Taste of Heaven

Chai Tea Latte

2012-05-24T16:11:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to get at Starbucks, is a chai tea latte. But, alas, I cannot always run to the Starbucks that is just 3 minutes from my house whenever I have the desire for one. :/

Soooo, I have made my OWN chai latte that I can make a somewhat large batch of and have in the fridge for whenever I have the urge. This is perfect for a chilly, rainy day--it will warm you right up!

In a medium saucepan, add 4 cups almond milk and 3 cups water.

Add 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon ginger,

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon cloves, and a pinch of white pepper.

Whisk until fully combined.

Bring to a boil.

Turn down to LO, add 6 black tea bags, and steep 5 minutes.

Prepare a strainer for the tea. There are a couple things you can do... The easiest is to place a colander in a bowl and put a fine mesh cheese cloth in the colander.

Or, if you have a MOLITA (something from the dark ages)... I took an old MOLITA coffee strainer (so that it would fit nicely on the top of a quart jar) and put cheesecloth in it (to help strain out the fine grounds of the spices).

Pour the chai tea into the strainer

It will drip through nicely. :)

Return to stove and add 1/8-1/4 cup honey, sugar, or stevia.

And 1/2 tablespoon vanilla.

Heat just until the sweetener is fully dissolved.

Drink up...

Or put back into the milk container like I did...

Or place in a tight-lidded container to save for later.

The Recipe:

Chai Tea Latte

~MariahCameron~

4 cups almond milk

3 cups water

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

Pinch white pepper

6 black tea bags (or 3 bags--just double the steeping time)

1/8-1/4 cup honey, sugar, or a couple pinches of stevia

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium saucepan, heat milk, water, and spices; whisk until fully combined.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Turn down to low, add tea bags, and steep 5 minutes.

Strain through fine mesh cheesecloth. Squeeze all liquid out of tea bags.

Return to low heat; add honey or sugar and vanilla.

Stir until sweetener is fully dissolved.

Place in your container of choice and save for later....

Or pour into a couple mugs and enjoy!!

Yield: 5 cups (with a little left over to enjoy right now, if you so choose.)

<3 Enjoy

Mother's Day Special: Lemon-Orange Chiffon Cake

2012-05-21T00:45:00.000-07:00

A Mother's Life--An Eternal Career!

by Angell James

A mother's charge--an immortal creature!

A mother's duty--to train her child up for God, heaven and eternity!

A mother's dignity--to educate the family of the Almighty Creator of the universe!

A mother's difficulty--to raise a fallen, sinful creature to holiness and virtue!

A mother's encouragement--the promise of Divine grace to assist her in her momentous duties!

A mother's relief--to bear the burden of her cares to God in prayer!

A mother's hope--to meet her child in glory everlasting and spend eternal ages of delight with him or her before the throne of God!

I am blessed to have a mother who is all that this poem describes and much more. Daily she sacrifices much for the sake of her family which you can see is not a small feat. She spends her day working with six of her children, helping them to succeed in their schoolwork. Then, she will stay up late correcting the work of seven children. And she does not sleep in, but will awake early in the morning to get ready for the next day ahead of her. She does not lay idle--but is constantly working and doing something with her hands. Even when we gather in the living room, after dinner, to read as a family, she is folding laundry, trying to correct schoolwork, working on the school schedule, and on occasion, holding the "baby of the fam" (Phinehas-2) so that he'll go to sleep.

She is the loving, caring, sacrificial mother that I only hope I may become one day. I love her very much and am so blessed to have been placed in this family.

Saturday, the eve of Mother's Day, a friend was graduating from the University of Idaho as a Second Lieutenant. We attended his pinning and commissioning as well as his reception afterwards. We did not get home from the whole event until 2:30 Sunday morning.

As sacrilegious as this may sound, church was CANCELED--yes you read that right--church was cancelled because the majority of our very small church was still in Idaho because they did not want to make the trek back so late at night.

Some of us (Mom, Dad, and Simeon) were able to sleep in till 12:30 pm. And some of us were awakened by loud little ones who slept the whole way home and didn't feel the need to sleep in. :P My wonderful sister, Tilly (16) fixed a simple, scrumptious breakfast that we ate at 12:45 pm. Phinehas was falling apart during breakfast, from waking up too early. Once he got up, we went for a walk in the Harbor, then Dad took us to Yo! G's Frozen Yogurt Shop~ a new frozen yogurt place that we had yet to try. It was really good--but of course, I'm biased...a sucker for frozen yogurt ;)

Tilly took the first three pictures

Jared, Timothy, Phoebe and me

Sisters!! Tilly-16, Katherine-14 and me.

Mother and Son

Back Row: Kenan-10, Nathanael-12, Timothy-11

Front Row: Jared-8, Phinehas-2, and Phoebe-6

(Tilly also took this one.)

<3 The beautiful little town in which I live <3

Nathanael (12)

Jared (8)

Phoebe (6)

Phinehas (2)

Timothy (11)

Who says that big boys can't still hold their mom's hand??

Saw this on a Hummer :)

Taking a break, waiting for others to catch up.

Mr. Joe Cool (a.k.a. Simeon)

Fro! G's Frozen Yogurt Shop

Goofing around in the yard.
Nathanael took this one and the one below :).

Love this picture

In a 1-cup measuring cup, add 2 tablespoons cornstarch (or arrowroot powder), add flour into the cup until you have 1 full cup. Dump into a large bowl. Repeat this process once more.

To the flour mixture, add 1 1/3 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt.
Stir together until fully combined.

In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup coconut oil, 5 large egg yolks (save the whites!!!),
and 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice.

Make a "well" in center of flour mixture. Pour orange juice mixture into "well."

Whisk as hard as you can for 3-4 minutes; till smooth.

Stir in 3 tablespoons orange zest and 2 tablespoons lemon zest.
Mix together well.

In a medium bowl, combine the reserved egg whites and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar.

Beat on medium/high speed until stiff peaks form (about 8-10 minutes).

With a rubber spatula, gently fold egg whites into batter.

Pour into 2 greased and floured 9" round cake pans.
Bake at 350 for 17-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.
Remove from pans onto the wire racks and cool completely (approximately 1 hour).

Meanwhile, in a stand-up mixer bowl, combine 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter, 3 tablespoons orange zest and 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Beat on medium/high speed until creamy.

Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice and 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice. Beating on low until blended after each addition.

If needed, add more orange juice (1 tablespoon MAX) just 1 teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.

Choose a decorative serving plate that will complement the cake well.

Spread a little frosting in center of the plate to help hold the cake on the plate.

Once cake layers have cooled fully, place one cake layer on the plate.

Frost the top of the first layer. Place second layer on top of the frosted layer.

Frost the top and sides of the finished cake.

Try not to serve the slices too thickly... it may be a little rich for some people.
The cake itself is not rich, but the frosting helps to make it a little more so.

The Recipe:

Lemon-Orange Chiffon Cake

~MariahCameron~

4 tablespoons cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)

Flour

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coconut oil

5 large eggs, separated

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons orange zest

2 tablespoons lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a 1-cup measuring cup, add 2 tablespoons cornstarch (or arrowroot powder), add flour into the cup until you have 1 full cup. Dump into a large bowl. Repeat this process once more.

To the flour mixture, add 1 1/3 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Stir together until fully combined.

Make a well in center of flour mixture; add oil, egg yolks, and orange juice.

Beat at medium-high speed 3 to 4 minutes or until smooth. Stir in zest.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold into flour mixture.

Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

Bake at 350° for 17 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

Spread frosting between the layers and on top and sides of cake.

Yield: 16-18 servings

<3 Enjoy!!

Tortellini Soup: A Family Favorite

2012-05-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

Tortellini Soup is an ALL-TIME favorite of my families. :) One that has stood the test of time and is never old. I have made this several times a year for as long as I can remember. Let me share this delicious SUPER simple soup with you.

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil.

To heated oil, add 3-4 cloves of minced garlic and 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion.

Cook and stir frequently till browned--10-15 minutes.

Add 9 cups chicken broth, 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes, 2 t oregano,

2 t basil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Roughly whir in food processor, 2-3 cups fresh or frozen spinach

and add that to the pot.

If tortellini is cooked too long, it will become really soft and start to fall apart. For the first meal, you want them whole--for leftovers, it's alright if they're a little too soft.

So, 5-10 minutes before serving, add 1 1/2 cups spinach/cheese or seven cheese tortellini.

Garnish with shredded Parmesan cheese.

The Recipe

Tortellini Soup

~ClaudiaCameron~

2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup onion, finely chopped

9 cups chicken broth

1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons basil

salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups spinach, roughly (or finely) whirred in food processor

1 1/2 cups spinach/cheese or seven cheese tortellini

1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Heat olive/coconut oil in large pot over MED/HI heat.

Add garlic and onion, cook and stir frequently till browned about 10-15 minutes.

Add chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, oregano, and basil.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add spinach and continue to cook.

Add tortellini and cook 10-15 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese.

Yield: 6-8 servings

<3 Enjoy!!

Soap Jelly--Stain Remover

2012-05-08T21:49:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe a long time ago (well maybe 2 years ago), and it has not let me down once! It can get out any stain... grass, blood (too many boys in the house), berries, etc. You just rub a little of the "jelly" into the stain and let it sit for a little while... and voila!! The stain is gone. :) Gone are the store bought stain removers FOREVER and here TO STAY is the amazing soap jelly!

The only two things you really need in order to make this unique sort of jelly is a Mason/Kerr jelly jar (with lid and screw on sealer lid) and a bar of Safeguard soap.

Grate the entire bar of soap--small shred--not the large one that you would

normally shred cheddar cheese on.

Normally, the shredded soap would come up to the bottom of the top screw mark as shown above. However, this jar was tampered with after I put the soap in and before I was able to snap the picture!!

Pour boiling hot water into the jar, over the soap, until it comes as
close to the top as you can.

Place lid and screw lid on--tightly. Leave on the back of the counter,
or someplace where it will not be disturbed, overnight.

In the morning, it is ready to use! After you have rinsed the "stain" area fully, scoop a little jelly out with your finger and apply to the soiled spot. Rub in and let sit for a minute. Rinse and apply again, if needed. You should not have to apply more than two times. Just rub together a lot and it should come out. Stains that have been in clothes for several years have come out easily with this stain remover.

The Recipe:

Soap Jelly
~MariahCameron~

1 bar Safeguard soap (regular, not a scented type!!!!)
1 Mason/Kerr jelly jar with lid and screw on lid

Shred full bar of soap.
Fill jelly jar to the top screw line (about 1/4 - 1/3" from the top).
Pour boiling hot water over soap--into jar-- approximately 1/8" from top.
Put both lids on (flat sealer lid and then the screw lid) and let sit undisturbed overnight.
Scoop out a little with your finger and apply to stain area--wet material first and then apply--rubbing jelly in well.
Let sit a minute or so; rinse.
You may repeat one more time, but you should not have to do it more than that.

<3 Enjoy your favorite clothes again!! Gone are those darned spaghetti sauce, grape juice/wine, or grass stains that just wouldn't budge. :)

Cabbage Patch Soup

2012-05-07T05:30:00.000-07:00

Soup is one of the best ways to serve a large group of people. Especially if you have a family of 13 people—as is my case. If you are having a family over on short notice, all you have to do is add more broth to the pot and you have more than enough to go around.

In a large skillet (I only use cast iron), brown one pound meat (turkey or beef). Add ¼-1/2 cup water if it starts to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Cook until FULLY browned... no pink whatsoever!!

Transfer the browned meat to a large pot and add one chopped yellow/white onion, 1 1/2 cups chopped celery, 2 cups shredded carrots, plus...

2 cups of

shredded

cabbage

Add one large can stewed tomatoes (15/24 oz) and 2 cups chicken broth

(if using turkey meat) or beef broth (if using beef).

Add the seasonings: 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon pepper, and…..

Just a hint of cayenne pepper—less than 1/8 teaspoon as you can see here--barely covering the tip.

Add 1 cup kidney beans to the pot.

Cook on MEDIUM heat, until the carrots and cabbage are tender.

Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.

Serve with a piece of your favorite dinner bread.

The Recipe:

Cabbage Patch Soup

~MariahCameron~

1 lb. ground turkey or ground beef

1 yellow/white onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups celery, chopped

2 cups carrots, shredded

2 cups cabbage, shredded

1 large (15/24 oz) can stewed tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup kidney beans

2 teaspoons chili powder

¼-1/2 teaspoon pepper

Pinch cayenne pepper

Brown ground meat in a large cast iron skillet.

In a large soup pot, combine the cooked meat, onion, celery, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, broth, kidney beans, and seasonings.

Cook on MED heat until the carrots and cabbage are tender.

Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.

Serve with your favorite warm dinner bread.

Yield: 12-13 servings

<3 Enjoy!!

Lentil Chili

2012-05-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

As we enter into "Soup Season," as my family calls it... the cold rainy weather that we Washingtonians call spring, I thought I'd share with you some of my family's old time favorite soup recipes, and some new ones as well.

To start out, I shall begin with a new one. Now, PLEASE--I beg you--don't let the name fool you or gross you out. I know that some of my siblings were repulsed by the name. But I didn't allow that to get to me. It smelled delicious and tasted it as well, so I just waited to see their reactions at dinner. And boy were they surprised!! :) A rule at our table is: Don't complain about the food until you taste it, or you go without. Some of us, though, tend to forget that rule. (But we don't always "go without." Hmmm... guess we should stay on top of that. I'll have to talk to those in charge about changing that.

Rinse 1 pound of lentils, drain fully. Place rinsed lentils and 1 teaspoon salt in a large soup pot in 5 cups boiling water. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes--Do Not Drain!

Add 1 1/2 T chili powder, 1 garlic clove, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder),

1 medium chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped celery to soup pot.

Add one 16 oz can of crushed tomatoes, you can't really tell, because my little

helper stirred it all in before I could snap a photo. :/ Sorry!

Add 2 tablespoons cumin and 1 tablespoon coriander. Cover and

simmer for 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Serve over corn tortilla chips, or....

Crunch corn tortilla chips on top. Either way, it is delicious!!!

The Recipe:

Lentil Chili

~MariahCameron~

1 lb. dry lentils

1 teaspoon salt

5 cups boiling water

16 oz can crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons cumin

1 tablespoon coriander

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Corn tortilla chips

Rinse lentils.

Add salt and lentils to boiling water in large soup pot.

Cover and simmer 30 minutes--DO NOT DRAIN.

Add tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, coriander, onion, celery, and garlic to the pot.

Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Serve over (or under) corn tortilla chips.

Yield: 12-14 servings

<3 MJ

Top Secret Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2012-05-01T05:30:00.002-07:00

I took the traditional favorite and put in some TOP SECRET ingredients!!

**WARNING: Parents, do NOT allow your children to read from here on down! Otherwise, they will no longer trust your ability to feed them “poison-free” foods. **

I have found that many children tend to not care for vegetables, despite their parents’ attempts to persuade them of the healthy benefits of doing so. My personal favorite thing to do in my baking and cooking is to slip in “hidden treasures” such as vegetables and some fruits that may carry significant amounts of vitamins and minerals that children need to grow healthy and strong (example: zucchini, butternut squash, banana, bell peppers, and many many more).

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 cookie sheets.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup whole wheat flour or spelt, 1 cup old-fashioned oats, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine ¼ cup (organic) sugar, ½ cup honey, and 6 T coconut oil. Beat together with a wooden spoon until combined—DO NOT OVERMIX!!!

Add ½ cup (1 medium) banana puree, ½ cup zucchini (or yellow squash) puree* to coconut oil/honey mixture. Stir until just blended.

Add 1 large egg and mix well.

Add flour mixture, ½ cup raisins or chocolate chips, and ½ cup chopped walnuts to wet ingredients and stir to combine.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool 4-5 minutes on sheets (till they are firm to handle), then transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely.

The Recipe:

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
~MariahCameron~

1 cup whole wheat flour or spelt

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 t baking soda

½ t salt

1 t cinnamon

¼ cup organic sugar or granulated

½ cup honey

6 Tablespoons coconut oil, or canola oil

½ cup banana puree

½ cup zucchini or yellow squash puree

1 large egg

½ cup raisins or chocolate chips

½ cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 cookie sheets.
In small bowl, combine flour, oats, soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.

In another bowl, add sugar, honey, and oil and beat to combine.
Add banana and zucchini purees and egg to honey mixture; stir just to blend.

Combine flour mixture, raisins/chocolate chips, and walnuts with the wet ingredients. Stir together till just combined—DO NOT OVERMIX!

Fill greased cookie sheets with the cookie dough by scooping dough in tablespoonfuls—1” apart [that should give you 3 across and 4 down]. The dough will be softer than most cookie doughs, but don't worry, all will turn out okay in the end. ;)
Bake for 12-15 minutes or till golden brown.
Let stand 4-5 minutes on cookie sheet--just to firm them up a little bit.
Remove cookies to cooling rack to cool completely.

Yield: 1 1/2-2 dozen cookies

Enjoy!!

<3 MJ

Birthday Special: Choco-Berry Bread Pudding

2012-04-24T14:52:00.000-07:00

Kenan turned 10 on Sunday! I cannot believe how big he is now. It was just yesterday that I woke up and they told me that mom had gone to the hospital and that I had another baby brother! :) We went for a walk through the Harbor and down to the old ferry landing, to enjoy the beautiful sunshine, before heading to church.

I love this picture of the Birthday Boy! His smile just lights up his whole face. :)

Nathanael (12) and Phinehas (2) on the path near the old ferry landing.

The beach!!!!

Nathanael, Kenan, Jared (7), Phinehas, and Timothy (12) throwing rocks into the water.

Heading back toward the Harbor to finish our walk.

Having fun dragging the stick in the water fountain.

Phinehas and Timothy cooling their hands off in the water.

CHERRY BLOSSOMS!! One of the many things that I love about springtime.

Jared, Kenan, and Phinehas.

Phoebe Anne (6) daydreaming.

More cherry blossoms :D

Walking on the rock wall...enjoying being taller than everyone else.

After church, we went home and had his birthday dinner of choice: bacon cheeseburgers and Caesar salad...which was good, but dessert was what we all wanted!! Chocolate Berry Bread Pudding! There are those in my family that are not too thrilled with bread pudding when I've made it before... but it never had chocolate in it (or topped with it) before. :) Needless to say, it was a hit. Very rich, though. So rich, in fact that most of us couldn't finish it. You live and learn, right? Now I know to serve smaller servings next time. ;)

Chocolate + Berries + Bread Pudding + Whipped Cream = DELICOUSNESS!

How can you not resist running to the kitchen to make this?

Cube 5 cups of whole wheat bread and place in a bowl.

Add to cubed bread, 3 cups frozen mixed berries, 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips,
and 3/4 cup chopped walnuts.

In another bowl, combine 5 eggs, 1 1/4 cups milk, 1/2 cup honey, 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla,
1 teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Whisk until fully incorporated.

Pour the egg mixture into the bread mixture and stir till mixed together.

Pour into a greased 9x13" pan. Cover with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes or
until custard is set (eggs are no longer runny/gooey).

In a small bowl, mix together 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup oats, 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts,
3 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons softened butter.

Sprinkle streusel on top and bake-uncovered-for an additional 15-20 minutes
or until golden brown and puffy.

Let cool 15-20 minutes before serving.

While the pudding is cooling, in a double broiler, melt 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet
chocolate chips with 1-2 tablespoons canola oil or Crisco.

Stir until fully melted, smooth, and creamy.

Top with whipped cream and about 2 tablespoons melted chocolate.

The Recipe:

Choco-Berry Bread Pudding

~MariahCameron~

Pudding:

5 cups whole wheat bread, cubed

3 cups mixed berries

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup walnuts, chopped

5 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup honey

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon allspice

Streusel:

1/3 cup flour

1/4 cup oats

2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 9x13" baking dish.

In a bowl, combine bread cubes, berries, chocolate chips, and nuts; mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.

Combine both bowls and mix well.

Pour into prepared 9x13" and cover with foil.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until custard is set (egg is not runny/gooey).

In a small bowl, combine streusel ingredients until resembles coarse bread crumbs.

Remove foil and sprinkle streusel on top.

Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.

Let cool 15-20 minutes before serving.

While pudding is cooling, in a double-broiler, melt 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate and 1-2 tablespoons canola oil or Crisco.

Stir until fully melted and smooth and creamy.

Serve with whipped cream and about 2 tablespoons melted chocolate.

Yield: 12-16 servings-- Remember, this is extremely RICH, so try to serve in small portions.

Quick and Easy Pizza :)

2012-04-20T17:30:00.001-07:00

Everyone loves pizza, right? The wonderful blends of melted Mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce and pepperoni slices... Although, sometimes it takes too much time out of our hectic day (after fixing breakfast and lunch, teaching your children, do a couple loads of laundry, tackle the pile of dishes in the sink, and change dirty diapers--just to name a few things) to make the dough, let it rise for a couple hours, then roll it out, put the fixings on top and bake it in time for dinner!

Well, I am here to offer you an easy solution to that dilemma. :) During your grocery run, drop by Panera Bread or your local bakery and pick up a few "cheese rounds," as we call them, or traditional french bread... and there you have it--easy pizza "dough." Ready for your favorite marinara sauce and toppings.

For an easy and simple lunch, gather your bread, marinara sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and olives (not shown).

Try not to make things too complicated when you're running short on time. ;)

My wonderful brother, Simeon (18), was giving me a hand, cutting the bread in half

length-wise so that we could get things done in somewhat short[er] order.

We end up laying the bread on the cookie sheet(s) beforehand so that we know how
much to prepare, but you can totally do it afterwards.

Next, spread the wonderful marinara sauce on the bread.

If you are a pepperoni kind of person, then by all means, lay the slices

so that they are overlapping each other... we just happened to be running low on pepperoni,

so we had to do our best to spread it out and use them kinda sparingly. :/

OLIVES!!! My family loves them. So we put tons on. :)

Generously sprinkle Mozzarella cheese on top of the olives. (On this one: we lay
pepperoni on top of the cheese, as well as layering it below the olives.)

MMMM... looks delicious!!

Bake in 400 oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Then, broil on LO for 5 minutes or until slightly golden and crispy on top.

Look at that crispy, golden cheese!!
That is my absolute FAVORITE part of the pizza.

The Recipe:

Quick 'n' Easy Pizza
~MariahCamero~

Cheese Rounds or your favorite French bread

Marinara sauce

Your favorite toppings, such as:

Olives

Pepperoni

Cheese

Preheat oven to 400.

Cut bread in half lengthwise.

Lay bread on ungreased cookie sheets cut side up.

Spread marinara sauce on cut side of bread.

Layer your toppings of choice on sauce.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is fully melted.

Broil for 5 minutes, or until slightly golden brown and crispy on top.

Enjoy!!

<3 MJ

Apple-Pear Cake

2012-04-17T05:30:00.008-07:00

This moist and delicious cake is so incredibly easy to make. It took me less than 15 minutes to whip it together and then I was able to finish making dinner while it was baking. And for those of you who like carrot cake, my mother says that it has a similar texture to carrot cake.

Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of shredded apple (1 large),

2 1/2 cups (2 medium) shredded or mashed pear, 2 cups honey, 1 1/4 cups coconut oil (or canola oil if you prefer that), 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and if you like raisins in your cake, you may add 1 cup raisins (there are some in my family that don't care for raisins in baked goods).

In another bowl, combine 3 cups flour, 3 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg,
2 teaspoons baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Make a "well" in dry ingredients; pour the apple mixture into the "well." Mix well.

Stir until well combined.

Pour batter into a greased 9x13" baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Nice golden brown on the top. :) But not crispy.

Perfection!

I love my "My Little Helper",
my baby brother, Phinehas (2)

The Recipe:

Apple Pear Cake
~MariahCameron~

2 1/2 cups apple, shredded

3 cups pear, shredded (or mashed if too soft)

2 cups honey

1 1/4 cups coconut oil (or canola oil)

1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped

2 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup raisins (optional)

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream cheese frosting or powdered sugar (optional)

In a large bowl, combine apple, pear, honey, coconut oil, walnuts, eggs, vanilla, and raisins, if desired.
In separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Stir dry ingredients into wet mixture, until well combined.

Pour batter into a greased 9x13" baking pan.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Cool on a wire rack and then frost with cream cheese frosting; dust with powdered sugar; or serve as is.

Yield: 12-15 servings

A Change of Plans

2012-04-15T20:56:00.003-07:00

I thought what I'd do is share some of my recipes with you all, instead of just posting photos to make your mouths water. :) I decided not to torture you...but instead be kind and give you the recipes so that you can make them for yourselves!

Some will be quick and easy, but more often than not, they will be a little more complicated. For the more complicated ones, I will have step-by-step pictures to help you, if you are just starting out in the kitchen.

For those of you who may not have as much experience in the kitchen or may be endeavoring for the first time to make something on your own (heating something out of the can or making a dish from a box, unfortunately does not count, in my book), my desire is to inspire a love for the kitchen; encourage you to not give up-should the first thing you attempt not turn out as you had wished; teach you some things that perhaps you didn't think you could attempt-simple at first, but then more in depth later on; and share with you somewhat healthy recipes that you will enjoy.

<3 MJ

Taste of Heaven

Chai Tea Latte

Mother's Day Special: Lemon-Orange Chiffon Cake

Tortellini Soup: A Family Favorite

Soap Jelly--Stain Remover

Cabbage Patch Soup

Lentil Chili

**Top Secret** Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Birthday Special: Choco-Berry Bread Pudding

Quick and Easy Pizza :)

Apple-Pear Cake

A Change of Plans

Top Secret Oatmeal Raisin Cookies