When Tomato Met Orange.

They fell madly in love.

Or maybe I fell madly in love. Whatever. During our summer Portland trip, we went on a food tour, and on it visited a deli that served tomato soup. The first sip was one of those where an amateur foodie furrows their eyebrows. The taste was not a problem - it was divine. The problem was that I wanted to identify the flavor. It was something citrus, but I had a hard time pinpointing it. Thankfully, the tour guide knew, and directed me: Orange. I was told that the recipe was online, but could not find it. So, I did some research and found that it was as simple as adding some orange juice to a tomato soup recipe. I have an standby I use often, so I figured a variation wouldn't be difficult. My variety is a slight be different - improved for my palate. If you're after a knock-off, I would suggest flying out to Portland and getting some there.

Softly Spicy Tomato Orange Soup

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil.
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 pounds of tomatoes, diced
zest of one orange
1/2 teaspoon garam marsala
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 6 oz can of tomato paste.
1 carton of vegetable broth
1-1.5 cups FRESH SQUEEZED orange juice
1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped into small pieces.

To cook, start by sauteing the onions and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat.

When the onions are softened, add the tomatoes. If you are feeling so inclined, and like a thicker soup, you can seed and juice the tomatoes. This will change the proportions of things like paste and broth, but you won't have any seeds in the soup. I never do this, but you certainly can.

Cook the tomatoes for around 5 minutes. Add zest, garam marsala, and cardamon. Let cook for another 5 minutes. Reduce heat if necessary.

Add broth and paste, Let cook together for around 10 minutes or so - you want the flavors to meld.

Add soup to a blender or use an immersion blender. When it comes together, add the cilantro and orange juice. Now, I know one question is "can I use store bought?" The answer is "I suppose," but I find store bought to be MUCH stronger. It makes it very easy to overdo the orange flavor in the soup. Even with the fresh, I would also suggest adding just a cup of the OJ. Then cook for a few minutes, and taste. Assess to see if you want to intensify the orange flavor or not. A fresh orange is not a standardized product - depending on the freshness, season, and ripeness, you could get an entirely different flavor. You can't un-add something you've added, so it's better to add slow, taste, and add again.

Simmer for as long as you want to reduce, thicken, and meld. Let sit in the pot for 10 minutes or so off the burner to continue the flavor union.
Season with salt and pepper, garnish with additional cilantro, if desired. Serve with crusty bread.

Curried Quinoa Pilaf

It has been a crazy week in our home. The storms pushed us out of school just two days after we started, which means Monday I had to start all over again. This week has been a real bear. Which means I've had limited time in the kitchen, and even more limited time to document and blog. In fact, I made another quinoa dish this week that I just couldn't get a photo of. So now I will have to re-create and document that later.

Today's dish is a quick, easy, skillet meal that you can make as big or small as you want. The first time I made it, it was good. The second time, I added honey which made it MUCH better, and the third time I traded the lemon for lime. The end result? Something truly tasty that can be made from leftovers in minutes.

Curried Quinoa Pilaf

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion (or 1/2 medium), chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon garam marsala
1/2 teaspoon yellow curry powder
The juice of 1/2 of a lime
1/4 cup diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1/3 cup cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup milk
1 Tablespoon nuts (I used pine, but walnuts, peanuts, and pecans would all be good)
1 Teaspoon honey
1 to 1 1/2 cup Quinoa

Heat olive oil in pan over medium to medium high eat.

Add onions and garlic, saute for a moment, until they start to turn translucent.

Add spices and lime. Continue to cook for a minute.

Add tomatoes, cook until the tomatoes start to juice. Then add the chickpeas, and cook for several minutes more.

Once everything has started to release moisture, add the milk. Stir and blend until the milk has been well combined and the sauce starts to turn a little thick.

Add the quinoa, heat. Then add the pine nuts and honey, stir well and saute for another couple of minutes.

Plate and eat. Top with fresh cilantro, if you desire.

This would be just as good with rice, if that is what you had on hand. Since rice is a bit more bland, you might want to reduce the amount of garam marsala slightly.

Portobello Mushroom Bruschetta and Rustic Pan Fried Potatoes

Tomato Bruschetta and Caprese are two of my most favorite things in the world. There's just something about that balsamic and tomato combo that sets my taste buds on fire. The juiciness of the fruit, sweet undertones in the flesh, and then tartness of the balsamic blends indescribably well. Really, it's such a simple pleasure that packs an unbelievable punch. Bruschetta is one of those things that varies greatly between recipes. Meat or vegetarian, cheese or dairy free, crusty or soft bread, Balsamic Vinegar or reduction...the neat thing about bruschetta is that the sky is the limit in creativity.

I started experimenting with my own by creating a finely chopped caprese. Which was okay - but I felt it was lacking. I mean, if I wanted a caprese, I was going to make a caprese. To balance the bread I wanted a depth of flavor that I wasn't quite getting with the relatively bland mozzarella. I thought I had it licked when I discovered balsamic reduction in a restaurant - but that was a very difficult thing to replicate. I was about ready to give up on making the perfect bruschetta, aside from my Mexican Variety.

During our Portland trip, I managed to pick up a mortar and pestle at a cooking store. I'd wanted one for so long, and I was just dying to try it out. One Sunday after we came back home, I was faced with fresh tomatoes, basil, and an idea. What if I were to crush some spices in the mortar and pestle, make a sort of paste, and then form that into a dressing? My Bruschetta was born.
The neat thing about this recipe and method is that you get an even dispersement of garlic/onion/balsamic/salt in every bite. You pound the flavors into submission so every taste is balanced. The vinegar soaks into the garlic, and the olive oil coats throughout - so you don't get that oil/vinegar division you sometimes see in a caprese. The mushrooms add a heaviness to the dish that leaves you feeling completely satisfied - this is a suitable meal and a wonderful appetizer.

Portobello Mushroom Bruschetta for 2-3 (or a really hungry tomato loving one):
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 Tablespoon chopped yellow onion.
1 Tablespoon fresh basil (or I cheated and used this, and it was surprisingly WONDERFUL! In the ingredients, it lists basil, marjoram, parsley, oregano, and thyme as the herbs included)
1 teaspoon of salt (you can add more at the end if you need more).
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons good balsamic vinegar
5 small (vine ripened) tomatoes
3 portobello mushroom caps.

In the oven, bake the mushroom caps at 350 until soft. If desired, sprinkle olive oil and a pinch of salt over the top before baking. Be careful to use a baking dish with sides, as the mushrooms will release water and that will make a smoky mess! My alarm company was not impressed.

Take mushrooms out and set aside.

In mortar and pestle, crush the garlic and onion together. Add salt and blend/smoosh. Add basil. Continue blending and smooshing. That's a technical term. It's also an indie band (the things you learn about on wiki - I was just trying to be a smartie pants.)

When everything is nicely combined, add olive oil, and blend, then add balsamic, and stir/smoosh until everything is well combined. Let sit.

Chop mushrooms into small pieces and place into a separate bowl.

Seed tomatoes and chop, then add to the mushrooms.

Pour mixture out of the mortar and pestle into the mushrooms and tomatoes. TASTE! Add balsamic, salt, and course ground pepper to taste.

Now, the bruschetta was wonderful, but (as a typical woman) - I wanted more.

Rustic Pan Fried Potatoes for 2-3

4-5 Red potatoes
1 small onion
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
course salt and pepper to taste (this puppy takes a lot of salt).
Water as needed.

Dice onions, mince garlic, and chop potatoes.

Place the Olive Oil in a pan set at medium. Toss in onions and garlic and let sizzle for a minute or so.
Add potatoes. Let the potatoes get a nice, pretty, brown color to them.

Add in spices, a dash of water for steam, and cover. Turn down to low.

Let potatoes cook until desired softness. Add more water if vegetables begin to burn and stick undesirably to the bottom.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Optional: a little lemon juice would probably add a nice complexity.

I served this with the 15 Minute French bread, this time made with bread flour instead of all purpose. I liked this better. It was heartier and the loaf held up better. I think I will try this in a loaf pan to see if I can get a good sandwich bread.

One last thing -all of these dishes can be made with significantly less oil for the fat conscious. The bruschetta flavors are most intensely balsamic vinegar and salt - the olive oil just acts to balance it. You could skip part or all, but be aware that there will be very little counteracting the bitterness of the balsamic. Keep this in mind as you add it to the tomatoes. In the potatoes, since you use the water to steam, you could use a little organic spray oil to coat the pan and keep it from sticking. You could also use a non-stick pan and eliminate the need for the oil all together. However, without oil, you won't get the pretty and tasty brown crust on the potatoes. It's a tradeoff, and it depends on how strict your diet is.

A Vegan Alternative to Sloppy Joes.

I recently purchased the cookbook Veganomicon, and finally got around to trying one of the recipes - Snobby Joes. It is a vegan take on the beef favorite. I have to admit. It was excellent. Instead of using a "fake meat" - you create the substance with lentils. It is a fairly quick meal and reheats well. It's also VERY pantry friendly, as the only fresh veggies are onions and green peppers.

Lentil Sloppy Joes - Inspired from the very wonderful cookbook Veganomicon.

1 cup uncooked lentils
4 cups of water
1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you like heat)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 small can of tomato paste
1/2 regular can tomato sauce.
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
bread from French bread, toasted if made the day prior.

(1) Boil the water and add the lentils. Cook until soft, 20 minutes or so.

(2) Use a bit of oil and cook onions and peppers until they start to soften. Also cook garlic if using fresh.

(3) When vegetables start to soften, add oregano, salt, garlic if using powdered, and cayenne pepper. Stir for just a moment, then add the sauce and paste. Let simmer on low for 10 minutes.

(4) Add the cooked and drained lentils. Let simmer on low for 10 or so.

(5) Add the syrup and mustard, let heat through.

(6) Slice bread in chunks, and then through the middle to get the bread like the picture.

Tastes even better the next day!

The VGT Omnivore's 100.

I was over visiting the Leftover Queen, and just loved one of her recent posts. "VGT" stands for "Very Good Taste," who is the original author of this list. There has been a follow up post written as well.

Here's how you play:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tar tare (unofficially - as that's not what my parents called it - but I'll claim it)
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding: I MIGHT do the sausage, but would not touch the pudding.
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna Cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S'mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaoline When I googled this, I got a whole host of ugly things.
64. Curryworst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis – there is a vegetarian version I would try.
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe Beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft Shell Crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Now, the meat things that I left on this menu are difficult for me. I left them blank, as given the right circumstances I would try them. However, I have some serious reservations about the meat industry and it would become an ethical thing for me. I don't have a problem with people eating meat, I have a problem with how some meat facilities treat their animals.

Also, there are several "spicy" things on this list. While I would try them - I am NOT a fan of fire flavor. Sooo...I'd probably make my husband get it and try his.

That aside, it seems I have a few things on my list that I would like to try. I think I will make that an effort in the coming years. I was surprised to find that I had tried some things, but without the official name.

Anyhow, how do YOU stack up on this list?

Not meeting budget this week.

Yesterday, I posted that I had $84 to spend this week on groceries.

I spent $118.

Darn. I hate it when numbers don't add up. It's like, a math hell.

Anyhow, on the good side, I only have to make it till a week from Monday. My meal plan took me through to Friday anyway. Soooo...I only have to come up with food for Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday we have a party to go to, but it's potluck so that will be more difficult as I will have to get the ingredients for something. However, I still have $34 to spend. If I make something uber cheap on Saturday night, figure out something cheap to make for the potluck (or something made with things I have on hand - ooooh, homemade pita bread and hummus?) I should be okay. I have to factor in buying some fresh fruit and milk for the kids at some point this week - those babies always come first.

I should mention (lest anyone feel sorry for me) - that this budget is more out of determination than need. We pay our bills, all is well, I just have this deep burning need to prove to my husband that I can stay within our grocery budget. Mostly because I never can most months.

So, meal plan, addition:

Saturday: Something with chickpeas - I bought a couple of peppers and unless I need them for something, I think I might try stuffing them with chickpeas and rice. If not that, then I can always toss the chickpeas on some of my French bread for a sandwich.

Sunday: Party. I'm digging the hummus idea as my friend is a middle eastern nut and would love it. I just saw some pita bread recipes online, so that might be just the ticket. If all else fails, I can pull out my French bread with some olive oil and dipping herbs, as that was a HUGE hit at the last party.

Monday: OFICIALLY SEPTEMBER - meal plan to follow! Whoo-hoo!

Meal Planning: 8/22 - 8/29 (post Fay)

So, it's a good week for tomato lovers at my local grocery store. Which makes me excited to try out a couple of recipes this week. I had them "almost" licked a few weeks ago. It's time for another round.

Friday: Something yummy whenever I get hungry as the husband is off preparing for football season (he officiates high school football).

Saturday: CHILDREN FREE PARTY!

No, I'm not at all excited to hang with adults for the evening.

Sunday: Roasted Portobello mushroom bruschetta

Monday: Something out of the freezer for the husband as I tutor.

Tuesday: Stuffed portobello mushrooms.

Wednesday: Leftovers for the husband as I tutor again.

Thursday: Tomato Orange Soup with bread. Cook up some chickpeas for Friday

Friday: Something yummy with some chickpeas. Curried? Asian style?

This week I only have $84 to spend. Can I do it? :)

Sunshine On a Rainy Day.

Our weather (and occasionally the power) has been affected by Tropical Storm Fay the last several days. As the tail end of it left the area this morning, I found myself feeling restless. I also found myself with a dozen and a half cupcakes and no idea what to do with them.

You see, friends, I am pushing ahead with this cake decorating bit. It's mostly discouraging, as I'm finding that increasing my decorating skills takes away from other culinary pursuits that are more pressing. Like, oh I don't know...dinner perhaps?

Two afternoons ago, my daughter asked for cupcakes. I had leftover butter cream from the last experiment, so I obliged. I found a wonderful chocolate cupcake recipe from The Dummy's Guide to Cake Decorating, and got to work. As a novice baker, I know I am missing the boat somewhere because my "yield 1 dozen" always yields AT LEAST twice that. As was the case with this batch. I had enough butter cream to frost the first dozen, but not the remaining 18. So, I threw them in a plastic bag (HUGE mistake, by the way) and left them for the next day. I had bags of butter cream frozen, so I planned on thawing and finishing with that.

Nearly 24 hours later, I thawed the butter cream and got out my frosting colors. I planned on decorating in the colors of the university my husband works for - as sort of a "hurray" to the new (school) year. For a variety of reasons, this effort failed. Not the least of which being the crumbly (yet moist) mess that the cupcakes had turned into while being stored in a bag.

Now, being the conservationist I am, I couldn't just throw these cakes away. They were FAR too good and I'd put FAR too much effort into them. Then, in an epiphany, I remembered a blog I had visited recently. It's as if that blog was a divine intervention, foretelling my cupcake disaster to come.

Bakerella is a wonderful goodies site that I encourage you to visit. I think I had seen it before, but just rediscovered it. These little cake pops really caught my eye, and I noticed that the base was just frosting and crumbled cake. Well, I sure had that, so I gave it a whirl.

Now, my first piece of advice would be to follow the directions explicitly. Like the whole dipping the stick FIRST and inserting into the cake would have made my life a LOT easier. As would have freezing the darn things. Just like the stereotypical lost man, I just didn't want to get directions and insisted on making my own way.

I also used what I had on hand, and not what Bakerella called for, as a grocery run in the middle of Fay was not in the cards. I used my crumbled cupcakes, my own butter cream, and white candy bark I had in the pantry. As I thought about the project, I got a bit curious about flavors and enhancements in the candy shell (as the cake and frosting were set). Out of my pantry I pulled flaked coconut, raw (brown) sugar, peppermint extract, coconut extract, and Christmas sprinkles. I found some hard peppermint candies too.

I mixed my cupcakes and frosting until I got a workable mixture. Then I got right to work. I should have used Bakerella's ideas and dipped the pop (or Kabob Skewer stick in my case) in melted candy, then the cake ball, and then frozen the whole thing. Instead, I tried to get right into dipping which turned into a big fat mess. However, I did manage. And I think I got some pretty results. These were the chocolate cake and frosting balls dipped in melted white bark flavored with coconut extract. I topped them with raw sugar and flaked coconut. In my case, I took each ball in my fingers and topped it with melted bark. Then I placed it on a plate (candy side up) and sprinkled it with sugar and coconut. When dry, I inserted a stick and then used a knife and my fingers to cover the underside of the ball. I was very careful to really douse the stick area with extra candy to sort of hold it in place - almost like a calking.
I sort of liked the snowball effect, which made me think of Christmas in September.
I topped two of these with sprinkles, and the third with crushed candy pieces. Also, the bark was flavored with peppermint extract - and this (in my opinion) was the superior of the two flavors.

I have to tell you, these turned out SWEET. I would use a less intense cake, softer flavored frosting (if that's possible), and save the sweetness for the candy shell. I also think that a lime cake and frosting pair would be wonderful - as the tartness of the citrus would cut down the sugar a bit. Regardless, they are BEAUTIFUL, and look really intense and different. I would also certainly buy more appropriate sticks and a better quality candy melt too. It likely would have made my dipping easier.

Oh, and follow the directions too. That's always good.

The easiest party dish ever.

Now grab a tortilla chip and dig in. Yum.

I had to bring in a "covered dish" for a summer staff development. Because of my own dietary needs, it also had to be low fat, vegetarian, and hearty enough to hold me if everyone else brought a meat dish.

I immediately thought of the layered bean dip I adopted from my mother. Now, she got this from a friend in Hawaii, and you have to be aware that this is a dish you can make as fatty or as healthy as you want. In my opinion (and the discerning taste of my husband) - the lighter version is just as delicious. Considering that it was completely eaten up before I left - I'd say that my fellow teachers didn't mind it either.

Layered Bean Dip

1 can re fried beans or bean dip (I use Old El Paso Fat Free).
2-3 avocados smashed with lime juice
1 Package Taco Seasoning (make your own?)
1 16 oz-ish tub of sour cream (I use fat free - you can use Greek yogurt, but it's not as good)
Diced tomatoes
Shredded cheese (I use 2% Mexican generally, never go fat free - it's terrible)
1 small can of sliced olives
3 scallions, thinly sliced in rings
jalepeno if you like them.

(1) Mix the tub of sour cream and taco seasoning together. Let sit for a while. It's fine to whip it up the night before - the longer it sits the better. In fact, if you get going and realize that the tub is just "too much" for the plate that you are making - keep the rest and use it as a vegetable dip. It's wonderful!

(1) Grab a large plate. Any shape, varied sizes, you will make the dip to it! I get the smaller of the two pizza pans I have (maybe 20 inches in diameter?), put down some aluminum foil to cover the holes (and make for easy clean up), and use that. I always have a little rim of plate around. To make it pretty, you can push chips in the sides at serving time to give the dip a fun "border." Even prettier with colored chips.

(3) Spread the beans down first, then the avocado mixture, followed by the sour cream. I like to leave the avocados more chunky (I like big hunks of avocado on my chips), but this is to your taste. I suggest trying the three bottom layers to decide what flavor suits you, and decide on proportions for that. The sour cream mixture is salty, so I wouldn't make that layer TOO thick.

(4) Now comes the tomatoes. Again, to your taste. I love how the tomatoes balance the salty flavor of the sour cream, so I use a fair amount here.

(5) The cheese, more means more calories, so you adjust to what you need.

(6) The final ingredients on top, to taste. (7) Enjoy with a good corn chip. I love Kettle's or Garden of Eatin's

For us, this is a completely reasonable dinner - especially during football season!

A little recognition is always nice.

In early July, a representative from Foodbuzz emailed me explaining that she saw that I had a food blog, and thought that I would be interested in their "Featured Publisher" program. After (what seems like) oodles of emails back and forth, the contract is in and my "widgets" are up. If you're not sure what a "widget" is (I sure wasn't) look to the left of the blog where you will see my new "featured publisher" badge and a Foodbuzz advertising spot. Neat-o, huh?

My main reason for wanting to do this was bring more readership to the blog. I really enjoy sharing my "niche" of knowledge with whomever wants to read it. By joining with Foodbuzz, I will be featured on their website and have more opportunities to share said knowledge.

Anyhow, if you're a veteran or newbie foodie, head over to Foodbuzz and see what's cooking. It's basically a community of foodies with LOTS of neat stuff to share. You're guaranteed to find something interesting, so give it a whirl.

Put some icing on that funny bone.

I've been really into cakes lately. I find myself wanting to create masterpieces, but since I'm working on flowers I can just drool for now.

Well, because of this new interest - I was dawn to a Food Network show called Ace of Cakes. Have you SEEN this show? It's a bunch of people, with personalities that I find insanely comfortable (like, I have been friends with these sorts of people my whole lives), that run and operate a cake company. I love their sarcastic, and sometimes morbid, creativity. I also love their passion for creation.

And really, I'm sorry I can't go work for them.

Kidding.

Sort of.

Anyhow, my husband just sent me here and I just can't stop laughing.

Really, there are no words.

Laptop Lunches

Instead of buying my daughter a beautiful new Princess lunch box, and my son one adorned with race cars, I invested in Laptop Lunch's Lunch box bento. These appealed to me for several reasons:

(1) They are made entirely from "safe" plastics. (Marked with recycle #5)

(2) The plastic has all been made in the USA.

(3) They're dishwasher safe plastics that can be used over and over (instead of tossed away like a plastic bag).

Here's the average lunch I pack for the family The first is for the kids, the second is a picture of my husband's lunch.


And this is of a yummy granola bar chock full of fruits and nuts for the husband.

I was expecting to use fewer plastic bags and feel good about the choices I was making for my family, but I also sort of expected my pre school to get a little annoyed with me. I'm used to being "that lady" at the grocery store with my reusable grocery and produce bags. But I have to live with the people at my fabulous pre-school. I've watched them take out individual snacks at snack time, and I worried that the compartments (instead of bags) would be an issue. On the first day we had them, I went into school and pulled my kids' teacher aside. I showed her how to open it, as some compartments don't have lids. You simply must sit it down before opening. I braced myself for an exasperated sigh, but instead I got "wow, that's SO cool!"

Huh?

Apparently, everyone at the pre-school loves them so much, that I had to give the name out to all the teachers and the owner. AND, they plan on giving out the information to other parents who may be interested.

So, long story longer, these are a huge hit for the kids, their school, and us too. We hardly even look at our plastic bags anymore. It's also nice to set out 4 boxes (one for each of the kids, and one for each of the adults) and just get lunch done for everyone all at once.

As a little note, the cooler bags and plastic thermoses in them are NOT made in the USA nor are they "chemical free." I weighed the costs and benefits, and decided that the food never touches the bag, and I need a bag capable of keeping their food cold while at school, so I purchased the lunch bag on the Laptop Lunch's website. I do not, however, use the associated thermos.

Meal Planning

It appears that this is a common search for many people that find my blog. So, I'm going to start this up again. I have continually done it, but sometimes my menus get (I'm embarrassed to admit) stale. I went through a stage of not feeling particularly creative, and well, gave up posting my boring plans.

As I said in a post on an earlier day, my most recent grocery run was $56. I am SO proud of that number, but it was out of necessity. We "front loaded" our foods by buying in bulk - which leaves me very little wiggle room to meet budget. $70/week to be exact. Now, I try to put two servings of fruit into my kids' lunch box every day, plus fruit at home (they're not crazy about vegetables). There's also the dairy to cook with, and that pretty much meets my budget. Now, the nice thing is that we don't eat meat, which means when I cook beans and rice all week, my husband is understanding. It's also nice that I have a WELL stocked pantry.

I plan Thursday - Thursday as that is when the new ads come out for my grocer. I plan based on sales as much as possible.

Thursday: I was recovering from an operation, so we just drummed something out of the freezer.

Friday: I've been whipped from this operation, but I managed to boil some gnocchi and toss some sauce over it

Saturday: Felt pretty good, whipped together some pasta with asparagus, lemon, and pepper, lightly sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Sunday: Black Beans and cilantro rice.

Monday: Leftovers (I tutor late Mondays)

Tuesday: Chickpeas and rice. I'm going to spice these up with something in my pantry, but not sure what. Curry, maybe? Make some bread for sandwiches on Wednesday!

Wednesday: Leftovers/chick pea sandwiches (chickpeas smashed with a little bit of mayo, dill relish, onions, and mustard on bread)

Thursday: Leaving this open. If I plan TOO much, I don't get to use my creative energies and then I have nothing to post on this blog. There are these vegan chickpea cutlets in Veganomicon.
I'm also curious about the lentil sloppy Joe's.

All of these dinners have been talked about - in some way or another - under the tag "What's for dinner." I highly recommend meal planning, as it really saves you from the "what's for dinner" stump at the end of a long day. It also keeps you from buying produce you don't need that ends up going to waste. You can save money by making sure you shop sales and maximize coupons. Really, in today's high cost food world, it's the best way to keep on track.

Friday: Hopefully we will go out for a "hooray, I survived the first week of school." But, if that hurricane cancels school for a day or so, I might be off all together.

Pretty cupcakes and summer review.

As the summer comes to a close, I am reminded of a post I made in the early moments. In it, I made some summer vows. Now, I knew I was taking a serious risk when posting that - I knew I held a solid chance of not being able to keep most (if any) promises.

The summer proved to be busier than most. In addition to my culinary goals, I made a few household ones as well. Another one of my passions (along with cooking, teaching, and greenification) is scrapbooking. The whole summer, I accomplished just one page. One. I am so far behind at this point, I fear I may never catch up! I was doing a few online courses for my job - one in teaching students of limited English proficiency and the other to boost my knowledge in reading education. Between those courses, chasing my kids around, and you all...well...that was pretty much my entire summer.

My comments in black, the goals in lavender.

(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.

I mostly managed this one, but not entirely. I never completely mastered the sandwich bread. I realized, after just the first loaf, that my pans weren't big enough. So, I purchased some larger ones. Then I realized my bread knife wasn't sharp enough to really cut the smaller slices suitable for PB&J's, so I bought another one of those too. Then we went on vacation.

Now, on my defense, I almost always have a loaf of this stuff sitting around. Which, incidentally, makes wonderful toasts, sides, and even "grown up" sandwiches. While the kids LOVE it plain, it's not so good for their lunches, which is why I tend to stick to Nature's Own Organic bread for them. At least until I can master the sandwich bread.

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

I did that this week, but the rest of the summer just seemed like such a drain. I'm not sure if it's because of the rising food prices or what - but we just can't seem to get our grocery budget under control without giving in and eating some processed foods that I just refuse to by. I think "well, maybe ONE week wouldn't hurt.." But then I think about how good we eat, and how good it makes me feel, and I just can't even do it. This week, I spent $56. And that included some water for the hurricane sitting out in the gulf. Now, we have a well stocked pantry, so all I really needed was produce and dairy. Still, I was quite proud of myself for that. And yes, there will be a lot of beans this week.

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

Did this, but I was less than impressed. I should try different recipes, including the full fat ones. I also want to learn how to make pita bread, as the stuff I buy in the store is terrible.

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

I tried it, but was not impressed. The problem was that it tasted burnt, as the balsamic reduction has to be done at a relatively low heat to avoid scorching. It was okay, but I didn't love it. I found precious little information about this process, so I was flying pretty blind. However, while this wasn't great, I found a wonderful way to make a thick balsamic dressing with my mortar and pestle that I will share as soon as I get the proportions down. I think it was about as good as the reduction, with much less work. It made AMAZING bruschetta.

(5) I will master the Panna Cotta recipe.

This was way too easy. It's milk jello. Boring. Now, there were some chocolate Panna Cotta recipes and interesting flavors that I want to try...

(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.

Okay, I managed this with gusto...if I do say so myself. If you want to see, click on the "vacation" link above. Or, go to the left where my other tags are, and click on "Oregon."

(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 .

I made a pretty good dent in this in June, not so much in July. Although, I'm finding that most of the food blogs I read aren't so good about posting every day, which makes me feel better! I also know that I write about more than just FOOD in here, but how to tend to a kitchen, how to serve your food, product reviews, and even restaurant reviews.

I also managed to do a few unexpected things this summer. Like, I began my quest in cake decorating.

These were my first attempts at decorating cakes. I decided to "start small" - small meaning cupcakes.

The cakes themselves weren't great. The first batch, chocolate, were terrible. These vanilla cakes left much to be desired. Now, I am not a cake fan exactly. I much prefer a good pie or cobbler, or even cheesecake. I'm just really tired of paying someone else to decorate a cake for my kids. I have a lot of mixed emotions over this as well, as I really hate the number of chemicals that go into the decorating bit. Which leaves me with a quandary: to decorate means more chemicals. To get good I need to practice, which means more decorating. What to do? I guess more research to see if there are organic ways to do it. I have a friend who uses fruits to create the butter cream colors, and even homemade marshmallows to create fondant. That might be a direction I have to go as I learn some of the techniques. Oh, and I must mention that this is all self taught - the cake decorating class in my area is from 12-2. Thanks, Michaels.

So, all in all - I think I get a B. I met a good number of my goals, exceeded expectations in other areas, but didn't quite do all that I said I was going to. I did increase my blog readership, which is a huge deal for me - so for all you faithful readers...thanks. I really enjoy knowing that you come here to read about my kitchen adventures.

Seitan Ribs, from the Fat Free Vegan

Yesterday, I wrote about a few new blogs. One of them was the fat free vegan, and that is the same blog that I got this recipe from.

As I said before, my husband is a meat substitute phobe. He raises an eyebrow at anything that is supposed to mimic meat. We've found a few good substitutes, but the default is always that he won't like it.

I had read bits and pieces about Seitan, and I was starting to feel pretty positive about it. Seitan is made from vital wheat gluten, which is the "binder" in breads. In fact, vital wheat gluten is something many bakers keep on hand for their baked goods. On one of the Weight Watcher boards, I followed a link for "ribz" and ended up at the Fat Free Vegan. She was writing about her Fourth of July feast, which included Seitan Riblets.

Let me start by saying that they really are quite tasty - and the husband did enjoy them! Let me give you a few tips that weren't clearly spelled out at the Fat Free Vegan's site:

(1) DO NO clean up vital wheat gluten with water. You know that rubber-cement like stuff on the back of tags taken off of magazines? That's sort of what VWG is like when wet. Dust it off, and just wipe off the residue. Oh...and be careful with your sink - I'm still trying to clean the sludge out.

(2) The instructions say "knead," but this doesn't mean "knead" like you would a loaf of bread. You can't stretch it out and pull it apart like you can bread dough. Instead, you want to keep the ball of Seitan together, just pressing down, then cupping the very spongy dough back together. Don't flatten and lop over like bread - Seitan doesn't worth that way.

(3) When you spread the Seitan into the pan, it takes some serious effort. I had to work the dough vigorously for quite some time to get it spread out in the pan. Don't give up - it will come together eventually.

Other than that, Seitan is amazingly simple and something we will be trying again! The whole pan is 20 points, so if you divide it into 4, that's 5 points a serving. It's a nice "go to" meal, as Vital Wheat Gluten is a shelf-stable ingredient that can be kept on hand for a substantive meal.

A few new links in my blog roll.

I find myself delving more and more into the world of foodiedom, and all the while finding foodie blogs to read for inspiration.

I'm also finding myself drawn more and more to vegan sites. While I'm not a vegan, I do like cooking like one.

The Fat Free Vegan is cool because it mixes weight watching with no meat. I find vegans to be disgustingly skinny (disgusting, like, I want to be just like them!) So, it's actually hard to find ones that focus on watching caloric and fat intake. Don't get me wrong - almost every vegan I've ever met is heath conscious. They're just not always calorie counting.

Post Punk Kitchen is done by a couple of well known vegans that have written the books Vegan with a Vengeance, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, and Veganomicon. I actually just picked Veganomicon up from the new bookstore in town, and I am way excited to try it out. What I love about these books is the wholesomeness often overlooked in veganism in favor of meat substitutes. I love how most everything is natural. Already the spicy tempeh sushi has completely caught my eye.

The Vegan Dad: who DOESN'T love a Dad who can cook?

I have a few more blogs that I've added that are neither vegan nor vegetarian:

A Veggie Venture is just an all around great site totally focused on vegetables with lots of references to Weight Watchers.

The Gourmet Momma is another Mom that loves to cook. I completely identify with these sorts of blogs and felt at home when I opened it. There are lots more Foodie Mommy Blogs there too.

I think that I just have Oregon on the brain right now, but I'm loving Northwest Noshing. I especially love that he reviewed Mother's, as I recently did the same after my trip up north.

Anyhow, a few more good reads for you while I gear up for the new school year. Then it won't be so noticeable when I don't post everyday! (I hope, I hope..)

Two vegetarian finds.

My husband is a fake-meat phobe. Seriously. When we became vegetarians, his one stipulation was that I don't try to force "matrix meat" into him. Consequently, I mostly try to cook without it.

A good friend (vegetarian) had a super bowl party. She had this chili dip that I tasted (thinking that it had no meat), and found myself a little upset that I tasted hamburger. Later, I heard her say it had no meat, and that she used a Boca crumble. The husband and I enthusiastically agreed that we couldn't tell the difference.

A bit later, I read about how wonderful these frozen vegan riblets were. I got a little curious and bought them one day - and low and behold - they WERE good. They taste remarkably like meat, the sauce is wonderful, and they're way low in points weight watcher points (I want to say 3 or so, but double check if you're on weight watchers).

Well, the vegan riblets went over so well, I decided to try the meatballs. And you know what? They were really good too! And only two points per serving (6 whole meatballs)!

This has given me the gumption to try seitan, which is on the menu for this week (oh...I really should get back into doing that on here...mental note). My husband is definitely feeling more open to them, so I better capitalize.

As an aside, the Tofurky franks are pretty much awful. Don't even bother.

Rustic Vegetable Tomato Sauce over Heart Shaped Polenta

This is a Portland-trip inspired meal. Both in the ingredients and the methods.

While in Oregon, on the tour, we went to a wonderful kitchen supply store. While there, we were introduced to the wonder and beauty of ceramic blades. We sat around the store's open "classroom" while the chef showed us how effortlessly she was able to slice and dice. I was in love, and gave my husband the "big eyed" look. You know the one, ladies. It says "please buy this for me, and I swear I'll make you a happy man."

Oh, get your mind out of the gutter. I meant with a good meal. This is a family blog.

I kid. Sort of. Har, har.

ANYHOW, we came out of said kitchen supply store with two products.

(1) A serrated peeler from Messermeister. Why serrated over a regular peeler? Well, from the website, the blade"allows you to not only grip wet vegetables and peel them with ease, but also allows you to peel tomatoes, grapes, eggplants, ginger and more!"

Check THESE babies out:
It was really a wondrous thing to watch the ultra thin tomato peel just pull away from the flesh, and then fall into the sink. The brilliant color inside the tomato made me want to paint my kitchen an even redder shade (it's currently burgundy).

Okay, my tenth grade English class, where I had to learn to write "descriptively" completely came rushing back to me right there. But I digress...

(2) I couldn't go home without my new slicer (I just have the double edged mandoline) from Kyocera. This is a company that will get many, MANY more dollars from me in the not-so-distant future. In fact, since we have returned to Florida we have purchased a new knife. The review of which I will save for a later date.

If you can't quite comprehend my affinity for the new ceramic blades, then feast your eyes on these puppies:

It took me just seconds to slice the mushrooms and zucchini into the brilliantly thin pieces you see here. It was effortless to simply slide the zucchini back and forth (the double edge) - and with the mushrooms I was able to use the "grabber" that the slicer comes with. It really helped out with the tomato sauce, as things cooked quickly and the thin nature made everything "flow" together nicely without being overcooked.

Now, this last picture is the product of a tool that I have been using for some time. It's one of those "buy on TV" products that actually work. Although now you can get it in many more places besides on TV. When using the product, you put in your attachment (large chunks or "dice"), then you press the top down, forcing the vegetable onto the blade, and voila! Perfectly chunked pieces. I use this ALL the time for just about anything you can imagine. IN FACT, just the other day I was making granola bars, and needed to chop my whole dried fruit into tiny pieces. This thing worked like a charm. The neat part is the container that holds all the onions and green peppers until you are ready to add them. So, I went ahead and started the oil, then poured the peppers, onions, and diced garlic (also in there, but on the bottom) and got that cooking. THEN I chopped tomatoes. Worked like a charm.

Rustic Vegetable Tomato Sauce over Heart Shaped Polenta

Now, I can't totally take the credit for the idea here. It's based on a dish a dear old friend (and FABULOUS designer) whipped up for us while in Oregon. My husband loved it, so I simply had to recreate it. When I had this new slicer to use, and peeler, and all the ingredients came up on sale - it was like a giant sign telling me to give it a whirl.

Step One: make polenta. I used this ingredient list, but I didn't follow the instructions exactly. Instead of a loaf pan, I spread it out into a jelly roll pan, about 1/2 of an inch thick. Then I placed that in the fridge and waited until it cooled (2 hours, you want it COLD). When done, I used a heart shaped cookie cutter and made the cut outs. You could use whatever shape you want, festive, creative, hand carved - whatever. When you have the cut outs - put each piece in a medium-hot skillet (nonstick works best) oiled with spray or olive oil. Cook for a few minutes on each side, until the polenta turns a golden color and it's warm on the inside of each piece. I would save the frying step for absolutely last. Do it while the sauce is simmering.

Step Two: Make sauce:

Ingredients:

- Any vegetables you have on hand. I used mushrooms, green peppers, and zucchinis. This made a nice and "meaty" sauce without having to add the meat. A good rule of thumb is about a cup of each of three different types of vegetables. If you have fewer to add, increase the amount of what you have. My girlfriend adds prosciutto to this. If I were to cook with it, I would add it with the onion mixture.

- one large onion, diced.

- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced.

- 2 pounds of tomatoes, peeled and diced.

- 1 small can of tomato paste.

- vegetable broth as needed.

- 1 Tablespoon of fresh basil

- salt and pepper to taste.

In a heavy skillet or large pot, add just enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add onion, peppers, and garlic. Cook until they start to soften and turn translucent.

Add tomatoes. Cook down over medium heat or medium high heat. This will take 10-15 minutes. You want the tomatoes to lose their shape and look saucy.

About 5 or so minutes after adding the tomatoes, add the rest of the vegetables. This is a little unconventional, but I simply hate mushy zucchini.

Add can of paste, and broth to desired consistency. I hate to give an amount here - as the ripeness of your tomato will totally change this. The more water that exists within the tomato - the thinner your sauce will be. You're going for something chunky and thick - not a thin spaghetti sauce.

Let cook for several minutes, then add all spices. Let simmer for another 5 - 10 minutes to let all the flavors meld. Watch for mushy vegetables!

Spoon over fried polenta. Sprinkle with Parmigiana Reggiano (or another tasty cheese) and enjoy!

Note that a host of other starches (rice, brown rice, quiona, or maybe some gnocchi) would serve just fine. In fact, I liked the sauce by itself!

I've had a request...

A while ago, we had friends over. I decided to try Pavlova, and was worried it would turn out weird, so I decided to try these cookies as well. The cookies were a total back up plan, but the Pavlova turned out so good I didn't need them. They're sort of a smattering of various different ingredients and recipes I'd picked up along the way. Trying to keep my Weight Watcher program in check, I sent the cookies away to my husband's office. Apparently, today, he was asked to get the recipe. Mind you that I sent the cookies in some time ago. So, not wanting to keep something requestable to myself, I decided to share.

Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies with an Orange Glaze.

Cookies:

1 cup softened unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1-1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cups dried cranberries

Glaze:

2 T orange juice
1 T orange zest
confectioners sugar to desired consistency.

Method:

(1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

(2) With mixer or in large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs and extracts. Cream together well.

(3) Mix the flour, soda, and salt together in a bowl or large Ziplock bag. Add that (slowly) to the creamed ingredients until just mixed.

(4) Stir in the oats, nuts, chips, and cranberries. It's best to do this by hand (in case you are using a mixer), as the mixer will disintegrate the chips quite effectively.

(5) Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes before moving to wax paper or wire rack. I like to have two sheets going - one in the oven, one for cooling/refilling, so there is always a new dozen until all the batter is used.

(6) While the first batch of cookies is baking, mix together the orange juice and zest, then add the powdered sugar. You want it thick enough that it won't slide off the cookie, but thin enough that you can "lob" it across for a neat pattern.

(7) With cookies still warm, take a regular spoon, spoon a scant spoonful of the frosting, point the spoon down, and then move your hand back and forth quickly. Ribbons of glaze should leave the spoon and land on the cookies. Don't get too vigorous - lest you think it's fun to clean glaze off your walls. Keep on truckin' until you reach the desired amount of frosting. Make more as you need it.

(8) Try to keep your hands off them.

In a hurry...

The summer is coming to a close. Which means the kids are headed back to preschool, I am trying to wrap up loose ends around the house, and I'm pulling out all my materials for the school year.

I have some new tools that I desperately want to share with you, but for today I will simply share a find.

Furikake is a Japanese rice seasoning made with a variety of ingredients. I choose the one with no meat products in it - so nori (seaweed), flavoring, and sesame seeds. If you're like me, and never quite developed a taste for soy sauce over rice, or you just want something different, this is a great fine. It's sort of like sushi in a jar.

For the last couple of days, I've been taking a cup of rice (4 points) and chopping up things to go on top, then flavoring with furikake. Think of it like a sushi bowl instead of rolled. Tasty, healthy, and easy on the diet.

You can find it in many Asian food stores or online. Just Google "furikake" and you will see what I mean.

I have a work thing tomorrow, but maybe I will be able to scoot in and talk about this chunky, rustic homemade tomato sauce I created with two of my new favorite tools.

Portland, Oregon: Odds, ends, and a wrap up.

So, as you can read, our Portland trip was really fantastic. Our family is planning on heading out there permanently as soon as the economy and housing market allows. It's green and luscious, with just the right about of "big city feel" without the "big city hassles." Really, I've not found too many other places with the richness inside of the Portland Metro area.

A few odds and ends:

(1) If you go, make sure to utilize the MAX line. Traffic in Portland and on the surrounding highways can be horrific. We love the MAX.

(2) Do yourself a favor and do not drink at Starbucks if you can all avoid it. There are a multitude of local and privately owned coffee shops that have a better feel and better coffee. One that we didn't try, but I've heard phenomenal things about, is Stumptown coffee.

(3) Seeing that this is a family blog, done by a teacher, I generally try to avoid alcohol references. However, I can't completely ignore the rich culture of fine beers and wines in the area. Do research this if you are headed out there, and feel free to email me if you have any questions or need advice.

(4) Most grocers have responded to the local demand for organic and natural foods. Fred Meyers is probably the best place to go for reasonably priced organics. Safeway and Haggens are also good, but Safeway is smaller and Haggens is more expensive (but it's also more local). If out there, buy as much as you can from farmer's markets, farmers stands, and supplement the rest at a grocery store. One really nice thing at Fred's is the great selection of organic and natural beauty and personal care - it's more of a "superstore".

(5) If you can, please, please, please enjoy the outdoors while in Oregon. We didn't get a chance with our youngins' - but I hope to change that the next time we are out there. There are tons of biking, river, and hiking options out there. Oh - and the MOUNTAINS. The MAJESTIC mountains! (By the way, this picture was taken on a tram just minutes from downtown Portland. See how green everything is?) (6) Ever hear of Bob's Red Mill? They're a distributor for natural grain, wheat, rice, flour, and more. You can find the products in most grocers and on Amazon. The company is located in Oregon, and they have an outlet store right off the highway. I just love their "back to basics" philosophy in stone milling. They have a significant number of gluten free options for those needing that. This is SO worth a visit if you're a foodie.

Yes, the Portland area is quite the place, and I was very sad to leave. A few closing pictures: The "two kids" not so much in a kitchen. This is one of my parent's gardens. I love how easily things grow out there with little to no trouble. I have friends who have dabbled in Organic gardens in Florida, with little success. The sun torches EVERYTHING here - including the herbs I tried to get going. Green grass. This is assisted a little this time of year - but for the bulk of months the grass stays a pretty green with very little maintenance. To keep our grass nice in Florida, it often takes oodles of water and lots of chemicals. We opt for neither, but to try and sell the house we will have to work to get our lawn in shape. I wish it was "vogue" down here to be green and have no lawn, but , c'est la vie. Just a pretty flour.

I'm looking forwards to my next couple of posts, where I will be sharing my new kitchen "tool" finds. The eBay purchase JUST showed up today - and I am excited to get cooking!