sweetheart bars

I keep meaning to email this recipe out, and can no longer remember who all to put in the address bar, so I'm sharing it with y'all.  Here's to a little heart-healthy snackin' for those I love.

These are basically granola bars, in the spirit of "larabars" or similar cookie-style protein snacks.  I did not really invent the recipe; variations are widely available on the wide internet. I just tried a few of the options, then figured out the ratios I like best and put together my own version. However, it is awards season, and I find these get me rave reviews every time I share them with my family and others.  So, I offer a little "dedication" speech to those who want to bestow high honors upon these treats:

I dedicate these bars in honor of my friend who got me hooked on the big money pit otherwise known as Costco, where I was stocking up on such snacks to the detriment of my checkbook. These are about 30% of the cost, little to no wasteful packaging, and do not require a hike through the land of samples. In honor of my friend who demonstrated that going gluten-free is easy if you have somebody cooking for you and buying your groceries, I offer a delicious GF snack.  In honor of my friends who have given up most comforts in life and travel the world to help end human trafficking, this includes fair trade (aka "slave free") chocolate.  In honor of my husband, who ate all of my cashews before I could make a batch of these last week, I made these and got you extra cashews. And finally, in honor of a slender, beautiful friend who bikes everywhere yet still worries about caloric balance, well... eat another, darling.  

Sweetheart Bars
2 C cashews (or other nuts)
2 C pitted dates
2 Tblsp peanut (or almonnd) butter
2 Tblsp (or more) chopped dark chocolate

In a food processor, chop the cashews into fine bits.  Empty into a bowl and set aside.
In the same food processor (!), chop the dates into fine bits.  They will start to mash together.  Add the peanut butter and process together.
Slowly pour the nuts back into the dates mixture, and process until well combined.  Add the chocolate and process well.
The mixture will likely be warm.  Press into a wax-paper lined baking pan (I use 9x13").  Set in the refrigerator and cool until firm.
Cut into bars of desired size, and enjoy.

*These store well in baggies or sealed containers.  I keep mine in the fridge, but it's not neccessary.

Happy Day!

what's in your feast

*** Updated 11/24/10 ***
THE ANSWERS ARE HERE... (in bold, under ingredient list)
Happy Thanksgiving, friends!


It's that week again... Time to pull out the menus and stuff ourselves silly.  Somehow, all of this cooking, eating, and eating some more is related to a celebration of gratitude.  It's also a time that brings back memories for many of us, often stirred up with the smells and tastes of the week's feast.  I distinctly recall not liking certain parts of traditional Thanksgiving dinner when I was a child, so now I make different items or eliminate the offending items completely.  Happily, I can report that some of those dishes were pretty unhealthy, so it would be hard to consider them a loss.  I'm not just talking decadent or deliciously-guilt-inducing unhealthy.  In reality, a lot of Thanksgiving favorites have more to do with modern chemistry than old-fashioned harvest bounty.

One of the topics that I get pretty excited about is nutrition.  I don't follow a lot of complicated, calorie-spouting, gram-checking dieting, but I do try to live by simple, basic health values.  For example, we like the Real Food Rule: a grocery purchase should be a real, identifiable, item, as close to it's original state as possible.   We aim for nutritional balance, and believe that some things add flavor (i.e. butter, salt, sugar), so they're worth the investment.  Basically, eat less or make less, but don't bother with fake stuff.  And save the road trips for summer vacation: with a few exceptions, buy food that hasn't travelled too far.

They're simple rules to live by, of course, and they don't neglect the biggie of any feast: food should taste good!  Frankly, real food tastes better.  I'm not a gourmet cook, but I do feel like it honors our bodies & those who grow food to take the small effort required.

So, in the spirit of good food and better health, I bring you a little quiz.  Given only the ingredient lists of many a Thanksgiving dinner staple, I challenge you to a game of name-that-menu-item.   The idea is simple; take a look at the ingredients and guess the dish.  All are common Thanksgiving feast options, and likely available from your local grocer.  If the answer is obviously listed as an ingredient (some aren't!), I've substituted an * in its place.  Put your guesses in comments and I'll publish all appropriate efforts, as well as the answers, later this week. Enjoy!

1. Canola Oil and/or Soybean Oil, Egg Yolk, Sugar, Salt, Cultured Nonfat Buttermilk, Natural Flavor, Spices, Garlic (Dried), Onion, Vinegar, Phosphoric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Modified Food Starch, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), Artificial Flavors, Disodium Phosphate, Sorbic Acid and Calcium Disodium Edta, Disodium Inosinate and Disodium Guanylate.
Club Crackers

2. Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Salt, Spice, Yeast Parsley (Dried), Cooked Chicken and Chicken Broth, Hydrolyzed Soy and Corn Protein, Celery (Dried), Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), Soy Flour, Onions (Dried), Sugar, Whey, Corn Syrup, Garlic (Dried), Caramel Color, Turmeric Disodium Guanylate, Disodium Inosinate, Sulfites, Corn Oil, Bha and Bht, and more...
Stovetop Stuffing


3. *, Powdered Cellulose, Salt, Maltodextrin, Cream, Sugar, Modified Wheat Starch, Butter, Natural Flavor, Nonfat Milk, Mono And Diglycerides, Buttermilk, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural And Artificial Flavor, Sour Cream, Disodium Phosphate, Artificial Color, Soy Flour. Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bisulfite And Bht.
Betty Crocker Homestyle Reds Mashed Potatoes

4. Water, *, Salt, *, Modified Food Starch, Wheat Flour, Corn, Cottonseed, Canola, Soybean And Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed And Soybean Oil, Cream, Milk, Soy Protein Concentrate, *, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), Potassium Chloride, Maltodextrin, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Spice Extract, Yeast Extract, Dehydrated Mushrooms, Flavoring, Dehydrated Onions, Dehydrated Garlic, Butter, Cream Powder, Soy Lecithin, Enzyme Modified Butter, Nonfat Dry Milk, Lipolyzed Butter Oil, Oleic Acid, Butter Oil, Enzyme Modified Butter, Acetic Acid, Lactic Acid, Palm Oil, Wheat Flour, Soy Flour, Salt Dextrose, Tbhq, Citric Acid,in Propylene Glycol
Campbell's Green Bean Casserole

5. Corn Syrup, Sugar, *, Water, Modified Food Starch (Corn), Dextrose, Gelatin, Natural And Artificial Flavor
Sweet Potato Casserole with Kraft Marshmallow Topping

6. Water, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sodium Bisulfite And Sodium Benzoate, Lemon Oil, *, Wheat Flour, Shortening (BHT), Brown Sugar, Sugar, Modified Cornstarch, Salt, Dextrose, Spice, Water, Propylene Glycol, Artificial And Natural Flavors, Alcohol, Methocellulose, Defoaming Agent (Mono- And Diglycerides, Acetylated Monoglycerides, Fatty Acids, Ascorbyl Palmitate), Caramel Color.
Frozen Apple Pie


7. Water, Corn Syrup, Hydrogenated Coconut And Palm Kernel Oils, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sodium Caseinate (From Milk), Natural And Artificial Flavor, Xanthan And Guar Gums, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Monostearate, Beta Carotene
Cool Whip


mmmmmmm.....  Enjoy your feast!

applesauce

It was late start day at school this morning, so I made applesauce and pancakes for breakfast.  Fresh, delicious apples are well-stocked at all of our local produce spots, so we have plenty of yummy autumn snacks around here.  This was such a hit and so easy I could probably pull it off on a regular day's schedule.  In any case, I figured somebody else might appreciate the recipe (adapted from a handout at our grocery store).

Apple Sauce
2-3 lbs apples (about 5-6)
1/2 C water
several shakes of cinnamon (and/or other appropriate spices)

Wash and cut the apples into chunks (no need to peel).
Combine apples & water in a sauce pan.
Cook, covered, until apples are soft (about 20 minutes or so for us).
Pour apples & liquid into a food processor and puree to desired consistency.  The original recipe recommended leaving it chunky, but baby Obi likes it a little smoother, so that's how we roll.

Enjoy!

there's a vegetable in my cookie

Each summer, I seem to post a few new ways to use zucchini. Why? Well, if you're asking, you don't grow zucchini. Anyone with one (or more) zucchini plants is bound to start looking for ways to use the gignormous produce that can surprise and overwhelm an urban farmer. Hence, there are literally thousands of zucchini recipes, often including my favorite ingredient: chocolate. This is one of them (passed on to me by a friend, who made a few modifications before sharing, and then I made my own). I'm not sure where the original is found.

Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I substituted whole-wheat pastry flour, which is just as good)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups grated zucchini (after making two batches, I liked it better when the zucchini was "pureed" in a food processor & drained, but both are good)
1 C chocolate chipes

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

Separately, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Fold in the grated zucchini. Gently mix in the chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

going granola

I think I've successfully proven that my house is not always full of fun.  However, some moments make me smile - like making homemade granola this morning.  

The word "granola" seems hard to wrap a 3-year-old mouth around; Obi-2 (who just turned three) says, "Yay!  We're making gorilla!"  His 4-year old brother responds with a little monkey dance in the kitchen, and I join in.

In case that sounds like fun to you, I'm sharing the recipe... for the granola.  The monkey dance is strictly make-up-your-own.

Left Coast Granola

(Makes about a gallon-sized container full.)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a large baking dish (like a sheet-cake pan), combine:

3 C oatmeal

1/2 C oat bran

1/2 C almond meal (or substitute more oat bran)

3/4 C sliced almonds

Bake 15 minutes.

Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Stir into the mixture:

3/4 C apple juice concentrate

1/4 C packed brown sugar (yes, this is optional, if you prefer less sweetener in your life)

3 T cooking oil

Bake 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and stir, then cool a bit.   Stir in 8 oz dried cherries or cranberries.

Store cooled granola in a zip-top bag or airtight container.  

Enjoy!

freeze your dough

I try to drive as little as possible.  We love our neighborhood, partly because there's a lot of stuff within walking distance.  We also live within easy walking distance of reliable, safe public transportation.  We walk and bike, and consolidate trips when we do drive.  Nonetheless, we do use gasoline, which is starting to cost more than I like.  Maybe you have other tips for saving gas this week.  

With all this talk about rising costs, I turned to an old stand-by to cope: make cookies and eat them.  While Shannon's other friends will share serious & practical tips this week, I'm sharing a little yummyness that works for me. 

Here's the tip:  Go to your kitchen.  Make a double batch of your favorite cookie dough.  If, like me, you have little ones at home, call it home-schooling: count eggs, compare teaspoons to tablespoons, measure butter, count cups of sugar... Whatever you do, do not count calories. 

That would be like counting miles per gallon on your minivan. 

Now, bake cookies.  Bake about 2/3 of the dough, and find at least one non-family member to bless (neighbors?  friends?  coworkers?).  

With the remaining cookie dough & a small spoon or scoop, fill a mini-muffin pan.  I like to grease it first, though that might not be necessary.  Put the muffin tin into the freezer for about 15-20 minutes, until the dough is frozen.  Then, pop the frozen dough out into a freezer bag and save them for some future treat.  

My favorite recipe for chewy chocolate-chip cookies is from America's Test Kitchen, which could be found with a search for "Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies." However, there are many good recipes available.  Some of them are even low(er) calorie & relatively healthy.  

Cookies now and later?  Works for me.  Have a great Wednesday!

never too cold for steak

The neighbors were over yesterday -  kids on scooters and bikes, guys chatting on the lawn, and a splash of blue skies overhead.  It makes me ready for summer!  Unfortunately, that season is several months off.  I guess we'll have to wait to of pull out the grill...

But wait!  I have a wonderful recipe for steak that was published a few years ago in Sunset.  It requires no grill, but offers reliable, delicious company (or big promotion or sweet date) -worthy dinners.  Perhaps you have somebody you'd like to treat this week?  If you're dreaming of sunshine and charcoal, this will help get you motivated to finish shoveling the snow before dinner's ready.

Multicolored-Pepper Steaks with Balsamic Onions

Notes: 

1. to crack peppercorns, whirl briefly in a spice or old coffee grinder, or crush with a flat side of a large knife or flat bottom of a heavy glass.

2. entire dinner takes 45 minutes - roast some potatoes in the oven ahead of time for a midwestern-style meal.  Add a salad for a little color, of course. :)

2 Tblsp butter

2 Tblsp olive oil

2 sweet onions (1 1/2 lb total) - like Walla Walla, Vidalia, or Maui, peeled & slivered lengthwise

1/2 tsp salt

1 - 2 tsp sugar

2 Tblsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tblsp fresh thyme leaves

4 tender beef steaks (each about 1 - 1 1/2 in. thick & 9-12 oz), like top loin or rib eye

1/4 C fresh-cracked multicolored peppercorns (see notes)

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Melt 1 1/2 Tblsp butter with 1 1/2 Tblsp olive oil in a 12-inch frying pan over medium heat.  Add onions and stir with 1/2 tsp salt.  Cover and cook until onions are limp, about 8 minutes.  Uncover and sprinkle with sugar.  Increase heat to medium-high and stir often until onions begin to brown, 5-7 minutes.  Add balsamic vinegar & 1 1/2 tsp thyme leaves; stir often until liquid has evaporated (1-2 minutes longer).

3. Rinse steaks and pat dry.  Sprinkle both sides lightly with salt, then coat with pepper.  Melt remaining 1/2 Tblsp butter with 1/2 Tblsp olive oil in a 12-in oven-proof frying pan over medium-high heat (divide among 2 pans if there's not enough room in one).  Add steaks and cook until browned on the bottom (around 4 minutes).  Turn steaks over and cook until beginning to brown on other side (about 2 minutes).  Transfer pan(s) to the oven and bake until medium-rare (still pink in center; cut to test), about 7-8 minutes, or as done as you like (steaks will continue to cook a little after you take them out of the oven).

4. Transfer steaks to warm plates.  Spoon onions over the top & sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tsp thyme leaves to garnish.  Enjoy!

pie crust

It's that time of year, again... but then, when isn't it a good time for pies?

The very first thing I learned to bake on my own was pie crust. My grandmother, Mamie, taught me her recipe, and together we made a banana-cream pie (my dad's favorite). Since that day many years ago, I've made countless pies.

Today I made several crusts. We will enjoy one of them in a quiche this evening, but the rest will go into apple, pumpkin, and pecan desserts later this week. Yum! My grandma's recipe used lard, and many recipes I've tried since use shortening. However, my favorite recipe is found in Nourishing Traditions, and I'm sharing it here since many of you have asked for it in person!

Flaky Pie Crust
1 1/3 C unbleached white flour
pinch of sea salt
pinch of stevia powder (or 1 tsp sugar)
1/2 C butter, frozen, cut into chunks
2 egg yolks
3 rounded Tblsp cold water
Stevia is a natural, highly potent sweetener (I know - I'd never heard of sweetener in pie crust, but it's delicious!). Anyway, I've noted a substitution, in case you can't find stevia.

1. In a food processor (a wonderful machine!), sift together the flour, salt, and stevia.
2. Distribute butter over the dry ingredients, and pulse until it's broken into pea-sized pieces and mixed through.
3. Beat egg yolks and dribble over the flour mixture, then pulse a few times to mix in.
4. Have water ready, then turn on processor and slowly dribble in the water. Stop processor as soon as water is added, then turn crust onto waxed paper or lightly floured surface.
5. Form into a ball and flatten into a 1-inch disk. Refrigerate until ready to use, then roll out on a lightly floured surface or pastry cloth.

This crust rolls out wonderfully, so if you like super-thin, flaky crusts like I do, you won't be disappointed. It makes enough for about 1 large single-layer pie with lattice top, or 1 regular-sized double-layer (i.e. apple) pie.

enjoy!
-MamaToo

leaf cookies

We just did the sweetest autumn project. Delicious and fun, messy but a teeny bit educational... we made leaf cookies! I found the idea in BHG magazine, and made some changes so it worked for us. Here's the project:

1. Make sugar cookies, cut into leaf shapes. I found cookie cutters on sale (the Thanksgiving stuff is on clearance because Christmas stuff is in the stores already!). (I used ATK's "Christmas Cookie" recipe, but you could use any plain cookie. I was tempted to make a chocolate one, and I still might... but today's batch was pretty simple. I suppose store-bought dough would probably work, too.) :)

2. Make icing. Here's my recipe:
3 Tblsp whole milk, plus more to adjust consistency
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 Tblsp cream cheese, softened
2 C confectioners' sugar
Whisk together milk & vanilla. With a hand mixer or by hand, mix in cream cheese. Once liquid is thoroughly combined, add sugar a bit at a time, whisking vigorously. Continue to mix it until it reaches a smooth consistency. (For this project, you want the icing a bit runny, which is why I use a bit extra milk.)

3. Color the icing. We used red, yellow, and green. We also ended up making orange, to demonstrate red + yellow = orange. (See? I said it was educational.) Divide the colored icing in separate spaces of muffin tins or juice glasses.

4. While sugar cookies bake & cool, spread out wax paper on a table or counter. Put smocks or aprons on everyone - this is going to be sticky! Distribute clean (best if never-used) paint brushes, and place the "paint" (icing) within reach.

5. Paint leaves cookies with icing. We tried several methods:
a) Brushing icing directly onto the cookie. (This leaves a very thin glaze of color and blends the colors together.)
b) Dropping blobs of icing onto the cookie, then swirling them together with a brush.
c) Dropping blobs of icing onto the cookie with a brush or finger, and finger paint the cookie.
d) Dip the cookie into the icing, then let the colors drip down the rest of the cookie.

Beautiful, tasty results:

So, this project worked for me this week... accomplished many fun things, some necessary things (a friend asked me to bake cookies! Seriously - what a friend!!), and some kind of I-didn't-think-I-was-that-cool sorts of things. Lots of other very smart, quite cool women do things that work, too. Check them out in this list...

chocolate zucchini cake (health food)

Presenting one of my favorite ways to use summer produce... :)

Nani’s Chocolate Zucchini Cake
½ C butter
½ C oil (canola or vegetable)
1 ¾ C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ C buttermilk (you can make this qty from powdered buttermilk if needed)
2 ½ C all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
4 Tblsp cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon (or less, depend on taste)
2 C grated & drained zucchini
1 C chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 cake pan.
Cream together butter, oil, and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix well.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together.
Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well. Add zucchini and mix to combine.
Stir in chocolate chips.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs on it. Let cool before serving.

enjoy!
- MamaToo

and they say we live in the city

When I was a kid, my grandpa had a very large garden, and grew just about every vegetable imaginable. The work started in the spring, with tilling the ground, planting seeds, watering, weeding, mulching, staking, and everything else that goes along with gardening. As soon as we were old enough to walk around, we were helping in the garden. Mom would lather us up in sunscreen and bug spray and we learned the difference between a weed and a baby zucchini sprout. A bit older, and we could help Bampa (my grandpa) form the tomato cages and place them carefully around the young plants. We'd help tow the irrigation pipes across the rows, carefully placing them to make sure no water was wasted.

As the summer wore on, we'd harvest - fun (tasty!) but difficult work. Most plants require bending over them for hours on end while you search for the perfectly ripe produce. My mother's seven siblings would visit in late July or August. Most of them lived in large, urban areas where gardens like ours weren't an option. However, they loved fresh produce, and so they'd happily show up and eat it.

Seriously.

We would do all of that work, often even picking everything, and they would eat and relax on their vacation. Often, I was scolded for having 2nds at dinner by somebody saying, "Aunt La-ti-da and Uncle Yoo-hoo are only here for a week. Let them enjoy the tomatoes!" Certainly, we ate plenty of fresh produce, but it was frustrating to watch other people gobble up what they hadn't worked to produce.

Ah, how times have changed.

We have now picked over 30 pounds of blueberries at local farms. We are hoping to reach a total of 50 lbs before the season is over. We've also harvested 27 pounds of peaches, a dozen or so ears of corn, and some broccoli and cauliflower. Next week, we hope to get cucumbers and green beans. As summer progresses, we'll aim to get a bunch of tomatoes.

We're eating fresh, that's for sure, and stocking up for the year ahead. We've frozen most of the blueberries, and drying or canning peaches. Of course, we're having fruit on our cereal and enjoying snacks and desserts and salsas in the meantime. I'm planning to make this cobbler, too. We'll try pickling next week if we get enough cucumbers, and we'll freeze beans. I'm most excited about tomato season, as that's probably my favorite food. I'm going to try canning some sauce, and making lots of fresh salsa and BLTs on our menu!

It sounds like I'm back home in South Dakota, doesn't it? Perhaps that's why I'm amazed at how cheerful the folks are at the u-pick farms. They've worked so hard to grow these crops, and strangers like us gather them up without a second thought, gladly dropping some change for a chance to enjoy fresh produce. I suppose that's why I tell the boys to say "thank you" to the farmers, even after we've paid for our portion. It's a gift to harvest where we have not sown.

recipes and weather

True to my promise, it's raining here. Again... still... for over a week and a half and counting. I am not pleased, to say the least. But, ah - we're not here to complain, right? Plus, the muggy-but-cloudy weather is giving me an excuse to cook and bake a bit. The hot weather should return soon, and I won't want the oven on then.

Our local farmers' market has zucchini, two-for-a-dollar. This sounds like a pretty good deal, though I recall growing zucchini and begging people to take some off our hands. Here's a yummy way to enjoy summer squash; add a salad and - voila! - a delicious meal. It also works well as a side dish with flank steak or grilled chicken. Oh, and I find it's an easy meal to deliver to those friends with new babies or hectic lives, since it can be served hot or room temperature. Enjoy!

Summer Veggie Tart
Pastry:
1 1/4 C flour (white or whole wheat pastry flour)
1/2 C cold unsalted butter, in bits
1/2 t grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp each salt & pepper
2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 T cold buttermilk

In food processor, process flour, butter, zest, salt & pepper until crumbly. With machine running, add lemon juice and buttermilk; process until pastry leaves bowl sides.
Shape pastry into a disk & chill at least 20 minutes.

Filling:
1 t olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced (we love Walla Walla or Vidalias for this)
12 oz total (about 2 small) yellow summer squash & zucchini, sliced into about 1/4 inch rounds
1 yellow or orange pepper, thinly sliced
1 tsp minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
2 tsp chopped marjoram
1/4 tsp each salt & pepper
1 C finely grated Parmesan, divided
1 large egg, beaten

Heat oil over medium heat in skillet; saute veggies 7 minutes or until crisp-tender; stir in garlic & seasonings. Cool (very important - hot veggies will make the crust a soggy mess!)

Preheat oven to 400^. On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry into a 13-inch round; transfer to a baking sheet. Scatter half the cheese over pastry to within 2 inches of the edge. Arrange veggies mixture over cheese; fold the edges of pastry over filling. Brush with egg.

Bake 35-40 minutes until pastry is golden. Slide onto a rack; sprinkle filling with the remaining cheese. Serve warm or room temperature.

enjoy!
-MamaToo

recipes and social justice

I was so encouraged to see another post related to my recent note on hunger awareness week. Hunger is a problem that, in my opinion, goes further than simply having nothing to eat. We all could benefit from thinking about nourishing, not just ingesting, our food choices.

So thanks, Llama Mama, for your beautiful lived-out faith and real solutions! What a blessing to hear from other people who find and share practical ways to eat healthy on a very limited budget. It's an excellent topic of honest discussion, and I thought a Thursday Thirteen list would be a good way to start contributing.

So, in honor of everyone living (by choice or need) on limited grocery funds, here are thirteen recipes and tips to help keep balance in your nutrition and your checkbook.

1. Drink Water. I know, I know... this isn't a recipe. However, it really is the easiest way to stay within a limited budget. Other beverages can really add $$ to your grocery bill, often without much nutrition.


2. Homemade Bread. This is the easiest way to know what's in your food. I know making bread sounds time-consuming, but it's really not a lot of hands-on time and this recipe makes enough for 2 large, nutritious loaves. Plus, fresh bread is delicious! Once the initial pantry items (whole wheat flour, white flour, yeast, buttermilk, honey) are on hand, it's quite cheap per-loaf.


3. Simple Baked Chicken. Purchase the largest whole chicken you can find. I sometimes bake two, for extra leftovers (think soups, casseroles, enchilladas, pot pie, and #5 & #6 & #7). Select non-antibiotic, non-hormone induced, free range if you can, because it's healthier. Watch for sales, or look at Trader Joes or Costco. Slightly grease a pan, sprinkle on a bit of salt and pepper, and bake it in a 350-degree (F) oven for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until juices run clear.


4. Smoothies. Very easy and satisfying snack or breakfast (or whenever?)... Combine plain yogurt, frozen berries (or fresh, if you have 'em), bananas, and - (if you like it a bit more liquid & have it on hand) - a bit of juice. Blend together. aaaahhhhh...... :)


5. Chicken Salad with Apples & Raisins. Use the leftovers of #3 for a light dinner or great lunch. A little chicken goes a long way, and the added veggies & fruits make it a great meal all by itself. We enjoy this on pitas or whole wheat bread, or if you're low-carbing it, it's great by itself or with wheat crackers.


6. Homemade Chicken Stock. Waste not, want not! After cleaning all of that meat from the baked chicken (#1), throw the bones in a large pot of water with a tsp of vinegar. Bring it to a boil, and then let it simmer (skimming the water ever so often) for a day. Strain it out, and you'll have a very nutrient-rich, delicious stock to use in lots of other recipes. It also keeps for months in a freezer.


7. Lentils-n-Rice. This is an easy slow-cooker or one-dish meal. Rich in fiber & protein by itself! We just add a little sprinkle of cheese, raw veggies or fruit on the side (or a small salad), and viola!


8. Pancakes. Add 1 cup of frozen blueberries when putting these on the griddle, and you really do have a good (though carb-rich) meal. The whole wheat option makes them even more filling. Think outside the box: pancakes were my favorite dinner when I was a kid!


9. Potato Soup. The recipe makes enough for a small army! Freeze leftovers or make it with friends!


10. Oatmeal. One of the best ways to start your day, and for around $0.50 a lb in most bulk sections of the grocery store, you can hardly beat it. Add blueberries (from that bag of frozen ones you bought for the pancakes & smoothies!), or raisins, and a bit of honey for sweetness.


11. Cook together. Join somebody else to buy, prep, and cook a couple large meals or soups, then split the portions up to take home. You get the added bonus of time together, plus cost advantages (per serving) of buying in bulk.


12. Fruit. In my original post on hunger, I was discouraged (or maybe just annoyed) by how he gave up a few bananas to fit into the foodstamp budget. I recognized the frustration of how fruit can be expensive, but it's worth it. Check the frozen isle - frequently these are affordable. Also, think fresh=local. Fruit's often as affordable as a package of snacks, and better all-around. Example: a bag of apples is relatively cheap, and if you slice 'em up thinly, it will supply enough snacks for a week.


13. Buy Bulk. What you're getting in the bulk section: whole products and ingredients, in exactly the amount you need/want. What you're not getting: packaging, additives, and marketing. Good trade. Herbs, spices, grains, granolas, teas, dried fruits, flours... you'd be amazed at the selection and prices of buying bulk! As I looked at many of my recipes - if you buy some of those things n packages, it can really get expensive! You may have to ask around, but you can probably find bulk foods section in town. (Not to be confused with buying bulk, as in Costco, which is also useful)

So hopefully I have something of value in there. I've tried to give some new recipes in this and also floated some realistic ideas.

Grace,

MamaToo

p.s. there are lots of people who write interesting TT lists...

homemade ww bread

Do you want to know what's in your food? Make it from scratch!
This recipe takes about 3 hours, start-to-finish, though very little of the time is hands-on. Kneading dough is quite theraputic, too! Plus, if you have 'em, it's an activity that even young kids can enjoy.
It's hard to ruin this recipe (goodness knows I've tried) - if you forget it while you're out and it rises too much, just punch it down and let it rise again. And -oooooh!- don't ya love the smell of fresh-baked bread?

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

4 C whole wheat flour (or, part ww flour + 1 C oat bran)
4 C white flour
1/4 C dried buttermilk
1 Tblsp salt
3 C warm water 2 Tblsp (or 2 pkg) yeast
1/3 C honey

1 Tblsp oil

Combine water, yeast & honey to let yeast start dissolving.

Combine dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk and oil.
Mix wet + dry together for about 5-10 minutes with a dough hook on a mixer, or 8-12 minutes by hand.
Stop when a very soft & pliable dough forms.
Cover & let rise to double - about 1+ hour.
Deflate, cover & let rise to double - about 30-45 minutes.
Deflate, split into 2 large, greased loaf pans.
Cover and let rise (about 15-30 minutes) while preheating oven to 350-degrees.
Bake about 30 minutes, until it sounds “hollow” when tapped. yum.

make a vegetarian happy

What's that? You have vegetarians in your house?
Whether vegetarian for dinner or forever, this is a meal that will bring everyone together. Bonus: it's nearly prep-free cooking. :)

Herbed Lentils-n-Rice

6 C vegetable broth (or, if vegetarian isn't an issue, use chicken broth!)
1 1/2 C lentils (any kind will work, we like the little black ones. Hmm, what was their name?)
1 medium onion
1 C brown rice
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried basil

1 C shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese, for topping. *optional*

Combine everything. Cook in the oven at 350 degrees F for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or in a crock-pot on low for 3-4 hours (or crock-pot on high for 1 1/2 hours).

Add a salad or crisp veggies & fruit on the side, and viola! Dinner is served.

pancakes

Why save pancakes for a special occasion, when they're so darn good?! We do this recipe at least once or twice a week... sometimes several days. I figure, eat a good breakfast, and the rest of the day is a lot less hungry!

Sift together:
1 C whole wheat flour
1 C unbleached white flour
**(or use 2 C of either, but use less liquid if using all white flour!)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Combine in a bowl:
3 Tblsp unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
2 C buttermilk (adjust if you like your pancakes thinner - this recipe makes thick, fluffy cakes!)

Combine dry + wet ingredients together, leaving a few lumps.
Heat a skillet to med-high. If not using non-stick, brush the pan with a bit of oil or butter.
Add batter 1/4 Cup at a time.
** (sprinkle berries on top of batter)
Wait until bubbles appear on top and sides look cooked before flipping (about 3 minutes).
Cook on the other side.
Enjoy!

The Obis like to have their syrup (or honey) on the side, for dippin'. I agree, since that means a lot easier portion control on the sweet stuff!

potato soup

Plan on feeding a crowd... this will make plenty. A bag of potatoes can go such a long way - as any good Irish girl would know! Use them as sides, or bake and add some shredded cheese, beans, sour cream, brocolli, etc. and host your own potato bar!

Potato Soup

8 potatoes, peeled and cut into about 1/2-inch cubes.
6 C chicken stock + water as needed (or all water)
2-3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans condensed milk (or, I use 2 C whole milk instead)
2 T unsalted butter
1/2 Tblsp sea salt (more/less to taste)
fresh ground pepper to taste
** 1 C cheddar cheese, shredded, for topping (optional)

Place veggies in a large stockpot.
Just barely cover the veggies with stock + water. Add salt, and bring to boil.
Reduce heat and cook until potatoes are soft (not mushy) - you can poke them with a fork.
Add milk and butter, and heat through.
If you like it "chowder-y" and thick, use a potato masher to smash a bit of the veggies. Otherwise, enjoy the soup, topped with a sprinkle of cheese! :)

chicken salad

This really can't get much easier, and it really doesn't need a ton of chicken - often I can get enough from a leftover baked chicken, even if we ate most of it!

Chicken Salad with Apples and Raisins

1 1/2 C cooked chicken
1 medium apple, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 C mayonaise or plain yogurt (adjust to taste/texture you want)
1/2 C golden raisins (try dried cranberries)
1/2 tsp sea salt
pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Serve on pitas, make a sandwich with a slice of cheese and whole wheat bread, or dip into it with crackers.

recipe of the week: ooey-gooey chocolate cookies

My friend sent me an amazing recipe. I love chocolate, and this recipe delivers! I realize my opinion may not carry much weight for you, so I conducted a scientific, researched and recorded rating test for the recipe. My results are below. Enjoy!

Ooey-Gooey Chocolate Cookies

1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

1.) Leave butter and cream cheese on the counter until room temperature.
2.) In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. If using a stand mixer you might want to scrape the sides of the bowl once to ensure the butter and cream cheese are fully combined.
3.) Beat in the egg.
4.) Beat in the vanilla extract.
5.) Beat in the cake mix.
6.) Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

7.) Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls
8.) Roll in confectioner's sugar.
9.) Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.
10.) Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey." Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Here are the results of the objective kitchen taste test:

1. fresh dough, licked from beaters: delicious, a bit like chocolate cake

2. chilled dough: good, though much stiffer than fresh dough

3. not-quite-done-baking cookie, hot out of the oven: burnt tongue deduction. let 'em finish cooking

4. just-done-baking cookie, hot out of the oven: delicious and messy

5. slightly-cooled cookie: wow. this is why I love chocolate

6. fully cooled cookie: amazing. these mellow a bit with age (hours), and retain their chewy-ooey-yumminess

7. day-old cookie: delicious. fresh & chewey-tasting
** note: the first batch failed to make it this far. See #9.

8. sure-I'll-try-one-with-you cookie: (because I wouldn't want to be rude to those who might try one in my kitchen) didn't have to fake the "wow I didn't realize these were so good!" results.

9. Had-to-make-another-batch-because-the-first-didn't-last-more-than-a-day cookie: back to the lab... hard day's work, but somebody has to do it. :)

Try it at home, add your results!

big and chewy chocolate chip cookies

I gave the cookie-related suggestion in my TT post about being community, but didn't give a cookie recipe. Shame on me! Here's my favorite recipe. It's failproof - really! - and despite the long list of directions, is really quite easy to make with "li'l helpers" or anyone else.

ATK’s Big & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

16 Tblsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & cooled
1 ¼ C packed light brown sugar
½ C granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 Tblsp vanilla extract
3 1/3 C all-purpose flour
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 12-oz bag chocolate chips (I just tried dark chocolate by Ghiradelli, and oooooh! Yum.)

1. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
3. Beat butter and sugars in a separate bowl (on medium-high speed with an electric mixer) until combined, about 30 seconds or so. Scrape down bowl and beaters as needed.
4. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds.
5. Mix in chocolate chips until incorporated.
6. Generously scoop about ¼ C portions of dough into balls and lay on parchment (or greased) baking sheets. (I use parchment on stoneware… easy). Space cookies about 2 ½ inches apart. (You can do 2 pans at a time in the oven)
7. Bake until edges are starting to turn golden brown but centers are still soft and puffy, about 17-20 minutes. You might want to rotate the pans mid-way through for even cooking.
8. Let the cookies stand and cool on the sheets for about 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool. Eat early & eat often.

Hint: Save some of the dough (or all of it) in the freezer or fridge for easy “instant” cookies or a yummy salmonella-inducing snack. The dough makes a yummy gift, too.