Thinking of loved ones near and far

Watching deer out the front while dinner preparations commence. Thinking of those who can't be with us today and thankful for those who can. Merry Christmas!

Planning the Island Menu

Christmas time is here and that means traveling to Hat Island.

On a map it is called Gedney Island.

Local's call this Hat Island and it's private with only a passenger ferry.

The challenge with the menu is that some don't eat meat and I'm attempting a gluten free stab at eating.  I know, I know...so ON trend.  Well, I'm not doing it to be trendy or anything like that.  I'm trying to eliminate what I think might be a sensitivity to wheat that causes inflammation.  In short, I have a major back problem and it's only gotten better since I cut out the wheat...coincidence?  I have no idea but well worth the effort.

Here are some Menu ideas...please comment with more if you have any.  These are preliminary and I will be using pamela's baking mix in place of the normal wheat flour.  Ideally, I will be eating as many whole foods and salads as possible.

apple carrot ginger juice (i have this every morning 365)

green lemonaide (I try to make this most days but Kale goes bad very quickly)

taco/burrito
fish and rice
steak n potatoes (vegetarians eat salad or fish n potatoes)
waffles kims recipe with http://pamelasproducts.com/waffles/ for kari
hobo hash
salad
homemade pizza http://pamelasproducts.com/pan-pizza-crust/
is it crab season?  http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/crab/15/
scones (leave out currants for kids) http://pamelasproducts.com/currant-scones/
broccoli pie (pamela's baking mix in place of the flour recipe posted on index)

View from my sister's island house

http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000331132/Its-Murder-On-Hat-Island.aspx

For the cheesiest read ever check out this book written by a Hat Island local.  Must be read with Chardonnay but don't be fooled.  If you've lived in where there are feirce storms like the midwest...this books over dramatizes Pacific Northwest storms which tend to get windy at times but mild by comparison. 

crock pot hot chocolate

I had work friends over for a Christmas party and this hot chocolate was perfect.  I turned it on high to warm it up faster and then put on low for the rest of the party.  (in case you don't think ahead)  I had left overs which I put in jars and kept in the fridge to warm in the microwave for the kids.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups whipping cream
• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 6 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:
Stir together the whipping cream, milk, vanilla, and chocolate chips in a crockpot.
Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and chocolate chips are melted. Stir again before serving. Garnish with whipping cream and a candy cane.

Taking time

During this busy season it's important to take time to breath.  Dogs know how to live in the moment and enjoy a good walk.  I sometimes find it hard to pull myself away but I'm always glad when I do.  I feel so blessed that we've had weather that permits walks. 

Kick off the Season with Gingerbread Pancakes

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour 6 teaspoons baking powder 1  teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons sugar 3 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves 6 tablespoons ground hazelnuts 3 cups milk 6 egg whites 6 tablespoons dark molasses 6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

1.	In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cocoa, ginger, cinnamon and cloves; stir in hazelnuts. Set aside.
2.	In a medium bowl whisk together milk, egg whites and molasses.
3.	Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients into it. Stir just enough to mix.
4.	Heat griddle to 375 or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Butternut Squash Soup

Time for a new recipe

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cups cubed butternut squash, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method: 

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add carrot, celery and onion. Cook until vegetables have begun to soften and onion turns translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in butternut squash, thyme, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to purée soup. Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and carefully purée in batches in a traditional blender. 

Three Twists

Apple, Gorgonzola and Almond Butternut Soup
Stir 1 cup unsweetened applesauce into puréed soup. Garnish each serving with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, toasted almonds, a few slices of thinly sliced apple and a small sprig of fresh thyme. 

Thai-style Butternut Soup
Stir a tablespoon of red curry paste and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger into carrot, celery and onion mixture. Add 1/2 cup coconut milk with broth. Purée soup and garnish each serving with toasted coconut flakes and chopped fresh cilantro.

Southwestern-style Butternut Soup
Add a tablespoon chopped chipotles in adobo sauce to carrot, celery and onion mixture. Garnish soup with crumbled queso fresco, toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped fresh cilantro.

I wish I could say I made these

The Costco crescents are quite delicious cut in half and toasted. To make it healthier I add lingonberry jam. Lingonberries are full of antioxidants and grow wild in Sweden I believe.

Can't eat your crescents fast enough... Freeze them. The can go directly from freezer to toaster and taste just as good.

Pesto lasagna with linzer torte

Sean asked for an old recipe I've been making for 20 years. This time I had home grown basil and tomatoes so it was extra delicious.

I always make linzertorte for his birthday (as requested). I skipped the basket weave top this year due to time constraints.

Pesto Lasagna 

 Ingredients for pesto sauce:

• 4 cups lightly packed basil leaves (or 4 cups spinach and 5 tablespoons dry basil)
• 6 oz Parmesan cheese
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup shelled walnuts (optional)

Process above ingredients in food processor until thoroughly combined.

Ingredients for Lasagna

• 9 lasagna noodles
• 2 cups (approximate) of above pesto sauce
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms (optional)
• 3 medium sliced Roma tomatoes (optional)

Preheat oven to 350
Boil noodles as package directs.  Rinse in cold water and drain.  Mix pesto sauce with half n half.  Spread the thinnest layer possible of sauce on bottom of pan (to basically grease it). Layer noodles, super thin layer of sauce, mushrooms, and cheese 3 times.  (most lasagna pans are three noodles across)  Take care to go super thin on the sauce just barely spreading/covering the noodle. You can increase on top layer if there is lots left over because it will cook down into it.  (I always feel like I don't have enough sauce but when it's done it's perfect)...finish the top with the sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with parmesan.  Cook for 45-55 minutes until bubbly.

 

Linzertorte

Ingredients:

• 12 oz jar of raspberry jam (about a cup)
• 1 3/4 sticks butter (14 tablespoons)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and ground fine (some stores carry this already ground)
• 3 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips ground fine in a food processor (about 1/2 cup)
• option to top with whipped cream

Preheat oven to 375
In a small saucepan boil the jam and let cool.  While it's heating up...cream together butter and sugar until it's fluffy, beat in egg yolks, cinnamon, zest and salt until smooth.  Add flour and beat until "just" combined.  Beat in hazelnuts and chocolate.

OK..if you have time you can do the lattice top or you can press all into an 11 inch tart pan with removable  rim and spread on the jam and cook for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Directions for lattice top:
Press a little more than half the dough into the tart pan.  Roll out remaining dough between 2 sheets of wax paper into a round slightly thicker than 1/8 inch and freeze for 15 minutes.  Spread jam on tart shell to within 1/4 inch edge.  Remove round from freezer and top sheet of wax paper and cut into 1/2 inch strips.  arrange the strips into a lattice pattern over the jam/tarte.  Trim the ends of the strips at teh edge of the pan and with remaining dough press a 1/4 inche reim of dough around the edge.  Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.  *special note...if you don't have these strips cold when baked they will sort of melt together.

HISTORY
The first time I made this in 1994, I couldn't find shelled hazelnuts so I shelled them, roasted them and skinned them...then processed them into a fine consistency....it was the most labor intensive dessert I've ever made.  I think it's why my husband asks for this on his birthday...he thinks if I will make this then I truly love him.  Well, times have changed and I can find roasted shell hazelnuts to food process  but this past year...I found it processed into a fine meal consistency...making this a normal effort recipe. 

Pumpkin Muffin Cookies

Cooking these tonight.  Best in fall but good anytime of year.

Pumpkin Muffin Cookies 

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 can pumpkin

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream together sugar, egg, shortening, and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Stir in the pumpkin.  Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. 

 Ok...just left mine in for 25 minutes by accident...still tasty.

Kid Friendly Recipes

The reason I created this blog was to keep a log of recipes that worked.   And by work, I mean recipes that the kids enjoyed eating without complaints.  I kind of don't like cooking because of years of spending time making something that the kids made a fuss over.  My kids are finally starting to get over the fuss...7th grade and 9th grade...but still every once in a while they'll complain.

One way I got them to eat more broccoli as kids was to serve them ramen noodles cooked with broccoli and sprinkled with soy sauce rather than the packet.  I also renamed them so we still call them "Crazy Noodles."  They also like their green beans (fresh not canned or frozen) slightly steamed and then sort of fried with soy sauce.

Here is a list of the recipes I've done on the blog that I think most kids like.  I didn't bother to put the desserts on there because of course the kids love those.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes:  I make these every time the kids have someone sleep over.  I now have a reputation for making these pancakes and the kids have come to expect them.  I think they are healthier because I do NOT serve them with syrup.  There is no need, the chocolate chips are sweet enough.  They are also good with bananas or sub out the choc chips for blueberries.

Cheese Enchiladas:  Surprisingly, Owen loves these.  Anne likes them but not nearly as much.  I make them with onions so if your kids hate onions then probably not this...but for some reason I don't love onions but I like these.  I make two batches.  One for the kids with diced tomatoes and one for the adults with original rotel tomatotes.

Chicken Cordon Bleu:  Haven't made this in a while but they loved it when I did.  Might be better for an older palet but hard to say.  One time Anne love this and one time she didn't...I guess her taste buds weren't in the mood.

Lemon Herb Chicken:

Mac n Cheese:  Winner every time and easier than the recipes looks.

Pumpkin Muffin Cookies: This recipe is great.  Don't eat too many (more than 12) because pumpkin can be a laxative.  They are so good that we found out this benefit when Owen didn't stop eating them.  

Scones:  These are plain scones but with enough butter and jam most kids like them.  Anne likes them with strawberries and whipped cream...yeah, they could almost be a strawberry shortcake.

Stir Fry:  Anne loves this one ...Owen not as much but he eats it without complaints.  Reheats really well.

Broccoli Pie:  Surprisingly...the kids complain about this one but they eat it.  Actually, Anne loves it now but only this year.  It's pretty easy but does take an hour to bake.  I use to put mushrooms in it but haven't in a long time.  I think you could probably put anything you want in this one but with the cottage cheese and egg...it's pretty decent protein.

 

Tonight it's Fried Chicken

I don't really eat meat but I make it.  I tried this recipe off of pinterest a few weeks ago and Owen gave it rave reviews so here is the encore presentation

I intent to cute these into smaller pieces so they will cook faster.

chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 sleeve saltine crackers, crushed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs
oil

Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle with half of the salt and pepper. Set aside. Combine cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, remaining salt and pepper. Whisk together milk and eggs. Dredge chicken in cracker crumb mixture; dip in milk mixture, and dredge in cracker mixture again. Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a 12-inch skillet (do not use a nonstick skillet). Over medium high heat (more on the high side) fry chicken, in batches, 10 minutes, adding oil as needed. Turn and fry 4 to 5 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack in a cookie sheet. Keep chicken warm in a 225° oven.

Best stuff ever

Feeling like fall

This morning there was a hint of fall in the air...ok, I'm lying.  There really wasn't a hint of fall but it was 59 degrees at 5:15am?  That has to count for something.

While I will mourn our summer days coming to a close ...and yes, even after the bitchin hot summer we've had, I will still be sad to see the summer dress days in the review mirror.  I always love fall...why?  I think we are trained as children to love fall.  New school clothes, school supplies and new friends along with getting back to a routine that is stimulating makes fall extra special.

As an adult I love fall because:

• staying cozy by a warm fire
• baking cookies...lots and lots of cookies
• pumpkins -love the bread, the pies and the cookies 
• fall fashion!  still warm enough to not have to wear the crazy heavy coats
• fun new T.V. shows, let me know if you find any really good ones
• anticipation of the holidays without the stress
• coffee tastes better in fall
• the fall colors in nature
• I feel like cooking again ( I never really feel like "cooking" in summer...)

 And so, I expect that I will start posting more recipes if I can get my act together. We'll see if I can grow my repertoire.  If not you'll just be seeing repeats and me wishing I had more time to plan better meals.

Pure goodness

Most evenings, if I have my act together, I make green juice. It's delicious a packed full of phyto- nutrients.

Feeling saucy

I'm a bit of a lazy bum in the kitchen. I started this blog to inspire myself to cook more and to do more photography. Sometimes it works and sometimes not. Comme ci comme ca ... Yep that's me. I'm just so so.

Tonight I made penne with jar sauce from Costco. It's been in the cabinet a few months. I've been reluctant to try it. Here is my review.... Delicious and best of all: no complaints from the kids. I sprinkled cheese on top. Yes, I'm fancy that way.

Nothing like warm cinnamon rolls

When my kids have spend the nights at our house I like to try to make something special for the morning. The kids have come to expect homemade chocolate chip pancakes from scratch. In fact, Owens friend, George, has taken the recipe and attempted them at home for his siblings.

Today is the last day of summer for Owen and his good friend Lorcan. School starts on Monday.  As a special treat, this morning I made them cinnamon rolls. Unfortunately they pressured me to remove them before fully done and they were a bit too gooey. Luckily I was able to pop them right back into the oven for another 15 minutes and they were perfect.

The recipe is on my recipe page.  I made them the night before and instead of having them rise for 30 minutes I put them in the fridge overnight so they would be fresh and warm this morning.  I pulled them out of the fridge this morning and should have had them at room temp for a minimum of 30-60 minutes, ( it was probably only 20) which is why it took them double time to cook.

I could probably sell these and make a small fortune they are so good.

Not Responsible for Obsession

So I've tried many salsa's. Most leave me disappointed. I saw this new salsa at Costco and despite my reluctance I just had to purchase. The warning label left me with a sense of sheer danger for not only trying something new but for possibly taking on a new obsession.

I have to say the label lives up to the hype. I can't say I'm obsessed but it's still the first day.... It's really good so maybe by the end of the week.

The Rougher the Skin

I have this weird theory that the rougher the avocado the better tasting. I found today that there is an exception.... If the avocado was picked too early then it never tastes good. We purchased a 6 pack and 4 of the 6 were bad very quickly. The others just aren't very good. Better to not buy these at Costco or Sam's club.

No Pizza tonight

After I posted the pizza recipe last night I became tired and distracted.  (I've been fighting off a virus) I forgot to make the dough!  Ugh, I will try again to remember tonight.  Maybe if I make it when I get home from work I won't forget.  I won't have time later this evening.

Tonight we have new parent orientation for my daughter's high school.  Yes, she started today.  It really brings me back to when I started high school.  The friends I made that first year I consider to still be my best friends today even thought it's been over 20 years since I've seen most of them.  I can't figure out what it is about that time in life that makes those friends so special.  I do know that the following years of high school did not yield such important people.  Perhaps it is because I moved away and no one could measure up to those special few.  I hope that my daughter will encounter that same experience of true friendship that will last a lifetime.

I've lived in Omaha now for 5 years which is the longest I've lived anywhere (consecutively in one city) since grade school.  I've found it difficult to put down roots here with out any family or close friends to be my anchor.  I really need to come to terms with the fact I will be here for some time.  I do not intend to move my kids in the midst of high school.  That means 6 more years here.  I wonder if I will feel like this is my home after that much time?  I've been avoiding having the back yard landscaped because I cannot imagine being here long enough to enjoy it.

Things to do:
make Pizza Dough
go to parent orientation
plant some trees and ....

oh yeah,
I need to remind myself that I need to make cinnamon rolls for Owen this weekend.  He's been asking for a week.  The long vacation we took really got me out of practice for thinking ahead which is required for anything that needs time to rise -and I am not sure I have all of the ingredients.


I created this blog to keep track of meals I make and what worked.  Now I'm finding that I'm using it to remind me of what I need to make...and doing a little reflecting along the way.  Another blog I created for a specific purpose turned out to function for the opposite purpose.  Funny how these things go.

No Knead Pizza dough

I thought I'd give this a shot.  It has to rise for at least 14 hours so you really have to plan ahead which is why I have never made it before.  I am a last minute chic so planning ahead is foreign to me, kind of like this blog.

Anyhow...this is what I will be doing tonight in the hopes of some delicious pizza tomorrow.

No-Knead Pizza Dough Ingredients:
2 oz whole wheat flour
16 oz all-purpose flour
*about 4 cups total
1/4 tsp dry active yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
2 tbsps olive oil
1 1/2 cups warm water, if possible, use bottled water as chlorinated water can retard the yeast growth
cornmeal as needed

Basically you mix to a sticky consistency and then roll out when it's ready.  We shall see.

Note: Rising times will vary based on the temperature. It should probably go at least 14 hours to develop enough gluten, but could take as long as 24 hours to double in size.

Juicin'

Ok.  So you may wonder why about a year ago my kitchen posts sort of fell off a bit.  I think it was because all of the baking I was doing was causing me to feel a little unhealthy.  I may be slightly sensitive to processed sugars and flour.  Having baked goods occasionally seems ok, but as much as I was baking...well lets just say things were not going well in the digestive tract.  American diets are over processed and the added baking wasn't helping mine.

I invested in a really good juicer. The changes I felt in my health were amazing.  I can't even begin to list all of the benefits.  I started juicing about 3 times a day.  If you are interested in getting as much micronutrients as possible, juicing is the way to go.  Eating lots of plant life is how you do it but many of us cannot ingest the amount we really want to reboot our lives so we juice it to condense it into a form that can be delivered very efficiently.

If you are interested I strongly recommend watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and/or Food Matters, I also enjoyed the The Beautiful Truth.  Take what you will from them as I cannot verify that all are completely factual but they are interesting to say the least.  Our society has come to think of medication rather than food for health.  I found it interesting anyway.

I don't juice exclusively.  I don't really need to lose weight but I do want to be as healthy as I can.  I did stop eating meat over a year ago and I don't really miss it much.  Anyway, I may post some of my favorite juice recipes here in the future.  My juicer is a cold masticating juicer ...helps preserve the phytonutrients and prevents some oxidation. 

I still drink coffee though...we can't get too crazy here.

Lunch in bed

Yes, I finally caught what everyone in my house has had over the last month. I'm home in bed trying to kick it fast because who has time to feel icky?

Anyway, lovely husband has just brought me lunch in bed! Amazing.

While it doesn't look that great it really is and I am so greatful.

Admiring Ol' Friends

There is nothing better than reconnecting with an old friend.  Especially ones you admire for being so open.

I am the kind of person who is rarely serious.  I think it's partially because I like to laugh but also it's a defense mechanism.  When I moved away from dear friends years ago I developed this knack as a way to not feel and not make real connections.  Since then I have moved so many times .....  So, what happens when trying to connect with an old friend who did really know you?  It's a little bit scary.

Luckily, my old friend is FEARLESS!  Thank goodness for my fearless friend who is always true to himself.  I admire you for being you and for the passion you bring to your life.

When did I get so whimpy?  I guess it's time to be real.  Not sure I know how so I guess I'll go bake some pumpkin muffin cookies.  Get a taste for fall now that the weather has cooled some here.

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 can pumpkin

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream together sugar, egg, shortening, and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Stir in the pumpkin.  Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven.

Good friends have forever to catch up

I wish this were true. It is true that really good friends can pick up where they left off no matter the passage of time. We do not have forever to catch up. I once believed that. The loss of a good friend recently made me realize that time is fleeting.

I am broken hearted for what will never be and for not living courageously.

Life with regrets

There will always be things you regret or wish you could do over. Lately I've reflected some on how I can try to live a life with LESS regrets.

Cherish those close to you and treat them well. You never know when you may lose them.

If you intend to see someone but keep putting it off... Try not to wait a second longer. Make solid plans or it may never happen.

Make good decisions. Try not to do things you will look back on and be embarrassed.

Don't wait... Get up and do! Plan it, make it happen. Don't watch your life from the sidelines.... Live it.

Scones with strawberry purée

With all of the crops dying from drought it's nice to see the strawberries are doing well somewhere in the world. They are practically giving them away at the stores. I bought a huge Costco sized pack.



I puréed a bowl full to pour over the top of my scones. The rest I rinsed in vinegar water to keep their freshness.

Scone recipe can be found on the recipe page of this blog

Favorite Snack, watch out its addictive

Popcorn (pop secret homestyle)
Tabasco
Parmesan Cheese (ground)

Generously sprinkle the tabasco over the popcorn and add Parmesan to taste. I buy Kraft Parmesan in the large green plastic can and the largest Tabasco I can find. Whenever I find the popcorn on sale I stock up like a mad women.

Abandoned blog???

Nope, just on a hiatus. Went on a monthlong vacation traveling to London, Tallin (in Estonia), and Colorado! Colorado was the best!

Mexican Pizza

I made this recipe today but I was out of tomatoes and gound "beef" 

It was really good and everyone wanted more

http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/show/2239

HG's Por Qué No? Mexi Pizza Let's Talk About Mex', Baby! When it comes to super-caloric fast-food items, we're often left asking, POR QUÉ? (That's Spanish for "WHY?") But one bite of our new guilt-free swap, and "Why not?" becomes the more appropriate question -- hence the name of our recipe. Just chew it! Ingredients: Two 6-inch corn tortillas 1/3 cup frozen ground-beef-style soy crumbles (like the kinds by Boca and Morningstar Farms) 1/2 tsp. taco seasoning mix 2 tbsp. fat-free refried beans 2 tbsp. taco sauce 3 tbsp. shredded reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese 1/4 cup chopped tomato Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Lay tortillas on the baking sheet, side by side, and bake for 6 minutes. Flip tortillas. Bake until crispy, about 6 more minutes. Leave oven on. Meanwhile, bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Add soy crumbles and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. taco seasoning. Cook and stir until hot and well mixed, about 2 minutes. Spread 1 tortilla with refried beans. Top with seasoned soy crumbles, followed by the other tortilla.

Mac n Cheese

Anne loves this recipe!  It's pretty easy.

Ingredients

2 cups of macaroni

2 cups of grated cheese (I use cheddar and monterrey jack, but you can use Anne's favorite cheese. Most recipes call for sharp cheddar, fyi)

1/4 cup of butter

3 TBSP  of all purpose flour

2 cups of milk

breadcrumbs

Oven to 350 degrees, grease a 2 quart casserole dish. (I use a lasagna pan)

Cook macaroni and drain (but not till it gets too soft), put into dish.

After macaroni cools a little, mix in the grated cheese.

In a sauce pan, melt butter. Blend in flour. Add milk slowly, mixing with the flour and butter. I usually whisk to make sure there is no lumps. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. You want it to start to thicken a little. (if you like more seasonings, like salt, pepper, etc. add to the milk mixture)

 

Pour over mac and cheese in dish. You might have to mix it a little so it gets all around the mac.

Top with bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.

 

New blog...skimferellascloset.blogspot.com

I started this blog for a couple of reasons.

1. practice photography
2. force myself to cook 
3. keep me from shopping (you can't leave the house while something is cooking)

So, it worked for a while but seriously....cooking is not my favorite.  I actually just love to eat.  What I find fun is fashion. It's a little shallow..yes, but so interesting and fun.  Doesn't a crazy fashion make you smile?  Well, in honor of Valentines day I am starting a new blog for my real love of fashion.  Check out Skimferella's closet.  I think I will have more interest in keeping that one going.  My closet isn't as big as my kitchen but there is definitely more action happening there.