Baby Painting

I paint a picture for each baby I carry and grow. Usually I paint it during the pregnancy, Éowyn’s is the only one I didn’t finish until the baby had already arrived. 

Estel’s painting has the most meaning, and oh how short a period that part of our life ended up being. My recordings from them seem so dramatic now, but how were we to know the time would be so short, and therefore bearable? 

This baby, our fifth, came as a surprise this summer, but it’s such a blessing and wonderful surprise; along with a whole summer filled with blessings.

I was inspired by those emotions when drafting this one. Our trips west, to the mountains I love and where I happened to be  when I realized I was most likely expecting, the promised coming of all things I thought God had asked us to give up forever, and the fruition of all my dreams and prayers being answered as we moved home, it was easy to draw from the joy and cheer filling my heart for this one’s painting.

Baby bump the fifth’s

Estel’s

Emmitt’s

Éowyn’s

Jerusha’s

{Foodie Post No. 18} Spinach Artichoke Pot Pie

 I really don’t know how to classify this recipe. I’m 7+ months pregnant and had a sudden craving for a dish from my childhood; some sort of spinach pastry with lemon zest in it that my mom used to occasionally make, but I also wanted some really melty cheese with my spinach, and some artichokes, and of course nutmeg. Oh. And buttery, flaky crust. Did I want Spankopita? 

Wesley went shopping with my list. Ricotta, oil packed sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts.. “what fancy meal are you making?” Was his first question when he brought the groceries home. “Spanikopita, sort of, not really though because lots of cheese, and probably more like a crust not laminated puff.” Was my answer. 

I asked my mom for the recipe I remembered as a kid, but warned her I wasn’t really going to follow it, just use it as inspiration. She sent me two different recipes, one she used as inspiration, and her own, what she actually had turned it into. My cooking style comes naturally. 

What I made:

Spinach Pot Pie

Crust:

8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup Butter, softened 

3 cups Flour

1 tsp Salt

Cream Cream Cheese and Butter, using spoon add salt and flour, mixing until crumbly. Using hands form into ball, divide in two sections, one larger for base crust, one the size of the top of your pan for the covering (final size will need to be slightly larger than 9x13).

Filling:

2-3c chicken breast cooked and chopped* 

12 oz  Frozen Spinach, thawed and well drained

1 14oz can Artichoke Hearts, drained

3 Tbsp Oil Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped

Zest of one Lemon

3 cloves of Garlic, crushed

1/4 tsp ground Nutmeg

1 1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese

1/2 cup Cream

2 Eggs, well beaten

1/2 tsp ground Pepper

1 cup shredded Parmesan 

2 cups shredded Mozzarella, divided

1 additional egg, beaten

Mix all ingredients well, saving 1 cup of Mozzarella out.

Preheat oven to 375°. Roll bottom crust large enough to fill a 9x13 pan, place in pan, add filling, top with remaining cup of mozzarella cheese.  Roll out top crust to cover. Crimp or roll edges to seal, cut slits in top crust and brush with a beaten egg. 

Bake 45-55 minutes or until Golden.

*my chicken was marinaded in our traditional vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, and pepper marinade and broiled on high for 12-15 minutes per side.

In my opinion this dinner was divine. It was exactly what I wanted. My kids aren’t a huge fan, which is too bad, because I’m just going to keep making it and have to hear them complain and sit at the table forever until they decide to finish.