Ina's Mac and Cheese.

So, I was home with a pseudo sick kiddo on Friday, and found myself watching all my favorite gals mid afternoon: Ina, Rachel, Giada, Sandra, and Paula. Watching these five makes for a great day - because you get such a wide perspective of styles: French gourmet, fast yet stylish, fresh and light Italian, an emphasis on entertaining, and good-old-fashioned-home-style. Awesome. It totally got the foodie juices flowing.

Ina's episode was about a housewarming party she was cooking for. In it, she made this wonderful mac and cheese. Now, I don't know about y'all, but I LOVE macaroni and cheese. It's really one of my all-time favorite foods. And when I say "mac and cheese" - I mean GOOD HOMEMADE mac and cheese. None of this box stuff will do. Ina's recipe made me want to jump through the TV and join the party. When they spooned it up, you could see the stringy melted cheese goodness.

So, clearly, I went to the store that afternoon and bought all the ingredients!

Ina Garten's take on Macaroni and Cheese

Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 quart milk (That's four cups!)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided (only 6 T if you take my suggestion below)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Boil the noodles as directed in a pot with olive oil and salt. Drain and set aside.

Heat the milk on low in a sauce pan. DO NOT boil it! Scorching = nasty milk.

In yet ANOTHER pan (yes, this makes three, and yes, it's worth it), melt 6 Tablespoons of butter. When melted, add the flour, and whisk steadily while cooking over low for two minutes (if you let up - the butter could burn!)

Once the flour/butter is cooked, add the milk (still whisking), and cook until it's thickened up. It'll just turn into a heavy cream consistency - don't expect gravy! Add a tablespoon of salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from heat.

If you have a food processor, now is the time to use it to grate the cheese. If not, you can do it by hand. If it's by hand, I would recommend grating it before you start (as it will take a bit!). In my case, the Gruyere was too small, but I had plenty of cheddar, so I just went for an overall volume of cheese (6 cups). My mac and cheese was probably a little less pungent, but that was probably better for the kiddos. Now, for those of you put off completely by the Gruyere (I am generally not a fan) - it does not overpower in the dish! It just adds a smoky flavor. If you're nervous about it (as I was) - I would flip the proportions and put in more cheddar than Gruyere.

When the cheese is grated and ready to go, add it to the milk mixture. Do not expect (nor try to force) the cheese to melt. It will do so in the bake.

Place in a 3-quart baking dish. Cover with tomatoes. For the breadcrumbs, this is what Ina says to do:

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top.

I omitted this step, and just sprinkled packaged breadcrumbs. I also topped with paprika for color.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cheese is all bubbly and the top is turning brown. While eating, try not to turn into a 5 year old again while you're children are watching.

How about an easy week night dinner?

Because that's what you've got here!
Take some French or Italian Bread, and place it in a 450 degree oven to toast. Sprinkle some Extra Virgin Olive Oil for added flavor and golden color.

Once all nice and toasty, "scrape" a peeled garlic clove across the top (the crusty consistency will grate the garlic for you). Layer with thinly sliced tomatoes, sprinkle with some basil, and then add the cheese on the top. Some salt for flavor, maybe some cracked pepper for oomph. Return to the oven, melt the cheese, and VOILA! Dinner! Make as much or as little as you need!

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!

Holiday Fondue.

Growing up, my husband's family started the tradition of fondue. Now, for those of you like me, who associate fondue with cheese dip or chocolate (and that's it) - let me provide a bit of an education.

Google fondue recipes and you will find a wealth of cheese dips, dessert dips, AND recipes for broth boiling and deep frying all sorts of items. Basically, fondue can ALSO mean cooking raw meat items on your table - a perfect solution to a holiday dinner. After having done this for my family for the last number of years, I can tell you that I LOVE this tradition. Why?

(1) You can get really creative with the items. My husband's family uses beef, chicken, and shrimp. The chicken always comes out dry for me, and I avoid the steak. Consequently, when we started to fondue in our home, I opted for shrimp and lamb. I made a garlic aioli (some minced fresh garlic mixed in with some mayo) for a side, and included mint jelly for me. This year, concerned about some ethical issues with Australian lamb (namely, it's often slaughtered in China and not offered organic), we avoided land-meat all together and just went straight to sea food. I also breaded fresh mozzarella - going for a fried mozzarella feel. If desired , you can also move away from oil all together, and heat broth for cooking.

(2) You aren't cooking the items, so all you need to do is prepare them. If you hand make a lot of your dips, now you're putting in some work. However, even those can be done ahead of time to ease the workload on the day of the meal. Since I was doing this for my family, I opted for simplicity. Less time in the kitchen = more time over Christmas with my kids.

(3) Fondue is a very social meal. Since you need to wait for the items to cook, you spend more time talking and less time eating. It is perfect for entertaining - but a great "family dinner night" too for older kids. If you have a large family, and they are all young, I do not recommend this dinner. My daughter opted for a PBJ (she's picky, and it's Christmas, so why fight?) My son tried a shrimp, but decided the broccoli was best. Even if my kids did decide to eat the food, my husband and I could easily maintain ours and one child's plate. However, if you have too many helpless mouths to feed - perhaps this type of dinner should wait until you have older children to help - or kids are able to cook for themselves.
Holiday Fondue Menu:

1 loaf of french bread, with softened butter or olive oil.

One vegetable side. This year we opted for broccoli sauteed in garlic, olive oil, with some onion.

Fondue sides (homemade or store bought). Think about the sides you would want for the fried item. For our seafood menu, we stuck to tartar , shrimp , marinara (for mozzarella) and a remoulade sauces. For lamb, do yourself a favor and try some mint jelly. BBQ sauce for chicken and steak sauce for beef are good ideas too.
For scallops and shrimp - take raw (and peeled) pieces, rinse and bread. Easy way? Put Italian bread crumbs in a bag, place the item inside, and shake it. It coats everything nicely! The breading is light - adding just the tiniest bit of crunch.
For Chicken - I would consider doing something similar, but mixing in a tiny bit of chili powder. Depending on how spicy you like things, it's more of a southern fried chicken feel. You could also try your traditional breading (whatever family recipe you use), just working with smaller pieces.

For lamb and steak - do nothing except chop into chunks. 1 inch cubes, roughly - but a little bigger or irregular won't hurt.

I ran across the idea of trying fish this year, but haven't ever tried that in practice. My concern with really flaky fish, like salmon, is that it would fall off in the oil while cooking. It becomes a real bear to fish it out.

For mozzarella chunks, take Italian bread crumbs and 2-3 eggs. Blend the eggs well in a bowl. Cut small balls of fresh mozzarella in half, larger balls into quarters. Dip the piece in egg, then crumbs, then egg, and crumbs again.
For frying, we use peanut oil, as the scent isn't strong at all. Set the pot to around 350 - placing some sort of paper (doilies, paper plate, or I used festive tissue paper) to collect oil drips. I would NOT put down a nice table cloth, and have the oxyclean ready for oils stains on place mats.

Set aside some time for this meal, as the cooking and eating will leave you at the table for a while. For dessert, we usually do a chocolate fondue, but this year I made some Egg Nog Panna Cotta.

Chocolate fondue:

Take one bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips, and melt over double boiler with 1/4 cup heavy cream.

When melted and incorporated, add amaretto or fruit liqueur to thin down and add punch. Stir until shiny. If too much liqueur is required for appropriate consistency, you can add more cream in the above step.

Serve with whatever fruit suits your palate.

Mozzarella Stuffed Mushrooms.

An easy appetizer or light meal.

Mushrooms were on sale this week, so I decided to pick up a package of whole mushrooms. Now, I had some mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil for pizza as well. I decided to marry the ingredients and discovered these.

I like the meaty texture of mushrooms, mixed with the melty consistency of the mozzarella. I used fresh mozzarella here, but you could use many different types. I'm, thinking some Monterrey jack and Mexican flavors would add something unexpected.

Fresh Stuffed Mushrooms.

Small, whole, mushrooms (as many or few as you want). The variety is up to you, but should be stuff-able.
salt, garlic powder, and cracked pepper.
Fresh mozzarella
Fresh Basil
1 Fresh tomato, seeded, juiced, and diced into small pieces.
A tablespoon or so of pine nuts, for garnish (1-2 nuts on each mushroom.
Italian Bread crumbs.

Preheat oven to 374, and lightly grease a baking sheet with rims (the mushrooms will juice).

Set the mushrooms out, sprinkle with rock salt, garlic powder, and cracked pepper.

Stuff a cube of cheese in each mushroom. Add in a few pieces of tomato and a little bit of basil. Really pack it in there.

Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top, and bake until the mushrooms are soft. 15 minutes or so.

Place a nut or two on each mushroom, and serve.

I drizzled mine with a bit of olive oil and balsamic. That could be left out.

Salmon in the Garden (a diversion from my vegetarian ways).

We're generally vegetarians. If we error, we do so on the side of fish. If we err on the side of fish, we do so with wild, low environmental impact, salmon. Here's another good resource about low-impact fish. Our local grocer had Sockeye (the best of the wild, in my opinion) for a short while. I bough two fish, carefully portioned them out, sandwiched them flesh to flesh (skin on), wrapped them tightly in butcher's paper, and froze them in dinner-sized pockets. When my husband and I are in for a treat, I thaw, and cook.

I had some mint in my fridge, and got a wild hair. My parents make this BBQ salmon with a honey-ginger-soy sauce. I thought about a similar sweet-salty flair with mint, and this is what I came up with:

Crusted Salmon with Mint Pine Nut Pesto Cream Sauce.

Two Fillets of salmon
2 - 3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
1 Egg, scrambled

Wash fillets of salmon and dry well.

Melt butter over medium heat in a skillet

Dip the non skin side (or just one side if skin is removed) in egg, coat well, and then press into breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Put crumb side down in skillet. I suggest using a good metal or cast-iron pan for this, as you want a good, thin, metal spatula to separate the salmon from the pan when you're ready to flip.

Get a good sear, wait for the crumbs to turn golden brown, and flip.

Once flipped, give them a good salting (you want it salty to match the sweetness of the sauce) and some cracked pepper too. Cover and let finish cooking. If you need to add a tiny bit of water to allow the salmon to steam done, feel free. Cook through.

Sauce:
1 handful fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/8 cup chopped green onion (I actually used leeks - and they were great!)
1 Tablespoon honey
1 - 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 - 3/4 cup heavy cream

In a blender, mix up the pine nuts and mint leaves. Add green onions, followed by olive oil and honey. Lastly, add the cream and mix/puree well.

In a small saucepan over low to medium-low heat, bring the sauce to just short of boiling. If it goes all the way, that's okay - but don't let it boil for minutes on end. You just want to heat it to bring the flavors out.

I served with corn, fresh bread, and the salmon with a few pine nuts on top for garnish.

Fresh Pico de Gallo and Black Bean Salad

You know the other day, when I had to apologize for being absent? Well, my promise has come to fruition. Here are the recipes. I made a wonderful, healthy, fresh dinner that night that completely knocked my socks off. AND, the salad tasted better the next day. And it was full of protein and good for me brain food.

And, it was Mexican food...so...how could you top that?


Black Bean Salad

1 cup chopped tomato (seeded)
1 can drained and rinsed black beans
1/2 a medium red onion, chopped
1 cucumber, seeded, peeled, and chopped
2 ears of corn, cobs thrown away after removing the corn.
1 Tablespoon fresh, chopped, cilantro

Dressing:

3 cloves of garlic
juice of one lime
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon honey
Smoked Chipotle Tabasco, to taste ( I liked 3 dashes).

Toss salad ingredients together.

To make dressing, pound garlic in a mortar and pestle, add salt and make into paste. Continue to pound in oil, lime, and honey until well incorporated. Add to salad and stir.

Season with Tabasco.

Fresh Pico de Gallo

1 cup finely diced tomato
1/4 cup sweet orange peppers, finely diced
2 scallions, thinly diced and separated out
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Chipotle Tabasco, to taste (again, I liked a few dashes).

Add the vegetables

Smash the garlic and salt into a paste, add to Pico.

Season with Tabasco.

Serve with tortilla chips. Or, in absence of that - we ate it bruschetta style on bread.

When Life Hands you Lemons, make some kickin'...

Life around these parts has been a little hairy lately. I have my regular job, which seems to take up monumental amounts of time. By the end of the year, I've always managed to efficiently whittle down the hours I spend working. This year I've not yet hit my stride - and find myself working until 5 PM nearly every evening, bringing home hours of work to do on the weekend. I have some of the highest regard for my former teachers, now knowing that they must have given up their own family time grading my papers and assignments. I feel bad for ever turning in anything mediocre.

I've also picked up a tutoring gig - which has been phenomenal. They're a couple of bright, friendly, advanced middle school students that have been an absolute joy to teach. While I love my job and the challenges involved with working with struggling students, I never hear the words "wow, that's the coolest thing I've ever seen" in regards to a math problem. I get that with these kids. Even better is the fact that they are an Islamic family, from Pakistan, and currently celebrating Ramadan. I get Pakistani food every Monday and Wednesday evening (I am there when they break their fast), and I am thoroughly enjoying the education. It's a blend of Thai, Mexican, and the expected Middle Eastern flavors. One unique thing I've learned, that I completely intend on trying out at some point, is adding Garam Masala to fruit salad. It's really wonderful! I've also now been exposed to Samosas, mostly made with a blend of kosher meat. I will be trying these at some point, likely with a vegetarian blend.

On top of all of this, my husband officiates school-aged football. High school on Thursdays and Fridays, little guy on Saturdays. So, with all of the above, we're all home Tuesday nights, the occasional Thursday night, Saturday night, and Sunday afternoon. In that time, we have all the chores expected and I like to squeeze in a little family time too.

What I haven't had time for, clearly, is food blogging. Part of this is my own perfection complex. I have a hard time doing anything "half way." Even if I have a tasty recipe, I don't want to post it without the perfect picture. This new photograzing interest has not helped this. Plus, I enjoy getting myself involved in all of the other food blogs out there. However, when I started this, I just wanted an outlet to discuss my views on homemaking and cooking. Lately, it's become more about doing whatever is necessary to get recognition for the blog. I've discovered that's a full time job. The problem is, as a full time working mommy, I simply don't have the time for that kind of blog. That is, unless, I want to have one at the expense of my family. Clearly not an option. Neither is it worth it for me to give up other things I love - searching for deals, scrap booking, and my friends - for this one area that I also love. I need to strike a balance.

So, it's time to ratchet things back and give myself a break. I'll still post - don't get me wrong...but it's going to become about quality rather than quantity. 2-3 posts per week will be my goal (instead of the 5 - 7 I had been shooting for). Pictures will be great, but not necessary. Readers loved and appreciated, but not chased down.

Maybe then I'll have time to actually ENJOY the food that I cook - and not just photograph it and eat it cold. Kidding....sort of.

Thanks for reading this little cathartic confession. Glad you're here, hope to continue to have you here, even if I don't post every day!

Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms

I was recently exposed to the wonder of ceramic knifes. Absurdly sharp, they do a wonderful job of chopping and slicing. Too ripe tomato? Says who? Need thin orange slices for a garnish? It's got you covered.

How about itty-bitty pieces of all sorts of vegetables? Just perfect.
When I first saw the Kyocera knife in action, I turned to my husband (doe-eyed, of course) and said "please." He's pretty used to my kitchen gadget obsession, so he wasn't surprised. In fact, he knows me so well, that when he DID find me one - he found it in pink. How great is that? A ridiculously sharp knife in PINK.

We were made for each other.

The knife and me...that is...

In order to keep the focus on my beautiful knife, I decided to just post the preamble. That, and the sunlight went away before I could finish the meal! Maybe I'll grab some pictures the next time I make it.

These are one of my favorite meals - hearty yet light all at the same time. I love the nutty "pop" that the Quinoa gives off as the base of the stuffing. Heavenly!

Quinoa Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms.

4-6 l3/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
large portobello mushrooms, stemmed, and gilled
1/2 of a large white or yellow onion
3 - 4 small sweet peppers, diced
3 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms.
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 clove of garlic for each mushroom (we love garlic, you can reduce if you like), minced.
1 4 oz log soft goat cheese
1 tablespoon Italian bread crumbs per shroom.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Boil water in a pot, add Quinoa, and let cook for 12 minutes (covered) or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat. You can use leftover Quinoa if you have it.

In large skillet, start with some oil, and saute onions and garlic.

When softening, add the remainder of vegetables. Saute until the peppers are sweating.

Add nuts, a minute more. Then add quinoa. Stir until well incorporated.

Chunk up goat cheese and melt into mixture (this helps it all stick together.)

Spoon evenly into mushrooms, top with breadcrumbs.

Place in 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, until mushrooms are done. Make sure to cook in a jelly roll type pan so the mushrooms don't drool all over your oven and smoke you out!


Another picture of the perfect knife. I just love her.

Stuffed Green Peppers

Growing up, my mom had a "go to" recipe for stuffed green peppers. To be honest - I hated them. Peppers are not kid friendly. However, the rice mixture (I remember) being quite good. It was filled with onion and sausage, stuffed deep into the pepper. When Mom made this, I would eat the inside - and leave the pepper. Thanks, but no thanks.

As I've aged (29 in just a couple of months, YIKES), I've discovered a taste for peppers. Something made me think about Mom's recipe, which made me think I wanted to try a vegetarian version.

Stuffed Peppers:

4 Good-sized peppers (I just had a brainstorm to get one of every color for prettiness sake)
2-3 cups of cooked rice
About a cup of a chopped leek.
Around 12 (more is okay if you want to use up the package) Baby Portobello or wild mushrooms.
3/4 cup cooked Chickpeas
4 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
Ground cracked pepper, to taste
Cheese for topping

(1) Wash and prepare leeks: Divide leek down the middle length wise and rough cut 4 inch pieces or so. Separate out all the layers and place in a LARGE bowl filled with water. Leeks are grown in a sandy dirt, and the sand gets trapped between the layers. If you let the leeks sit in water, the sand rinses off and settles to the bottom. Just gently lift the floating leeks off the top after 10 minutes or so. Then chop up into smaller pieces. If you skip this step - you risk grittiness.

(2) Cut the top off of each pepper. Pull out the seed pod inside and wash out thoroughly.

(3) In large pan (I actually used a dutch oven), heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and leeks, and sweat. Then add mushrooms and cook until soft.

(4) Add spices, cook for a few minutes more.

(5) Add rice and chickpeas, heat. If mixture starts to dry out or stick to the bottom, add a little water for steam. Taste to see if mixture is right - you want it almost too salty. As the salt seems less obvious when eaten with the pepper. In fact, your very flavorful rice might be not flavorful enough once in the pepper.

(6) Stuff each pepper, top with cheese, and cook in an appropriate pan at 375 for about 30 minutes. I used a couple of loaf pans, as I wanted something that would support the sides a little. It worked well. The most important part is to choose something with sides, as the moisture will spill off a cookie sheet. Also, the cheese you pick is flexible. The original recipe my mom used had Monterrey jack, which is a nice melty-type cheese. I envision a fresh mozzarella to compliment the thyme. Goat cheese would add some tang, and pepper jack some punch. I used some shredded cheddar and a Mexican blend that I had on hand - which did the trick. If you really LOVE cheese, add some in the middle for more cheesy goodness.


To eat, Go ahead and cut the pepper in half, then each half in half. The quartered pieces of the pepper will fall, leaving you a plate full of yumminess. This will allow you to get a bite of pepper and stuffing in every taste.
I really loved the brown color in the rice. It had pretty chocolate undertones.

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 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!

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.

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.

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!

Something new to do with mint.

Zucchini Mint Salad

(totally can't remember where I pulled this from).

1 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
2 Tablespoons Pine Nuts
2 Ounces crumbly feta cheese
2 medium zucchini, sliced as thin as you can make it.
3 Tablespoons chopped mint leaves
Zest + juice from one lemon.

Mix together in a bowl.

Let sit for 10 minutes.

Makes 4 side dishes or 2 light meals. 6 points in the whole thing. Divide accordingly.

WONDERFUL!

Now I'm full :)

One tortilla, two tortilla, three tortilla...

At my son's last birthday, I realized that his cake was the last that I intended on buying. I could not believe that it cost me $26 for some flour and sugar - and I vowed to make my own from then on. I have a book that I plan on using for decorating help. I might also take a cake decorating class if the nearby Michaels offers them.

I felt similarly when I started making my own pancakes. I couldn't believe that I - and many others like me - had been suckered into buying mixes. It was so easy, and so much better, to make my own!

Well, I had heard the raves about homemade tortillas. Little Mexican Grandmas have been doing it for eons, so why couldn't I? Surely, women in Mexico in the early 1900's - without any of the conveniences of today - were able to make the tortilla work. With my fully stocked kitchen I shouldn't have a problem. My only concern was calories and fat, so I went ahead and looked up a recipe for those that are reduced fat.

What I discovered was that tortillas are absurdly simple. You have some sort of fat (in my case, light, organic, vegan margarine), flour, salt, and a leavening agent (in my case, baking powder - although some called for soda). Fat free tortillas actually call for fat free mayo instead of fat. You mix the dry, cut in the fat, and then stir in HOT water until a dough forms. Divide up the dough, let sit for 15 minutes, roll out, and cook. Simple.

Except not. Well, the mixing was simple, the cooking was not.

First, as I said, you toss in the dry and stir together.

2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups unbleached flour

Next, you must "cut in" the fat. Enter, pastry cutter. 4 Tblsp margarine or butterYou're basically looking to press the butter into the flour, over and over, turning the bowl, in order to make the dry ingredients look sort of crumbly. The "official" baking term is course cornmeal.

Next, add in the water until the dough is together and sticky.

1 1/4 cups water. Plop the dough onto a WELL FLOURED surface and knead for just a couple of minutes, until it's velvety and soft. Then the instructions say to "tear" the dough into 12 pieces. Yeah, right. I'd end up with 13 tortillas of all different shapes and sizes. I made a mound and got a knife. I cut in half, and shaped each half into a mound. Then I cut each mound in half again (now I have four halves). I then cut each half into thirds. That makes my yield of 12.

How's THAT for a math lesson.

Roll each piece into little balls and sprinkle with flour.

I just think this little dough ball picture is cool. Now comes the part that is going to take practice. You need to let the dough "rest" for 10-15 minutes. This is something consistent across all recipes. Just like you have to let bread rise, you must let the dough rest.

Then, one by one, you need to roll it out. Now, the outside of the tortilla gets sort of crispy/crusty. So, you don't want to roll it so thick that it won't "roll." You also don't want to make it so thin that it gets crunchy (think tortilla chips) too quickly. You want to find Baby Bear's bed - just right.

You also want the temperature pretty high - between 375 and 400. I had mine too low, which dried out the tortillas before I got the pretty golden spots I was going for. I cooked mine on a griddle, I am thinking a pan would have worked better. They have these fancy tortilla cookers, but we just don't eat them enough for me to invest in such a thing. You cook them just like you would a pancake

I got a "thought it was pretty good, it's a tortilla, I don't know what you expect," from the husband. So, passable to say the least. I know the dough is fine, so getting the cooking down will take me a few tries. This is true for many of these kinds of things - pizza took me a few tries too.

The beautiful thing about tortillas is you don't have to fill them with Mexican food. I filled the husband's tortilla with chickpeas and couscous (leftover) seasoned with curry powder. Again, passable. I love the idea that if the mood for wraps, or fajitas, or burritos hits - I don't have to give up just because I don't have tortillas. I almost always have the ingredients around, so it's just a matter of making them.

As an aside, I made my French bread recipe into a loaf bread. It worked pretty well, and made the best PBJs. In my original recipe, I divided the dough in half to get two loaves. In the bread pan, the whole thing went into one (I've got jumbo sized pans for sandwiches). Nice big pieces, with spongy crevices where the peanut butter and honey soaked into. The slices were too thick for the kids - I need a better bread knife. Also, I think I need to half again the recipe and put half of THAT batch in each loaf pan (so, we're looking at 2/3 and 2/3 in each of the pans). I will try that after my knew bread knife shows up. And post with a simple conversion if that works out better. I have a couple of other bread recipes to try too.

Happy tortilla making!