Great Starts..

I'm fairly certain my husband and I fell in love over breakfast. Not a particular breakfast...just breakfasts in general.

You see, there are many people out there who skip breakfast. Maybe they are short on time, or cutting calories, or just can't eat a big meal first thing. My husband and I do NOT fall into that category. I will happily eat carrot sticks and salad for dinner and lunch, so long as I started the day with a hearty breakfast. While many couples start their relationship on fancy dinners, the husband and I found ourselves at Denny's. And no, this wasn't after some late-night rendezvous (get your head out of the gutter). It's just something about the meal that started a perfect day.

In the early period of our relationship and marriage, we also ate meat. A typical "good" breakfast usually included bacon or sausage. I learned to make a pretty mean gravy, too. You can imagine that breakfast lost some of the luster when we swore off meat over a year ago.

Several weekends back, I wanted to make something different for breakfast. Pancakes are great, but I was looking for hearty and savory. I got the idea to re-create a gravy using vegetarian ingredients - basically making a white sauce with the right herbs. As it turns out, it hit all the right notes.

The Biscuits.

I used the recipe here, but substituted butter for shortening. What I LOVE about this recipe is how quick and easy it is. No kneading, rolling and cutting. And really, if you're just smothering it with gravy - who cares how uniform it is?

The Gravy:

1/2 a stick of butter
3 heaping tablespoons of flour
about a 1/4 cup of finely chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced or grated on a micro-plane
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Milk to thin
Salt and pepper to taste
If desired: Morning star crumbles (for a more "sausage like" consistency)

1. Melt butter in heavy bottomed pan, add onions, and saute until translucent

2. Add garlic, sage, and thyme and saute for about a minute more.

3. Add flour, and with a whisk, saute until it turns lightly golden and bubbly.

4. Add milk to desired consistency. Add crumbles (if desired) and heat. Salt and pepper to taste.

To serve - crack the biscuits in half and smother with gravy. If the potatoes look good to you, I just chopped up some red potatoes, tossed with some olive oil and grated garlic, and baked in the same oven as the biscuits (450 for 20-30 minutes). Salt when done.

Sauteed Potatoes with or without eggs.

Psst...is anyone out there?

Another all too-long blog hiatus for me. I really don't have an excuse this time. Life has gotten easier as this time of year is generally more relaxed. No holidays to contend with, a break in the requirements of teaching, and a necessary hiatus in spending usually means more time at home. For whatever reason, however, I have not been feeling the blogging mojo. I think part of it was the fact that I've been eating really yummy healthy unprocessed stuff. But it's nothing gourmet. Carrots and hummus pretty much rock, but I don't want to do a blog post about it. Maybe I'll just start taking pictures of it all...and post the pictures! At least then you'd have something to drool over.

One thing we have been doing is planning our annual trip out to Portland, Oregon. This has got me thinking about Mother's Bistro, a fabulous little restauraunt right in downtown. Trust me when I say that this place is on the list of "must dos" while out west.

Until we get there, however, I wanted to share a recipe adapted from a dish at Mother's. It works wonderfully for breakfast or brunch, but has a stewy-feel that would work for dinner too.

Red Potatoes and "Gravy" (Serves a really hungry 2-3, maybe can be stretched to 4 with sides)
4- 5 red potatoes cut in bite-sized, even, pieces
1 medium onion
1 green pepper
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup Morning Star starters crumbles (can be omitted) - just makes it a bit more filling
pepper to taste
salt to taste
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/4 cup nutritional yeas flakes
soy or regular milk. 1/2 cup.

In hot skillet, throw down around a tablespoon of EVOO. Sautee peppers and onions with 1-2 cloves of garlic (minced or crushed) and some salt.

When cooked and transluscent (don't burn the garlic!), toss in potatoes, thyme, seasoning salt, and sage, then cover. The extra liquid in the vegitables should help steam the potatoes. Turn down heat so has not to evaporate liquid.

When potatoes are nearly cooked through, add in the crumbles (if desired) and nutritional yeast flakes. When the crumbles are heated, add in the milk. If the "gravy" formed by the potatoes and milk looks too thick, feel free to add more milk.

In a new skillet (preferably non-stick), break eggs after oiling. When the whites turn opaque, add a tablespoon of water and cover. Let the eggs cook over, leaving the yokes looking opaque but still very runny. Remove from heat and plate: potatoes underneath the runny eggs.

This can be easily veganized, as the eggs aren't necessary. I also think it's better with soy milk!

A great weekend comes to a close...

... and I am exhausted. Happy, but exhausted. Much loved an appreciated family came into town this weekend, and in typical "me" style I planned menus and cooked up a storm. They left satisfied, so I guess I did my "job." I really didn't push myself too hard - the menu left itself open to socializing as well as working. And, lets be real here, I love making a fuss for people in the kitchen. I made tomato soup and panini on Friday night, pizza on the grill Saturday (Love that FL winter weather), and for breakfast this morning I made waffles and scrambled eggs.

Although we didn't have this today, it would have been a perfect addition to a guest brunch. Especially this time of year, people like to eat healthy. This is easily accomplished by eating fresh (versus processed). Today, we piled fresh, halved strawberries on top of our waffles - but a side of fruit salad would have been just as apropos.

I'm sorry that this one is short. We have had one HECK of a week over here, and the old blogging energy is a little low today. Next week is finals, but hopefully I'll be able to sneak in another post before the week's out. That is, unless, we have another unexpected drama pop up early.

Berry-Pom fruit salad

Blackberries (or any sort of berry, really)
"clementine" orange segments (readily available during winter)
banana
Pomegranates

Dressing: lemonade (enough to coat fruit), touch of honey (sweeten to desired taste and calorie level), and a couple of pinches of garam masala. Mix well, then pour over fruit. The Pomegranate idea came from a middle-eastern family that I used to tutor for, as did the garam masala. It adds an interesting complexity and depth to an otherwise predictable fruit salad!

It doesn't hurt that it's pretty too.

Holiday Crepes.

Welcome back from the holiday! I hope yours was as phenomenal as ours. It was probably the best we've ever had with the kids. It really is a wonder as they get older.

Shortly, I will be posting our holiday dinner traditions, but first I thought I would post our holiday breakfast traditions.

My father and sister were both born on Christmas Eve, which means they pretty much controlled the day. Consequently, Christmas was on CHRISTMAS. Now, my husband, the product of an airline family, usually had Christmas on the Eve. Why? Because it was far easier to get the Eve off from flying than the day itself (everyone wants the day off). Upon marrying, we also married our traditions. We still do the kids on Christmas, but I really make a two day event out of the holiday. We do a fancy, labor intensive, Christmas Eve breakfast. However, Christmas Day I make something simpler and meant for nibbling. Something grab-able between gifts. For Christmas this year, I made a crumb cake. I was less than impressed. But for Christmas Eve, I made our traditional crepes.

On the 23rd, I make the batter. It sets over night in the fridge. It's nothing crazy, and found in my cooking bible, Fannie Farmer.

Whip up two eggs, and 1 cup of milk.
Add in 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1 cup of flour.
Add two Tablespoons of melted butter.
Cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Overnight in the fridge is fine.
Just give it a good whisk when you get up.
Can easily be doubled (I do every year)

In a hot, 5-7 inch skillet (or crepe pan), melt a dab of butter. Pour in several teaspoons of batter and swirl the pan around to get it to coat evenly. You want this over medium heat. Once the pancake is cooked through - flip and cook for right around 10 seconds. Place aside and cook the rest.

We fill ours with strawberries, but bananas and savory fillings will rock your holiday too! My daughter's (down below) just had syrup and whipped cream. You can truly let your imagination GO with crepes - nearly any combination is tasty and FESTIVE. Even though crepes really take just a tad more work than pancakes, the results seem so....polished.

I used to roll the crepe - but then I just went to the quarter fold and spooned fruit over the top. MUCH easier - and just as pretty!
So go make you family some post-holiday crepes. Who says you need a special reason!?

62 days?!? How about some Apple Butter?

62 days? How on earth has 62 days come and gone without so much as a hint at my blog?

It has been a busy fall at our house. Thankfully, it has also calmed down a great deal. I was tutoring in the evenings twice a week. While the money was nice (really nice, in fact) - I can see now that it just wasn't worth it. My kids still ask me, daily, if when I pick them up we're going home or to meet Dad so I can go tutor. I tell them - EVERY DAY - Mommy isn't tutoring any more. It's like they're traumatized. They jump up and down, whooping their arms, when I announce that Mommy is taking them home. Causes a little bit of remorse, you know?

The children aren't the only one showing signs of neglect. For the first week or so after tutoring ended, my husband told me several times each night: "I'm happy that my wife is back, I was tired of spaghetti." Okay...okay...I get it. Mommy doesn't get to work additional hours. It may not be a "woman's" place - but the home is certainly MY place. Don't get me wrong, I love teaching - and it enriches my daytime. It's just that half the reason that I got into teaching was the schedule. I had forgotten that motivation, and got a little greedy. It's not all bad though - I socked enough money away to get family annual passes to Universal Studios!

Whatever the fall was like, winter is looking better. My house is clean, I'm caught up in my classroom, and I'm finding time back in the kitchen again. Upon urging from my husband, and a few loyal, neglected, readers, I thought I should return here as well. Refreshed, renewed, and ready for THE season!

I have some goodies coming in the weeks ahead - my annual fudge, bar cookies, and this year I will be trying peppermint sticks! I have some tried and true recipes, a few new finds, and some carrots screaming to be made into a cake. But this is all "planned" not created. In other words, there are no drool-worthy photos or treats to share...today.

What I DO have, friends, is apple butter. Yummy, yummy, apple butter - made easy. In a crock pot. Now, the downside is that you do have to devote the day to apple butter making. But, it's low mess, low energy, and high YUM factor!
Got this here.

5 1/2 pounds Granny smith apples
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ginger

First, prepare the apples. Loyal readers will remember my list from awhile back. I got an item on my list early - in preparation for Thanksgiving pie making. The peeler/slicer/corer made quick work of most of the apples. I just had to run a knife through the slices for a good chop. It was a pretty rough cut, I didn't take too much time chopping the slices - and they were not in pretty, uniform pieces.

Then, in a BIG bowl, mix everything above together. I found two clean hands worked best for this job.

In a crock pot (no small ones, a medium to large), set on high for one hour. Then on low for 9 - 11 hours. Stir occasionally, more as the apples break down. Over time, you will see the mixture go from apple pieces, to a sauce, to a smooth apple sauce. Use a whisk to assist in this process of making things smooth and spreadable. Then, as you cook it longer it will turn that lovely brown, apple butter color. Might I suggest that you consider tasting it once the apples break down into a smooth sauce. I really thought this apple butter needed a bit more spice. If you like it more apple-like, then this will be just fine.

It makes a real lot, so canning, gifting, or freezing will likely be in order. Unless you have a big family, or REALLY like your apple butter!

Consider serving with french bread, either warm and fresh, or day old and toasted with butter. It's perfect either way!

Almost Gibassier...ALMOST.

On a recent tour in the city of roses, I was introduced to a french "pastry" called Gibassier. I say "pastry" as it doesn't meet the American standard of it. When we think of a pastry - we think a danish, or maybe a croissant. Certainly not a bread based, faintly sweet, roll.

Oh, how we miss out.

Well, upon trying the Pearl Bakery's creation - I went on a mission to find a recipe. And I DID! However, in the absence of orange water, I have delayed the re-creation. Until, that is, I found the Artisan Bread book.

In surfing through, I found a recipe for Sweet Provencal Flat bread with Anise Seeds. It contained Anise and Orange - two of the central ingredients in my beloved Gibassier. It didn't look EXACTLY the same (it lacked the candied orange peel) but it did look close...so I bought the rest of the ingredients and gave it a whirl.

It wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, but with a little tweaking it could be. I just adore the licorice flavor of the anise, but I would like more complementary orange flavor. I think next time, I will up the sugar a little and add the candied orange peel. Hopefully then I will be able to mimic the flavor of the amazingness that is Gibassier.

Sweet Provencal Flat bread with Anise Seeds (makes 4 1 - lb loaves or 8 + smaller loaves)

2.25 cups water
1/2 cups orange juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1.5 tablespoons granulated yeast
1.5 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon whole anise seeds
1.3 cup sugar
Zest from an orange
6.5 cups all purpose flour.

Mix the wet ingredients with a spoon, add in the flour. Use hands if necessary, and let rise and fall over the course of two hours (or more if necessary).

Use immediately, or chill for up to 14 days. I let it chill over night, which made it easier to shape.

Roll about 1/4 of it into a ball, then roll that out onto a well floured surface, about 1/2 inch in thickness.

Now, this is where my instructions differ from theirs. They require a pizza peel and a bread stone. I have neither, so here is what I did.

I greased a pan, cut the above loaf into 4 triangular pieces, and placed them on a greased sheet. Then I dusted the top of each loaf with a hefty amount of table sugar, and let rise for about 15 minutes.

I placed in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 18 minutes each, until they turned golden brown. The pan was on the middle rack, but below it was a broiler pan. Before putting the bread in, I added 1 cup (plus a little) water to the broiling pan. The steam gave the bread a nice sheen.

When done, I lightly buttered the top of each loaf, and then sprinkled more sugar on the top. Then I let it cool on a rack.

The result is something apropos for a brunch or breakfast.

Heck, I'd eat Gibassier all day long given half a chance.

Homemade Filled Doughnuts. With Chocolate.

So, the Queen has mentioned the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day in her posts. Consequently, I had it in my "cue" of books to purchase. A couple of weeks back, I decided to pursue some "retail therapy." Well, like any other good foodie...I didn't find myself a good pair of shoes, or great purse. Instead, I went ahead and grabbed two cookbooks I had been eying. The bread cookbook being one of them.

I dutifully surfed through them searching for the first two items to sample. I will post about the OTHER item in the coming days, but I have to tell you - both turned out wonderfully! I am so excited to sample all the other great recipes.

Today's item is a pastry, and I think I was attracted to this "different" sort of bread. They are similar to something I make on New Years called an Okinawan Doughnut. The only difference is those are made with Soda and Powder as leavening agents, while this recipe is made with yeast.

Oh, and these have chocolate. Therefore, these are FAR superior.

Homemade filled Doughnuts, From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Brioche Dough, as written in the book. I would half this (makes 4 1 lb loaves as written):

1.5 cups lukewarm water
1.5 tablespoons granulated yeast
1.5 tablespoons salt
8 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup honey
1.5 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
7.5 cups flour.

With a spoon, mix all wet ingredients together. Then follow with the flour. The dough is REALLY wet (like you did something wrong) because as it chills it sets up better. I actually added another half cup of flour to make myself feel better. I would probably (in hindsight) add another half cup to make it easier to work with later.

Let rise until it falls on itself. Over two hours. Then chill for awhile. Overnight is probably best, but you can let it sit in the fridge for 5 days.

When you're ready to rock, take a pound of the dough (a quarter of it, if made as written), and roll out on a well floured surface in a rectangle. Make 2 by 2 inch squares with a pizza cutter, place 5 or 6 chocolate chips in the middle of each piece, and gather the sides up. Pinch away, use some water if you need it to close everything up.

Let sit while you heat your oil to 360 or 370 (I kept it sort of low to make sure it didn't get too hot too quick). You're deep frying, so fill the pan accordingly.

Drop in as many as your pan can comfortably hold. I used a dutch oven, and added 6 or 7 at a time. Don't overcrowd! Let them turn golden brown, flip, and let them get golden on the other side. I actually found that they flipped themselves...which was sort of cool.

When they're done, let them dry on paper towels. Then I heavily dusted them in powdered sugar.

Great brunch or afternoon tea treat.

New Photos of my Tropical Crunch Muffins

So, a very nice reader named Dan recently tried my Tropical Crunch Muffins, from an old post of mine. I have been tossing photos up at photograzing lately, so some of my older creations are getting reborn.

I wanted to make sure everyone gets a chance to go look at his beautiful photos of the process:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bephf/sets/72157607081476952/

Thanks, Dan - for your GOOD EATS!

Oh - and for yesterday's recipe - all interested parties should note the correction I made. I missed the "2" in 3.25 cups of warm water. Whoops! This is why I'm not launching satelites for NASA. Whatever the case, I corrected it today, so the post is fine as it stands.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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'.

Wrapping up the long weekend.

What a positively lovely weekend it was!

Last night, I did make up the breakfast cookies and banana bread, as planned. Unfortunately, it was an evening of "oooops" mistakes and "darn" I don't have any of that ingredient.

Breakfast cookies: These turned out pretty well. I managed NOT to mess it up, but I didn't have the cheerios nor the rolled oats. I instead used rice crispies and quick-cooking oats. I figured this was better anyway, as the quick cooking oats are always in the oatmeal cookie recipes I find. I also topped each cookie with a simple frosting/glaze (just water and powdered sugar). I have found that my picky three year old will eat nearly anything with frosting on it. I gave her a bite last night, she told me it was good, yet tried to tell me she didn't like it this morning. I told her it was what we were having for breakfast this week, so "tough cookies..." No pun intended, of course!

Low fat banana bread: This was a HUGE oops. I added TWICE the buttermilk called for. I caught it just as I was ready to spread into the loaf pans - and added the last little bit of white flour that I had (1/4 cup) to remedy it. I then poured it into pans and hoped for the best. It WORKED! In fact, it is so good, I am hesitant to make it as written in the future. Let me add that I didn't have buttermilk, so I looked up alternatives online and found that you can "make" buttermilk by adding 1 tsp of vinegar to a scant 1 cup of milk. I put in 1 1/3 teaspoon and filled with milk up until the 1 1/3 line. The vinegar actually mixed with the baking powder in the dry ingredients to make a wonderfully spongy banana bread; an effect that I'm not sure could be mimicked with regular buttermilk. I ended up using 2% milk, but had I used the fat free, the only fat would been the small amount in the oil and the natural fat in the bananas.

Chickpeas: They are done and in my fridge. Just as I said, I boiled them with a tablespoon of thyme leaves, 1 tablespoon of rubbed sage, 2 tablespoons EVOO, and salt to taste. Now they will be ready for salads and rice for the week.

Pizza: We grilled it tonight, as scheduled. What was NOT scheduled? Running out of white flour. So, I made a "Colorado style" pizza instead, just changing the white flour out for wheat. I found that I needed slightly less flour, but it cooked up just the same. As any Coloradoan would dictate, we dipped the crusts in honey once the cheese and tomato sauce had been eaten off each piece. The kids LOVED it! I think my husband found himself right at home, too.

On top of the cooking and eating going down, my husband and I are working on some green changes as well. Amazon.com is having a Memorial Day Sale, and Pyrex dishes are part of it. If you have considered giving up on some of your plastic pieces, now would be a good time to toss some Tupperware and go with glass. Pyrex is made in the USA, and it's not plastic.

The world's most perfect breakfast food, made more perfect.

On Monday, I posted about the world's most perfect breakfast food. Well, as I typed, I went ahead and froze probably a batch and a half in individual servings. When I brought home strawberries and bananas, the husband eyed me. No, he wasn't propositioning me - he was hoping that I would make my new specialty.

Inspired, in part, by a great restaurant we frequent for breakfast...and, in part, by a creation my father turned me on to long before I knew my husband....I let my creativity take hold and made a to-die-for breakfast.

Take two -three pancakes, pile lots of fresh fruit (whatever you like). Right now strawberries and bananas are available and what we like, but you can choose whatever turns your taste buds. Mangoes, pineapple, and peaches all make me salivate. Then stack whipped cream (high cal) or low fat/fat free vanilla yogurt (low cal), some shredded coconut, and dust some powdered sugar. Notice I totally left off butter - who NEEDS it with all the flavors this has going? We also like the crunch of the nuts - you can add whatever you prefer. I did pine nuts this morning because they're a little lighter than macadamia nuts (which is what I used last weekend). If in Oregon, I would use hazelnuts (oh, how I MISS hazelnuts). Walnuts would be good to - almonds don't really do anything for me, and peanuts wouldn't work. Candied pecans are a good southern option.

Anyhow, this LOOKS fantastic, and like you've been slaving for hours. But really, aside from the slicing fruit and nuking the frozen pancakes, this was nothing. We were eating in 10 minutes.

The world's most perfect breakfast food

The pancake.

A year and a half ago, not this past fall but the prior one, I was in search of a yummy holiday breakfast. Something that pushed the taste buds and made you feel warm all over. I stumbled across this recipe and fell in love. They are so moist, delectable, and my husband adores them. Notable, as he's not a true "pancake person." He'll eat them, but he doesn't LOVE them. These pancakes he LOVES. Even better? The kids devour them too. I think what really makes these is the vinegar, which does react with the baking powder, making them bubbly, light, and airy.

Well, as time wore on, I began to experiment with this perfect food, finding my own combinations.

Banana: Replace pumpkin with mashed banana, remove all spices except for Cinnamon and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Applesauce: Replace pumpkin with chunky, thick applesauce (the less water the better). Keep the spices the same.

Blueberry (my personal favorite): Replace pumpkin with sweet potato. Remove allspice, add 1 tsp vanilla. Add 1-1.5 cups of blueberries (2 small containers of blueberries).

The tricks to making perfect pancakes:

(1) Don't over mix the wet and the dry. Blend together well, and then stop.

(2) Don't get overly zealous and make them too large. I use a 1/4 cup to keep myself in check.

(3) Use a griddle. They work SO much better than a fry pan. Perfect pancakes, every time.

(4) Use LOTS of butter. I use less when I'm making it for the family, and more when I want to impress guests. Good butter makes a very thin ring of golden goodness on the pancakes. If you like Cracker-Barrel pancakes - this will get you the same effect. I probably toss a heaping tablespoon onto the griddle each time I pour.

Final tip: I always make a double batch, and freeze everything that we don't eat for breakfast. I freeze them in 3-pancake portions (it's the perfect amount for each of us, and for the kids to share). Then I just take them out and nuke them when I need them. Better than Eggo!

Wait, am I in Hawaii?

That's what I thought when I sunk my teeth into my fabulous new creation. Heavenly, almost like dessert for breakfast. Inside the muffins, the three major components (banana, pineapple, and coconut) blend harmoniously into one batter. Like a good piece of Jazz music - each instrument can be tasted one by one at their given moment. The occasional chunk of pineapple, the fragrance of coconut, and the familiar texture and flavor of banana bread. A MAJOR kitchen success.

This is not a make-ahead-and-freeze type of a muffin. The crumbled topping won't survive the harsh environment of your freezer. This is a "I want to do something special for the family" sort of treat.

Tropical Crunch Muffins

muffin:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut.
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 bananas, mashed
1 small can of crushed pineapple, drained.
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp coconut flavoring

Topping:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts
2 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare muffin tin (line with cups, spray, or oil. Pick your poison.)

Make the muffins -

In one bowl, mix the flour, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, crush bananas (I used my immersion blender, easy peasy!), add pineapple, white sugar, egg, melted butter, and coconut flavoring. Mix well with a whisk, as you don't want to stir too much once the dry ingredients have been incorporated.

Add wet and dry together, and stir just enough to get the dry ingredients wet. Place into muffin tin.

Make topping -

In a third bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger. Cut in butter until it forms a crumbly mix with small cornmeal like crumbles. Then add nuts and coconut, and divide amongst the top of the muffins.

Bake for 15-20 minutes (mine were done in 17). Test with a toothpick.

Place on rack for a few minutes before releasing from the pan, a few more before eating!

When eating, do try to resist the urge to jump into a bathing suit and sunscreen. Some places up north are still too cold for such behavior. However, if you have some Kona Coffee (as we did, thanks Mom and Dad), today might be a good day to try it out.

Aloha from what might as well be the islands. At least for today.