Monday, June 30, 2008

Homemade nachos

One of my most favorite things to make with leftover black beans are homemade nachos. It's such a simple dinner, and one that always tastes so good. Now, if you're like me, I like my nachos FULLY dressed: guacamole, sour cream, fresh tomatoes, red onions, olives, black beans, and cheese. LOTS of cheese.

Tonight, I had to pass by the nachos, but I went ahead and served them to the husband and children.

To prepare:

Preheat an oven to 350, and cover a pizza pan with aluminum foil. Then go ahead and collect the ingredients. This is what I had on hand.
Next, layer. I warm up the beans separately, and put them immediately on top of the chips. Then I toss on the cheese. You can add red onions and olives top the top too, but I would hold off on adding the guacamole, sour cream, and salsa until the very end.

Bake for around 10 minutes or so. You want the cheese to be nice and melty.

Dallop on your favorite toppings and serve! This is SO simple, but wonderful and light yet satisfying all at the same time.

Other ideas for toppings: green onions, refried beans, marinated chicken or steak, hamburger, vegetarian meat crumbles, fresh tomatoes, cilantro.

I had way more pictures to add, but blogger is being stupid. Sorry! You will have to make your own to see all the melted gooey goodness.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

New Discovery..

Do you know what one of my guilty pleasures is? Yogurt parfaits from McDonald's. That vanilla yogurt is some of the best I've ever had. What I really like about it is the thick and creamy consistency. You feel like you're eating something really decadent, even though a parfait is 3 Weight Watchers points (around 150 calories) and made with low fat yogurt.

Well, as you may have gathered from the blog, I like to make things at home. I have never been able to accurately replicate the McDonald's yogurt. I've settled for Stoneyfield Farm's nonfat vanilla. It's good, but not THAT good. Moreover, I've heard lots and lots about making your own dips from yogurt. I've tried with the nonfat Stoneyfield plain - and it was "eh." The problem was that it was very THIN. I wanted something thick and hearty. I figured that was just one of those things that I had to sacrifice.

I'd heard of Greek yogurt before - and how thick and creamy it was. However, it was also full of fat. I will settle on the occasional low fat dairy item - but for the most part I stick to fat free while trying to drop a few pounds. You can imagine my excitement when I found FAGE 0% - which is a fat free variety.

Can I just say this stuff has become my new best dieter's friend?

Thick and creamy, this FEELS and TASTES like a full fat sour cream (remember - it's plain). I haven't been able to experiment with it too much - but I am very excited about the possibilities. I will try whipping up some fruit and honey to get a sweeter yogurt, as well as add some spices for dips. Whatever the case, this is a VERY versatile product that will do your body and your taste buds well. How often does THAT happen?

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Sick of pasta?

How about you give it to your kids.


For part of this evening, we will be stringing multi-colored-pasta (as beads). What fun the kiddos will have.


The red "beads"


The green "beads"


Close up bead inspection


How to make?


Well, go ahead and put a tablespoon of white vinegar, a few drops of food coloring, and a handful of pasta, all in a zip lock baggie. Call over the nearest energy-filled toddler and have them shake, toss, and squish around the bag. Then put that onto a paper plate and let dry (I did the shaking part just before nap time, so we could do the beading part after nap time).


With these "beads" - you can go ahead and do a mosaic or string jewelry. I think it would be lots of fun to get all sorts of different shaped pasta (alphabet, maybe?) and toss together the different colors. I just used what I had on hand, which is why my pasta looks like Christmas.


Have a nice afternoon with the kids. I know we will.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Mexican Bruchetta

Take day or two old french bread. If concerned about calories, pop in a 400 degree oven for about 5 minutes. If not concerned about calories, you can drizzle with a bit of EVOO and sprinkle with rock salt (just a pinch or two!). Then bake in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes - or until toasted to the touch (you don't want to bake till brown).

Chop up 1 avocado, 4 small (or 2 large) seeded tomatoes, 1/4 red onion, and 1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro. Toss together and mince 1 good sized clove of garlic, toss in with 1/4 teaspoon salt and juice from 1/2 a lime. Let rest while bread is toasting.

When the bread is done, eat Bruschetta style. If desired, you can top the pieces of bread with a poached egg, and then top with a 1/4 cup of bruschetta. I know, I know. Sounds weird - but very good!

The Bruschetta (minus eggs) passed the husband test tonight.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

6/26 Meal Plan

A very disappointing and uninspiring list of sales this week.

Sale items: Berries, grapes, and corn

Friday: Poached eggs over polenta with avocado and tomato Pico-De-Gallo

Saturday: Mexican Casserole

Sunday: Black Beans and Cilantro Rice

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Nachos (for husband) and taco salad for myself.

Wednesday: Wing it (gasp)

Thursday: Wing it (gasp)

I saw down to plan meals, and just couldn't make it through the week. Friday and Saturday were easy because I missed a couple meals from the previous week. Then I thought about the fresh cilantro and avocados I had in the fridge. I always have black beans on hand, so those will be easy to cook up. I do have all the fixings for pizza, and my kitchen is well stocked so I know I can whip together a meal in a hurry. I think I will take a bare-bones list to the grocery store and stock up on a few extra fruits and veggies for snacking.

The problem is - after a weeks worth of training - I am not feeling particularly creative. All those creative juices are mentally in my classroom this week, and I just can't seem to get "into" my kitchen. I did make a low fat creme brulee tonight - it was "eh."

Once the weekend hits, I will probably be a bit more experimental feeling. I should make some bread this weekend. Maybe I can put a smoothie or two on my list too. That might be sort of fun to experiment with. We'll see what fun pictures I can drum up for the blog.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Google Food News 6/25/08

The search for today:

Tyson to sell Canadian beef business for C$107 mln:

The article said that this was part of the "long term plan" for Tyson to focus on "Asian and South American markets." Does that mean FEEDING those markets, or raising animals in those markets and importing the food here? Not so sure I'm cool with the idea of eating chickens from Asia right not - I'm certainly not okay with the kids eating it.

Texas Governor Rick Perry's ethanol stance stirs up backers, foes:

Currently, our gas is being mixed with ethanol. The law allows us (as a country) to use 9 billion gallons. Governor Perry wants that cut to 4.5 billion. Why? Well, two studies have tied rising food costs to the rise in corn prices. I think we just need to be less dependent on corn as a food source, because....

Corn farmers' hopes are dashed by the flood:

Recent floods in the Midwest have killed corn farming for an area that really depends on it. My husband in from the Midwest, and I have seen the fields and fields of corn. No corn on the 4th!?!

It makes me happy to hear that someone is taking care of the puppies and kitties in distress. Sometimes these little things are overlooked.


UN warns of rising food prices:

Some have more issue with the rising food costs than others.

Darden Plans To Use Derivative Contracts To Hedge Food Costs:

Oh, oh.....can I do this? Darden runs Red Lobster and Olive Garden, and are planning on entering into contracts with distributors in order to keep food costs from going up. It's like the forever stamp, but for food. Wouldn't it be great if we could ALL do this?

And, finally, my favorite...

Health Tip: Don't Overdo Fast Food :

Okay, SERIOUSLY? Someone wasted perfectly good paper for this article? I really don't think someone chomping down on a Big Mac and Fries thinks that it is GOOD for them. They're just having a craving. Or eating badly. Or whatever, but they're not under the delusion that they're doing their body well by grabbing a quick bite at the Burger King. Now, there are ways to eat healthy at the fast food place. However, most going there aren't planning on watching their waist line.

Oy.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Almost down a week!

On Thursday morning I will weigh in. I have been PERFECT this week - it hasn't even been hard to stay within the allotted points. It helps that I'm not keeping around all the processed foods that I have used in the past - like, those 2 point cupcakes. Since they were "just" two points - I would eat them and think nothing of it. Then I wouldn't have enough points left over for a nutritious dinner. The no meat thing definitely helps too. I'm not trying to measure out ounces of chicken and beef.

Whatever, I am looking forward to seeing what the nutritious eating and consistent daily exercise will bring. If nothing else, I'm proud of myself. So, that's cool.

Dinner tonight is a wonderful salad with a touch of vinegar, and topped with a generous amount of mango salsa. A TERRIBLY EASY, healthy, bonus:

Mango Salsa:

1 mango
1/2 of a small red pepper
1/4 of a large red onion,
1 Tablespoon of cilantro
1/2 lime
1/2 teaspoon honey (omit-able, I did).

Mix together and enjoy! Bet if it sits for 10 minutes or so.

Wonderful over a salad or eaten with chips, but in my meat-eating days I would put it over the top of tilapia. I've also been known to eat it with a spoon!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Grillin' veggies.

With mushrooms on sale this week, I wanted an easy way to incorporate them that was low in calories, fun, and different. I realized that I hadn't ever shish kabobed veggies - and that's SUCH an easy way to cook them. Tell me that THIS doesn't look good.

Oh. It gets even better. That's pineapple, baby. Grilled pineapple. Which is, like, pineapple from heaven.


It made an afternoon like this...


...feel almost fiesta like.


The best part? The whole meal (two shish kabobs, dip, corn, and two pineapple slices) was only 2.5 Weight Watcher points. That comes out to less than 150 calories. AND I'm full.


So, how to make it?


Kabobs: I made mine veggie style, but you could toss a chicken breast, steak, or shrimp on too. Just make sure that you keep the meat marinated, even in cube sizes, and make DOUBLE sure that you keep the veggies on their own kabob (they cook at a different rate). Shrimp cook best if you double skewer them, so they form a little "c."


Dip: I took about a half cup of PLAIN fat free yogurt and tossed in a tablespoon of chopped cilantro and half of a lime. Then I added garlic powder (it was what I had on hand, fresh would be better) and cumin to taste. The husband and I each got a 1/4 cup of it. Corn: I tossed it right on the grill and turned it. I can deal with corn with no butter - in my mind it slides right off anyway. I just salt mine, and that seems to do what the butter does.


Pineapple: To grill pineapple, first you must cut. Slice the top and the bottom off. Then work your way around the edge slicing the pineapple skin off, top to bottom. When the skin is cut off, cut down the middle, from top to bottom. Take each half, cut wedges, again top to bottom. In the middle of each pineapple is the hard core, cut that off like you would an apple. Then just toss the pineapple right on the grill long enough to get the pretty grill marks.


Really, it was so healthy, and SO good. One of my new go-to meals when I've overdone earlier in the day.

The worst thing about cooking...

Is the cleaning.

I do love to cook. And, I do love a clean house. Generally, I do love to be superwoman. Or, at least give everyone the impression that I am.

At the end of the '06-'07 school year, I felt bogged down. I was working a great number of hours doing "extra" things in the schools. I didn't have the time for the deep cleaning I really wanted. So, I started having my home cleaned once a month. By the end of this last school year, I was able to shed some responsibility, and found more time in my day. Moreover, the quality in the cleans that I had been getting decreased some. It turns out, than one of the women was very pregnant, so that explained some. Still, it was remedy the situation, or do it myself. I opted to do it myself.

Now, I'm a thorough sort of person. I like things done, and done well. The problem is, if I cleaned my house thoroughly every weekend, that's all I would ever be doing. So instead, I opted to create a "system." One where I maintained the more used parts of the home daily and weekly, but I only "deep" cleaned one "zone" every week. I've mentioned this once before, but I was able to break my home into 6 "zones" which effectively keeps things clean enough until I can rotate through and re-clean. It's really a great way to keep the house clean, if you can discipline yourself to do a little bit every weekend.

Zones:
Living/dining room: This is all one area of the house.
Bedrooms: Which includes office.
Family room and hallway: The hallway walls, doorknobs, and pictures all get dirty.
Kitchen
Bathrooms
Floors: so, steam cleaning carpets that are dirty enough to warrant and hands and knees thorough scrubbing of linoleum

Now, when I say "deep cleaning," I mean deep cleaning. Like scrubbing the trim along the floor, taking smudges off walls, all dusting, disinfecting all the toys that live in that room, etc., etc. Ceiling fans, light fixtures, and every other item not regularly cleaned is inspected. I don't always need to dust the items in the hutch when I do the living room, but I do need to make sure it looks okay. Don't forget windows!

I have to say, this organized approach does seem to keep my house very clean without any real extra effort. Before this, I would clean in a more haphazard fashion, cleaning whatever comes to mind without thinking about what is needed. This seems much better because nothing ever gets so dirty that it becomes a huge project.

If you're interested in trying this, take a minute to think how you could "zone" your home. Make sure you don't combine two areas that are big projects. Notice that I deeply clean my kitchen as it's own zone. That area takes enough time, I wouldn't dream of combining it with any other area. Divide it out in 4-8 areas that you could tackle, one at a time, every weekend. Keep in mind there are still "maintenance" cleans. Like, I wipe my bathroom counters down weekly with a vinegar spray. My kitchen needs a light clean weekly. I just don't break out the scrubbers more than once every 6 weeks.



Since eating and cooking are way more fun than cleaning, let me leave you with this:
Here's a picture of the parfaits that I told you about recently. Don't they look wonderful? They were. Here I added a couple of layers of banana to go with the raspberries and granola. They sure did hit the spot this morning.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Redecorating with Maracas

Now that I've been blogging for several months, I thought I should create a layout more reflective of the blog's personality. The primary purpose of this blog is to discuss what I do in my kitchen (hence the name), with a serious flair of green living and motherhood. The above banner is what a friend came up with for me. Isn't it FABULOUS? She's quite talented, a budding photographer, and never gives herself enough credit. Moreover the name of her blog references Dave Matthews, and what tree hugger doesn't love him? Certainly all the ones that I went to school with do.

I will give you a "quickie" today - a picture from breakfast.

On sale this week were avocados and tomatoes. I told the husband that it was a Mexican week, but after last week's Black Eyed Peas, he asked for a reprieve from "beans and rice, rice and beans." I obliged, and got more creative in my Mexican-ness. Behold, Huevos Rancheros. This is WAY easy.

Scramble the appropriate number of eggs. Make sure to chop up some green onions and add them, some salt, and a dash of cumin. A little garlic wouldn't hurt either, but make sure to dice it up REALLY fine (mash it with your knife, even), and start it first with a little oil BEFORE adding the eggs. If you don't have green onions, you can use white, but start it first with the garlic.

When cooked, plate, and top with diced tomatoes, avocados, and a tiny bit more green onion. Add salsa and sour cream if the aforementioned isn't enough. Beans would be good too.

Would be excellent with some bakery-style bread toasted with a dash of butter.

Now off to make Mexican-style salad!

Friday, June 20, 2008

Heaven Healthy.

Imagine the most luscious dessert you have ever had. Chocolate fudge cake, or something drenched in caramel. My husband's favorite is key lime pie or carrot cake. Me? I can't say I have a favorite. However, I never met a cookie I didn't like.

When I find something I love, that is also healthy, I do a little mental jig. I mean, lets face it, eating healthy isn't always FUN. At least not when you have to limit fat and calories. I love a good piece of bread. I could make a meal out of bread - but even those simple delicacies are limited when trying to lose a few pounds.

So when I found THIS absolute luscious combination - heavenly AND weight loss friendly - I was thrilled. I mean, at that moment where I was enjoying my parfait, you could have put even the most wonderful of cookies in front of me. All I would have said was "no thanks," between my mouthfuls.

This is so simple - but I think what makes it delicious is the freshness and quality of the ingredients.

1 cup of yogurt (I used Stoneyfield Farm's Organic Fat Free Vanilla.)

1 cup of fruit (fresh, right now the raspberries are out and flavorful, and I have been taking advantage of them.)

1/4 - 1/2 cup granola. (I like Bear Naked fit Vanilla Almond Crunch, 1/4 cup).

Nutritional info
Calories: 364
Fat: 3.3
Fiber: 11
Sugar: 41.4
Weight Watcher Points: 7

Now, you can reduce the calorie and point load by using plan yogurt instead of the vanilla. The parfait is perfect for breakfast or lunch. It usually leaves me feeling very satisfied for hours in the day.

Tomorrow I might make one pretty and post a picture. They're simple and fun to dress up.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

6/20 Menu and Grocery List

I'd like to start this with with warning you all that the menus are going to get a bit lower calorie. Being the foodie that I am, still with high flavor. Just a tad lower in fat.

Why, you ask?

Well, I'd noticed that my hip has really been bothering me lately. So, I stepped on the scale, told my hubby that I was rejoining, and that was it. Weight Watchers is an old friend of mine. The only one that allows me to eat what I want, so long as I plan accordingly. I had taken a "break" as I was feeling worn down from my work schedule and the restraints from the plan. Being summer, and the fact that the coming school year will not be bringing me the same constraints, it was time to go back. My hope is that I will be down 20 pounds by the school year, giving me plenty of motivation to cut back on the plethora of goodies that IS my workplace.

I've also recently purchased a Wii fit. HELLO!?! Where the heck has THAT been for the last three years? When my daughter was born, I was able to get into a fairly regular stroller walking routine. It all worked out fantastically. For about 6,000 different reasons that I will not bother you with - it stopped. And stayed stopped. We got an elliptical trainer, which was PERFECT for two weeks until it broke. That's when we decided to invest in the fit. I was skeptical of how well a video game system would work me. It may not be for the athlete, but a Mom who can't escape her two kids for a moment will be well served by the fit. Heck, my daughter takes the second controller and goes on runs WITH me.

So, here goes the Weight Watcher Friendly Menu:

Sale items: limes, avocados, mangoes, baby carrots, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, baby portobello mushrooms, organic salad bags.

Friday: Burritos (tortillas - no, I haven't learned to make them homemade yet - with black beans, rice, cilantro, and low fat cheese. Topped with tomatoes & avocados)

Saturday: Breakfast will be Huevos Rancheros. Dinner will be mushroom, pineapple, pepper, and onion kabobs with corn and baked potatoes. I will likely make some french bread too. And some sort of dip, although I'm not sure what yet. Dessert I plan on making a Blueberry Creme Brulee that I got from the Weight Watcher's site.

Sunday: Breakfast will be polenta topped with poached eggs along side of a tomato avocado salsa. Dinner will be leftovers, as I'm certain we will have plenty.

Monday: Salads and french bread. I think I will try to mix this up with some herbs or fresh garlic.

Tuesday: Tomato soup and bread

Wednesday: Mushrooms and gravy over cous cous or rice.

Thursday: Mexican casserole, another Weight Watchers recipe.

As we work through the week I will be sure to post wonderment! For "extra" food (and lunches) I have a simple avocado toss and mango salad.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

If you "google news" food....

This is what you get:


"Pizza Hut Named Most Trusted Food Service Brand in India by The Economic Times for Fourth Year": I agree that Pizza Hut is badly good. I mean, the crust just tastes unhealthily tasty, and you can see the grease pools. However, what saddens me here is that the rest of the world considers THIS American food. Or, at the very least, a American bastardization of Italian. Why couldn't we be known for something GOOD. I mean, the Japanese have sushi. Islands everywhere are full of fruits and vegetables. We get Pizza Hut and McDonald's.
F.D.A. Takes Aim at Herbal Cancer ‘Cures’: I really don't have any business commenting on families dealing with cancer, and the options they use to prolong life and cure disease. I understand the FDA wanting to "protect" people from "themselves." However, don't people have a right to live how they want to live? I can see both sides, and it's an interesting article. Imagine you hand cancer, or if you do, how would you/do you feel about this article?
China to send food, product inspectors to US: official: I can handle this, as it may add an element of responsibility on the American market. However, it does seem kind of funny that China's basically doing a "I'm rubber and you're glue, whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you," argument. Whatever. More checks are better than less, I guess. If it makes them feel better. I still won't buy Chinese.
US flooding locks in record food prices: WONDERFUL. Because the price of gas isn't bad enough.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Kitchen JuJu and Essential Oils Galore.

Have you seen it? My JuJu? The quan? My Domestic Divaness? My kitchen mojo?

I spent most of my day cleaning. I've gotten behind on my 6 week rotation. Like, 3 weeks behind. Darn that end of the school year and kiddie viruses!

Anyhow, yesterday I scoured the kitchen. And when I say scour, I do mean it. Wiped down the cupboards, cleaned the floors...I even wiped down the baseboards! Today was the kids' rooms, and that included all of their toys.

A while back, I noticed that I never cleaned the kids' toys. And there's heaven-only-knows what kind of food and drink residue all over that mess. So, in this 6 week rotation, I added "cleaning toys" to the list. What an ordeal.

Now remember, I clean as organically as possible. I pretty much only break out the bleach when the stomach flu comes to town. So, as I'm looking at these wooden puzzle pieces, that are just downright nasty, I struggled with what to use. I have a can of Lysol outside, no...that wouldn't do. I grabbed my Better Basics book and looked. Ah! An antibacterial spray! And I had all the essential oils to make it!

Mix into spray bottle:
5 cups water
20 drops sweet orange oil
10 drops eucalyptus oil
10 drops lavender oil.

Spray and let sit on whatever needs disinfecting. You can wipe it off after 15 minutes if that is preferable.

I used this for all things that I couldn't stick in the wash machine with some borax, or the dishwasher on antibacterial setting. Basically, that means anything wood, paper, or electronic in nature (dolls with mechanisms that cry). I wiped everything I could down with my vinegar mixture, and then I sprayed this on for antibacterial efforts. This is actually suggested for cutting boards, so feel free to spray it there, food prep areas, and even baby's high chair. Better n' bleach!

I also made myself a new window cleaner. I noticed that the straight vinegar was leaving some streaks, so I decided to try something new. Effective, streak-free, and clean! Guess I can't argue with that:

1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
1/2 tsp liquid soap
2 cups of water
a few drops of oil (I'm into peppermint right now, so I used that.)

Toss into a spray bottle and get to work!

Anyhow I focus on the cleaning because my side has nothing to write about today. Something went wrong in the meal planning this week. I had planned for leftovers today, but the husband ended up taking yesterday's dinner for lunch. The hubby is pretty good about eating what I serve - but he's not thrilled to eat the same thing for lunch and dinner every day. So, I decided on some quickie salads for dinner. I pulled out my bag and realized that the lettuce was starting to go bad. The husband suggested Dijorno, I called blasphemy, and took stock of my kitchen. Tomato, fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, onion, basil, 1/2 loaf of French Bread...ah yes, Panini!

Epic failure, my friends. EPIC failure.

I was way excited to try this because I love paninis and I've read a bit about making them. I made sure to include enough cheese, layered throughout, so that the cheese would act like glue for the two bread pieces. I got a glass bread loaf pan, put three cans of food in it, to make a "weight" that would smoosh the bread together.

And still, when I tried to flip it, I killed it.

So I had a panini skillet type meal, where I at least tried to save the vegetables. Since this was the second meal gone wrong, I gave up and told the husband to find his own food. Clearly, my kitchen juju was used up for the day. Maybe I spent too much time in a vinegar and essential oil haze? Maybe it's the fact that my son was up every hour on the hour last night calling for "moooommmy."

Whatever, the juju magic is gone for the day.

Until tomorrow...I'll see if I have any luck with the fried rice.



Monday, June 16, 2008

Bread and butter, baby.

So, I've been making some progress on my summer cooking goals.

It turns out that Panna Cotta is milk jello. I used a recipe from the joy of baking website, and my husband loved it. I accidentally ran out of vanilla (ooops), and had to substitute coconut extract. The result was excellent regardless, as the flavor did not change the velvety texture. However, the flavor was remarkably similar to Haupia (pronounced How-pee-ah), which is a Hawaiian Coconut custard. So, while it was good, it was sort of a "familar" flavor. Which made it nothing to write home about, at least for me. Oh well, my husband was happy.

I've also managed a couple of bread recipes. The kids seemed happy enough with the latest Oatmeal Bread attempt. What I don't love about it is the size. We'll be ordering some larger loaf pans from Amazon soon. Other than that - the kids seem to love it. It's about the first thing I've made homemade that they've eaten up happily! It IS a wonderful little bread. Out of the recipe you get two loaves. When finished, it's delicately sweet. Definitely a bread that you could just eat - no butter. Just straight.

I've found an AMAZING French Bread recipe. Given to me by the creative Mommy I've mentioned THREE times now on this blog, it's fast an easy.

2.5 cups warm water
2 TABLESPOONS of yeast (a lot, I know, but that's what makes it so fast)
2 TABLESPOONS of sugar
2 teaspoons of salt
5.5 cups of flour.

Just stir together and let sit for 15 minutes. Then, with heavily floured hands (this is a very sticky dough) cut and divide in half. Lay out in two "logs" on a large cookie sheet and let rise for another 15. Then bake at 450 for 15.

This makes a flatter "Artisan" like bread. Leftovers are great for garlic and cheese bread. Today I piled it high with leftover bruschetta, sprinkled some fresh mozzarella over the top, and nuked it. Wonderful! I also plan on making panini sandwiches with it this summer. I have this idea for pesto, mozzarella, and maybe some mushrooms? Yum.

Finally, for Father's Day, I did try the balsamic reduction. I was disappointed. This will be harder than I thought. First of all, heating and boiling vinegar is pretty rough on the lungs. Secondly, it takes a while to get the reduction reduced, it's touchy and difficult to get it "just right," and to adjust the spices you pretty much have to make entirely different batches for trial and error. Jeff liked it, but it wasn't quite as good as I remember. I might have to get back to that restaurant to sample it again.

Anyhow, I'm feeling pretty confident about some of my bread recipes. The French bread is a new family favorite. Now it's just a matter of finding a good sandwich recipe. The Oatmeal Bread is great, but what about for grilled cheese?

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Why I love Dads.

In this morning's paper, I ran across an associated press blurb about how fathers today are really feeling the struggles in the workplace. In short, they are beginning to feel the same pressures that women have been feeling for years - not enough time at home, not enough flexibility for family needs, and a general desire to be as active as possible in their primary position of Dad. A similar article can be found here.

My idea was that I would pop online, find the article, and then post it for all to read. I went to Google news, and typed "dads." No avail. Seems like everyone had an article about Dads today. Shocker, I know. So, then I tried "dads involved." Again, too many articles. Finally I tried "dads work" and went forward three pages to find the article I linked.

In this process, what I discovered was that there is a wealth of information out there about how Dads are becoming more actively involved in the home. How Dads are feeling the pressure AND desire to be far more involved and active than their fathers were. I had a hard time identifying with these articles because I always thought that's the way Dads were supposed to be. After all, it was how my Dad was. I guess I never appreciated that he wasn't the norm.

Some of my earliest memories are not of my mother staying home, but my father. I remember watching this nature-type show that was on the earliest version of the Disney Channel. Every morning, Dad and I would sit in his chair and watch, and then he would take me to my afternoon preschool. I vividly remember his brown chair and I would always sit on the right side of his lap. Then we would eat lunch, and he would drive me to school. The following year, I would go to morning Pre-School, and he would pick me up and take me to Taco Bell. I would always get a taco, with Dr. Pepper, and cinnamon twists. I swear Juneau, Alaska must have gotten the first Taco Bell ever; this was the early 1980s. Afterwards I would go with him to his work sites (he fixed and maintained modular homes). He called me "his shadow," a nickname that would resurface every time I found myself at his workplace.

Taco Bell and nature shows aren't the only thing I can thank my Dad for. While my mom definitely taught me a lot of what I know about the kitchen - it was my father that really instilled the importance of culinary skills. My 8th grade year, my mother moved to a job in Oregon. My father and I were left behind in Hawaii for a period of time. We cooked twice a week - on Sundays my Dad made Pot Roast with fresh garlic cloves stuffed inside. On Wednesday, I made goulash (well, a version of it, anyway). We ate the same thing every week - which hardly sounds gourmet. However I learned to cook those things well, and by the end of our time living there without my Mom, I gained an appreciation of "experimentation." I would add spices, more salt, less salt, cheese, no cheese. I learned what it really meant to be "one" with the kitchen.

My Dad was never one of those who worked his job and ignored his kids. Even in a time where that was acceptable. I owe who I am to my Dad as much as I do my Mom. However, I also owe something even more important - my marriage.

You see, I knew what I expected of in a partner. Boyfriends were great - but I was looking for something special in a husband. After all, a husband would inevitably be the father to my children. Because of the father that I had, I saw that as a very important job.

While I was cooking dinner tonight, my husband entertained my children with pictures on the Internet. No, not those kinds of pictures - but those of airplanes, sharks, killer wales, dolphins, and I'm not even sure what else. As I chopped the tomatoes and stirred the bread dough for the menu he ordered, I smiled at the elated sounds from our youngest household members. They delight in the company of their father. And not because he's novel - but because they are bonded, and connected. Their father is as integral a part of their life as I am. Neither he nor I would have it any other way. It's what I was raised with. As they say, what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Happy Father's Day - to the man that gave me life, and to the man I chose to give my life to.

My apologies + weekly menu

I promised you every day. I have failed.

Forgive me?

I surely hope so.

I assure you I have a good excuse. You see, my district has required that I ge "FRI"-ed and finish my ESOL endorsement. I did THREE moduals in my online courses last night. I worked from noon - 9 PM, with only the distractions of my own children. I turned off the computer and walked out of the office. Then I remembered that I was breaking my promise. I opted for bed anyway. I was just so tired from all the reading. Math teachers are not meant to be endorsed in reading. I think that class is harder than all of my master's level coursework combined.

Anyhow, as a show of good faith, I will be posting twice today. Here I will post my menu for the week with recipes attached. Next will be my "ode to Father's Day." I hope both serve to please.

Weekly menu:

Good sale items: Vine ripened tomatoes (could this be in response to the current salmonella outbreak?), grapes, raspberries, ricotta cheese.

Thursday: Leftover black beans and rice (from previous week's menu), sauteed green peppers and onions for extra vegitables.

Friday: Pasta salad, but THIS time I made it TOTALLY fat free and with no packaged goods (except for the pasta). I included olives, a tomato, broccoli, green onion, carrot, and celery. I then added red wine vinegar, garlic powder, oregano, a sprinkle of salt, and about 1/3 of a cup of water. It was wonderful, and GONE quickly!

Saturday: Frozen tomato soup + bread, will make fresh with tomatoes later in the week to replace frozen batch.

Sunday: HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! Bruchetta with Balsamic reduction, mozarella/mushrooms/and thyme, Brie and Fruit, bread, and Panna Cotta with raspberry sauce. Ricotta pancakes and ginger syrup for breakfast.

Monday: Cornbread, black eyed peas, and rice

Tuesday: leftovers

Wednesday: Fried rice

Thursday: Potato pancakes

Friday, June 13, 2008

Being Green: Part Three, Consumerism and Living Simply

Okay, I had this whole preamble set up to lead into this video. I just watched the video and decided that the author said things so succinctly and completely, that there really is no good reason for me to add my thoughts.

So, instead of taking 20 minutes to read my post - instead watch this.

It very accurately and truthfully shows why all of us should have a little less stuff for a LOT better life.

After the video, they have a link that sends you here. It tells you all the ways that you can contribute to a functioning society without extra stuff.

Back to food tomorrow, I promise.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Being Green: Part Two, Food

Green: relating to or being an environmentalist political movement b: concerned with or supporting environmentalism c: tending to preserve environmental quality (as by being recyclable, biodegradable, or nonpolluting)

Environment: 1: the circumstances, objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded. 2 a: the complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (as climate, soil, and living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival b: the aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community

When one thinks about what it means to be "green" in terms of diet, I suppose most people jump to words like organic, natural, vegetarian, and even the dreaded *GASP* vegan. While these are all components of "being green" - they do not comprise the whole. Why? Because these concepts are fundamentally individualistic. Someone who is truly green is thinking of both the part (individual) and the whole (community/world). Now, thinking about the world may be a survivalist act (i.e. I want everyone to have food so they don't come beating down my door). It's still results in a globalist approach.


So, as we contemplate how we can change our diets to be more "green" - we need to seriously consider what will benefit society as a whole, as well as what might benefit our own body.

Consider: Eating locally.

Probably the easiest thing you can do to be green is check and see where the food that you eat comes from. There are precious few items grown from outside of the country that I will eat. Most of those items are cultural or locational anomalies. For example, I will buy some Japanese candies on occasion, as those are inherent to them. I will not, however, buy the apples from Chile (which are labelled as organic, by the way). Nor will I the grapes. Why?

Lets think, for a minute, about what I am supporting if I do buy them: another country's economy (instead of my own), possible mistreatment of individuals working on the farm, farming of produce that is harder for the US to regulate, and of course the fossil fuels needed to ship the items to me.

Decidedly NOT GREEN.

Nor is it particularly green to buy apples from Washington when I live in Florida. Alas, tell that to my apple-loving children. So what to do? Buy your items as local as humanly possible. If you can grow it in your back yard - that is best. If not that, buy from a farmer's market - that produce is close enough for a farmer to drive in on a Saturday morning. Next best would be a supermarket that ships in local produce, like Publix. Preference would always be to the US over international. How do you know? Your grocer knows where they get everything from - and should tell you. At our grocery store it's on all of the labels. Now, the down side is that you end up eating produce in season rather than whenever you want. However, that produce is not only better for the Earth -- but it TASTES better too!

Consider: Avoiding packaged foods.

Okay, so you're buying local produce and want to take the "next step." Now comes the toughie: I'm going to ask you to avoid the center isles.

I know, I know, how could I?!? I mean, that's where the OREOS live!

Now, don't get me wrong. I buy the processed foods too. I have a 2 and a 3 year old. How could I possibly NOT buy goldfish? I am not a purist, but I do make a concerted effort to shop on the outside isles to get the whole-foods MOST of the time. Why? Well, packaged foods have a lot of junk in them. Look at the ingredients. How many words can you not pronounce on that package of cheese doodles? Is it even real cheese? And really, how could it be GOOD for you?

The answer is that it's not, and it's not good for the environment either. Why not the environment? Well, you're mass producing foods, pumping out whatever in pollution, instead of making the cookies in the privacy of your own home with a relatively low-output oven. Moreover, by avoiding packaged foods - you know you're safe from inadvertently supporting whatever corporate agenda the company supports. AND, you're using reusable resources, instead of finishing that bag of chips and tossing it. I mean, think about how much trash - as a community - we throw out EVERY DAY from packaging. While we are not in a place to be able to completely eliminate it, we are in a place to reduce, reduce, reduce.

Consider: Buying Naturally or Wild

If you can't give up the packaged food completely (this is me), do what I do and read the labels. I check to see if there are words I can't pronounce. I also check to see if the ingredients are what I would put into the product myself. So, for bread I expect to see words like "flour, sugar, yeast, milk, vegetable oil, and salt." If I see anything like monohydorlexicanmiosississisisisis, I know to stay away. Every time I turn around, one of these chemicals turns out to be used for rat poison or the US military's bombs, or SOMETHING equally as adverse to the human body.

One BIG turn off for me is high-fructose corn syrup. Now, I could write a whole dissertation on why we avoid it, so instead Ill stick with the fact that it's processed sugar. Anything processed is farther from the Earth, and thus something I try to avoid.

In the case of seafood, and meats where applicable, something else you can consider is wild. These animals and fish live the way God intended - and the are consumed through the natural process of the food chain. Our reasons for vegetarianism are partially ethical, but not in the sense that we believe it is unfavorable to eat animals. If we were to eat meat, this would likely be the primary method of consumption for us. Secondary would be organic.


Consider: Buying Organic

Now, where anything living is concerned - this is the grandaddy of the green.

I know people who buy everything organic. If it's made organically, they will buy it. If it's not, then they won't. Simple.

It's not so much for me.

You see, I have a finite amount of resources coming in. While I want to keep my family happy and healthy, and I want to do the Earth well, I also want some disposable income for experiences. I mean, what good is the Earth if I can't enjoy it? If I purchased all of our items organically, then I wouldn't have any money for anything else. As it is, our grocery, health care, and cleaning items run us $1000/mo. Some months I have a tough time keeping it at that. With that in mind, the questions about what I need to buy organically - and what I don't - really become important.

To answer this question, we need to know what it means to be labeled "organic." There is a quick answer to this: to be labeled you have to undergo an extensive process with the USDA in which you prove that you meet the standards. What are the standards? Well, it depends what kind of food you are producing.

Meat and animal products: Organic meat comes from animals that have been treated in a certain manner prior to slaughter. Issues of feed, living conditions, pest control, health care, and origin, are all defined in the by-laws for receiving and maintaining the label. Handling is also considered under the organic label. Since animal products come from the animal (presumably before slaughter) all of these also apply to things like milk, eggs, and milk products.

Seafood: Is not currently regulated. Anything labeled "organic" or "natural" is not done so by any official party. Buy wild, see above.

Produce: Organic produce is regulated in how land is managed, soil is conditioned, as well as how crops are rotated, managed, and harvested.


Packaged: Packaged foods are created from the above. To be considered an organic product, 95% of all ingredients must come from the above (unless it's labeled at 100%). If you see the label "made with organic ingredients" it comes down to 70%.

The similarity in organic products seems to be a limitation on the number of pesticides, hormones, and the amount of UN-natural stuff the product is exposed to. This, this limits the amount of UN-natural stuff that you - the consumer - is exposed to.

In our home, I subscribe closely to the dirty dozen, which are the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables. The easy way that I remember what is "okay" and what is "not" is the type of skin. Items with thin/non existent/edible skins are best purchased organically. Those with thick, inedible skins or husks are okay to purchase inorganically.

As far as grains are concerned, I have read in the past that it is not as important to purchase these types of foods organically, at least in terms of pesticide limitations. I cannot find a source to cite right now, but I believe that it was in Consumer Reports. It's because of this that I look for natural grain products, but I don't stress over the organic label. Now, for reasons regarding general treatment for the earth, organic is always better than inorganic. Remember that individual vs. the whole argument I was making earlier?

So, what does this mean to the "regular family"?

Unfortunately, in our area - it is difficult to eat the way we want to. Partly due to my husband's health concerns, and partly because we cannot afford to eat meat the way we want to, we are vegetarians instead. I've been enjoying inorganic berries because the organic ones just aren't good. I'm sure if I can get them farm fresh, they'd be great - but I can't. I also have trouble with "organic" apples that come from Chile. How green are they if I have to ship them from miles and miles away? Especially when there are ones available from the US. At least then you are supporting the local economy.

What I'm trying to point out is that it's not important to be perfect about your eating green. It's one of those "constantly evolving" things - acting in such a way that betters yourself, your family, and the world that we live in. In the end, being "green" where your food is concerned is more about being aware. Being aware of what you are putting into your body, where it comes from, and the process it which it gets to you.

Of course, there is one more component to being green with your food, and it deals with consumption and waste. Which, my green friends, will lead me into Part III.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Disconnected.

So, I know I promised organic foods today....but I can't seem to find the words. You see, the wonderful petree dishes that I live with brought home their "end of the school year, aren't you going to miss daycare" cold. Yesterday I couldn't breath at all, and today my head feels about twice the size that it normally does. I ordered some eucalyptus and peppermint oils for my cleaning arsenal, but those won't be here until the end of the week (at best). So, today I will suffer in silence.

Yeah, me suffer in silence. Who am I kidding? I will suffer until my husband gets home. Then I will whine and make HIM suffer. (LOVE YOU BUNCHES HONEY!)

In the mean time, I also promised a post every day. Darn it, I'm at least going to deliver on THAT promise.

This last weekend, in an effort to counteract a recent unbelievably large grocery run, I made a couple pots of beans. I made black beans for later in the week, but I also made chickpeas. Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans.

Now, garbanzo beans/chick peas are often used in hummus (I believe that they are garbanzo beans when dry, chickpeas when cooked up). I have found them to be a very useful bean otherwise. They are quite flavorful, and have a different sort of consistency. They blend up quite nice in hummus, but they also mash for a chunkier texture, or can be eaten whole.

Here, I described the first steps in making your own hummus as actually making the beans.

"Start by soaking the beans all night or day. Wash and toss the ickies.When ready to cook, place beans in a dutch oven, with around a gallon of water.Bring to a boil, cook for 1.5-2.5 hours. You want a bean that can be mashed with a little effort, blended creamy easily, but isn't falling apart. When done, pour into a colander and drain."

When not making chickpeas for hummus, I highly suggest amending this by adding some olive oil, spices, and salt to the boiling beans. A friend of mine suggests the last hour, but I sometimes do it right from the start of cooking (not soaking, mind you) with success. I've tried thyme, sage, and fresh basil. I really love the way the fresh basil turned out recently. Basil has sort of a buttery flavor that worked with the beans. For me, salt is really important to bring out the flavor - and you need a surprising amount. Testing an underdone bean during the cooking process won't hurt you, and it will allow you to get a feel for what spices need to be adjusted. It's better to go light on a spice early, decide the flavor isn't full enough, and adjust. Better, that is, than adding too much of something. In the mean time, I would start with a tablespoon of whatever spice you want to try to start.

So, the beans are cooked, now what?

Chickpea Sandwiches: Mash them with a fork, and make an egg salad or tuna fish-like sandwich. I add mayo, mustard, and dill relish to mine. With my recent basil find, I tried just some balsamic vinegar and mashed it all together, then on a bun. AMAZING, a bit better than they mayo, and vegan if you lean that way.

Add to any salad for a protein burst

Eat with rice, for simplicity. Stealing an idea from a friend, I added some light sour cream to the beans and it worked. It seemed weird, but it worked. Not a ton, just enough to "dress" the beans a bit.

And, lastly, my new favorite - Chickpea Salad. I haven't given orangette any love lately, so here I go. Uber simple, and tasty. I just had this for lunch.

It is time for me to nurse my head cold, but before I go, I wanted to give all of Miranda's friends and family a quick shout out. Miranda told me that she My Spaced you all - and I wanted to say thanks for stopping by. I hope to see you again real soon!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Being Green: Part One, dishes, plastic, and the US.

Have you ever wondered about those dishes you serve your family's dinner in? I know I do. I started to become concerned last holiday season, when every time I turned around some other toy was being recalled for lead. All of them came from China. Suddenly, I started to realize that EVERYTHING in my house was made in China. Even the dishes. Which made me wonder - if the paint used on toys has lead in it, who is to say that the paint used on my DISHES wouldn't also be filled with lead? From that day on, I vowed to shop American whenever possible.

It occurred to me that this decision was good for me and my community in many ways. (1) I am supporting American jobs. (2) "Made in America" products travel a shorter distance to get to me, thus using less oil and energy. And (3) In my mind, fewer questionable substances.

My first block came when I tried to buy dishes for the family. I'm a fan of stoneware - good, hearty, use for everything, dishware. It TURNS OUT that it's very difficult (and very expensive) to find made-in-America stoneware. They're out there, I just can't afford them right now. It's not like I can run to any second-hand store either, as I said before, practically everything is made in China.

So, I turned away and stuck my head in the sand until I can afford them. Dejected, I ignored the dishes until I became aware of BPA and PVC. What are these? Well, substances found in certain plastics that will find their way into your food given the right circumstances. Substances that are found to bring less-than-desirable results to the human body. Basically, in my research I have found that anything besides a little recycle symbol with a 5 inside of it, means that your plastic is toxic. It's not quite that simple - or drastic, but if you do the research about it, you will find the same. If you don't know what I am talking about, look on the bottom of a plastic bowl. See a triangle made out of arrows? See that number inside? THAT'S the all-important number.

Now, here was my concern - I can't give my kids stoneware. They try to help (think Barney's "clean up, clean up!") Then they break. I need plastic for those occasions that the plate ends up the floor. So, I went to my cupboard to see what I had. Guess what I found? Lots of 7's and "made in China's. JOY. Out they went and in came a whole host of new products:

I now use PYREX glass bowls and (safe) plastic lids for food storage. Did you know that PYREX was made in the USA? I happened to get a great deal on Amazon.com over the Memorial Day Weekend.

I bought plastic plates, bowls, and cups for the kids at Publix. Arrow Plastics are made in Illinois, and sold in a few places. One being Walmart. Another being our local grocery store.

I purchased us all new water bottles from Kleen Kanteen. Made with stainless steel, I don't worry about the affects of plastic or aluminum. They also have a safe plastic sippy attachment for your kiddos.

For lunches, I am investing in the lunchbox bento for my entire family. I bought one for my husband to use this summer, and try out. So far, so good. So long cheapie lunch bags, plastic bags, and juice boxes!

Since I am doing away with excess plastic, I also went ahead and purchased some new bags for my produce. A user of reusable grocery bags, I thought it was so stupid that I brought home plastic with my produce. So, I went ahead and replaced those too. I have yet to use them (got them last week, just after I made our weekly run). They seem simple enough , and I love how the set comes with items meant to keep my produce fresh longer. Less waste is green too!

So, those are the steps we've made as of late. "Being green" is one of those things that you can't ever be "good enough" at. Recently, at my evaluation, my principal asked me what areas I could improve. I included lesson plans and parent contacts as mine - because those are two things that we can NEVER be "good enough" at. There's always some new way to teach something, and there's always a parent that could be called for a situation. Being green is the same. There's always some way that I could do with less, make more out of something already useful, or advocate for world change.

To your right, under green living, is the soft landing blog. That site taught me a great deal about how to best protect my family from unwittingly given chemicals in their food. I also wanted to give you a few more "food for thought" websites and online stores:

- Not Made In China: A blog that discusses toys that are made and not made overseas.

- Still made in the USA: Products and goods made in the USA.

- Reusablebags.com: A GREAT all-in-one store for green goods. I recently purchased my reusable produce bags, Kleen Kanteens, and Laptop Lunch Box all from this online store.

These all deal with how we store and eat our foods, as well with buying American. Tomorrow, I will "school y'all" (yes, that's a southern phrase) on the actual foods.

Monday, June 9, 2008

What do you do with a dead tomato?

As I typed that, I couldn't help but sing it to the tune of "What do you do with a drunken sailor?"


But, I digress.

Let me ask you, have you bought some nice, fresh, firm but juicy, positively perfect in every way, tomatoes - only to have them become mush within 24 hours?

This is my life.

As I am with bananas, I am quite particular about tomatoes. I cannot STAND them when they get grainy and mushy. Blech. They must be perfectly firm, but ripe and juicy.

There are 4 ways that I enjoy a fresh tomato:

(1) Slice and top with soft goat cheese and heat, just slightly, in the microwave.

(2) Alternate slices with fresh mozzarella and sprinkle fresh basil. Drizzle EVOO and balsamic vinegar over the top.

(3) Chop and enjoy over some black beans, cilantro lime rice, along with avocado and sour cream.

(4) Chop and enjoy over the top of a Mexican salad with Newman's Own Lime Vinaigrette.

So, the question becomes - what do you do with a not-rotten-but-not-fresh-tomato? I used to toss them, but then I came across this fantastic recipe for Tomato Soup. I got this from a creative Mommy who makes her own slings. I almost always double or triple this recipe when tomatoes go on sale, and then stick leftovers in large bags in the freezer. You also have this option if your tomatoes are about to go bad, but you aren't prepared for tomato soup for dinner.

Tomato Soup

1 small onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb fresh tomatoes, chopped, or 1 lg. (28oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup heavy cream or half & half
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp. chopped basil
salt and pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Saute the garlic and onion in olive oil until soft. Add tomatoes and cook over med. heat for 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, cream and 1 Tbsp of the basil. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Process with hand blender or in blender jar until smooth. Return to pan and add remaining basil, salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Some additional thoughts:

I have omitted the sauce and added more tomatoes. This worked fine, just reduce the amount of broth by a little.

I also replaced the half-and-half with 2%. I didn't notice a difference.

I also use vegetable broth with great results.

Make sure you use very little salt, as this salts up unexpectedly quickly.

I topped with mozzarella instead - and it melted nicely into the soup.

A very nice savory tomato soup. Not at all sweet. It's also hardy like a bisque.

I used my immersion blender right in the bot to blend. Perfecto!

Here's a picture of the soup in our freezer, waiting to be eaten.
If you're more Classico than Campbell's...you might be more interested in making tomato sauce with your elderly tomato.

I did this the other night. Dice up an onion, mince some garlic (I put in 3 full cloves - I LOVE garlic). Throw down some EVOO and get them all nice and cooking. Then add in some chopped tomatoes (water and all) and let it cook down for 10 or 15 minutes over medium heat. I then added some red wine and fresh basil, and let things cook for another 5 minutes or so. I blended things up a bit more with my immersion blender, which made a very thin sauce. If you like chunky, skip the blending step. Top your favorite pasta (I had linguine), add some cheese, and you are in buisness!

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Pledge Time.

So this is summer. No assignments to grade, lessons to plan, or students to stress over. All I have are my little children and husband to care for. I am taking a couple of online courses for professional development, but other than that, I am school-free.

So now, I am going to devote my time to this love - cooking, family life, and green living.

I have many projects lined up for the summer:

(1) I am going to feed my family homemade bread. I am also going to find sustainable, go to recipes that will allow me to feed my family homemade bread all year long.

(2) I am going to see how cheaply we can eat, while still eating well and organically wherever possible.

(3) I am going to learn to make homemade tortillas. Low fat homemade tortillas.

(4) I will master the balsamic reduction. We had that at a restaurant lately, and LOVED it.

(5) I will master the Panna Cotta recipe.

(6) We will be making a family trip out to Portland, Oregon - to see more family, and determine the steps necessary to make it our new home. While in Portland, we will be taking a tour that I am VERY excited about. I will be sure to post a review.

(7) This is the one that bears most on you, my reader - I will be posting daily. Even if it's a "the kids are sick, I can't think of anything to post, so here is a good article..." I will post daily. I promise! From now until my vacation - I will post daily. So, if you would like to reciprocate my devotion - please feel free to share this blog with friends and family. I hope to have more of what I've already put here, just MORE of it .

For today, I thought I would change things a bit and put something up about me, but first let me call your attention to the right of the blog. See? I have posted some new links for your referencing pleasure. I have posted many more recipe sites, a link to my Amazon list if my blog gives you a dose of consumerism, and a new food blog. I've updated!

Madam Meow isn't just a food blog - she's another Mommy who dabbles in the culinary, and I just really dig the blog. In her most recent post, she gave me the idea for an "about me" mosaic. LOVE it!

Here's how you do your own.

(1) Do a search in flicker for the answers to the questions I posted (and answered for myself) below.

(2) Pick a picture on the first page of each search (NO cheating!)

(3) Go to the Mosaic Maker - choose your dimensions (come on now - it's just FACTORS!) Input the links, and create your mosaic.

Here are the questions:

1. What is your first name? Hollee

2. What is your favorite food? Caprese Salad

3. What high school did you go to? Forest Grove High School

4. What is your favorite color? RED

5. Who is your celebrity crush? Barack Obama. Oh come on...you didn't see this coming?

6. Favorite drink? Mojito

7. Dream vacation? Wine country, Italy

8. Favorite dessert? Chocolate Martini

9. What you want to be when you grow up? Loved - which I am already, but a little extra love never hurts.

10. What do you love most in life? life

11. One Word to describe you. Organized

12. Your flickr name. "no name" (I don't belong to flicker).

1. Graduation weekend, 2. Insalata Caprese Salad, 3. IMG_2971, 4. Blood-Red Flower, 5. Senator Barack Obama, 6. Mojito, 7. Italy-Wine Bar, 8. Chocolate Martini, 9. Love XOXO, 10. Life, 11. Organized, 12. What? No name?!?

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

fri-what-ta?

Ah, the frittata. The lazy man's (or woman's) omelet. Surprisingly fancy, yet surprisingly EASY.

Tonight, inspired by another recipe, I made my own. I can see this is going to become a staple in my home.

Vegetarian Broccoli-Sausage Frittata.

2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 small onion, diced.
2 cloves garlic, minced.
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Morning Star meat starter crumbles (freezer)
2 medium fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (but fresh would be divine too!)
8 eggs.
2 T. EVOO
2 T. fresh basil.

(1) In oven safe skillet, heat 1 T. of the EVOO. Add broccoli, onions, garlic, and frozen meat crumbles. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until broccoli is crisp-tender.

(2) Add remaining T. of EVOO, spread mixture out evenly on skillet. Sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Top with eggs.

(3) Cook at 350 for 20 minutes, or until set. Turn off oven. Sprinkle with mozzarella and place skillet back in oven until mozzarella melts.

(4) Sprinkle frittata with diced maters.

The husband really liked this, which impressed me as it had FAKE meat (the hubby is SO not a fan of this stuff).

What's fun about this recipe is that you can totally mix up the ingredients to your taste. I envision a Mexican fritatta with jack cheese and avocado diced on top. What about a garden variety? Or Greek? Maybe soft gooey goat cheese? ohhhh....MUSHROOMS and olives with tomato sauce dolloped on top.

This might be a fritatta WEEK at our house.

Monday, June 2, 2008

The countdown and BIG GRIDDLES

Well, ladies and gentlemen. This time next week, you should be reading lots and lots of inspired posts with new recipes galore. Why, you ask? Well, because starting next week....it's....

SUMMER VACATION!

Yes, yes. Teachers are teachers for two reasons. If he/she is worth anything in the classroom - the primary reason is for the children. I mean, all the vacation in the WORLD can't make up for the school year when you loathe caring for and teaching other people's kiddos. However, even from the most saint-like of teachers, right behind "love for children" comes "love for breaks." I'm an "all at once" kind of gal, and LOVE the working really hard to enjoy peace later. Hence why I love the classroom, and why I just buckled down and made FOUR full batches of pancakes yesterday. Yes, four. No, I'm not crazy. I'm griddled. But, I digress.

I am a little nervous about the break this year. You see, I have two energy drainers that live in my home with me. They've each discovered strong opinions that often diametrically oppose the other's. This results in screaming, scratches, biting, and black eyes.

Well, maybe not so much the black eye part.

Anyhow, while I am jumping up and down at the thought of two glorious months of freedom, I am nervous to be on lock down with terrible twos and even worse threes. Now, give me a day when my beautiful daughter and loving son act wonderfully towards each other - I'm SO there. Unfortunately, I get about four of those a year.

Ready or not, here comes the summer...

To ring it in I went ahead and made those batches of pancakes. I was running out of breakfast food and needed some for the freezer. Blueberries went on sale this week, so I bought some of those, and some sweet potatoes, and got cooking! It went MUCH faster than expected as I recently got a griddle that will make 9 pancakes at once. NINE! Can you believe it?

For those that have never used a griddle, I HIGHLY recommend it. Breakfast making is SO much easier with these around. I originally discovered it when I married my bacon-loving husband. I noticed on the griddle bacon and eggs cooked up so much nicer. Then I discovered perfect pancakes were within my grasp. These days, we're not so much on the bacon, but pancakes are still crackin'.