I made brownies. Black bean brownies. Again. Only this time I can not taste the black beans - at all! For reals. I know some of you skeptics won't believe me, but really. My eldest claimed she could taste them but I think it's because she knew they were in there. A friend that tried them said she couldn't taste them at all. The only problem with these brownies is I didn't grind my coffee long enough; so, the texture isn't smooth but has a little grit to it. I know, not so awesome - but the flavor is! And I'm getting fiber and Omega-3's while satisfying my never-ending chocolate craving. Win-win!
So, here's what I used:
approx 1 1/2 c. black beans (I used some of the cooked beans I had left-over from the spicy spaghetti squash.)
2 T. flax seed
3 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. cocoa
1 c. raw sugar
1 T. coffee (Be sure it's finely ground!)
1 T. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
approx 1/2 c. mini choc chips
approx 1/2 c. white choc. chips
I mixed all the dry ingredients in the Ninja. Then poured all the wet ingredients in and mixed until smooth. Poured in muffin tin and baked about 25 mins (or less) at 350 degrees.
Uh, one more thing: I WILL use muffin liners next time.
My Fab Fam
Photo by Thousand Hills Photography. Click on photo to visit their site.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Pumpkin Muffins, Spaghetti Squash, and Shabbat
Did I say we wrapped up fall break on Saturday? Well, perhaps I had visions of a Sunday Shabbat spent on the couch in PJ's, reading and drinking hot tea, but the Mr had a better idea. We went to a nearby state park for the afternoon. We packed a picnic lunch, pulled on jeans and jackets, went to Bible study, then drove straight to the park. We hiked several small trails, got a great work-out on the paddle boats, and talked trash on the putt-putt golf course. Turns out the only one that had the right to talk a big game was my man, who outscored the second-place player - yes, that would be me - by about 15 points. I hang my head in shame. Or not.
On our way home, we detoured to a nearby pizza place and got our grub on. We pulled in the driveway at the girls' bedtime, gave them a quick bath, and put them to bed.
We had more fun than we've had in a while. We hope to go back in a couple of weeks when all the leaves have turned fall colors. And I see a longer trail with an overnight camp-out in our near future.
And, now I must tell you about my latest adventures in the kitchen, not because I think any of you really care, but because I want to save these recipes and this blog has become my online cookbook.
Saturday night I made pumpkin muffins. I found the recipe on Foodnetwork.com. It's from Ellie Krieger, of whom I know absolutely nothing about, by the way, except that I like her muffins. Here is the link. And following is my variation of the recipe. (I really wonder...could I follow a recipe if my very life depended on it?)
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground ginger (I omitted)
1/4 tsp. ground cloves (funny story to follow)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. packed dark brown sugar
5 T. maple syrup
3 oz. canola oil (1/4 + 1/8 c. oil)
3 large eggs
1 1/2 c. pumpkin
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. buttermilk (I used about 1/4 c. regular milk because my fresh pumpkin was so watery.)
Whisk the flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
Whisk the sugar, maple syrup, and oil. Add eggs one at a time. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and milk. Add flour mixture gradually. Mix just until combined. (I used the Kitchen Aid mixer for every step.)
Pour into muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Let cool on wire rack.
YUM!!
Believe it or not, I hardly messed with this recipe. I simply doubled the black beans and corn, and was possibly a little more liberal with the cilantro and lime. The Mr said, "You should have added a little cilantro." Dripping sarcasm. Of course I added tons of cilantro! I served with salsa, sour cream, and a good aged white cheddar that was gifted to us. I did have to pick out the jalepenos since the ones I used were from my freezer and had the seeds intact. Whew! I am such a wimp when it comes to heat these days.
On our way home, we detoured to a nearby pizza place and got our grub on. We pulled in the driveway at the girls' bedtime, gave them a quick bath, and put them to bed.
We had more fun than we've had in a while. We hope to go back in a couple of weeks when all the leaves have turned fall colors. And I see a longer trail with an overnight camp-out in our near future.
And, now I must tell you about my latest adventures in the kitchen, not because I think any of you really care, but because I want to save these recipes and this blog has become my online cookbook.
Saturday night I made pumpkin muffins. I found the recipe on Foodnetwork.com. It's from Ellie Krieger, of whom I know absolutely nothing about, by the way, except that I like her muffins. Here is the link. And following is my variation of the recipe. (I really wonder...could I follow a recipe if my very life depended on it?)
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground ginger (I omitted)
1/4 tsp. ground cloves (funny story to follow)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. packed dark brown sugar
5 T. maple syrup
3 oz. canola oil (1/4 + 1/8 c. oil)
3 large eggs
1 1/2 c. pumpkin
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. buttermilk (I used about 1/4 c. regular milk because my fresh pumpkin was so watery.)
Whisk the flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
Whisk the sugar, maple syrup, and oil. Add eggs one at a time. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and milk. Add flour mixture gradually. Mix just until combined. (I used the Kitchen Aid mixer for every step.)
Pour into muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Let cool on wire rack.
YUM!!
Okay, now here is the truth: I was slightly, only very slightly, disappointed with the results. It is no fault of the recipe. The muffins are truly delish! The prob is I thought I was making CUPCAKES. I mean, when I Googled "pumpkin muffins," and was imagining "cupcakes," Google should have known what I was thinking! Duh. So, when I bit into a rather heavy, not-as-sweet muffin when I was expecting light, sweet cupcakes...well, you can see why I was disappointed. No bother. I will slather them in cream cheese icing and they will be sweet if not light.
Perhaps next time I will search for pumpkin cake, then bake as cupcakes.
Oh me.
Oh, and if you're wondering why all the measurements seem a little weird, that's because I portioned my pumpkin for a CUPCAKE recipe (my old one called for 1 1/2 c pumpkin). So, I had to adjust all the other ingredients in this MUFFIN recipe to fit the amount of pumpkin I already had pre-portioned for cupcakes. Now, the math is already done for you. Welcome.
Oh, and if you're wondering why all the measurements seem a little weird, that's because I portioned my pumpkin for a CUPCAKE recipe (my old one called for 1 1/2 c pumpkin). So, I had to adjust all the other ingredients in this MUFFIN recipe to fit the amount of pumpkin I already had pre-portioned for cupcakes. Now, the math is already done for you. Welcome.
As for the funny story, which of course won't be all that funny since I'm not all that funny, here's the deal with the cloves...
...recipe calls for ground cloves. I only have whole cloves. I pull out the Ninja and throw what is prob a tablespoon of cloves in my smallest cup and push down the button. When I let off the button and the cloves stop spinning, I see the cloves are still mostly intact, but my poor blender has taken a beating; the sides are scratched all to pieces. Hmmm. Not good. I pull out the coffee grinder. First, I have to wash the coffee grinder to remove years' and years' accumulation of coffee grit and oil. (No, I have never washed my grinder. Who does that?) This is not a quick procedure. I then throw about a tablespoon of cloves in THERE. Voila! Ground cloves! Only problem - besides the fact that I could have gone to the store and bought ground cloves quicker than I was able to grind them at home - my coffee maker now smells very strongly of cloves! I guess I will be having my very own version of pumpkin spice lattes at home for a while. Happy fall to me!
And Monday, I made this recipe, which just happens to be the best recipe I have tried in a long time: Spicy Spaghetti Squash! It is found at wholefoodsmarket.com. This is a picture of mine, but it looked way better in person, truly! Especially with sour cream, salsa, and cheese!
And Monday, I made this recipe, which just happens to be the best recipe I have tried in a long time: Spicy Spaghetti Squash! It is found at wholefoodsmarket.com. This is a picture of mine, but it looked way better in person, truly! Especially with sour cream, salsa, and cheese!
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange squash in a large baking dish, cut-sides down. Pour 1/2 cup water into the dish and bake until just tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Rake with a fork to remove flesh in strands, leaving the shell intact for stuffing.
For the filling, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeño and bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes or until soft. Add beans, corn and chili powder; cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute longer. Add cooked squash, cilantro, lime juice and salt, cook 1 minute until heated through.
Fill squash halves with filling, mounding mixture in the center.
For the filling, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeño and bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes or until soft. Add beans, corn and chili powder; cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute longer. Add cooked squash, cilantro, lime juice and salt, cook 1 minute until heated through.
Fill squash halves with filling, mounding mixture in the center.
Believe it or not, I hardly messed with this recipe. I simply doubled the black beans and corn, and was possibly a little more liberal with the cilantro and lime. The Mr said, "You should have added a little cilantro." Dripping sarcasm. Of course I added tons of cilantro! I served with salsa, sour cream, and a good aged white cheddar that was gifted to us. I did have to pick out the jalepenos since the ones I used were from my freezer and had the seeds intact. Whew! I am such a wimp when it comes to heat these days.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
As We Wrap Up Fall Break
And thus concludes our fall break. Ahhhh. It has been so, so good.
Today we hung out at home again. My man had homework (he's going back to school for those that may not know); so, he was in our bedroom all day. Well, he did take time to play monster with the girls a few times. I balanced the checkbook, placed my Honest order, and cleaned the kitchen with roars, screams, and laughter as my background music.
The girls wanted to paint the pumpkins they got at the pumpkin patch this week, which evolved into using paint markers and permanent markers. Which suited me just fine. Less mess.
A girl and her horse!
Today we hung out at home again. My man had homework (he's going back to school for those that may not know); so, he was in our bedroom all day. Well, he did take time to play monster with the girls a few times. I balanced the checkbook, placed my Honest order, and cleaned the kitchen with roars, screams, and laughter as my background music.
The girls wanted to paint the pumpkins they got at the pumpkin patch this week, which evolved into using paint markers and permanent markers. Which suited me just fine. Less mess.
A girl and her horse!
Meanwhile, I roasted my pumpkin and toasted the seeds. We finally found a recipe we all love; this one's a keeper:
Toss pumpkin seeds with butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Roast in a single layer at 300 degrees for about 45 minutes. Crispy and flava-ful! (I did not rinse the seeds because I didn't want to waste the time letting them dry, but I did remove as much goop as possible. The girls helped me dig out all the seeds before I roasted the pumpkin; we called our operation "scoop the goop.")
For supper, I needed to use up a small jar of stewed tomatoes that I made the other night, some bell peppers I got out of my garden this week, and a little bit of left-over white wine. I love Google; I just typed in "pasta white wine veggies" and a whole list of recipes popped up. Isn't that a beautiful thing? This was the one I chose, and as the Mr said, it's a keeper:
Garlic-Butter-White Wine Pasta
(We of course added our own touch. We sauteed green bells and onions in butter, then tossed in the drained stewed tomatoes at the last minute to heat them up, then poured the pasta and sauce in with the veggies. OH! And I used the super-awesomeness of basil-infused olive oil for step 1. I didn't have parsley, but I chopped the basil from the oil and added it back in at the very end. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, see this post.)
2. Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Saute until golden, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Add salt, pepper, white wine, butter.
4. Stir 2 minutes, remove from heat.
5. Toss pasta with sauce, parsley, and cheese.
You will love it.
And you may be happy to know - but not nearly as happy as I am - that I have almost finished washing the mildewy winter coats. I have soaked every single one in diluted bleach water without any negative effects. YIPEEEEE!!! How can I prevent this from happening again???
Okay, time to get some pumpkin muffins baking and in my tummy. Then date night on the couch with my man. Tomorrow I shabbat. Church, left-overs, books, movies, hot drinks, blankets, snuggles...
Love to all...
Toss pumpkin seeds with butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Roast in a single layer at 300 degrees for about 45 minutes. Crispy and flava-ful! (I did not rinse the seeds because I didn't want to waste the time letting them dry, but I did remove as much goop as possible. The girls helped me dig out all the seeds before I roasted the pumpkin; we called our operation "scoop the goop.")
For supper, I needed to use up a small jar of stewed tomatoes that I made the other night, some bell peppers I got out of my garden this week, and a little bit of left-over white wine. I love Google; I just typed in "pasta white wine veggies" and a whole list of recipes popped up. Isn't that a beautiful thing? This was the one I chose, and as the Mr said, it's a keeper:
Garlic-Butter-White Wine Pasta
(We of course added our own touch. We sauteed green bells and onions in butter, then tossed in the drained stewed tomatoes at the last minute to heat them up, then poured the pasta and sauce in with the veggies. OH! And I used the super-awesomeness of basil-infused olive oil for step 1. I didn't have parsley, but I chopped the basil from the oil and added it back in at the very end. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, see this post.)
1 lb pasta
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
5 Tbs unsalted butter
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chopped flat parsley
1/2 cup grated parmagiano-reggiano cheese
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
5 Tbs unsalted butter
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chopped flat parsley
1/2 cup grated parmagiano-reggiano cheese
preparation
1. Heat olive oil over medium heat.2. Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Saute until golden, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Add salt, pepper, white wine, butter.
4. Stir 2 minutes, remove from heat.
5. Toss pasta with sauce, parsley, and cheese.
You will love it.
And you may be happy to know - but not nearly as happy as I am - that I have almost finished washing the mildewy winter coats. I have soaked every single one in diluted bleach water without any negative effects. YIPEEEEE!!! How can I prevent this from happening again???
Okay, time to get some pumpkin muffins baking and in my tummy. Then date night on the couch with my man. Tomorrow I shabbat. Church, left-overs, books, movies, hot drinks, blankets, snuggles...
Love to all...
I Can Sew
Not.
I'll be keepin' it real up in here today: I sewed my pants to the sewing machine. Lit-ra-lee. How does that even happen? And not just once, but twice. I wasn't sure how I was going to get them off the second time. I tugged and pulled and cut and tugged and pulled. Until I popped a piece off of my sewing machine. I thought I broke it.
After fixing the "broken" piece that wasn't broken, I pulled out a ribbon to experiment. I then sewed IT to the machine. Again, not just once, but twice. I guess if you do the same thing over and over you should expect the same results over and over. Perhaps I'm not a quick study.
I tried to take a picture of this epic and, after the fourth time, humorous failure but I could not find an angle that justly represented the mess I made. Just take my word: momma can't sew.
I worked for an hour and a half before admitting defeat and calling my dear mentor-friend for help. She came and had me sewing again in ten.
I've decided thread-free is best for me when it comes to fabric. So, today I started cutting old clothes into strips and braiding them together for a rag rug. This I can do. I think.
Friday, October 10, 2014
This is How We Do Fall (Break)
I wrote this last night but couldn't get the pictures to upload. Technical difficulties. Just pretend it's still Thursday. Yes! That gives me another day at home with my girlies...
I know I've said it before but...no momma is more happy than me when school is out! I love having my girls home. This week has been so good. Full of lots of good.
I know I've said it before but...no momma is more happy than me when school is out! I love having my girls home. This week has been so good. Full of lots of good.
Fall break started at exactly 2:35 on Friday. I was sitting in the pick-up line to get my girl when the dismissal bell rang. Yippee!
First item of fun: welcoming home some friends who had been vacaying in New York. We had been watching their house and taking care of their lawn and pool (which might have resulted in a few swims). They brought home some New York treats: apples, apple donuts, maple syrup, aged cheddar, cheese curds...yum! The girls and I didn't get fifty feet from their house before ripping into the squeaky cheese curds.
Friday night we drove to my hometown. My cousin was holding her annual bonfire on Saturday night and on Sunday my sister's church was hosting the second annual ALS bike ride in memory of my brother. We drove home late Sunday.
Monday my man had to return to work, :( but the girls and I lounged all day. Amidst catching up on laundry, we watched movies, read books, and played. Monday night the Mr. took us out for pizza and wings and a movie - Dolphin Tale 2.
Tuesday was more chillaxing at home, with a lot of time spent outside. We got yet another amazing harvest from the garden - sweet potatoes, lettuces, bell peppers, banana peppers, and cherry tomatoes. I wish I had taken a picture! Every time I think the garden is done, I wait a few days and find more!
Tuesday night was my big girl's usual riding lesson. Her sweet teacher remarked on E's growing confidence. The summer has brought a lot of growth. We only have a few more weeks before the-ever-earlier-sunset will snuff out our time with beautiful Cocoa and rambunctious Pooh. Until next spring. We may run over before then to help with an occasional feeding or to clean stalls, and if there is unusually good weather, E hopes she may squeeze in a ride here or there.
Cocoa
(Forgive the poor photo quality. I promise: I am going to buy a new phone soon!)
Pooh
17-hands-Pooh!
Yesterday (Wednesday) we went to library and got nine books, two of which were chapter books. We have already read eight. We read all seven of the easy reads yesterday and this morning's rainy weather gave us an opportunity to read our first Magic Tree House book, in one sitting. We think we may like this series.
We also went to the pumpkin patch yesterday. We went through a very loooong corn maze, the girls played in the grain bin, fed goats, and climbed on tires, and we all picked out a nice round pumpkin. I see roasted pumpkin and pumpkin muffins in my future!
While we were looking for the perfect pumpkins, a worker talked me into buying a cushaw. I had no idea what it was, but when he said it tasted like a sweet potato, I was sold! So, now I am in search of recipes. Anyone?
We finished off our Wednesday with a movie, popcorn, and hot chocolate. Ahhhhh.
Today, the girls have played all day, creating "houses" in the living room, playing "sisters," and, of course, reading Magic Tree House. Meanwhile, I have made bread, canned pickled banana peppers and stewed tomatoes, researched cushaw recipes and how to cure sweet potatoes, and done laundry.
Which brings me to the un-fun thing I have been working on this fall break - washing all the winter coats. As it turns out, the stinky coat closet (we couldn't figure out why it had started smelling so yucky) has actually been growing some white mold. Can we all say GROSS!?!? I have been soaking the coats in diluted bleach water and washing, one or two at a time. Next will be all the blankets, hats, scarves, and gloves. And then the fun job of scrubbing down the walls with bleach water. There are only a few spots on a few of the jackets, but I'm washing everything! I'm so grossed out by this. Has anyone else ever had this happen or is this totally abnormal? I pondered throwing everything away. Is that crazy?
On to happier thoughts...
Tonight my babies are going to their Nana's. I'm sad. I really don't want to give them up. Oops. This is supposed to be happier thoughts! Okay, the happy part is they get time together - they are dying to go as much as she is dying to see them - and I will get to work uninterrupted in the kitchen, which is probably my most favorite thing to do, next to working in the garden. I will roast pumpkin and preserved basil this afternoon. Look at all this beauty!
And when the Mr. gets home, we will be sawing wood for a project he has been commissioned to do. This is how we do date nights.
______________________
**I just found out about this easy way to preserve basil in olive oil today. I'll let you know how it tastes later, but for now, just feast your eyes:
______________________
**Recipe for Pickled Banana Peppers:
1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c. vinegar
a squeeze of honey
salt
pepper
1 pressed garlic clove
Brought water, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper to a boil... Added garlic and banana peppers... Returned to a boil and boiled another couple of minutes... Ladled in jar, sealed, and processed for about 5 mins.
Why I processed, I do not know, because they will not live in that jar long enough to warrant it.
=)
______________________
**Curing sweet potatoes:
When I planted my sweet potatoes, I didn't know I would have to cure them. Nor did I know that the ideal curing environment was between 85-95 degrees with approximately 85-95% humidity. A friend offered the use of her green house, but I really wanted to figure out a way to do it on my own.
I dug up my sweet potatoes late Tuesday, and left them out in the sun yesterday to dry, but forgot them and last night's rain undid what the sun did. I brought them in this morn, toweled them off, and stuck them in my oven. I found out a while back that if I just turn my oven light on, it heats up the oven enough to make my bread rise. So I turned the light on and put a bowl of water and the food thermometer in the oven. Little did I know the light will keep the oven about 90 degrees if I open the door ocassionally. Perfect!! Here's to improvisation!
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