Since I am semi-convinced my wonderful mom is the ONLY one reading this…

Happy Birthday Mom! (again!)

(**For all you Mama A fans out there her birthday is not until October 30th so do not worry you still have time to wish this beautiful lady a happy day!)

My mom has given and given my entire life and never asks for anything but our company and sometimes bacon so we decided it was time to give her what she didn’t even know she wanted…a SURPRISE birthday weekend 🙂 My Mom looked so stunning, her teeth were shiny and as white as a crystal. Thanks to Dentist Louisville for getting them whitened before the day! Her dress was spectacular and really showed her personality.

My mom is a total foodie and spends hours each week talking to me about food (okay maybe mostly listening but you get the point.) She is also an AMAZING cook, but for her birthday we wanted to give her a tasty and healthy dinner/brunch that she didn’t have to cook!

When we were planning, I decided that instead of going out to eat (and run the chance of anyone getting glutened or sick) we should give my mom the whole experience in her own house where we could spend time hanging out, dancing in the kitchen and spending time just catching up and having fun. Sounds fun right?! (understatement of the year!)

Well, we had to find a way to surprise her so we decided to get her and my dad to meet my brother and his family at a farm in Westminster, MD called Baugher’s to do some apple picking. My mom almost cancelled on my brother and his family but my dad’s last-minute coercing worked (thank goodness!) We met her in the parking lot and she was SURPRISED!!! Mission accomplished 🙂

We picked apples, drank some local fare (read: fresh HOT apple cider) and enjoyed a beautiful fall day (with crowds galore.) The apples we picked were going to be a part of our menu for the night because we wanted to show my nephew Joey the whole process of making food and he thought it was magical! (legit “Farm to Table”) Plus apples are IN SEASON for only a little longer and I would never want to miss the vitamin and mineral powerhouse that is a fresh apple!

My mom was all worried because she didn’t have any food for dinner (typical Italian mother 🙂 ), well good thing Bridgette and I already had that covered and had bought the groceries and planned the menu! Surprise!

Below you will find our menu (with some of the corresponding recipes, others are COMING SOON) that were all made by 3 of us (Me, Bridgette [my sis-in-law] and Cara [my cousin] ) and enjoyed by 8 adults and 2 children (and one dog…she ate the bacon)! The menu was 100% gluten free and allergen free so my mom could enjoy EVERY bite! (Cara and I may have enjoyed a glass of wine…or 2 Julia Child style)

 

Dinner Menu:

*Bacon-Wrapped Sweet Potato Bites*

Ingredients:

3-4 medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-2” cubes

1 package pastured-raised bacon, cut into 2” slices

1/4 cup Coconut Oil (or ghee, butter, duck fat, etc.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°

Wrap each sweet potato cube with one 2″ slice of bacon.

Place in one layer on a large parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 45 minutes, turning once

Enjoy with family! (Try not to eat all by yourself)

Remember: There is “Nothin’ better than bacon.”

*Garlicky Cauliflower Soup*

(recipe coming soon…)

*Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry*

Ingredients

2 lbs. grass-fed sirloin, sliced (½ inch)

2-3 Tbsp. Coconut Oil (or butter, ghee, olive oil, etc.)

8 cups Broccoli, chopped

2 yellow onions, thinly sliced

5-6 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup coconut aminos

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Directions

Rub salt on steak, set aside

Heat oil over medium heat in a large sauce pan (or wok)

Add garlic and onions, sauté for 4-5 minutes or until onions turn translucent

Add broccoli and coconut aminos, sauté for ~10 minutes until broccoli is cooked through

Remove broccoli, onions, and garlic, set aside

Add steak to the same pan and sauté until browned on both sides (add 1 Tbsp. coconut oil if needed)

Turn heat to medium-low and add back vegetables to pan with steak

Sauté for another 5-10 minutes until all flavors are incorporated and steak is cooked through

*Triple Fudge Brownies*

adapted from TGIPaleo (**omitted bacon and used Carob powder in place of cocoa powder)

*”Magical” Cinna-Vanilla Applesauce*

(FEATURED in our upcoming NEWSLETTER made from Baugher’s Apples)

Brunch Menu:

*The Sassy Mom’s Latte*

w/ Chameleon Cold Brew Coffee (Go to their FacebookHERE and tell them I sent you!)

*What’s Shakin Baked Bacon*

Ingredient

1 package of #sassyapproved Bacon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper (or Silpat Baking Mat) and place bacon on top.

Bake in oven for 18-20 minutes or until bacon reaches desired crispiness (save bacon grease!)

*Sassy’s Gluten-Free French Toast Casserole*

(recipe coming soon…)

*Leftover Scrambled Steak & Eggs*

Ingredients

6 pastured-raised eggs

1 cup leftover *Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry*

1 Tbsp. full fat Coconut Milk (may omit or use regular full fat milk)

1-2 tsp. Bacon Grease

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

pinch of salt

Directions

Whisk together eggs, coconut milk, salt, pepper and garlic powder, set aside.

Heat ~1-2 tsp. bacon grease (from *What’s Shakin Baked Bacon*) over medium heat in a large saucepan.

Add beef/broccoli and sauté to warm up for ~2-3 minutes.

Pour egg mixture over steak and scramble until eggs cooked through.

Stay Sassy and Happy Birthday to the best (and most fashionable) mom ever!

xoxo

 

ps. for my dog lovers out there…here’s my 14-1/2 year old Wheaten Terrier Amber! She is patiently waiting for bacon (her favorite food) in this pic!