I Think I'll Buy A New Cookbook...

Ha ha ha ha....

We Americans think like this: if we're bored, tired of something, want a "better" solution, want to replicate someone else's creation (especially one on TV or the internet), etc., we think we need to buy something!

Think again, my friends. Very often, if we were doing the work set before us, we wouldn't be bored. If we're tired of the same old, same old, I guarantee there are ways of changing it up without buying a new product. Perhaps we want a better solution to something; have we looked at our random, accumulated things for a substitution first? Have we tried the library or our friends for ideas? What if we want to replicate someone else's creation? First, we should ask if that is a worthy goal for someone in our position (making bagels from scratch or building your own compost bin might not fit into your current situation). Second, we should see how much free information and/or inexpensive options we can scrounge up. Let me use cookbooks as an example.

I was thinking a few weeks ago that I'd like to get a new cookbook--you know, some new recipes to try. In the old days, I might have actually bought a new cookbook. During the past few years, however, I've realized there are some quick (free) fixes to this urge to "try something new."

1. Try a recipe out of a cookbook I already own that is a "new" recipe to me (since I own such mega-cookbooks like The Joy of Cooking and the infinitely variable options in How to Cook Everything, it is impossible for me to EVER cook every recipe that I "own.").
2. What about wanting to cook healthier or wanting to cook more family friendly or wanting to cook something more ethnically-related? Simple: I reread my already-owned cookbooks first. Many times, a reread will remind me of recipes I'd forgotten or I'll notice something new since I wasn't tuned into this same "need" the last time I read that particular cookbook. (Maybe the last time I skimmed my Fannie Farmer book, I was looking for good casserole recipes; now I might be looking for more vegetable-related options.)
3. I can check out a cookbook from a library or borrow one from a friend. This is a terrific way to test-drive a cookbook you're really considering buying; it's also a great way to get your Chinese-food-from-scratch-fix taken care of.
4. There are other free resources: I can ask my friends for a good whole wheat bread recipe if I'm discontented with mine. I can search the internet for recipes that use my abundance of green cayenne peppers.

Finally, is it really necessary to reinvent the wheel? So often, we get bored/tired of something, and we want to do something new, discover a new strategy, etc. But, we're called to press on, to persevere in this life, to work diligently in what the Lord has called us to do. It's okay to be bored or tired of something sometimes. We don't have to prepare gourmet meals for our families every night for them to be eating healthily (and for them to be enjoying it). We don't have to have the latest, greatest technological equipment for us to enjoy a movie. We don't have to have the best sports equipment to enjoy throwing a ball around with the kids. We can play the same old card game--maybe add a new rule for kicks--and still have fun. We can go to the same local park for a thousand fun-filled evenings for the same price as one ice cream cone from Marble Slab.

Forget the consumeristic-attitude that our culture has indoctrinated us with and enjoy what you have! Paul reminds us that godliness with contentment is great gain. (Ironic that "gain" is the word used--we want to "gain" more things when we're discontent, but our gain will ultimately be greater when we choose contentment over and above mere acquisition.)

posted on Tarnished Teapots as well.

Fall/Winter Seasonal Recipes Index

Below you'll find some of the fall-oriented recipe links on this blog. You can also browse the fall seasonal category in the left-hand margin. (note: still in progress; main dishes not included yet)

Apples

Apple Dutch Baby (puffed oven pancake)

Apple Oatmeal

Carrot Apple Muffins

Favorite Fall Salad

Apple Walnut Chicken Salad

Buttered Apple Slices
Braised Red Cabbage and Apples

Cranberry Apple Casserole/Crisp

Baked Apples

Cabbages and Greens

Oriental Slaw
Pickled Vegetables

Potato and Cabbage Soup
Italian Sausage and Navy Bean Soup (+ cabbage!)

Quick Creamed Cabbage
Braised Red Cabbage and Apples 
Kielbasa, Cabbage, and Onions (Crockpot)
Easy Bierrocks

Ontario Greens (offsite link)

Baby Bok Choy with Garlic (offsite link)

Stir-Fried Asian Greens
Gyoza (Napa Cabbage)

Fancy Spinach

Creamed Spinach

Aunt Betty's Spinach Dish

Greens with Double Garlic (any, really)
The Perfect Stir-Fry Recipe (cabbage, bok choy, other Asian greens)

Cranberries (includes craisins)

Favorite Fall Salad

Cranberry Apple Casserole/Crisp

Nuts

Barbecued Almonds

Sweet Spice Pecans

Gourmet Fall Salad

Apple Walnut Chicken Salad

Pears

Gourmet Fall Salad

Potatoes

Easy Roasted Potatoes

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Pumpkin/Winter Squash

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Souffle

Baked Butternut Squash with Apples

Roasted Acorn Squash

Spaghetti Squash Marinara

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potato Souffle

Sweet Potatoes 'n Pears

Sweet and Sour Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Fresh Apple (or Pear) Gingerbread

It's baking week here at my house! My friend Megan S sent this recipe to me, and it is a definite winner! A PERFECT use for apples or pears that are slightly overripe or bruised. This is delicious, moist, spicy--everything you hope for in gingerbread.

Recipe from Whole Foods for the Whole Family

• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 2/3 c. molasses or sorghum
• 3 eggs
• 2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. ground ginger
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. nutmeg
• 1/4 t. cloves
• 1/3 c. milk
• 1 1/4 c. grated apple or finely chopped pear (roughly 2 pears; 1-2 apples, depending on size)

Cream butter and molasses in mixer bowl. Beat in eggs. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in grated apple or chopped pear. Pour into greased 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Cool and serve (with whipped cream, if desired).

Serves 8-10

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

This is like baked oatmeal, but with a delicious fall twist. Try it--it's yummy! To save time in the morning, combine wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls the night before and cover (refrigerate the wet ingredients).

From goodLife{eats}

• 1 c. old-fashioned oats
• 2.5 T. brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. allspice
• 1/8 t. nutmeg
• 1/2 t. lemon zest
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 2 t. butter, softened
• 3/4 c. pumpkin puree (winter squash puree also works)
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/4 c. pecans, chopped
• 2 t. butter, softened
• 1 T. brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 4 ramekins (or one 8x8 pan); set aside.
2. Combine oats through salt in a medium-sized bowl. Stir well. In a separate bowl, combine the vanilla, first amount of butter, pumpkin, and milk. Whisk thoroughly. Pour the pumpkin mixture into oat mixture. Stir until combined.
3. Divide mixture evenly between the ramekins (or spread in larger pan). Place ramekins on a baking sheet (so they can be put in the oven easier). Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, combine pecans, second amount of butter, and brown sugar together. After oatmeal has baked for 10 minutes, spread topping on top and bake for another 7 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with milk and raisins or craisins if desired.

Serves 4

Swiss-Style Two Grain Bread

This is a hearty, whole wheat bread that requires very little kneading. It rose up nicely for me (a first with 100% whole wheat) and requires very little rising time compared to most yeast breads. I didn't have cracked rye, so I used extra cracked wheat. I also added a little honey to the water/yeast/grain mixture.

From the back of a Bob's Red Mill bag of flour.

1/4 c. cracked wheat

1/4 c. cracked rye

cold water

1 T. active dry yeast*

2 c. warm water*

4 T. dry milk powder

1 t. salt

4 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

*If using instant yeast (rapid rise), then see below for different directions.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the cracked grains in a saucepan and cover them with cold water. After bringing to a boil, simmer for 1 minute, drain and cool to lukewarm. In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast over about one third of the warm water and let stand for 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining water, the dry milk, salt and cooked grains. Gradually mix in flour to make a very moist dough. Knead it in the bowl until it begins to change textur. Transfer the dough to a greased 2-pound bread pan, cover and leave it in a warm place for 30 minutes or until it rises to ab out 1/2-inch above the top of the pan. Bake the loaf for 45 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Yields 1 loaf

*If using rapid rise/instant yeast, then add the yeast to the entire amount of warm water along with the grain, the milk, and half the flour. Wait for 10 minutes or so, then add the salt and remaining flour. Proceed as directed.

Whole Wheat Apricot and Raisin Bread or Muffins

This is a quick bread (as opposed to a yeast bread) and can be made into muffins as well. It makes terrific toast for breakfast; its dense texture soaks up lots of butter!

From Bob's Red Mill flour bag

• 1/4 c. dried apricots
• 3/4 c. milk
• 2 c. whole wheat flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/2 t. nutmeg
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. raisins
• 1 egg, beaten

1. Chop apricots into 1/2-inch pieces and soak them in milk for 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (400 or so if you make muffins).
3. Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a bowl and cut in the butter. Add sugar and raisins. Make a well in the center and pour in beaten egg, milk and apricots. Mix well to make a soft dough.
4. Place mixture in a greased 8x4-inch loaf pan (or greased muffin tin). Bake for 30 minutes (20 for muffins) or until a toothpick stuck in center comes out clean.
5. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.

Makes 1 loaf or 12 muffins

Easy Pulled Pork

My family LOVES BBQ. Nearly every time my mom's family gathers--especially if we're away from home--we pick up some BBQ. This is the pulled pork variety, topped with a sweet tomato-based sauce ("Memphis" style to some). We also make this pork roast below--it yields a product very similar to the unsauced pulled pork you might find in a Southern BBQ restaurant, but it's super easy. Top with your favorite sauce, add some buns and some baked beans, and you've got an easy dinner!

1 Boston Butt pork roast (also called "shoulder")--usually in the 5-7 pound range
Lots of black pepper
1 oven roasting bag*

Pepper that roast ALL OVER--you're going for a pepper crust, in a sense (this is similar to the process for Sunday Pork Roast). Put the roast in the bag (seal and make a few slits in the bag).* Roast at 325 degrees for 45 minutes per pound. Yes, this will take HOURS, but it's virtually maintenance free. The leftovers freeze just fine, so make a big one!

*If you'd rather not use a bag, simply cover the pan with foil and then place lid of pan firmly down on top of foil. This will make a mess of your pan, but it's fairly easy to clean up. Cooking time should be the same.

Serves.... depends on size of roast. A 10-pound bone-in roast yielded me a full 9x13-inch pan of pulled meat, about 5 pounds.

What We Ate/Consumed (Sept 12-18)

Week 2 (in a row) of chronicling what we're eating. This has been such an interesting exercise for me. I'm hoping it will help me see a good average for what we consume on a weekly basis--a help if I'm buying up extra of something on sale or just trying to buy enough for the week. It's also shown me that we're eating too many sweets again! Two weeks ago, we were eating hardly any dessert, but that has crept back in (and will creep back on our waistlines if we're not careful!). This doesn't always factor in hubby's lunch--he takes leftovers and occasionally eats out.

*indicates food that was grown by me or a local farmer

Meals/Dishes from the following list included:

• Butternut Squash Soup
• Cornbread (twice)
• Roasted Vegetable Soup
• Roast Chicken and Potatoes
• Chicken and Sausage Pasta
• Pizza (with leftover sausage and bacon)
• homemade chicken stock (10 cups; some in the freezer now)
• Banana Snack Cake
• homemade crackers
• Apple Dutch Baby
• 4 cups tomato pasta sauce for freezer

Protein Sources (includes dairy)

• 16 oz. cheese
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• Parmesan (4 ounces?)
• 5 oz. tofu
• 1 pound bacon
• 19 oz. Italian sausage (4 ounces leftover by end of week)
• 1 chicken (4 pounds or so) (1.5 cups leftover by end of week)
• 5 slices Canadian bacon
• 25 eggs
• 20 slices American cheese
• 2 g. milk (includes milk used for yogurt)
• 5 small yogurts

Starches (flours, breads, etc.)

• 1/2 loaf homemade bread
• 1/2 loaf storebought bread
• 3 cups pancake mix
• 2.75 cups cornmeal
• 10 cups flour (white whole wheat and regular white)
• 5 English muffins
• 1 cup popcorn kernels
• 1 pound penne

Produce

• 1 butternut squash*
• 2 butternut squashes
• 2 pounds carrots
• 1 red pepper
• 9 garlic cloves
• 7 large tomatoes*
• 2 pints cherry/grape tomatoes*
• 1 box frozen spinach
• 2 onions
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 pound potatoes*
• 3 cucumbers*
• 1 can Great Northern beans
• basil*
• thyme*
• rosemary*
• 10 apples
• 11 peaches
• 4 c. grapes
• 10 bananas
• 1 small can pears
• 2/3 cup raisins

Condiments/Baking Supplies (includes butter, oil, etc.)

• 1 pound butter (probably more...)
• olive oil (a lot)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• baking powder/baking soda/vanilla
• peanut butter
• jelly*
• syrup (homemade)
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 cup pesto (homemade--from the freezer)
• 1 cup pizza sauce (homemade--from the freezer)

Ready-made/Storebought Food

• 1 box Wheat Thins
• 1 box ice cream sandwiches (6/box)
• 1 package cookie dough
• 1/2 box cereal

Beverages

• coffee (2+ cups/day)
• tea (2+ cups/day)
• wine (4 glasses)
• water

Eating Out

• date night at Thai restaurant ($25) (we ate off this for several days)

Trial Week

Week 1

Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Boy, are these addictive!!! When you get your pumpkin(s) this year, don't throw away the seeds! This recipe is a combination of two other recipes I've found online and it's my favorite to date (I've tried several). Consider it a virtually free snack since you bought the pumpkin for a different use and would throw these away otherwise.

Recipe combined from 101 Cookbooks and Pumpkin Patches and More

• pumpkin seeds
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wash pumpkin seeds thoroughly (I put them in a bowl of water once I've separated them from the "goop" and just run them between my fingers under water--the last bits of slimy stuff slip off). Drain them in a colander for 30 minutes. Spread them out on a cookie sheet to dry (you can speed this up with a hairdryer according to one site). If you're not in a hurry, just turn them over/stir around every few hours or so, when you think about it. You can toast them the next day in a flash.

Once pretty dry, combine the seeds (1 cup for the ratios in the recipe ingredients list) with an egg white and the seasonings. Drain excess egg white off using a strainer and place on a cookie sheet. Toast at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes, until light brown. They will burn quickly after that time limit, so keep an eye on them!

Let cool slightly and enjoy!

Managing my Weekly Home-Cooking

I look at other food blogs/magazines/cookbooks and sometimes groan at the thought of the complexity involved in their recipes. I realized, though, that my own recipes/menus may cause similar inward sighs in many people out there as well. How do I do it with two toddlers and a preschooler? A lot of planning, a lot of seizing the moment, a lot of flexibility, and a lot of leftovers.... I realize that I'm very fortunate to have a husband who will eat most anything, doesn't mind eating the same thing a couple of days in a row, and who doesn't expect a meat-and-three for dinner every night. While he appreciates a great steak, a good pork roast, and so forth, he's content with a good hot dog, a simple stir-fry, or pb&J--especially if it keeps the sanity down at the house.

But I thought it might be interesting (if anyone cares) to see how I multitask in the kitchen. I generally multitask like crazy and spend an hour or two in the kitchen on one day and coast for a few after that. The following are two real live scenarios from this past week and a half:

Scenario 1:

• Day 1: Roast veggies for roasted vegetable side dish. AT THE SAME TIME, roast veggies for roasted vegetable soup (slightly different vegetables and different oven temperature--I split the difference). While the vegetables were roasting, I made a tomato sauce using some of the season's last tomatoes (this went into the freezer). Total time: 1 and 1/2 hours, including chopping and such. This was during a naptime after a very tiring morning for the kids (so I felt reasonably sure they would actually sleep).
• Day 2: Roasted vegetables for a side dish (already prepared) helped round out a quick dinner of brats and corn on the cob.
• Day 3 (which was a Saturday): Roasted Vegetable Soup and Cornbread--the soup came together in a flash because I'd already done the time-consuming part. I only had to throw in some beans, frozen broth, frozen spinach. The soup lasted us several meals.

Scenario 2:

• Day 1: Harvest/ purchase a few winter squashes. Thaw chicken.
• Day 2: Roast chicken and potatoes for dinner. AT THE SAME TIME, I cooked 2 butternut squash, 1 sweet potato squash, and 1 small pumpkin (yes, the oven was crowded). While all was cooking, I cut up some carrot sticks for hubby's lunches. After dinner, I threw the chicken carcass in a pot and made some broth. Extra pumpkin and squash puree went into freezer--we're looking ahead to an easier Butternut Squash Souffle.
• Day 3: Butternut squash soup with roasted squash, chicken broth, and miscellaneous other ingredients.
• Day 4: Chicken and Pasta with pesto sauce from freezer (using leftover chicken from Monday's roasted chicken).

The Final Frontier: Homemade Crackers

I don't know about the rest of you experienced home bakers, but this girl has never been interested in making crackers from scratch...until today. I have made them before--once--and decided it wasn't worth the time and effort.

However, now I have three young kids who can scarf down an entire box of crackers in one sitting if I let them. We also are interested in slashing our grocery budget, and crackers are one of the few processed items we still buy A LOT. So, I decided it was worth a try.

Enter The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn: her whole wheat cracker recipe solved one of my biggest issues. Instead of rolling the dough out paper thin on a cutting board and then somehow transferring it to a cookie sheet without it breaking, she recommended rolling the dough out ON THE COOKIE SHEET. Why didn't I think of that before? This simple step eliminated much of my previous aversion to cracker making. I tried a batch of her crackers today (she also pointed out much cheaper they were than the "real thing" and how her recipe made double the weight of a storebought box--meaning my little crew would not demolish this recipe in one sitting).

Verdict? Definitely worth your time. If you've ever made bread before, you must try these crackers. They're easier than bread and faster since there's no rising time involved. The process actually reminded me of making biscuits or scones, except that the result is a LOT more crackers than the 8-10 biscuits/scones I usually make. What better thing to whip up for a simple soup dinner? They taste wonderful and are more filling somehow than storebought crackers. I'm now on the lookout for other cracker recipes to try, planning to roll them all out on the cookie sheet instead of trying to transfer dough. The recipe from Dacyczyn tastes a lot like Wheat Thins--sweet and salty and "wheat-y." I think there's a bigger return on my time in cracker making than in bread baking; crackers tend to be much more expensive than a loaf of bread, but the ingredients for homemade are virtually the same as most of my bread recipes. So, I'll save more money than making my own bread would save me (and I don't have to stick around the house for the bread to bake).

Whole Wheat Crackers

• 1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 c. white flour
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 c. butter
• 3/4 c. buttermilk (or soured milk)
• 1/4 c. wheat germ (or maybe a little more)

Sift first five ingredients together. Add the butter and either process in food processor or cut in with pastry blender (like making biscuits). Add the buttermilk and process until it forms a ball (or stir with wooden spoon until it forms a ball). Set it aside for 10 minutes. Cut the dough into four parts. Grease cookie sheets and sprinkle them with wheat germ. Roll each dough piece out on a cookie sheet (flouring roller as necessary). Roll them as thin as you can; they will puff slightly in the oven. Sprinkle with salt. Cut into diamonds or squares with a pizza cutter, sharp knife, or pastry wheel. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes (remove ones at edges as they brown). Cool and put into a covered container.

Makes 20 ounces, double the weight of standard Wheat Thins box. Number of crackers? I don't know... didn't count before the kids and I gobbled a few of them up.

What We Ate/Consumed (Sept 5-11)

I wrote a post like this before--this is more for my own purposes I suppose than anyone's interest who might be reading along. This is always an interesting exercise. Here's what we consumed (roughly) for this past week (we fed one other family in addition on one night):

Meals (Ingredients come from larger list--this just shows what I used the stuff for)

• Rice and Spinach Casserole
• Stir-Fried Chicken with Basil and Chilies, Thai Style
• Pasta Salad
• Chicken Scampi with peppers and pasta
• Crock-Pot Oatmeal
• Oatmeal Muffins
• Toast and Eggs
• PB&J
• Cheese and Crackers
• Sandwiches
• Brats w/Roasted Veggies and Creamed Corn (recipe coming soon--it was to die for!)

Protein (includes Dairy)

• 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken
• 16 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
• 20 oz. cheese
• 2 gallons milk
• 16 slices American cheese
• 18 ounces lunch meat
• 6 oz. ham
• 1 c. tofu
• 1.5 cups cream
• 3 ounces string cheese
• 5 bratwurst

Starches

• 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
• 1 pound rotini
• 2 boxes Flipsides crackers
• 2 1/2 cups steel cut oats
• 1.5 loaves homemade bread
• 1.5 loaf storebought sandwich bread
• 2 cups raw rice
• Naan from 1-pound amount of bread dough in freezer
• 2 cups Cheerios
• 3 cups flour
• 1 bowl's worth of Frosted Mini-wheats
• 1 bowl's worth of Raisin Bran

Produce

• 1 red onion
• 3 1/4 white onions
• 14 cloves garlic
• 2 green peppers
• 1 yellow peppers
• 3 red peppers*
• 2 zucchini*
• 2 pickling cucumbers*
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 2 Kennebec Potatoes*
• 2 Yukon gold potatoes*
• 4 ears corn*
• 1 pound spring mix
• 1 1/2 pounds spinach
• 2 cups fresh basil*
• 1 cup fresh Thai basil*
• 2 jalapenos*
• 1 c. frozen peas
• 8 apples*
• 3 cups Craisins
• 1 cantaloupe*
• 6 peaches*
• 7 bananas
• 1.5 cups frozen berries
• 3 mini boxes raisins

Condiments/Baking Supplies

• 2 c. butter (1 pound)
• 1 c. olive oil
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/4 c. peanut oil
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 c. seasoned vinegar
• 20 chocolate chips
• 1 cup pecans
• 8 t. baking powder
• 1 cup ready-made Italian dressing
• Ranch dressing
• peanut butter
• jelly*

Desserts and Snacks--made with ingredients not included above

• 3 cookies
• 1 Key Lime Pie (brought by dinner guests)
• 1/2 recipe Green Tomato Cake (from freezer)*
• 5 ice cream cookie sandwiches
• 2 mint ice cream sandwiches
• 1 large cookie from produce stand

Beverages

• tea (2+ cups/day)
• coffee (3+ cups/day)
• 1/4 gallon juice
• 6 beers

Dining Out (not our date-night week, so pretty low)

• Breakfast at Panera ($20): 6 bagels, 8 oz. cream cheese, 1 hot tea, 1 coffee, 3 milks
• Cookies/Tea at Border's ($11): 5 cookies, 2 hot teas

Honey-Herb Vinaigrette

This delightful, mild vinaigrette is easy to whip up if you have the herbed vinegar on hand (see below). It would be great in place of my Basic Salad Dressing or on top of any simple green salad.

Recipe from Gardener's Community Cookbook

• 1/4 c. Herbed Vinegar (see below)
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 1 T. honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
• freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in small bowl and whisk. Use right away or store in a covered container for a few days in the refrigerator.

Makes 3/4 cup

Herbed Vinegar

this is very easy and worth a try--it sounds VERY weird, but it's quite good.

• 1 T. chopped shallot
• 1 T. chopped fresh chives
• 1 T. chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 T. chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 T. dried summer savory
• 3 small bay leaves
• 2-inch piece of cinnamon stick
• 1/4 t. grated nutmeg
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 1 t. salt
• 4 c. distilled white vinegar

1. Combine all ingredients in a quart Mason jar.
2. Heat the vinegar to almost boiling (190 degrees) and pour into the jar. Cool to room temperature then seal securely. Let stand at room temperature for 8-10 days, shaking jar once a day.
3. Strain into a clean bottle/jar and store at room temperature. Make sure your stopper/lid is not metal because it will react with the vinegar.

Keeps 6 months or so

Key Lime Pie

This is from my friend Megan R., and it is yummy! Easy and a perfect way to end a meal on a hot day.

• 1/2 c. lime juice
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 regular size can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 graham cracker pie crust

Whisk together first 3 ingredients. Pour into the shell and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until set. It should seem relatively firm (kind of like a cheesecake). Chill. You can add food coloring if you want when first mixing the ingredients, but from prior experience, it's not a good idea. Real Key Lime Pie is more yellow and food coloring either makes it look super artificial or like split pea soup....

Top with whipped cream if desired.

Serves 8

Rice and Spinach Casserole with Basil

This is delicious! Even my 2-year-olds ate multiple helpings. I was a little skeptical, but this was definitely worth the effort involved. If you're a gardener, this is a perfect end of summer meal when your zucchini and basil are abundant. If you're not a gardener, you need to track down a source of free fresh basil! I used an extra egg and about 1/3 cup extra cottage cheese because that's what I had. The texture of the finished dish is not quiche-like (which you might think given the eggs/dairy); instead, it's very "casserole-y" for lack of a better word.

Recipe from Martha Stewart Living and compliments of my friend Megan S

• 2 c. cooked brown rice
• 3 T. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced
• 2 scallions, sliced (or small amount of minced white onion)
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach (frozen can be used)
• 2 c. loosely packed fresh basil
• 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese (about 9 ounces; well-drained if necessary)*
• 5 eggs
• 1/4 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper*

*You can substitute cottage cheese, but know that cottage cheese is saltier than ricotta; you may want to reduce the salt called for.

1. Preheat oven to 375. Heat 2 T. oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, garlic, and scallions, and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 minutes more. Season with salt, and transfer to a bowl.
2. Return pan to medium heat and add remaining tablespoon oil. Add spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Add basil and cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green and wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drain if necessary.
3. Whisk ricotta and eggs in a large bowl. Add 1 ½ c. cooked rice to mixture. Stir in cooked zucchini and spinach-basil mixtures. Add ¾ tsp. salt, and season with pepper.
4. Combine Parmesan and remaining ½ c. rice in a small bowl. Lightly grease a 9-inch round baking dish (2-inches deep or so), and spoon ricotta mixture into dish. Top with Parmesan-rice mixture. Bake until filling is set and top is golden, 35-40 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. (If you add extra eggs/cheese, it will take a bit longer to cook...).

Serves 6 or so

Side Dish suggestions: fruit and a roll or muffin

Chicken with Tomatoes and Cumin (aka Moroccan Chicken)

This dish delivers big flavor with minimal work. It's also healthy and inexpensive (if you buy boneless, skinless chicken on sale). My entire family enjoyed it.

Recipe from How to Cook Everything, 10th ann edition (original boring recipe title: "Chicken Cutlets with Tomatoes")

• 1/4 c. chopped parsley or cilantro
• 1 T. cumin
• 1/2 t. coriander
• 1 t. minced garlic
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine--just drain slightly; for fresh, don't bother peeling, but do scoop out some seeds)
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pound chicken if necessary for uniform thickness; chicken tenders won't need pounding.
3. Combine parsley or cilantro with half the cumin, all the coriander, the garlic, and some salt and pepper. Rub onto both sides of chicken.
4. Combine tomatoes with remaining cumin, olive oil, and some salt and pepper.
5. Place half the tomato mixture in bottom of a roasting pan (I used an 8x8-inch pan). Place chicken on top. Spread remaining tomato mixture on top of chicken.
6. Bake until chicken is done, basting occasionally with any juices. Average time: 20 minutes.

Serves 4-6

Serving suggestion: steamed green veggie (green beans, broccoli, etc.); couscous or potatoes or corn

Green Ketchup

This is amazingly good: complex, sweet, tangy, faintly spicy. It reminds me of a good BBQ sauce. I have to confess to adding a few drops of food coloring.... If something's called "Green Ketchup," it should be green, right? This takes a while, but isn't that labor intensive; most of the time you just walk by and stir the pot.

Green Ketchup

Recipe from How to Cook Everything, 10th ann. edition

• 2 T. pickling spices
• 3/4 c. cider vinegar
• 2 T. neutral oil (canola, corn, etc.)
• 4 cups cored, chopped green tomatoes
• 2 cups peeled, cored, chopped tart green apples
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. water
• salt, to taste (I used very little)
• cayenne, to taste

1. Heat the pickling spice and the vinegar in a nonreactive saucepan until almost boiling. Put it aside to steep (for at least 45 minutes--but you won't need it for that amount of time, even if you proceed right away with the recipe).
2. Heat the oil in large pot over medium high heat; when hot, add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and jalapeno. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft (about 10 minutes). Add the tomatoes, apples, and water; stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking. Adjust heat so the mixture bubbles gently and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 45 minutes, being careful not to let the tomato stick to the bottom and burn.
3. Strain the vinegar and stir it into the tomato mixture along with the sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper (I added just a touch--you can always add more at the end!). Continue cooking for another 45 minutes or so. Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree. Taste, adjust seasonings, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze.

Makes about 1 quart

Trail Mix Cookies

These are my neighbor Lisa's favorite cookies. The recipe comes from her mother-in-law. They are flourless, oatmeal, peanut, chocolate chip cookies. Really, anything you might put in trail mix will work in these. I think they would be good with dark chocolate chips and raisins (with a touch of salt added to the batter). More nuts might be fun if you're a "nutty" person. Experiment away!

• 1 c. sugar
• 1.5 c. brown sugar
• 1 stick of softened butter
• 1 t. honey
• 1 t. vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 2 t. baking soda
• 1.5 c. crunchy peanut butter (I used natural/unsweetened)
• 4.5 c. old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 c. chocolate chips
• 1 c. M&M's

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add honey, vanilla, eggs, and baking soda; mix well. Add peanut butter and oatmeal; mix well. Add "fun stuff" and mix well. Bake for 9-11 minutes at 350-375 degrees (350 and 11 minutes works best for me).

Makes a TON of cookies.

Tuesday's Toddler Tidbits

I haven't written a Toddler Tidbits in a while, but I was analyzing my food prep for my toddlers/preschooler the other day, and realized I have some tips to share! These aren't revolutionary, but may help explain why/how my toddlers eat some of the weird things they do.

1. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

My children haven been offered cherry tomatoes weekly this summer from the garden. After a number of weeks, all of a sudden one son became obsessed with them! He LOVES them and can't get enough of them. It's a good reminder to keep offering your children food items that they turn their noses up at initially. Someday they may like it!

2. Remember the toddler-ability factor.

When we eat soup, for instance, my toddlers have a hard time keeping the liquid on their spoons in the short distance from bowl to mouth. The solution? A small cup--they now drink their soup and love it!

Similarly, when we eat salad, I rip up the leaves into very small pieces.

3. A spoonful of Ranch dressing (or ketchup) makes the medicine go down.

If I stir in a good-sized dollop of Ranch dressing into the small lettuce pieces, that salad sails down the throat. If we can dip our meatballs in ketchup, more meatballs are consumed. I view condiments such as these as necessary evils. Sure we want them to learn to eat meat without dousing it in ketchup, but for the time being, don't sweat it. They are learning in the process that they like salad or meat or cucumbers or whatever. Someday, they'll no doubt be brave enough to try a different condiment on that familiar salad.

4. Get the old standby's at restaurants.

We eat a variety of healthy food at home. When we go out, then it's a treat to get chicken fingers and fries. My kids will eat well at the restaurant instead of complaining and throwing food, we won't waste money getting them something they don't like and won't eat, and I don't have to worry that they're not getting enough nutrition. One meal of fries once in a while isn't going to kill them.

5. Don't make food a big deal.

We don't make our kids clean their plates (gasp!). They aren't allowed seconds of anything until they've at least tried everything on their plates. Toddlers and preschoolers have random appetites; sometimes, they're just not hungry, so don't force the issue. We do not offer lots of snacks between meals, so that ups the chances they are actually hungry for the meal. In contrast, when they suddenly develop voracious appetites, I'll help the meal out with graham crackers or cheese sticks or whatever. When they hit a growth spurt, sometimes they really just need some extra calories; it's not life or death if those calories are coming from crackers instead of carrots especially if the general day/week is somewhat balanced.