I was talking to a friend the other day about how our diet switch has been going. Nothing has been that noticeably different for the kids except for breakfast. They ate cold boxed cereal 80% of the time. I loved it too, because they were really self sufficient with their breakfast (which is wonderful when I am working nights and getting home at 6:30 am). But what about now that mama has deemed cereal a less than healthy option?
My menu planning has to include breakfast now as well. Especially since I shared with you that I am trying to soak most of our grains before we eat them. So now as I plan our weekly menu (yes, I'm back to that again too), I also plan our daily breakfasts and any prep work (like baking bread or making yogurt) that will need to be done.
Here's one of my favorite breakfast choices right now. It is usually our Sunday morning option with some leftovers for later in the week if someone needs a snack or doesn't like the other breakfast choice of the day. This recipe is based on one from Urban Homemaker.
Baked Oatmeal
In a large glass bowl, combine
1/2 c melted butter or coconut oil
1 c Sucanat
4 c rolled oats
2 c kefir
1-2 tsp cinnamon
Let sit for 8-12 hours
In the morning add
3 beaten eggs
3 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
a little milk to thin, if necessary
Bake in prepared 9x13 pan at 350 for 30 minutes.
*For Sunday mornings I like to add some vanilla extract to the oatmeal mixture and sprinkle about 1/2 c chocolate chips on top. We also like it with 1 diced apple stirred in before baking. Last Sunday I added 1/2 c walnuts and 1/2 dried cranberries to the mix. That was my favorite so far.
The original recipe is only for an 11x7 but I have changed it up to make more for our larger family. Even my non-oatmeal eaters like this one. Hope you like it. Let me know what variation you come up with.
Tuesday, February 24
Saturday, February 21
soaking, fermenting and culturing...
...that's what I've been up to. I keep thinking I'll blog soon, but then there is something else to do. I have been busy for sure, but I have been spending lots of time in the kitchen. I have been reading Nourishing Traditions and Wild Fermentation. They have been influencing a lot of what I am doing in the kitchen and what I am thinking about food.
So what are all those things I have been doing? I'll start with soaking. Whole grains are good for us. We've all heard that and know it to be true. We are all trying to consume more whole grains, too. Our family has been away from refined flours for quite a while. I started baking mostly all of our breads last winter. It's still an area that I am working through, trying to get a whole grain bread that we really love. I also mill our whole grain flours. When we buy whole wheat flour, there's really no standard that determines what is in that whole wheat flour. In fact, any flour made from wheat can be called "whole wheat flour", even all purpose four. Products made from those products can also be labeled that. Like twinkies that say they contain whole wheat flour. They are being literal and saying that they contain wheat flour and not rice flour or oat flour. Commercial whole wheat flours are really just refined flour (made from wheat) that has enough wheat bran and wheat germ added back to make it look healthier. (This info comes from Flour Power.)
That information really forms my belief that milling my own flour at home is worth the few minutes that it takes me. Buying whole wheat flour at the store just isn't getting what you think you are. Add into that the fact that as soon as the outer coating of that wheat berry is broken, the vitamins and minerals begin to break down. Have you ever smelled wheat flour that smelled a little off? It was probably rancid. The natural oils that are in the germ will "turn" depending on how the flour was initially milled and how it was stored. Even at home if I don't use all the flour I have milled, I will store it in the freezer to help preserve its nutrients.
So where does the soaking come into play? All grains (including oats) have phytic acid in their outer layer or their bran. This is really hard for us to digest. In our era of quick breads and quick cook oats, we have lost much of the time that our ancestors put into cooking their foods. By soaking flour or grains overnight (like with sourdough) we can neutralize some of that phytic acid by soaking in a slightly acidic liquid like kefir, yogurt or water with a little lemon juice or whey added. Not only is it easier to digest, but things also have a different texture. I make pancakes for the kids with whole wheat flour that I have soaked overnight in a mixture of milk and yogurt and they are super light and fluffy. If I made the pancakes without soaking first, the kids would definitely feel that they were eating something whole grainy, but after soaking, the pancakes aren't that much different that a refined flour product.
I do the same thing with oatmeal. The oats in the morning are much creamier. I never thought I would get them to eat anything other than flavored instant oatmeal packets. Not only are they full of extra ingredients, but they get expensive with 6 kids and many of them eating at least 2 packs of oatmeal at a time. Now I can buy inexpensive bulk oatmeal and soak it and add some chopped apple or something and everyone is happy.
Phytic acid also makes it harder for us to absorb some of the great nutrients in those grains. By neutralizing some of that acid, breaking it down, we can get more nutrition from what we are eating. Soaking also helps to break down some of the gluten in grains like wheat, oats, rye and barley. By consuming lots of these grains full of gluten we stress our digestive systems, resulting in the prevalence of a myriad of things like allergies, candida overgrowth and even celiac disease. Think about how our grocery stores are selling mostly refined flour products. In that refined flour, the germ and the bran have been removed, leaving a disproportionate amount of gluten in the flour and the products made from them. It's no wonder that there has been an uprising of celiac disease and gluten sensitivities. That is all we have consumed for a few decades. By using whole grains and soaking them, that gluten is more proportionate in what we are eating and also starting to be broken down for our bodies, helping our digestion.
I feel like I am all over the place with this. It is a pretty big topic to try to cover in one little blog post. I'm sure I'll have more to add later. And I'll tell you about culturing and fermenting later too.
So what are all those things I have been doing? I'll start with soaking. Whole grains are good for us. We've all heard that and know it to be true. We are all trying to consume more whole grains, too. Our family has been away from refined flours for quite a while. I started baking mostly all of our breads last winter. It's still an area that I am working through, trying to get a whole grain bread that we really love. I also mill our whole grain flours. When we buy whole wheat flour, there's really no standard that determines what is in that whole wheat flour. In fact, any flour made from wheat can be called "whole wheat flour", even all purpose four. Products made from those products can also be labeled that. Like twinkies that say they contain whole wheat flour. They are being literal and saying that they contain wheat flour and not rice flour or oat flour. Commercial whole wheat flours are really just refined flour (made from wheat) that has enough wheat bran and wheat germ added back to make it look healthier. (This info comes from Flour Power.)
That information really forms my belief that milling my own flour at home is worth the few minutes that it takes me. Buying whole wheat flour at the store just isn't getting what you think you are. Add into that the fact that as soon as the outer coating of that wheat berry is broken, the vitamins and minerals begin to break down. Have you ever smelled wheat flour that smelled a little off? It was probably rancid. The natural oils that are in the germ will "turn" depending on how the flour was initially milled and how it was stored. Even at home if I don't use all the flour I have milled, I will store it in the freezer to help preserve its nutrients.
So where does the soaking come into play? All grains (including oats) have phytic acid in their outer layer or their bran. This is really hard for us to digest. In our era of quick breads and quick cook oats, we have lost much of the time that our ancestors put into cooking their foods. By soaking flour or grains overnight (like with sourdough) we can neutralize some of that phytic acid by soaking in a slightly acidic liquid like kefir, yogurt or water with a little lemon juice or whey added. Not only is it easier to digest, but things also have a different texture. I make pancakes for the kids with whole wheat flour that I have soaked overnight in a mixture of milk and yogurt and they are super light and fluffy. If I made the pancakes without soaking first, the kids would definitely feel that they were eating something whole grainy, but after soaking, the pancakes aren't that much different that a refined flour product.
I do the same thing with oatmeal. The oats in the morning are much creamier. I never thought I would get them to eat anything other than flavored instant oatmeal packets. Not only are they full of extra ingredients, but they get expensive with 6 kids and many of them eating at least 2 packs of oatmeal at a time. Now I can buy inexpensive bulk oatmeal and soak it and add some chopped apple or something and everyone is happy.
Phytic acid also makes it harder for us to absorb some of the great nutrients in those grains. By neutralizing some of that acid, breaking it down, we can get more nutrition from what we are eating. Soaking also helps to break down some of the gluten in grains like wheat, oats, rye and barley. By consuming lots of these grains full of gluten we stress our digestive systems, resulting in the prevalence of a myriad of things like allergies, candida overgrowth and even celiac disease. Think about how our grocery stores are selling mostly refined flour products. In that refined flour, the germ and the bran have been removed, leaving a disproportionate amount of gluten in the flour and the products made from them. It's no wonder that there has been an uprising of celiac disease and gluten sensitivities. That is all we have consumed for a few decades. By using whole grains and soaking them, that gluten is more proportionate in what we are eating and also starting to be broken down for our bodies, helping our digestion.
I feel like I am all over the place with this. It is a pretty big topic to try to cover in one little blog post. I'm sure I'll have more to add later. And I'll tell you about culturing and fermenting later too.
Tuesday, February 3
salvageable
That is the word to describe dinner at our house tonight. I saw a blog post about a yellow split pea and sausage soup. I thought I would do something like that. I had bought some natural polish sausage a couple weeks ago on sale and thought I'd use that with the dried split green peas I had.
I soaked my peas overnight. They looked great this morning. I put them in the crock pot with my kitchen stock from the fridge. This was where it all went wrong. I've been trying to incorporate more of the ideas I've been reading in Nourishing Traditions. Part of that is to add a little vinegar to bone broth to help get all the nutrients out of the bone. Well, I hadn't really read that part yet when I made the stock so I just added a big splash of vinegar to my pot of bones. It smelled really strongly of vinegar at the time, but I didn't worry about it. Too much.
I think there was just too much acid in my stock for my split peas to cook. After 5 hours or so on high, the peas were still like rocks. So I transferred the peas and the sausage to a soup pot (along with some sauteed onion, garlic, carrots and celery root). I added about 10 cups of water. After simmering for over an hour. Still hard as ever.
Soooooo. Last night I had made a pot roast. I had a ton of potatoes leftover and was thinking I would use them as a hash or something later this week. I pulled out the potatoes and put them in my big oval Le Cruset. I fished out the sausage, carrots and celery root and put that in along with some liquid.
Salvageable. And I made pita bread for the first time today. I figure as long as there is fresh bread on the table, the dinner can be so and so and no one will really care!
I soaked my peas overnight. They looked great this morning. I put them in the crock pot with my kitchen stock from the fridge. This was where it all went wrong. I've been trying to incorporate more of the ideas I've been reading in Nourishing Traditions. Part of that is to add a little vinegar to bone broth to help get all the nutrients out of the bone. Well, I hadn't really read that part yet when I made the stock so I just added a big splash of vinegar to my pot of bones. It smelled really strongly of vinegar at the time, but I didn't worry about it. Too much.
I think there was just too much acid in my stock for my split peas to cook. After 5 hours or so on high, the peas were still like rocks. So I transferred the peas and the sausage to a soup pot (along with some sauteed onion, garlic, carrots and celery root). I added about 10 cups of water. After simmering for over an hour. Still hard as ever.
Soooooo. Last night I had made a pot roast. I had a ton of potatoes leftover and was thinking I would use them as a hash or something later this week. I pulled out the potatoes and put them in my big oval Le Cruset. I fished out the sausage, carrots and celery root and put that in along with some liquid.
Salvageable. And I made pita bread for the first time today. I figure as long as there is fresh bread on the table, the dinner can be so and so and no one will really care!
Thursday, January 29
so much to say, so little time!
It has been a great week for me in the kitchen. I have felt inspired to cook and plan meals. I have even planned breakfasts! Those have usually been up to the kids to fend for themselves, but since we are trying to get away from boxed cereal, I have had to make a plan. We've had pancakes and waffles and stove top oatmeal and baked oatmeal. Tomorrow will either be yogurt with fruit/granola or eggs and toast.
And I made a "clean" meatloaf, too. Not that my meatloaf has ever been from a box or anything, but I didn't use ketchup in it. Ketchup is one of the few last processed and full of high fructose corn syrup foods that we have around. And honestly, even organic Heinz is still not really great IMHO. Next summer I will try to can some homemade ketchup. But I digress. I used some tomato sauce with a little vinegar and a little honey and reduced it (with my sauteed onions) and added that to my meatloaf. Since I had my next batch of bread rising I used my last couple of slices of homemade bread to make the breadcrumbs even.
I can tell you are all impressed.
I do have some recipes that I want to post, but I also have Clay's birthday dinner to get to so it will have to wait another day.
I did make my first sauerkraut this week. D brought home some red cabbage from our CSA on Tuesday. He sliced it up super thin for me and I mixed it with the salt, pounded it in the jar, and let it sit. It was bubbling today so I put it in the fridge to sour. Can't wait! You can see the method I used here.
And I made a "clean" meatloaf, too. Not that my meatloaf has ever been from a box or anything, but I didn't use ketchup in it. Ketchup is one of the few last processed and full of high fructose corn syrup foods that we have around. And honestly, even organic Heinz is still not really great IMHO. Next summer I will try to can some homemade ketchup. But I digress. I used some tomato sauce with a little vinegar and a little honey and reduced it (with my sauteed onions) and added that to my meatloaf. Since I had my next batch of bread rising I used my last couple of slices of homemade bread to make the breadcrumbs even.
I can tell you are all impressed.
I do have some recipes that I want to post, but I also have Clay's birthday dinner to get to so it will have to wait another day.
I did make my first sauerkraut this week. D brought home some red cabbage from our CSA on Tuesday. He sliced it up super thin for me and I mixed it with the salt, pounded it in the jar, and let it sit. It was bubbling today so I put it in the fridge to sour. Can't wait! You can see the method I used here.
Tuesday, January 27
kitchen experiments
I've been keeping busy in the kitchen lately. I've experimented with a few things too.
I tried making yogurt in the crock pot using this method. I really didn't like it as much as the stove top/little cooler method. And I read in Wild Fermentation that using more starter can actually make a less firm yogurt. So I will go back to the stove top method and just use a little starter instead of the whole cup of yogurt my friend suggested.
Aleena made some really AWFUL cookies. She was making it up as she went. She was proud because it didn't have any butter or eggs in it. Then she tasted them. Yep, they tasted like they had no butter or eggs in them. I really need to do better about teaching my kids about nutrition. They are getting brainwashed by that silly food pyramid. I could rant on about that but I'll save that for another day!
I made a mixture of molasses and honey the other day like this blog post. It is so good. I love the taste of molasses, but it can be too bitter. And I really love that my boys think it's a great substitute for pancake syrup. So many nutrients in molasses and honey.
I have another sourdough starter going. I used it to make pancakes on Saturday and want to make this spice bread with it, but I need some spelt for that so it may have to wait until next week. I am really going to try to use my sourdough better this time. Duane was really wanting sourdough french bread like you get at the stores last year so I abandoned my starter. But this time I'll try to be more creative with it so we can get the benefit of that natural fermented food.
In the past couple of weeks I made a recipe with bulgur. It was this walnut chicken recipe. We all really liked it. And we had greens that night too. They weren't great but the kids ate them. I'll definitely make them again.
I made a different batch of granola yesterday. It's more of a clumpy type. The kids like that to snack on. It will become a staple in the pantry I'm sure as we wean off of boxed cereals. I told the kids about the studies I posted about before. They were all disgusted and thankful for things like homemade oatmeal and pancakes as alternatives.
I have a winter squash cake recipe to post too. I'll get it up later today. It's a great breakfast cake or dessert.
I tried making yogurt in the crock pot using this method. I really didn't like it as much as the stove top/little cooler method. And I read in Wild Fermentation that using more starter can actually make a less firm yogurt. So I will go back to the stove top method and just use a little starter instead of the whole cup of yogurt my friend suggested.
Aleena made some really AWFUL cookies. She was making it up as she went. She was proud because it didn't have any butter or eggs in it. Then she tasted them. Yep, they tasted like they had no butter or eggs in them. I really need to do better about teaching my kids about nutrition. They are getting brainwashed by that silly food pyramid. I could rant on about that but I'll save that for another day!
I made a mixture of molasses and honey the other day like this blog post. It is so good. I love the taste of molasses, but it can be too bitter. And I really love that my boys think it's a great substitute for pancake syrup. So many nutrients in molasses and honey.
I have another sourdough starter going. I used it to make pancakes on Saturday and want to make this spice bread with it, but I need some spelt for that so it may have to wait until next week. I am really going to try to use my sourdough better this time. Duane was really wanting sourdough french bread like you get at the stores last year so I abandoned my starter. But this time I'll try to be more creative with it so we can get the benefit of that natural fermented food.
In the past couple of weeks I made a recipe with bulgur. It was this walnut chicken recipe. We all really liked it. And we had greens that night too. They weren't great but the kids ate them. I'll definitely make them again.
I made a different batch of granola yesterday. It's more of a clumpy type. The kids like that to snack on. It will become a staple in the pantry I'm sure as we wean off of boxed cereals. I told the kids about the studies I posted about before. They were all disgusted and thankful for things like homemade oatmeal and pancakes as alternatives.
I have a winter squash cake recipe to post too. I'll get it up later today. It's a great breakfast cake or dessert.
Thursday, January 22
what's wrong with cereal?
I know we can probably all find any study that says anything we want it too, but I read this one about cereal the other day and it's freaking me out a little.
We rarely have anything in the house besides WIC cereals anyway because that's what we get with our vouchers, but I'm still not crazy about the fact that it's so processed. I hate having to read long ingredients lists. :oP And since I've read that study I really want to get away from them.
One big problem? Cereal has become the go to food in this house. After school snack, breakfast, easy supper. Today I made a batch of granola to help steer the kids towards something else. It's not difficult at all, but I know they will also want variety so I will continue to work on that.
There was a time when I thought they wouldn't survive the winter if I didn't buy instant flavored oatmeal packets. I stopped buying those this winter. I had some I got with free coupons, and the kids inhaled them, but when they were gone...they managed to find something else to eat. I know the same thing will happen with cereal.
Taking steps away from processed foods is hard, but it's important to me. And I am more and more amazed at what goes into my cart at the grocery store. The things in it are ingredients to make a myriad of things. I am still very much a work in process.
We rarely have anything in the house besides WIC cereals anyway because that's what we get with our vouchers, but I'm still not crazy about the fact that it's so processed. I hate having to read long ingredients lists. :oP And since I've read that study I really want to get away from them.
One big problem? Cereal has become the go to food in this house. After school snack, breakfast, easy supper. Today I made a batch of granola to help steer the kids towards something else. It's not difficult at all, but I know they will also want variety so I will continue to work on that.
There was a time when I thought they wouldn't survive the winter if I didn't buy instant flavored oatmeal packets. I stopped buying those this winter. I had some I got with free coupons, and the kids inhaled them, but when they were gone...they managed to find something else to eat. I know the same thing will happen with cereal.
Taking steps away from processed foods is hard, but it's important to me. And I am more and more amazed at what goes into my cart at the grocery store. The things in it are ingredients to make a myriad of things. I am still very much a work in process.
Monday, January 19
still reading
I've been continuing to read my book and still thinking through a lot of things.
It resonates so much with me because I see that even as our "health" consciousness rises in the US...eating low fat foods, cutting back on sugar and using artificial sweeteners, using chemically altered products instead of real butter, buying white bread that has stuff added to it to make it more like whole grain bread...This country is fatter than ever! We have more diseases now that we didn't have 150 years ago. Sure people are living longer in a polluted environment now, but...
Last winter when I got my grain mill, I started reading about whole grains and how we really can't buy any whole wheat flour at the store. The nutrients in the wheat start to break down within a few hours. By the time it's packaged and in the stores, it's lost most of it's vitality. And if any of the oil from the kernel is still present, it's rancid by then.
Now this January I am reading more along the same lines. just how natural foods...in their fat laden states are good for us. Butter has nutrients, did you know that? Does that tub of hydrogenated oil we call margarine have any shred of naturalness left in it? Not really. We stopped eating margarine long ago. I realized that it has the same calories as butter. It just has processed fat as opposed to natural fat. So we chose natural fat.
Molasses and honey have nutrients too. Molasses is full of iron. And one of the easiest ways to protect yourself from seasonal allergies is to eat raw local honey. By ingesting that little bit of pollen, you allow your body to fight off the onslaught of it when it becomes bothersome.
Those are things I've known for a while. So as I read my book, I am feeling more and more comfortable with what I am reading. I will be making more changes to my family's already weird diet I'm sure.
It resonates so much with me because I see that even as our "health" consciousness rises in the US...eating low fat foods, cutting back on sugar and using artificial sweeteners, using chemically altered products instead of real butter, buying white bread that has stuff added to it to make it more like whole grain bread...This country is fatter than ever! We have more diseases now that we didn't have 150 years ago. Sure people are living longer in a polluted environment now, but...
Last winter when I got my grain mill, I started reading about whole grains and how we really can't buy any whole wheat flour at the store. The nutrients in the wheat start to break down within a few hours. By the time it's packaged and in the stores, it's lost most of it's vitality. And if any of the oil from the kernel is still present, it's rancid by then.
Now this January I am reading more along the same lines. just how natural foods...in their fat laden states are good for us. Butter has nutrients, did you know that? Does that tub of hydrogenated oil we call margarine have any shred of naturalness left in it? Not really. We stopped eating margarine long ago. I realized that it has the same calories as butter. It just has processed fat as opposed to natural fat. So we chose natural fat.
Molasses and honey have nutrients too. Molasses is full of iron. And one of the easiest ways to protect yourself from seasonal allergies is to eat raw local honey. By ingesting that little bit of pollen, you allow your body to fight off the onslaught of it when it becomes bothersome.
Those are things I've known for a while. So as I read my book, I am feeling more and more comfortable with what I am reading. I will be making more changes to my family's already weird diet I'm sure.
Thursday, January 15
Nourishing Traditions
I've just begun reading this book.
Have you read it and what do you think? I think I will be changed by this book. I can feel it already. And I'm having a lot of inward struggle with it. The Weight Watcher in me wants to run away. The mother in me wonders how to do this.
I need to read some more.
Have you read it and what do you think? I think I will be changed by this book. I can feel it already. And I'm having a lot of inward struggle with it. The Weight Watcher in me wants to run away. The mother in me wonders how to do this.
I need to read some more.
Monday, January 12
lunch tote giveaway
We all know that taking food with us is a much more cost effective way and healthful way to feed our families when we are on the run, and there's a giveaway for a brand new cute lunch tote here. Go check it out!
Wednesday, January 7
homemade yogurt
A friend of ours gave us some of her homemade yogurt the other day. It was so good I decided it was time to go ahead and try it myself. I've been thinking of it for a while now. The kids go through Yoplait flavored yogurts really quickly, but I hate that one of the first ingredients is high fructose corn syrup. There are the natural brands without it, but they get pricey. I was really pleased that the kids were liking Ghena's homemade yogurt so I thought I'd try it.
(Now I have to confess that part of why they were devouring the yogurt is because we were also drizzling it with homemade chocolate sauce. But even that had natural ingredients in it.)
I asked Ghena how she made her yogurt. Part of why it's so yummy is that it has either whole or 2% milk. I decided that I wanted to go the nonfat route to make it easier for me with my quest to lose 5 pounds, and that way I could use nonfat milk powder too, to make it really affordable. There are instructions all over the internet on how to do it, so you can check out some simple ones here. The only difference was the addition of a box of unflavored gelatin. And I used the oven method which I don't think I will do again. My yogurt is runny and I think it's party due to the fat content and partly due to my incubation method.
I will be doing it again soon...well, after we eat this first batch. I'll let you know how it goes using the cooler incubation method. That's the one Ghena uses. And her stuff is AWESOME!
It's also great because you can use whatever you want as sweetener. I used turbinado last time, and I think I could have used more. (I think I used about 1/2 cup.) You could easily use honey or molasses or just table sugar. But you can control what goes in there. And I also used some of Lorrie's homemade vanilla extract. YUM!
(Now I have to confess that part of why they were devouring the yogurt is because we were also drizzling it with homemade chocolate sauce. But even that had natural ingredients in it.)
I asked Ghena how she made her yogurt. Part of why it's so yummy is that it has either whole or 2% milk. I decided that I wanted to go the nonfat route to make it easier for me with my quest to lose 5 pounds, and that way I could use nonfat milk powder too, to make it really affordable. There are instructions all over the internet on how to do it, so you can check out some simple ones here. The only difference was the addition of a box of unflavored gelatin. And I used the oven method which I don't think I will do again. My yogurt is runny and I think it's party due to the fat content and partly due to my incubation method.
I will be doing it again soon...well, after we eat this first batch. I'll let you know how it goes using the cooler incubation method. That's the one Ghena uses. And her stuff is AWESOME!
It's also great because you can use whatever you want as sweetener. I used turbinado last time, and I think I could have used more. (I think I used about 1/2 cup.) You could easily use honey or molasses or just table sugar. But you can control what goes in there. And I also used some of Lorrie's homemade vanilla extract. YUM!
Monday, January 5
really red sauce
On Saturday the meals just kind of got away from me. The boys had been out since late morning and came home at 3:30 or so STARVING. I had planned on scalloped potatoes and ham for dinner, but had't started that yet. I made the boys some ham scrambled eggs instead. Then I wondered if anyone would really want dinner. I wound up making pasta at the last minute.
I took an idea I used last summer and used different veggies this time. Little did I realize the beets and carrots , well really the beets would turn the tomato sauce into something that looked like it belonged in a horror movie. Thankfully the kids ate it up with few questions!
I took an idea I used last summer and used different veggies this time. Little did I realize the beets and carrots , well really the beets would turn the tomato sauce into something that looked like it belonged in a horror movie. Thankfully the kids ate it up with few questions!
Sunday, December 28
menu plan Monday
Yeah, I know it's only Sunday. And I am not posting a menu either. How's that for not sticking to my post's title?
I realized after doing a couple of menu plans that it's not really how I operate. Granted there are a few days here and there when I have absolutely no idea what we will eat later that night, but for the most part I seem to always have an idea of what I am doing. Maybe it's from doing the CSA for a few years now that I tend to think about what I have to use up and how I can do that in a new and exciting way. I realized that when I was doing menus I was having more leftovers. Usually I use my leftovers in another way later in the week, even the next night to make something new or just reheated.
So I am not going to do menu plan Monday's for a while. Maybe I will change my mind as our family's schedule changes in the next few months. We'll see.
Right now I have some chicken carcasses and a turkey carcass that I need to cook down and make stock. I will do that tomorrow. Then we will most likely have something from that process tomorrow night. Maybe chicken and dumplings or chicken noodle soup or chicken pot pie. Something like that. I also have a ham in the fridge. They have been on sale for 99¢/lb. Great deal and we all really like ham. In fact, it seems to be Jack E's favorite meat. I will do that later this week sometime. Then we can have a pot of ham and beans next weekend, too.
BTW, the laundry detergent is working great. I have been keeping track of how many loads I am getting from my batch. So far I am up to 15 (I didn't do much laundry last week due to Christmas), and I am just starting to make a mark on the bucket full. It does have some watery stuff with it. The detergent kind of gels up and then some of the liquid separates out. The liquid is only water so I just try to scoop a little of that up when I get my scoop of detergent too. The next thing I want to try is fabric softener. I know vinegar works great, but I want to make something with lavender or eucalyptus in it. I'll let you know how it works out.
OH, before I forget, I got the Kitchen Aid Professional 600 (or something like that) for Christmas from Santa. My white Kitchen Aid has been awesome, but I am afraid it could go out any time. My new mixer has a 6 quart capacity so I am hoping to be able to do bigger batches of bread. And I also got this awesome book. It is published by the Colorado State Extension office. It has a lot of information as well as recipes. I made banana bread from it today and was really pleased. I'll fill you in on what I learn. If you have never baked from scratch at altitude, then you don't realize how frustrating it can be. This book will be appreciated by my family I'm sure!
Boys are being crazy so I'd better check on them. You'd think they wouldn't act like maniacs when they know I am directly under them, but then again as my nighbor says, "1 boy, 1 brain. 2 boys, half a brain." Yes and with 3 boys, she says...you do the math! LOL
I realized after doing a couple of menu plans that it's not really how I operate. Granted there are a few days here and there when I have absolutely no idea what we will eat later that night, but for the most part I seem to always have an idea of what I am doing. Maybe it's from doing the CSA for a few years now that I tend to think about what I have to use up and how I can do that in a new and exciting way. I realized that when I was doing menus I was having more leftovers. Usually I use my leftovers in another way later in the week, even the next night to make something new or just reheated.
So I am not going to do menu plan Monday's for a while. Maybe I will change my mind as our family's schedule changes in the next few months. We'll see.
Right now I have some chicken carcasses and a turkey carcass that I need to cook down and make stock. I will do that tomorrow. Then we will most likely have something from that process tomorrow night. Maybe chicken and dumplings or chicken noodle soup or chicken pot pie. Something like that. I also have a ham in the fridge. They have been on sale for 99¢/lb. Great deal and we all really like ham. In fact, it seems to be Jack E's favorite meat. I will do that later this week sometime. Then we can have a pot of ham and beans next weekend, too.
BTW, the laundry detergent is working great. I have been keeping track of how many loads I am getting from my batch. So far I am up to 15 (I didn't do much laundry last week due to Christmas), and I am just starting to make a mark on the bucket full. It does have some watery stuff with it. The detergent kind of gels up and then some of the liquid separates out. The liquid is only water so I just try to scoop a little of that up when I get my scoop of detergent too. The next thing I want to try is fabric softener. I know vinegar works great, but I want to make something with lavender or eucalyptus in it. I'll let you know how it works out.
OH, before I forget, I got the Kitchen Aid Professional 600 (or something like that) for Christmas from Santa. My white Kitchen Aid has been awesome, but I am afraid it could go out any time. My new mixer has a 6 quart capacity so I am hoping to be able to do bigger batches of bread. And I also got this awesome book. It is published by the Colorado State Extension office. It has a lot of information as well as recipes. I made banana bread from it today and was really pleased. I'll fill you in on what I learn. If you have never baked from scratch at altitude, then you don't realize how frustrating it can be. This book will be appreciated by my family I'm sure!
Boys are being crazy so I'd better check on them. You'd think they wouldn't act like maniacs when they know I am directly under them, but then again as my nighbor says, "1 boy, 1 brain. 2 boys, half a brain." Yes and with 3 boys, she says...you do the math! LOL
Thursday, December 18
laundry detergent
I told my husband this morning as he was leaving for work that I was going to make laundry detergent today. He said, "like you don't have enough to do already"
In a way, he's right, but at the same time, detergent is expensive and I am tired of buying it. It's something I always try to use a coupon with, but I still don't like spending the money on it.
Then I saw this and decided to go for it.
I couldn't find the Fels-Naptha soap, but after looking online at other recipes, I decided to use the bar of Zote soap I got last winter when my grocery store was doing a remodel and getting rid of a lot of stuff for cheap. I had read on this site that Zote was good for stain removal. So I picked up 2 bars. I've used one a little on some stains and it has worked. It has far less "stuff" in it than like Shout and I liked that. I honestly have no idea how much I paid for it, but I can't imagine that it was more than $1.99. I think it was probably 99¢, but I'll use the higher price to figure my price per batch below.
Yesterday I got the Borax and Washing Soda.
Price breakdown so far? I calculated the price of the ingredients that I have used so far. (I measured out the amount of Borax and Soda and weighed and then found how much of the total box I used to get the price per batch.)
Zote soap $1.00
Borax 23¢ (entire box was $4.59, I will get 20 batches of soap from the box)
Washing Soda 36¢ (entire box was $3.99 and I can get 11 batches from the box)
total:
$1.59
Not sure how many loads I'll get. I'll keep track of that and let you all know. But I think it's a great price so far. And I'm sure it works since I've found so many folks online making their own too. From what I've read, it's good for front loaders since it has minimal suds. And it's good for sensitive skin, too.
In a way, he's right, but at the same time, detergent is expensive and I am tired of buying it. It's something I always try to use a coupon with, but I still don't like spending the money on it.
Then I saw this and decided to go for it.
I couldn't find the Fels-Naptha soap, but after looking online at other recipes, I decided to use the bar of Zote soap I got last winter when my grocery store was doing a remodel and getting rid of a lot of stuff for cheap. I had read on this site that Zote was good for stain removal. So I picked up 2 bars. I've used one a little on some stains and it has worked. It has far less "stuff" in it than like Shout and I liked that. I honestly have no idea how much I paid for it, but I can't imagine that it was more than $1.99. I think it was probably 99¢, but I'll use the higher price to figure my price per batch below.
Yesterday I got the Borax and Washing Soda.
Price breakdown so far? I calculated the price of the ingredients that I have used so far. (I measured out the amount of Borax and Soda and weighed and then found how much of the total box I used to get the price per batch.)
Zote soap $1.00
Borax 23¢ (entire box was $4.59, I will get 20 batches of soap from the box)
Washing Soda 36¢ (entire box was $3.99 and I can get 11 batches from the box)
total:
$1.59
Not sure how many loads I'll get. I'll keep track of that and let you all know. But I think it's a great price so far. And I'm sure it works since I've found so many folks online making their own too. From what I've read, it's good for front loaders since it has minimal suds. And it's good for sensitive skin, too.
Sunday, December 14
Squash Spice Cake
This is a great not too sweet cake. We eat it for snacks or breakfast. I like to put dried cranberries in it instead of the raisins, but today I was out.
Spicy Squash Cake
2 c granulated sugar*
1 c brown sugar*
4 eggs, beaten
1 c vegetable oil*
2 c squash, cooked, strained
2 c flour*
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp gr cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
3/4 c raisins (optional)
In a large mixing bowl, blend sugars, eggs and oil. Beat in squash. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients and stir into liquid mixture. Stir in raisins. Pour batter into a greased 10-inch tube pan. Bake 50-60 minutes in a 350 F oven.
*I've always made this with a combination of sucanat and turbinado. I use 1 c turbinado and 1/2 c sucanat. It's the right sweetness for us this way. I've used butter instead of oil, too, but it doesn't have the same crumb. And I've substituted all whole wheat flour or part whole wheat or all-purpose flour.
Spicy Squash Cake
2 c granulated sugar*
1 c brown sugar*
4 eggs, beaten
1 c vegetable oil*
2 c squash, cooked, strained
2 c flour*
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp gr cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
3/4 c raisins (optional)
In a large mixing bowl, blend sugars, eggs and oil. Beat in squash. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients and stir into liquid mixture. Stir in raisins. Pour batter into a greased 10-inch tube pan. Bake 50-60 minutes in a 350 F oven.
*I've always made this with a combination of sucanat and turbinado. I use 1 c turbinado and 1/2 c sucanat. It's the right sweetness for us this way. I've used butter instead of oil, too, but it doesn't have the same crumb. And I've substituted all whole wheat flour or part whole wheat or all-purpose flour.
Friday, November 28
lots of leftovers
The best part of cooking for a couple of days is NOT cooking for a couple more. We have leftovers galore and we'll be having buffet style meals all weekend. YAY!
Just figured out that my turkey this year cost about 35¢ per pound. What a deal! As I always try to shop the loss leaders in the grocery ads each week, I can't forget that this time of year, turkeys are right on up there as one of the best deals around.
Just figured out that my turkey this year cost about 35¢ per pound. What a deal! As I always try to shop the loss leaders in the grocery ads each week, I can't forget that this time of year, turkeys are right on up there as one of the best deals around.
Wednesday, November 26
Thanksgiving=cooking
I come by it naturally. I have one of those grandmothers. The one that fills a table with everyone's favorite food just to say "I love you". She cooked amazing Thanksgiving dinners for us to all gather around and celebrate. This year I won't be with her on Thanksgiving, but I will call her to wish her a happy 90th birthday. How awesome!
The day before the big day I am baking pies with the girls. I'm making some deviled eggs as a surprise appetizer for the family. Getting my dinner rolls mixed up. They will rise for a few hours tomorrow while the turkey cooks. I hope to get a couple of casseroles started today too. I am baking my sweet potatoes right now. Then tomorrow is a day of cooking and eating. It will be a great time to be with our family.
Have a happy holiday everyone!
The day before the big day I am baking pies with the girls. I'm making some deviled eggs as a surprise appetizer for the family. Getting my dinner rolls mixed up. They will rise for a few hours tomorrow while the turkey cooks. I hope to get a couple of casseroles started today too. I am baking my sweet potatoes right now. Then tomorrow is a day of cooking and eating. It will be a great time to be with our family.
Have a happy holiday everyone!
Monday, November 17
Menu Plan Monday
No menu for this week yet. I am feeling really overwhelmed with what I need to do this week. I do have some ideas for meals for the next couple of days so I can catch my breath a little. I'll try to post our daily menus this week.
Tuesday, November 11
revisions
I was planning on making chicken divan last night. Then I saw in my fridge the leftovers from turkey and dumplings last week. It was just the gravy with some turkey and a little bit of veggies. I decided to use that up instead of make something new. So I threw in the end of a huge bag of frozen mixed veggies and plopped some drop biscuits on top. It was a new meal. And cost effective since I didn't start with fresh meat.
I also booked a job interview for nearly dinner time on Thursday. So I will do my lasagna that day so the family can have dinner whether or not I am home in time. And instead of grabbing whole chickens to defrost I grabbed some pieces.
So tonight will be soyu chicken, rice, acorn squash and green beans I think. Then meatloaf tomorrow, pasta on Thursday and maybe breakfast on Friday? I don't even remember what I'd planned now!
I also booked a job interview for nearly dinner time on Thursday. So I will do my lasagna that day so the family can have dinner whether or not I am home in time. And instead of grabbing whole chickens to defrost I grabbed some pieces.
So tonight will be soyu chicken, rice, acorn squash and green beans I think. Then meatloaf tomorrow, pasta on Thursday and maybe breakfast on Friday? I don't even remember what I'd planned now!
Sunday, November 9
Menu Plan Monday
Last week I got really sick on Sunday night. I had an idea of what I wanted to do with my week's menu, but I never posted anything. Thank goodness for that leftover turkey. I was able to use that for leftovers and use some of my best no-plan meal plans. I'll tell you about those later this week. Here's my plan for this week.
Monday-chicken divan
Tuesday-crock pot lasagna, salad and bread (I'm not sure how I'll do this, but the idea intrigues me. I'll let you know!)
Wednesday-meat loaf, roast fingerling potatoes, acorn squash
Thursday- whole roast chicken, baked sweet potatoes, green beans
Friday- chicken tacos/burritos/quesadillas
Saturday- going to a party I think...need to take party food
Sunday- soup in crock pot for after church
Check out more Menu Plan Monday participants here.
Saturday, November 1
should have known
I put the turkey in the over this afternoon dreaming of all the yummy side dishes I could make to go with it.
Then reality hit. The cold that is creeping up on me, really made me want to nap. And then I found out that the neighbor's brew party had been moved to OUR garage.
Umm...there's barely just a path in there. Or I should say there WAS just barely a path in there! We put things away and threw away the stuff that should have gone in the trash long ago. We swept it out. And now it's ready for a party.
I did make some mashed potatoes and gravy and some steamed broccoli to go with the turkey. It was mostly for the littles since D and the boys were busy in the garage. While Aleena was giving them a bath, all three boys came in and wreaked havoc on the turkey. Granted D hadn't really eaten all day, and the kids have eaten hardly anything besides Halloween candy. But my 20 pound turkey? I have some leftovers, most of the breasts to make D's sandwiches this week and a pot of bones to use for stock. I had envisioned a few days of turkey leftovers to use as a base for meals.
I should have known. If it is out there, my family will EAT it! I will make a turkey tetrazzini this week. And have turkey for sandwiches and make a pot of either turkey and dumplings or turkey and noodles. Then there will be stock to freeze and use to make soup later this winter. Yum.
Now it's time to sit and relax for a while. Tomorrow morning I will figure out what party food I will put out. And look for another menu on Monday.
Then reality hit. The cold that is creeping up on me, really made me want to nap. And then I found out that the neighbor's brew party had been moved to OUR garage.
Umm...there's barely just a path in there. Or I should say there WAS just barely a path in there! We put things away and threw away the stuff that should have gone in the trash long ago. We swept it out. And now it's ready for a party.
I did make some mashed potatoes and gravy and some steamed broccoli to go with the turkey. It was mostly for the littles since D and the boys were busy in the garage. While Aleena was giving them a bath, all three boys came in and wreaked havoc on the turkey. Granted D hadn't really eaten all day, and the kids have eaten hardly anything besides Halloween candy. But my 20 pound turkey? I have some leftovers, most of the breasts to make D's sandwiches this week and a pot of bones to use for stock. I had envisioned a few days of turkey leftovers to use as a base for meals.
I should have known. If it is out there, my family will EAT it! I will make a turkey tetrazzini this week. And have turkey for sandwiches and make a pot of either turkey and dumplings or turkey and noodles. Then there will be stock to freeze and use to make soup later this winter. Yum.
Now it's time to sit and relax for a while. Tomorrow morning I will figure out what party food I will put out. And look for another menu on Monday.
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