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!

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.

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.

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 :)

Homemade nachos

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

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

To prepare:

Preheat an oven to 350, and cover a pizza pan with aluminum foil. Then go ahead and collect the ingredients. This is what I had on hand.

Next, layer. I warm up the beans separately, and put them immediately on top of the chips. Then I toss on the cheese. You can add red onions and olives top the top too, but I would hold off on adding the guacamole, sour cream, and salsa until the very end.

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

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

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

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

Mexican Bruchetta

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

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

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

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

The worst thing to hit a food blogger...

A stomach bug!

I must apologize, dear readers, for neglecting you an entire week. Alas, life got BUSY and then I got SICK...and well...here we sit. Consequently, I have precious few tidbits to give you. However, I will try to scramble a couple of things together.

#1 - Right before the icky hit, I discovered a wonderful new mushroom dish. While vacationing in Minneapolis, MN, we once hit dinner at a great restaurant called Manny's. It is NOT a vegetarian's delight. In fact, it is quite the opposite. The husband and I suffered through, though. We're vegetarians from the health and political perspective, not moral, so cheating every now and again is allowed. I think ball and chain felt it was a good cheat, indeed. One of the family-style "side" dishes was a stewed mushroom that was phenomenal. I wanted to dive in and bathe in it. And, I was eating LIVE MAINE LOBSTER (well, it was dead when I ate it, clearly). So...for me to be impressed by mushrooms. Well...you get the idea!

Speed forward to this last week, when mushrooms went on sale. I found recipes, all the while actually forgetting about the heavenly mushrooms in Minnesota, until I whipped up these. Oh my goodness, they are SO close. I made them with whole baby portobello mushroom caps. Heaven. I served them over rice, but I really think they needed a good cous-cous, polenta, or maybe even a pasta. White rice just didn't meet the flavor and substance of the shrooms head on like I wanted.

#2 - I am spring cleaning and I simply MUST sing the praises of a grand household cleaner that ALL of you should have in your pantry right now: vinegar. Just plain 'ole white distilled. I keep it in a spray bottle, with a hefty amount of lavender oil (lavender is a natural anti-bacterial substance). I'd say about 15 drops or so. Vinegar dissolves oil and grime well. Trust me, with two little ones - I give it a WORK OUT. It also can double as a wonderful window and mirror cleaner - with no streaks. I used it on my TV, my kid's toys, everywhere! Once it's dry, the vinegar smell goes away, leaving the faint hint of lavender. Plus, I'm cleaning all the areas of the house with a kid-friendly substance that they can DRINK and will never be hurt. Really, it's a household miracle as far as I am concerned.

It's just one of the suggestions from a book I recommended ages ago. Seriously, give it a whirl. I adore that I spent a solid hour cleaning without any damage to my hands. AND, my house is a clean as it would have been with harsh chemicals. Cleaner even - that other junk always leaves some sort of residue somewhere. The vinegar does not!

Tomorrow I am making tomato soup. In double, triple, batches. I will post about that this weekend, tomorrow even. It's a date!

My kids are afraid of it.

Guacamole, that is.

I think it's the green color.

Whatever, I LOVE the stuff. Seriously, I could eat it with a spoon. Pardon my Forest Gump reference, but -

There's taco salad with guac, enchiladas with guac, tacos with guac, chips with guac, burritos with guac, guac dip....

Do I need to go on?

I love to make mine homemade. Fresh from heaven, as far as I am concerned.

Guacamole:
2-3 avocados
1/4 red onion, super finely chopped (food processed is even pretty good)
1 seeded, small diced, tomato
1 clove garlic (optional/reducible)
juice of 1 lime
salt/pepper to taste

Mash avocados together in a bowl.

Add tomatoes, onions, garlic, and lime juice. Stir.

Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

EAT!!!

Avocado trick: Have trouble spooning it out? This is what I do:

Cut the avocado in half, starting at the top down the more narrow part, swooping around the bulbous part when your knife hits the seed. You should have two halves, one with the seed, one without.

With a sharp knife, quickly "karate chop" the seed with your knife and turn gently. The seed should be stuck on the knife and come out easily (works better with a butcher-style knife).

With a smaller knife, cut the avocado half into squares by running the knife only as deep as the flesh (try not to cut the skin). I usually cut around 5 long, and 6 or 7 wide.

Take a large metal spoon, and scoop out the avocado as close to the skin as possible. It should come out nicely, and in tiny little cubes.

Works for quick mashing and eating in a salad or the like.

Good Day, Sunshine.

I've had the most fantastic weekend. It was perfect,wonderful, happy, and joyous.

What did I do?

Well, I stayed home, of course!

My life is really hectic. I work early (7 AM), and leave work at any point between 3-4:30. Then I pick up the kids and do the Mommy thing until about 10 PM. I'm not saying this to gain sympathy - I know I'm right in the thick of it with all the other Moms out there. I'm more trying to get the proverbial "amen, sista!" My day is almost more hectic when I get home. As soon as we walk in the door we wash our hands (who knows what kid came to school with which virus that day), get milk, then dinner, then I start dinner for the ball and chain. Oops, someone spilled their applesauce. Oh wait, no you cant have any fruit snacks until you finish those chicken nuggets. Then Daddy walks in the door and it's like I don't exist, until they realize they're hungry again. Then it's playtime, an apple, playtime, an orange, more playtime, clean time, more apples? Nope. Too late. Then baths, books, bedtime, lunches, laundry, cleanup, and a "do I know you?" to my husband.

So, a weekend like this, where I went no where (except for Lowe's), got some sun (tan lines to prove it, my dermatologist would NOT approve), and watched the kids play in their new kiddie pool, seems like a trip to the Bahamas. Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but it's close.

Now, we did do some productive things. I finally got around to planting my herb garden (two kinds of basil, dill, chives, and mint). I got caught up on laundry (we took a weekend away recently and I haven't been caught up since!) And, I did some cooking.

On Friday I made these, which is yet another wonderful thing to do with rice. Excellent, excellent, and totally modifiable. I ended up adding some lime juice and cayenne pepper. Made some fresh guacamole to go on top, along with some Newman's Own salsa, the husband was a happy camper. I also ended up making this rice dish, which is now 48 hours old (in the fridge) and tastes better each day.

Saturday I made these cookies, which will forever be called the cookies that I will never make again. Oh, don't get me wrong, they were excellent. I just can't have them in the house ever again. The frosting was screaming to be used on scones. I will have to remember it for that. I'm thinking a nice cranberry walnut scone (or muffin) with the orange frosting/glaze.

Today, I made pizza on the grill and pasta salad. Usually, I like to make a good leftover dinner on Sunday. However, the nice weather just screamed for our grill, so I gave in. We still have some rice pilaf but we needed something else for lunches. So, I made my pasta salad.

Practically Fat free Pasta Salad:

(1) Boil 1 lb of pasta (as instructions dictate). I like tri-colored rotini, but monotone and bow ties will do fine. I don't care for macaroni or ziti-like pasta for this, it doesn't grab the dressing as well. Drain in colander, rinse with cold water, and place in large bowl. Add 1/8 cup olive oil.

(2) Chop and add your vegetables. Now, this is where YOU can get creative. In today's bowl, I added:

• 2 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped.
• 1 large cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 large green pepper, seeded, and finely diced
• 1 1/2 dill pickles chopped
• 1 can large black olives, cut in half

YOU can add whatever you like and have on hand. Some ideas include carrots, celery, baby corn, corn kernels, feta cheese, Parmesan cheese, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, ham, turkey, shrimp, the sky is the limit! I just wouldn't add chickpeas as they tend to get dried out and not good. I also would caution the tomatoes and cucumbers - do NOT add without seeding first. Those "innards" of the cucumbers and tomatoes just bleed water into the salad. This will make it uneatable in the coming days.

(3) when all has been incorporated, add 1/4 cup water and two packets of zesty Italian dressing mix. Toss together, and add red wine vinegar to taste. If you want to add to the flavors, consider Brags Amino Acids, Chipotle Tabasco sauce, salt, pepper, garlic, and cilantro.

This makes a LARGE bowl of pasta salad that you can eat off for days. It is low in fat, diet friendly, and a great way to use up unused vegetables.

Now I must go back out and enjoy the last few minutes of my weekend. If your weekend was even half as wonderful as mine, you are lucky indeed. Hug your family, they're what you do this for.

I don't wanna...

Plan my menu for the week, that is.

Here's what I do every week:

On Thursday or later (that's when the ad comes out) - I go ahead an surf through the sales at the store. I take note of anything in my fridge, and I come up with recipes that will best utilize both lists. For example, at my store they have some eggplant, peppers, squash, tomatoes, pears, and corn on sale. In my fridge, I currently have a bunch of rice left over due to a planning error on my part. Too bad I already made fried rice this week.

I have a few recipes: sweet and sour kidney beans, beans and rice burritos, and a peach rice dessert that I am planning to try out. As always, I will share with my review and relevant changes. I think that will use up all my rice. If not, I've got some leftover black eyed peas in the freezer that I am sure the husband wouldn't mind me defrosting. I think I'll be out with a friend on Saturday night - so the ball and chain will definitely be on his own.

I also plan on cooking up some vegetables for puree for the freezer. Always like to keep some of that around, and I am running LOW.

As far as the recipe for tonight, Cashew Asparagus Rice Pilaf was excellent. Definitely a "will make again." However, next time I will reduce the fat in half, change from butter to EVOO, and replace the the cashews with cooked garbanzo beans. I also, very last minute, added about 6 or 7 shakes of Cayenne pepper for heat. Nice flavor (note that I also made a double batch).

We've got some family plans, so I don't have anything major planned in the way of cooking this weekend. Should be quiet! Hope yours is too!

Certainly not cool enough to blog..

There's a blog out there called that. I'm pretty sure it's a "mommy blog" and it's sort of how I feel lately. Friday marked the start of my spring break, and the week prior was...interesting...to say the least. My kids were off-the-wall crazy (students, not biological) and I found myself relaxing every night. My husband was a complete rockstar and assisted in my relaxation with foot and back rubs. Ladies...aren't you jealous! I should have been blogging, as it would be nice to get some readership (and the best way to do that is blog daily). However, my feet and family needed the break!

I've tried some EXCELLENT new recipes lately.

Hungarian Lecso: This was an unexpected tasty delight! It's basically a chunk spaghetti sauce, with peppers, and eggs. The eggs sort of turn into a meat substitute, as they form into chunks in the sauce. You put this over rye bread, and I know it sounds positively disgusting. It's actually very, very good. If you're not afraid of a little meat, go ahead and cook it up with the onions and peppers and leave out the eggs.

Zucchini Patties: These were kind of fun in a nerdy/chemistry sort of way. When you make the very simple "batter" - you think there's so way that these will become patty-like. You want to keep them small so they don't fall apart, and use a swift motion in getting under the patty with your spatula. I ended up using our griddle, and they came out perfect. Serve with a little ketchup (as I did) or try some BBQ sauce. Could also work with a spicy horseraddish sauce a la Outback "Blooming Onion."

So, after I made these patties I had 2 large zucchinis left over. I found this pretty darn good brownie recipe. These are not the best brownies I've ever had, but they're very good, sort of healthy, and a great use for something that may have (otherwise) gone to waste! I made a double batch, cooked them for about 40 minutes in a 15 by 11 pan. I doubled the frosting too. I am not an experienced vegan cook, but I would be interested in a chocolate vegan frosting - as the brownies themselves are totally vegan. I almost feel bad putting dairy on top of them; seems like such a waste of perfectly good potential. They passed the husband and kid test, and the zucchini is undetectable. A major word to the wise, however. Once you get everything together (except for the zucchini), you will swear that it will never work. To the point that I had to come back online and check to make sure I was a-OK and didn't screw something up. I almost started over, but I trusted the 4.5 star recipe and kept going. I discovered that once you add the zucchini, things come together really well. I went ahead and took off the rings to mix it with my hands. I was able to squish some of the moisture from the zucchini into the brownies. It assisted in the combination.

I tried this bean recipe that I ended up morphing for my own use. Basically, take some black beans, corn, onions, and peppers, sun dried tomatoes, cumin, salt, and pepper to taste. A little Cayenne pepper for heat, and cook it all up in a fry pan starting with the onions and peppers. Follow with the beans, corn, tomatoes, and spices. Then transfer to casserole dish, put some cheese over the top, and bake until melted. This is great with chips or rice. I can't find the original recipe, but it was some kind of contest for Bush's beans. You can completely change the proportions depending on what you like/want out of the meal. Add more vegetables for a lighter meal or snack, more beans if you're looking for some substance.

Finally, I found some green tomatoes at the local grocer and decided to give Fried Green Tomatoes a whirl. They turned out great, although I did alter the recipe a bit. For one, instead of milk I used some leftover buttermilk. I also changed the 1/2 cup each breadcrumbs and cornmeal to 1/3 cup each and added 1/3 cup wheat germ. I just love the way wheat germ fries up: nutty, crispy, and brown. Great little kick of flavor. A little added whole grain never hurt anyone either. Make sure you keep your temp low. After I brought the oil to a good temp, I put my burner on low. Those breadcrumbs will burn in a hurry before your tomato is good and cooked. If you're not a southerner, and don't know what green tomatoes are all about, think a lemon-like flavor with a very firm tomato texture (green tomatoes are simply under ripe ones).

I also tried a weird recipe, screwed it up, and audibled onto something (I think). Sort of an eggplant parm meets lasagna meets stuffed portabello mushrooms. We'll see if I can't perfect it to share.

I have all the ingredients to create/perfect my tropical crunch muffins. Look for them soon!

Oink, Oink (save the pigs)

My very Midwestern husband and I decided to dabble in vegetarianism shortly after the Christmas Holiday. His "bad" cholesterol was steadily rising, and his triglycerides were through the roof. Needing to bring these numbers down (um, hello, not about to be a single mom to two if I can avoid it), I suggested trying our hand at no meat. We had been doing the moderation thing for some time (little to no red meat, avoiding meat some nights of the week), but it just wasn't working like we needed to. So, I looked a few things up online, discovered some research supporting vegetarianism, and presented it to my husband. I asked him to give me a month, he obliged. Unhappily.

Although it was feared to be a painful transition, it turns out that it's not that hard to give up meat. I got really good at cooking up beans: black, red, pinto, and even black eyed peas. We realized that (in most things) we didn't miss the meat. In fact, we recently went to a favorite Japanese Steak House - the kind where they cook your meal in front of you. We ordered the vegetable dinner and found ourselves barely able to complete the meal. On our way out I asked "how did we ever finish all that food!?" Neither of us knew.

After a month, we both felt better. We had more energy, and found our digestive tracks working a bit cleaner. We went to a church function, ate pot roast, and it felt so heavy in our stomachs. If all that wasn't enough, we have the chemistry to prove this lifestyle is better for us. J's triglycerides went down by some 50 points, his "bad cholesterol" is down to normal, and his overall cholesterol is down to 159 (from 180). No meds, no increased exercise. All we did was cut out the meat.

The only problem in this whole plan is that I now have to "reinvent" holidays. We have created some yummy traditions here. This includes ham on Easter, and it's one of my husbands most favorite meals.

For Easter this year, I combed the web for a suitable alternative. Of course, it occurred to me that I could still make eggs (we eat animal products - just no meat). What's more Easter than eggs? So, I found a quiche recipe, cheesy potatoes, and a spring salad. I then planned on carrot cake for dessert, and deviled eggs for a tasty after-church snack (I only had...oh...two dozen brightly colored hard boiled eggs to find a use for).

The quiche recipe wasn't all that great. I'd never made a quiche before, so this was a first. I don't think I cared for it all that much. It was had too many flavors competing for the same palate. I think the pesto and goat cheese would have been plenty. Or the pesto and tomatoes. Or the goat cheese and tomatoes. Not all three. I also wanted something meaty - like mushrooms - to balance all the flavor. I will say that my crust turned out amazing. Light and flaky. At some point, I will give my pie 101 course, and I will detail the ins and outs of a fantastic crust. In the mean time, I have to go against the perfect 5 start rating at all recipes and say this will not be a return show for us. At least not in it's current form.

The potatoes were "eh" as well. I love a good cheesy potato, and this just didn't do it for me. It was done before the potatoes were, and when I eat potatoes I like them really cooked. I like more creamy, less oily, and got the opposite. It also needed a lot of salt to be tasty enough. The salty flavor just didn't add the depth that I wanted from that heavy of a dish.

The salad was really good. Who would have thought that a dressing from ketchup would have been so tasty? We left out the bacon bits and croutons. Not only is it healthier that way, but I think there are more than enough flavors to make that salad without those two additives.

Finally, the carrot cupcakes. These were really good - full of good ingredients and tasty morsels. You mix the dry ingredients, wet ingredients + sugar, and all the additives (pineapple, walnuts, carrots, raisins, and coconut) in separate bowls. The bowl with additives was as large as the other bowls. It was all "guts" and I feared they would be too much for the batter. I was wrong. I topped with a very basic cream cheese frosting: stick of butter, 8 oz brick of cream cheese, cream with mixer. Add 4 cups confectioner's sugar and one teaspoon of vanilla, blend with mixer until creamy. I added frosting to a piping bag and swirled it on the top of each cupcake. Tasty AND beautiful! When I make them for guests in the future, I will need to add some sort of garnish. A beautiful orange twirl of carrot anchored in the frosting would be perfect.

So, I think it will be "back" to the drawing board next year. On the plus side the egg salad sandwiches have been OH so tasty. I also have a last minute tip for using all those hard boiled eggs: to add zip to your potato salad, egg salad, or deviled eggs: Tabasco sauce. It really gave a nice "punch" to the flavors that I wasn't expecting.

Save your marriage hummus.

At least, that's what it was called on a web board that I was on recently.

This is yet another "find" from another source. I made it once, improved upon it for my tastes, and made it "mine." This brings me to an important cooking point.

Aside from baking, where the yeast-sugar-salt proportions must be just so, cooking is not an exact science. You cannot create a "one size fits all" recipe. Cooking is about being one with your food, tasting, loving, thriving. It's about knowing that something "isn't right" to your tastes - and the one spice, flavor, additive that will make it so.

I am not an exact cook - which is why I will never write a cook book. I don't like feeling confined by measurements and exacts. A truly wonderful cook only uses a recipe as a guide - the rest is up to the imagination.

Hummus:

1 lb dried garbanzo beans
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 small onion, diced
approximately 4 garlic cloves, diced
two cans of plain green olives
4 tablespoons tahini
4 tablespoons lemon juice
olive oil

Start by soaking the beans all night or day. Wash and toss the ickies.

When ready to cook, place beans in a dutch oven, with around a gallon of water.

Bring to a boil, cook for 1.5-2.5 hours. You want a bean that can be mashed with a little effort, blended creamy easily, but isn't falling apart. When done, pour into a colander and drain.

In same dutch oven, put 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook for a few minutes. Depending on your affinity for garlic (I love to eat them whole and roasted) - you can increase/decrease the amount.

Add paprika, chili powder, and cumin. Cook up for a few more minutes.

Add drained beans. Cook for another two minutes or so. Adjust heat if it gets too hot.

Remove from heat, split between two bowls.

In large food processor, add one bowl of beans and one can of olives. Then add 2 heaping tablespoons of tahini, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and blend completely.

Once blended very well, add olive oil to desired consistency. Some like it thicker, some like it thinner.

Place in bowls.

Repeat the blending process with the remainder of the ingredients.

Place in bowls. Hummus can be frozen for later consumption.

And no, this didn't save my marriage (there was nothing to be saved) - but it got your attention, didn't it? It was how it was posted elsewhere on the web, and I stole it.

The best laid plans....

So, last night, about 5:15 I started to feel weird. Shaky, tired, just off. Earlier in the day, I'd noticed a wheeze, but blew it off as nasty yellow pollen. My husband's ears have been so bad he hasn't been able to fly. However, as I started to feel so awful, I realized this was NO allergy.

So, instead of heading to the grocery store, I sacked myself out on the couch and watched the latest episode of Lipstick Jungle and Big Shots (TIVOed from AGES ago). My temp was slightly elevated, but not too bad. At bedtime I took my shot of NyQuil and passed out into never never land. At about 3 or 4 AM I started to get really cold, and at 7 AM my husband points out that I am now "radiating heat." Two Motrin and two more hours of sleep, and I am feeling good enough to make a smaller run at the grocery store for the necessities.

Alas, my grand plans of Strawberry Jam and Eggplant galore are dashed. C'est la Vie. No, C'est la FLU.

So, this weekend I get to go through my magazines, think up plans for NEXT week, and do a few more lazy-woman jobs.

I do want to say how HAPPY I am that I froze all those meals! I so don't want to stand for hours, so instead I whipped out a bowl of frozen chili and spicy black beans. A little rice, and we'll be good to go! I might even have J try to whip up some Chipotle Basmati rice to go with the beans. I found it on an Internet forum that I frequent. VERY tasty!

1tsp Vegetable oil or butter
2 tsp fresh cilantro
2/3 cup white basmati rice
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 lime
In a 2 quart heavy saucepan heat oil or butter over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted. Add rice and lime juice, stir for 1 minute. Add water and salt, bring to a full rolling boil. At boiling, cover, turn down and simmer over low heat until rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

I have successfully doubled the recipe, but when I tried to quadruple it, I burnt the bottom of the rice. I also usually end up adding a little bit of water towards the end, as I find the water dissipates before the rice is cooked.

Very good with some spicy black beans. Orangette (gosh, I just LOVE her) has a great "in a hurry" version. I will save my full batch for another day!