at home with ann

There are few things quite so satisfying as baking homemade bread.  But, let's be honest, I rarely have the foresight or inclination these days to plan ahead a day in advance and go through all the steps.  As such, it's been quite a while since I made bread.  So long, in fact, that when Jon saw this he asked where it was from, ate some, and commented that it was good, like real bread.  I don't even know what that means, but I chose to take it as a compliment.  My little bread monster could barely wait for it to cool down before digging in himself, but he is an easy win with anything freshly baked. There are several great reasons to make focaccia.  It can all be done in one day.  It's essentially a glamorous version of pizza dough.  It makes a whole tray full.  It has an olive oil crust.  I could go on, but I don't think I need to. Focaccia recipe based on  Anne Burrell Total time: About 3 hours Prep: 20 minutes Inactive:...

If you follow At Home With Ann on Facebook   you saw this picture last night.  If you don't, you are missing out on even more of my hilarious commentary and pictures of Colin wreaking havoc in the kitchen. Given that Colin is a toddler and prone to occasional pickiness or completely nonsensical mind changes, the success of dinner can be quite varied.  There are days he surprises me and eats two cups of green beans, and days he decides he doesn't like pasta anymore.  Who doesn't like pasta?  In any case, I knew the Cobb Salad would be a bit of a stretch for him since he's been wary of any red vegetables since the hot pepper incident last summer, and eggs go in and out of favor daily.  He ended up eating mostly bacon and chicken with a side of yogurt.  I, however, loved the salad and even he agreed the dressing is good. I usually make a very simple vinaigrette for our salads, a quick combination of salt, pepper, dijon, vinegar and olive oil. ...

Cheesecake is my go to dessert.  I have made many, many flavors.  From classic, to the ever popular roasted strawberry, to the Thanksgiving favorite pumpkin, to the key lime that nearly crippled my fingers from juicing so many tiny limes.  When I considered what to make for Christmas dessert (yes, still backed up posts to Christmas here at AHWA), I naturally landed on cheesecake.  I have a couple tricks for ensuring they are always perfect and delicious. My secret weapon in the food processor.  Use it to the make the crust, then give it a rinse and use it to make the filling.  It ensures everything is evenly mixed and a lovely smooth consistency.  My second trick is to bake in a water bath.  It can be a bit of a pain to wrap your pan in foil and fill up the roasting pan, but it keeps the top from cracking, so it's completely worth it. Classic Cheesecake modified from  Tyler Florence   Crust: 2 cups finely ground graham crackers (a...

Thank you so much for all your sweet comments and notes from my last post.  It really does help to know Sarah has so many people in her corner! These cookies are so healthy, you can eat them for breakfast.  Plus, they only have four ingredients and come together in less than five minutes, so you could even bake them in the morning.  I made them with the help of my trusty kitchen assistant one very cold morning last week who ate handfuls of batter straight from the bowl.  By lunchtime we had nearly finished off the batch, but it's ok, because they are good for you! Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal Cookies recipe from Skinnytaste 2 ripe bananas, mashed 1 cup uncooked oats 2 Tablespoons peanut butter ~1 Tablespoon jam Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet, either  by spraying or lining with a baking mat or parchment paper. Mix banana, oats and peanut butter together. Drop heaping tablespoons (I like my little cookie scoop for this) onto ...

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...