tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53198722307466976552024-03-18T09:08:57.937-07:00Fears' FoodKimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.comBlogger934125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-7171059686486290552017-11-20T19:07:00.000-08:002017-11-20T19:07:03.343-08:00Hot cocoaHere's another recipe that I can never remember. About a month ago Benjamin wanted hot cocoa. I remember making it last year and that it was easy. I also remembered making the syrup first then adding the milk. I looked all over pinterest and do you think I could find what I was looking for? NO. I finally found a couple, but all used differing amounts of cocoa, sugar and milk. I ended up remembering it may have been actually on the cocoa container and lo and behold it was. However, that recipe was on the higher end of sugar. I mixed and combined a few and made something up. Thought I printed it, wrote it down, something, but alas when Benjamin wanted hot cocoa tonight do you think I could find it?!?! You guessed it, NO again. Went through the same story as last time but a bit quicker because I had pinned a few recipes last month. I still ended up combining a few, so here is what we did and I loved it.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>4 1/3 cup milk (divided)</li>
<li>heaping 1/3 cup sugar (1/3 is probably fine, I was just reducing and a bit worried of it being bitter. And by heaping, I don't mean overflowing, just a bit full.)</li>
<li>1/4 cup cocoa powder</li>
<li>couple grinds of salt</li>
<li>splash of vanilla (I splashed a bit more than I wanted to today, but it sure was good!)</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, salt, and 1/3 cup milk. (Most recipes online and the recipe on the box of cocoa call for water here, but I like extra milk. Just be sure to not keep the heat too high, and to stir constantly if using milk.) Bring to a boil and boil stirring constantly for 2 min. This should be nice and syrupy after the 2 minutes. Stir in the 4 cups milk and vanilla and heat to desired temperature. (Here again recipes tell you to bring to just below a boil but not to boil it. I just warm it up until it is a good drinking temp. If you mess up and get it too hot, you can always add a dab of cream to cool it down. We ended up doing that this evening. No one complained. ) </div>
<br />
<br />Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-44832633232059188312016-04-18T12:29:00.001-07:002016-04-18T12:29:05.426-07:00refried beansI have made this recipe a few times and really like it as a basic pinto bean / refried bean recipe. It is pretty mild, so if more flavor is wanted increase the spice by adding more chili powder, pepper, cayenne powder, chipotle powder, diced jalapeno, etc. I like to make it this mild for pickier/younger eaters, then let others add more spice as desired.<br />
This makes quite a bit, feel free to cut the recipe in half. I doubled what I started with because I started making and freezing burritos with the beans.<br />
<br />
Ingredients <br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>2 lbs dried pinto beans</li>
<li>2 Tbs olive oil</li>
<li>2 large onions, diced</li>
<li>8 cloves garlic, minced</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons cumin</li>
<li>4 teaspoons sea salt</li>
<li>1 teaspoon pepper</li>
<li>1 teaspoon chili powder</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
1. Rinse and sort beans</div>
<div>
2. Heat oil in a large pot. Saute onions 4-5 minutes, add garlic and saute a few more minutes. Stir in seasonings and beans. (Sometimes if I don't have any oil left I add some water to scrape up any browned bits.) Cover the beans by about an inch with water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until soft adding water if they get too dry. (Takes a few hours 3-4) </div>
<div>
3. When desired texture, remove from heat. You can let them cool a bit at this point. They will continue to absorb some water. Mash to desired texture. I usually mash some and leave some a bit whole.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Serving ideas - </div>
<div>
As a side dish alone or with rice</div>
<div>
Our favorite - as a bean and cheese burrito - add sour cream, shredded sharp cheddar cheese and wrap in a tortilla. Guacamole is also yummy, or a bit of salsa.</div>
<div>
On tacos</div>
<div>
I believe I've even seen my oldest eat these with eggs one morning. (not that I'm suggesting that or anything.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-62581648461163682682013-11-25T14:10:00.001-08:002013-11-25T14:10:48.851-08:00Thai ChickenYet another chicken that started in the American Test Kitchen slow cooker revolution volume 2 book. This one however didn't really look like the original dish by the time I finished with it. It was however, delicious! I've been wanting to blog it forever so I wouldn't forget what I did. <br />
You can certainly be more traditional and not shred the chicken and serve it over rice. I made it into a casserole because we had already eaten a lot of rice that week. <br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 can (15 oz.) coconut milk</li>
<li>1 1/2 Tablespoons Thai red curry paste (I lowered this, but then upped the coconut milk, I'd go back up to 2 Tablespoons if making this the same way again.)</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon instant tapioca</li>
<li>salt and pepper</li>
<li>1 package bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed (I also skinned them.)</li>
<li>1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch lengths</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon vegetable oil</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons lime juice</li>
<li>1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce</li>
<li>1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro</li>
<li>about 12 oz noodles of choice (we used up some bowties and some other macaroni)</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Whisk 1/2 cup coconut milk, curry paste, tapioca, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in slow cooker. Roll chicken in mixture and cook in slow cooker 3-4 hours on high (until super tender and shredable.)</li>
<li>When Chicken is tender, cook noodles according to package directions. Microwave asparagus and oil in a bowl for 5 minutes, stirring mid way through cooking. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred.</li>
<li>Add remaining coconut milk, lime juice and fish sauce to sauce still in slow cooker. Heat through. Add shredded, chicken, asparagus, noodles and cilantro. Stir to combine and serve.</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-36481748551308126182013-11-25T13:35:00.001-08:002013-11-25T13:35:32.519-08:00Mediterranean Chicken with Potatoes, Fennel, and OlivesThis was the other chicken dish we had while my mom was here. She remembered the fennel and lemon, so I'm not sure which she was wanting but here is the other recipe. This was good. The kids weren't huge fans of the fennel, but I liked it. It was different and good. Probably not a top pick for me, but then again, it has to be an amazing chicken dish to be a top pick for me. This was definitely different, but a good different -like if you are tired of the same boring chicken, try this. I liked the fennel and orange combination. Not something I would ever have thought to put together, but they went well together. I will note here that the original used butter. I did not because I am currently eating non-dairy. The book also gives a nice vignette on olives on this recipe's page - certainly one of my favorite things about American Test Kitchen books.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 lb potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes </li>
<li>1 fennel bulb, cored, and sliced thin</li>
<li>1 cup chopped onion</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon olive oil</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon minced garlic</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary</li>
<li>1/2 cup chicken broth</li>
<li>2 teaspoons orange zest</li>
<li>1 package bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed (I also removed the skins. For this meal, I think it would be easy/nice to use boneless, skinless thighs, or something already boned for easy serving since I wasn't shredding them at the end or anything. Maybe next time.)</li>
<li>1/2 cup pitted salt-cured black olives, rinsed and halved (I may have forgotten to add these at the end.)</li>
</ul>
Directions<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Microwave potatoes, fennel, onion, olive oil, garlic and rosemary in a bowl for 5 minutes stirring midway through cooking. Pour into slow cooker. Stir in broth, orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to the slow cooker.</li>
<li>Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 3-4 hours on low.</li>
<li>Remove chicken and serve. Stir olives, salt and pepper into veggies and serve. (Can also add butter or parsley if desired.)</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-81196890583440727322013-11-25T13:21:00.000-08:002013-11-25T13:21:55.174-08:00Lemony Chicken and Rice SoupI've been in crock pot mode for a while. I'm loving my new book American Test Kitchen's Slow Cooker Revolution volume 2. Most of the following had their beginnings in that book and were modified by me to fit my family/cooking style.<br />
I'd be a total slacker, but the next couple of recipes are things we made while my mom was in town and I told her I'd post them a week ago. Sick kids and normal business has delayed my posting, but here they are.<br />
This one is for a soup that was very good. I only moderately modified it from the original. I loved how it was creamy without cream since I'm currently eating non-dairy for my nursing baby. <br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>2 cups diced onions</li>
<li>3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced </li>
<li>1 Tablespoon minced garlic</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon olive oil</li>
<li>8 cups chicken broth. (I use 2 heaping tablespoons of an organic better than bouillon paste that I buy at costco. I boil the water and dissolve the paste to make my broth.)</li>
<li>1 package bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed (I also skinned mine)</li>
<li>4 large egg yolks</li>
<li>3 Tablespoons lemon juice</li>
<li>1 cup cooked brown rice</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Microwave onions, carrots, garlic and oil in a bowl for 5 minutes stirring mid way through. Place in slow cooker, stir in broth. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken is tender. 3-4 hours (book says on low, but I say on high for that short of a time)</li>
<li>Transfer chicken to a plate and shred/chop into bite size pieces. Skim any excess fat from top of soup (I don't find this necessary if you remove the skin from the chicken before cooking.)</li>
<li>Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice together in a bowl. Temper egg mixture by mixing 3-4 Tablespoons of hot soup into the lemon/yolk mix, then whisk they lemon/yolk mix into the soup until well combined. Add the shredded chicken and rice and cook until heated through. (5 minutes or so) Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.</li>
</ol>
</div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-68023143463829335842013-10-09T03:54:00.002-07:002013-10-09T03:54:50.605-07:00honey garlic chickenI have been using the crock pot a ton lately. I've just decided it is way easier to try and make dinner when I can during the day rather than trying to do it when I'm trying to help with homework, run children here or there, teach a piano lesson, and/or take care of a baby. This one was super simple and tasted great. The chicken cooked perfectly and it made a lovely sauce that I served over brown rice. This made way more sauce than needed. You could probably add more chicken thighs and have lots of left overs or a second meal.<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 package boneless skinless chicken thighs</li>
<li>1/2 cup ketchup</li>
<li>1/2 cup soy sauce</li>
<li>1/2 cup honey</li>
<li>3 cloves garlic, minced</li>
<li>cornstarch (1-2 teaspoons)</li>
</ul>
Directions<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Place chicken in the crock pot. Mix Ketchup, soy sauce, honey and garlic in a bowl. Pour over chicken and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4. </li>
<li>Remove chicken, cover to keep warm. Pour sauce into a saucepan (I poured it through a strainer so it wouldn't be chunky.) Mix about a little water with cornstarch and add it to the saucepan heat to thicken. </li>
<li>Serve chicken over rice and top with sauce. </li>
</ol>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-24827244550782943302013-10-09T03:37:00.000-07:002013-10-09T03:37:10.086-07:00refried black beans food storage style So I went to make some slow cooker refried beans today. I've tried my sisters recipe with success in the past, and I wanted something vegetarian tonight because we've had a lot of meat this week. I also had nothing planned so I figures surely we had dried beans. However, we are out of dried pinto beans. I also haven't been to costco this week and we have run out of my diced frozen onions, our bag of mini sweet bell peppers, I'm out of garlic.... You get the picture, I need to go grocery shopping. Great reason to make this a food storage meal right? That's what I did. I modified my sister's recipe first and foremost using black beans instead of pinto. Then I also used dehydrated or dried everything. I even added some celery and bell peppers to give it a few extra veggies.<br />
This turned out great. I love cooking beans in the crock pot. I totally have to remember to do that more often. I did think it was a bit peppery. Would love to fiddle with the spices in the recipe - less pepper, maybe add chili powder or chipotle chili powder for spice? However, everyone ate and loved the burritos.<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>3 cups dried black beans</li>
<li>10 cups water</li>
<li>1 Teaspoon dried garlic minces</li>
<li>4 Tablespoons minced dried onions</li>
<li>1/2 cup freeze dried celery</li>
<li>1/4 cup dried bell pepper mix (red and green)</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon cumin</li>
<li>4 teaspoons salt</li>
<li>1 3/4 teaspoons pepper.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Rinse and sort beans. Add to crock pot with all remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 8 hours or until soft. </li>
<li>When done, drain (saving liquid) mash with potato masher or immersion blender or whatever you want to use to get the desired consistency, adding reserved liquid as necessary. (My sister suggests making them a little on the runny side because they thicken over time. </li>
<li>Serve as a side, or add </li>
</ol>
</div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-32776230290261664752013-10-04T12:46:00.000-07:002013-10-04T12:46:28.798-07:00Italian chiliThis too came from pinterest. Found it from the same slow cooker post. It led me to <a href="http://www.amybites.com/?p=2790">amy bites</a>. I really liked the idea of italian chili. I modified it a bit, adding veggies, and changing the spiciness, leaving out the noodles... If you want spicier, try her recipe - or just add some red pepper flakes.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 lb Italian sausage (we used home-made - YUM!)</li>
<li>1 cup diced onion</li>
<li>3 stalks celery, diced</li>
<li>3 carrots, peeled and diced</li>
<li>1 1/2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon pepper</li>
<li>1 teaspoon sugar</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>4 cloves garlic, minced</li>
<li>1 15 oz can great northern beans, undrained</li>
<li>1 14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes, undrained</li>
<li>1 6 oz can tomato paste</li>
<li>1/2 cup dry red wine (or sub chicken, beef, or vegetable broth.)</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Cook sausage, breaking up as cooking. Drain off most of the fat leaving about a tablespoon with the sausage (there really was none to drain with our homemade sausage) Add onion, celery, carrots, Italian seasoning, pepper, sugar and salt. Cook for 5-8 minutes until veggies are tender. Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Transfer to slow cooker.</li>
<li>Add beans, tomatoes, tomato paste and red wine to meat mixture in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. </li>
</ol>
</div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-87380565777492847292013-10-04T07:37:00.001-07:002013-10-04T07:37:24.656-07:00Lentil stewGoing to try to blog some recipes we've liked in the past couple of weeks. I miss the blog when I'm looking for something we liked.<br />
This recipe is one I found on pinterest. I found<a href="http://bembu.com/healthy-slow-cooker-recipes"> this site</a> with lots of links to slow cooker recipes. The original of this comes from <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2013/01/04/1-million-vegetables-lentil-stew/">chocolate covered Kate</a>. Here is how we made it. I left out mushrooms, and actually spinach too. I also found I needed a lot more broth/stock that the original said. If you are a mushroom lover, click the link above and follow that recipe. (keeping in mind that you might need more liquid.) I loved the combination of flavors. We actually made this twice. First time my veggie broth was rancid and we had to dump it. Such a waste. Second time DH made it. I had thought he left out chili powder but in reviewing the recipe, I don't see any. Maybe he left out the cumin. It was good that way, but I sprinkled the chili powder on it when I ate it for left overs and it was excellent. Good enough that I had the left overs 3 times. I thought the lemon flavor was a bit too strong the first day, but not in left overs. Just and FYI. I may fiddle with that next time I make this. That is the true judge of if I like something. :) I also love a good vegetarian meal.<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1.5 cups onion, chopped (always an approximation for me)</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon minced garlic -2-4 cloves</li>
<li>olive oil -1 tsp-1 Tbs for sauteing veggies</li>
<li>1.5 cups diced bell peppers (I used mini sweets)</li>
<li>6 carrots, chopped</li>
<li>1 cup celery, chopped</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons tomato paste</li>
<li>2 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds</li>
<li>2 teaspoons paprika</li>
<li>1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin</li>
<li>1 1/3 cup dry lentils</li>
<li>4 cups vegetable stock or broth</li>
<li>2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes</li>
<li>1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1 1/2 Tablespoons grated lemon zest</li>
<li>optional (5 oz spinach) Sounds good but we didn't use it.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Saute onion in oil in a large saucepan until it begins to brown. Add garlic, peppers, carrots, celery and cook for 5 more minutes. (Pretty sure I added a bit more oil at this time. I just went by what it looked like it needed.) </li>
<li>Add vinegar, tomato paste, fennel seeds, paprika and cumin. Cook 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. </li>
<li>Add lentils, broth, tomatoes, and salt. Bring to a boil, Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until lentils are done. Add lemon zest. Stir and serve. (If using spinach, add with lemon zest and cook 2-3 minutes until it wilts. If your a fan of chili powder or want a spicier or smokey flavor, try it with a sprinkle of chili powder. I loved the left overs like that.</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-4708075790637030142013-07-03T13:20:00.001-07:002013-07-03T13:20:47.371-07:00Bath salts and scrubsSo for mother's day I decided to make some bath salts and scrubs. My mom happens to be allergic to most scents, so I went looking for ideas and recipes that used natural, organic ingredients thinking that she would be able to enjoy those. I ended up making a large batch and giving them to a couple of friends with May Birthdays, my mother, and mother in law, and to teachers as teacher's gifts. I also of course got to keep the left overs. Fun! These are the scrubs and salts I made.<br />
<br />
<b>Lemon Rosemary Bath Salts</b><br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>2 cups epsom salt</li>
<li>1/2 cup baking soda</li>
<li>2-3 Tablespoons fresh rosemary; finely chopped (I tossed mine in my coffee grinder)</li>
<li>6-8 drops lemon essential oil</li>
<li>2-3 Tablespoons lemon zest</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container.</li>
</ol>
<div>
<b>Coconut & Lime scrub</b></div>
</div>
<div>
(I think I did like 4 times this amount)</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>1/4 cup coconut oil</li>
<li>1/2 cup sugar</li>
<li>zest from one lime</li>
<li>lime and/or coconut flavoring oils (I couldn't find these, so I added a drop or 2 of lemon essential oil or citrus bliss I can't remember which.)</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Combine all ingredients, adding more sugar or coconut oil until desired consistency is reached.</li>
</ol>
<div>
<b>Chocolate Lover's scrub</b></div>
</div>
<div>
(I also did 4 times this amount, but I was making gifts. It took a lot of cocoa butter - just a warning. At the store I bought a 7 fluid ounce container, but it was only about 1 cup of cocoa butter - also just a warning. This stuff smells like chocolate chip cookies or something - it is yummy. The cocoa butter is also a great lotion. I love using this on dry skin.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ingredients</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>1/4 cup (1 oz) cocoa butter, melted</li>
<li>1 cup brown sugar</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons sweet almond oil</li>
<li>optional extra - 1/2 -1 teaspoon vanilla -I did not use this.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container.</li>
</ol>
<div>
<b>Soapy scrub</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ingredients</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>1 cup sugar</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons Dr. Bronner's Peppermint castile soap</li>
<li>4 Tablespoons coconut oil</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons glycerin</li>
<li>1 teaspoon ground rosemary - I ground some fresh rosemary in the coffee grinder - the original recipe called for 5 drops of rosemary essential oil but I didn't have it. I like the flecks of green in the mix though.</li>
<li>3 drops peppermint essential oil</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Store in an airtight container.</li>
</ol>
<div>
<b>Invigorating Foot Scrub</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
Ingredients</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>1 cup epsom salt</li>
<li>1/4 cup sweet almond oil</li>
<li>10 drops peppermint essential oil</li>
<li>1 Tablespoons dried peppermint leaves (I didn't have these, but they were in the original recipe and would add a nice touch.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Combine all ingredients. Mix well, store in an airtight container.</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-28886443125299768522013-07-03T12:32:00.000-07:002013-07-03T12:32:37.725-07:00foaming hand soap (or body soap)Here is another recipe I'm looking for again on pinterest. Blogging it to make finding it easier on myself. I found this on <a href="http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2011/10/19/how-to-make-your-own-homemade-safe-baby-body-wash/">kitchenstewardship</a>. I have a couple of her e-books, but this is from her website and I love it. Super simple, uses ingredients I had already bought to make some scrubs and body washes (recipes to follow) and simple to make. This amount also makes just enough to refill my pump bottles. <br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1/4 cup liquid castile soap (I used Dr. Bronners - I found it cheapest at HEB - like $10 instead of $16 a bottle.) Use the baby one if you want to add essential oil. I've also made this using the peppermint soap and not added the oil at all because it already smell great.</li>
<li>3/4 cup distilled water</li>
<li>8-10 drops essential oil</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Mix everything together and pour into foaming soap dispenser.</li>
</ol>
</div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-53897845874277429402013-07-02T07:29:00.003-07:002013-07-03T12:33:24.933-07:00brownie mixI obviously found a bunch of mixes on pinterest and have been trying them out. This one is for brownies and came from <a href="http://heart-hands-home.blogspot.com/search/label/Mix%20recipes">heart, hands, home</a> website. There are tons of mixes on this site. I want to try more of them, but so far I've only tried the brownies. Again, I used coconut oil when baking them (it isn't in the mix.) It made my mix kind of thick and I worried about getting a good brownie texture, but they baked up nicely and were plenty tasty.<br />
I can't say these are healthy, and I didn't use a healthier sugar this time, but next time I may try it with sucanant, and/or coconut sugar.<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>8 cups sugar</li>
<li>6 cups unbleached flour</li>
<li>2 cups cocoa powder</li>
<li>1 1/2 Tablespoons baking powder</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon salt</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
Directions:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Mix everything together in a large container or zip top bag. Label.</li>
</ol>
<div>
To make Brownies, mix together</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>2 1/4 cup brownie mix</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>1/3 cup oil (I used coconut, melted - can use butter, or olive as well - original called for canola but I don't use that. It was tasty with coconut)</li>
<li>2 teaspoons vanilla</li>
<li>1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional) - dried cherries would be tasty too.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Bake in a greased 8 inch square pan at 350 for 30-35 minutes.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You can also apparently make Texas sheet cake with this recipe by mixing </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>4 cups brownie mix</li>
<li>1/2 cup oil</li>
<li>1 cup water</li>
<li>1/2 cup sour cream</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking soda</li>
</ul>
<div>
The directions say to boil the water, oil and sour cream, then mix it with the brownie mix and add the remaining ingredients. Bake on a greased jelly roll pan at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Frost with the following:</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>1/2 cup evaporated milk</li>
<li>1/2 cup butter or margarine</li>
<li>1/4 cup cocoa powder</li>
<li>3 cups powdered sugar</li>
<li>2 teaspoons vanilla</li>
</ul>
<div>
It says to frost while still hot. </div>
<div>
I have not made this, but living in Texas, this is actually brought to many an event, so I may actually try it sometime. It isn't however my favorite cake to eat. I prefer brownies. :)</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-72170906788226921812013-07-01T14:08:00.001-07:002013-07-03T12:33:05.917-07:00pancake mix, shake and pourObviously, I've let my food blog go lately. Life got a little bit insane for a while. While it hasn't really calmed down per se (I just had a baby a week and a half ago) at least I have a couple of seconds to add a post or 2 to the food blog. I sure do miss being able to find the yummy food I have made quickly and easily on the blog. Sadly I won't have pictures for the next few since I'm really out of that habit right now, but hopefully I'll get back to that soon too.<br />
<br />
This recipe I found on One Good thing by Jillee. I pinned it and actually made it pretty soon after pinning. I did change the oil used from shortening to coconut oil. It makes the most delicious pancakes - small hint of coconut flavor. Yummy! I don't add the sugar she calls for -I don't see a need. I've also made them at least part wheat both times I've made them. I don't think even my wheat haters noticed because the flavor from the coconut oil is so good. <br />
<br />
I loved that these were also made in a mason jar to be a shake and pour mix. I actually made them for my younger boys to enjoy while I was in the hospital having the baby. They do have fun helping shake the batter up. <br />
<br />
Here is my version of the mix.<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>9 cups of flour (I've used a mix of wheat and white each time. The first time - lots less wheat, the second time I used 4 cups wheat and 5 cups unbleached flour)</li>
<li>1/3 cup baking powder (I use and aluminum free)</li>
<li>4 teaspoons salt</li>
<li>1 3/4 cups coconut oil (this is just about one 14 oz container making these a bit on the pricey side unless you find a good deal on coconut oil but they are delicious this way. Be sure to use extra virgin, unrefined coconut oil to get the subtle coconut flavor.)</li>
<li>1 3/4 cups non-fat dry milk</li>
</ul>
<br />
Directions<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>I toss all the ingredients in my bosch, put the paddles on and let it do the work of mixing in the oil. Or, you can hand mix it until it is well mixed - it will look a bit crumbly with the oil mixed in.</li>
<li>To make shake and pour jars, add 2 cups mix to a 1 quart mason jar.</li>
<li>Label with these directions (add 1 egg and 1 cup water. Shake until combined.) </li>
</ol>
Notes:<br />
<ul>
<li>Just an FYI, I always find I need a bit more than 1 cup water. I start with 1 cup and end up adding a bit more because the batter looks too thick. Maybe it is because I've used wheat and it absorbs more, that has just been my experience. </li>
<li>Also, I find that some of the batter usually likes to stick to the jar and I end up stirring it up in the jar.</li>
<li>Because I end up stirring, and also to make them easier to clean, I prefer to use wide mouth quart jars. </li>
</ul>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-22464568393622830562013-03-07T13:13:00.002-08:002013-03-07T13:13:58.258-08:00Mexican chicken spaghettiI really liked this dish, which was surprising. I haven't cared much for chicken lately. I thought it was from having eaten vegetarian for a long time, but after finding out I was pregnant, I've decided that maybe I can just blame it on pregnancy. This is one of the fist meals I tried when trying chicken again and I really liked it. Some of my favorite things about this meal were - 1) it was easy, 2) the spaghetti cooked in the crock pot, 3) it wasn't as spicy as the chicken spaghetti's I've had in the past, and 4)it didn't have any cream of anything soups. Good recipe if you ask me. It was nice and creamy with a great flavor. <br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<ul>
<li>1 pound boneless, sinless cicken breast</li>
<li>1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)</li>
<li>2 cups salsa (I'm partial to Jack's sold at costco - fresh salsa with a hint of lime. Yum!)</li>
<li>2 cups frozen corn</li>
<li>1 cup water</li>
<li>1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon pepper</li>
<li>8 oz spaghetti noodles, broken into small pieces</li>
<li>2 - 3 cups hot water</li>
<li>8 oz cream cheese</li>
</ul>
Directions<br />
<ol>
<li>Place chicken in the bottom of a 5 quart crock pot. Add beans, salsa, corn, salt and pepper. Pour 1 cup of water over the top.</li>
<li>Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.</li>
<li>Remove the chicken and shred. Return to the crock. Add 2 cups hot water (original said 3 but a comment said they did 2 and so did I. I may have added 1/2 cup more, I can't remember. If you don't look like you have enough water, feel free to add 3 cups. You just want enough to be able to submerge your noodles, but not so they look like they are drowning. You don't want soup in the end.) Add broken spaghetti noodles. Push down to submerge. Turn crock to high and cook for 45 minutes-1 hour. </li>
<li>Turn off crock. Add cream cheese and let melt. (I cut my cream cheese into squares before adding to speed up the melting process. Stir and serve. </li>
</ol>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-71353344501325274092013-03-07T12:48:00.001-08:002013-03-07T12:48:43.107-08:00Asian maple chickenI have done a lot of crock pot recipes lately. I used to make more on my piano lesson days but had gotten out of the habit. I started back and have really liked it. <br />
This recipe comes from an e-book called crock on. I've liked a lot of the recipes I've tried there. What I like most is that they use real food for the most part. Not cans of cream of something this and that.<br />
This recipe originally called for 1 1/2 lbs of chicken breast. I had 3 1 lb packages of thighs in my freezer so I used one and added a can of mayacoba beans (you could use pinto or navy if you want.) I liked the beans just fine but my 14 year old didn't. No one else complained about them. They kind of don't go with the whole asian aspect of the meal, so feel free to leave them out. I was just trying to use less meat and add some fiber in the process. Also note that the original recipe was called maple sesame chicken because it was topped with toasted sesame seeds. I just didn't feel like adding them so I didn't. Feel free if you love them.<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<ul>
<li>1 lb chicken thighs</li>
<li>1/2 cup chopped onion</li>
<li>1/2 cup chopped pepper (I have a mix of red, yellow, and orange diced in the freezer.)</li>
<li>1/3 cup honey</li>
<li>1/3 cup maple syrup</li>
<li>1/3 cup tamari (or soy sauce)</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon pepper</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon garlic powder</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon onion powder</li>
<li>1 can mayacoba beans rinsed and drained</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons arrowroot powder (original used flour and water. I was lazy and mixed in arrowroot as I think it dissolves a bit easier. You could also use corn starch and water.) </li>
</ul>
Directions<br />
<ol>
<li>Place chicken in a 3-4 quart slow cooker. Sprinkle onions and peppers on top. In a small bowl, combine honey, maple syrup, soy sauce, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Pour over chicken.</li>
<li>Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. (I added the beans in about the last 1 hour of cooking and partially shredded the chicken when I added them.)</li>
<li>Shred or chop the chicken and return to the crock pot (if you took it out. I just shred mine with 2 forks in the crock pot.) Add arrowroot powder. (or other thickening agent) I just pushed a measuring cup down on top of the chicken to get some juice in it, whisked the arrowroot into the juice until smooth and returned it to the crock pot. (With flour or cornstarch, I'd probably use water, whisk it together and add it to the pot.)</li>
<li>Cover and let thicken. Serve over rice.</li>
</ol>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-46628203277664120062013-03-07T12:29:00.000-08:002013-03-07T12:29:17.303-08:00Ravioli with tangy butterI am the queen of bad bloggers right now for many reasons but we have had a few meals that were delicious lately and I really wanted to post them. This ranks right up there for super simple, and Sooo yummy. I don't know if the kids loved it as much as I did, but I thought it was absolutely wonderful. All 4 boys ate all of it, so I guess it wasn't too bad, and Duncan even had the 2 left over raviolis (yes only 2 - and DH was out of town) for breakfast the next morning. <br />
I had worried with the name tangy in the title and with 2 Tablespoons of vinegar that it would be a bit too tangy for the kids - especially when I added the vinegar and it boiled and smelled strong. However, it was definitely NOT too vinegary.<br />
Sadly, there is no picture of this one. With my lack of blogging has come a lack of picture taking. :( <br />
<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<ul>
<li>18-20 ounces ravioli (I used closer to 21 oz of cheese ravioli - tortellini would also work fine.)</li>
<li>6 Tablespoons butter</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon pepper</li>
<li>1/3 cup walnuts, chopped (more or less - I used less because only 2 people wanted walnuts)</li>
<li>Parmesan cheese, grated for topping</li>
</ul>
Directions<br />
<ol>
<li>Cook ravioli according to package directions</li>
<li>Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat stirring occasionally until it begins to turn golden brown (about 3 minutes.) Turn off the heat. Let cool for about a minute. Stir in balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir in raviolis (or pour over raviolis.) Stir to combine. </li>
<li>Serve and top each serving with walnuts and Parmesan cheese. </li>
</ol>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-87205804822314283252012-12-29T14:23:00.000-08:002012-12-29T14:24:09.979-08:00Taco seasoningWell, I seem to have a working computer again, so I figured I may as well take advantage and blog. Yesterday for dinner I ran out of my taco seasoning mix. I LOVE my taco seasoning mix. I found it in a book by a lady from 3dhealth.net. While the book has some great ideas, it is so unorganized that I hate trying to find things in it. For example, this recipe is called chili mix even though I always think of it as taco seasoning. It also calls for a veggie mix that you then have to try to find in the book. I really hate using the book, but I love the recipe. It pretty much has everything you need including a few veggies. I also like the flavor and so do all of my kids except 1 who doesn't seem to like ground beef in general. Be warned, these probably aren't items you will have in your pantry unless you are into food storage. You will probably have to buy them at some sort of specialty place on online. My particular favorite is <a href="http://honeyvillegrain.com/">honeyvillegrain.com</a>. I like them mostly because they are the most economical because their shipping is always 4.49. I can't say that I got any of the items I used yesterday from Honeyville though. I just find them easiest to use. If you care to know, my celery and peppers were Thrive products, my tomato powder was Auguston farms - although purchased through 3dhealth.net and not my favorite quality wise - I do not recommend it. Could have been old from the person who sold it to me though. My onions were from the lds home storage center, and the other items from costco. <br />
On to the mix -here it is with everything all together. Yea!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yZwt0W9Uf58/UN9sSuopTQI/AAAAAAAAEZY/O8RMWAZloRw/s1600/DSC_0395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yZwt0W9Uf58/UN9sSuopTQI/AAAAAAAAEZY/O8RMWAZloRw/s320/DSC_0395.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<ul>
<li>1 cup tomato powder</li>
<li>1/2 cup dried onions</li>
<li>1/2 cup dried celery (mine were freeze dried)</li>
<li>1/2 cup dried bell peppers (I have a red and green mix)</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon garlic minces or garlic powder (I used powder yesterday.)</li>
<li>1/2 cup chili powder (this makes a pretty mild mix - you may want to add more if you like it spicier)</li>
<li>3 Tablespoons cumin</li>
<li>3 Tablespoons coriander</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon salt</li>
</ul>
Mix all of the ingredients together and store in an airtight container. <br />
<br />
To use:<br />
Tacos - 1/2 cup seasoning with some water to 1 lb meat (or 1 cup lentils or beans to make vegetarian)<br />
Chili beans - 1/2 cup seasoning to 1 cup (dry measure) beans<br />
rice - 1/4 cup mix to cooked rice with 1/2 cup water <br />
refried beans -1/4 cup mix to 3 cups mashed pinto beans<br />
<br />
You get the picture - honestly I usually only make this as taco seasoning, but I have used it with beans, ground beef, and chicken. Personally for refried beans I prefer mashing salsa up with black or pinto beans.<br />
<br />
<br />Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-66352980059312984542012-09-14T10:11:00.000-07:002012-09-14T10:11:04.822-07:00Fish and chipsDon't be fooled by the title. This isn't the fish and chips you are thinking of. This is chips like potatoes chopped and baked that crisp up almost like a potato chip, with fish, just plain, no breading, on top. Super simple meal and super yummy!<br />
This idea came from Mark Bittman's book the minimalist cooks at home. So far I'm liking this book. It is set up so be simple. Not a ton of ingredients, just simple meals with lots of flavor. For every recipe he gives a story behind it, the recipe, keys to succes, and with minimal effort ideas (extras to add for more/different flavor, or to add veggies....) Definitely a book I will continue to investigate while I have it checked out of the library.<br />
This really was super simple. Aside from peeling and slicing the potatoes, there wasn't an overabundance of work. I did add one of his with minimal effort suggestions to add garlic (although I was already thinking about doing that when I read it.) This was a perfect recipe for me. I had fish in the freezer that I wanted to use, and potatoes in the pantry that I needed to use. <br />
As far as amounts on this recipe - I can't really say too well. I actually made 2 pans - an 8 X 8 and a 9 X 13 baking side by side. I had no problem doing this. I used more potatoes and fish in the 9 X 13 pan and a little less in the 8 X 8 pan. I'll list the original amounts which say they make 4 servings. <br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>4-5 medium potatoes, 2 lbs or more. (I used 7 or 8? kind of lost count.)</li>
<li>6 Tablespoons butter (I used 8 1/2 or 9) -melted -or use olive oil if you are anti-butter. </li>
<li>salt and pepper</li>
<li>1 1/2 lbs white fish about 1 inch thick, skinned - in 2 or more pieces. (original called for cod. I used mahi mahi. 4 fillets on one pan (about 2-2.25 lbs) and 2 fillets in the other (about 1 lb)</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 400 F. (I put the butter in the pan and put my pans in the oven to melt the butter I used 4 Tablespoons in the 9X13 and 2 1/2 in the 8X8 -see next note) Peel the potatoes and cut into slices about 1/8 inch thick. (I cut mine on a mandoline and think they were a bit thinner than 1/8 inch. </li>
<li>Toss the potatoes with 4 Tablespoons of the butter (or just toss in the pan if you already melted the butter in the pan. I'm not sure I'd melt the butter in the pan again. I loved how the butter browned, but it would be easier to toss the melted butter with the potatoes with my hands which I may opt to do next time.) Season potatoes liberally with salt and pepper and spread them evenly. Place pan in the oven.</li>
<li>Cook for 40 minutes checking occasionally, until potatoes are tender and have begun to brown. Remove from oven. (This didn't take 40 minutes for me - maybe because my potatoes were thin. I set my first timer for 15 minutes (they were already in the 3-5 minutes so max 20 min.) when I checked them, they were already tender and starting to brown. I stirred them because some were stuck together and not as browned and cooked them for a few more minutes (while I got my fish together and melted some butter - maybe 5-10 minutes.) </li>
<li>Turn the oven to broil and make sure to have a top rack 4-6 inches from the heat. Top the potatoes with fish, drizzle with the remaining butter (I used the last of the first stick I had, and a bit more.) Season with more salt and pepper. Broil until fish is done, 6-10 minutes - depending on thickness. Mine took 10 to have all pieces done. Keep an eye on it while it broils. I saw a potato starting to burn because it was kind of sticking up, so I knocked it over to flat with a spatula and it solved that problem.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<br />
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-23574095392284584652012-09-14T09:43:00.000-07:002012-09-14T09:43:36.123-07:00no bake oatmeal peanut butter bitesI found these little beauties on pinterest. They come from a website that is new to me <a href="http://howsweeteats.com/">howsweeteats.com</a><br />
I changed them around a bit - grinding my flax and chia to better hide it from the kiddos. They can sometimes get persnickety about seeds being in their food. I also didn't bother rolling mine in crushed nuts like she did. It was just one more step that didn't seem necessary - and of course the first time I made them I was trying to get them done quickly before it was time to pick up my first grader from school. They worked fine without the nuts on the outside and were such a hit that we made a second batch the next day. Yea! A healthy snack everyone likes that is easy to make. What more can a mom want?<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 cup rolled oats</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons flaxseed</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons chia seed</li>
<li>1/4 cup sliced almonds, chopped - or if you are hurrying like me, crushed in you hand to make smaller pieces.</li>
<li>pinch cinnamon</li>
<li>pinch salt</li>
<li>1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons (6 Tablespoons) creamy peanut butter, melted</li>
<li>1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon (5 Tablespoons) honey</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon vanilla</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Melt peanut butter and allow to cool slightly. (I store my peanut butter in the fridge because it is natural peanut butter, so I microwaved it for 30 seconds and stirred. Then I think I did 30 seconds more - I didn't get it totally soupy, just melted enough to be pourable.)</li>
<li>Grind the flaxseed and chia seed in a coffee grinder (or spice grinder/food processor/blender.)</li>
<li>Combine oats, almonds, flax and chia seed, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir.</li>
<li>Stir the honey and vanilla into the peanut butter, then pour that mixture into the oats mixture. Stir to combine, adding the chocolate chips. </li>
<li>Roll into desired size balls and place on a silpat on a baking sheet. I stored mine in the fridge although they had a good enough consistency to be left on the counter. I just wanted them cooler after coming in from biking back from school. To tell the truth, I would have stuck them in the freezer like other cookie dough balls I've made, but my 3 year old didn't want them frozen, so take your pick.</li>
</ol>
</div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-44994979082717166622012-09-07T12:28:00.001-07:002012-09-07T12:28:38.053-07:00Mexican pizzasHere was another idea from the Cheap. Fast. Good cookbook. I mixed their idea with the <a href="http://fearsfood.blogspot.com/2010/09/taco-pizza-with-wheatcornmeal-crust.html">taco pizza</a> that I like to make and kind of made taco pizza with a tortilla shell. They did have a couple of new ideas for toppings in the book. I combined their ideas with ours and this is what we ended up with. I loved that they were quick and easy. One son didn't want to toast his in the oven, so he just used the beans as burrito topping which is also perfectly acceptable and makes this meal quite adaptable. I love that even though it was beans, my 3 year old bean hater ate it and asked for more because the beans were "squished." 3/4 boys loved this and had seconds. Even had to make another can of bean topping.<br />
Warning, now gushing about my favorite tortillas. I LOVE these tortillas. If I can ever figure out how to make some like this I would be sooo excited. They are corn tortillas with all the flavor of corn, but in the ingredients there is some vital wheat gluten which makes them pliable like a regular tortilla. They also come in a taco size - not the tiny regular corn tortilla size. However, they are like $3 for a package of only 6. I splurge for them occasionally because they are so tasty. They are made by La Tortilla factory and called hand made style Corn Tortillas. I have to buy them at Randalls. It is the only place I know that carries them. Try them if you love corn tortillas. OK, done gushing. Back to the recipe.<br />
We did these really low key. I let the kids pick a type of tortilla, I put the bean base on it, then cheese, and they picked at least 2 of the 4 veggie toppings available.<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 15 oz can black beans (pinto would also work fine)</li>
<li>1 cup salsa (today I used our favorite costco salsa Jack's. Love it's hint of lime)</li>
<li>tortillas -used desired type. I used flour and corn</li>
<li>shredded cheese - I used sharp cheddar, but Monterrey Jack, or Mexican blend, or Colby jack would all be good.</li>
<li>toppings - I used corn, canned chopped green chiles, chopped sweet peppers (red and yellow), and olives today. You could also include onions, jalapenos, tomato, avocado, and even meat if desired. </li>
<li>Salsa or sour cream for serving (optional if desired -one son added sour cream -no one added salsa today.)</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 450.</li>
<li>Mash black beans with a potato masher or fork. Mix with salsa.</li>
<li>Place as many tortillas as will fit on a large baking sheet. Top with bean mixture, cheese and whatever toppings you desire.</li>
<li>Bake for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and beans are heated. (Honestly we didn't time them at all. I just went about making a second batch asking the next group what they wanted on them and checked periodically to see if the first batch was done.)</li>
</ol>
Like I mentioned, I did end up opening a second can of beans and making a second batch of beans. Another option is to just use refried beans if you want to be quicker, but I prefer making my own bean spread because it is super easy, and tasty.</div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-49049673888787163412012-09-07T09:21:00.003-07:002012-09-07T09:21:58.935-07:00cherry pecan browniesI've been eyeballing these in the Rodale whole foods cookbook I have checked out of the library for more than a couple of weeks now. I finally made them this evening making substitutions as needed /desired. They like to claim the the book that these are made healthier by using flax seed instead of 2 eggs, but they still use 2 more eggs. The book also used plain old white sugar and brown sugar. I swapped the plain old white with some healthier alternatives. I also fiddled with the chocolate - mostly because I didn't have any bittersweet chocolate, but I did have some dark chocolate chips. The brownies turned out wonderful. I definitely don't want to change anything and ruin them. Super moist and chewy but not doughy. To me the perfect brownie texture. Add to that lots of nice crunch from the pecans and chewy bits of cherries. WOW. I had to give some to the neighbors to keep myself from eating them for lunch today. :) I must get back off sugar. :)<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1/2 cup (1 stick) butter</li>
<li>1/3 cup olive oil</li>
<li>10 oz. dark chocolate chips. (Mine were a 63% cacao all natural variety)</li>
<li>2 heaping Tablespoons flaxseed (I used light)</li>
<li>1/2 cup water</li>
<li>2 large eggs</li>
<li>1 cup sugar - I used a combination of sucanat (about 2/3 cup) and coconut palm sugar (the remaining 1/3 cup or so.</li>
<li>1 cup brown sugar (I just gave up and used brown sugar for this.)</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1 cup whole wheat flour</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups chopped pecans</li>
<li>3/4 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 X 13 pan with 2 sheets of foil crisscross. Oil the foil.</li>
<li>In a small ovenproof bowl (I used a very large mug) combine the butter, oil and chocolate. Place in the oven while it preheats and let the butter and chocolate melt. (I loved this idea - no using the microwave, just the oven that is already on anyway. Takes about 10 minutes. I took it out and whisked/stirred it to get the last bit of butter to melt.)</li>
<li>Grind the flaxseeds in a coffee grinder (or food processor or blender. I just prefer the coffee grinder.) Mix with water and let set. (now would be a good time to chop nuts and cherries -letting the flax gel, and the chocolate melt.)</li>
<li>In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugars, vanilla, salt, and flaxseed. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Stir in the flour. Fold in the nuts and cherries.</li>
<li>Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 45 minutes or until the toothpick poked into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. (45 minutes was perfect for me. The toothpick didn't have any crumbs, and the top didn't look super crackly or anything but it didn't look under done. Top felt done with my finger, and I figured no crumbs was a good sign but worried that they were overdone. They weren't - they were perfect.)</li>
<li>Cool in pan before cutting into squares. (book says 32. I made 24 (4 X 6) and they seemed small enough. Lets just say Mr. 15 year old cut his own on the second half and didn't follow my scoring at the edge and took a brownie twice as big for lunch today. :) I'm sure he thinks he took a small piece. :)</li>
</ol>
</div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-13625168500506836412012-09-06T19:14:00.001-07:002012-09-06T19:14:50.747-07:00Chicken and veggiesThis made a decent chicken (which for me is saying something because since I started eating a lot more vegetarian, I don't really care for chicken much at all.) I did have a couple of problems time wise with this recipe. It said I could make it in a crock pot for 7-8 hours on low or 1.5 in the oven. I translated that to 3-4 on high in the crock pot, but didn't have enough time for that so I did 2 in the crock pot on high and ended up with 1.5 in the oven and it still wasn't cooked all over. We just ate the legs, thighs, and parts of the breast that got cooked through. Just a warning to plan ahead with you time.<br />
This is from the cheap fast good book, so it is super simple. I just made it a bit more healthy since it used seasoning salt. I'm not a big fan of the list of ingredients on that stuff so I used an organic no salt spice blend and sea salt. Worked out well and had a great flavor.<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>4 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces</li>
<li>2 ribs celery, cut into 1 inch pieces</li>
<li>1 very large onion (seems all of ours are very large if going by the standard that 1 large = 1 cup diced.) cut into 8 pieces (or 2 smaller onions quartered)</li>
<li>5 baking potatoes (medium to small size) peeled and quartered</li>
<li>2 teaspoons organic no salt seasoning (I use one I got at costco)</li>
<li>1 teaspoon sea salt</li>
<li>1 chicken, I used an organic chicken</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>preheat oven to 350. In a small container, mix no salt seasoning with sea salt.</li>
<li>Prep veggies and toss in the bottom of a
large oven safe pot with a lid (or crock pot). Sprinkle about 1/2 of the seasoning mix on the veggies.</li>
<li>Prepare the chicken by removing neck and any giblets that may be in the cavity of the bird. Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold water removing any excess fat. I also removed the skin from everything but the legs. Place the chicken, breast side up, in the pot on top of the veggies rearranging if necessary so the lid closes tightly. Sprinkle with remaining seasoning mix. </li>
<li>Pour 1/2 cup water into the pot on the side of the chicken.</li>
<li>Bake until meat thermometer reads 180 about 1.5 hours. (I'd be happy with 160/165 and hope for some carryover. </li>
<li>cut chicken and serve with veggies.</li>
</ol>
<div>
alternative cooking - make in a crockpot and cook for 7-8 hours on low.</div>
</div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-77239839298991590432012-09-06T18:57:00.000-07:002012-09-06T18:57:05.924-07:00Bean and Tortilla SoupThis week my cookbook of choice has been another I have checked out of the library called Cheap. Fast. Good! It is a great book full of time saving ideas ... however, I really had to pick and choose to find ideas that fit with a healthy lifestyle - lots of canned items -of course. Seems like most of the quick cook books are. I have to say that I have enjoyed making some quicker meals this week. <br />
I loved this soup - think chicken tortilla soup but with beans instead of chicken. I loved the addition of lime. Added a great extra flavor. I made the recipe as posted here (similar to the book in quantity and it said it served 4) but if making again, I would more than likely add a third can of beans, more corn, and another cup of broth and adjust spices accordingly (1.5 times chili powder, cumin, sugar and lime) to make it serve my family. Luckily DH did not eat at home and there was only about 1/2 bowl of left overs. Aaron wasn't happy about this, but I smashed his beans and he ate at least 10 bites of soup with me spooning it too him. <br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 Tablespoon butter</li>
<li>1 medium onion, diced</li>
<li>1 15 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained</li>
<li>1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained</li>
<li>1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes</li>
<li>1 clove garlic, minced</li>
<li>1 cup frozen yellow corn, rinsed to defrost</li>
<li>1 teaspoon chili powder</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon cumin</li>
<li>2 cups vegetable stock</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon sugar</li>
<li>juice of 1 small lime</li>
<li>tortilla chips (a few crushed in the bottom of each bowl.</li>
<li>shredded cheese (cheddar, monterrey Jack, or Mexican blend) if desired - pretty sure we skipped this.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>In a 4 1/2 quart soup pan, saute onion in butter until fragrant. </li>
<li>Add beans, tomatoes, garlic, corn, chili powder, and cumin to the pot. Stir to blend. Add broth, sugar and lime juice. </li>
<li>Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes to blend the flavors. </li>
<li>To serve, crush the chips slightly and place in the bottom of the bowl. Ladle the soup over the chips. Top with cheese.</li>
</ol>
</div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-88407095145609168502012-08-30T12:21:00.000-07:002012-08-30T12:21:41.152-07:00Pasta with bread crumbsYes, this sounds simple and plain, but really I liked it. I may have over crisped my bread crumbs a bit. I didn't mind, (they definitely weren't burned) but 2/4 boys said they were either too crispy/tasted burnt. Benjamin LOVED this. He was so excited to have had 2 dinners this week that he really liked. Even had seconds. It truly is super simple. I think if I had not toasted the bread crumbs as long I would have had 4/4 liking this dish. <br />
Other tips for next time - don't add the olive oil to the butter - just add it all to the pasta, and unless using the good Parmesan, I think I could probably have doubled the amount of Parmesan. (at least 1 1/2 times.) <br />
I doubled this from the original - feel free to cut in 1/2. I did have a decent amount of left overs, but DH did not eat dinner with us and I didn't know that when preparing.<br />
As is, serves 12 as a side dish, 8 as a main <br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 16 oz. package short pasta (I used ditalini just because it was the only thing I had a complete package of other than spaghetti - time to go shopping.)</li>
<li>4 Tablespoons butter</li>
<li>4 teaspoons olive oil</li>
<li>6 cloves garlic, minced</li>
<li>2 cups coarse soft bread crumbs (4 slices of bread for me - I just tore them up and pulsed them in the food processor until crumbly.)</li>
<li>1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon sea salt</li>
<li>2/3 cup (I'd use at least 1 cup next time, maybe 1 1/3) grated Parmesan cheese</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Cook pasta according to package directions. </li>
<li>While the pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large skillet. Add 2 teaspoons of oil (may omit this next time) and the garlic. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add the bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, and salt and stir to coat the crumbs with the butter. </li>
<li>Cook and stir until crumbs are browned and crisp (6-10 minutes.) Remove from heat and set aside.</li>
<li> When the pasta is done, drain, return to the pot and toss with 2 teaspoons of olive oil (I'd use a bit more next time.) and the Parmesan cheese. Stir to mix. Just before serving, stir in the breadcrumbs. </li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
More notes --</div>
<div>
I actually really worried that the crumbs wouldn't be crisp enough - part of the getting them too crispy problem. I also added them right before I planned to serve this only to have a child knock a glass butter dish on the floor and I had to stop and clean the mess. Luckily the pasta wasn't any worse for the wear. The crumbs held their crispiness. As left overs, the breadcrumbs are no longer crisp, but are not mushy either. Totally still edible, and seem to have an even more intense buttery garlic flavor. </div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5319872230746697655.post-32660529046117270852012-08-30T12:05:00.003-07:002012-08-30T12:05:48.182-07:00Blueberry pancakesHere is a new healthy pancake recipe I made this morning. I like the addition of wheat germ and the tiny bit of sweetness added by the honey. I also enjoyed the texture the wheat germ added - reminded me of a cornmeal pancake - in texture only.<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour</li>
<li>1/2 cup wheat germ</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>2 large eggs</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups milk</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons honey</li>
<li>1 1/2 cup blueberries (I actually only had a cup and threw in about 1/4 cup dried blueberries. I'm officially out of blueberries. :)</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. (flour, wheat germ, baking powder, and salt.)</li>
<li>In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. (eggs, milk, oil, and honey.)</li>
<li>Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined. Fold in blueberries.</li>
<li>Bake on a hot griddle until cooked. </li>
</ol>
</div>
<br />
<br />Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08142622675615355713noreply@blogger.com0