Choo Choo, Colin Turned Two!

Way back in the beginning of January, my little boy turned 2. In the blink of an eye he's suddenly a whole grown up person. He's hilarious, a ton of fun, and full of opinions. I hear a lot of "What's this, Mommy?," "I can do it myself. Colin does it!," and "Oh, dump truck, I love you so much, would you like to play trains with me?" That last one might not be typical two year old behavior, but it's pretty funny to hear. To celebrate his birthday, we had a brunch with family and friends. This year's theme was trains, as the birthday boy loves "chookin chookin." He is also of the opinion that it's not a party without balloons and cars, so both were included in the day. I didn't do a good job taking pictures of the food or the dining room because I was a busy bee and enjoying the celebration, but here are a couple glimpses from the day.

The menu had some repeats from last year, and a couple new items.

Colin's Birthday Brunch Menu

Fresh Fruit Salad

Bagels and Cream Cheese

Broccoli, Tomato and Cheddar Quiche

Baked French Toast

Yogurt and Granola Parfait

Egg and Bacon English Muffin Bites

Apple Maple Chicken Sausage

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Colin was far too busy partying to eat anything other than all the blackberries from the fruit salad (and off people's plates...) and two cupcakes. Aside from the carrot cake cupcakes, the most popular dish of the day were the Egg and Bacon English Muffin Bites. They were eaten too fast for me to photograph, but I'll share the recipe and will certainly be making them again!

Egg and Bacon English Muffin Bites

recipe from The Pioneer Woman

12 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup mayo

12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 Tablespoon dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

3 dashes Worcestershire Sauce

about 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

6 Whole English Muffins, split and lightly toasted

Combine eggs through Worcestershire. This can be done the day before, refrigerate overnight.

Spread egg mixture on English Muffin halves and sprinkle with cheese.

Cook at 375 for 10 minutes, or broil for 5.

Comments

My big sister and the egg sandwich that might cure her cancer

I usually like to keep things light hearted here At Home With Ann. Simple recipes, awkward jokes, toddler antics and kitchen fiascos. But we all experience times in life when we are thrown for a loop and face something that stops us in our tracks. I, like a classic control freak, tend to keep things to myself. Everything is under control, see? My house is clean, dinner is cooked, the dishes are done, I'm on schedule, I blow dried my hair, I don't need help. See? See? But this time it's not about me, it's not something I can control, and wishing it away won't actually make it go away. Me, my Mom and Sarah last Summer Three years ago my sister, Sarah, was diagnosed with a form of leukemia called AML (acute myeloid leukemia). My reaction was typical. This happens to other people. Not my 33 year old sister who lives by the ocean, gets tons of fresh air and exercise, and eats healthier than anyone who has ever entered Whole...

Peanut Sauce Spaghetti Squash Bowls

I know, it's been a while. Turns out wrangling three little boys doesn't leave a lot of time for recipe writing and food photos. We still eat, though, and pretty well! Mostly I share quick recipes and meals on my Facebook page At Home With Ann , so please follow me there! I love spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta. It's healthy, way lower in carbs and higher in vitamins. It's also easier to prep than zucchini noodles, and I think it stands up to hearty sauces better. I simply stab it with a sharp knife a few times, and roast it in a 400 degree oven for an hour, or until a knife easily slides through the skin. Let cool, cut open, discard seeds and shred with a fork. Spaghetti squash with meatballs is in our regular dinner rotation, but there is often a lot of leftover squash. This easy vegetarian dish is a perfect quick dinner or lunch, and if your kids don't go for the peanut sauce, there is plenty of cut veggies for them to eat. Peanut Sauce Spa...

Not Really Engagement Chicken

There is an urban legend of the Engagement Chicken , a dish that if made for your boyfriend, he will be so impressed with your domestic skills he'll propose. I've been married for a year and a half, so I'm not putting it to the test, but I thought it might be a good way to make my first attempt at roasting a whole chicken. After research, I decided to take aspects of recipes from Ina Garten , the Pioneer Woman , and good old Joy of Cooking . The first step of making roast chicken is by far the hardest. You have to remove the neck and innards and rinse the raw bird. Because he is a good person, my husband did that part for me while I covered my eyes and ran out of the kitchen. After it was all clean and patted dry with paper towels, I stuffed a halved lemon and 4 cloves of garlic inside, and coated the entire chicken with olive oil. After coating with oil, I sprinkled liberally with salt, pepper, sage, and thyme. The best part is that th...

at home with ann

Search This Blog