Foodie for Thought

Preach the Gospel at all times, if necessary, use words...

2008-08-29T14:29:00.004-05:00

While I was visiting my parents in Denver back in July, my Mom and I, along with Calvin, made a special trip to visit the SAME Cafe. I first read about this unique restaurant in Cooking Light a few months earlier and I was immediately intrigued. (Read my original blog post about it here.) Here's a quick recap of what makes the SAME Cafe so unique:

SAME stands for "So All May Eat"
There are no set prices
Patrons pay what they can afford for their meal or they get their food in exchange for 1 hour of work at the restaurant
Nearly all the food is made from fresh, local ingredients
The cafe is run by a husband/wife team, Brad and Libby, who both have full-time jobs outside of the restaurant!

When we first arrived at the Cafe, I was surprised by just how small it was. There were maybe 8 or 9 tables, along with a tiny, open-air kitchen, all crammed into one space. Thankfully, a table opened up just after we arrived. Then it took us a few minutes to figure out the "system." We were greeted by this lovely menu just inside the front door:

From there, we told one of the kitchen workers what we wanted and, here's the clincher, we also told him the exact portions we wanted. What an absurdly simple way to cut down on costs and eliminate excess waste! (They encourage patrons to only take what they think they can eat, then return for seconds if they'd like more.) My Mom and I had little servings of each of the pizzas and salads:

I must admit, though, that while the food was good, it wasn't quite as spectacular as I had hoped. Upon reading in Cooking Light that one of the owners was a chef, I kind of had prepared myself to be wowed by the food, so I was a little disappointed. But here's the thing--though I wasn't as "wowed" by the food as I had originally hoped, I was encouraged and blessed in exceeding amounts by this unassuming restaurant in many other ways. The SAME Cafe has succeeded in establishing community and fellowship in a way that is surely a rare sight in our modern culture. Mom and I observed people from all different economic backgrounds, races, and walks of life bustling in and out of the SAME Cafe's tiny space, talking with one another, eating with one another, and becoming involved in one another's lives. I also witnessed just how engaged the owners are with their patrons. They go above and beyond simply "welcoming" their customers. During our entire lunch, I don't think I saw Brad (one of the owners) in one place for more than a few minutes--he not only personally talked with each and every patron, but he spent a great deal of time engaging with a group of counter-culture guys by the bike rack on the sidewalk.

I don't know Brad and Libby personally, but as a Christian, I see very clearly that the SAME Cafe is a ministry. They have created a safe-haven where all are welcome. They are providing food for those who can't afford to eat, and yet they uphold people's dignity while doing so. They are passionately facilitating community, which is something our hearts desperately long for in a culture that is often so disengaged. And also, they are concerned with being good stewards of not only their resources, but also the environment, too. Thank you Brad and Libby.

What more could I possibly say, except that if you're ever in the Denver area, go check it out for yourself! Oh, and also, check out this little dude enjoying his pizza:

Life Is Just A Big Fat Bowl Of These Beauties...

2008-08-27T15:09:00.004-05:00

Signs My 4 Year Old Is Turning Against Me

2008-08-27T14:45:00.005-05:00

So about a month ago, Calvin and I were driving all over the St. Louis metro area, going to appointments and running miscellaneous errands. After dropping off our recycling in Kirkwood, I realized just how quickly our afternoon was passing us by. It was nearly 2:00, we hadn't even had lunch yet, and we were still a good 20 minutes from home. I made the executive decision to purchase some snacks from a local grocery store to tide us over on the trip home.

Totting our treats and a couple cans of "Blue Sky" pop, we returned to the car. I got Calvin all set up with his snack in the backseat and was about to hand him his pop, when all of the sudden I began to see the possible turn of events in my head: 4 year old + backseat of the car + open can of pop...well, you can do the math! So I reassured him that I would keep his pop safely in the front seat and that he could have it as soon as we got home. A few minutes later, this is the conversation that began to develop:

C: Why do you call it "pop?"

Me: Well, because I'm from Nebraska and that's what I've always called it.

C: But it's called soda.

Me: In St. Louis, people call it soda. But I call it pop.

C: But it's not called pop, it's called soda.

Me: (getting a bit agitated) Well pop and soda are the exact same thing, but some people call it pop and some people call it soda.

C: Well I call it soda.

This went back and forth like this for several minutes. Remember my pop/soda debate a while back? To further fuel my annoyance, now I'm being being told by a 4 year old what to call my carbonated beverages!! I think I'll be lessening Calvin's inheritance into the family fortune.

Please don't egg my house

2008-08-21T14:45:00.013-05:00

I'm having growing concerns that one day I'll wake up to find my 4-year old's bed empty, and in place of his sleeping body will be a ransom note that says:

"Give us more Foodie and the boy will be returned to you, unharmed."

I've been asked about a handful of times when I was going to start blogging again. I figured I better git off my lazy arse before people start resorting to drastic measures. I'll spare you all the blah details of my life and throw out a couple seasonal recipes that yielded fresh, flavorful, summery results. Ya better hurry, though, if you want to prepare these dishes cause autumn will be rearing its lovely head soon.

Sweet Corn and Summer Squash Soup

I love it when I see that a recipe only has a minimal amount of ingredients. And this soup is a perfect example of the fact that good quality recipes need not contain insane amounts of ingredients you can't pronounce. Sometimes simplicity produces the best results. I maintained the simplicity of the dish by serving it with rustic french rolls (from Trader Joe's, no less!) and tossed green salad. (Found in Cooking Light.)

1 tablespoon butter
2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 7 ears)
3 cups water
2 cups chopped yellow squash
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onion to pan; cover and cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add corn and next 4 ingredients (through pepper); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Place half of corn mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Strain corn mixture through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. (I chose not to strain the soup...too much work, plus the soup tasted great without being strained.)Repeat procedure with remaining corn mixture. Serve immediately.

Grilled Vegetable Salad

Something magical happens to vegetables when they're grilled. It's as if their best flavor molecules are suddenly released and kick up good veggies to stellar veggies. I'm a total sucker for grilled veggies and in addition to eating them as a side dish with dinner, here are 2 other ways I love to utilize leftovers. First--all those magical properties of grilled veggies are the secret ingredient for an intensely flavorful omelet. Just chop up the leftovers and throw into your omelet while cooking it. Second, I love to add leftover grilled veggies to my typical lunch salad. Mmmm, I'm getting a little giddy just thinking about it. I have to admit that this recipe did involve quite a bit of prep work, but it was totally worth it in the end. This picture is shown before I added the goat cheese. (Also found in Cooking Light.)

Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

8 ounces asparagus, trimmed
2 (4-inch) portobello mushroom caps (I used 6 oz. of sliced baby portobello mushrooms)
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded
Cooking spray (I chose to use brush all the veggies with olive oil, in place of the cooking spray)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
6 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco (I substituted crumbled goat cheese)

Prepare grill to medium-high heat. To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; set aside.

To prepare salad, coat asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, squash, onion, and bell pepper with cooking spray (or brush with olive oil). Place vegetables on grill rack; grill 4 minutes on each side or until slightly blackened. Remove vegetables from grill; cool slightly. Cut vegetables into 1-inch pieces. Add vegetables, basil, chives, and parsley to vinaigrette; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Sweet 'n' Spicy Dressing

2008-07-09T20:23:00.007-05:00

This is a fanastic dish to make on a steamy, summery day. It's light, refreshing, flavorful...and you don't even have to turn your oven on! I added black beans and shredded co-jack cheese for even more pizazz, and I'm thinkin that fresh sweet corn, straight off the cob, would be another great addition to this salad. (Recipe found in Cooking Light.)

Grilled Chicken Salad with Sweet 'n' Spicy Dressing

Chicken:

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt 2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray

Dressing:

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Salad:

8 cups mixed salad greens (I used romaine)
1 cup thinly sliced peeled cucumber
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 plum tomatoes, quartered

To prepare chicken, combine the first 5 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add the chicken to the bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning the bag occasionally.

Prepare grill. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Let chicken stand 10 minutes; cut across grain into 1-inch-thick slices.

To prepare dressing, combine cilantro and next 7 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon cumin) in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. To prepare salad, arrange 2 cups greens, 1/4 cup cucumber, 1 tablespoon onion, and 2 tomato wedges on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 chicken breast half. Drizzle 2 tablespoons dressing over each serving.

Yield: 4 servings

Victory For Missouri Midwives!

2008-07-09T18:44:00.006-05:00

Up until a few weeks ago, any Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) that assisted in a homebirth in Missouri faced the risk of being charged with committing a felony. But on June 24th, after nearly 25 years of waiting, the Missouri Supreme Court threw out a suit brought by a group of physicians, making it legal for Missouri midwives to practice openly and without fear of prosecution. I rejoice in this victory, which is not only a victory for midwives, but also a victory for families and the entire childbirth community as well! Read the entire press release of the Supreme's Court's ruling at the Friends of MO Midwives homepage.

My joy in this victory is not because I'm anti-hospital or anti-obstetrician. Rather, this is about offering families freedom to make truly informed, educated decisions about their births. Expecting Mamas deserve the right to choose the birthing location where they feel most comfortable, and for some women, that location will be in the safety and privacy of their own homes. In fact, when a laboring mom feels fear and anxiety, it can and often does inhibit her progress. This court ruling opens so many doors for families in Missouri!

My Latest Food Adventure

2008-06-27T20:18:00.007-05:00

A couple months ago, my friend Emily called me to ask if I'd be interested in heading up the meal for the VBS Volunteer Luncheon (to serve 50-70 people). Now I haven't known Emily for very long, but obviously long for her to figure out what a crazy foodie I am. I was so very flattered and honored that she would put her confidence in me and it didn't take long for me to tell her a resounding "yes." I was giddy with excitement; this was exactly the kind of foodie challenge that I was up for: planning and preparing a meal from beginning to end with no constraints on my creativity. My giddiness even kept me up that night, as my I poured through my mental recipe file, searching for the perfect combination of dishes.

A couple of weeks later, as I strolled through Sam's Club with Emily, I started feeling a little overwhelmed. My behemoth-sized grocery cart was filled to the max with food and I couldn't help but think,"Holy Crap! Can I really do this?" Thankfully, I was reassured knowing that I had a handful of wonderful women who graciously teamed up with me to get the job done. I am especially grateful to Jillian, who worked for 6 hours in the church kitchen with me the day before the luncheon, sweating with me and keeping me sane! She's quite a foodie herself, plus she has way more catering-type experience than I do, so her input and hard work was invaluable. Without all of these gals, I absolutely could NOT have pulled this off! Here are the 5 of us finishing up on Sunday morning (from left- Anna, Liz, Jillian, Sabrina and me):

Everything went off (mostly) without a hitch and it was a joy to help serve all the VBS workers in this way. So without further adieu, here are the recipes:

VBS Volunteer Luncheon Menu

Slow-Cooked Mediterranean Chicken

Emerial LaGasse's Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Tossed Salad

Fresh Fruit Saladp>

No-Bake Peanut Bars

____________________________________________________________________

Slow-Cooked Mediterranean Chicken

Originally found in Cooking Light, this slow-cooker recipe quickly became one of my favorites. I adore Greek food, so I figured, what's not to love about it?! The original recipe calls for turkey breast, but I have easily substituted chicken many times. For the luncheon, I opted to cut down on the cooking time, since I wouldn't be able to use a slow-cooker. Instead, I basically marinated the chicken breast in all the other ingredients for 24 hours, then roasted them in the oven at about 300 degrees for 2 hours. It worked really well in lieu of the slow-cooker, however, to get the full effect of this dish, I would always opt for the slow-cooker over the oven.

2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup julienne-cut drained oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon Greek seasoning mix (such as McCormick's)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (4-pound) boneless turkey breast, trimmed (or 6-8 large, boneless chicken breasts)
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Combine first 9 ingredients in an electric slow cooker. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup broth and flour in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add broth mixture to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes. Cut turkey into slices.

Yield: About 8 servings

____________________________________________________________________

Emeril LaGasse's Mediterranean Style Pasta Salad

Oh. My. Gosh. Holy cow, this is the most phenomenal pasta salad known to man. You've never tasted pasta salad till you've tried this one. Even for people who normally don't care for pasta salad, this will bring new light that ho-hum, mayo-based pasta salad so popular at potlucks. One of the facets that makes this recipe so fantastic is the roasted garlic vinaigrette. Don't be scared of using an entire bulb of garlic; when garlic is roasted, its flavor becomes very mellow. Plus, the smell of garlic roasting in the oven will make your home smell so inviting. Then, when you're ready to take your first bite, make sure you're sitting down cause this bad boy just might knock you off your feet! Thanks to Emeril and the Food Network for this recipe..."Bam!"

1/2 pound fresh angel hair pasta (I substituted rotini)
10 roasted cloves of garlic (about one whole bulb, see note below on how to roast garlic)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of one lemon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 roma or plum tomatoes, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh sweet peas, blanched (I always omit peas cause I don't care for them)
1/2 cup Greek black olives, pitted and halved
4 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled (herb-seasoned feta is wonderful in this dish)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and place the pasta in a bowl of ice water. Stir the pasta a couple of times to separate the pasta. Drain very well; Season with salt and pepper. In a mixing bowl, add the garlic. Using the back of a fork, mash the cloves until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice and mustard. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil slowly. Whisk until the mixture is slightly thick. Season with salt and black pepper. In a large mixing bowl, add the onions, tomatoes, and peas. Season with salt and pepper. Add the pasta, olives and cheese. Toss the salad with the dressing. Serve either cold or at room temperature.

**How to roast garlic: This is pretty darn simple, but you'll want to do this ahead of time so that the garlic is roasted and cooled before you prepare the pasta salad. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Loosely wrap the garlic bulb in foil and place in preheated oven. Roast for about 1 hour, checking periodically to make sure it doesn't burn. You'll know it's done when the bulb is very soft and the cloves are a lovely golden brown. Multiple bulbs of garlic can be roasted at one time, too.

**How to get the roasted garlic out!! Okay, so you've roasted your garlic...now what? Allow the garlic to cool so that you can easily handle it. Then, insert the tip of a paring knife at the edge of the stem on the bottom of the bulb. You should be able to easily pry up the stem and pull it off. Now, holding it over a small bowl, squeeze several times at the top of the bulb and all the roasted goodness will squirt out the bottom. I should warn you, though, that it can be a little messy at times and roasted garlic is quite sticky on hands. But don't dismay, it's totally worth it! Now you're ready to use the your roasted garlic.

____________________________________________________________________

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Okay, so I have to admit, these bars are the one part of my meal that was a total, last-minute decision. I just had no clue what to make for dessert, but I knew it had to be simple. So I asked my husband, an expert dessert-taster, what I should make for dessert: cake? cookies? bars? etc. His response was, "Hmmm...bars really say 'VBS Luncheon' to me." So bars it was! I found this recipe on an ad for Nestle Toll House and as I've mentioned before, the chocolate/pb combo can never be beat in my book. The results were quite astounding and indeed, the recipe was super-simple to prepare. Although the Nestle employee who wrote the recipe must've been smokin' crack because it said that it yielded 60 bars!! Unless I cut those bars into 1 inch squares, there's no way to get 60 bars from one pan. Besides, when it comes to dessert, more is always better. :)

2 cups peanut butter, divided
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

GREASE 13 x 9-inch baking pan. BEAT 1 1/4 cups peanut butter and butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. With hands or wooden spoon, work in remaining powdered sugar, graham cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup morsels. Press evenly into prepared baking pan. Smooth top with spatula. MELT remaining peanut butter and remaining morsels in medium, heavy-duty saucepan over lowest possible heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Spread over graham cracker crust in pan. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until chocolate is firm; cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Bounty

2008-06-26T11:03:00.004-05:00

Perhaps I'm just a little crazy, but I have an insane amount of fresh produce in my kitchen right now. Like more produce than I've ever had at one time. Here's what I currently have:

Fruits: bananas, yellow peaches, Athena melon (a type of cantaloupe), 5 lb. bag of apples, papaya + 3 bags of frozen fruit

Veggies: avocados, English cucumbers, radishes, assorted bell peppers, button mushrooms, baby bella mushrooms, mixed baby lettuces, mustard greens, kale, romaine, yellow summer squash, zucchini, carrots, asparagus, red onions, red potatoes...and I think that's it.

And I'm loving it! I'm trying to commit to having raw fruits or veggies for my snacks in place of other food that I tend to eat for snacks (granola bars, etc.). It's been somewhat challenging to re-train the way I think about snacking, as I'm not used to grabbing an apple or some sliced bell peppers when I'm hungry. When I'm struggling, I try to remind myself of how good I feel when I eat this way. I'm also discovered that the more produce I have, the more time I have to commit to prepping all of it. This week, I've become a washin'-rinsin'-choppin'-dicin'-fool! ("I pity da' fool who don't drink green smoothies!")

Hopefully I can keep this up...

Dave Thomas May Just Roll In His Grave...

2008-06-19T22:23:00.004-05:00

So has anybody else seen the most recent Wendy's commercials? I have a major bone to pick with them and this is a good place to get it out. Because yelling at my tv doesn't seem to be doing much good anymore. And in case you haven't seen it, their new slogan/catchphrase is:

"Wendy's. It's waaaay better than fast food."

Huh?!? Um, yeah, I hate to break this to you, Wendy's, but fast food is exactly what you are!! If your burgers arrive from a mega-meat processing plant and you have to pour a liquid mix into the shake machine, that pretty much defines fast food. What's even more ironic is that on the Wendy's website, they make the statement that "we're unrivaled in our passion for giving people what they want." Exactly. Because people want to believe that they're not really eating fast food and it's pretty easy to reinforce that belief to our media-driven culture by using slippery language in their marketing. And don't even get me started on the more recent Mcdonald's commercials, which are trying to brainwash the public into believing that their food is "all-natural." I think I better give Morgan Spurlock a call...

Yesterday I Woke Up Sucking A Lemon

2008-06-17T19:50:00.009-05:00

Eight years ago, I didn't even know who Radiohead was. Today, not only do I know who they are, but I'm a huge fan as well...and I owe it all to my husband. I may consider myself a huge fan, but I wouldn't dare dream of saying that I'm as big a fan as he is. He introduced me to them a few weeks after we started dating, when the the "Amnesiac" album was released. I was skeptical, to say the least, and little did I know that I would not only come to love them, but our future chip-off-the-ole-block son would, too. (That's right--Calvin adores Radiohead...just ask him, I dare ya!)

Last month I had the great privilege of accompanying my husband to see Radiohead live at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. You know those lists people make of the things they have to do before they die? Well, for Dave, seeing Radiohead in concert would rank near the top of the list. He was like a kid counting down the days till Christmas for the 2 months prior to the concert. And his reaction to the concert itself?? Euphoric doesn't even begin to describe it! I not only immensely enjoyed the concert, but got equally as much joy out of watching my husband bask in the glow of one of his all-time favorite bands. Finally..."everything in its right place."

A Healthy (and Moral) Love Affair

2008-06-12T13:25:00.006-05:00

I adore avocados. No, make that, I LOVE avocados, passionately and without abandon. I am so thankful for my eyesight every time I cut one of these beauties open because their color is simply stunning. But please, why did those crazy folk in the 70's think this color would look good on walls and couches and bathroom tiles...ugh, God forbid!! Then, there's the taste--smooth, creamy, slightly nutty and oh-so-indulgent. For the past 5 months or so, I have been eating an avocado nearly every day. It usually takes residence on my daily lunch salad and when tossed with other salad goodies, it sky-rockets my salad from "good" to "phenomenal." And I have yet to get tired of them.

I have only the slightest quibble with avocados. Why, I ask, why must they go brown so quickly after cutting into them? I know, I know, there's all that chemistry about why fruits like apples and pears turn brown once their flesh is pierced, and I'm sure it's the same with avocados. But it's just a little disheartening...I mean, I cut into it, barely turn around and it's already staring to brown. So I have to be committed to eating a whole avocado at a time and thankfully, my halfpint veggie-lover shares my affinity for avocados and will gladly split one with me. I guess it's a small price to pay for all that wholesome goodness.

Read all about the do-ya-body-good benefits of avocados here. And search for a vast variety of recipes featuring avocados here.

Baked Cinnamon French Toast

2008-06-06T15:19:00.006-05:00

This is my adaptation of a "Taste of Home" recipe for Rasberry-Cinnamon French Toast (find the original recipe here). It's absolutely delightful for breakfast, brunch, or even dinner. As I've mentioned before, I'm a huge fan of the whole "breakfast for dinner" concept. It's quite simple to have ready for breakfast or brunch, as you prepare it the night before and refrigerate it until morning. I like to serve this with sausage links and fresh fruit.

Baked Cinnamon French Toast

1 lb. (approx.) French bread, cut into cubes
6 eggs, beaten
1-3/4 to 2 cups milk (I substitute almond milk or soy milk, with good results)
1 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter, melted

Place bread cubes in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk, 3/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; pour evenly over bread. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Combine melted butter and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar; drizzle over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 30-35 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Allow it to cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 8 servings

"Quietly Changing the World, One Meal at a Time"

2008-06-06T14:55:00.002-05:00

While perusing through my latest issue of Cooking Light, I happened upon an article featuring the SAME Cafe--SAME stands for "So All May Eat." Believe it or not, this Denver restaurant has no set menu prices. Patrons can either decide what their meal was worth, pay what they feel they can afford, or get their meal in exchange for 1 hour of service at the restaurant. And, if that isn't cool enough, all the cafe's food is prepared by a culinary-trained chef and his wife, using fresh and local ingredients. In our consumeristic society, reading about a place like this was a breath of fresh air. Read more about it here.

Unresourceful People Need Not Apply

2008-06-01T19:44:00.005-05:00

See these seemingly unassuming-looking veggies pictured above? To the untrained eye, they may look perfectly ordinary. What would you say they're called? Bell peppers and zucchini? Well, think again! These are not your run-of-the-mill veggies. Let me introduce you to...pepper fries and zucchini fries. Before I had our son, I scoffed at the suggestion of coming up with cool-sounding names to entice your children to eat. "That's for sissies," I thought, "My child will eat nutritious foods called by their given names. There will be no 'Superhero Sandwiches' in my home."

As all you parents out there already know, becoming a parent has a way of humbling a person, and I am certainly no exception to this...God knows I need all the humility He's willing to grace on me!! Now I am extraordinarily thankful that our son really does love a lot of nutritious foods, especially fruits and veggies, and that's something that I've worked on ever since I began introducing solid food to him. But as I've learned more and more about the way nutrition affects every part of our bodies' functioning, I wanted to up the anty even more, both for myself and for my family. I noticed that my son was eating way too many carbs for snacks and while they were "healthier" snacks (granola bars and crackers that were preservative-free and free of trans fat), I knew that I needed to gradually work in more raw food for snacks. Calvin already loved bell peppers, so the thought of eating "pepper fries" was quite exciting to him and he was all on board. The zucchini fries didn't go over so well, but I can't complain too much because he does like cooked squash. Now he knows that for at least one of his snacks during the day, he'll having some raw foods. Giddy up, Mama!

The more I thought about this concept of making foods sound appealing, it made perfect sense, and I realized that it isn't just about kids. Adults are enticed all the time simply by the name of a food. Most people are more likely to be drawn to a "Rootin Tootin BBQ Burger" on a restaurant menu than they are to a plain ole "burger." We like to start our wining and dining in our brain, before the food even touches our palate.

I'd love to hear about the creative ways that other parents out there have used to help their kiddos eat healthy!

Back with a Vengence

2008-05-31T18:13:00.006-05:00

Whew! So what was supposed to be a week or so on my unofficial blogging break has turned into nearly a month. But I gotta say, it's been refreshing. And yet now, my brain is literally spilling over with new post ideas. I have enough ideas, most of them paired with photos, to keep this blog fresh for at least a month! (Now if I can just keep current with uploading my photos, hmm...)

"What about your computer, Foodie? Is it still being a royal pain in the arse?" Well our laptop has been demoted from "Royal Pain in the Arse" to "Moderately Annoying Pain in the Arse." We replaced our power source, which really did need to be replaced, and whadda ya know...we're still having problems! We suspect the internal battery is going caput. So it's better than it was, but still running annoyingly slower than normal. Again, I reiterate the "grrr" from my previous post!

So to whet your appetite for my upcoming posts, let me leave you with a recipe that I recently concocted. It's so very simple--only 4 ingredients--and super tasty. Go to town with this one!

Farfalle with Pesto, Chicken Sausage and Goat Cheese

1 lb. dry farfalle (bowtie) pasta
1 lb. (approx.) fully-cooked chicken sausage (see note below)
1/2 cup store-bought pesto (approx.)
4 oz. crumbled goat cheese

Bring salted water to a boil in a large stockpot; cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, brown the chicken sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, turning so that they brown evenly on all sides (about 5-8 minutes total). Remove sausage from pan and slice the links into 1/4-inch thick slices.

When pasta is finished cooking, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining. Drain pasta and return it to the pot. Add the pesto, goat cheese and reserved water to the pasta; gently mix until combined. Then add the sliced sausage and gently toss. Serve immediately.

Yield: 8 servings

**Note: Fully cooked chicken sausage links are now available at most mainstream grocery stores, and are also available at specialty markets, such as Whole Foods. Of course, I'm sure nobody is surprised to hear that I purchased mine at Trader Joe's. They have about 7 or 8 different varieties of chicken sausage, including Roasted Garlic and Sweet Basil, both of which were excellent.

Unintended Blog Break (AKA Computers Suck)

2008-05-10T21:54:00.002-05:00

As you've deduced from the title, yes, this is my announcement of a blogging break. Very simply, our laptop's powersource has been slowly kickin' the bucket over the past couple of months. And now we're in the desperate place of always wondering if it has enough gumption to actually keep our computer powered for more than 20 minutes at a time. At any given moment, the power poops out and the computer shuts off. All this has brought us to the painful realization that we no longer can put off the opening of our wallets to buy a new power source! So I will return just as soon as humanly possible.

Computers....grrr.

More Love For Legumes

2008-05-02T21:11:00.009-05:00

I realize that my recipe posting has been quite light as of lately, almost nil. But between traveling during April and the perils of an extremely tight budget, I honestly haven't been trying many new recipes. And when I have cooked, it's been my faithful stand-by recipes, such as this one. But this past week, while attempting to make my weekly menu with little money to work with, I sought out the help of the Bush's Beans website. As I've posted about before, the benefits of beans are near limitless, especially for the health-conscious and frugally-minded. So here's two new recipes that delivered big time on flavor and nutrition, plus they were friendly to my wallet:

White Bean Soup: Recently, I've really come to enjoy white beans, AKA white kidney beans, great northern beans and cannelini beans. They're lovely with their creamy texture and mild taste. And this recipe possesses one of my favorite soup characteristics--being partially pureed. My hubby and son have issues with too much dairy (e.g. running to the bathroom), so I have to be creative in substituting taste and texture without too much dairy. Partially pureeing a soup is the perfect solution because it gives the soup a delightfully smooth texture without having to add any milk or cream. Also, I increased the quantities slightly, adding more carrots, beans and chicken stock. I served this soup simply with homemade garlic bread.

Black Bean & Mango Salsa: Just look at all that color!! And by the way, did you know that mangoes are the world's most commonly eaten fruit? Yup, above bananas and apples stand the delicious and diverse mango. You can use fresh mangoes in this recipe, but I used jarred mango from Trader Joe's. And I prepared it without jalapenos, mostly because my 4 year old probably wouldn't have touched it if it was spicy. It was so flavorful and I ate it plain, with tortilla chips and topped my green salads with it. But I can think of at least a handful more ways one could use this salsa.

Green is the New Black

2008-05-02T19:41:00.009-05:00

Earth Day was on April 22nd. And though I'm a little late, I thought I'd take this opportunity to recap the changes that I've been convicted to make this past year, followed by the changes that I would like to make over the next year.

Earth-friendly changes over the past year:

Finally went back to recycling (The poopy owners of our apt wouldn't budge on spending only a few extra dollars a month for curbside recycling...thus, my neighbor and I forged together and set up recycling bins in our shared basement. We alternate taking the recycling to a drop-off site in Kirkwood. We refused to let the man keep us down!)

Switched entirely to cloth napkins

Cut down considerably on the use of paper towels

Switched from disposable dusters to a micro-fiber, reusable duster

Almost entirely cut out disposable tableware (plates, etc.)

Started using reusable grocery bags, inspired almost entirely by Trader Joe's

Started making some of my own natural cleaning supplies (see previous post)

Started using mostly natural personal products (baking soda instead of shampoo, vinegar instead of conditioner, etc.)

Began to stop and think more and more about how my daily habits affect God's earth...an overall shift in my thinking this past year

Changes I would like to make over the coming year:

Switch from disposable feminine hygiene products to the "Diva-Cup"

Cut down considerably on disposable baggies by using products such as this one

Switch from disposable kitchen sponges to dish rags (that's right, folks, I have no dishwasher...and it sucks)

Buy more reusable bags for shopping...and actually remember to take them with me every time!

Start using reusable produce bags

Cut out paper towels entirely

Switch from plastic water bottles to stainless-steel bottles, like these

I thank the Lord that He laid on my heart the desire to be more responsible with the resources He's blessed us with. Apart from Him, I'm helpless to do any of this...to Him be the glory!

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it." Psalm 24:1

It's Green Alright, But Please Don't Drink It

2008-04-24T19:06:00.009-05:00

So this is a blog topic I've had filed away in my brain for a while now and it's finally time to put my thoughts in writing...

I've been on a bit of a journey over the past year and I'll be perfectly honest with ya here--this journey has really SUCKED at times!! And yet, God in His loving mercy, has brought so many wonderful things out of the "sucky" things. (Did I just invent a new word? Or is "sucky" found in Webster's?) Basically, the long and the short of it is that I've had problems with allergies for 10 years. I never really had the specific allergies diagnosed, but was able to keep the symptoms to a minimum with medication. Then in January of 2007, my allergies went absolutely haywire. Haywire--as in I was itching all over my body, all the time. Hence, you can begin to deduce here why my journey has had some really sucky moments. Nothing was able to control my allergies once my body decided to go into sensitivity overdrive and after doing some investigating, I decided that I was not willing to travel down the traditional road for allergy treatments. The traditional route usually involves allergists, scratch testings, more medication, and allergy shots. Instead, I began the slow process of testing for and eliminating my allergies, one at a time, through a treatment called N.A.E.T. (Find out more about NAET here.) In the process, I discovered that I had an extremely complex case of allergies, including foods, chemicals, environment and even internal body chemistry reactions. And I gotta give a shout out to Dr. Rebecca S. because she has truly been an immense blessing to me through all of this!

So one of the many ways that God has brought good out of my journey is that I began to put more consideration into the things that were going into my body. The truth of the matter is that I'm lazy and I knew there were all sorts of things out there that were probably not very good for my body (chemicals in household products, etc.), but it just seemed like too much work to actually do something about it. But out of sheer desparation, I knew I had to start eliminating as many toxins as possible from my home. Dr. Rebecca was a great help to me in this process, as she used the NAET technique to help identify which specific products I was reacting to...and there was a lot of them! So for me, it basically came down to two options: 1. I could either spend a lot of money buying organic, natural cleaning products or 2. I could make my own. Option #2 was the obvious choice for the frugal homemaker in me!

Many of my questions about making homemade, all-natural cleaners were answered by Sara, who is wholly committed to living as naturally as possible on a budget. Through her blog, I found some fantastic resources with oodles of natural cleaning "recipes." It's taken a little experimenting, but I've think I've finally found my nitch. I make about half of my own cleaning products and the rest I buy as natural as possible. I wanted to share with all of you, my faithful readers, 2 of these recipes. Take it from me--if I, Little Miss Lazy Pants, can do it, you can, too!

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

I found this recipe at The Frugal Shopper. It may sound complicated, but I cannot stress enough how simple this to make! After preparing this recipe successfully twice, I'm totally hooked. It's insanely cheap (something like under $.02 per load), 100% natural for the body, 100% safe for the environment, plus it actually does get my family's clothes clean. What more could a girl want?! See my notes below on where to purchase the ingredients.

What you'll need:

3-4 gallon bucket, with a lid (I bought mine at The Container Store for $10)
3 Pints Water (that's 6 cups)
1/2 Bar pure Ivory soap, Grated
2/3 Cup Washing Soda
2/3 Cup Borax
1 Quart (4 cups) Hot Water + Additional hot water

Mix Ivory soap in a saucepan with 3 pints of water, and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Add the 1 Quart Hot Water to the bucket. Add soap mixture to the bucket, and mix well. Add an additional 22 cups hot water (that's 1 gallon + 6 cups), and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. Use about 1/2 cup of mixture per load, or slightly more for larger loads and heavily soiled loads.

**Note: Washing Soda and Borax can typically be found at the average grocery store, in the aisle with other cleaning products. The most common brand of washing soda is put out by Arm & Hammer in a bright yellow box. Both of these cleaners are extremely versatile and each of them sells for around $2.50 per box.

Cidar Vinegar Astringent

Another phenomenal product that I've discovered on this journey is cidar vinegar. I had no clue just how many uses there are for it, including cleansing both hair and skin. I guess if it's safe enough to put on your salad, then it's also going to be gentle on the outside of the body, too. I can't believe how much money I wasted all these years on expensive astringents...ugh, God-forbid those days when I used "Sea Breeze!!" I might has well have been pouring paint-thinner on my face. And guess what else I've discovered?? Cidar Vinegar makes my face look brilliant! Seriously, take my word for it and give it a try!

What you'll need:

1 - 8 ounce bottle, preferrably with a "pop-top" lid
cidar vinegar
water

Fill the bottle about 40% full with cidar vinegar. Then fill to the top with water. Shake gently to combine. To use, squirt astringent on a cotton pad or cotton ball and apply to face.

**Note: I just bought a plain old bottle for $.99 from the travel section at Target. It works perfectly! Oh, by the way, I strongly recommend not to use more that 40% vinegar in this recipe, otherwise your eyes will sting like crazy.

Think Cake-Decorating is for Sissies??

2008-04-21T11:40:00.011-05:00

Well if so, think again! Introducing the bonafide bad-ass of cake-decorating: Duff Goldman. This guy simply defines cool. Not only is this dude an artist, a sculptor, and an electric bass player, but he's also the hottest thing in the baking world today. (Read his entire bio here.) I was fortunate enough to have access to full cable for three days on a recent excursion to Des Moines, which meant I devoted the majority of my tv-watching to the Food Network (something I don't have access to at home...for good reason). It was during my Food Network binge that I was first introduced to Duff. Based out of Baltimore, Duff and his staff at "Charm City Cakes" turn out some the most amazing cakes I've ever seen. He literally takes cake-decorating to an entirely new level. You're not going to find many buttercream rosettes at his bakery (no offense to you cake-decorators out there...kudos to you because I can't even make a buttercream rosette!). I was literally sucked in as I watched one episode after another of "Ace of Cakes," the reality show that follows the day-to-day happenings at Duff's bakery. I would've never guessed that a show about a bakery could be so fascinating, but Duff and his small staff, who are all friends of his, have such dynamic and quirky personalities that there is never a dull moment. Plus, it was mind-boggling to watch them create their cakes, which literally are works of art.

So I thought I'd give you a sampling of just a few of Duff's cakes. Of course, there's the elegant wedding cakes, such as these:

But then, there's the more unusual and unconventional cakes, the ones that you look at and say, "Is that actually a cake?!" Like these:

And then there's the cakes that start venturing into the flat-out bizarre, like this one. I mean, seriously, what person actually is going to pay around $1000 for a cake that looks like a slab of bacon and canned beer?! I do enjoy bacon, but I gotta draw the line. Regardless, I'm hard-pressed to be able to tell that it's a cake...here's the definition of "the wow factor."

For all you baseball fans out there (givin' a shout out to my hubby), there's this cake: an exact replica of Wrigley Field. I had to show this one because I saw the episode of "Ace of Cakes" where they made it. It was ordered for the 80th birthday for a life-long Chicago resident and die hard Cubs fan. Duff actually drove from Baltimore to Chicago to hand-deliver this cake.

And finally, here's an example that really takes the cake. Okay, sorry for the extremely cheesey play on words, but I couldn't resist. :) This is one of those cakes that should be preserved behind plexi-glass in a museum: the Hogwarts Castle from the Harry Potter books. Why would anyone in their right mind want to actually eat this cake?! To Duff and his staff--you guys are geniouses.

Don't Mess With Texas...

2008-04-07T20:46:00.010-05:00

If you've looked carefully at my blog posts, you may have already figured out that I'm often stuck on a food pendulum that swings between healthy and, well, not-so-healthy. I honestly don't know how some of those pastry chefs are able to stay so skinny when they're surrounded daily with oodles of chocolate and sugar! Perhaps they didn't grow up with the rule of "licking the beaters." But for me, that's why I've had to really start to set limits as to when I prepare a ooey-gooey dessert or treat. (I elaborated on this very issue back in this post.) Here's another perfect example of a dessert that, if I was left alone with it, would vanish in a heartbeat: your basic "Texas Sheet Cake." Compliments of "The Joy of Cooking," this cake, which typically would be baked in a 15x10-inch pan, is baked in a 9x13 pan. It's so very moist and chocolatey and I decided to pair this cake with a chocolate glaze from another recipe. Ahh...a match made in dessert heaven. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all at our latest "Suppers for Six" group and only 2 pieces made it back home with us!

Texas Sheet Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch pan. Sift together in a large bowl and set aside:

2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly:

1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 stick (8 T.) unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsweetened, nonalkalized cocoa

Pour the hot mixture over the dry ingredients and stir together just until smooth.

Whisk together, then stir into the batter:

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla

Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Let cool briefly in the pan. Pour warm chocolate glaze over the cake, spreading gently to coat the cake.

Chocolate Glaze:

1 cup sugar
5 T. unsalted butter
1/3 cup milk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add sugar and milk and bring mixture to a boil. Once mixture comes to a boil, remove pan from heat and immediately add chocolate chips. Stir until smooth. Cool mixture until it begins to thicken slightly.

Tip: When a recipe calls for buttermilk, you can always substitute plain, unsweetened yogurt for it. I almost always do this now, because the smallest quantity buttermilk comes in is a pint and I rarely would even need that much. One six-ounce container of plain yogurt is about $.60, so it's cheap and there's no waste.

Green Smoothie Challenge Revisited

2008-04-07T12:14:00.010-05:00

So it's been two weeks since I first posted about the Green Smoothie Challenge. Since then, I've "upped my game" and have been drinking a green smoothie (or even two) every day...and there's no goin' back now! These green monsters truly are life-changing, as I believe that my bodacious bod (complete with rolls and dimples) is currently undergoing a bit of detox. In addition to spinach, I recently began adding fresh kale to my smoothies. I learned from "Green Smoothie Girl" that kale is a veggie that will naturally and powerfully detoxify the body of the nasty junk that justs hangin' around in the lower digestive system. So here's the mix of what's been in my green smoothies lately:

1-2 bananas
frozen strawberries
frozen mango
kiwi
several handfuls of spinach
2-4 kale leaves (stems removed)
water and honey

Here's my tip for using kale in the smoothies: buy fresh bunches, versus the pre-cut bagged kale. The problem with the bagged kale is that while it's chopped up, the stems have not been removed. And those fibrous stems will wreck havoc on a blender!! Last week, kale was on sale for $.98/pound at Shop 'n' Save, and 1 pound is more than enough to make a whole butt-load of smoothies. Then I just simply tore the leafy part off of all the hard stems. Tear the leaves up a bit more before adding to the smoothie and then blend like crazy.

I've been trying my darndest to persuade 4 year old Calvin to try a green smoothie. I tried giving the smoothie all sorts of fun names and finally scored when I called it a "Mike Smoothie." (Mike--the one-eyed green monster from "Monsters Incorporated," voiced by Billy Crystal.) The stubborn little stinker is perfectly content to watch me blend up the "Mike Smoothie" and asks me all sorts of silly questions about it...but when asked if he wants to try it, he very politely responds, "No thank you." Argh! Little does he know that his mother is just as stubborn and she will continue to ask him until one day he submits to the mighty powers of the Green Smoothie. (Insert evil cackling noises here...)

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made...

2008-03-31T11:40:00.005-05:00

I have many concerns about the current obstetrical practices in our country today. One of my concerns is the way in which pregnancy is "compartmentalized," often times treating mother and baby totally separate from each. Before I go into further explanation, I should clarify that I believe that mother and baby are two, unique individuals, and that a baby's life begins a conception, not birth. Even though mother and baby are two separate individuals, they share an amazing and unique intimacy during pregnancy. During that time, a baby knows nothing other than the serene environment provided by his/her mother's womb. They share the same space with one another 24 hours a day. They know one another's movements intimately and are comforted by the movements of the other. Many women speak of knowing their baby, even intimately, before they are even born. Such a gift could only come from our Creator, who has not only knit us together in our mothers' wombs, but knows and loves us intimately, too.

But far too often, obstetrics plays a role in disrupting this intimacy between mother and baby during pregnancy. For instance, many doctors and sonographers tell mothers that, in addition to its diagnostic use, an ultrasound can help them "get to know their babies." The mother's focus is then turned away from her growing tummy to the ultrasound monitor. While I believe that ultrasound does have some valid diagnostic uses during pregnancy, my concern is that modern mothers are becoming dependent on that ultrasound image to foster intimacy between them and their unborn babies. This is just one example among many.

What a blessing, then, it was for me to come across this delightful video clip from the Bellies and Babies blog. Here's Nicole's description of how this clip was created: "My First Home was created by three sisters, the Glasner girls. The college age daughter, Jessica, painted the pictures and came up with the story, the high school aged daughter, Emily, composed the music and the 5th grade daughter, Madeline, is the narrator." I must confess that after reading the description of it, I was expecting the video to verge on the side of cheesey. But instead, what I saw was a beautiful work of art that perfectly expressed the intimacy that exists between mother and baby during pregnancy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did...and if you do, feel free to pass it on!

Char Sui Pork Roast

2008-03-31T11:02:00.006-05:00

Okay. The truth is out. I must admit that there are several areas of cooking in which my skills could greatly use some improvement. One of these areas is the preparation and cooking of meat, and more specifically, higher-quality cuts of pork and beef. So that's why, if I'm going to cook a dish that calls for pork or beef, I prefer to choose recipes that have a "fail-safe" method built in. Rather, I choose recipes where it would be difficult for me to screw it up. And what could be more fail-safe than the tried and true slow-cooker?! Oh faithful crockpot, you have never failed me yet.

This recipe had been calling my name for several years now, as it is on the same page in a Cooking Light issue as another one of my favorite slow-cooker recipes. I finally tried it a few weeks ago and it was, to say the least, deeee-lish!! Little effort to put it together, huge return on the taste. Also, don't be intimidated if you've never heard of a few of the ingredients; they are all available in your regular grocery store, in the Asian section. Here are the menus that I put together for 2 meals for my family. And I still had some pork leftover after those 2 meals, so keep reading to find out another creative way to use the leftovers. (Sorry--no pictures this time!)

Suggested Menus:

Slow-Cooker Char-Sui Pork Roast

Oven-roast Red Potatoes

Steamed Vegetables or Green Salad

Slow-Cooker Char-Sui Pork Roast

Prepared Asian Noodles (I used "Simply Asia" brand)

Asian-style Vegetables (from frozen foods)

Slow-Cooker Char-Sui Pork Roast

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
2 pounds boneless Boston butt pork roast, trimmed
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Place pork and marinade in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker using a slotted spoon; place on a cutting board or work surface. Cover with aluminum foil; keep warm.

Add broth to sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Shred pork with 2 forks; serve with sauce.

Suggested Use for Leftovers: After we had 2 meals, I froze the pork that was left. Then, when I was ready to use it, I thawed it, shredded it a bit more, and served it on buns as "Char-Sui Shredded Pork Sandwiches."

Takin' the Green Smoothie Challenge

2008-03-24T11:38:00.005-05:00

So right now, perhaps you're saying to yourself, "Barf!! What the heck is in that glass?! Did you actually drink that ghastly-looking concoction??" Now while it may look similar to the contents of an infant's diaper, let me reassure you that the contents of that glass were quite tasty and my body thanked me for it. So what in God's good earth is it?? A green smoothie. I became a big fan of fresh fruit and yogurt smoothies a few years ago and I had heard of green smoothies, too. Then I tried a green smoothie from Trader Joe's (available in the fridge section for about $2), which was really delicious. But then I was confronted with "The Green Smoothie Challenge" on the Happy Foody blog and I finally decided to accept the challenge. Although I should clarify that the actual challenge is to have a green smoothie every day for 30 days, but I'm trying to have one at least 3 times a week. Either way, it's a great start and now there's no going back...

Why a green smoothie? While fresh fruit smoothies are great and offer all the health benefits of the fruits included in it, a green smoothie kicks it up like 50 notches in nutritional quality (givin' a little shout out to Emeril). This is especially great for people who don't regularly consume enough green veggies, because when made properly, one of these bad boys contains between 5-15 servings of fruits and veggies. You can read more about all the amazing health benefits of green smoothies here.

A green smoothie can be made with just about any combination of fresh fruit and greens. The key to making it tasty and thus, drinkable, is to create the right balance so that the smoothie is sweet. Here is what I've come up with, just for starters:

1 ripe banana
1 cup fresh or frozen red rasberries
1 cup fresh or frozen mango chunks (if frozen, defrost slightly in the microwave)
1-2 cups water
1-2 T. honey
about 2-3 cups fresh spinach, ripped into smaller pieces

In a blender, combine fruit, water, and honey for about 45 seconds, until well blended. Add spinach in batches, blending well between each batch. Add slightly more water if needed. Pour into glasses and enjoy any time of day!

All of the quantities are just my approximations, so feel free to experiment. For even more ideas on ways to use different ingredients in green smoothies, be sure to check out all the recipes on the Green Smoothie Challenge post. So...are you ready to take the Green Smoothie Challenge?

Another Favorite Salmon Recipe

2008-03-24T11:15:00.007-05:00

So remember back in this post when I said I have three favorite salmon recipes? Well here is the second of those recipes: Cumin-Coriander Crusted Salmon, from Cooking Light. This simple, baked salmon entree starts out with a combination of both fresh and dried herbs, which gives it an amazing flavor. To simplify even more, prepare the herb/oil mixture earlier in the day and refridgerate until you're ready to make dinner. And remember: whatever you do, do not over-cook salmon! When in doubt, err on the side of caution and take it out of the oven. The salmon will continue to cook for a few minutes after it's removed from the oven. This dish is great paired with roasted potatoes and vegetables.

Cumin-Coriander Crusted Salmon

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots (or white onion)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
Cooking spray
4 lemon wedges

Combine cilantro, shallots, oil, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, stirring to form a paste. Place fish, skin side down, in a shallow baking dish. Coat top of fish with cilantro mixture. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400°.

Arrange fish on the rack of a roasting pan coated with cooking spray, and place rack in pan. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with lemon wedges.

Yield: 4 servings

Temptation at its Finest

2008-03-20T14:52:00.004-05:00

I came to the conclusion over the past year that I cannot bake a dessert unless I have a really good reason. A party, a potluck, a dinner with friends...these are acceptable and valid reasons to bake dessert. "Just because" or "What the hell, let's make brownies" are not acceptable reasons for me to bake a dessert on a whim. Because here's the lo-down of what will happen if I have a gooey and inviting dessert sitting on my kitchen table:

8:30 am - I start off the day with a brownie (or whatever dessert it is) before breakfast

9:30 am - "Oh look. Those brownies are still here. I'll just have a little bite."

10:30 am -"Well, I better finish off that brownie that I took a bite out of."

12:00 pm - I start and finish my lunch with a brownie

2:00 pm -"Well, whadda ya know!! Those brownies are still here. I better have another..."

4:00 pm - My husband returns home, immediately opens the pan of brownies and says, "Dude, what happened to all the brownies?!"

So you get the picture of just what a slippery slope this is for me! A perfect case-in-point is this gorgeous work of baking craftsmanship:

Light and moist layers of white cake with toasted pecans, glued together by a generous heaping of cream cheese frosting...I mean, what's not to like about this Italian Cream Cake?! (And please refrain from licking your computer screen.) But I did good, for the most part. We had our "Suppers For Six" fellowship group dinner a few weeks back and I really wanted to bake something extra-special for dessert. Plus, I accepted the challenge to "up my game" and bake a layer cake--something I hadn't done in a long time. The cake turned out fabulous, aside from the fact that it was leaning slightly, and a good time was had by all. The best part? We came home with only a few pieces of leftover cake, so I wasn't tempted to succumb to that death trap I described above. Well, except for the piece of cake I had for breakfast the next morning...

If you want to wow your friends and family with this amazing cake, or if you have more will-power than I do and need something to do on a rainy day, check out the recipe for yourself.

Drink Your Veggies...Bottoms Up!

2008-03-13T14:20:00.004-05:00

For reasons unknown, I don't care for carrots. (My son, on the other hand, eats carrots like candy.) But I can't deny the amazing health benefits of these root veggies, which are bursting with beta-carotene, fiber, biotin, vitamin B6, antioxidants, and many other nutrients. And FYI: Did you know that if you eat at least a pound of carrots a day, your skin would eventually begin to turn orange? This girl's friends didn't believe it was true, so she set out to prove them wrong.

Anyway, so as I've been on a quest the past few years to continually improve my nutrition, I took a big leap recently and bought some pure carrot juice. But I can't drink it straight; just like alcohol, I believe it's an acquired taste. So here are two creative (and mighty tasty) ways I've come up with to sneak the carrot juice into my daily routine:

Carrot-Mango-Apple Juice

In a glass, mix together equal parts carrot juice, mango juice and apple juice. Enjoy with breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a tasty snack.

Carrot-Banana-Mango Smoothie

4 - 6 oz. vanilla yogurt (or flavored yogurt of your choice)
3/4 cup pure carrot juice
3/4 cup pure mango juice
1 ripe banana

Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth; drink up!

In case you're wondering where to buy carrot juice, I'm sure if you take a wild guess you can figure out where I purchased mine. Give up? (Drumroll please) Why none other than...Trader Joe's!! I scored a 32 oz. bottle of 100% pure carrot juice for $3.49 and also bought a 16 oz. bottle of pure mango juice there for $1.99. I'm sure these are available for purchase at many mainstream grocery stores, though they might be a bit more pricey. And beware about vegetable blend juices, as they often have a butt-load of added sugar and other junk in them, and because of this, I'm a big label-reader.

Carrots--they do a body good!

Trying my hand at a music review

2008-03-09T16:10:00.005-05:00

**Disclaimer: While my blog is first and foremost a food blog, involving anything and everything food-related, I’ve decided to branch out a bit. Now if you’re only here for the foodie goods, don’t go freaking out on me or anything! I’m just branching out a teensy-weensy bit, and as you’ll notice in my new blog tagline, it will still be 97% food stuff. But here’s the thing, sometimes I get a creative dialogue going on in head and what’s a girl to do if she can’t get out all those creative juices?! All that being said, here goes…

Every so often, I come across a singer or band that I just can’t get enough of. The kind of music that’s just intoxicating, the kind I can listen to over and over again and still not have even the slightest inkling of it ever growing old on me. The kind of music that I just want to shout about from the rooftops…the kind of music that is just. damn. good.

Well I came across just such a singer recently named James Morrison. I was first introduced to him on the “Today Show” about a year ago and though I wasn’t blown-away by him, my first impression was that this guy definitely possessed talent. A few months later, his CD caught my eye at the listening station in one of the Virgin Record Stores and I was able to get a better taste of his music. Then I officially took the plunge and bought his debut album, “Undiscovered,” with my birthday money last September. And while I was already a committed fan once I bought his album, I never really grasped the depth of James Morrison’s raw talent until I recently took a weekend trip with my 4 year old. Sometimes I just need a time of actually sitting down and listening an album from beginning to end, drinking in every word and note of it, before I can truly appreciate it for all that it is. And a desperate desire to break up the monotony of a drive to Iowa is the perfect motivation to listen to an album from beginning to end!

In all the reviews I’ve read on this 22 year old Brit, the language used to describe James Morrison’s style almost always included words like: raw, gritty, and soulful. His music is certainly raw, meaning that there’s no bells and whistles added to it. And though over half the songs on his blues-driven album have a lot of extra instrumentation on them (strings, great use of piano and Rhodes keyboards), they don’t sound “over-produced.” As far as gritty goes, one might think he’s forcing his singing voice to give it that gravelly-sounding edge, but that is not the case. His signature, raspy voice was the result of having whooping cough as a baby (sucks, but it certainly has worked to his advantage now!). And soulful? Oh yeah, baby, his style is most certainly soulful! My husband said this of James Morrison: "He's kind of reminds me of Joe Cocker. Except without all the drugs and alcohol and schizophrenic body jerking." Morrison sings with a raw emotion that's refreshing to my soul and rare to hear in most popular music today.

I’ve been pondering lately why I seem to be so drawn to soul and blues-influenced music. Some of my other favorite artists, like Patti Griffin and Lori McKenna, have obvious roots in these genres, too. And it’s no coincidence that both Patti Griffin and Lori McKenna, like James Morrison, have been described as raw and gritty. Here’s the thing: when I listen to music, I want the real deal. I don’t want to hear a bunch of poppy-crap with predictable, rhyming lyrics. There’s just something about the blues that begs its listeners to feel. I guess it makes sense since the blues originated in just that—a singer pouring out the very core of their emotions through music. And being the feeler that I am, a most-definite “F” on the Myer-Briggs personality test, perhaps I can best relate to music that wears its emotions on its sleeve. There’s no false pretenses, no fairy tales… just real life.

So please, won’t you take a listen to a live clip of James Morrison singing “Better Man?” And I dare you to tell me that you weren’t moved after listening to this song, in its entirety!!

And if you're still not convinced, here’s another one of my favorites from his album, entitled “Call the Police.” Whoa, some chick must’ve really messed with his head for him to be able to write this song!

Check out even more on James Morrison at his myspace page. So there you have it. Go out and buy his album right this minute. Hey! What are you still doing in front of your computer? Go. Right. Now!

Beans, Beans, The Magical Fruit...

2008-03-02T21:28:00.007-06:00

Well, you know how the rest of the rhyme goes! Over the past 7 years or so, my palate has been expanded in ways that I could have never imagined. I have been compiling a list in my head of all the foods or types of foods that I used to detest, but now really enjoy. And the food that would top that list, hands down, is beans. The word "detest" doesn't even begin to do justice in describing the way that I used to feel about beans. Words like horrified, disgusted, and vomitous would be slightly closer in describing just how much animosity I had towards the legume family. In the past, I developed quite a talent in being able to eat an entire bowl of chili without consuming a single bean. (My Mom can confirm this.) Why did I hate beans so much? I really don't know, but I came to a point in my life where I came to the decision that I was going to give beans a chance. My body was saying to me, "Sarah, we need iron! We need protein! Please, could you give us some fiber and potassium?" I started listening to this body that God has given me and now, some years later, I eat beans on a regular basis.

So how do you feel about these little goobers? Do you gag at the thought of beans? Or maybe you're just a little hesitant to eat them? Or perhaps you're eating beans for breakfast, lunch or dinner? Regardless, here are a two bean recipes that have universal appeal: they are quick, economical and choc-full of healthy goodness. (And remember: take Bean-o before, and there will be no gas!)

Black Bean Soup

This is my adaptation of a recipe I found on a saltine box 4 years ago. It quickly became one of those faithful stand-by recipes that every cook needs. The cornbread recipe from this post pairs extremely well with it!

1 medium onion, diced
1 T. ground cumin
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. olive oil
3 (15 oz.) cans black beans, undrained
1 (15 oz.) can chicken broth (preferrably low-sodium, low-fat)
3 cups chunky salsa
juice and zest of one lime
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
optional toppings: low-fat sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions or guacamole

In a 4-qt. saucepot, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion, cumin and garlic in oil until onion is tender, about 4-5 minutes; remove from heat

Puree 2 cans of beans and their liquid in batches with the chicken broth in a blender; add to saucepot. Drain and rinse the remaining can of beans; add to saucepot. Stir in salsa, lime juice, zest, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Heat the mixture to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with desired toppings.

Yield: 5-6 servings

Caribbean Black Beans

I found a link to this recipe from one of my frequently-visited-blogs: Foodmomiac. It really lived up to the description she gave, as it was so incredibly simple to prepare, yet didn't lack in flavor one bit. For the recipe, click here.

I keep turning up in the funniest places!

2008-02-25T22:39:00.003-06:00

Okay, so I just discovered that my blog is listed on a website called, "Food Blog Search." Is this evidence that I'm actually moving up in the cyber-world?? (Picture me doing the "raisin' the roof" motion.) And while I was completely surprised and delighted that I was listed there, I am also utterly baffled at how I ended up there! Perhaps some questions in the world are better left unanswered...

Because they asked for it...

2008-02-25T21:12:00.009-06:00

In my very first blog post, I said that one of the reasons I wanted to start a food blog is because I often get asked for my recipes. So in order to simplify my life and avoid giving out numerous copies of the same recipe, it seemed reasonable to just post a frequently-asked-for recipe here. Then when someone said to me, "Hey Foodie, I just adored your (insert a delicious dish here). Could I get the recipe?" And with great relief, I could say, "But, of course! Do you have internet access?" Saves me time and everyone is happy.

Last week I was asked about a handful of times for the recipes from our church's Wednesday Night Dinner, which I planned and helped prepare. Ahh, at least I know my blog is getting good use! Here you go!

Menu

Chicken Fajita Rice Bowls

Tortilla Chips

Texas Two-Step Coleslaw

Fresh Fruit

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars

*For the "Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl" recipe, click here

*For the "Texas Two-Step Coleslaw" recipe, click here

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars

2 pkgs. (18 oz. each) refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate chips
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2-3 cups chopped peanut butter cups (about 15 large)

Press both tubes of cookie dough into a 15x10-in. jelly roll pan. (It works easiest if the cookie dough is about room temperature.) Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely in the pan.

Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl for 2 minutes at 50% power, stirring halfway through cooking time (you may need to microwave slightly longer, as microwave powers may differ.) When chips are fully melted and smooth, spread over cooled cookie. Place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes for chocolate to harden.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Spread over the chocolate. Sprinkle with peanut butter cups. Chill until ready to serve. Cut into bars; refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 20-24 servings

Potato, Po-tah-to

2008-02-18T23:06:00.006-06:00

When I first moved to Missouri 3 years ago, I didn't realize that I had moved into a foreign country. That is, I didn't know that there was a certain lingo here in St. Louis that I would have to grow accustomed to, and that I would be pressured into giving up my Nebraska roots and conforming to these silly St. Louisans. I didn't know I had moved into a land where people said "soda." Suddenly I felt stupid saying the word "pop." I mean when I paired the two words up side by side, pop started to sound down-right unintelligent. And I certainly didn't want to sound like some Nebraska retard.

But it just felt so unnatural, so forced to say "soda" instead of "pop." I grew up saying pop. Whether it came canned or bottled, glass, aluminum or plastic--that fizzy stuff inside had always been known to me as pop. And old habits are hard to break. I tried, I really tried. But after a while, I whole-heartedly threw in the towel, said good-bye to "soda," and welcomed back "pop" with open arms. Conformity is highly overrated. And if you're one of those unfortunate St. Louisans who dares to give me a confused look when I say the word "pop," beware... :)

So I will close by posing a question to all of you faithful Foodie readers out there: What do you call it? Soda? Pop? Or are you one of those folks from south of the Mason-Dixon line who calls it Coke? Or maybe something else entirely? Discuss!

Nothin' Says Love Better Than a Cupcake

2008-02-13T14:40:00.008-06:00

Calvin and I had a fun day yesterday getting all pumped for his Valentine's Day party at preschool. He worked with all the might a 4-year old can muster at writing his name on each valentine (he really only wrote the letter "a" while Mom filled in the rest). And I thought what better fun for Valentine's Day than to make some homemade cupcakes together! I assumed Calvin would be just as pumped to help me bake cupcakes as he was to do his valentines (especially since there were sprinkles involved!), but alas, he was most content letting me do the work while he pretend cooked in his chef's costume.

This cupcake recipe came from Taste of Home and the recipe is almost identical to Texas sheetcake, hence, that's the reason why they're called "Texas Cupcakes." The original recipe called for these cupcakes to be iced in a homemade, caramel frosting, but I deemed it absolutely necessary to forgo the caramel and load up these bad boys with buttercream. Because, really, I think we all could use a little more buttercream in our diets. I've been known to purposely take the corner piece of a sheet cake because the buttercream to cake ratio is much higher on corner pieces. Many moons ago, I had a co-worker friend who shared my passion for buttercream and she told me it was her dream to have a cake made entirely from buttercream frosting for her 40th birthday. Let me pause for a moment while I wipe the drool off my chin.

Also, while I was adding the red food coloring to the frosting, my intention was to create a pastel pink color. But instead, what I ended up with is a shade I've lovingly coined as "Pepto-Bismol Pink." So it goes. Anyway, Happy Valentine's Day!

Calvin cooking to his little heart's content

As you can see, the cupcakes were well received. Hey look! He's eating off the frosting first...ah, do we have another buttercream addict in the works?

Texas Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk or plain, unsweetened yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
4-1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 T. milk
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
food coloring, if desired

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring cocoa, water, oil and butter to a boil. Gradually add to dry ingredients; mix well. Combine eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; gradually add to batter and mix well (batter will be very thin).

Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For frosting, in a large mixing bowl, cream butter and shortening. Add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla and beat until smooth and has a spreadable consistency. If frosting is too thick, you can add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the right consistency. Spread on completely cooled cupcakes.

Yield: About 18 cupcakes

Cheers and Jeers

2008-02-08T14:18:00.000-06:00

Cheers:

To Whole Foods Market for permanently eliminating all plastic bags from their stores! (Read more about it here.) Hmmm...perhaps I can persuade Trader Joe's to do the same.
To Shop 'n' Save for recently remodeling their West County stores, which are now chock-full of many more organic and natural products.

Jeers:

Also to Whole Foods Market, who, in spite of their commitment to sustainable living, destroyed acres of full-grown trees to build their new store in West County. What's up with that, dude?!

How to Succeed in Bread-Making Without Really Trying

2008-02-03T15:28:00.000-06:00

Okay, okay, so this title is a bit deceptive: if ya wanna succeed in bread-making, you do have to put forth a little effort. Otherwise you might end up eating either a big pile of goo or gnawing on a piece of bread that's hard enough to crack a tooth. (And kuddos to anyone who caught my little play on words in the title...I'm too cheap to award a prize, but you will certainly be crowned king/queen for the day if you can tell me what inspired my title!)

Anyway, all this to say that a few weeks ago something very monumental happened. Something that hasn't occured since I was preggo with our son. Something that isn't the easiest thing to accomplish when you have a wee one crying/crawling/running amuck under foot. So what was this grandious, larger-than-life achievement? I baked bread...from scratch! Now perhaps your reaction to this is something along the lines of, "What's the big deal, foodie?" Well if you've ever baked bread from scratch before, you'd know that homemade bread requires a lot of love and attention. It needs to be nurtured and tended to in a particular way. And when placed in just the right environment, it will grown and flourish. Hmmm...this all sounds very much like a child, doesn't it?! So as you can tell, the reason for the long break from bread-making is that I simply didn't have it in me to tend to my actual child and yet another "child" sitting in my kitchen.

So I was finally ready to give bread-making another go. What inspired me was a recipe in Cooking Light for a "Garlic-Thyme Fococcia" bread. It sounded yummy and the recipe wasn't too complicated, as far as bread recipes go. But I as I went along, my memory was continually jogged with all those tidbits of information that are absolutely essential to know when baking bread, things that are not usually clear when simply looking at a bread recipe. So if you've never baked bread before and are ready to dive in head-first, here are some basic tips to help get you started:

Always prepare yeast dough in a glass or ceramic bowl, never metal

Here's what I use, a lovely ceramic bowl that was on my wedding gift registry. It's so pretty that it practically begged me to prepare some dough in it!

The water used to activate the yeast must be at the correct temperature
The recommended temperature should be between 110-120 degrees fahrenheit. If the water's too cool, the yeast will not become activated and your bread dough will not rise properly. Too hot and the water temperature will kill the yeast. If you're just starting out, the best advice is to use an quick-read thermometer to test the temp, and once you've done it a couple of times, you'll be able to tell with your finger if the water's at the right temp.

You'll know you're done kneading the dough when it's smooth, resilient and elastic, and looks something like this:

Allow your dough to rise in warm place, free from drafts
I like to turn my oven on the its lowest temperature setting for about 2-4 minutes, then turn off the oven. This creates the perfect warm environment for dough to rise, especially if you have a drafty kitchen, like I do. After it rises, it will look something like this:

These are just a few tips. For a complete list of basic bread-making techniques, click here. Onto the recipe at last!!

Herbed Focaccia Bread

1 tsp. sugar
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 cup warm water (see my tip above about temperature)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/3 cups + 2 T. all-purpose flour, divided
cooking spray
1 1/2 T. olive oil
1 T. Italian herb seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt or kosher salt

Dissolve sugar and yeast in 1 cup warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. (If yeast activates properly, you'll know b/c the water will become all bubbly and foamy.) Stir in sea salt. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and spoons; level with knife. Add 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, stirring to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead dough until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining 1/3 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at at time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place free from drafts, for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)

Place dough on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat into a 12x8-inch rectangle. (I used a 9x13 pan instead of a baking sheet and it worked just fine, too.) Brush olive oil over dough; sprinkle with Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Cover and let rise 25 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make indentations in top of dough using the handle of a round, wooden spoon or your fingertips. (I used the end of a rubber spatula b/c my wooden spoons have square handles!) Here's how:

Sprinkle dough evenly with sea salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack. And this is what it will (hopefully) look like: Then cut into squares and proceed to devour! Yield: 10 servings

Cincinnati Chili

2008-02-01T16:10:00.000-06:00

It's definently chili weather here in the Midwest (heh--no pun intended). So I decided to break out a new chili recipe last week, this one from Cooking Light. If you're not familiar with Cincinnati-style chili, it's made unique by the use of cinnamon in it and it's traditionally served over spaghetti. The recipe I used is a slight variation from traditional Cincinnati chili, because in addition the cinnamon, it incorporates an Indian spice mix called "garam masala." You can purchase garam masala at most specialty-type grocery stores (I had purchased mine last year at Global Foods Market), but it might also be available at some mainstream grocery stores, too, probably in the Asian Foods section. And if you're feeling especially adventurous, check out this recipe on how to make your own garam masala...don't be scared, you can do it! Anyway, we enjoyed this chili, a nice change from the standard chili, hearty, tangy and not too spicy.

Cincinnati Style Chili

1-1/4 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, diced
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 T. olive or canola oil
2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 (5 oz.) can tomato paste
2 cups water
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 oz.) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Heat a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Brown ground beef about 6 minutes, or until no longer pink, stirring to crumble. Drain well and transfer to a small bowl.

Reduce heat to medium and add oil to the pan. Add onions and cook for about 4 minutes. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly (to prevent burning). Add the 4 spices to the pan; cook 1 minute or until fragrant. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Add water, vinegar, and tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil. Add beef and beans to pan; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

If desired, serve chili topped with diced onions, shredded cheese, or sour cream.

Yield: 8 servings

TJ's Pick 'O' The Week and More Cool Food Blogs

2008-01-25T21:08:00.000-06:00

This lemon curd brings back memories of a delightful restaurant in Lincoln that served the most humongous (and scrumptious) scones I've ever had. I swear those scones were so huge that they nearly had their own solar system! And along side each order of scones were homemade preserves, fresh whipped cream, and homemade lemon curd. Ahh, a breakfast fit for a queen. I've enjoyed TJ's lemon curd on simple English muffins, plus the occasional spoonful right from the jar! (Here are some other suggested uses for it: spread on toast or muffins, warm and use as a dessert topping, pipe into cream puffs or tartlets.) And all of TJ's organic preserves are stellar...eat your heart out, Smucker's!

Okay, and here are few more amazing food blogs that I've recently happened upon, sites that are an inspiration to me. Check 'em out:

Kids in the Kitchen...Pizza Night!

2008-01-23T20:57:00.000-06:00

When I was growing up, my mom would occasionally make these awesome mini-pizzas, using english muffins as the "crust." I thought it was about time to bring back this tradition, and as you can tell from the pictures above, it was a great way to get Calvin to help me make dinner. (Plus, he had oodles of fun eating handfuls of cheese. It's hard to tell in the close-up pic, but he's eating a slice of pepperoni.) So kudos to you, Mom, for the inspiration!

Mini-Pizzas on English Muffins

English muffins, split into halves (I used multi-grain, to sneak in some extra fiber)
bottled pizza sauce
shredded mozzarella cheese
assorted pizza toppings of your choice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On an ungreased cookie sheet, arrange muffins halves. Top each muffin with approx. 1 tablespoon of sauce and desired amount of cheese. Then top with your choice of pizza toppings. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted, but not browned. Turn on the oven broiler and transfer cookie sheet under the broiler. Broil for 1-2 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and just starting to brown. (Watch them carefully; they can burn quickly under the broiler!) Allow pizzas to cool slightly before eating.

Trader Joe's, How Do I Love Thee...

2008-01-16T18:32:00.000-06:00

Let me count the ways. Ahem, as many of you already know, I am passionately in love with Trader Joe's. And if you ever utter the following phrase to me: "Trader Joe's? I've never been there...is it any good?" well, consider yourself warned. I will grab you, sit you down, and then proceed to share the gospel of Trader Joe's with you and tell you exactly how it has changed my life. So I thought it was about time to tell you exactly why Trader Joe's is not just an ordinary grocery store. Here goes,drumroll please, in no particular order:

1. You can purchase most of your basic grocery staples, plus, they carry ultra-unique products that you can't get at any of the major grocery chains. (example: Thai and Indian simmer sauces, imported Greek yogurt)

2. Most of TJ's products are organic and even if they're not organic, they're made without artificial ingredients.

3. The organic and "whole food" products are often cheaper than at the major grocery chains! And they are waaaaay cheaper than "Whole Foods" grocery stores!

4. Their return policy is out-of-this-world! You can return ANY product, even if you already ate it (bring back the empty container), for a FULL, cash refund...NO QUESTIONS ASKED! That's right folks, no little form to fill out, no showing your driver's license...you're in and out with cash in your pocket. Seriously! The first time I returned something, it took me a minute to catch my breath, that's how easy it was. And it encourages their customers to try new products, cause if you don't like it, you get you money back.

5. They help promote "living green" by offering a variety of reusable bags for purchase (ranging from $.99 to $2.99). And then, you're rewarded every time you bring in your own bags when you shop by being entered in a bi-monthly drawing for free groceries. One of these days, I'll actually win!

6. They have lots of fun stuff for the kiddos, including a "treasure hunt," which is a stuffed animal hidden on one the shelves in the store. If your child finds it, they get to pick out a prize from the treasure chest. Plus, their are child-sized carts for them to push, balloons and stickers, too.

7. TJ's customer service is also superb. Every employee who is working there genuinely seems to love their job. (And this isn't a store that's overrun with annoying, teenage employees. They're all adults.) They is no limit to how they will serve their customers. One time, I was in the check-out line right before the store was closing and as I reached into my purse, I suddenly realized that I had forgotten both my check book and my debit card. Any normal grocery store would've put my groceries back on the shelf and I would've had to come back and start over the next day. But not Trader Joe's...they bagged up all my stuff, labeled it, and put it in their storage refridgerator, ready for me to pick up and pay for at my convenience! I was so thankful that I nearly started crying. I can honestly say that I have never had a bad experience at Trader Joe's.

Man, I could go on and on about Trader Joe's (and if you know me, you've probably already heard me go on and on!). But I hope you get the drift that if you've never shopped there, you're missing out on a life-changing grocery shopping experience. And if this isn't enough to entice you, let me show you just a few of my family's favorite products:

Peanut Butter Pretzels

These pb-filled nuggets of joy are my husband's favorite snack from TJ's...the moment I get home from the store, he's breaking into the bag. Looking for a quick, pick-me-up in the afternoon? Late night snack? Anytime snack?? Look no further!

Chocolate Chip Meringues

This is my pick for an awesome, indulgent and healthy treat! Sarah, did you say healthy? That's right, my friends, they're actually healthy!! These bad boys have just the perfect balance of meringue and chocolate, without being overly sweet, and they will literally melt in your mouth. There are 3 different varieties of meringues at TJ's and I've tried all of them. But these are, by far, the BEST! You can eat 4 whole meringue cookies with only 120 calories total. Yes, 4 whole cookies, not 4 little tiny bites. The perfect treat for the healthy lifestyle.

This is only the beginning! I'll be posting my Trader Joe's "Pick 'O' the Week" product on a regular basis...so stay tuned. And I'd love to hear YOUR awesome Trader Joe's stories, too!

Garlic Roasted Salmon (with addendum added)

2008-01-13T07:56:00.000-06:00

I have three, all-time favorite salmon recipes. And last night, I prepared one of those recipes. (Also noteworthy: the fact that I'm posting less than 24 hours after I prepared the recipe!!)

Suggested Menu:

Roasted Garlic Salmon

Angel Hair Pasta w/Garlic Butter

Honey-Glazed Sweet Potatoes and Baby Portabellos

Roasted Garlic Salmon

1 lb. or 1-1/2 lbs. fresh salmon, skins removed
3 T. butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut salmon into 4-6 portions; place salmon into a greased casserole dish.

In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, garlic, salt and pepper. Brush each salmon portion liberally with garlic-butter mixture (make sure to use it all up, too! You'll want all that savory, buttery goodness). Bake salmon, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to overcook it...nothing worse than dried out salmon!

Honey-Glazed Sweet Potatoes and Baby Portabellos

I love the flavor of roasted veggies, and have made many variations using lots of different vegetables. I wondered how it would work to use a light, honey glaze, so this what I came up with last night. Although I overcooked it slightly and probably should've stirred it more often, because the sweet potatoes were slightly burned. But they still tasted good! And b/c this is a newly created recipe, the measurements are just approximations, so use your own judgement.

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-1/2 inch cubes
1 (8 oz.) pkg. baby portabello mushrooms, thoroughly washed
1-2 T. olive oil
1 T. lemon juice
1-1/2 T. honey
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 4oo degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper; place on a greased jelly-roll pan or cookie sheet. Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes, stirring a few times. Then add the mushrooms to the pan, toss again. Roast for an additional 20-30 minutes, stirring a few times during the cooking time. It's done when potatoes are cooked through and slightly crispy.

**Addendum to previous post--In my previous post, I had responded to a comment, asking if my husband and son ate all the different types of foods I cook. I'd like to use this current post as an opportunity to assure all my readers that my child is not consuming liver and brussel sprouts on a daily basis. Like I said, he eats pretty well, but he's also 4 years old. And as many of you know, a 4 year has this delightful tendency to change what they like and dislike on an hourly basis! Just so I don't turn into the kind of parent who's constantly bragging about how brilliant and gifted their kid is...

Case in point: this salmon meal was NOT so well received by Calvin. Despite my darndest efforts of prodding and all my goofy "parental" exclamations ("Oh, salmon is sooo yummy, Calvin!"), he turned his nose up at both the salmon and vegetables. He's been offered salmon before and eaten it happily about half the time. And normally, he loves sweet potatoes and squash, so I'm not sure what the problem was last night...maybe the crispy exterior disguised the sweet potatoes too much, maybe it was the honey glaze, but most likely, it was just a 4-year old being a 4-year old. I digress.

Paying Homage to Crazy Bowls

2008-01-10T21:34:00.001-06:00

This has been a landmark week. It's was a 3 years ago this week that my family and I packed our bags and headed south...to St. Louis, that is. And just a few months before that, my husband and I had taken a trip here to do some apartment-searching. While driving down Olive Boulevard one day, we passed this interesting looking restaurant called, "Crazy Bowls and Wraps." Intrigued, I urged my hubby to take us there. I was so appreciative of any fast-food joint (or "good food quickly," a reference to my husband's favorite Seinfeld episode) that would specialize in freshly-made, healthy food. No artery-clogging, trans fat-ladden french fries here!! (And don't think me a food-snob...I've consumed my fair share of fries.)

So anyway, we returned to Nebraska and I was bound and determined to replicate the Fajita Bowl that I'd had at Crazy Bowls. The result was great and it has truly become a faithful stand-by recipe in our home. We have so many variations of it, from ultra-simple (just brown rice, beans, and a sprinkling 'o' cheese) to the full-fledged bowl. The following recipe is the vegatarian version, but you can just as easily add grilled chicken slices to it. Simple and healthy...what more could you want?

Southwestern Fajita Rice Bowls

1 red bell pepper
1 green or yellow bell pepper
1 large onion
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 (15 oz.) can ranch-style black beans, undrained
1 (15 oz.) can chili-ready beans, undrained
Hot cooked rice (I use brown basmati rice, but you can whatever type you like)
shredded cheddar cheese
additional toppings: lite sour cream, salsa, avocado, green onions, etc.
Tortilla chips

Preheat the oven broiler. Slice the onion into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place the onion slices and bell peppers on a greased baking sheet. Drizzle the onion slices and bell peppers with olive oil, using a basting brush to evenly coat; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil for approximately 20-30 minutes, turning the peppers frequently so that they get evently charred on all sides. (The onions will probably be done roasting before the peppers, so remove them when they are very soft and starting to blacken.) When the peppers are done, remove them and allow to cool slightly. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut out the pepper cores, then slice the peppers into thin strips. Combine onion and pepper strips in a small serving bowl.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the ranch and chili beans. Microwave on high for about 3 minutes, or until the beans are heated through.

To assemble: Place a serving of hot rice in each bowl, top with peppers and onions, then beans and shredded cheese. Finish off with desired toppings. Serve with tortilla chips.

A Quesadilla Experiment

2008-01-06T14:33:00.000-06:00

While quesadillas are more often served as appetizers, especially in restaurants, I've found them to be a quick, inexpensive, and often healthy option for dinner. (The expense and the healthy quality depends, of course, on what's in the quesadilla.) One of the simpliest versions, which has become a stand-by recipe for our family, is Black Bean and Cheese Quesadillas. But as much as I love these, I was feeling creative last week and had a bit of a "foodie vision," if you will. So I changed things up a little bit and came up with brand-spankin' new recipe: Pinto Bean, Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Quesadillas. It would be an honor if you'd be brave enough to try them for yourselves and let me know your verdict!

Not familiar with goat cheese? Well let me tell ya, if you like feta cheese, you'll LOVE goat cheese! Goat cheese is similar to feta, except it's much creamier, which also means that it will melt better than feta does. And guess who sells several different brands and flavors of goat cheese super-cheap? Why Trader Joe's, of course! For more inspiration of different ways to use goat cheese, keep readin' past the recipe.

Pinto Bean, Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Quesadillas

1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt (or more, if needed)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
6 oz. goat cheese, either in a log or crumbled
1 (14 oz.) jar roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed
5 - 9 inch tortillas

In a food processor, combine beans, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder; process until very smooth. (If you don't have a food processor, simply mash the beans with a fork until fairly smooth, then stir in the remaining ingredients.) Using paper towels, pat the red peppers to remove any excess moisture, then slice the peppers into thin strips. If goat cheese is in a log, cut it up into small slices or chunks.

On one half of each the tortillas, spread the bean mixture. Then top with strips of red pepper. And finally, top with slices or crumbles of goat cheese. Fold over each tortilla. Grill the queasadillas, in batches, on a griddle over medium heat; turn them over when they are golden brown and cheese is melting.

To serve, cut each quesadilla in half with a sharp knife. Or, if serving as an appetizer, cut each quesadilla into 4 pieces. Serve immediatly.

**Variations:

Instead of flour tortillas, try using other flavors of tortillas, such as sun-dried tomato or whole wheat
Want to cut down on time even more? Substitute purchased hummus for the homemade bean spread (Trader Joe's sells many types of hummus, too)

**Suggestions about Goat Cheese

For this recipe, I used "Silver Goat Chevre with garlic and herbs" and it came in an 8 oz. log. Found in the cheese section at Trader Joe's for $3.69. But like I said in the recipe, I only used a little over half of the 8 ounces for the quesadillas. It worked awesome in this recipe, but it would be just as good using plain goat cheese, too.
For another simple appetizer, place a log of herbed goat cheese on a small platter, surround it with assorted crackers and you've got an awesome cracker spread.
Goat cheese crumbles (4 oz. package, Trader Joe's, $1.99) are a versatile and tasty way to top soups and salads. Now, come on....isn't this the tastiest looking salad you've ever seen?

(Note to Self: In the future, make sure we have plenty of Gas-X on hand before consuming this salad.)
Happy Eating!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-02T20:02:00.000-06:00

Well as you may have noticed, I, like many other bloggers, took an unofficial blogging break over Christmas. I could give you a bunch of excuses, some legit and some lame, but I will spare you the boredom that results from my random babbling. Instead, I'll get right to the good stuff.

First, I've come across some other food blogs recently that are well worth mentioning. Ree, AKA "The Pioneer Woman," is one of those lucky bloggers who started a personal blog some time ago and it quickly became one of the most popular blogs on the web. Here's Ree's story in a nutshell: City girl who lives on sushi and pedicures falls in love with a real-life cowboy, gets married, leaves the city behind, moves to the ranch, has 4 children...and the rest is history. I know, I know, it sounds like a movie script from Hollywood, a sort-of female version of "City Slickers," but believe me, her life is the real deal. Filled with snippets of the nitty-gritty happenings of family life on their ranch, often including references to calf nuts, Ree's blog is quaint, genuine and humorous. Perhaps you're more interested now that I've mentioned calf nuts??

My point in telling you all this is that The Pioneer Woman has a food blog, "The Pioneer Woman Cooks," that is equally as noteworthy as her main blog. One of the things I alsolutely adore about her food blog is the fact that it is overflowing with step-by-step pictures of her recipe preparations. And I cannot stress enough that she takes INCREDIBLE photos!! I mean, having a high quality digital camera sure helps, but suffice to say that she's a creative inspiration to me. Check out the abundance of photos on her main blog as well.

Another cool blog I discovered recently is "Foodmomiac." Yes, it is exactly what it sounds like--posts about food, about mothering, and about everything in between. Another real-life person sharing the ins and outs of life, plus she has great taste in food and has many links to recipes and food websites.

And lastly, I'll leave you with a recipe! For those of you who've become disillusioned by the cooking/baking overload that occurs over the holidays, it's time to give yerself a break. And who's the faithful friend to the disillusioned cook?? Why the crock-pot, of course! So sit back, relax, and let your crock-pot do (most) of the work.

Slow-Cooked Bolognese Sauce

I adore bolognese sauce, or Italian meat-sauce, as it's known to the common folk. I'd always wanted to try a homemade version of it, but was never quite confident delving into the territory of homemade Italian food, that is, until I found this recipe. Yum, yum, and double-yum! I recommend serving this sauce over a chunky pasta, such as farfalle (bowtie) or rotini (corkscrew). Thick sauces are best paired with chunky pastas because they tend to "hold" the sauce better than a noodle pasta, like spaghetti. But whatever pasta you choose to pair this sauce with, it'll be delicious!

1 lb. ground beef or Italian sausage
1 medium onion
2 cans (15 oz. each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 T. brown sugar
4 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1-2 tsp. dried basil
1-2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 cup water

In a skillet, cook beef (or sausage) and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to slow cooker. Add all of the remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and cook on high heat for 2 hours. Then cook on low heat for an additional 5-6 hours. Stir occasionally during the cooking time. Serve over pasta.

**Tip - While I love what a time saver the slow cooker is, it requires that one plans ahead so they have time in the morning to get the recipe started. And that is not something I'm good at...having extra time in the mornings. So one thing that's helped me a lot with this dish is prepping nearly everything for the sauce the night before. I cook the meat and onion, let it cool, and refridgerate it. Then I combine the remaining sauce ingredients in a separate bowl, all except for the garlic because it's best when freshly minced, and refridgerate that, too. The only left to do in the morning is throw it all together in the crock pot, add the garlic, stir, and let the crock pot do the rest...voila! Instant time-saver for all of you who are NOT morning people!

Also, this recipe is awesome to double. Then freeze the extra and you'll have a near-instant meal awaiting you, minus defrosting time, of course. I've also used the extra sauce to make a meal for families who've recently had a baby. Combine it with pasta, salad and garlic bread to round out the perfect Italian meal.

Can't Catch Me...

2007-12-19T20:06:00.001-06:00

Last wednesday was a virtual "ginger-palooza" at our home. Calvin and I baked "Soft Ginger Cookies" together and gave some away as gifts. Then for dinner, we had "Gingerbread Pancakes." One need not reserve either of these recipes strictly for Chrismas-time; you can savor them year-round!

Soft Ginger Cookies

I've never been a huge fan of gingersnaps. They always seemed too spicy and plus, I'll take a soft cookie anyday over a crisp cookie. But upon trying this recipe some years ago, I knew these were going to be a keeper. They'll make your home smell delicious and they have just the right balance of sugar and spice (no pun intended).

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup sugar (for rolling cookies in)

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Beat in the 1 cup sugar. Add egg and molasses; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture and once dough starts becoming stiff, mix in remaining flour mixture by hand.

Shape dough into 1-1/2 inch balls, using about 1 heaping tablespoon dough for each. Roll balls in the extra sugar to coat. Place balls about 2-1/2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated, 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until light brown and still puffed. (Do not overbake.) Cool cookies on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

Gingerbread Pancakes

Growing up, my family and I often had what we termed, "Breakfast for Dinner." I always loved that concept and was fortunate enough to marry a man who loves pancakes enough eat them day or night. Whether you serve these for breakfast, brunch, or dinner, I'm sure you'll not be disappointed.

1 cup all-purpose flour
3 T. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. allspice, or ground cloves
1 egg
3/4 milk
2 T. molasses
1 T. vegetable oil

In a medium bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk, molasses and oil; stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. (You can add a bit more milk, if needed, if the batter is too thick. Add extra milk 1 T. at a time.)

Cook on a hot griddle and serve immediately.

**Note: This recipe only makes about 6 pancakes, which is barely enough for my family of three. So double or triple the recipe if needed. Also, the original recipe suggested serving the pancakes with warm apple pie filling and dried cranberries, but we enjoyed them a little simplier with plan ole pancake syrup.

Peppermint Kisses

2007-12-17T19:25:00.000-06:00

Enticed by these yummy-looking holiday treats? Alas, I cannot take credit for these one bit. Gotta give a shout out to my best girlfriend, Rebecca, for both the recipe and picture. And if you know me, you'd know that anything combining peppermint and chocolate is sure to reel me in. I'm trying to squeeze some time into my week to prepare these goodies for the first time. If you'd like to try them, too, check out the recipe for yourself.

Oprah's Favorite Foodie Things!

2007-12-12T16:36:00.000-06:00

As some of you may already know, I am not a huge Oprah fan. I go back and forth in a sort of "love-hate" relationship with her. Sometimes her shows intrigue and fascinate me (such as her shows about hoarders), and other times I just roll my eyes at her show and say, "Gimme a break, sistah," and then proceed to mutter obscenities at her. Suffice to say, though, that when I saw that Oprah's "My Favorite Things" show was going to be broadcast this afternoon, I was all over it. I'll put up with Oprah's annoying antics for 55 minutes just so I can drool over all the awesome products I'll probably never own, plus seeing her audience members go absolutely crazy is priceless. This year, she had some incredible products for the self-defined Foodie:

These delectable looking cupcakes can be hand-delivered to your door from Williams-Sonoma for a whopping $59!! Yikes...but oh man, do they look scrumptious.

I love bright colors of these melanine mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons. They all have pour spouts on them, plus the bowls have a non-skid, rubber rim on the bottom of them, too. Also from Williams-Sonoma.

I saved the absolute best for last...The Kitchenaid Artisan Standing Mixer! This my all-time dream kitchen appliance. Dave and I had one on our wedding registry and on the registry print-out, it said that it had been purchased. Yet, as we were cleaning up all the wrapping paper after opening our wedding gifts, we realized that none of the packages contained my beloved mixer. All I can figure is that some cruel individual purchased it for us, was then struck by the sheer magnitude of kitchen genius that lied in the mixer...and decided to keep it for themselves! Or maybe there was a computer error at Target and the mixer was never purchased at all. I like the first story better, it's way more dramatic. Either way, I'm still holding onto the hope that one day the Kitchenaid Mixer will be permanent resident in my kitchen.

Cheesecake Extravaganza

2007-12-08T07:51:00.000-06:00

This post is a long time coming, as I've had the pictures sitting around for weeks now. So if you really want to be the hit of the Christmas Party this year, be sure to walk in the door with one of these cheesecakes! If you're a little intimidated at the thought of preparing cheesecake, rest assured that it's really not as difficult as it might seem. Check out my cheesecake tips below, too.

Peppermint Chip Cheesecake

1 pkg. (10 oz.) chocolate-covered mint cookies, crushed (such as Keebler Grasshopper Fudge Mint Cookies)
3 T. butter, melted
3 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
5 tsp. cornstarch
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp. peppermint extract
1-1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
3-4 drops green food coloring, optional
1 cup mini (or regular sized) chocolate chips

In a bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch until smooth. In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs and egg yolk; add to cream cheese mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the cream, extracts and food coloring. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into crust. Place springform pan on a baking sheet.

Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Cover and refridgerate overnight. Remove sides of pan before serving and transfer to a serving platter, if desired. Refridgerate leftovers.

Praline Cheesecake

1-1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers (about 50)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
16 whole vanilla wafers

Filling:

3 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Topping:

25 caramels
2 T. milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

In a small bowl, combine the wafer crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Stand whole wafers around edge of pan, pressing lightly into crumbs; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refridgerate overnight.

Place caramels and milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 1 minute; stir until smooth. Remove sides of springform pan. Drizzle caramel mixture over cheesecake; sprinkle with pecans. Refridgerate leftovers.

Cheesecake Tips:

1. I use my Mini-prep food processor to crush the cookies for both of these crusts. It's much quicker and more efficient than crushing by hand. If you don't have a food processor, you can place to cookies in a heavy-duty ziploc bag and use a rolling pin or heavy skillet to crush the cookies.

2. One kitchent gadget that I've discovered is perfect for pressing crumbs into a springform pan--a potato masher! Seriously. Use gentle pressure with the masher. Or you can use your hands to press the crumbs into the pan.

3. To prevent a cheesecake from cracking, do not overbeat the batter. Mix the cream cheese and sugar well to eliminate lumps, but after eggs are added, beat the mixture as little as possible.

4. Cheesecake will continue to bake after it's removed from the oven. Your cheesecake is done when it is firm (though it might jiggle slightly), even though the middle may still look moist.

5. Chilling cheesecake overnight is the real key to that indulgent, cheesecake flavor. The longer you refridgerate it, the richer the flavor will be.

Holiday Product Highlight

2007-12-03T22:16:00.000-06:00

Elmer's Glue on your Christmas cookies?! While it is fun to reminisce of my kindergarten days when glue was accepted as a food group, I wouldn't suggest using it on your cookies. But what I am saying is that you should check out an awesome product that my Mom discovered recently: Wilton's Cookie Icing. Now this is not your usual "frosting in a can." Instead, it is a quick and simple way to replicate that lovely glaze known to the decorating gurus as "Royal Icing," which is made with meringue powder. Royal icing differs from standard buttercream because it harden somewhat as it dries. My Mom was quite pleased with the ease in using it: simply follow the directions to soften the icing in the microwave, squeeze on your cookies, and allow them to dry. (The results were pretty yummy, too, as both Calvin, Grandma's cookie helper, and I can both vouch for!!)

Mom found Wilton's Cookie Icing at Target, and I have heard it can be found at Michael's, too. If you see it anywhere else, let me know. Happy decorating!

December Photo Project!

2007-12-01T22:57:00.000-06:00

Okay, Okay, I know you're probably saying to yourself right about now, "Dearest Foodie, Why would you subject your faithful readers to read anything that isn't even remotely related to food?!" While I did vow to make this mostly a food blog, I didn't say I'd be 100% strict about it. This will be one of those exceptions.

Anyway, my friend Rebecca challenged her readers to participate in the December Photo Project again this year. The project is simple: grab a digital camera and snap a shot every day from December 1 - 25...then share your pics via the www. And since now I have my very own blog (YAY!) and also recently acquired my very own digital camera (double YAY!), I decided to take the plunge and accept Rebecca's challenge. In the very near future, you will find a link on the right side of my blog under the heading of "December Photo Project." Clicking on the link will redirect you to the Flickr pool where you can view my daily pics. Mmm...I can just feel those creative juices beginning to simmer.

Post-Thanksgiving

2007-11-25T12:34:00.000-06:00

The following recipes were my contributions to our Thanksgiving meal with Dave's family:

Ranch Mashed Potatoes

I found this in my most recent Cooking Light magazine, which said of this delicious dish, "This tasty side captures the flavor of ranch potatoes without additional calories, fat, and sodium."

4 lbs. red potatoes, cubed (unpeeled)
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 chopped green onions
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 T. butter, softened
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. dried basil
3/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp. dried dill

Place potatoes in a Dutch oven; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender; drain. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Add sour cream and remaining ingredients; mash with a potato masher to desired consistency.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)

Apple-Cherry-Cranberry Crumble

This is an adaptation of a recipe that was originally "Cranberry-Cherry Crumble." I decided to adapt it to save a little money, since cherries are expensive, and also I increased the quantities to prepare it in a 9x13 pan, instead of an 8x8 pan. The results are quite yummy--a balance of tart and sweet with a flavorful, crunchy streusel topping.

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced into large chunks
3 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled and diced into large chunks
1-1/4 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup sweetened, dried cherries (see note below)
3/4 cup sugar
4 T. flour
1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch
Cooking spray
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup dry oatmeal
1/3 cup whole-wheat flour (may substitute all-purpose flour)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. almond extract
4 T. chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine first seven ingredients (through cornstarch) in a large bowl, tossing gently to thoroughly coat fruit. Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and transfer fruit mixture into the pan.

Combine almonds through extract in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle mixture evenly over fruit mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden brown.

**Tip-You can purchase sweetened, dried Montgomery cherries at Trader Joe's for only $2.99! Go Joe!

Comment Formatting Corrected

2007-11-24T21:44:00.001-06:00

Thank you to my dear friend, Rebecca, who pointed out to me that when she attempted to leave a comment here recently, she received the message that only registered readers could comment. I was not aware of the problem and it is now corrected. So comment away!

Indonesian Chicken

2007-11-19T19:20:00.000-06:00

I'm a huge fan of year-round grilling. Come sun or come snow, you'll find me tending the grill at least a few times a month. I came across this recipe long before I ever had a grill and it sounded so enticing that I held onto it until we inherited a lovely grill two summers ago. Let me tell ya--it was well worth the wait! A flavorful, crispy outside and tender meat inside...mmmm, just kick those ordinary chicken recipes to the curb!

You might notice an ingredient in this recipe that you've never heard of: fish sauce. This is a fermented sauce essential in many Asian dishes and you can find it at any local grocery store, in the Asian foods section. I'll give you some fair warning, though, that fish sauce has an extremely funky odor, not that far off from the smell of fermented gym shoes. However, the end result of this recipe will not taste like fish sauce!! You have to trust me on this one, when I first made it, I was a little hesitant, too, when I first inhaled the aroma of the fish sauce. But the other ingredients in the marinade balanced out the pungent odor and the resulting, finished product was a delightful dish that made me keep comin' back for more.

Suggested Menu:

Indonesian Chicken

Trader Joe's "Thai-Style Lime Pilaf"

(or any boxed rice pilaf, such as "Near East" brand)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Green Salad

Indonesian Chicken

1 (14 oz.) can coconut milk
2 T. fish sauce
2 T. rice vinegar or cider vinegar
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 to 3 tsp. curry powder or turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
3 to 3 1/2 lbs. chicken thighs (or cut-up fryer chicken)

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients until smooth. Place chicken in a 2 quart glass baking dish, or large resealable plastic bag, and pour marinade over the chicken. Turn chicken to coat it well. Cover dish, or seal bag, refridgerate at least 6 hours or ovenight.

Heat grill. When ready to grill, drain chicken, reserving marinade. Place chicken on gas grill over low heat or charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals. Cook 45-60 minutes, or until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear, turning once and brushing frequently with reserved marinade. Discard any remaining marinade.

**Tip--You can remove the skin from the chicken prior to marinating, however, I prefer to leave it on. By doing so, it keeps the chicken from overcooking and drying out. Also, I do not recommend substituting boneless chicken breast in this recipe. Bone-in chicken, again, helps keep the meat moist and the bone adds so much flavor. Plus, bone-in chicken is so much cheaper than boneless!

Why not drink your holiday meal?

2007-11-14T18:28:00.001-06:00

Ever wonder what you'll do for your holiday meal when you're old and toothless?? Well, God bless the Jones Soda Company, who've created a solution to the problem. Mmmm...I can just picture myself, 60 years from now, tossing back a couple of ice-cold, Christmas Ham sodas.

More Signs of the Season

2007-11-13T16:23:00.001-06:00

I was driving down Mason Road the other day and was struck at the sheer beauty of a particular row of trees lining the street. The trees alternated--one red, one orange, one gold, one green (evergreen trees), and the combination of colors was just brilliant. My heart leaps with joy upon viewing such sights. The only thing that could possibly match such brilliance would be to come home and inhale the aroma of a seasonal soup, simmering on the stove.

Well-respected chefs and nutritionists often recommend taking advantage of the produce that's currently in season. Cooking Light's "Velvety Squash Soup" is a perfect display of the autumn harvest. I made it for the first time last week and it certainly lives up to its name--smooth and creamy--and warmed my family through and through.

Suggested Menu 1

Velvety Squash Soup

Rustic Italian or French Loaf

Green Salad

Suggested Menu 2

Velvety Squash Soup

Grilled Turkey 'n' Cheese Sandwiches

Velvety Squash Soup

1 (3 pound) butternut squash
1 (2 pound) acorn squash
2 cups coarsely chopped onions
2 tsp. olive oil
5 cups chicken broth (preferably fat-free, lower sodium)
2/3 cup apple cider or apple juice
2 T. molasses
1 tsp. curry powder or turmeric
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
2/3 cup half-and-half

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut each squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place squash, cut sides down, on jelly-roll sheet (or large cookie sheet) coated with cooking spray.

Combine onion and oil, tossing to coat. Spread onion mixture onto pan around squash. Bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes, or until squash and onion are tender. Cool slightly. Scoop out squash pulp from skins; discard skins.

Place onion and squash pulp in a Dutch oven. Stir in broth and the next 5 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.

Place half of squash mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. Return squash mixture to pan; stir in half and half. Cook over medium-heat for 5 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Yield: 10 servings

**Tip--I strongly suggest baking the squash earlier in the day, to give it ample time to cool. I however, did not do that. Instead, I had to try and handle near-piping hot squash while scooping the pulp from it. To quote a fellow blogger: "Be ye not so stupid."

**Second tip--Turmeric, one of the spices found in curry powder, will leave a bright yellow stain on anything it touches. Be careful what utensils you use when making this soup. Stay away from utensils such as white plastic or silicone and wooden spoons. If you spill any on formica countertops, wipe it up right away. Don't let my warnings discourage you from using turmeric, though. It's extremely flavorful and essential in creating the right flavors in many recipes. It can be found at most local grocery stores, in the spice aisle.

Signs of Autumn

2007-11-09T14:30:00.001-06:00

It's about this time of year that I start anxiously awaiting the arrival of fresh cranberries at the grocery store. And as soon as they pop up, I start buying--usually a couple packages at a time--so that I'll have plenty on hand to bake my popular "Apple Cranberry Bread." Bursting with fresh apples and tart cranberries, this bread is as delightful as it looks in the pictures above. Originally found in a copy of "Quick Cooking" magazine (now called "Simple and Delicious") around 5 or 6 years ago, I immediately knew this recipe would be a keeper. Every time I bake it, I always make at least 2 loaves, and sometimes if I'm feeling especially adventurous, 3 or 4 loaves. A loaf of this bread makes a great, inexpensive Christmas gift, and here's the icing on the cake: it's healthy!! As tasty as quick bread is, one of my pet peeves is bread recipes that are maxed out with vegetable oil, eggs and sugar. This one has minimal amounts of those ingredients, and yet still turns out moist and delicious.

Apple Cranberry Bread

2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 T. canola or vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups chopped, peeled tart apples
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and oil. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; add to egg mixture just until combined. **Note-Batter will be very thick! Stir in the apples, cranberries and walnuts.

Transfer to an 8-in. x 4-in. x 2 in. loaf pan coated with non-stick spray. Bake at 35o degrees for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 1 loaf

**Note--Fresh cranberries can be frozen if you don't plan on using them shortly after purchasing. I do believe they'll stay good in the freezer for up to 1 or 2 months. Also, this bread freezes very well. Place them in heavy-duty freezer bags, or double wrap in plastic, before freezing. Allow them to thaw completely in the bag (I don't recommend attempting to thaw in the microwave) before serving.

Mulliga-what??

2007-11-04T21:45:00.000-06:00

So I did promise earlier that I would posting some healthier recipes soon, and I figure I better start living up to that promise. Thus far, my posted recipes, although tasty enough to send you straight to foodie heaven, have enough fat and calories to send you to an early grave!! All good things in moderation.

If you've never heard of mulligatawny before, it's an Indian soup made from pureed red lentils and coconut milk. It may vary some, depending on the Indian restaurant, but it's usually never "hot" spicy, just flavorful. The very first time I had mulligatawny was 12 years ago,when a good friend of mine decided it was about time that I be properly introduced to Indian food. At the time, I lived in Nebraska and the only logical place to go for Indian cuisine was "The Oven." My friend had prepared me for mulligatawny by telling me, "Most people either love it or hate it." For me, it was love at first bite.

I discovered this recipe a few years back in my beloved "Cooking Light" magazine. I had tried a few other mulligatawny recipes prior to this, but I think this one ranks supreme above the rest. To give you even more incentive to try it, you should know that it's quite simple to prepare and extremely healthy (loaded with fiber, protein, and iron).

Suggested Menu:

Mulligatawny

Brown Basmati Rice

Indian Naan Bread

Green Salad

Mulligatawny

3 1/2 cups chicken broth (preferrably fat-free, lower sodium)
1 cup dried, small red lentils
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
3 T. tomato paste
1 tsp. grated, peeled fresh ginger
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 T. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Hot cooked basmati rice

Combine broth, lentils, and onion in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Remove pot from heat and let stand 5-10 minutes, or until it has cooled slighly. Pour lentil mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Return mixture to stockpot.

Place coconut milk, tomato paste, ginger, cumin and turmeric in the blender; process until smooth. Add coconut milk mixture to the lentil mixture in the stockpot and stir until combined. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice, salt and pepper. To serve, place about 1/4 cup cooked basmati rice in each bowl and ladle soup over the rice.

**Tip -- You can get light coconut milk at any grocery store, but Trader Joe's has it for just 99 cents a can! Also, my family is quite fond of Trader Joe's Indian Naan Bread, found in frozen foods (only $2.29 for 4 large pieces of bread). If you don't have access to TJ's, naan bread can also be found at ethnic grocery stores.

A True Gem

2007-11-02T15:46:00.000-05:00

7 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; 8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey. Deut. 8:7-8

I am continually amazed at God's wisdom in providing just the right food for the Israelites. The Israelites certainly didn't know when they were wandering 'round the desert that the pomegranates they would be eating in the Promised Land would be viriley rich in antioxidants, lower their cholesterol, prevent plaque formation on their teeth, and have a whole host of other health benefits! Yet this near-perfect gem-of-a-fruit has stood the test of time. Here we are, some 3500 years later, and yet it's only been recently that light has been shed on the abundance of wealth dwelling in the pomegranate. (For even more info about the health benefits, look here.)

I can't remember the exact time in my life when I first had a pomegranate. But suffice to say that it was many, many moons ago. I do remember my mom explaining to me that we only eat the seeds of the pomegranates, which was quite intriguing to me. The fact that we only ate the seeds seemed to bend all the rules of fruit-eating that I'd grown accustomed to.

So when I saw that pomegranates were in season again, and double-bonus, they were only 2 for $4, I thought I'd broaden my horizons a bit. If you've ever seen a pomegranate, you might be, as I was, a little intimidated at the thought of peeling it. But I knew that my faithful kitchen companion, "The Joy of Cooking" would certainly be able to shed some light on the mystery:

"Score the rind lengthwise in 4 or 5 places. Place the fruit in a large container and cover with cool water. Let it soak for about 5 minutes. Keeping the pomegranate under water, gently break the fruit apart along the scoring lines. Pull back the rind and separate the seeds from the membranes. In the water, the light rind and pith will float and the heavy seeds sink. Use a sieve to skim off the debris, then pour the seeds and water into a colander. Pat the drained seeds dry and store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator until needed; they will stay fresh for at least a day or two."

And, just like magic, I tried it and it worked exactly like described. But consider yourself warned--those gorgeous, jewel-toned pomegranate seeds will leave a scarlet-hued stain on anything they touch!! So it's quite important to keep the fruit completely submerged in water while you're dissecting it. I was aware that the pomegranate seeds can be used in recipes in a variety of different ways, but I didn't feel like researching and ended up just eating the seeds. Not to dismay, though, they were still delightfully indulgent. For recipe ideas, check here.

If you've never tried a pomegranate, I encourage you to branch out and enjoy this ancient fruit. I promise that you'll not be disappointed!

Death by Chocolate

2007-10-30T09:43:00.000-05:00

If the "death by chocolate" qualities of my previously-posted "Marbled Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies" weren't enough for you, eat you heart out. Calvin's 4th birthday was a few weeks back and I made these for him to bring and share with his preschool class. Enough chocolate to last a 4 year old a lifetime. (It's never too young to start!)

Triple-Chocolate Chunk Cookies

1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 cups all-purpose flour
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or 1-1/3 cup semisweet chips)
6 oz. white baking bar, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or 1 cup white chocolate chips)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Lightly grease a cookie sheet; set aside. In large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in sugar, brown sugar, and baking soda until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Stir in melted chocolate. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour by hand. Mix in semisweet and white chocolate and, if desired, nuts.

Using a dry, 1/4-cup size measuring cup or scoop, droup mounds of dough about 4 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack; finish cooling.

Yield: 22 cookies

**Note: If you do not wish to make "monster cookies," you can substitute a tablespoon or 2-inch cookie scoop for the 1/4-size measuring cup. Drop cookie dough 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Then reduce baking time to about 9 - 10 minutes, but keep an eye on the cookies and increase baking time a minute at a time if not done yet.

A New Look

2007-10-30T09:37:00.000-05:00

As you can see, I've changed the template of my blog. Less color, yes. A bit simplier, true. But I thinks it's much easier to read and navigate through. I'm also a complete novice when it comes to html, but I just started learning and have been able to troubleshoot some of my formatting problems. All of you blogging pro's out there, let me know of other good resources available online. Thanks for hangin' in there with me!

Indoor Picnic

2007-10-27T09:22:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, I had the privilege of participating in my church's wednesday night dinner program the past year and a half. Last spring, I had a culinary vision of a meal for the upcoming year: An Indoor Picnic. All the traditional picnic-ey fixins', complete with red and white checkered tablecloths and plastic ants (although we discovered that plastic flies were cheaper...more realistic, too, since flies are more problematic at a picnic than ants are!) My vision was brought to fruition in September and here is the menu and recipes:

Giant Sub Sandwiches

Hot Bacon Potato Salad

Assorted Individual Bag of Chips

Tossed Salad

Fresh Fruit Bar

Marbled Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies

Hot Bacon Potato Salad

This has become one of my all time favorite potato salads. Originally found in a Betty Crocker grilling cookbook, you can make it just as easily in the oven, too.

2 lbs. unpeeled red potatoes
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
3 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry ground mustard
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Heat water to boiling in a 3 or 4 qt. saucepan. Add potatoes. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 25 minutes or until almost tender; drain. Allow to cool until easily handled, then cut into large chunks (about 1 1/2 to 2 inch cubes). Place cut potatoes in a baking dish (or a disposable, aluminum pan if grilling).

In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard and pepper until smooth. Add green onions and bacon. Pour dressing over potatoes and toss until combined.

Oven instructions: Cover with foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, stirring once, until heated through.

Grilling instructions: Cover with foil. Grill 4 inches away from medium heat (charcoal or gas) for 20 minutes, stirring once, until heated through.

Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Marbled Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies

I've always been a fan of both chocolate and of peanut butter. Alone, they are, indeed, quite delightful. But combine the 2 together and you've achieved something just short of pure genius. My friend, Linda, knowing what an aficionado I was of the chocolate/pb combo, found this recipe on a jar of Reece's peanut butter many moons ago and typed it out for me. It immediately became one of my all-time favorite brownies. And once you taste them, that is, if you're still alive after tasting them, I'm confident that you'll feel the same way I did. **Note--This is direct cut 'n' paste of the recipe, but be reassured, it is not necessary to us Reese's and Hershey's brands to achieve the same results!

2 packages (3 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter or REESE'S Crunchy Peanut Butter
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
2-1/4 cups sugar, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Chips or 1 cup HERSHEY'S MINI KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. Prepare PEANUT BUTTER FILLING by beating cream cheese, peanut butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg and milk.

3. Melt butter in large microwave-safe bowl at HIGH (100%) 2 to 2-1/2 minutes or until melted. Stir in remaining 2 cups sugar and vanilla. Add remaining 3 eggs, one at a time, beating well with spoon after each addition. Add cocoa; beat until well blended. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat well. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Remove 1 cup batter; set aside. Pour remaining batter into prepared pan. Spread PEANUT BUTTER FILLING over surface. Drop reserved chocolate batter by teaspoons over filling. Using knife, gently swirl through top layers for marbled effect.

5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Cajun Night

2007-10-25T23:15:00.000-05:00

Two summers ago, I was perusing through the announcements bulletin during church and I came across something that caught my attention. The women's ministry was going to be taking over the wednesday night dinner program, and in particular, their focus was going to be on making home-cooked meals. Of course, my heart raced at the thought of participating in such a culinary adventure and, in a momentary lapse of consciousness, I somehow volunteered to help head up the whole project. When I came to and realized what I had just committed myself to, I was a tad overwhelmed. But in midst of being overwhelmed, I was working with a fantastic bunch of women who were committed to preparing quality meals and having a great time of fellowship in the process. We made it through the year with flying colors. This year, I've pulled back quite a bit and am only involved twice a semester to plan a meal and then work with a team of women to prepare and serve it. My most recent meal was our Cajun Night and I'm excited that this will be the first menu I'll be sharing on my newborn blog. Sorry to say, though, that if you're looking to cut calories and fat, this probably won't be the meal for you. When I multiplied the jambalaya to serve 150 people, it used like 9 sticks of butter...mmm, cholesterol! (But be on the lookout...healthier menus and recipes will be posted soon!)

Jambalaya

Whenever I say the name, it always makes me think of Newman from Seinfeld, on the "Soup Nazi" episode. He ordered some and ran down the street saying, "Mmm, Jambalaya!" Although it's technically not soup, but don't get me started.

1 large onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1 lb. fully cooked andouille sausage, cut into 1/2 inch-thick slices
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups instant rice, uncooked
1 cups diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1/2 cup green onions, diced
2 T. fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 T. worcersteshire
1 T. hot pepper sauce
1 T. browning sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
In a large skillet, saute the onions, green peppers, and garlic in butter until crisp-tender. Place in a large bowl; stir in the remaining ingredients. Transfer to a greased, shallow 3-qt. baking dishes. Cover and bake at 375° for 45-50 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring twice.
Yield: 8 servings

Homesteader Cornbread
I've never had much success in finding a cornbread recipe that resulted much better than mediocre. In pursuit of a better cornbread, I stumbled across this one on allrecipes.com. It's described as "a moist, sweet cornbread with a crisp crust is the goal, fully realized with this recipe." After making it myself last year, I gotta say, that is the honest truth!
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups flour
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine cornmeal and milk; let stand for 5 minutes. Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix in the cornmeal mixture, eggs and oil until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Yield: 15 servings
**Note: This cornbread freezes well. With a family of three, we have little use for 15 pieces of cornbread, so I'll freeze the extras, putting 3 or 4 pieces in each bag. That way, when I need some for a meal, I can just grab one bag, with enough for one meal. Voila!

Caramel Praline Cheesecake Squares

1 16 oz. package Pecan Sandie cookies, crushed
1/2 cup melted butter
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 - 12 oz. jar caramel topping, divided
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 - 5.1 oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Combine cookie crumbs and butter; press into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool.
Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup caramel topping until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk milk and pudding for 2 minutes. Fold into cream cheese mixture. Spread filling over cooled crust. Sprinkle with pecans. Cover and refridgerate for at least 6 hours. Before serving, drizzle with remaining caramel topping and cut into servings.
Yield: 12 - 15 servings

Announcing my newest addition!

2007-10-24T14:39:00.000-05:00

I did it. I finally jumped on the blogging bandwagon. For several years now, I have readily enjoyed reading the blogs of dear friends and acquaintances, and even some blogs that belong to people I don't even know. I always thougt to myself, "Gee, it would sure be neat if I could have a blog someday." But in consulting my friend, Rebecca, who's been an avid blogger for some time now, she warned me that bloggers must be wary of what information they choose to post, specifically in regards to personal blogs. (Beware about posting information about your workplace, too...if you need extra incentive not to, check out Dooce's story. Her advice? "Be ye not so stupid.") The more I thought about it, the thought of having a personal blog just stressed me out. What if I implied an annoyance toward a family member in a post and they read about it? What if I accidently revealed a smidgen too much info about my hubby? What if, in a moment of reckless abandon, I enhanced a posting with some choice dirty words and then sweet little "Timmy Church-goer" ended up reading it, thus, forever knocking me off the pedastal that he so lovingly held me on??? Well, you get the picture. The potential problems that I created in my head were limitless.

Therefore, after giving it some thought, oh and FINALLY getting internet access at home again, I decided to avoid all the chaos and scathing hate-mail that could potentially be caused by a personal blog. My solution was simple--why not blog about something that I'm truly passionate about? My passion? Food. And in attempting to come up with a clever title that was original, yet not too cutesy, I sought out the good advice of wikipedia, who described a "Foodie" this way:

"...foodies are amateurs who simply love food for consumption, study, preparation, and news. [1] Gourmets simply want to eat the best food, whereas foodies want to learn everything about food, both the best and the ordinary, and about the science, industry, and personalities surrounding food. [2] For this reason, foodies are sometimes viewed as obsessively interested in all things culinary."

"Obesessively interested in all things culinary?" Yup, that's me. Believe me, it's really a blessing that I do not have regular access to the Food Network, otherwise I'd be living in a 24-7 virtual reality world with Emeril, Contessa and Rachel Ray. (And maybe I'd ocassionally allow Marc Summers in, too.) So it seemed only fitting that a true foodie such as myself should christen my newborn blog by naming it, "Foodie For Thought."

I will be posting recipes, menus, recommendations, tips, as well as a variety of other culinary adventures. My foremost intent is for this blog to simply be my creative outlet. In addition to that, I'm hoping this will also be an easy referral to anybody who asks me for a certain recipe...give 'em my blog address and there ya go, piece of cake! Beyond that, if anyone--friend, family, or stranger--enjoys this blog enough to read it regularly, I'd be thrilled. So without further adieu, Bon Appetit!