What's For Dinner?

BREAD~~~~REALLY!

2012-01-11T18:53:00.000-08:00

First of all, bread is the temptation of a celiac's existence. Not only is gluten free bread expensive, but it tastes like cardboard soaked in metal shavings. Can I get an amen?! My kids like one brand of bread and that happens to be Udi's. It's $5 a loaf and will last a day at our house. The loaves are dreadfully small. It's ok bread. But really, gone are the days of $1 loaves of spongy bread for teenagers to consume in large quantities and make bread balls out of. It's just not happening! Also gone are the days of hot french bread at the local grocer that my kids would slather in butter and fight over the ends. And gone are the bread baking days. I was such a good baker. Really, I am not tooting my own horn, I really was. I had it down to a weekly occurance and my children worshipped the smell that came out of the kitchen, clamoring for the honey and butter for a hearty slice. What is a girl to do? In comes my fabulous step-mother, the master kitchen chef that she is. She is not afraid to embark on gluten free baking. And although she is gluten free by choice, she is diligent about it. While I spent a much needed break from my life at the beach with her and my father, I got to sample some of the goodness that her creativity produces. So here is the french bread recipe that actually tastes like real bread! It's pretty much will blow any other gluten free bread out of the water. And the best part, it's egg free, sugar free (as long as you use honey instead), dairy free, and nut free. Enjoy!!

First, you need to mix a high protein flour blend together:

1 1/4 cups bean flour (I use chickpea flour....and really, I just buy the dried chickpeas at WinCo for .80 cents a pound and grind my own in my blendtec blender) You can also use soy if your diet allows it (me, I steer clear of soy because of it's estrogen like qualities).
1 cup cornstarch or potato starch (I used potato starch...NOT potato flour)
1 cup tapioca starch (this stuff is cheap if you buy it at an asian store instead)
1 cup white or brown rice flour (again, you could grind your own if you have a great blender. I used brown)

I sifted this mixture together and made a double batch so I could have some for later. You will have left over flour if you use the following recipe for french bread.

French Bread

3 cups gluten free high-protein flour blend
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar (or honey)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups warm water (120 degrees)
rice or cornmeal for dusting

1. Grease french loaf pan (or small loaf pan or muffin tin if you want dinner rolls) and dust with rice flour (or cornmeal).
2. Sift or whisk first four ingredients together and then add yeast (and herbs if you desire).
3. Add water and olive oil to the dry ingredients and mix on high for four minutes in an electric mixer.(If you are using honey, dissolve it in the water before adding).
4. Spoon dough (that's right folks...you do not knead gluten free bread) into prepared pans, cover and let rise for 45 minutes in a warm spot.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
6. Bake bread for 30 minutes on lower rack and then check to see if it is the desired color. Tent with foil if necessary. It should be done in 10 minutes. (It should sound hollow and if your really fancy you can pull out the thermometer and see if it's reached 200 degrees). If you are making rolls, they will be done in 20 minutes.
7. Let it cool for a minute...the crust is crunchy and the middle is light and chewy...knock yourself out peeps!

Chocoholic Brownies...Gluten Free!

2011-03-11T22:48:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it sucks to be me. I wish I could trade intestinal tract with "healthy" people. If I want something special, I have to make it myself. And if I get desperate and try my hand at the sweets offered for the gluten free crowd, I am paying $8 for 4 cookies.

What is a girl to do? Well I tried my hand at gluten free baking for realls... Brownies. Thick, rich, fudgy brownies that didn't come in a tiny container with a shocking price tag. These are not from the box variety either. I hesitate to give you the recipe because I should really copyright it first. But in the spirit of giving all my talents over to building up the gluten free community, (we get precious little that is absolutely divine anyhow), I give you the worlds best brownie recipe.

This is not a fluffy lightweight so beware...you will gain weight if you make these more than once a month.

2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup almond flour (not meal)
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 cup Hersheys baking cocoa
1 cup butter softened ( you could use vegan shortening here if you are dairy free)
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (they sell vegan chips as well)
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1 large pinch of kosher salt

Now take that butter and beat it until creamy and add the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Add vanilla. Mix all the dry ingredients together (run them through a sifter if necessary...I do because I hate lumps). Add 1/3 of dry mixture to butter until incorporated. Add the remaining 2/3 and mix until smooth (I use a stand mixer so this step takes about 30 seconds.) Then add your chocolate chips and pecans. Line a 9X13 pan with parchment paper and pour (I mean plop...it really doesn't pour)into pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Let it sit a few minutes unless you want melted chocolate chip burning the roof of your mouth off. It's hard to resist, but I know you can do it. After about 15 minutes all you have to do is pull up on the parchment paper to retrieve your perfect brownies. I recommend cutting these babies after they have cooled completely because they are one hot mess if not. Of course, I dug right in just to see if they had that gross metallic taste that so many gluten free baked items have....I think I had a tungasm right then and there! I impatiently waited for this rectangle of heaven to cool and then I sliced me some love with a serrated knife. These brownies are chock full of calories. And to tell you the truth, not one person will even know that these are gluten free. They are soooooo amazing! I can honestly say, that this recipe is all my own creation. It's a mix of my Grandma's recipe, a Christmas jar mix recipe and a little inspiration thrown in for good measure. I finally don't feel like a freak! Yippee!!!

Chips...that I can actually eat!

2010-12-27T22:29:00.000-08:00

Beets are extremely good for you. Not only are they a great vegetable to cleanse the liver but they help with anemia. Both these things are important for me. And right now I am getting an Organics to you box so in an effort to eat the whole box every week, I must use the vegetables provided. This week, there was a large amount of beets. My husband said he will not eat them and the rest of my kids are scared to. So determined to turn this into something everyone would eat, I focused on a preparation that seemed more like snack food. The coleslaw and smoothie recipes were fine, but still too beety for my family. So I gave this one a try and I have got to say that everyone ate them! Of course I had the biggest portion, but they were consumed and we will definitely make them again.

First, slice your beets as thin as possible. I have a mandolin for this and did 1/16th of an inch. The recipe calls for 1/8th of an inch, but I am all about saving time, so the thinner the better for me. Pat them dry or lay them out on paper towels to absorb the moisture.

Fry them in oil that is 350 degrees. It should only take a minute because as soon as the edges start to curl, your chips are almost done. Take out with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels. (note: we don't buy paper towels but we happened to get some as a gag gift for Christmas..funny!)

Here is your finished product! I sprinkled the still hot chips with a mixture of kosher salt, rosemary, and garlic. They are sweet and crunchy so try them sometime.

GlutenFree, SugarFree Crust

2010-12-27T18:59:00.000-08:00

I am attempting to cut sugar out of our family after a huge stomach fiasco happened from Halloween to well past Thanksgiving. I wasn't exposed to any gluten, but still got super sick. So I decided to fast for 6 days and I felt great! Now, I am not eating any grains or refined sugar. So this crust I used for a blueberry tart. Since I now cook like an Italian Momma, I really don't know exact amounts on much but I will do my best to help you...

2 cups of hazelnuts
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup of butter
1/2 tsp of salt

Melt honey and butter together and add salt. Place hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse until ground into a consistency of coffee grounds or course breadcrumbs. Err on the side of too big unless you want to make hazelnut butter :) Place the processed hazelnuts in a bowl and pour the honey mixture over the nuts. Combine and press into pie pan. This recipe works well for anything that you would use a graham cracker crust for. I also used a piece of saran wrap on my hands to press it down. It can be a tad sticky with the honey in it. It works well in a springform pan. I roasted the crust in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes before putting my filling in. Let me just say, that I could eat this crust as is it's that good!

Punkin Pie Please!

2010-11-28T21:31:00.000-08:00

Gluten free Thanksgiving....hard to accomplish? Well, yes and no. I took recipes from Epicurious and America's Test Kitchen and just modified. So here is what we did for our Stuffing:

2 Bob's Red Mill cornbread mixes made according to instructions (we used rice milk)
5 stalks of celery
2 large onions finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic
1 cup of chopped pecans
2 large apples, chopped
1 heaping teaspoon of sage
1 heaping teaspoon of thyme
1 heaping teaspoon of parsley
1 pound of gluten free sausage (we used the kind from Costco and just removed the casing)
3 15 oz cans of chicken broth
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon of salt
pepper to taste

After making the cornbread according to package directions, cut cornbread in half like a cake that you would frost. Let it dry overnight.
Cube cornbread in the morning and dry further in the oven at 250 for an hour.

Saute sausage in a large pan. Transfer sausage to a large bowl and use drippings to saute the celery, onion, and garlic until they are turning translucent. This usually takes about 10 min. I added a couple of tablespoons of butter at this point. The original recipe calls for a cup of oil or butter...and that was not going to happen! Add herbs and remove from heat.

Now in a HUGE bowl, place cubed cornbread, pecans, sausage, and vegetable mixture. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and broth together. I used the low sodium broth and did end up adding the additional teaspoon of salt. Now pour the liquid over the cornbread cubes. Combine well and place into 2 9X13 pans. I had a large 11X14 and still filled 2 sheets of Muffin cups with the rest. (isn't that a great idea for stuffing?! My husband loves crispy, not soggy stuffing, so if you like it this way, it's all about edges...the more stuffing has contact with the pan, the crispier it gets)

Place stuffing in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes covered in foil. Then remove foil and cook another 25 mins. The muffin tins don't take nearly as long, 25 to 30 minutes tops.

Now for Pumpkin Pie....
Bobs Red Mill Shortbread Cookie Mix
2 cups of pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 heaping teaspoon of ginger
1 1/3 cup of light coconut milk in a can
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 eggs

Make a Bobs Red Mill Shortbread Cookie Mix according to package directions. Divide dough in half. Press shortbread dough into a greased pie tin. Cook crust for 15-20 minutes until it is set.

Meanwhile, combine the puree, sugar, spice, milk and eggs. Mix well. Pour mixture into hot pie crust. I used a large pie plate from pampered chef (the stone one) and it took longer than the 25-35 minutes to cook. I would recommend more like 40-50 minutes in a 400 degree oven. It turned out fabulously! The shortbread wasn't too sweet, the pie was spicy and didn't taste at all like coconut. Of course my secret ingredient is the fact that I roasted my own squash and pureed it in a food processor the day before. If you are brave enough to attempt this (it takes a while...just warning you) buy a sweet meat squash. The skin is a pale greenish blue and it is a super dense squash. It's more like a cross between a butternut and a pumpkin. Hope you enjoy!

Kid Approved Granola bars

2010-10-11T17:09:00.000-07:00

I was a great lover of a chewy granola bar now and then when I was not a Celiac. The rich chocolate coating, the chewy puffed rice center, the calories...yummy!!

Now, of course, I can't find a protein bar, a granola bar, or a candy bar that my kids can all consume without turning their nose up at it. One of my daughters cannot eat peanuts or almonds or dairy or soy. So what is a mom to do?

In a spirit of full disclosure, this is not a picture of my granola bars, but they look strikingly similar...these bars are not the heavy granola that you might be used to. I purposely made them to resemble a chewy, moist bar like the cheap 90 calorie Quaker Chewy granola bars but with more nutritional content. You can substitute the nuts for a different kind, leave out the coconut, or use regular Rice Krispies if you are not on a gluten free diet. Chia seeds are highly nutritious and are full of calcium, protein and fiber so if you don't want these (they are pretty flavor neutral) I'd try flax seed. If you wanted to add a nut butter of some sort, then you could do that instead of the chocolate chips. I think the key to chewiness is the honey and coconut oil. My kids loved them! I think the oat bars that I make are just too heavy for kids to really enjoy and they feel like they are getting a really yummy treat!

Well I came up with this recipe in which I call them ChocFullOHappiness:
1 whole box of Koala Crisps cereal (rice puff cereal that is cocoa coated, organic, and gluten free)
3 cups of rolled oats
1/2 cup of sesame seeds
1/2 of chia seeds
1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans
1 cup of honey
1 cup of vegan chocolate chips (or regular if you don't have a dairy allergy)
1/2 unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup of coconut oil

In a 350 degree oven, bake the oats and sesame seeds for 20 minutes, stirring once. Then add the coconut and pecans for an additional 5 minutes. (Coconut browns quickly, so be careful). In a large bowl, combine the chia seeds, and cereal. Take the oat mixture and combine that with the cereal mixture. Next, in a small saucepan, heat the honey and coconut oil until it begins to bubble on the sides. Add in the chocolate chips and whisk until smooth. Pour this mixture over the cereal and oat mixture in the large bowl. Stir to coat. Pour this coated mixture onto the cookie sheet that has been sprayed with oil, that was used previously for the oats. Press it together evenly. Let it cool for an hour and then using a serrated knife, gently cut into 12 X 3 strips. This will make 3 dozen granola bars that are chewy, light, and the kids don't even know that they are getting a good carb, fat, and protein with a good dose of fiber thrown in. Chocolate brings us all together!

This week's menu

2010-08-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

Monday: We ate takeout from a little vietnamese place down the street that serves gluten free food. This is what happens when we come back from a quick vacation...Pho rocks!

Tuesday: Fresh corn on the cob, watermelon, and one precooked chicken from Fred Meyer

Wednesday: Turkey and wildrice meatloaf with a side of broccoli

Thursday: Chicken stirfry made with Costco veggies with a tamari/honey sauce with lots of white rice and some peaches for dessert.

Friday: it's our night out...who knows what Maddy will make (yes, I make my kids cook once a week!)

As you can see, it's real food for real families minus eggs, dairy, and wheat. It's an adjustment, but we are making it. I mean if you look at how we eat, it's low fat, full of veggies and fruits, lean protein and yes, my kids will eat it all! (we do eat more than rice...this week it just happened be the starch of choice)

Tuna Cakes

2010-06-11T17:24:00.000-07:00

I really like crab cakes. Of course fake crab or Krab as it is sometimes called, is in everything from sushi to Chinese food. You must be really careful with this so called food. It sent me into a 3 day hell when I ate it a few weeks ago. So not worth it. Again, if you live in a coastal town, shame on you for even thinking about eating anything but real crab. But since I am on a budget and don't want to waste precious crab on my kids picky palettes, I attempted something new...a Tuna Cake. (this is a completely on the fly recipe by yours truly) This is not a mayonnaise filled concoction. It isn't super moist, but crunchy on the outside, and meaty on the inside. In fact, I think it would be a great substitute for a hamburger. It's more akin to a burger....so enjoy. By the way, almond meal does not have a strong flavor. You will barely even notice that it's not breadcrumbs.

2 cans of tuna drained
1 cup of almond meal (1/2 in mixture and 1/2 for coating)
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped parsley (parsley is soo good for you but you could reduce this amount if you want)
1/2 tbls of butter
2 celery stalks finely chopped
1 shallot or 1 half of a small onion finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper

First melt butter in fry pan and saute your celery and shallot. Next combine remaining ingredients into a bowl and add sauteed vegetables after they have cooled a little. Mix until incorporated. Heat 1/4 inch of oil in frypan (it just gives better crunch, you could use less, but these bad boys are not held together with gluten so it's important to get that really crunchy crust). While oil is heating to medium, make hand 1/4 cup sized patties. Dip in almond meal that has a bit of salt and pepper incorporated into it and coat both sides. Fry for 2 minutes a side or until golden brown.

These things are great and crunchy on the outside. Real crab would be so much better, but this is good too. I'm always looking for a good use of canned tuna and this does a great job. We rounded out the meal with brown rice and some organic green beans.

Changing directions...

2010-06-11T17:22:00.000-07:00

So now I will begin posting my adventure into Celiac disease and cooking without wheat. I have a big family and have to cook things they will actually eat. I have some really picky eaters, so check back and see if you could incorporate some of these recipes into your everyday meal planning.

Chocolate Glazed Pumpkin Cookies

2009-12-16T21:33:00.000-08:00

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
15 oz pumpkin puree
4 oz chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, pie spice and salt. In an electric mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg; beat until smooth. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture in two parts and pumpkin puree in one, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto two baking sheets, andut 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until puffed and edges are golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool. When cookies have cooled, pipe melted chocolate over the cookies. (melt chocolate in a double boiler or microwave and place in a baggy and then cut 1/8 inch hole in the corner) Chocolate will firm up in about 20 minutes.

I double the recipe so that I can use a whole can of pumpkin.

Pumpkin Sandwich Cake

2009-11-27T09:19:00.000-08:00

This is devine! It's not super sweet, but it will leave you wanting more!

3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup regular sugar
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
4 oz of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1. In bowl combine flour, spice, baking powder and salt.
2. In electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar on medium to high for 5 min until thick (very important). Beat in pumpkin. Add flour mixture; beat just until combined. Add cake batter to 2 round cake pans that have been greased and dusted with flour. Place them in a 375 degree oven for 16 to 18 min. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes then remove them from the pans to the rack to cool completely.
3. While cooling, take the softened cream cheese and beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks are present. Fold in the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. (if you desire a more tangy flavor, use a full 8 0z package of cream cheese.)
4. In a small sauce pan heat just until boiling 1/2 cup of whipping cream. Remove from heat. Pour a cup of semisweet chocolate chips into the pan immediately, and let it sit for five minutes. Mix the cream and chocolate until smooth.
5. To assemble the cake, place all the the cream cheese mixture in the middle. Lay the next layer over that. Place a large dollop of the chocolate icing on the top and spread with an offset spatula. (I would let the chocolate mixture cool for around 15 minutes before spreading to thicken).

As a side note, the cake itself is light and spongy. It has no added oil just the eggs. If you used a light cream cheese and a light whipping cream, this could possibly be good for you while not ruining the taste. It is to die for good! Very subtle pumpkin flavor and not too sweet. Enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Packets

2009-10-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

In each bag: ( I made 24 in 20 min)
1/4 cup Quick Cooking Oatmeal
1/8 teas salt
1 teas sugar (I used brown)
1 heaping teas of crunched up dehydrated apples (can you say food storage people?!)
1 dash of cinnamon
2 T powdered oatmeal (I processed a large batch in my blender and you could do it in a food processor as well)

When ready to eat, place packet in a bowl with 2/3 cup of boiling water and presto! You have breakfast with no corn syrup or weird unpronounceable ingredients. I'm all about quick and nutritious. It also helps that we have a hot water dispenser at our house...

Whole Wheat Crackers

2009-10-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

3 cups rolled oats
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Put in blender to emulsify: (I use a stick blender for this)
3 Tablespoons honey
3/4 oil
1 cup water
Add liquid to dry ingredients. Combine. Split dough into two equal portions and press into 2 large cookie sheet pans...the thinner the better. Score with a pizza cutter. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 min until the edges are golden.

(You can add lots of different spices and toppings to these crackers. Next time I think I'll do some fresh ground pepper and maybe some parmesan.)

Whirled Peas

2009-06-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

I have had several inquiries after this recipe...it's not my own. Marilyn Carpenter taught a soups class 11 years ago. My family has enjoyed it ever since. Let me preface this by saying that my husband absolutely hates split pea soup. So this is the alternative that we enjoy. It's best enjoyed in spring on a rainy day with a crusty loaf of bread and a green salad.

32 oz of frozen peas
2-3 cups of chicken broth
1 heaping tsp of curry
1 celery stalk
2 carrots
1/2 medium onion
2 tbls butter
1/4 to 1 1/2 cup of ham or other meat
1 cup of either cream, milk, or half and half

Saute in a large pot with 2 tbls of butter, 1 celery stalk finely chopped, 1/2 medium onion finely chopped, 2 small carrots finely chopped. (If you like garlic, add a clove or two minced now) While the veggies are softening, take 32oz of frozen peas and place in blender.

Pour 2-3 cups of hot chicken stock over the peas and puree until smooth. You can use homemade chicken stock, bullion, canned, or just plain water or vegetable stock. It's really a personal preference. I am one of those nut jobs who makes her own chicken stock but in a pinch, I love the chicken base you buy in the spice aisle at Costco. When onion is soft, add the pea puree. Next, add a cubed potato. At this time you can add some kind of meat to flavor your dish. I added some chopped ham lunch meat. I've added bacon bits, sauteed summer sausage, and ham. You can flavor it with a 1/4 cup or so or if you are in the mood for a hearty meal, add up to a 1 1/2 cups. The soup will be thick and bubbly, but if you prefer a very thin soup, thin with extra liquid now.

Add one heaping tsp of curry and cook on medium until the potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes. At the very end, add 1 cup of cream/half and half/ milk to your soup. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy you Vegetables! ( You can very easily make this into a very low fat soup by using 1 tsp butter and 2 tsp water to saute your veggies and adding non-fat milk...but I like that fat personally)

Peanut Munchies...Chocolate Peanut Butter Heaven!

2009-04-02T00:26:00.001-07:00

In my quest for a yummy treat to put in my kids lunches, I came across this promising recipe in Better Homes and Gardens (March 07 issue). These cookies have a dark chocolate cookie wrapped around a slightly sweet peanut butter center...its like eating a peanut butter cup, only much better....beware, you'll have to eat a few immediately upon cooling.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup +2 tbls sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tbls milk
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar

In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside. In large mixing bowl combine butter, and 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup peanut butter; beat with mixer until combined. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Beat in as much flour mixture as you can with mixer. Using wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture. Shape dough into 32 balls, each about 1 1/4 inches. Set aside. For filling, in bowl combine powdered sugar and remaining 1/2 cup peanut butter. With mixer beat until smooth; knead by hand if necessary. Shape into 32 small balls. Preheat oven at this point to 350 degrees. On work surface, flatten a chocolate dough ball; top with peanut butter ball. Shape flattened dough over peanut butter ball, completely covering peanut butter ball; reshape into ball. Repeat. Place balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped into the 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake 8 minutes. Let stand 1 minute. Then cool on wire rack. It says it only takes 35 minutes...It took me and hour and a half to make a double batch so be prepared to spend some time on this one!

Cherry Chocolate Cake...by request

2009-02-03T20:38:00.001-08:00

Since I made this cake last week, I have had several requests for the recipe. It's not my own, but I did make a few changes to this recipe that I think are worth implementing....

Chocolate Cherry Stack Cake...from Better Homes and Gardens

3/4 cup plus 1 tsp all purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 1 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream (I used yogurt)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease two 6x2 (or 8x2 that is what I used)round cake pans. Mix 1 tsp each flour and coca powder; dust pans. Set aside.
2. In bowl combine flour cocoa powder, baking powder baking soda cinnamon and salt; set aside.
3. In large bowl mix butter on medium to high for 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until smooth and fluffy.
Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth. And sour cream and flour. Pour batter in pans; spread evenly (this batter is thick so you have to spoon it in and spread it out.)
4. Bake 22 to 26 min or until to springs back. Cool in pans for 10 min on wire rack then remove from pans and let them cool completely.

Cherry Frosting
In large bowl combine one cup sour cream ( I would have used plain vanilla yogurt..Nancy's) one cup whipping cream and 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, and two tbls of Maraschino Cherry juice. Beat until fluffy. ( I would beat the whipping cream separately until fluffy then fold in the yogurt and sugar mixture afterward to give the frosting more loft. I also added a drop of red food coloring just because.)

Chocolate Dipped Cherries. Melt 1/4 cup chocolate chips with a tbls of shortening. Dip cherries in chocolate that have been patted dry with a paper towel and place on wax paper. You can place them in the fridge to harden more quickly.

Assembly
1. Cut cakes in half. Place approximately 2/3 cup of frosting on first layer then place next layer on. I would add some cherry pie filling to the next layer if I had it to do over again just for a surprise punch, then add another 2/3 cup frosting. Then place remaining frosting on top. Adorn with chocolate cherries...make sure to have enough for everyone. It's a simply adorned cake that packs a punch, high in protein, low in fat, and a great taste to boot!...6 grams of protein!!!

Homemade Bread...a Labor of Love...

2008-11-04T09:45:00.001-08:00

Can you by cheap bread? Yes, but it doesn't taste like this. It doesn't stay with your kids until they come home from school. It doesn't hold your homemade jam the way your homemade bread can. And I love the people I make it for, so it tastes even better.

1/4 cup warm water
1 T yeast
pinch of sugar
Place in small bowl or cup and stir. Leave undisturbed for 10 min while getting other ingredients ready.
3 T honey
3 T melted butter or oil
1 T salt
2 cups very warm water
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 cup of flour
Mix above ingredients in stand mixer until combined well. Add in Yeast mixture. Slowly add 1/2 cup of flour at a time. Add flour until ball of dough forms and no longer sticks to the sides. (about 6 cups of flour in all)Knead for few minutes until an impression of your finger, bounces back. Place in greased bowl and cover with plastic. Let rise in warm spot until doubled. Punch down and divide into two pieces. shape into loaves and place in two greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise until they rise at least 1 inch above the lip. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes. The color will be a gorgeous golden color and easily release from the sides. Enjoy!

Harvest Soup

2008-11-04T09:24:00.000-08:00

I know it's been forever since I posted on this sight. Not because we haven't been eating, but the energy required to actually remember what I make has been absent for a while. Halloween has been a busy time in our household. We have been eating lots of great things, but unless I write it down, I can't remember what exactly I did to make it so great.
Last night, was a stroke of creative genius that comes only every so often. I usually don't follow a recipe exactly unless it's something I have never tried before. Last night I completely came up with this one on my own...and not a drop was left. Even Anderson ate it!

Harvest Time Soup
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 small sugar pumpkin, peeled and cubed
1 can of creamed corn
1 lb of smoked sausage
4 T butter
1 medium onion chopped finely
6 cups milk
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 chicken bullion cubes
salt to taste

Place butternut squash and pumpkin cubes in a bowl and fill with water to cover. Microwave for 10 to 12 min. Drain 2/3 of water and mash with fork. To large pot, add butter and onion and sausage. Saute until onions are translucent and sausage is browned. Add can of creamed corn, squash mixture, and milk. Next, add chicken bullion, sage, pepper and heat until bubbly. Add salt to taste.

This is sweet and savory at the same time. I served it with a salad, and homemade bread. I didn't have to hide the vegetables in this and my kids loved it and my husband who doesn't like squash or pumpkin, loved it!

Rice Krispy Treats

2008-10-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

Yeah, you all probably make this one all the time, but my kids are home and it was easy!

Rice Treats
3 tbls butter
4 cups mini marshmallows or 10 oz bag
6 cups rice Krispies
dash of salt

Melt butter in a large saute. Add marshmallows and salt. Stir until melted. Add cereal. Pour onto greased cookie sheet and press flat with greased hands.

Chocolate drizzle
1 cup chocolate chips
4 tbls butter
Melt in microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Add additional 15 seconds until melted. Pour into squeeze bottle. Place bottle in hot water while using to keep fluid.

Chicken Soup for the Soul

2008-10-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

Whenever I want to feel warm and cozy...this soup makes it's way to my table. I serve it with homemade bread or baking powder biscuits.

Chicken Soup
2 Tbls butter
1 medium onion diced
1 large carrot chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
Option 1: 16 cups of chicken stock with 1 can of chicken from Costco
Option 2: 16 cups water with Costco chicken base...4 tbls and 1 can of chicken from Costco
Option 3: 16 cups chicken stock(made by boiling down a leftover roasted chicken...from Costco)with chicken pieces
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 garlic cloves minced
2 bay leaves
1 tsp of thyme
Saute onion, garlic, celery and carrot in the butter until tender. Add salt and pepper. Add an Option of your choice... Add bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a boil. Salt and pepper to taste. At this point add 1/2 to 3/4 pound of flat or egg noodles. Boil until tender.

Alfredo

2008-10-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, this one is for Aimee! I also used the focaccia recipe for bread sticks and a nice green salad to round out the meal.
If you just want a plain sauce, omit bacon and add 2 tbls butter. Increase the parmesan to 1/2 cup and don't add the peas. This is a great dipping sauce for breadsticks and a good white sauce for pizza as well.
"Alfredo"
1/4 pound of bacon cut into small pieces
2 tbls butter
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup minced onion
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups of milk
1 to 1 1/2 cups of cream
2 tsp salt
2 handfuls of frozen peas or 1/3 cup
In large saute pan, fry pieces of bacon until crispy (you can omit this step and just use Costco bacon bits...1/4 cup and add 2 more tbls butter.) Remove bacon and keep grease in pan. To that add the butter. Saute garlic and onion until tender. Add the flour and combine. When bubbly, add milk. Stir constantly with a wisk (I like the pampered chef sauce wisk) until thickened. Add cheese. When melted, add cream. When it begins to bubble again, add peas and bacon back in. Add salt last (I would do a half a tsp at a time to compensate for super salty bacon or butter.) This recipe makes enough for a good 16 oz to 20oz package of pasta. Enjoy!

Fruit of the Vine

2008-10-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

Tomatoes are definitely a fruit! I can't get enough of these heirloom brandywines! They are huge, sweet, and melt in your mouth. I have done so much with them...but I will give you my recipe for Roasted Tomato Sauce

Quarter about 6 lbs of tomatoes (or cut smaller if you like.) Slice one red or yellow onion. Peel 4 garlic cloves. Place on bar pan or cookie sheet with a lip. Drizzle with olive oil and Kosher salt. Place in a 350 degree oven for about an hour or until skins are golden and some onions are a little charred. Let cool enough to handle. Put vegetables and a handful of fresh basil in food processor or blender and blend until smooth...or chunky(whichever you like.) One full cookie sheet makes 2 pints of sauce. I freeze mine. It's a great base for tomato soup or any dish that calls for tomato sauce.

Red Pepper Soup

2008-10-01T23:04:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I am sick, but I had to stay warm today...so I cooked all day. The grape juice got done. My house smells like a winery. I made the Spaghetti sauce for the previous recipe. I made Shepard's Pie for dinner with beans from my garden and a wonderful roasted tomato sauce that is too die for...and I made a batch of Red Pepper soup before the peppers went bad. I am not a penny pincher by any stretch of the imagination, but I hate to see something go to waste. It's painful to me. So I made some creamy soup

Red Pepper Soup
3 to 4 red peppers, cored, seeded and chopped
1 onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 T butter
Saute above vegetables with the butter for 5 to 10 minutes or until tender.
24 oz of Chicken broth
1/2 cup of cream
dash of cayenne pepper
Add broth and vegetables together and simmer for 30 min. Use immersion blender or regular blender to puree mixture. Return to pan and add cream and cayenne. Heat another 5 min or until heated through. Serve with a dollop of Sour Cream. Makes 4 servings.

"The Summer Sauce"

2008-10-01T15:28:00.001-07:00

This is straight from Rachel Short...thanks a ton. I have so much produce to get rid of!

Summer Bounty Spaghetti Sauce
1 sliced zucchini
1 sliced yellow squash
1 sliced white or yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, finely diced
Saute veggies in 2T olive oil and then add one pound of browned and drained Italian Sausage.
Add I large can crushed tomatoes and 1 can diced tomatoes. Add 2T balsamic vinegar and 2T sugar.
Mix well, cover and simmer for about 15 min.

I think I am going to make a bunch and freeze it. I will use tomatoes out of my garden and she used
Angel hair pasta or Thin spaghetti. This is a chunky delight!

Skillet Potatoes

2008-10-01T14:20:00.000-07:00

Nothing original about Monday, Hot Dogs and French Fries. I had to use them up, before they went bad in the fridge. Tuesday is dine and dash day. Hurrying home from piano, I concocted a menu plan and ended up making Waffles, Sausage and Potatoes. Breakfast is so great when you only have a few minutes... The potatoes were washed and cubed. 1/2 chopped onion and 1/2 chopped green pepper were added to a hot pan with a few tbls of oil. Salt and Pepper to taste. They take about 10 minutes to cook. Of course Patrick picked all the "green thingies" out but that is his problem. It tastes fabulous and fresh.

Peanut Butter Brownies

2008-09-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

Sunday was crazy! I think I spent the whole day doing laundry. Folding a "Mountain." Makes you want to let your kids have 5 outfits, one for church, 1 pair of pjs, and that is it! Crazy...It took all day. So much for a day of rest...well I did manage to make Peanut Butter Brownies for lunches and loaves of bread for the week. We had a simple dinner of Sauteed chicken breasts, pounded thin with Grandma's special spices, Sauteed Zuc's and Stove Top...not too original, but very easy and quick. I had to get back to the mountain...

Peanut Butter Brownies
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/3 cup white sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 tsp baking powder

Cream peanut butter and butter together in mixer. Add in one at a time; sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until fluffy. Ins medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder,and salt. Stir into the peanut butter mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 45 min in a 9x13 pan. They will be done when the top springs back. These are dense and not too sweet. For the finale, I put 2 cups of chocolate chips on the hot brownies and then spread evenly making a chocolate layer on top. Cool overnight or stick in the freezer if you just can't wait until the chocolate hardens!

Herbed Focaccia

2008-09-27T16:15:00.000-07:00

Friday is "Fend for Yourself" day at our house. Thursday, I experimented with a potato soup that was really good. Unfortunately, I had no recipe for it, so next time I make it, I will remember to write it down. Saturday, we met Kip and Jen at the "Elephant House" park by the Zoo. The kids had a great time and we chatted about the impending wedding. Of course, I had to make bread for the sandwiches, so I thought I'd try something a little different.

Herbed Focaccia
2 c warm water
4 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar or honey
5 to 6 cups of flour
4 tbls olive oil
1 tsp salt
Place water, yeast, 2 tbls of the flour, and sugar in a bowl. Mix and let foam for 15 min. Meanwhile, measure 2 cups of flour and the salt into electric mixer. Add the yeast mixture and combine until smooth. Add olive oil. Mix. Continue adding flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Place dough onto floured surface and kneed for a few minutes until springy (it never takes too long if you have made the dough in a mixer.) Place in a oiled bowl and cover until it has TRIPLED in size. (about an hour on a hot day or 1 1/2 hours on a cool day.) Punch down and press into a greased, large, cookie pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise till doubled. Dimple the top with your finger and drizzle 2 to 4 tbls of olive oil with herbs of your choice onto the top (I used rosemary since I have 3 large bushes in my garden.) You can use oregano, basil, sage that is fresh or dried. Sprinkle top with course or Kosher salt. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes depending on how brown you like it.

We sliced the Focaccia and put turkey, tomatoes, cheese and avocado between the layers. It's yummy. Have fun with it!

Chicken Enchiladas

2008-09-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

Normally, I serve a chicken enchiladas that have a sour cream sauce instead of the traditional red, but I thought I would give this one a try.
Dinner tonight:
Chips
Homemade fresh salsa (thanks Afton!)
Refried beans (we actually use the church cannery ones and they are my kids favorite)
Chicken Enchiladas

Cottage Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
2 cans of chicken, drained and shredded (from costco) or two chicken breasts cooked and shredded
1/2 of large onion chopped
1 jalapeno cored and seeded then finely chopped
1 tbls chili powder
1 heaping tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
Saute onion and jalapeno in a little oil. Add chicken. Heat thoroughly and add spices. Remove from heat.
18 corn tortillas
2 cups cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp salt
Mix this together in small bowl
2-3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese or Colby jack
Large can of Enchilada sauce 20 oz+
To assemble; soften tortillas in the microwave wrapped in a wet towel. Put a spoonful of meat mixture, spoonful of cottage cheese mixture and a sprinkle of cheese. Roll and place into a large casserole pan that has a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom. Add remaining enchilada sauce and rest of shredded cheese over the filled pan. Top with olives if you like (my family does not.)
Place in 350 degree oven for 30 mins.

Hints: You can use taco seasoning in place of the chili powder and cumin if you want, but I prefer the cumin flavor with chicken. The recipe called for a can of green chilies, but my family wont eat them. I added a jalapeno instead and it was very mild with a little kick. Don't let the cottage cheese fool you, you can't even tell and it gives a great flavor.

Tuesday is Crazy day!

2008-09-24T16:32:00.000-07:00

On tuesdays, in addition to Scouts and YW at 7:00pm, we have 3 piano lessons. Needless to say, not much cooking got done. We had soup and crackers and pears that my daughter cooked.
I did attempt a new recipe out of America's Test Kitchen which my kids loved. They took it their lunches today, and had some for a snack yesterday. It's not bad, but it didn't blow my socks off...

Banana Chip Snack Cake
makes one 8 inch cake

2 c flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 stick of softened butter
2 large eggs room temp
2 ripe large bananas, peeled and mashed
1/2 cup milk at room temp
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl, set aside. Beat sugar and butter together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy...yes it does get light and fluffy! Beat in eggs until incorporated(I used my eggs from my chickens and their yolks were a bright orange! It was kinda cool.) Beat in bananas, milk and vanilla. Add flour mixture and incorporate until no flour streaks remain. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into greased pan and bake 55 minutes or until center is cooked. Let cool on wire rack and serve.

It's not dense and moist like banana bread, but it isn't exactly fluffy either. It's a great treat for the kids and it keeps well wrapped in plastic.

Fun with friends

2008-09-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

We had friends over tonight to plan a fun and scary Halloween Party in the barn. So tonight, all I provided was the bread and salad. Rachel made an amazing spaghetti sauce that I am going to get the recipe for...very fresh with zuc's and summer squash. It was really yummy! We also had deer sausage that the Updikes brought. It was really good. And I don't like deer. Evidently deer in Oregon eat good green stuff so it tastes a lot better than the stuff in Utah. I will post the recipe as soon as I get it...still waiting...

Kid's Favorite Things

2008-09-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

Most kids I know love Mac and Cheese, carrots and applesauce...well that is what we had tonight with a little twist:

Brown Sugar Carrots
5 large carrots cut into cute pieces
2 tbls brown sugar
2 tbls butter
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dill
Cover carrots with water and add salt. Boil until tender. Drain. Add sugar, butter and dill. Yumm!

Way Better than Kraft Mac and Cheese
1lb elbow macaroni
1 1/2 cups grated cheese
3 to 4 cups half and half or milk
1/4 cup flour
2 tbls butter
1/2 lb Hickory Farms sausage
1 Tbls salt
Bring water to boil with salt added. Cook Macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, cut sausage into bite size pieces and saute' until crispy on the edges. Remove from pan and leave grease(that's the best part!) Add butter, add flour and stir until bubbly. Add half and half and whisk until thick. Add cheese a handful at a time. Thin to desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste. Add macaroni and you are done! This recipe feeds 5 hungry kids and two adults with leftovers.

Hope your family likes it as much as mine. Can you see why we want a cow!! All that cream and milk...

Did you ever wonder What's for Dinner?

2008-09-21T16:46:00.000-07:00

I am doing this blog mainly because we eat as a family every night. Sometimes we can get stuck in a rut and we all need new ideas to keep us from falling into the Take Out bandwagon. I plan on posting our menu for the day and a few recipes to go with it. I would love to have my friends post what they eat for dinner too...

Last night it was simple.
Pancakes
Blackberry syrup
Bacon
Grapes
Milk
For Dessert: Blackberries and Cream