smaller theater compared to the Ohio Theater a couple blocks away. While it is beautiful, it just doesn't hold a candle to the elegance that is the Ohio Theater. I did adore the sea blue color of the ceiling. This is one of my favorite colors and I am working to incorporate more of this color palate into our home. 

The Pleasure Guild is a volunteer organization focused on raising money for Nationwide Children's Hospice and Palliatative Centers. I love that we got to see an amazing performance in the historic and beautiful Palace Theater all while giving back to a wonderful cause. 

We are already looking forward to next year's performance of Mama Mia! 

"Super Bowl" Sunday Supper: Sausage & Peppers

Our favorite Steelers aren't playing in the Super Bowl this year but we are enjoying a Pittsburgh-style, Dodd family favorite for dinner. Ten years ago for Super Bowl 43, the Steelers were playing and I insisted on making a themed-meal so I tried out this recipe for Sausage & Peppers. We aren't from Pittsburgh so it's possible this isn't really even a thing. I have no idea nor where I got the recipe but I wrote it down on a recipe card and have made it every year since! In fact, every year I wonder why I don't make it more often. It's that good! This one definitely goes in the cookbook I am writing (more on that later!). 

Sausage & Peppers

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large onions
• 2 green bell peppers
• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 lbs Italian sausage (mild and/or hot)
• 1 jar marinara
• 1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes
• parsley, basil, salt & pepper
• Hoagie buns

1. Heat a dutch oven over medium heat, brown sausage links and remove.

2. Add oil and butter to the oven to melt followed by onions, peppers and garlic. Cook until onions get soft (5-7 minutes). 

3. Return sausage to oven and add in marinara, tomatoes, and parsley/basil. (I used fresh basil I had on hand and Italian seasoning.)

4. Cover dutch oven and lower heat to medium-low. 

5. Simmer for one hour.

6. Serve in a hoagie bun with or without cheese on top. 

We always have plenty leftover so I will serve the leftovers with rigatoni later in the week. 

Hope everyone is enjoying the game or the commercials! 

Cheers to Another 40 Years!

40! Wow, I can hardly believe it! Today was a good day. I planned my schedule in advance to spend the day taking care of me. 

So, when Auggie woke up and told me his throat hurt, Dan swooped in and took care of things. We knew strep and the flu were taking kids at school down left and right. He had no other symptoms or complaints but, sure enough, he tested positive for strep. Still, Dan sent me on my merry way! 

I started with one of my favorite classes at the gym which included 1,000 sit ups. I enjoyed a manicure. I got my roots touched up while enjoying a glass of wine. I relaxed and took in a day all to myself! 

With a sick little one, I was afraid we would have to cancel dinner reservations but our amazing babysitter came to the rescue. She was more than happy to see the kids and eat pizza and ice cream with them. 

As for me, I had the best date a girl could ask for with the most amazing dinner! Dan and I grabbed a cocktail at the yacht club before heading downtown to Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse. It was a delicious and amazing meal to celebrate 40! 

Tomorrow my coach turns back into a pumpkin! It's basketball and a swim meet for our Saturday along with our first snow of the season! This is 40 and I've got a lot in mind for this next decade! 

Thanks to all for the sweet birthday messages! 

On the Eve of 40

On this last day in my 30s, I was thinking about how I feel about turning the big 4-0! I have mixed feelings about entering a new decade. Mostly, I am wondering where the last decade went. I was a new mother when I turned 30 and the past decade, in part, feels like a blur. Three babies and a lack of sleep will do that, I suppose! It was an exciting, challenging, and sometimes painful 10 years.

Many things happened in my 30s that I expected and planned and am so grateful to have in my life. Three amazing babies who are healthy, smart, beautiful and full of life. I am married to my best friend and still look forward to sharing our life together. I was able to travel and experience so many amazing things. I am truly lucky!

Looking back, some things took me by surprise. If you asked me a decade ago, I never would’ve imagined running for office let alone being elected to office at the age of 33! I am able to be a voice for children and families which I love doing. I started my own company and have the flexibility to work and do all those mommy things I want to do. I am still on the hunt for my dream job but I love where life is leading me right now.

Certainly, I never expected to go through the pain of losing my sister. Watching my parents suffer through this loss has been the most difficult challenge of the past decade. Hands down. It has made me stronger though. This loss made me stop and reflect and focus on my own happiness and doing what’s best for my family.

Looking ahead, I am so excited for all the next decade has to offer! A little nervous but very excited!