The Blossoming Skillet

First Official Planting

2010-03-25T13:07:00.003-04:00

So far in the ground we have planted:

Potatoes (Red & Yukon Golds)
Onions (Yellow & Red)
Chiggia Beets
Carrots
Turnips
No. 9 Sweet Peas

Yesterday was the perfect day to plant...becasue it rained today! Got to love free waterings! We leave town for a short bit this weekend, and while on the road I will be hunting for sweet potato starters and look forward to coming home starting our seeds and installing our rain barrels.

Planting last night, got me so excited for gardening and harvesting this summer. So, if you need a little encouragement go find any pictures of last year's harvest and remember how well you ate during harvest days!

Gardening Time is Knocking

2010-03-24T14:32:00.002-04:00

So much is popping up already. I have horseradish, chives, garlic and cilantro all growing and thriving. I also have Sorrel. All of my sorrel is back (4) and I should have my first salad of the year in about one week. I am so excited!

Here is what to be done in March, so enjoy those warm days:

Garden Wish List
Draw out your garden map/plot
Plant cold loving vegetables - potatoes, onions, broccoli, spinach, carrots, beets, etc.
Start your seeds indoors - make sure you sterilize your pots from last year!
Write yourself a garden chore list - We have tings on our with specific dates like set-up rain barrels, trim the bushes, empty compost, rototill garden, set out bird baths. Once you have your list you have your goals set for the weekends, and it's amazing how much quicker you'll get these done by already having a plan.

Off to play in the dirt and plant my peas and then pick up my potatoes and onions! Happy spring gardening!

Chewy Granola Bars

2009-10-08T09:29:00.003-04:00

I haven't eaten enough out of my pantry/freezer to make room for my ice cream maker, however, I did find the time this week to make a new recipe for chewy granola bars from a client of mine. Let me tell you these are good! I think they taste like "Quaker Oats" without all the yucky stuff. Here is the original recipe and here is my adapted version....of course with what I had in my pantry.

Chewy Granola Bars

Yields 12-16 bars

2 cups oats

3/4 cup wheat germ

3/4 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup peanuts, crushed (optional)

1/3 cup flax seed

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

4 Tbsp butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

8 oz. dried fruit

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a 9x13 cake pan with wax paper and spray with nonstick spray. Mix together peanuts, oats, flax seed, wheat germ, and sunflower seeds in a cookie sheet with sides. Toast them in the oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

In a medium sauce pan mix together brown sugar, honey, butter, vanilla, and salt and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.

Mix together toasted grain mixture, syrup and dried fruit in a mixing bowl. Pour mixture in prepared glass dish. Spread out the mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula. With wax paper press granola mixture into pan, ensuring even thickness. Let cool completely. Carefully turn granola onto cutting board and peel off wax paper. Cut granola bars into preferred size and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Store in an airtight container on counter for a week or in fridge for 2 weeks.

Notes: Peanuts are optional, either omit or add extra seeds or fruit.

I think my next batch might include some toasted coconut. Enjoy!

Chocolate Syrup

2009-10-05T13:21:00.004-04:00

I've been having a serious craving for chocolate milk and wouldn't you know I don't have any Hershey's in the house. Since I'm on my eating from the pantry only kick, I challenged myself to find a way to make chocolate syrup. This recipe is so easy and I think it actually tastes better than store bought so I'm so excited to share it. Plus all the ingredients are everyday items in your pantry, so why spend the extra money and put those questionable ingredients in your body?

Chocolate Syrup
Yields 2 1/4 cups

1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
2 cups sucanat sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan over low heat, mix together cocoa and water until dissolved. Add sucanat and stir. Boil for 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add salt and vanilla. Mix well. Let syrup cool. Pour into sterile container/jar and store in the fridge up to 1 month.

Notes: This won't last a month, you'll consume it much quicker! The syrup thickens as it cools, so don't worry about it being too thin.

For more recipes and homemaking ideas check out Homemaker Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, and Slightly Indulgent Mondays

Frugal boycot

2009-10-02T10:46:00.008-04:00

After taking a long hiatus from blogging during the busy summer, I look forward to posting many new recipes, experiments and knowledge that I have gleaned through the time.

After a long day out of the house, I was wondering what to cook and decided to run to the grocery store. I looked through my pantry and cabinets one last time to make sure I didn't forget to pick anything up that I needed and realized how much food we already have in the house! I mean we have grains, proteins, vegetables, fruits and the list could continue. You must consider how much, I have dehydrated, canned and still have fresh from the garden.

At that moment I felt slightly embarrassed for having this much food in the house for two people. How can I justify buying 50 pounds...yes fifty pound of wheat, if I wasn't going to make bread with it and instead buy bread at the store, that I think is always dry. So, as of Tuesday night I am boycotting the grocery store for 10 days. 10 days because I would like to cook Brian a killer meal for his birthday and will not forgo that. I do have three exceptions:

1. Meat
2. Milk - does a body good
3. Eggs

These exception can only be made when we are absolutely out of said item. Actually, there is one more exception being that I will need to go grocery shopping for clients but that list can not include anything for my personal household. So if you see me at the grocery store, please know I am not cheating. It's business.

So, we are actually on day four of no grocery shopping and I think I'm cooking my best meals yet. We are craving a few items that I will play with over the weekend and share recipes for next week. Most things being healthier when you make them yourself and cheaper to so I am really excited.

Next week's recipes include:
Chocolate syrup (you know like Hershey's)
Ranch (with Kefir)
Ice Cream (Brian has a craving for a new flavor)
Chewy Granola Bars

So, I challenge you take stock and clean out those cabinets and pantry's. Of course please do this responsibly and don't compromise your health or dietary needs. However, I know many of you have deep freezers:).

By utilizing what you have you might see a little surplus in your grocery bill this month. So, I want to hear what is your bulk guilty pleasure? I already confessed mine was the bag of wheat.

Check out more frugal tips here.

Look Ma!

2009-08-24T19:24:00.003-04:00

Brian and I headed up to the vegetable auction last week and came home with some fabulous fruits and veggies. One I was so excited about was Elderberries. A friend of mine had just been talking about how much she loved elderberry jam and how she couldn't find any this year. So, when I saw them go up for auction and no one bidding on them, I quickly threw up my number and snagged them for a ridiculous price, already thinking of giving my friend homemade jam for Christmas. How excited and thrilled she would be.

So.......I'm sure you've guessed by now she isn't getting jam. More like elderberry brittle candy. I'm not sure what happened and won't go into the full detail of trying to get hard molten elderberry candy out of jars but let me tell you this, it is good! I think next time I'll use a recipe with pectin in it. All I'm saying is that the recipe called for you to cook it thick, well I did.

Lost Ladybug Project

2009-07-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

Cornell University is surveying ladybug species and need our help. Through www.lostladybug.org you can send in the ladybugs you find in your backyard and help out their project. It's super easy and a great project for the kids when they get bored this summer. Check it out, here, and let your hunt begin!

We found a little 0ver 20 ladybugs on one plant alone and they were hatching! It was a great find for us.....bad find for the aphids.

Strawberry Jam

2009-06-29T14:29:00.007-04:00

After finding strawberries on sale for $1.44/lb, we decided it was time to try my hand at canning some jam. It turned out beautifully. I did learn a few things along the way, and thought I would pass on some words of wisdom:

When canning jam with 12.5 quarts of strawberries........

Make sure you have PLENTY of sugar. I started with 5 pounds and told my husband to take the car for the day and therefore ended up riding my bike back to the store to pick up 10 more pounds. Let me tell you, hills are not any easier with an extra 10 pounds on your back.
Give your self plenty of time and schedule in a nap for the day.
Everything will be sticky.......even Buzz (my dog) had a pink spot on him earlier. Not sure how yet, he wasn't in the kitchen.
Make sure you have fresh made bread to "try" it out on.
Exercise the day before and probably after - you will eat a gazillion slices of bread with this new love of yours. Yes, the bike ride will help:).

It's quite sweet because this homemade jam reminds Brian of his grandma who used to make it and for me, there is nothing better than enjoying summer's freshest in the middle of a blizzard:).

Enjoy what others are up to at Homemaker's Monday.

P.S. I must brag a little, did you see in the first picture the waterbath pot I got for $2 last year at goodwill. Perfect for canning when a pressure cooker isn't needed.

You scream......

2009-06-26T12:57:00.000-04:00

I scream, we all scream for ice cream! It's that season! Last fall on a ridiculous clearance buy we purchased the ice cream maker attachment for my kitchen aid mixer.

We absolutely love it. The attachment came with a recipe book that has been great, but some of our favorite flavors have been pure experimental. Among of favorite is Banana Chocolate Chip. Lately, I've been experimenting with kefir ice cream. Today I made a strawberry-kefir ice cream that turned out fabulous! For all you kefir chugging families here it is:

Strawberry-Kefir Ice Cream

2 cups Kefir
1 1/2 cup strawberry puree
1 cup simple syrup (I make mine from turbinado)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Once well chilled follow your ice cream makers manual and start churning.

This recipe has been a great way to use up extra kefir and to also get into our bodies other than just smoothies. For those who haven't stepped into the wonderful world of kefir and it's health benefits check out Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking and she'll explain it to you.

Bonding with Dad

2009-06-23T16:40:00.003-04:00

This Father's Day I was not able to celebrate with my Dad, however, I had the honor to celebrate my Father in Law. He is one of the smartest men I know. He seems to know everything about anything! His knowledge amazes me. What also amazes me is the way he sacrificially gives up his time to help us and teach us the skills we need. And has a happy heart doing it. What better way to bond and celebrate everything he does for us than to learn how to kill and dress three chickens together! Nothing says love like chopping and plucking chickens in 90 degree weather.

Now I don't have any pictures of the day to show you, nor do I think you want to see pictures from Sunday. However, I do want to share one particular way I took advantage of fresh chicken bones, necks and all that other gross stuff you really don't want to eat.

Homemade Chicken Stock

Let me encourage you this was so easy and I am thrilled, this will be preserved and not in my freezer. I save vegetable scraps in a ziplock bag in my freezer until I have enough to make stock so I was ready to roll when they told us we were going be getting some fresh chicken.

In a nutshell, find a stock recipe. It's fairly simple, chicken bones and/or meat, celery, carrots, onions, peppercorns, 2 bay leaves and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours. Strain and let chill over night. Skim the fat from the top and discard. Bring stock back to a boil and follow basic canning procedure - you know sterilize jars, keep hot, boil lids and rings. Using your pressure cooker, process jars at 10 pounds for 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts. Let cool, wipe down jars and store away for that perfect soup day.....or until your dad comes over and you are cooking for him.

Why it pays to cook from scratch.......

2009-06-19T13:13:00.007-04:00

Did you see this headline today?

"Nestle recalls Toll House cookie dough products"

Check out the full article here and in the mean time here's the latest list on what is being recalled:

refrigerated cookie bar dough
refrigerated cookie dough tub
refrigerated cookie dough tubes
refrigerated limited edition cookie dough items
refrigerated seasonal cookie dough
refrigerated Ultimates cookie bar dough

It includes all flavors chocolate chip dough,gingerbread, sugar and peanut butter cookie dough.

It does not affect any other Toll House products, including ice cream that contains Toll House raw cookie dough.

E. coli is lurking again.........

Rice Flour Give Away Winners Are.........

2009-05-02T08:28:00.003-04:00

Thank you all who entered the rice flour giveaway. I think those lucky ones who get to try it are going to fall in love with it. So, drumroll please...........

Kelly at Life Under The Rock

Mommy Amy at The A to Z Twins

Cksknitter

If I don't have your email or contact info please contact me and I will get out first thing in the mail!

From the generous folks at.....

2009-04-27T19:16:00.001-04:00

Koda Farms who produce fabulous rice flour for all sorts of recipes have sent me a couple of boxes of Mochiko Rice flour to share with a few lucky readers.

This flour is fabulous and is a great gluten free alternative for both baking and cooking. It's properties are a great combination of wheat flour and cornstarch when cooking and thickening. You can make roux with it or turn it into a slurry (like cornstarch) and thicken soups and sauces, quickly and easily. Best of all, it's great when you are freezing meals to use later.

So if you are interested here's how to let me know (you'll get an entry for each one):
1. Leave a comment letting me know what you would try it out in first.
2. Become a follower of my blog.
3. Give me a shout out on your blog letting people know about the giveaway.

I'll choose a winner by Saturday Morning so check back.

P.S. I have three boxes to give away! and for more giveaways check out Heavenly Homemakers!

99 cent project

2009-04-24T12:35:00.006-04:00

That will soon be covered by my sweet pea vines. This new trellis of sorts would be perfect for any climbing vegetable. I know it looks a little silly now, give me a few weeks and it will be a beautiful statue of peas. We got the original idea out of the magazine Organic Gardening. I can't find their "blue prints" online, however, this was so easy with your own creativity and possible trash you should be able to come up with one too!

Brian found an old bike in the trash that was in horrible condition so we took the wheel off and then took the tire itself off of the rim. From there we screwed it onto an old 10 foot piece of landscape timber that was about to be thrown out also. We buried the timber about 2 feet in the ground. I didn't want anything permanent because I want to be able to rotate along with the veggies next year.

So once it is firmly in the ground we looped twine (99 cents - the only cost in the project) through the bike rim and also attached it to stakes in the ground. As you can see in the picture above. From there you are all set. I'm excited for my peas to be able to have plenty of growing space and to have some interesting height in my garden!

Let me know what you are up to in your garden or how your projects are working out!

For more frugal ideas, gardening tips and other homemade projects check out Frugal Friday, Peterson Clan's Gardening Club and Go Graham Go!.

Not over yet.......

2009-04-22T14:38:00.005-04:00

I love hot chocolate (very guilty pleasure) and it probably is one of my top three favorite things about winter time. Cold mornings, not having to go anywhere are perfect for hot chocolate.

For years, my Nana and I would eat what we called a chocolate sandwich. Not sure how this started, it would consist of french bread and almost anything chocolate....anything from a triple chocolate chunk cookie to a chocolate bar. As I grew up and moved away I would get care packages and inside would always make me smile when I came to a package of chocolate bars. Between not really sure what type of chocolate this actually is and not really caring, I would always make a sandwich and think of her.

During the winter, I take these same chocolate bars and turn them into hot chocolate. It's one cup of milk per chocolate bar. Many times, I end up finding these in the international aisle in the grocery store. We still have a few cold morning left......enjoy the hot chocolate while you can:).

I want to hear about your winter time guilty pleasure or your favorite hot chocolate recipe.

Chewy Breakfast Bars

2009-04-20T11:22:00.007-04:00

This is one of our favorite breakfast for on the go mornings paired up with a kefir shake or even an afternoon snack while running errands. The recipe is pretty flexible and you can substitute any of the fruits with what ever you have on hand or find on a great sale.

Chewy Breakfast Bars
Yields 24 Bars

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 cake pan or small baking sheet

2. Combine the following ingredients in a large mixing bowl :

4 1/2 cups Old Fashion Oats
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried peaches, chopped
1 1/4 cup wheat germ (whole wheat flour is fine - you just lose good fiber and nutrients)
1/4 cup raw flaxseeds, pulsed a few times in a food processor
2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon

3. In a small sauce pan combine the following ingredients until smooth:

2 tsp. molasses (or low sugar fruit butter)
2 cup honey
3 tsp. vanilla extract

4. Pour into baking sheet and pack it. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Cut and enjoy.

5. Wrap extra bars individually in plastic wrap or small baggies and place in an air tight container.

Notes:
Make a double or triple batch for the month and freeze anything you won't eat within the first week. They freeze great! If not frozen they will last for about 2 weeks, give or take the conditions.

Other fruits that work out great are currants, raisins and assorted dried berries. You can also sub in raw almonds in for other great nutrients.

Check out other great recipes here and here and menu planning ideas, here.

Homemade Tahini

2009-04-10T13:13:00.004-04:00

Susie writes: "I've heard of tahini but cannot find it in any of the stores in my area. Is something that can be made at home? If so, how do you make? Or are there any other options besides the tahini in the hummus?"

Tahini is a paste of ground sesame seeds. At times it can be pretty pricey, however, most recipes call for you to use it sparingly and it last in the fridge for a really long time. So it's worth the money in my eyes. I just finished mine off and think it's a little over a year old. I typically find tahini in the International section of my grocery store or in mom and pop Greek/Mediterranean grocery stores. If you can't find it, it is very easy to make.

Tahini
Yields 2 cups

2 C toasted sesame seeds
1/3 cup olive oil or vegetable oil

Put the sesame seeds in your food processor (a blender might work), and drizzle in the olive oil. Puree the seeds and oil for 3-5 minutes until smooth and creamy. If your tahini is a little thick add a small amount of water or oil at a time until it reaches it's desired consistancy. Store in an airtight container in your fridge.

And if your food processor is already out and dirty, you might as well make hummus with it!

Notes: As far as substitutes for tahini, I would recommend using unsweetened peanut butter or another nut butter, such as almonds. Just get one with as little sugar in it as possible and stir a few drops of sesame oil in it before adding to your recipe.

Check out the Recipe Swap at Grocery Cart Challenge.

Hummus

2009-04-09T06:33:00.005-04:00

We love hummus around our house. It's a great protein when paired with a whole wheat pita. It's also a great inexpensive snack for company or even yourselves. Not to mention easy to make! If you don't want the carbs or eating it with pita or chips, try snacking on this dip with celery, broccoli or cucumbers!

Hummus
Yields: 4 cups

3 cups cooked chickpeas*
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup tahini
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/2 cup olive oil, or to taste
1/2 cup water

In a food processor, purée the chickpeas, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, oil, water, scraping down the sides, until the hummus is smooth. If the hummus is too thick try adding a little more olive oil or water in small increments. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer hummus to a bowl, garnish and dig in!

Notes/Options:
*Cooked Chickpeas - I prefer to soak mine and the cook them in the pressure cooker. Way less sodium and just better for you, however, it you are in a pinch you can use canned ones. Just make sure to drain and rinse them first.

Hummus keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for a week.

Try adding other flavorful vegetables and herbs, such as:

Roasted Peppers
Roasted Garlic
Fresh Basil
Rosemary
Parsley
Roasted Eggplant
Paprika
Jalapenos or other spicy peppers

Check out the Recipe Swap at Grocery Cart Challenge.

Re: Pistachios Recall

2009-04-08T15:00:00.000-04:00

Here is the latest update with the pistachio recall. Just in case you have been hiding underneath the dirty laundry or a rock. Last week the FDA put out a consumer warning recalling pistachios due to salmonella.

Check out the this FDA website to find out which products have been effected by the latest recall. They have it set up so you can search by Brand name, UPC code or Product description. Can't make it much safer than that! Further down the page they also have listed items to be looking for that may still be lurking in your pantry or freezer.

Making Buttermilk

2009-04-07T11:00:00.005-04:00

Browsing through other blogs (got to love carnivals!) I stumbled upon Sandra at Keeping it Simple. She had a great idea for making your own buttermilk. You can find the original post here with pictures or check it out below.

Saving Flavor & Money

You just don't get that real buttermilk flavor in your baked goods from milk with vinegar or lemon juice added like you do with the real thing. Our one grocery store hardly ever has buttermilk so I would have to substitute for it until I found out this neat trick. Make my own! I now keep 2 quart jars just for this. I have not bought buttermilk in almost a year and I never run out.

Just put about an inch deep of buttermilk into one of the jars. Fill the rest of the way up with regular milk. Any percent will do. Let it set out on your counter for 6-12 hours, depending on the temperature. Just like yogurt, this needs to be warm to multiply, but you don't heat it. On colder days you will need to let it set out 12 hours. Then you just refrigerate it. When that jar gets about half way empty, I just do another one. Make sure you use the clean jar to start it with each time instead of just filling up the last one. Never buy buttermilk again. You will have the real flavor of buttermilk.

Now what to do with homemade buttermilk?!?! Please leave me ideas for recipes in my comments section. I'm thinking the standard pancakes but I would love to hear how you cook with buttermilk and get a little more creative than pancakes.

Waiting for Lunch Time!

2009-04-07T09:51:00.007-04:00

Occassionally when I have to work late, my husband makes dinner for us and when I get home I make lunch for us for the next day. Knowing how hard it is to get into the office microwave line, i decided to utilize a few items that I already had in the fridge and make a killer chilled spring time salad with them.

And don't let the name scare you off! Sorry no picture...........

Potato and Pea Salad with Sweet Lemon Vinaigrette
Serves 4

3 each chicken breasts, cooked and chunked
3 each medium baked potatoes, chunked
3 cups peas, fresh or frozen, (just blanched then chilled)
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
Scallions or chives, optional

Sweet Lemon Vinaigrette
2 cups Olive Oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons turbinado (or sugar)
1 tablespoon garlic powder

In a mixing bowl, combine ingredients for vinaigrette and whisk vigorously. Add the salad ingredients, making sure they are all chilled. Toss, making sure to completely coat all ingredients and chill over night. Serve chilled.

Notes:

Omit the chicken and have a great side dish salad for a BBQ
Substitute the brown rice for a whole wheat pasta
Sub in Turkey for Chicken
Add corn for a little more color and extra nutrients

Check out More Lunch Time Recipes at Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

Spring Gripe.......

2009-04-06T14:26:00.004-04:00

Would you believe yesertday we spent all day in the garden and working on the flower beds in 65° sunshine and today it is gloomy and snowing/sleeting?

By last night we were running around trying to cover up some of our tender plants just in case. The snow isn't sticking, however, I didn't want any plants to freeze too bad. So right now in our garden, it looks like we are growing large plastic bottles and plant pots. Over our flower beds, we covered our tender lovelies with antique windows resting at an angle between the garage side wall and the sidewalk so any snow that might fall would not rest in the plants. Yes, a little overprotective. I know so chill is good for them but is there a too much point?

I'd love to hear tricks of your own to save your plants. My backyard is looking pretty random right about now.

Food Recall

2009-03-31T07:59:00.006-04:00

Today, I found this article warning consumers another possible outbreak of salmonella linked to pistachios. Here's the article: FDA says to avoid pistachios.

The recall is still pretty vague, but they are recalling items from as far back as last fall. This will most likely include not just roasted pistachios, it will also include items like cake mixes, trail mixes, puddings and any other convenience foods that have pistachios as an ingredient.

I'm not saying start throwing your items away. I would however, pull them out of your pantry and set them aside until a more firm list has been provided by the FDA. As always, if you have eaten anything or your kids have just keep an eye out for any symptoms like diarrhea, fever and cramping. Also as a note, if you have any products labeled by Setton Farms, I would just toss those. The lost money isn't worth the sickness.

I'll continue to update this post with any additional information. Stay healthy!

This blog was hooked up also with Talk about it Tuesday, Tackle It Tuesday and Tightwad. Tuesday

Caramelized Bananas

2009-03-29T22:01:00.008-04:00

This recipe is perfect when you are craving a late night dessert but are also looking for something that can give your body some nutrients. I first found this recipe in my Eating Well Magazine. We had an excess of bananas around the house this week due to me buying more on clearance while my green ones were still ripening. Well now they are all ripe and between bananas at lunch, in smoothies and now as dessert they will disappear soon. Ok, that and I froze a bunch (no pun intended) for the upcoming week's smoothies.

Caramelized Bananas
Yields: 2 Servings

2 medium firm bananas, peeled
1/2 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cut bananas in half lengthwise. Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and lay the banana slices on top, cut side up. Cook undisturbed for 20 seconds, then orange juice and cinnamon. Cook for 10 seconds, then turn bananas carefully and cook for 45 to 60 seconds more, basting with the pan sauce. Divide the bananas between 2 dessert plates, drizzling the sauce on top. Serve immediately.

Note: The bananas cook very fast. Make sure you you are ready to start your batch because if they over cook they will turn mushy. Enjoy!

What are your favorite fruity desserts? What fruit are you most looking forward to in the summer?

Check out other Fabulous Recipes at Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

Gardening Wish List

2009-03-27T07:16:00.003-04:00

I don't keep an annual book reading list and I never got around to making a goal list for 2009. One thing however, that is always being updated and added to is my Garden wish list for the following or current year. I keep a gardening journal so I can remember what types of plants I started what what we enjoyed the most, or even what was the easiest to grow and we go from there.

So, after many requests here is this years current garden wish list. The list includes the vegetable, the amount and how I plan on preserving it.

Potatoes - 15 plants - Can/Dehydrate/Root Cellar
Onions - 75 each - Dehydrate/Root Cellar
Butter Crunch Lettuce - 6 plants - Fresh
Roma Tomatoes - 12 plants - Dehydrate/Can (Spaghetti sauce, salsa, juice)
Heirloom Tomato - 1 plant - Fresh (Tomato Sandwiches)
Kale - 6 plants - Dehydrate/Can
Jalapenos - Fresh/Dehydrate
Assorted Gourds - 9 plants - Dry/Ornamental
Eggplant - 6 plants - Dehydrate
Royal Burgundy Beans - 9 plants - Can
Bell Pepper - 6 plants - Dehydrate
No. 9 Peas - 9 plants - Freeze/Dehydrate (?)
Okra - 3 plants - Fresh
Fig Tree - 1 tree - Dehydrate/Can
Beets - 9 plants - Ahh, I have no idea yet. Can/Dehydrate maybe?

We also have an apple tree, pear tree, strawberry patch, grape vine, chives and some horseradish that have all come back from last year and are doing great. As you can see Brian agreed to a fig tree, now I just have to order it. I am so excited. We will also have an assortment of herbs like basil, purple basil, sorrel, lavender, lemon balm, oregano, mint, parsley and a few others. Some have already come back from last year and some are still seedlings.

In the ground right now, you (Midwest) should be planting potatoes, onions, cabbage, kale, lettuce and horseradish. Our nursery didn't get in their cold weather plants so we are going tomorrow to pick up our starters. No, I am not a die hard seed starter. I split my plants between seeds and starters and am slowly building up to start everything from seeds. If you aren't sure about what to be planting right now talk to your local nursery or call your closest gardening relative.

What's your favorite vegetable to grow in your garden? I'd also love to hear about what you plan on growing this year. Leave me a comment.

Check out other Green Projects at Heavenly Homemakers.

Breaking a promise........

2009-03-26T06:10:00.001-04:00

I found Bananas on sale this week at a fabulous price, however, they are still fabulously green too. So I haven't tried the Caramelized Banana recipe as promised. I am hoping over the weekend to enjoy this recipe not once but twice. So I look forward to sharing it with you on Monday.

I do have a fabulous recipe to share with you today though. This one was inspired by my In-laws when they shared with me a few parsnips that they had just harvested. They grew through the winter and they just dug them out late last week. We are already beginning our list of veggies to grow over the winter. So if you have a running list make a note.

So, I was just dying to roast them for dinner the next night. That morning I couldn't wait, I wanted to eat them now. While Brian was still dreaming I started shredded and born was the parsnip pancake.

Please notice my super cool red silicone skillet grip my sister help me win/earn.

Parsnip Pancakes
Serves 6

2 pounds parsnips, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoon basil, minced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced or powdered
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat griddle. In a mixing bowl, mix all ingredients together until well combined. Make a small patty and test to ensure 1. the patties stick together and 2. they taste good. Adjust any flavoring as needed. (Everyone is different) Cook the following parsnip pancakes until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Enjoy!

Variations - Switch the basil and Parmesan cheese to these:
Jalapeno and Cheddar
Sun Dried Tomato and Mozzarella
Green Onions and Colby
Pepper Jack and Diced tomatoes
Cumin, Black beans (mashed slightly) and cheddar cheese

We enjoyed these patties with homemade Kefir sour cream. If you make a large batch, cook half way and then lay them out on a baking sheets and freeze them. Transfer them to a ziplock container after frozen.

I'd love to hear about your favorite slightly odd breakfast meals.

For more freezer recipes check out Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Simplest of Kitchen Tools

2009-03-24T07:00:00.002-04:00

Ever have some one salt their coffee instead of adding sugar because they grabbed the wrong container in the pantry? Do you have mystery meat lurking in your freezer? How old is it and is it safe to eat? Labeling is such a crucial part of keeping your kitchen safe and organized.

For my dry and bulk goods, most of them can be found in mason jars with the white plastic lids. After flying though many address labels and scrubbing them off the jars too many times, I started thinking, there must be a better way. Enter the Junk drawer. Every kitchen has one, just admit it. I started digging and came upon this beauty:

Dry erase markers work beautifully on the white lids for mason jars and wipe away clean ready for the next use. I have been using mine for the past month, testing it out and it has helped so much. My dry goods are marked and identified. No more, umm can you grab the small yellow grain for me on top of the fridge in the jar.....no the other one, no one more to the left, umm...your other left.

Test it out and let me know what you think. Please share your kitchen organizing ideas with me too! I am always looking for new tricks. Make sure you check out Kitchen Tip Tuesdays and Talk About It Tuesday to see what other people are sharing.

Bird seed anyone?

2009-03-23T07:15:00.004-04:00

The main ingredient in today's recipe is also a very popular ingredient in bird seed. So gather your fine feathered friends and enjoy today's side dish recipe.

This recipe from Eating Well Magazine (thank you for your votes) turned out fabulous and I think it would even have the pickiest of eaters grabbing seconds. Make sure you read my notes at the end because I have some fabulous variations that will make your family go crazy for this recipe and make your dinner time a little easier. I also loved this recipe because a cup of millet and a few other inexpensive ingredients made a generous yield for our dinner. Definitely a frugal side dish.

Millet provides B vitamins, some protein, and excellent fiber. If you want more info on millet check out this great website and if you just want to get cooking already, here is the recipe. Here's the original version too (link), for testing purposes I didn't alter it hugely.

Savory Millet Cakes
12 Patties (6 servings)

6 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup millet
1 garlic clove
3 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shredded zucchini
1/3 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened. Stir in millet and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water and salt and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, stirring once or twice, for 20 minutes. Stir in zucchini, carrot, Parmesan, thyme, lemon zest and pepper. Cook, uncovered, maintaining a simmer and stirring often to keep the millet from sticking, until the mixture is soft, very thick and the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes more.

Remove from the heat and let stand, stirring once or twice, until cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes.

With dampened hands, shape the millet mixture into 12 patties..

Heat 5 tablespoon oil in a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add 4 millet cakes and cook until the bottoms are browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully turn the cakes with a wide spatula and cook until the other side is browned. Cook the remaining cakes in batches, reducing the heat if necessary to prevent burning. Enjoy!

Additional Options:

Substitute the water for chicken stock and the Parmesan cheese for cheddar and make a millet style mac and cheese patty for the kids.
Add pureed veggies to the patties for more hidden vegetable servings.
Make more for later. After shaping the patties lay out on a baking sheet and freeze. Then transfer them to a zip lock bag and keep them for another dinner. Just thaw and pan fry.
Substitute carrots for sun dried tomatoes and thyme for fresh basil and have an Italian style patty.

I'd love to hear any other creative versions of this recipe. It's definitely staying around this dinner table. In the words of my husband after his first bite......

"Oh Yeah, I dig this."

For more great recipes and tips check out Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday.

Poll Results

2009-03-22T06:10:00.003-04:00

Thank you for all the votes on my poll. Last week's poll question, "Which recipe should I test next and post?" had a two way tie. So, I am just going to have to try both! Monday I will be posting the Savory Millet Cakes and later in the week we will try the Caramelized Bananas for dessert and it will be posted as well.

Check back during the week to see how both of these recipes turn out! In the meantime, I'd love to hear what you might be experimenting with this week. Drop me a note.

Ultimate Blog Party!

2009-03-21T07:57:00.004-04:00

If you already haven't check it out 5 minute moms is hosting The Ultimate Blog Party. It's a great chance to browse new blogs and made connections from all over.

A little about my blog. Our family is striving to eat healthier one step at a time. My passion is creating healthy and flavorful meals within a short period of time. I run my own personal chef and catering business so not only do I feel the need to set a good example, I also have a hectic schedule.

I love gardening and growing our own food. In fact probably by the time this gets posted, I'll be outside with my husband digging in our front flower bed. My blog is all about making life simple and easy through tried and true gardening tips and techniques and with fabulous recipes.

I love being in my kitchen experimenting new recipes. I look forward to sharing new recipes with new readers and current readers. If you have tried any let me know!

Planning your garden

2009-03-20T07:00:00.004-04:00

There are a few different concepts on how to pick what you grow in your garden. I go off of a few easy concepts and sometimes get a little spontaneous as I see all the fabulous vegetables at the nursery.

What we like to eat- I am a huge vegetable eater.My hubby, is so so. Knowing this I buy more of what we will both eat and a little less of what I only eat and enjoy those vegetables for lunch when he is at work. This goes for starting plants from seeds also.
Grow according to preserving - I am a dehydrating and canning machine in the summertime. We don't have an extra freezer so I grow vegetables to how I can preserve them for the winter. For example, we love broccoli but other than freezing, I'm not sure how to preserve it, so we grow one or two plants to consume fresh. Tomatoes on the other hand get turned into juice, sauce, dehydrated and paste; so needless to say we grow a lot.
What's in your inventory- How much pickled okra did you really go through last year? Still have jars upon jars of a certain vegetable? I suggest just growing enough of that vegetable this year to enjoy fresh. Leave that extra space for growing more of another vegetable you ate all gone or try a new vegetable
How long is your season?- Have a short growing season? Try growing varieties with shorter maturing period. Don't pick a vegetable that takes 100 days to mature, try something with a quick turn around or start those seeds inside.
How you eat- This is similar to no. 1, however, how you eat can vary from what you like to eat. Are you in a hurry come dinner time? Grow vegetables that are quick and easy to prepare like green beans, asparagus or greens. After picking and washing, all these vegetables only need a quick blanch or saute and they are on the table in minutes.
Nutritional Content- Multivitamins supplements are good, however, growing a garden is the best multivitamin of all. Take the time to research which vegetables are high in which vitamins and then grow accordingly to what you are lacking in your diet or know will help your family grow strong. Get a mixture of "vitamins" to grow in your garden.
Vacationing- We learned this the hard way. If you plan to be out of town for a week or two enjoying the sun at the beach and don't have some one to come over to check your garden everyday try and choose vegetable varieties that do well in dry conditions just in case there is no rain or your veggie babysitter forgets to stop by.
Sunshine vs. Shade- Watch the location of your garden for a few days and map out how much sun the different spots get. You need to supply the right amount of light for your plants to grow properly. I plant my lettuce where they get the morning sun, but come afternoon they are being shaded by the apple tree's shadow.
Rotation- Rotating crops is an important part of gardening as to not strip your soil from nutrients or creating harmful pathogens. Plan your garden according to where and what you planted last year.

Have any tips of your own? How do you pick out what veggies you like to grow? I'd love to hear from you, please leave me a comment. You never know, maybe I'll be growing one of your suggestions this year! I'll even name the plant after you.

After many requests, next Friday I will be posting up my garden growing list and the why's behind it. I'm still hoping to talk my husband into that fig tree I want, so hopefully in a week's time I'll be adding that to my list!

For more green topics and ideas check out The Little Green Project.

Simply irresistible........

2009-03-18T11:29:00.009-04:00

Chocolate is a finer thing in our life. We don't have sweets too often in the house, so when I make this, it is a special treat. This recipe is our guilty pleasure time to time and especially for our in home date nights. I've altered the recipe a little to include my gluten free friends.

Molten Lava Cake with Raspberry Truffle
Yields: 4 individual cakes

2 ounces seedless raspberry jam (or blackberry)
5 eggs
5 egg yolks
3 ounces turbinado (or other sugar)
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
8 ounces butter
2 ounces Mochiko rice flour

Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease and flour (4) 6-8 ounce ramekins. In a double boiler, melt chocolate, butter and jam. Mix thoroughly. Allow to cool to room temperature. In the mean time whip the eggs, yolks and sugar together. Incorporate room temperature chocolate mixture to egg mixture and mix well. Gently stir in rice flour.

Pour cake batter into ramekins and bake on the middle rack of the oven for4-6 minutes. The center of the cake will be soft to the touch (this is the "lava"). Run a butter knife along the sides of the ramekin and turn it onto serving plate. Serve immediately.

Note: You can make this up to a day ahead of serving. Simply make the batter and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before baking. You can also dust with confectioners sugar before serving.

For more great recipes check out The Ultimate Recipe Swap.

New Toy

2009-03-18T09:11:00.008-04:00

I love new kitchen toys. This one is actually to replace an "old friend" who is about 23 years old, has been loyal for the past 7 years and has moved 6 times. It will soon be moving again to help bring joy to another household. I am so excited to introduce you to my new Food processor! Check out this beauty.
Are you done laughing yet? I know, no fancy stainless steel and it's easily over 20 years old. And yes, this is an upgrade for me. What I love most about this one is it's faux wood panel at the controls. It might look dark brown to you but in person it's wood grain. It cracks me up. We recently went to goodwill and I found it for $3.99. It's double the size of my old one which we have out grown and totally works great. My husband on the other hand thought I was a little crazy due to how old it is, much louder it is and it isn't very modern. Here's my theory though. I love older kitchen appliances at goodwill because chances are some one donated them because they upgraded themselves to a "prettier" one. There's nothing wrong with this one and since it's so old, I am guessing it was built and made much better before things started getting cheap.

If you don't own one, I'm not suggesting you go out and buy one, however, if you have wanted one and not sure if you would really like it then check out your goodwill or local thrift store and pick one up for a few bucks and try it out before you make a serious commitment. (Anything over $20 is a serious commitment to me).

I especially love my food processor during canning time when I am trying to puree large batches of spaghetti sauce or tomatoes before cooking down. That's when my $4 investment is going to turn priceless.

Here are a few tips on how to choose a food processor - besides looking at the $3.99 price tag.

Think about the size you will need. If you are cooking for two, consider a 3-4 cup model. If you have a large family, cook for the masses or do huge volumes of canning consider a 7 cup model.
What shortcuts would you like it to help you with? Models can come with extra blades which can include shredding, slicing, chopping or a dough blade.
Compare special features. This may include extra bowls or lids, warranties, speed controls, pulsing option, juicing or mini bowls.
Make sure parts are dishwasher safe. This will save you time again buy not having to wash it by hand.
Double check the warranty to see what it covers and make sure you can buy replacement parts later just in case an accident happens.
I can't resist- check for a sale or coupon.

Anyone have any clever uses for their food processor? I'd love to hear what you use yours for.

Find out what other people are saying about thrift stores and other frugal ideas.

Check out the rest of this week's blog entries to find more quick and easy recipes and gardening tips.

Hawaiian Ginger-Chicken Stew

2009-03-17T08:01:00.003-04:00

This recipe comes from my favorite cooking magazine Eating Well. I just received it in the mail a couple of days ago and after looking at each page quickly and seeing how good each recipe looked, I flipped to this one and instantly knew I wanted to make this recipe for dinner first. I recently downsized in my subscriptions and only kept the magazines I was cooking at least 4 recipes out of monthly. On average I cook over 10 recipes each month from Eating Well Magazine and each month those 10 recipes turns out fabulous. Here's their version on the stew.

And here is mine. I added a few more veggies and substituted a few things according to what I had in my fridge. This is yet again another keeper!

Hawaiian Ginger-Chicken Stew
Serves 2 (maybe 3)

1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 chicken breasts, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 onion, chopped
7 garlic cloves, minced
8 button mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup Marsala wine or dry sherry
3 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian Red Chili Sauce
2 cups canned kale or 1 cup dehydrated kale (from last year garden)
1 cup rice noodles
1/2 bunch cilantro, rough chop

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, about 6 minutes. Add ginger, onion and garlic to the pot and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add mushrooms and carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Add Marsala and cook until mostly evaporated, scraping up any browned bits, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Add soy sauce, chili sauce, kale and rice noodles and cook until the greens and noodles are tender, about 3 minutes.

That simple. It was really quick and easy to make and I loved all the vegetables I loaded it up with.

For more great recipes this Tuesday, check out these blogs Kitchen Tip Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday and Blessed with Grace.

The long journey ends.......

2009-03-15T21:03:00.008-04:00

I have been trying for 3 months to perfect just one bread recipe. Just one. This journey started when my mom gave us a Whisper Mill (grain mill) to start grinding our own flour. The Whisper Mill fit perfectly into my quest of cutting out as much processed food as possible, and always striving to feed us as many nutrients as possible in each bite we take. However, the gift did not come with automatic bread making knowledge or skill. I've had many loaves designated as "crouton or breadcrumb loaves". My husband tried to get me to buy a bread machine to help me out; stubborn me not wanting another device filling my cabinets, simply declined. However, a new day has turned and I have found a bread not only that I can make, but that I love!

My new knight in shining armor goes by the name of Whole Wheat Pita Bread. It is perfect for sandwiches, to go with soup, mini pizzas and you can freeze it! This recipe is very easy and I thought it was so much fun to make. Which only makes me want to make it again. It didn't feel like a chore and my husband was proud of me:).

Whole Wheat Pita Bread
Yields: 14 pitas

1 cup warm water (110° F)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 cups whole wheat flour (and a little extra for rolling dough out)
2 tablespoons gluten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons turbinado (or white sugar)

Preheat oven and pizza stone to 500° F. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water, allow to sit for about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, mix together flour, gluten and salt. Slowly add in yeast mixture and continue to mix until it forms a smooth ball. (This can be done by hand or in a mixer). Roll out into a rope and cut into 14 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and roll out with a rolling pin until it's a 5-7 inch circle.

To Bake: In cycles, roughly three at a time, place shaped pita on hot pizza stone. Allow to bake for about three minutes or until golden brown. Pull pitas out of the oven and immediately place in a Ziploc bag. Allow pitas to cool inside bag. Once cool, transfer pitas to a dry bag and allow "cooling bag" to dry out and save for another use.

To Freeze: After pitas have cooled completely separate each pita with wax paper and store in an airtight container in freezer. Simply pull them out when ready to use and thaw in microwave for 15 seconds.

Notes: Pitas might "poof" after being inside Ziploc bag for a minute gently smash down. These pitas will be perfect for stuffing or sandwiches. Putting the pitas in the plastic bag is important. It allows them to build up condensation and become soft and pliable.

So many ideas for what I want to use these pitas for! I'd love to hear how you would serve these! Please share any ideas in my comment section!

Check out Talk about it Tuesdays for more great topics.

I have been diagnosed.......

2009-03-13T07:30:00.009-04:00

with Garden fever! My sorrel, as you can see in the picture, made a fabulous entrance back into my flowerbed this week. I am so ready for the warmer weather and to be digging in the dirt. There is no other place I would rather be than in a garden in the summer time. As spring is slowly striding into our lives, it is important to start planning now what we want to be eating later. Just when I finally got myself in the habit of weekly meal planning, I need to start planning what I want to be eating in 3 months and over the next winter.

Over the next few weeks, I will be covering various topics on gardening and giving easy tips for gardening and fitting it into your life style.

As for me I've started my garden wish list and even have ordered a few seeds for us. I plan to do a much larger herb garden this year, especially after seeing how fast we went through our preserved herbs over the winter. I've also charted out what and where I want to plant each item, taking into account of what I had planted there last year. Having a plan and goals is important with any big project especially gardens to ensure success and a bountiful harvest.

Here are our garden goals for this year:

Try growing (at least) three new vegetables this year.
Implement proper crop rotation and start a crop cycle schedule for following years.
Save money buy starting half of our planned crops from seeds.
Plant more vegetables that can be stand alone side dishes for busy nights.
Have better control over weeds. (not totally weedless, just better than last year)
One out - one in. When one crop is done for the season, have a secondary crop for the rest of the harvesting season.
Plant two items that can grow during the winter and harvested during the spring.
Introduce more edible landscaping into my flower beds.
Compost, compost, compost! Be more diligent at gathering those vegetable scraps and keep my compost going. I love it when it's all done, just sometimes getting my scrap pile out there is a little tough.

It's not too late to start thinking about developing that green thumb this year. What crop are you most excited about harvesting this summer? Or please share your best crop or most unique crop have you have tried.

Want to see more "Green" ideas and topics, check out this site.
For more Finer Things in life check out Amy's site, here.

Soft Pretzels

2009-03-12T07:23:00.008-04:00

One of our favorite snacks around the house is soft pretzels. After buying a box from the grocery store and seeing ALL the ingredients, I decided.....ok, I can make these better and healthier. After some recipe hunting and recipe twisting this is what I have come up with.

Soft pretzels
Yields roughly 10-12

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup warm flour
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons yeast
2 teaspoons salt

sea salt
3 cups boiling water
4 tablespoons baking soda

Mix together warm water, sugar and yeast. Allow the yeast to proof. In a mixing bowl, mix together flour and salt. Slowly add in yeast mixture and continue to mix until it forms a smooth ball. (This can be done by hand or in a mixer)

Cut the dough into 10 to 12 pieces. Roll into a long rope and then shape into pretzel form. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Allow to rise until doubled in size.

Boil 3 cups of water and baking soda. Drop each pretzel in the water and boil for 1-2 minutes per side. Remove and drain it on a cooling rack. (I do this step, one or two pretzels at a time, be very gentle they are a little fragile)

At this point you have two options:
1. Brush your pretzels with egg wash or water and sprinkle salt on top and Bake them at 425° for 10 minutes or until golden brown, and chow down.

OR

2. After boiling them, let them cool completely. Lay them out on a baking sheet and stick in freezer until frozen, then transfer them to a ziplock bag for storing. When ready to enjoy, follow option no. 1 and cook them for about 12-14 minutes, if frozen.

----------

My husband requested I try making jalapeno-cheddar pretzels next go around. Have any other ideas? Do you have any creative & yummy dipping sauce recipes?

For more recipes head over to the Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Instant Cream of _________

2009-03-11T08:07:00.006-04:00

Trying to fill in the blank? Feel free to fill it in with mushroom, celery, broccoli or even chicken. The recipe I am sharing today is an easy recipe and will eliminate buying the concoction of mystery ingredients that come in a can. I love recipes with condensed creamed soup, however, I shutter when I "plop" it out into my mixing bowl or stir it into my casseroles, yet I can't quite live without the convenience of it.

This recipe is for making a powdered form of cream soup to which you can add fresh or dehydrated mushrooms, celery, onions or whatever you imagination leads you too. Just simply mix it and store it in an air tight container in your pantry.

Instant Cream of (Blank) Soup Mix
Yields: 1 Quart of mix

2 cup instant/powdered milk
3/4 cup Cornstarch or Mochiko flour
1/4 cup Powdered Chicken Broth (Low sodium)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Mix all the ingredients above thoroughly. Store in an airtight container until use.

To use: Bring 1 1/4 cup water to a boil. Whisk in 1/3 cup of dry soup mix. Turn down heat to medium-low and continue stirring until soup has thickened. Ready to use. Options: Add dehydrated flavoring when adding mixture to boiling water or add sauteed fresh vegetables just after you have mix in the soup mix.

Check out more quick & easy recipes here at Slow Cooking Thursdays

Washing your fruits and Veggies

2009-03-09T10:20:00.006-04:00

Last week, I was asked for some tips on how to make sure fruits and veggies were clean and properly washed. This is so important because those little bacteria will quickly become big bacteria if not properly washed off....and then....gulp, digested.

Here are a few helpful tips to keep your produce and families healthy:

1. Wash all produce before serving or storing by rinsing under warm water and vigorously rub with your hands. You want to wash before using because washing before storing can cause the produce to spoil quickly due to the moisture.

2. Always wash produce regardless of you peeling or not eating the outer layer. Melons are a fine example of this. If you have dirt or bacteria on the outside of the melon and then cut into it, your knife is spreading the dirt from the outside to the flesh you are about to consume. Same with peeling carrots or potatoes. Try using a vegetable brush.

3. Don't wash with detergents. The ingredients can cling to the produce and you have the chance to digest those too. Fruits and Vegetables are porous and can absorb anything they come into contact with.

4. Discard the outer leaves on leafy vegetables before washing. Also cut out any bruising during the washing process.

5. When in doubt, just wash it. Better safe than sorry. This goes for bagged salads too. Remember the spinach scare? Is it worth putting your beloved ones at chance?

6. If you still aren't feeling you are getting your veggies squeaky clean try soaking them in equal parts vinegar and water. After about a minute (or less) rinse them under tempid water.

7. Grapes and other small berries. Rinse well under luke warm water in a colander. Do this quickly as to not let any of the juices escape or so you don't damage them. Grapes might still have a natural white coating. This is normal and is called "Bloom". It helps the fruit stay fresh.

Please feel free to post any questions or tips in the comments section. I'd love to hear your ideas! For other kitchen tips check out Kitchen Tip Tuesdays, here.

Mushroom and Parmesan Salad

2009-03-09T09:54:00.002-04:00

This salad has quickly become a favorite and weekly dish around our table. What started as an experiment based off of another recipe quickly became a beloved staple. This recipe is so affordable and a great salad to serve when hosting guests for dinner.

Mushroom and Parmesan Salad
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound button mushrooms, washed & thinly sliced
4 large celery stalks, washed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup Balsamic vinegar (opt. red wine or flavored vinegar)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place the mushrooms, celery and parsley in a medium bowl and toss with olive oil and vinegar. Salt and Pepper to taste. Serve salad in bowls or salad plates and sprinkle on (generously) Parmesan cheese.

Tonight, we opted to turn this side dish into our main meal. We served it over a bed of lettuce and added sliced chicken breast to it. I also bumped up the amounts of vinegar and oil as to also dress the lettuce too!

For more tasty treats checkout Tempt me Tuesdays here and Tasty Tuesday here.

Flavored Vinegars

2009-03-06T03:42:00.003-05:00

I love making my own salad dressings, however, I hate the price on specialty flavored vinegars. Last summer, I decided to tackle this problem with one hand holding a gallon of white vinegar and a fistful of fresh herbs. It's a fun project and a great way to enjoy your summer harvest throughout the winter. I started modestly and made a pint of garlic-oregano vinegar (pictured below) and a pint of purple basil-nasturtium vinegar.

As for any canning project start out with hot sterilized jars, lids and bands. Next, I fill my jar 3/4 of the way with my washed fresh herbs and then fill the rest of the way with boiling vinegar. I screw on my lid and band tightly and allow it to seal and coll completely. Allow the vinegar to steep for atleast 10 days before using it. The last step is to strain it before you begin to enjoy it. The flavored vinegar is great for marinades, salad dressings, and sauces.

Herbs and Edible flowers are always great additions to any vinegar. Get creative and see what you have growing that you can add. See how we used it for a marinade here.

Check out other frugal and nourishing recipes here!

Roasted Pork Loin

2009-03-05T23:59:00.000-05:00

Tonight we are having a roast that has been marinating in one of our flavored vinegars.

Garlic-Oregano Pork Loin

1 cup garlic-oregano vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cumin
salt and pepper
2 pound pork loin

Mix vinegar, oil, cumin, salt and pepper in a ziplock bag. Place roast in the bag and allow to marinade for 12 hours, making sure to flip occasionally. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pork in a roasting pan (fat side up) and pour remaining marinade over it. Put the roast in the oven. Cook about 40-60 minutes or until the meat registers 150 degrees on a meat thermometer. Roasts vary in sizes and in thickness, consequently the cooking times will vary depending on the shape of your roast. The meat thermometer is the best way to judge the right amount of cooking time. Remove the roast from the oven and set on a cutting board. Let it rest for 5 minutes before slices. This is allow the juices to stay within the roast. Enjoy!

I love..........

2009-03-05T09:31:00.010-05:00

Stale Bread!

No, I'm not running a fever or losing my mind. I love stale bread! Just when you think oh gross, I'm thinking oh yeah, croutons! In the back of my fridge you will see a mason jar that I keep my homemade croutons in. Well, it's among the other mason jars, but it's there.

We don't go through a lot of bread in our house. In fact a loaf might last us three weeks....if it was to last that long. After about a week and a ziplock bag containing the heals of the bread, I treat us to a new loaf of bread and myself to croutons for my salad! Week to week my recipe for our bread changes sometimes I make honey wheat and sometimes I make a 8 grain bread that is a little more savory. The weeks when my bread doesn't turn out and is very heavy and dense we automatically call it crouton bread. So, it would be fair to say week to week my crouton recipe changes too. Last week I tried a new recipe for a multi-grain bread and the left overs made fabulous garlic-Parmesan croutons, here is the recipe:

3 cloves minced garlic or 2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups cubed “old” bread
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a medium bowl toss together olive oil, bread and garlic. Sprinkle Parmesan, thyme, salt, and pepper over bread, cover, and toss to coat. Spread croutons evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until crisp and golden.

You can also make breadcrumbs and french toast casserole with old bread. If all you have left are heals and you don't want to fuss with making only a small batch or don't have the time this week, throw the bread is the freezer and start a stock pile until you have enough.

Check out other frugal ideas and ways to save money check out Frugal Friday, here.

Avocado

2009-03-04T09:03:00.006-05:00

Did you know that you can freeze an avocado?

I learned this little trick awhile ago in passing. I almost laughed and then finding myself with an excess of avocados after a football party, I figured well what do I have to lose? So into the freezer my beloved green friend went. The only trick is to freeze it whole. How easy?!?!

When I am craving my husband's guacamole, I simply put in out on the counter during the day and let it thaw at room temp. I think the best way to use the avocados are for a dip or spread after you have frozen them. Since, avocados can be a little bit of a splurge at times due to the increase of price for vegetables this is a great trick to be able to buy a few at sale price and enjoy them later. Just make sure the ones you buy are ripe. You don't want to buy something that is already on the way out the door.

How to pick a ripe avocado:

Give it a little squeeze. It should give a little, like the pad of your thumb. If it feels like a rock then it's not ripe yet and you'll have to let it sit on your counter a few days to ripen. If it's overripe, when you squeeze it, it will be super soft and chances are it's already turning brown inside.
Look for uniform appearance and texture.
Avoid ones with bruises. To detect a bruise, again gently squeeze it, and if you feel a soft spot with the rest of an avocado feels different, chances are it's bruised.
Avoid ones with scars.
No rattling. If you shake it and you hear a rattle, that's the pit and it's past it's prime.

As far as storing your fresh avocado, the only trick is to not place it next to your bananas or apples. Bananas and Apples have a naturally occurring gas called ethylene which is released as they ripen and this will cause your avocado to possibly spoil - unless you need it to ripen and then it's a totally different story, just keep checking on it.

See you in the ~~freezer~~ produce section.

Check out other great Frugal ideas here

Not your mama's brussels sprouts......

2009-03-03T10:15:00.007-05:00

No offense mom. Most people have an aversion to brussels sprouts which stems from childhood when they couldn't leave the table until they ate them all gone. Consider the problem solved. This recipe is quick, easy and so delicious. Feel free to make a few substitutions based on what you have in the fridge, you'll see the options noted....and no you can't substitute the brussels spouts out for green beans. That one does not count.

Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan and Bacon
Serves 3

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 1/2 cup brussel sprouts, cleaned and halved
1 slice bacon, cooked and crumbled (ham optional)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (mozzarella or blue cheese optional)

In a heavy skillet, heat up olive oil until hot. Over low heat cook onion until caramelized. While the onion is caramelizing, blanch brussels sprouts until just bright green. Drain, then add to caramelized onions. Stir in crumbled bacon and allow to heat up. Turn off heat and toss in parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste and you are set to eat.

Notes: If you are using dehydrated brussels sprouts (as you see in the top picture), just reconstitute them and do not blanch them. If you are using frozen brussels sprouts, just half them and thaw them. They were previously blanched before being frozen.

Mochiko Flour

2009-02-26T09:00:00.001-05:00

One of my pantry must haves is Mochiko Flour. I have even panicked when I ran out and needed it in a recipe. It's properties are a great combination of wheat flour and cornstarch when cooking and thickening. You can make roux with it or turn it into a slurry (like cornstarch) and thicken soups and sauces, quickly and easily.

Straight from the box :

"Sweet rice flour is a superior thickening agent especially good for recipes to be refrigerated or frozen. It inhibits liquid separation."

Now, would the box lie? You can add it in at any point of the meal too. Either sprinkle it to your vegetables after you have sauteed your vegetables for a soup before adding the broth or add it after the broth as a slurry. I prefer it over cornstarch because to me cornstarch gets a little too gelatinous for me. The mochiko stays smooth.What I also love about it, freezing is a breeze. Typically when you freeze a soup or sauce that is dairy based, there is separation when you freeze. Mochiko doesn't allow this and your meal looks just as good coming out of the freezer as going in.

I have made the mistake and tried other rice flours in hopes to do the same thing and none of them worked out. So learn from my mistake and take this ingredient literal and don't pick up anything else.

Disclaimer: Views on Mochiko Flour are my own.

Welcoming smells

2009-02-25T14:48:00.004-05:00

Nothing welcomes my husband home more than my mischievous smile and the fragrant aroma of something baking in the oven. Some days he knows what I am up to and some days I make my batter or dough and plan for it to be wafting through the air just about the time he walks in from work.

Today was one of those days my friend. I surprised him with his favorite cookie - Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. These cookies are so irresistible! They are sweet and chewy like a chocolate chip cookie, yet they are hearty and so warming like a nice bowl of oatmeal. What I also love about these cookies is that you are also getting good fiber from the oatmeal and whole wheat flour.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Yields: 3-4 dozen

1 cup butter (opt. coconut oil)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup succanut (opt. white sugar)
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In your mixer, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.
4. Slowly add into butter mixture.
5. Add oatmeal and chocolate chips and stir until well blended.
6. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly on the baking sheet and then remove for complete cooling on a baking rack.
7. Devouring time!

This recipes makes roughly 3-4 dozen cookies. Because left home alone often, I will eat these cookies, so I make the full recipe and then freeze half of the batter and save it for a following week. I simply form it into a log and wrap it tightly with suran wrap and label it. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge when you are ready for it and bake it like normal. I like freezing it in a log so you can easily unwrap it, slice it and throw them on the cookie sheets. These are also great to have in the freezer for last minute guests (you can cut them frozen and bake them) or for that forgotten bake sale early tomorrow morning.

The dreaded writing of recipes

2009-02-24T14:47:00.004-05:00

As many people know, I love playing and creating healthy meals for my family. I love hiding extra nutrient packed ingredients into the foods we eat. I love coming up with healthy alternatives to everyday convenience foods that make us no longer want them. However, when on the phone talking to one of my sisters, I dread hearing "oh, can you write that down and email it to me?". Now it's not that I don't want to share, it's that I don't know exactly what I did. All I know is that I called dibs on the leftovers for tomorrow's lunch.

This blog is dedicated to just that: writing down the recipe. As I come up with great healthy recipes or stumble on them other places, I want to be able to share them and encourage you to take baby steps to start eating healthy and avoiding the temptation of easy convenience foods.

Don't get scared off yet. Healthy food doesn't always have to require a lot of time or taste like cardboard. So, I double dog dare you, within the upcoming weeks try a few of my recipes and see how quick and easy they are. I promise the recipes will be easy, oh so tasty and won't break the bank!