a time to eat

Whole30- Day 6

2013-06-19T07:54:00.001-05:00

If you're not quite bored with reading about what I'm eating everyday, then by all means, keep reading! If you just want some new recipes for goodness sake, come back in 23 days.

I went to bed late (for me), around 11:15 so I was surprised to find myself awake and raring to go at 5:30. But I popped right out of bed, got some work done on our church's new website (coming soon!!!!) and then made breakfast.

Breakfast- fried eggs in a combination of olive oil and coconut oil. I went very light on the coconut oil and was pleased with the results.

It was family zoo day so I was curious to see how my new eating habits (and the early wake up call) would affect my energy level while pushing kids up and down some of the largest hills in Oklahoma (I joke) in 85 degree weather. I brought cheese sticks for them and almonds and baby oranges for me.

Fun fact- eating healthfully for 6 days is not enough to make 10+ years of exercise-free life go away.

We went to Chipotle for lunch, which is a far better choice than the usual McDonald's we eat after a zoo trip. They just "happened" to build a McDonald's right by the zoo exit, before you get on the highway. I went with the carnitas salad again but made the mistake of getting hot salsa instead of medium.

Fun fact- their hot salsa is hot.

When we got home, I may have fallen asleep in my living room floor. That may have happened. So maybe we'll try a zoo day again on Day 24 or something and I'll see if I fare any better. When I woke up I did enjoy another banana split. Those are a winner.

I was really looking forward to spaghetti for dinner. I was looking forward to this dinner when I was longing for a cheeseburger the other night. So I was beyond disappointed when I undercooked and under-seasoned my veggies and didn't have my usual spices or herbs on-hand for the sauce. Nothing had flavor. But it was filling. So there's that.

Whole30- Day 5

2013-06-18T05:30:00.000-05:00

Day 5!
1/6 of the way there, folks!

Breakfast this morning was coffee with coconut cream and green eggs and bacon. I wanted to add veggies to breakfast but really had to choke these down. Kale chips are one thing, sauteed kale is another kind of beast.

My nephews' joint birthday party is today, and once again I've been recruited to make cupcakes. Temptation at its finest. I survived the baking, but can I resist temptation at the party? (I predict that I can.)

I made myself a sweet potato hash brown for lunch which was so delicious I almost cried. Not really, but it was delicious. I predict that I will make those at some point most days of the week. They'd be perfect topped with a fried egg for breakfast. It was perfect for lunch with chicken and green beans. It will make a perfect bed for meat and veggies at dinner. I.love.the.sweet.potato.hash.brown.

I had some almonds and baby oranges (clementines, to you) before the birthday party and told myself to bring food with me. I forgot. So we got to the pool and swam for a bit and then it was pizza time. Pizza and cupcakes, to be exact. I simply didn't eat so by the time we left I was hungry. Not ravenous, (is this a good sign that my blood sugar is holding steady throughout the day?) but definitely hungry. It was almost 8:00 after all. So I warmed up another bowl of soup, added chicken and was...very unsatisfied. I really wanted a burger. A big, fat, double cheeseburger, to be exact. Instead I thought maybe a little something sweet would satisfy. And oh, I was right.

Banana Split with Coconut Cream

1 banana
1/4 cup coconut cream
sprinkle of cinnamon
handful of dry roasted almonds

Whole30- Day 4

2013-06-17T05:30:00.000-05:00

Keri's Coconut Cream was a success for two reasons- it added a bit of sweetness and creaminess to my coffee, and, perhaps even better, my kids didn't like it so they didn't drink the majority of MY COFFEE. Thanks, Ker! I scrambled some eggs for myself and my daughter, and was already scheming what I'd make for lunch with all my goodies from the store.

More than anything else (well, besides cheese), I miss crunch. I miss toast with my eggs and a plate of nachos for lunch (mmm...nachos...). Besides almonds and cashews, I'm not getting much crunch these days. Enter, the lettuce wrap.

I'm trying to work out the acronym here, but it was a "California" (isn't that what you call anything when you add avocado? Who decided that?) B.L.T. with Chicken. (B.L.A.C.T.??) Call it what you like, it was delicious. Leftover chicken is a God-send.

I grabbed almonds and an apple for the car ride to church and wasn't even remotely hungry until dinner, around 7:15. I made the exception for Jesus and feasted on the bread and wine during communion. After church, we went out with some friends to a taco place and I got a salad with steak. It came with chips crushed on top but I managed not to eat more than one more two (that snuck in, totally snuck in). From there, we headed to our pastor's house for a goodbye party for friends and I drank lots of water and bypassed the food.

I have lots of people asking me about this whole gig and I don't really have any complaints. It hasn't been too hard and I'm wondering if that means the hard days are ahead of me or if I'm just a rock-star. Probably the latter. (Pride goes before the fall...)
Day 4, done!

Keri's Coconut Cream

1 egg

2 tbs coconut oil, melted (or, in June in Oklahoma, at room temperature)

1 can full-fat coconut milk

In a blender, whip the egg until frothy. With blender running, slowly add the coconut oil (through the lid) and blend well. Turn off the blender, add the coconut milk and blend well. Pour into a jar and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, you'll have thickened, delicious coconut "whipped cream"! Keri suggested blending the coffee and cream together in the blender, but I just stirred it together well and then added my ice.

I can imagine that this coconut cream will be delicious on top of a bowl of strawberries, but for now I'm dreaming of dipping graham crackers in it. Only dreaming, of course.

Whole30- Day 3

2013-06-16T05:30:00.000-05:00

I knew that today would be a challenge. My sister and I were taking our Dad out for breakfast, for Father's Day. In true diner style, my bacon (I don't think I was supposed to eat bacon) and eggs were accompanied by hash browns (mmmm...hash browns...) and my choice of toast, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, or grits. Oh, mercy. I chugged down my bacon and eggs and simply didn't make "eye contact" with the rest.

I grabbed some berries and drank my iced coffee when I got home and am hitting a wall with black coffee. My Facebook support group tells me that it will get easier, and I'll get used to it. But for now I'm going with my cousin Keri's suggestion of homemade coconut cream. I made it tonight for tomorrow's coffee, so I'll let you know how it turns out.

I was feeling a bit lousy today after yesterday's headache and I took an involuntary nap for about an hour, between breakfast and lunch. When I woke up, I was pretty famished and didn't care to put more effort into lunch than more scrambled eggs with "taco meat." Yeah, eggs are getting old.

I snacked on almonds and blueberries in the afternoon while playing Go-Fish with my son. Then dinner, while delicious, was the final push I needed to get to the grocery store. I simply sauteed chicken thighs in one pan, and onion, carrot, and zucchini in another. It was really good, but I've got a bit more variety planned for next week.

I haven't had too much difficulty so far. I'm already much more mindful of how much emotional/stressed/bored/frustrated/angry/happy/mindless eating I do throughout the day. I'm waiting for the amazing amounts of energy that I keep reading about. Like that elusive second trimester burst of energy, perhaps?
Either way, day 3 is in the books, y'all.

Whole30- Day 2

2013-06-15T05:30:00.000-05:00

I hate to waste food. I'm pretty sure that's a trait I picked up from my dad. So when 2 children wasted their buttery delicious, gorgeously browned toast this morning, I threw an internal hissy fit. Then I added "taco meat" to my eggs and all was well with my world. My dad used to make these for me on a regular basis, and I still love them. Thanks, Dad.

A 10:33 a.m. text to friends: "Is this food-induced rage or am I just really sick of my kids?"

In an effort to get away from the house and stop thinking about food constantly (wait, that's nothing new), we met some friends at the splash pad. I ate cashews on the way there and then again 15 minutes later, when my kids decided they were finished playing. I ate almonds while I waited in the drive-thru at Chick-fil-A, where I got my kids nuggets. I felt a headache coming on, so I took some Advil. I watched my kids eat their nuggets while my soup heated up. My friend's suggestion that I add chicken to it made all the difference in the world. I had some leftover from the tacos we had earlier this week.

A short nap, some iced coffee, and an Imitrex (unfortunately) and my head is significantly better. (Lo and behold, there's another factor to my headache and moodiness. But no one needs to hear about my PMS.)

I tried to make this Whipped Sorbet for an afternoon treat, but it just didn't work out. My guess is that my puny, off-brand "food chopper" wasn't up to the food processing involved. So I ate the frozen blueberries, which were delightful.

By the time my husband got home, the house was a complete disaster, two of my children were in tears, the thermostat was set on 81 degrees, and I was more than ready to get out of the house. I had done my research (thanks for the link, Aunt Pam!!) and knew exactly what I wanted for dinner. Chipotle. A firm family favorite already, but could I really navigate it and enjoy my meal without the rice, beans, sour cream, cheese, and chips?

What does this picture tell you?

I had a salad with carnitas (the only meat option that isn't marinated or cooked in soybean oil, it turns out), and mild and medium salsas. I wanted to add guacamole, but didn't care to spend the extra 2 bucks. It was really, really good.

So besides the headache (which I'm not blaming on the diet change completely...or maybe even at all), Day 2 is in the books without trouble.

Whole30- Day 1

2013-06-14T05:30:00.000-05:00

So I drank my iced coffee black (and enjoyed it) and fried my eggs in extra-virgin olive oil instead of butter. I missed the taste of butter, but I survived. I usually eat buttered toast with my eggs in the morning, but again, I survived. Praise God that I've been eating eggs for breakfast for the past 5 months instead of my old usual, peanut butter toast with honey. That would have made for a harder transition.

Lunch was a big pot of veggie soup for me. I started with my friend Rachel's Minestrone recipe, using what I had and leaving out what I had to (pasta and beans, for example). I was surprised that eating two big bowls of really hot soup wasn't impossible to do in 90 degree Oklahoma. Triple-digit-degree Oklahoma? That's probably another story.
I had been to Sprout's the day before and got some swiss chard, fully intending to use it up the way I did last summer. Alas, it went into the soup. Sure, I wanted some Parmesan cheese on top and some crusty bread on the side, but the soup was good.

My afternoon snack was a delicious, huge bowl of fresh mixed berries. I am a genius for trying this at the height of berry season.

Granted, a moment of weakness ensued when I was getting the kids their snacks. I had to force myself to put the peanut-covered spoon straight into the sink instead of licking it clean first. A quick text to a friend and she let me know I had seriously only just begun.

I knew I was making chicken nuggets for dinner. And I knew that the last few times I made them, I ate the browned and crispy panko bread crumbs left behind in the pan by the fistful. But it wasn't a big deal to make them for everyone else and just saute my unbreaded chicken. I steamed some snap peas for my husband and I, added some brown rice to his plate and more berries to mine. Delicious.

My food so far has been simple and delicious. Remember, I only just read about this whole plan the day before, so I haven't researched recipes, shopped for ingredients, or planned out the rest of the week. I'm trying not to make this more of a shock to my life-style than it has to be. So taking what I have, using it simply, and enjoying it? I can do that.

Day 1 was a cinch.

Veggie Soup

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 quarts (8 cups) chicken stock

1 can diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

1 sprig fresh rosemary

3 medium zucchini, sliced

1 bunch swiss chard, sliced lengthwise and then into ribbons

salt and pepper

olive oil

In a large pot over medium low heat, warm about 1 tbs olive oil. Add garlic and onion and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add carrot and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add chicken stock, tomatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary and increase heat to medium. Bring to a boil, lower the heat back to medium low, and add the zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the swiss chard and let wilt slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

My Whole30 Adventure

2013-06-13T14:34:00.000-05:00

I read about it yesterday, I started it today. The Whole30 is supposed to recharge your system by changing your eating habits for 30 days.

I chatted with my husband about it, because he is always leery of any "diet," "cleanse," "plan," etc. that completely eliminates a food group. He doesn't agree with giving up even whole grains, but he still gave me the stamp of approval, his support, and his guarantee that he won't be joining me in this journey.

I'm okay with that.

More than anything else, my motivation for trying this is simply to see if I can and will do it. I am not known for my discipline. I can be lazy in some areas. I make lists and plans and then forget about them.

In addition, while I consider myself to be a pretty healthy person, I have a couple of issues that I could live without: migraine headaches, and something called PVC's. (Dad, Grannie, and any other family member who may read that, don't freak out. I've talked to my doctor about them and I'm okay.)

So I'm doing it.

I'm feasting on food I love and cutting out food I love.

I will (try) and post my daily meals, thoughts, and results. So at least it will get me blogging again!

So long, nightly beer with my husband. I WILL miss you.

Maple-Oatmeal Scones

2013-05-29T15:18:00.000-05:00

I've been disappointed in my "famous" scones as of late. People ask me to make them for an event and I am almost ashamed to bring them! I haven't heard any complaints, but I know that they should and could be better. So when a friend asked me to make some last week, I decided to try a new recipe. Actually, I had made these once before and remembered loving them.
The great thing about these scones is their texture. Where as the others are more like a biscuit, these scones are cakey, like those scones that we all love from Starbucks. It's Ina's addition of eggs to the scone dough. I plan to experiment with my go-to scones and see if I can improve upon them. Until then, these are a delicious change.

Maple-Oatmeal Scones
from Ina GartenI usually make a half recipe and get 8 triangle scones out of the dough.

For the Scones:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats, plus additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or water, for egg wash

For the Glaze:
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flours, oats, baking powder, sugar and salt. Blend the cold butter in at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Combine the buttermilk, maple syrup and eggs and add quickly to the flour-and-butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough may be sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4 to 1 inch thick. (I roll the dough into a round and cut it into triangles.) You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into 3-inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are crisp and the insides are done.

To make the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, maple syrup and vanilla. When the scones are done, cool for 5 minutes and drizzle each scone with 1 tablespoon of the glaze. I like to sprinkle some uncooked oats on the top, for garnish. The warmer the scones are when you glaze them, the thinner the glaze will be.

Mondays with Mom- Fiesta Time

2013-05-27T14:35:00.000-05:00

Mexican food will probably always make me think of my mom. We ate it often, at home and in restaurants. Growing up, there was a little place by our church and we ate there every other week. My sister remembers me eating the butter packets placed on the table to spread on tortillas (I still deny this) and I remember her ordering chicken fingers at a Mexican restaurant (she cannot deny this).

Our family tradition is to eat Mexican food every year on Christmas Eve. No turkey or ham for us, just enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, even homemade tamales one year. It's a pretty special feeling on Christmas Eve, knowing that my family in California is celebrating in the same manner.

We ate a lot of Mexican food at home, as well. Mom would usually buy a Taco Bell taco kit from the store and a block of frozen hamburger meat was transformed into a fiesta by the end of the day. My dad works for Frito-Lay, so we always had plenty of chips, salsa, and queso to round out the meal. Taco night is a favorite at our house, as well. I love it because it's one of the quickest meals to get on the table, and yet it always looks like such an elaborate spread of food.

I also love it because no other meal gets my oldest picky eater to voluntarily add lettuce and tomato to his plate.

I forgo the boxed kit and packaged taco seasoning but usually have crunchy shells for the kiddos. If I feel fancy, I'll make flour tortillas. Rice and beans, guacamole for me, and everyone ends up happy and full. If I've learned anything from this blog series about feeding a family, it is this: my mom knew what she was doing.

Taco Seasoning
To season 1 lb of hamburger meat:

1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbs chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp oregano

Brown and drain your meat, then add seasonings and a couple of tablespoons of water. Stir well to combine and distribute the seasoning throughout.

Mondays with Mom- Mother's Day Without Her

2013-05-13T10:49:00.000-05:00

I used to fear that my mom was going to get pulled over for drinking and driving. I didn't realize that the law referred to drinking alcohol (which she never did). All I knew was, whenever we went anywhere, our first stop was always 7-11 for a Diet Dr. Pepper (for her) and Dr. Pepper's for my sister and I.

On Mother's Day this year, my second without her, I bought Diet Cokes for she and I and sat on her porch for a while, having a good solid cry. I sang the hymn I sang to her on our last Mother's Day together. Then I went and saw The Great Gatsby, a movie that she and I would have no doubt seen together. I missed her fiercely.

If she had been here, we would have all had lunch together after church. Perhaps Dad would have grilled something, or perhaps we would have picked up barbecue. Whatever the case, the girls would not have cooked. Not on Mother's Day.

I didn't follow that rule in my own home. I made my own breakfast. For starters, I was up by 5 a.m. and my husband slept until 8:30. So I cooked some bacon, made some coffee, and then wrote one of my most popular Facebook statuses ever: "There is NOTHING like waking up on Mother's Day to the smell of bacon and freshly brewed coffee. My husband will thank me when he wakes up." I made my own eggs, which is also fine- he doesn't know how to make them like I do! Then I added a slice of the cake I had made the day before. When my husband saw me taking pictures, he said, "So are you going to call that a 'Greek Yogurt Breakfast Cake'?" I replied, "I'll call it 'It's Mother's Day and I can eat whatever I damn well please Cake'." (In jest, of course.)

The cake was the highlight of the day.

Greek Yogurt Cake
from Mad Hungry Cravings

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
1/4 cup honey
12 tbs (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 with a rack in the middle position. Butter and flour a 9-by-2-inch springform pan.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together the yogurt and honey in a small bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the yogurt and beginning and ending with the flour.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cook the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and invert the cake; lift off the pan bottom and let the cake cool completely.

Slice the cake and serve plain, sprinkled with sugar, or with the topping of your choice, like fresh berries.

Mondays with Mom- Leggo my Prego

2013-04-29T13:30:00.000-05:00

About three times a week, Mom would leave a frozen block of hamburger meat in the sink. Ah, the versatile little things. What would it become? Tacos? Burgers? Quite often the mystery answer was spaghetti.

A pound of hamburger meat, browned. A box of spaghetti, boiled rapidly, then a few strands thrown against the wall to see if they stuck. A jar of Prego, then that same jar filled with water and added to the sauce. (Don't ask me why.) My randomly picky sister would make Mom set aside some of the sauce without meat for her. This is probably the first meal Mom taught me how to make. Besides the usual salad, we'd also have some Wal-mart frozen garlic bread, or, my favorite, hot dog buns spread with Country Crock and sprinkled with garlic salt. (A friend of mine calls this "Okie Toast.")

Homemade spaghetti sauce was hard for me to figure out when I first got married. I knew I didn't want to reach for the Prego, but I wasn't pleased with my results for a while. I wanted to replicate the taste of my childhood, but make it from scratch. It wasn't until college, when I saw a friend browning onions and garlic before she added her meat, that I even realized that you could use something besides the veggies in the jar!

Since then, I've learned to add other flavor enhancers, when I have them on hand- fresh basil, when I have it, and Parmesan cheese rinds, which I stash in the freezer for just such a purpose. I brown the meat first, then use my go-to tomato sauce recipe.

Though these days, my kids request Veggie Spaghetti instead of regular. I will never, never deny them Veggie Spaghetti. I don't have to feel guilty that they refuse to eat the salad I serve with it! And of course, I always make Janna's French Bread to accompany this meal.

It's amazing to me, as I sit down and think about the meals that my mom made on a regular basis, that I find myself reaching for the same things. Our cooking styles are different, but all we really want is to feed our family with minimal fussing and headache. Thankfully, it turns out that the meals that meet those criteria most fully are some of the simples to make.
I look forward to sharing some of Mom's Sunday dinners with you, when she would choose dishes that would cook all morning when we were at church. Those are the most vivid smells of my childhood.

Mondays With Mom- The Weekly Shake and Bake

2013-04-22T04:00:00.000-05:00

My Mom always had to work, but she always took a job that would allow her to be home when my sister and I got out of school. For a few years, she even worked in the cafeteria of my elementary school. I was never embarrassed to see her there, in her hairnet. She was hilarious and all my friends loved her. It wasn't until a sociology class in college, while researching my family's educational history, that I learned that my mom had two master's degrees and was pretty wicked smaht. She had been an educator most of her life, so slopping mashed potatoes on an endless line of plastic trays was a truly sacrificial move on her part.

Throughout my childhood, in the mornings, mom would grab some kind of meat out of the deep freezer and set in the sink to thaw throughout the day. Not in a sink filled with cold water, just the sink. When I commented on this when I became an adult who cooked and who knew that this really wasn't a safe way to thaw out meat, she responded, "Nothing bad ever happened, right?"
I don't remember a lot of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, which are a staple in my house today. I remember a lot of pork chops. I'm sure they were a cheaper option. If there were pork chops in the sink, you could count on one thing for supper- Shake and Bake. I loved Shake and Bake nights, because of course, I helped!

These days, I still rely heavily on a weekly dose of "shake and bake" chicken. 25 minutes in the oven, a side of brown rice and some veggies? Done. And everyone loves it. Growing up, the cast of characters would have included a bag of Lipton Rice and a salad. There was always salad on the table.

Crispy Rosemary Chicken is my go-to version of mom's weekly favorite. It requires little more effort than the boxed variety and it tastes infinitely better. This meal has completely taken the place of Parmesan Chicken as my family's favorite meal.

I think mom would have loved it. I'm willing to bet your family will, as well.

Shortbread Cookies

2013-04-19T17:03:00.001-05:00

Sometimes, you just need to bake cookies.
And sometimes, you just need to bake cookies and you don't have any eggs.
And that, friends, is why God gave us shortbread. A buttery, slightly sweet, flaky little morsel of goodness. I can't be certain, but I'm pretty sure these bad boys would be delightful with some Nutella sandwiched in between.

Shortbread Cookies
from Ina Garten

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt; then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and roll shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3-inch heart-shaped cutter. Place the hearts on an ungreased sheet pan and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Note: The edges of the shortbread are ever so slightly sharper if you chill the cookies before baking them. I cut out the cookies days ahead and bake them the day I serve them.

Mondays With Mom, a Blog Series

2013-04-16T14:28:00.000-05:00

If (when?) I write a book, I predict it will involve food.

I don't have enough "original" recipes to constitute an entire cookbook, but I do have many memories that center around food and I am a lover of food memoirs.

So in an effort to dip my toe in the pool of the food writing world, I'm starting a blog series.

It's called "Mondays With Mom," and, as you might guess, it will feature a recipe each Monday that is a remake of a favorite childhood meal. My mom worked when I was growing up in the era of convenience foods, so many of the meals I remember do indeed need to be remade and re-imagined. This series will also serve as a bit of therapy for me, as I face the second anniversary of my mom's death next month.

So that's the plan.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

2013-03-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

My birthday is Monday (!!!) and I volunteered to make my own birthday dessert when we go to my in-laws. These little beauties fit the bill deliciously. If you haven't heard of or tried a whoopie pie yet, make these soon. They are simple, cake-like cookies with frosting in between. How can you go wrong? Well, admittedly, these do require an entire bottle of red dye #40...so...there's that. I know this much though, they taste pretty stinking good.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine
filling from Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 oz bottle red food coloring (2 tbs)

for filling:

1/2 stick butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, chilled

1 cup powdered sugar

2 pinches salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment; set aside. In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high 30 seconds. Beat in brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, beating after each addition just until combined. Stir in food coloring. Spoon batter in 1- or 2-inch diameter rounds, about 1/2-inch high on prepared baking sheets, allowing 1 inch between each round. (I used a small ice cream scoop and baked them for 7 minutes.) Bake 7 to 9 minutes for 1-inch cookies or 9 to 11 minutes for 2-inch cookies, or until tops are set. Cool completely on baking sheets on rack. Remove cooled cookies from baking sheets.

Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter with the cream cheese. Add the confectioners' sugar and 2 pinches salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; mix on low speed until blended, then beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Spread the flat side of half of the cakes with the cream cheese frosting. Top each with another cake.

Refrigerate in airtight container up to 4 days. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

Roasted Sausages and Vegetables

2013-03-22T15:23:00.000-05:00

AKA- The night that Facebook saved dinner.

I bought some Italian sausage because it was on sale and I had a coupon which doubled. Cheap dinner is always a good idea. I usually use it to jazz up our standard cheese pizza, but I didn't want to walk back over to the opposite side of the grocery store to get mozzarella cheese. So last night, the sausage was staring me in the face, taunting my nearly empty fridge and cabinets. I turned to my friends on Facebook for inspiration. What we hit on was, in a word, success. An easy, delicious, success.
You can basically throw whatever you have in here and it will probably taste pretty darn good.

Roasted Sausages and Vegetables

1 package Italian sausage links, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 russet potato, scrubbed but not peeled, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 large carrots, peeled, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
fresh rosemary or thyme, if you have any- I had rosemary

Preheat oven to 400. In a baking dish or on a large baking sheet, toss together the vegetables with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place the sausage pieces on top, along with 3 sprigs of rosemary (I didn't even strip the leaves off the stems- just threw the whole thing in there!). Roast for 30 minutes, stirring everything about half way through the cooking time, until the sausage is cooked through, the veggies are softened and starting to caramelize beautifully.
Serve with Easy French Bread.

Veggie Spaghetti

2013-03-08T13:08:00.002-06:00

My kids LOVE Daniel Tiger. Perhaps I should be able to appreciate him a bit more, as I did grow up on Mr. Roger's, but I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Daniel. (Mostly hate.) For the most part, the show annoys me. The songs are so catchy, I sometimes find myself singing them in the middle of the night. But I have Daniel to thank for one of my kids most requested meals- Veggie Spaghetti. "You've got to try new food, cause it might taste good!" That's the song my boys sing to one another on a regular basis. And this Veggie Spaghetti has them eating more vegetables in one meal (and without complaint) than anything else I've ever tried. Sing on, Daniel. Sing on.

Veggie Spaghetti

1 box whole wheat pasta
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 medium carrot, cut into pieces
1 stalk celery, cut into pieces
1/2 cup fresh spinach
3/4 - 1 lb ground beef
2 tbs tomato paste
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 tsp dried basil

Put a big old pot of water on to boil for your pasta.
Place 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. In a food processor (I only have a mini-chopper, and it works fine. Sometimes I have to do this in batches.), combine garlic, onion, carrot, celery, and spinach. Pulse until everything is finely minced. Add mixture to the pan with olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste and let the veggies soften, about 3 minutes. Add the ground beef, season again with salt and pepper and cook until meat is no longer pink- 7-10 minutes. When meat is browned, add the tomato paste and stir to distribute it. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, and dried herbs. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat while the pasta cooks- about 10-15 minutes.
Drain the pasta, top with the veggie-fied sauce and parmesan cheese.
Serve with the world's best French Bread.

Chocolate Mint Cookies

2013-02-22T14:53:00.001-06:00

These little beauties are a favorite around here. Chocolate and peppermint? Match.made.in.heaven.

My husband started his own physical therapy practice last year, and he regularly delivers a batch of these cookies to doctor's offices...to sweeten them up. If I were a doctor and someone delivered these to me, I would send all of my patients to him.

Chocolate Mint Cookies
adapted from McCormick

2 cups flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Peppermint Extract
6 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped (or 1/2 bag chocolate chips)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Stir in chocolate and walnuts.

Drop by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto baking sheets sprayed with no stick cooking spray.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or just until cookies are set. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Nacho Spuds

2013-02-15T06:34:00.000-06:00

I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe already. I've been making it for years and it's a firm family favorite.

I also can't believe that, for the second year in a row, I succumbed to serving heart-shaped food for dinner on Valentine's Day.

Nacho Spuds
from Rachel Ray

2 large baking potatoes (1-1/2 pounds total), sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound lean ground beef sirloin (Omit this and you have a really tasty vegetarian dinner.)
1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed
2 tablespoons taco seasoning (I make my own- chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder)
1 8 ounce package shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups)
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
Sour cream and shredded lettuce, for serving

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees . On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and bake until golden, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the beans, taco seasoning and 2 tablespoons water. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until heated through, about 10 minutes. (Because of my picky eaters, I don't add the beans to the meat mixture. I just top half the potatoes with meat and half with meat and beans.)
Transfer the potatoes to an ovenproof platter. Sprinkle half of the cheddar on top, spoon on the meat mixture, then top with the tomatoes and remaining cheddar. Place in the oven and turn off the heat. Let stand until the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with the sour cream and lettuce.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2013-02-05T16:29:00.000-06:00

I came across this cookie recipe about a year ago but never made them until last night, when I took them to our small group. They were a hit with everyone (except my husband!) and I'll definitely make them again. Leslie mentioned adding oats to the original recipe, which I tried and heartily recommend. Pumpkin cookies are soft and cakey, and the oats keep them from absolutely falling apart.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from Leslie @ Cake and Cotton

makes 2 dozen large cookies

1 1/2 sticks butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour
1 cup old fashioned oats

1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 bag (6 oz) chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

In a stand mixer (or a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer), cream the butter and sugar together until creamy and light, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, pumpkin, and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk together well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Add chocolate chips and mix well.

If making large cookies (with a large ice cream scoop, or about 3 tbs each), place 6 at a time on a cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Easiest French Bread Ever

2013-02-01T10:53:00.003-06:00

A sweet friend makes the world's best French bread. She brought it to me after my third child was born and I immediately hit her up for the recipe. It is so easy, so delicious, and (almost) completely fool proof. I say almost because I made it for dinner a few weeks ago when we had friends over and the bread didn't rise very well. Fickle yeast.
Just this week, I decided very late in the day that I wanted to make this bread to go with dinner. I started the process at 4:50 PM and we ate it with dinner at 6:30 PM. Seriously. Homemade bread in that amount of time? Sign me up.

Janna's French Bread

makes 1 large loaf or 2 smaller loaves

3 1/2 cups flour- I consistently have the best results with bread flour, but you can use all-purpose flour or a combo of AP and whole-wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbs olive oil

1 1/4 cups warm water (as hot as the tap will go)

1 package of active-dry yeast

1 tbs sugar

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and oil. In a large measuring cup, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Set it aside to get foamy and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well. (You can also do this in your stand mixer.) Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board. Knead the dough by hand for about 5 minutes, until smooth. Return the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375. Punch down the dough and shape into loaves (however many you're making. We prefer 1 big one). Place on a baking sheet and bake 25-30 minutes, until beautifully browned on top and sounds hollow when tapped. Let rest about 5-10 minutes before slicing and devouring.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

2013-01-14T14:39:00.001-06:00

I get pretty excited when I discover something that I can make from scratch instead of buying premade. However, so often the excitement is short-lived because the time required is too great to justify it. Case(s) in point- homemade noodles, homemade sandwich bread. Maybe some day. Not right now.

However, these flour tortillas are super simple and super delicious. So much so that I find it very hard to justify buying a package of them- complete with 12 or 15 ingredients. The secret is to roll them out as thinly as you possibly can. And I have the best results when I use a large nonstick skillet.

Homemade Flour Tortillas
from Joy of Cooking

2 cups bread flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening or lard
3/4 cup hot (115-130 degrees) water- I just let the tap get as hot as it can.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer. Mix by hand or on low speed until the dough comes together. Knead by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed until smooth, 4-6 minutes.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll them into balls. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
Roll out each ball of dough into a 6-8 inch round about 1/8 inch thick. If the dough is resistant, move to the next piece and return later to finish rolling.
Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Slide the tortillas into the skillet one by one, cooking until brown spots appear, about 30 seconds on the first side, 15 seconds once flipped. Cover the cooked tortillas to keep warm while you cook the rest. Serve warm.

Picky-Eater Approved

Ridiculously Easy Shredded Beef

2013-01-05T14:48:00.000-06:00

The meat was thawed, but I just wasn't motivated to make our favorite Beef Stew. So I threw it in the crock-pot at around 2:00. By 6:30, we were all devouring the easiest, most mindless after-thought of a dinner ever.

Ridiculously Easy (and versatile!) Shredded Beef

2 pounds cubed chuck meat for stew
salt and pepper
1/2 cup barbecue sauce- the finished product did not end up tasting overwhelmingly like barbecue
1/2 cup water

Combine ingredients in crock-pot. Cover and cook on high 4 hours, until tender when pierced with a fork.
After 4 hours, remove meat from crock-pot with a slotted spoon. Add to the bowl of a Kitchen-Aid mixer fitted with the paddle. Mix on low speed until meat is shredded.

Serving ideas-
*Scoop into a hot dog or hamburger bun. Top with more barbecue sauce, ketchup, or mustard.
*Use for a taco or taquito filling, or top nachos with it!- I used it for nachos at lunch today and will definitely try it in taquitos soon!
*Stuff a baked potato with the shredded beef and top with cheese! YUM.

Beef Minestrone--AKA Spaghetti Soup

2012-12-28T14:19:00.002-06:00

My dear friend Rachel brought me Minestrone a couple of weeks ago. I had three sick children, all down with the stomach bug, and one who had just been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It was a rough week. She brought her favorite soup for our family and I unashamedly admit that I ate every single spoonful myself. I still need to get her recipe, but last night I made Giada's version, which I've wanted to try for a while. A few tweaks to make it to our liking and we've got another delicious soup in our rotation.

Beef Minestrone--AKA Spaghetti Soup (whatever makes it more kid-friendly, right?)

adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 rib celery, trimmed and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces lean (8 percent fat) ground beef
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4-6 cups low-sodium beef broth--I used homemade chicken stock- (if you use pasta, like I do, it will thicken the soup. Use more broth if you want it soupier.)
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes--I used crushed tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained--I left these out

1/2 cup small cut pasta- elbows, penne, rotini, etc.
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, add the oil and heat over medium heat. Stir in the onion, carrot and celery and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high and add the ground beef and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the beef is browned and cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and mix to combine. Add the broth, tomatoes, beans, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add 1/2 cup pasta, if using. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced and pasta is tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with Parmesan.

My "Super Secret" Scones

2012-12-08T14:48:00.001-06:00

I'm becoming known for my scone. I made scones for the first time about a year and a half ago, for a friend's baby shower. They were a huge hit (hint, they included chocolate) and I've perfected them since then. One family in my church, in particular, spreads the word about my scones whenever they can. If you've only had dry scones in your lifetime, try my "super secret" secrets and let me know if they convert you.

"Super Secret" Buttermilk Scones

adapted from M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger

3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tsp orange or lemon zest (optional)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon heavy cream, for brushing

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Optional Glaze:
1/2 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
about 1/4 cup fresh orange or lemon juice

Combine powdered sugar and juice in a small bowl. Whisk well to blend. Add more powdered sugar if consistency is too runny- you want the glaze to be somewhat runny but not watery. Drizzle over, spread on, or dunk slightly cooled scones in the glaze.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and zest (if using) in a large bowl. Add butter and mix with your fingertips to a coarse meal. Add 1 1/4 cups buttermilk (and chocolate chips, if using) and mix just until combined. If the dough looks dry, add more buttermilk, up to 1/4 cup more. (This is the secret, friends! Add more liquid!)

Transfer dough to a floured board and divide into 2 parts. Wrap each dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Roll or pat each gently to 3/4 inch thick rounds. Cut each round into 8 wedges (I like slicing it like a pizza, but you could do squares, circles, whatever!) and place slightly separated on a greased baking sheet. Brush the tops with the cream, and bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm, split in half with butter and marmalade.

My absolute favorite combination is an orange scone with raspberry jelly. YUM.