Home and Cooking

My Baby in a Bucket

2010-05-30T03:35:00.001-07:00

It's Finally Here!

2010-05-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

Pictures to Follow.

New book

2010-05-03T17:40:00.000-07:00

I found this book through a side add on Facebook. I just started it, but so far it's very easy to read.

got milk?

2010-04-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

Real Milk, that is!

Spanish Rice

2010-04-28T06:34:00.000-07:00

I tried out this recipe for Spanish rice and we loved it. The only change I made is to add chili powder while I browned the onion. Corn would have been good with it, but didn't have any on hand.

Ground Beef with homemade seasoning.

Gabriel's Room is Almost Finished!

2010-04-27T06:30:00.000-07:00

Archangel Gabriel

We love Ikea! (Not so much for adult furniture)

Easy Spinach Dip

2010-04-26T08:34:00.000-07:00

This is super easy and quick to make and Gabe loves it.
Saute onion and garlic. Add thawed spinach (1 square package).

Cook to warm through. Add 1 package of cream cheese, a splash of milk, salt and pepper and some asiago cheese. Done!

New Find!

2010-04-26T05:22:00.000-07:00

They started carrying this at Wegman's and Whole Foods (maybe they always did - i just started noticing it recently). It comes in about 10 different flavors, including LEMON! It's to die for. We usually only buy Fage, plain yogurt. These are 1/3 of the price of Fage and a nice change when I am too lazy to puree the fruit myself.

We're making Pizza together!

2010-04-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

Gabe had such a good time making pizza and cookies today!

Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli

2010-04-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

Yummy!!! I also added chicken.

Recipe here.

Yet another Pizza...

2010-04-20T03:37:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe here, but I am not imressed with it. The dough was very dense.

Fun at Costco

2010-04-18T16:43:00.000-07:00

PW's Blackberry Cobbler

2010-04-18T16:34:00.000-07:00

Really good, but too much sugar on top. I would double the recipe next time. Also, an hour is too long in the oven. 50 min or less will do. Recipe here.

Homemade Pizza Sauce

2010-04-18T16:06:00.000-07:00

Got to try this next time I make pizza. I usually just use plain canned tomato sauce.

Self-Rising Flour Substitution

2010-04-18T15:59:00.000-07:00

Using a dry measure, measure the desired amount of flour into a separate container.
For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Mix to combine.

PW's Sloppy Joes

2010-04-18T15:36:00.000-07:00

My husband loved these! ..and I did too.

Click here for the Recipe.

Recipes

2010-04-09T13:57:00.000-07:00

Shredded Potato Casserole Recipe

Cozonac - made with Brioche Recipe "5 Min a Day" Book

Chicken Pot Pie - with potatoes, chicken, peas, carrots, home made condensed soup, and homemade crust.

Little Muffin Legs.

Braided Bread crust with feta and spinach inside.

Baked Teriyaki Chicken (homemade sauce)

Lemon Squares

2010-03-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

Not sure why the top turned white... maybe I over baked them???

Chicken Ceasar Salad on Homemade Pita Bread

2010-03-21T18:12:00.000-07:00

Making Baby Food ... Again

2010-03-09T12:05:00.000-08:00

Made a organic vegetable chicken soup with rice.

Olive oil with carrots and onions, simmering in a little bit of spring water.

All for the best baby in the world! That didn't like it at all! :(

Pot Roast

2010-02-18T17:05:00.000-08:00

{Can you tell the above picture was an afterthought?...That good!}

Brown (Beef Chuck) Pot Roast on both sides. Place in Crock Pot. Reserve 1 tbsp of the drippings. Quarter a whole onion and 4 cloves of garlic and salute in the oil until translucent. Add 1 cup of red wine and bring to a simmer. Add 4-5 tbsp of tomato sauce, salt and pepper and a bay leave. Bring to a simmer. Poor over beef and cook on low for 8 hours. Add vegetables, such as carrots and potatoes, half ways through the cooking time.

Stuffed Mushrooms

2010-02-16T14:58:00.001-08:00

Ingredients:

8 oz of Goldcoast crab or lobster spread
16 oz mushrooms (medium)
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp melted butter
fresh chives, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Place caps in an oven safe dish. Fill each cap with 1 tsp of filling. Sprinkle with cheese and brush sides with butter. Bake for 20 min or until bubbly. Garnish with chives.

Cozonac Moldovenesc cu Nuca

2009-12-29T06:36:00.000-08:00

1 kg flour
10 egg yolks
salt
250 g melted butter
2 tsp rum
2 tsp vanilla
zest of 2 large oranges
4 teaspoon yeast
1/2 liter milk

Filling:
400 g sugar
400 g nuts (crushed)
6 egg whites
3-4 tbsp coco powder
sugar to taste
rum
vanilla

Heat milk to 102 F. Divide in two half's - in one add 4 table spoons of flour and the yeast and in the other the sugar, vanilla, rum and orange peel.

In the kitchenaid, start of (low speed) with the eggs, add milk with flavorings, butter then the flour (cup by cup). After the first 3 cups add the milk and yeast mixture and continue adding the remaining flour (with a dough hook attached).

Grease a large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in it and let rise at warm temp for an hour or until doubled in size. Divide dough in 3 equal parts and then divide those in half.

Filling: Beat the egg whites and sugar until peaks form. Add coco powder and nuts.

Spread each portion out and spread the filling inside it. Roll back up and braid with it's other half (which needs to be filled and rolled the same prior).

Bake at 350 until golden brown ca. 45 min.

Blueberry pancakes

2009-02-22T07:18:00.000-08:00

Recipe:

1 cup (140 grams) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons (7 grams) baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons (28 grams) granulated white sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup (240 ml) milk

2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted

Plus extra melted butter for greasing the pan.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. In a separate bowl whisk together the egg, milk, and melted butter. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, all at once, and stir or whisk just until combined. The batter should have some small lumps. Make sure you do not over mix the batter or the pancakes will be tough.
*Add fresh blueberries to the batter....

Pasta Salad

2009-01-30T04:50:00.000-08:00

...with left over rotisserie chicken, tomatoes and German yogurt dressing.
...with garlic & butter croissants.

Sandwiches

2009-01-27T16:33:00.000-08:00

Rotisserie chicken, mozzarella, tomato, olive oil and basil sandwiches.

Spinace & Ricotta Stuffed Calzone

2009-01-23T04:44:00.000-08:00

This dough I made with my typical bread recipe - here.

Ingredients:

10 oz frozen frozen spinach, thawed & squeezed of excess water.
2 cloves of minced garlic (or more if desired)
2 c whole milk ricotta cheese
3/4 cups fresh mozzarella
1/4 cups graded Parmesan
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil for brushing

Directions:

1. In a pan over medium heat, saute garlic and add spinach. Heat through.

2. Mix the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, and egg & season this with salt & pepper, to taste. Place 1/2 the filling on 1/2lb of the dough leaving a 3/4-inch border along the edge. Fold the remaining dough over the filling until the edges line up & pinch the edges together to seal. Gently roll the pinched edges under to form a decorative rim.

3. Place the calzone on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal & brush the top this with olive oil. Bake until golden brown & the center is hot & melted, 25 mins.

Profiteroles

2009-01-21T04:22:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for baking sheets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash
2 to 3 pints vanilla ice cream, for serving
Hot Fudge Sauce

Directions:

Make the dough: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. with racks in upper and lower thirds. Butter two large rimmed baking sheets.
Combine butter, 1 cup water, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until butter melts. Reduce heat to medium.
Add flour; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball, 30 seconds to 1 minute (see note below). Remove from heat; cool 1 minute.
With an electric handheld mixer, beat in eggs, a little bit at a time, until completely incorporated (dough should look shiny and be soft enough to slowly fall off a spoon).
Bake the puffs: Drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto baking sheets (you should have 24 to 28), about 2 inches apart. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush puffs with egg wash (do not let it drip on sheets).
Bake, rotating sheets between racks halfway through, until puffed and brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven; turn oven off.
With a toothpick, poke a hole in each puff. Return to oven (still off) for 10 minutes (this helps puffs dry out).
Fill the puffs: When cool, halve each puff horizontally with a serrated knife.
Working in batches (to prevent ice cream from melting), place a small scoop of ice cream (2 to 3 tablespoons) in each bottom half. Replace tops; press gently. Arrange on one rimmed baking sheet; freeze until firm. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze up to 2 days.
Arrange 3 filled puffs in each of eight shallow bowls; drizzle with warm Fudge Sauce. Serve immediately

These came out absolutely delightful. The recipe is the same as for Eclairs, but instead of milk you use water, which makes them hallow inside. They come out less doughy and crispier. We get these every time we eat at Maggiano's Restaurant. Thanks to this site for the recipe find!

Papa John's Pizza Dough

2009-01-19T03:46:00.000-08:00

I made it again, and this time I followed instructions! Wow, what a difference and how easy this dough is to make. Everyone loved it and even though it didn't taste like Papa John's exactly, it was darn close. I think it tasted much better because the ingredients were as always organic and truly fresh!

Quick Tomato Focaccia

2009-01-16T03:34:00.000-08:00

Quick Focaccia

5 C all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur unbleached)
4 tsp SAF instant yeast
1 tsp sugar (omitted)
2 tsp salt
4 T fresh rosemary, chopped (optional)
1/2 C olive oil + more for baking
1-3/4 C warm water (about 105 - 110º)
coarse salt (omitted)
1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tsp water (omitted)

1. Place the flour, yeast, sugar, 2 teaspoons salt and half the rosemary (if using) in the food processor bowl. Process in a few bursts to mix. With the processor running, slowly add 1 cup of the water, then the 1/2 cup olive oil and finally the remaining 3/4 cup water. Process until the dough coalesces into a ball and starts riding around on the blade. Turn out on a floured board and knead a few strokes. Dough should be relatively stiff but still pliable. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place 'til doubled, about 1-1/2 hour.
2. Place the baking stone in the oven and preheat to 450º. Punch the dough down, divide into 2 balls and flatten each ball to a disk about 8 - 10 " in diameter. Place on a corn-meal covered board or peel, cover with a clean towel and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1/2 hour.
3. When the dough has finished the second rising, use your forefinger to poke deep dimples all over the loaf, about 1-1/2" apart. Drizzle olive oil over the loaves, scatter on the remaining rosemary (if using) and slide them onto the stone. Bake 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 375º and bake 20 - 25 minutes more, until the bread is a nice dark golden brown. Two minutes before the bread is done, brush with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with the coarse salt.
Allow to cool on a rack for 5 - 10 minutes before serving.

I added 2 large cloves of garlic, minced, to the dough and topped it with a crushed tomato,garlic and basil sauce. The focaccia turned out amazing, great for sandwiches!

Mushroom Chicken and Rice

2009-01-14T03:32:00.000-08:00

Never made anything using condensed soup...ever, until a few days ago. I had a can of Amy's Kitchen Organic Cream of Mushroom Semi-Condensed Soup on hand that I wanted to use up... so good! Since it was only semi-condensed, I didn't add anything to it to thin it out. Some sour cream would have been good, but I didn't have any. I cooked a small onion in pan, add soup and fresh curly parley and voila! Pour it over cooked chicken and basmati rice.

Ricotta Orange Pound Cake

2009-01-12T04:24:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe by Giada Di Laurentiis - Foodtv.com. I wish I would have read the reviews before I made it. Great recipe, but the timing she's listing is off. I takes way more than 50 minutes to cook and I would recommend using a wider pan. I had to throw out the middle since it didn't get cooked all the way. But the out sides where to die for! Will definitely make this again; the right way.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature, plus more to grease the baking pan
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 orange, zested
2 tablespoons Amaretto
Powdered sugar, for dusting
1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered or 3 oranges, cut into supremes

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.

Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, ricotta, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the machine running, add the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla, orange zest, and Amaretto until combined. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Using a mesh sieve, dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar.

Meanwhile, place the strawberries (or orange supremes) in a small bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit until the juices have pooled around the strawberries.

To serve, slice the cake and serve with a spoonful of strawberries and their juices over the top of the cake.

Gnocchi di Ricotta - Part 2

2009-01-09T03:58:00.000-08:00

I've made these again and they turned out even better. The trick really is not to over flour them and you'll have a fluffy gnocchi. These are baked and instead of using parsley I used dried sweet basil; just enough to taste it - don't be scared to tasted the mixture before adding the flour to it. Remember to always use fresh organic eggs.

Once I've completed step 6, I melted about a stick of butter in a skillet and added 4-5 crushed cloves of garlic to it. Cook until fragrant - don't burn. Add cooked gnocchi and top with graded cheese, any cheese. Bake in the oven 18-20 minutes.

The Real Reason for The Season - The Birth of Jesus Christ

2008-12-22T08:41:00.000-08:00

Through His birth in Bethlehem, Jesus reveals that we too must open our hearts to his presence and actions. God wants us to share in His work of reconciliation. Like the participants in the first Christmas, we too are called to be person whose hearts are open to the divine presence and actions.

The story of the birth of Christ and its true significance is often clouded by the commercialism of the season. There is a very frenzied pace to these days which can so easily depersonalize us and dampen the true joy of the season. The stores tempt us for weeks on end to buy this thing or by that thing. Some of us prefer to speak of the ‘Holiday Season’ rather than of Christmas. Many schools have forbidden the remembrance of Christ’s birth in the classroom. Yes, throughout our society, many fail to remember that the coming of Christ is truly at the heart of the Christmas celebrations. What can we do? Let us remember that the season celebrates the love of God revealed in the coming of Christ. For those with faith, the colored lights, the green trees, the wreaths and the flowers are the symbols of the joy of Christmas. Let us celebrate the joy of Christ’s coming!

Let us share the love of God with others. Christ has come to bear witness to the Father’s love for us. We too can share this love with others, especially with the poor and less fortunate among us. We can be sensitive to those who cannot easily celebrate because of a loss in their lives. Let us be the ambassadors of God who share His care and philanthropy.

Let us seek the Lord with an open heart as the shepherds and wise men did. This means
that we find opportunities for prayer and meditation, for reading the Scriptures related to Christ’s coming. This means that we can make Christmas a special day by participating in the Divine Liturgy and by receiving Holy Communion with reverence for God, with faith and with love.

The simplicity of the story of Christ’s birth reveals the depth of God’s love and the mystery of His actions in our life. As we celebrate Christmas anew this year, once
again Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and wise men, the angels and animals direct our
attention to the Lord Jesus. He who is truly the ‘way, the truth and the life” (Jn. 14:1) who reveals Himself in the humble circumstances of a cave in Bethlehem. All of time is centered upon his coming. All of creation surrounds Him who fashioned the creation!

The story of the birth of Christ is a vivid reminder of the depth of God’s love for us. He loves us so much that he has entered into life in this world in the person of Christ. The
infinite God mysteriously accepted the limitations of our humanity. It was not enough for God to act through signs and wonders of the physical world. It was not enough for God to guide us through the prophets and teachers of old. No, this was not enough for our God. To express his boundless love for us, the Living God appeared among us in the person of Christ Our Lord. By fully identifying himself with us, Christ has come to teach us, to heal us and to lead us back to the Father. He has come to remind us that we are the Father’s precious daughters and sons. As St. John the Evangelist says: “God so loved the world
that he sent His Only begotten Son so that all who believe in him will not be lost but will have eternal life” (Jn. 3:16). Many years before the Beatitudes were taught and many years before His glorious Resurrection, Christ revealed God’s love for us through the simple events of his birth. The Lord of Glory demonstrated his love for us simply be entering into our life and by sharing in all that is truly human. St. Basil the great reminds us of this saying: “Every act and every word of our Savior is a guide for holiness and virtue. For this reason he became human, so that in images he may depict both holiness and virtue for us…For this reason he bears a body so that we may imitate His life” (Ascetical Principles, 1)

Through His birth in Bethlehem, Our Lord reveals to us the breath and depth of God’s love for us. Whether we see him as the child in Bethlehem, the teacher in Galilee, or the
Risen Lord in Jerusalem; Christ is truly the greatest gift of the Father ‘for us and for our
salvation.’

The story of Christ’s birth speaks to us about the mysterious ways of God. The Triune God acts in ways that we do not always expect! His ways are truly wonder-filled. For centuries, the Ancient Israelites had expected the Messiah. The prophets, especially Isaiah and Jeremiah, called the people to readiness and openness to God’s actions. Their message provided the people with indications about the coming Messiah. Yet, when ‘the fullness of time had come’(Gal. 4:4), the Messiah did not arrive as a conquering hero in a golden chariot with pomp and splendor. He was not robed in expensive clothing. He did not appear in the capital city. Throngs of adoring followers did not accompany him. When the Messiah finally arrived, he came first as a baby. He was born to a young girl who was not formally married. The event occurred in the simple village of Bethlehem. He was sheltered in a place reserved for animals because the inn was full. There, in such simple circumstances, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth…” (Jn.1: 14). This is the mysterious way of God! Through the Christmas story, Our Lord reveals that God acts in ways that we do not always expect. We cannot shape the mighty acts of God to our limited understanding. The Triune God is greater than our limited perceptions of Him. He acts in mysterious and wondrous ways to draw us to Him and to one another in love.

Pfannkuchen - German Pancakes

2008-12-14T15:17:00.000-08:00

We have been making these in my family for many years, but I could never quite get them to taste as the ones in Germany, sold at every street corner with applesauce. The latest Food & Wine issue had an interesting twist on them in their 'holiday party issue'. The secret is to use a little bit of baking powder. It makes them puff up and stick together a little better once fried. This one's a definite keeper and repeater.

INGREDIENTS:

3 1/2 pounds potatoes - graded on the 3rd largest setting
1 large onion- graded same as above
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 tbsp baking powder
vegetable oil for frying
applesauce for dipping (or sour cream, if that's what you prefer)

Instructions:

1. Once the onion and potatoes are graded set aside for 5 min until all juices are strained. Squeeze dry and add to a clean bowl.

2. Stir in flour, eggs, salt, and baking powder. Mix well and return back to the strainer. Place strainer on top of bowl and keep next to your frying pan.

3. In a very large skillet, heat 1/4 inch vegetable oil until simmering. Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of of the potato mixture to the oil, pressing slightly to flatten.

4. Fry on both sides, until golden and crisp, about 7 min. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot!

Late Night Snack

2008-12-03T15:52:00.000-08:00

Ham, Honey Mustard and Brie Panini

Brush each slice of bread on one side with olive oil.
On unoiled sides of bread, spread honey mustard. Layer ham and cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place panini on pre-heated grill.

Grill until golden.

Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T02:10:00.000-08:00

Organic Turkey - salt and pepper the top, in the oven at 325 for 3 hours. What a difference organic makes. It came out juicy as can be. I stuffed the inside with a head of garlic cut in half, some onion quarters and rosemary. Couldn't taste any of it...

Sweet Potatoes with pineapple and marshmallows

Phyllo dough caps filled with portabello mushrooms

PORTABELLA AND BUTTON MUSHROOMS

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fine diced onions
1 cup small diced portabella mushrooms
1 cup small diced button mushrooms
2 tablespoons small diced roasted red pepper
2 tablespoons white wine
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Dash of salt and pepper
15 Athens® Mini Fillo Shells (1 box)

In a medium skillet, heat oil. Add onion, mushrooms and pepper. Sauté for 8-10 minutes. Add wine and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add heavy whipping cream and reduce by half. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon 1 rounded teaspoon of filling into each Fillo Shell. Bake in preheated 350°F. oven for 7-10 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 15 Appetizers

Brie with raspberry jam - I got inspired by the recipe below. Instead of fresh raspberries, I used a teaspoon of jam in every cap in between two slices of brie cheese. Big hit.

BRIE WITH FRESH RASPBERRY

Ingredients
5 oz. Brie cheese
15 Athens® Mini Fillo Shells (1 box)
15 fresh raspberries

In a food processor, pulse Brie cheese (including rind) until smooth. Spoon 1 rounded teaspoon of Brie into each Fillo Shell. Top with one raspberry. Bake in preheated 350¯F oven for 5 minutes or just until cheese is melted. Serve Warm

Makes 15 Appetizers

Green bean casserole - my mother in law made this

Lingonberries - now, everybody dislikes the crappy cranberry form a can and I didn't have any time or any more hands to make another dish, soooooooo, when we were at Ikea last we purchased two glass jars of lingonberries. Much more tastier!

The Lingonberry, or dry ground Cranberry, is a common wild fruit species found in our northern forests. It is closely related to the bog cranberry, which is the cranberry that is widely used in North America and Europe for holidays and special occasions. Traditionally, northern people around the world have made extensive use of the Lingonberry. People from Northern Europe, Canada, as well as Alaska consider this fruit to be an important diet staple. Historical references suggest that many European explorers, and Native people considered Lingonberries one of the most important edible wild fruits.

Buffalo Turkey Quesadillas

2008-11-28T12:10:00.000-08:00

Recipes For The Meal That Keeps On Giving - got the idea from the CBS early show
Buffalo Turkey Quesadillas

3 cups turkey, shredded
6 Tablespoons buffalo hot sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
6 flour tortilla's (see recipe below)
Blue cheese dressing
Celery sticks

1. In a large bowl, combine turkey with sauce and stir until evenly coated. Add cheese and toss to combine.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook quesadillas on one side - about 30 sec (see recipe below), using a spatula to turn. Once turned, start topping half of the quesadilla with the turkey cheese mixture. Flip other half side over the filling and use a weight (another pan) to compress it. Flip over after a few seconds. Repeat weight step. Cut into quarters and serve with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side.

Homemade flour Tortillas:

2 cups of white flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vegetable oil
3/4 cup warm water

Directions:

Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and oil.
Slowly add warm water.
Stir until a loose, sticky ball forms.
Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft.
Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.
After the dough has rested, break off six sections and roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes. (It’s very important to let the dough rest, otherwise it will be like elastic and won’t roll out to a proper thickness and shape.)
After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about 8 inches in diameter. (If you roll out pie crusts you’ll have no problem with this.) Don’t overwork the dough, or it’ll be stiff. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook.
In a dry iron skillet or comal heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done.
Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat.
Can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, over your gas-burner flame, or in the oven wrapped in foil.
While you probably won’t have any leftovers, you can store in the fridge tightly wrapped in foil or plastic for a day or so.

Makes 6 tortillas.

I made Swiss cheese quesadillas for Gabriel.

Mixed Berry Strudel

2008-11-19T04:47:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
1 egg 1 tbsp. water
6 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
12oz of frozen mixed berries

Directions

1. Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it’s easy to handle.

2. Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or use parchment paper. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.

3. Stir the sugar, flour, thawed berries and toss to coat.

4. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle. With the short side facing you, spoon the berries mixture onto the bottom half of the pastry sheet to within 1-inch of the edges. Starting at the short side, roll up like a jelly roll. Tuck the ends under to seal. Place seam-side down on the baking sheet.

5. Brush the pastry with the egg mixture. Cut several 2-inch-long slits 2 inches apart on the top.Bake for 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Baked Potato Soup

2008-11-17T03:16:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
4-1/2 baking potatoes
1/3 cup butter

1/2 chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 bacon strips - chopped into bits
2 green onions, chopped
3 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Peel and cube the potatoes. Add to water and biol until cooked through. Once done, drain and mash by hand.

2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp of butter. Add onion and cook until soft. Add remaining butter and melt. Stir in flour and cook about a minute.

3. Whisk in milk and broth, a little at a time, stirring constantly until thickened.

4. Stir in potatoes, salt, pepper, bacon bits, green onions and cheese. Cook until thoroughly heated.

Chicken Pot Pie

2008-11-15T17:45:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

2 cups, frozen vegetable mix, peas, carrots, corn - steamed
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 cups cubed boiled chicken
1 package puff pastry

Directions

1. In a saute pan heat 1 tablespoon of butter and sweat the onion and celery.

2. In another saucepan, heat the broth and milk.

3. Add 2 more tablespoons of butter to the celery mix and cook out the water. Add the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk mixture and cook until thickened. Add the salt and pepper.

4. Toss the steamed vegetables and the chicken. Pour into a oven safe dish and top with one puff pastry sheet. Cut two slits and fold corners over if they are hanging out.

5. Place into the oven and cook until puff pastry has browned and the mixture is hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

This recipe is adapted from Alton Brown. It's supposedly for 6-8 people... my husband and I finished the whole thing alone. I guess it was that good!!!

Chili A La Hard Times

2008-09-22T04:33:00.000-07:00

Hard Times Restaurant is a popular chili restaurant in the DC area. My husband loves chili and used to drag me there all the time when we first started going out. We don't eat out any more, so therefore I have to cook a lot of "junk" food at home. Hard Times traditionally serves their chili over spaghetti. Here's where I got the recipe from. PS: I also added corn and garlic to the pot.

3 onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 pounds ground beef chuck
1/3 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (i wish i used less of this)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground mace (none used)
1 bay leaf 3 cups water 1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses (not used)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Spaghetti, kidney beans (used white beans), chopped onion, grated Cheddar, and oyster crackers as traditional accompaniments, if desired

1. In a large heavy kettle cook the onions and the garlic in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the onions are softened, add the beef, and cook the mixture, stirring and breaking up the lumps, until the beef is no longer pink.

2. Add the chili powder, the paprika, the cumin, the coriander, the allspice, the oregano, the cayenne, the cinnamon, the cloves, and the mace and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute.

3. Add the bay leaf, the water, the tomato sauce, the vinegar, and the molasses and simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding more water, if necessary, to keep the beef barely covered, for 2 hours, or until it is thickened but soupy enough to be ladled. Discard the bay leaf and season the chili with salt and pepper.

4. The chili may be frozen or made 4 days in advance, cooled, uncovered, and kept covered and chilled. Serve the chili as is or in the traditional Cincinnati "five-way" style: Ladle the chili over the spaghetti and top it with the beans, the onion, the Cheddar, and the oyster crackers.

Swedish Meatballs

2008-09-19T04:39:00.000-07:00

It got this recipe from " the taste of home cooking" blog. Love her site. It's full of new ideas. I really enjoyed this recipe, which is sort of surprising, since it's a Rachel Ray. I find that most of her recipes are half-a$$ed. Sorry, but they are just thrown together, no thought or good taste behind it. BUT, it seems that maybe her cookbook is a different story. This recipe is from her "Comfort Foods: Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals". Maybe she actually sat down and developed some eatable recipes for once. This one's a keeper!
.
Meatballs

1 pound ground chuck, or ground beef, pork and veal mix

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

1 small onion, finely chopped (or grated on a box grater)

A few drops Worcestershire

Salt and pepper

Sauce

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour (increased by 1/2 tablespoon)

1/2 cup dry sherry (is used white wine)

1 cup beef broth

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup sour cream (had to use whole milk instead)

1 bag wide egg noodles (used thin spaghetti) .... gosh I need to go grocery shopping!

1 tablespoon butter

A handful of chopped parsley

Cook egg noodles according to package directions. While waiting for the water to boil, make the meatballs and sauce.

To bake meatballs: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix ingredients for meatballs in a medium-size bowl. Form bite-size balls and place on nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes.

To cook meatballs on the stovetop: preheat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Mix ingredients for meatballs in a medium-size bowl. Form bite-size balls and add directly to the pan as you roll them. Once the last ball has been rolled, give the pan a good shake and place a lid or aluminum foil over the top. Cook meatballs 10 to 12 minutes, turning them occasionally. Remove meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate, wipe out pan, and return to heat to make the sauce.

To make the sauce: melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and continuously whisk until a smooth paste is formed. Slowly add sherry while continuing to whisk sauce; cook until sherry reduces by half. Add broth in a slow stream and continue to whisk until sauce thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Turn off heat and whisk in salt, pepper, Dijon mustard and sour cream.

Once the noodles are cooked, drain them and toss with butter and parsley. Add meatballs to the sauce, stir to coat, and serve over the noodles.

Pizza

2008-09-18T04:06:00.000-07:00

It was pizza night again. The dough, I made from warm water, yeast, salt and flour. Mix warm water and yeast, let sit for a few min. Add flour and salt until it comes together. Roll out into a thin pie and top with tomato sauce (i used canned organic), mozzarella di bufala, mushrooms etc.... if you like garlic on your pizza you can add finely sliced garlic to it before baking. So simple and good. Heat the oven and pizza stone to 500 and bake for 5-10 min until the cheese is melted. If you have time and you want a fancier pizza crust, try this recipe and let me know how it turned out. I've never tried it, but it looks darn good.

Don't bake the pizza with the fresh basil. Add basil AFTER it comes out if the oven. I turn my brain off sometimes.

The mushroom was the start of the evening.

Eggplant Salad

2008-09-17T06:21:00.000-07:00

Eggplant salad, "Salată de vinete" in Romanian mashed eggplant salad made of grilled, peeled and finely chopped eggplants, sunflower oil and chopped onions. The eggplants are grilled until they are covered with black ash crust. The crust is cleaned of and the remaining cooked eggplant is mashed with a blunt, thick wooden knife on a wooden platter. The eggplant mash is mixed in a bowl, stirring continually, with sunflower oil, chopped onions and salt. Crushed garlic and ground pepper may be added too. Instead of oil, mayonnaise can be used.

I used a food processor to blend it all together. This dish is a little messy.... I cooked the eggplants on a oven tray on the grill that way the drippings wouldn't ruin the grill. Traditionally this is eaten on fresh bread. I grew up on this stuff!

2008-09-10T04:48:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds red skinned potatoes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped (no pepper here)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon grill seasoning (recommended: McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning)
2 teaspoons sweet paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Coarsely chop potatoes and transfer to a nonstick cookie sheet. Toss with oil, peppers, onions and seasonings and place in the oven 25 minutes, turning twice with spatula. Serve hot. Recipe is from the Food Network.

Chicken Francese

2008-09-09T04:12:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:

Sauce:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 small onion, minced (about 1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1/3 cup lemon juice from
2 lemons
2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Table salt and ground black pepper

Chicken:

1 cup all-purpose flour
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack on a foil-lined, trimmed baking sheet and place sheet in oven.

2.FOR THE SAUCE: Heat 1 tablespoon butter in medium nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour and stir until light golden brown, about 1 minute. Whisk in wine, lemon juice, and broth; increase heat to high and bring to boil, whisking constantly. Lower heat to medium-high and cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Strain sauce through mesh strainer, return to saucepan, and set aside.

3. FOR THE CHICKEN: Whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk eggs and milk until combined. Season both sides of each cutlet with salt and pepper. Using tongs and working with 2 cutlets at a time, coat cutlets in seasoned flour; shake off excess flour. Transfer cutlets to egg mixture; coat evenly and let excess run off. Return cutlets to seasoned flour; coat evenly and shake off excess flour.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon each butter and oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, place 4 cutlets in skillet. Cook until well browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Carefully flip cutlets and continue to cook until lightly browned on second sides, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer chicken to wire rack in oven. After transferring chicken to oven, wipe out skillet with paper towels.

5. TO FINISH SAUCE AND SERVE: Transfer sauce to now-empty skillet and set over low heat; cook until sauce is heated through, about 1 minute. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove baking sheet with chicken from oven; transfer 4 cutlets to skillet, turn to coat with sauce, then transfer each serving (2 cutlets) to individual plates. Spoon 2 tablespoons additional sauce over each serving and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately, passing extra sauce separately.

This was excellent. The chicken melted in your mouth and the sauce was to die for. What got me, was seeing the picture of the chicken. To me, it almost looked like a giant breaded scallop. I forgot to strain the sauce, but other then that, I kept right on track. I used angel hair pasta. Here is where the recipe came from.

Chicken A La King

2008-09-08T04:23:00.000-07:00

For the biscuits:

Ingredients:
2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
dash of salt
2 Tbl. sugar
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. buttermilk (Don’t have buttermilk? No prob, just add 1 or 2 Tbls of vinegar to milk.)

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients. Add butter, milk and form into soft dough. Do not over knead! Pat into a ungreased 6×6 pan. I use a pie pan myself so you can use whatever. Cut into serving size portions before you cook. Bake at 400′ for 15 to 20 minutes or until done and golden brown. This recipe is from here.

For the chicken and Sauce:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 cups diced cooked chicken

Directions:

Melt butter or margarine in a medium saucepan. Cook onion over medium low heat until onion is tender. Add peas and carrots and cook for 30 seconds more. Add flour and salt, stirring until mixture is smooth. Gradually stir in milk. Continue cooking and stirring for about 3 minutes or until mixture is thick and begins to bubble; stir in chicken..Chicken a la king recipe serves 4.
Top biscuit with it.

Daring Bakers - Eclair

2008-09-07T07:19:00.000-07:00

This was the August Daring Baker challenge; Eclair. It's supposed to be topped with chocolate, but unfortunately I didn't have any not did I have the time to run out and get any. Sorry!

I've been making Eclairs and cream puffs since I was 5 (no joke!), with my mom and grandma (may she rest in peace). I am in charge of making these every year for Christmas and Easter. If you any one is interested in the recipe, let me know and I'll e-mail you. It's super simple and quick.

Creamy Chicken and Rice with Peas and Scallion

2008-09-05T04:26:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, minced

3 medium cloves garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice

1/2 cup dry white wine (vermouth)

4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup frozen peas

5 scallions, sliced thin

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in flour to coat and shake off any excess. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown the chicken well on one side, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

2. Off the heat, add the butter to the skillet, and swirl to melt. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and return to medium-high heat until softened, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the rice thoroughly and let toast for about 30 seconds.

3. Stir in the wine and let the rice absorb it completely, about 1 minute. Stir in the broth, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle the chicken into the rice, browned side facing up, including any accumulated juices. Cover and cook over medium heat until the thickest part of the chicken registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes.

4. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate. Gently brush off and discard any rice clinging to the chicken, then tent the chicken with foil and set aside. Return the skillet of rice to medium-low heat, cover, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 8 to 12 minutes longer.

5. Off the heat, sprinkle the peas over the rice, cover, and let warm through, about 2 minutes. Add the scallions and lemon juice to the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with the chicken and lemon wedges.

So I overcooked this a little, what's new?! We loved this recipe and its turn out. This will be a repeat someday soon. I got the recipe here.

Quesadilla

2008-09-03T10:18:00.000-07:00

I made the best Quesadilla's a few days ago. Used the Mission Tortilla Soft Taco's topped with a layer of cheddar cheese chicken, sauteed onions, jalapeno, green and red peppers and another layer of cheese. I would highly recommend trying these!
Jalapenos from my garden

Quick, healthy salsa in the food processor.

Yummy Zucchini Soup

2008-08-15T04:22:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 large zucchini, chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled, chopped
1L chicken stock
3/4 cup cream
salt and cracked black pepper

Directions:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 coarsely chopped onion, 1 crushed garlic clove, 4 large chopped zucchini and 2 large peeled, chopped potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, making sure vegetables don't brown.

2. Add 1L chicken stock and 1 cup water. Bring soup to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.

3. Blend with a hand-held blender until smooth. Return soup to the heat and add 3/4 cup cream, salt and cracked black pepper. Warm through and serve.

What a great recipe I found on this blog. I would highly recommend this soup. Be sure to serve it with homemade croutons though.

Readings

2008-08-13T07:07:00.000-07:00

The Reading is from Matthew 20:1-16

The Lord said this parable, "The kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.' And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.' And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen."

What Goes Into Your Meatballs?

2008-08-12T07:21:00.000-07:00

People seem to add the most 'random' things to the their meat mixture when making meatballs from scratch. I was wondering what tips or tricks other people had for making great meatballs.

I add fresh bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, cooked onion and garlic and parsley.

I baked them in the oven for 15-20 min at 400 degrees.

I can't stand the store bought sauces. Making a sauce at home is so much healthier and tastier. I kept mine simple, onions and garlic, topped with basil at the end. I frankly can't think of anything else that you could put in there, besides a little bit of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.....

Easy Moist Whole Wheat Banana Bread

2008-08-06T04:05:00.000-07:00

Be sure to use ultra ripe bananas for this. Their skins should be mottled black and they should feel soft to the touch. Using what you would normally consider to be ripe bananas will diminish the bread’s rich flavor. Get video instructions here.

Ingredients:
½ cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter

½ cup (3 ¾ ounces) packed light or dark brown sugar

¾ teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cups (~ 12 ounces) mashed ripe banana (3-4 medium to large bananas)

¼ cup (3 ounces) honey (I used sugar – works fine)

2 large eggs

2 cups (8 ounces) whole wheat flour, traditional or white whole wheat (I found that 2 cups was closer to 10 ounces – guess my whole wheat is heavy)

½ cups (2 ounces) chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

2. Beat together the butter, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth.

3. Add the banana, honey and eggs, beating until smooth.

4. Add the flour and nuts, stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and let it rest at room temperature, uncovered for 10 minutes.

5. Bake the bread for 50 minutes. Lay a piece of foil gently across the top and bake until a cake tester (like a toothpick) inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes more.

6. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before turning it out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely.

If you like the taste of whole grains, then this is a recipe for you. The bread is moist and very easy to make. What do you eat banana bread with? This is the first time I've ever had any... .

Kitchen Makeover

2008-08-05T05:04:00.000-07:00

We can say that we have finally finished one home project completely since we moved! The kitchen has turned out great after a couple coats of paint, a new light fixture, a new rug and a new kitchen cart.

Here are the before and after pictures:

Before:

After:

* The paint color is from Behr: Fossil Butte 350F-6 -
* The actual paint is from Ralph Lauren, because there is no better paint out there, in my opinion. We didn't use a primer and only painted two coats.
* I purchased the rug at Lowe's for only $27.98.
* The light fixture came from Home Depot; $59

I found this inexpensive kitchen cart at Wal Mart for only $99. It's the perfect size and it has two shelves for storage plus a drawer.

Turkish Pizza

2008-08-04T07:01:00.000-07:00

Dough:

just under 1 tsp yeast

1/2 tsp sugar

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp oil

Topping:

2 small onions, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 pound ground beef

2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 bunch parsley, finely chopped

2 tsp tomato paste

2 tsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp sumac (i used a dash of vinegar (apple cider) and the juice of 1/2 a lemon instead)

1/2 tsp cuminsalt and pepper

4-5 oz crumbled feta

Prepare dough:

1. Mix the yeast, sugar and 1 cup warm water in a mixing bowl. Add flour, salt and oil, mix slightly, then knead the dough on a floured board until smooth (2-3 minutes).

2. Shape into a ball, cover and let dough rise for about an hour.

For the Filling:

1. Heat oven to 450°.

2. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add the oil and saute the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl.

3. Add a bit of oil to the skillet if needed, then cook the meat until no longer pink. Add to the bowl with the onions and garlic.

4. To the bowl, add the tomatoes, parsley, tomato paste, spices and feta, and mix it all up. Taste and adjust seasonings.

5. Divide dough into 8 portions and roll out to thin circles. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment, and place 4 dough circles on each one.

6. Spread some of the topping on the first 4, then put the baking sheet in the oven. Have 1/2 cup of cold water ready, and toss it in the bottom of the oven quickly, then shut the door.

7. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Repeat with last 4 pieces of dough.Remove from pan to a cooling rack. Roll pizzas up to eat.

I found this recipe on this web site. These were really good, especially the dough. I will defiantly reused the dough recipe for other things. I wouldn't say that these are authentic. I lived in Germany, where on every corner there is a Turkish 'fast food' restaurant (Anadolu) and I can't say that these tasted like their Turkish pizza. Their pizza's are topped with a meat paste like mixture and they're sooo spicy. Again, these were very good though!

Gnocchi di Ricotta

2008-08-01T04:46:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 egg
8 oz ricotta cheese, well drained
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese plus extra for sprinkling
1/4 cups parsley
2 garlic cloves, mashed through the garlic press
pinch of salt & pepper
1 teaspoon of olive oil

3/4 cup of flour or more if needed

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients then add flour last. Work ingredients together with your hands to form a dough.

2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured working surface and knead lightly for 2 to 3 more minutes, gradually adding a little more flour if the dough sticks to the board or your hands. The dough is ready when it no longer sticks but is still somewhat tacky to the touch and soft.

4. Divide the dough into four pieces and roll into balls. Using both hands, roll out each ball of dough into a log about the width of your index finger. Cut each log into 1/2 inch pieces.

5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a teaspoon of olive oil oil and the gnocchi.

6. Cook, uncovered over high heat until the gnocchi rise to the surface of the water, about 2 to 3 minutes.

I tossed mine in a olive oil, sauteed garlic and chopped tomato sauce and sprinkled with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and fresh Italian parsley. Che fantastica mangiata!

Tortilla Española

2008-07-31T04:49:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 medium onion
5 medium potatoes
3 large eggs, beaten lightly
olive oil
Vegetable oil

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

1. Heat up vegetable oil on medium heat. Peel and cut potatoes length wise. Slice each side thinly.

2. Fry potatoes until soft. Don't let them get crispy, just cooked enough so they are soft. Let them drain on a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Cut and slice onion the same as the potato. Fry in olive oil until golden.

4. Combine the cooked potatoes, onions and eggs and stir lightly until well incorporated.

5. Heat up a little olive oil in a non stick skillet and transfer the potato mixture to it. Cook until golden.

6. Flip the tortilla over using a plate that's wider than the pan, place it on top of the pan. Put one hand (with a glove) on the plate. Use the other hand to grab the pan and with one swift motion, flip the pan so the plate ends up on the bottom and the tortilla on the plate. Put the tortilla, cooked side up, back in the pan and cook for another few minutes, until golden.

7. Remove form heat and enjoy. It's the breakfast of champions! Truly! If you're an onion fan, don't be shy to add them, it's what give it its taste. Thanks to this site for the great idea!

Pan d'Epi

2008-07-30T04:57:00.000-07:00

I am having so much fun with this bread baking, that I just can't stop. My dough is always ready and waiting for me in the fridge and when I am out, I just quickly mix everything together for a new batch in less than 5 minutes!

I attempted making a wheat stalk bread (pan d'epi in french). You can find the complete tutorial here. I made this form the "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day recipe. For the recipe click here.

* The book recommends to use a pizza peel to slide the bread in the oven easier. Mine broke during the move so I just use parchment paper. When using the parchment paper, the bottom of the bread doesn't get much color. I feel like it almost stays moist during the baking process. They recommend to remove the parchment paper during the last few minutes of baking, if you're having this problem.

Glazed Chicken Legs

2008-07-29T04:15:00.000-07:00

Directions:

1. Heat broiler. Rinse chicken wings; pat dry. Place on a baking sheet, wing tips down.

2. Broil until golden brown, rotating sheet occasionally, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer wings to a large bowl. Drain off fat from baking sheet.

3. Toss wings with desired sauce, and return to baking sheet, wing tips down. Reserve sauce in bowl. Broil wings again until glazed, 2 to 3 minutes, rotating sheet once. Toss wings with reserved sauce. Serve hot, with celery and carrot sticks, and Blue-Cheese Dip.

Yet another Martha Stewart recipe. I was surprised. They tasted like they were cooked on the grill. I have a gas oven, so maybe that's why.

Chicken Thighs Braised in A White Wine Sauce

2008-07-28T04:03:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Serves 4
8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs (about 2 3/4 pounds)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 lemon, cut into 8 thin slices, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon cold butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Cooked rice, for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. In a 12-inch skillet with a tight-fitting lid, arrange thighs, bone side up; season with salt and pepper. Add garlic, wine, and thyme. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook, 30 minutes.

2. Turn chicken over. Place a lemon slice on each piece; cover and continue simmering until tender, about 15 minutes. Leaving garlic and liquid in skillet, transfer chicken and lemon slices to a platter. Cover tightly with foil to keep warm.

3. Bring liquid in skillet to a boil; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Add butter, parsley, and lemon juice; stir until butter has softened and sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken with sauce and, if desired, rice.

This recipe is from Martha Stewart. . The chicken was very moist and the wine taste was not over powering. Very nice turnout.

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

2008-07-25T04:21:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't say enough great things about this new book I bought. What are the chances to mess up such an easy recipe? Well, I did, not once but twice...So much for following instructions.

I just finished my last loaf after 7 days in the fridge. The taste was heavenly. It tasted like genuine European bakery bread. This method is so easy, a six year old could do it. The book has so many great bread and desert recipes in it that are all based on the same concept, no kneading but refrigerating. I will NEVER bake bread any other way or buy bread from the grocery store again!

3 cups warm water - 100 degrees warm

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
6 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, more for dusting dough
Cornmeal.

1. In a large bowl or plastic container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees). Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough will be quite loose. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).

2. Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks. When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with serrated knife. Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Put dough on pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it.

3. Place broiler pan on bottom of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and turn oven to 450 degrees; heat stone at that temperature for 20 minutes.

4. Dust dough with flour, slash top with serrated or very sharp knife three times. Slide onto stone. Pour one cup hot water into broiler pan and shut oven quickly to trap steam. Bake until well browned, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.
Yield: 4 loaves.

Chicken Pesto with Peas

2008-07-24T04:05:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in one of my cookbooks. Not my favorite pesto pasta, I must say. 9 cloves of garlic is a bit excessive, don't you think?

If you like Ina Garten's stuff, give it a try.

Words to live by...

2008-07-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Narrow Way, 7:13-14

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

The Rich Young Man, 19:16-35

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

"Which ones?" the man inquired.

Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and 'love your neighbor as yourself."

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first".

Hearers and Doers of the Sayings, 7:24-27

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

The Answer of a True Prayer, 7:7-11

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him"'

True Loyalty, 6:24

"No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

Treasures In Heaven, 6:19-21

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal, but lay up for yourself treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

The Lord's Prayer, 6:9-13

"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Seeing and Believing: The Thomas Incident

Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Paying Taxes 12:13-1

At that time, the chief priests and scribes sent Jesus some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to entrap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?" But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a coin, and let me look at it." And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's." Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at him.

1. Blessed is the man who is poor in spirit, that is, one who feels so-the humble one, because humbleness is the gate which leads to the kingdom of heaven.

2. Blessed are the mourners, who long to enter the kingdom of God, but who face many difficulties, such as sin and other impediments which block the way to the kingdom of God. Our merciful God will comfort them.

3. Blessed are the meek, the people who are not disturbed by their own desires, but trust in the Lord (cf. Ps. 37:11, LXX). Their attitude will be rewarded with the inheritance of the earth, which means through their convictions and trust in God they will inherit the age to come.

4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. They feel the impulse and desire to fulfill the Will of God by their worship of and obedience to God.
Blessed are the merciful not only for giving alms, but especially for giving of themselves in helping others, who in turn obtain mercy (cf. 6:14; 18:33).

5. Blessed are the pure in heart, the upright, the sincere, the honest in every thought and activity (Ps. 24:4). They will feel the abiding companionship of God.

6. Blessed are the peacemakers, between neighbors and between nations, who have a peaceful mind to resolve human discrepancies. They should be the treasurers of divine peace from above in order to provide this peace for others who shall be sons of God.

7. Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness' sake. People who are armed with virtues of the previous beatitudes are well shielded to face persecutions for the establishment of divine principles of life. The kingdom of God is expanded to their hearts.

8. Blessed are ye (my Disciples) who resist evil and undergo persecutions by words and acts for My sake.

9. The blessedness of God is the source of men's rejoicing and gladness not only in themselves but also for the reward in heaven, as it happened to the persecuted prophets (cf 23:20; Lk 11:33-38).

Raspberry Brownies

2008-07-18T04:59:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) can semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1/2 cup butter
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F.

2. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips and butter in large, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Stir in eggs. Stir in eggs, careful not to scramble. Stir in flour, sugar, vanilla extract and baking soda.

4. Stir in remaining chocolate chips and nuts.

5. Line baking pan with raspberries and spread mixture on top. Poor from the outside in, making sure the outside is layered thicker, so that it may not dry out during backing. Batter will even itself out once done.

6. BAKE for 18 to 20 minutes.

These can be made with your own brownie recipe. Just line a pan with raspberries and poor the brownie mixture over the berries. Serve hot with ice cream. The berries stay fresh and don't dry out and the flavor is fruity and intense, but yet not over powering at all. Very yummy!

You can play with the amount of chocolate chips and nuts you use, depending on your taste. These are best when eaten the same day.

Corn Fritters

2008-07-17T04:17:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 cup of fresh corn kernels
1 cup of pureed corn kernels
1 small onions - chopped
1 small bunch of cilantro - chopped
1 small bunch of chives - chopped
1 egg
1/4 cup of milk
1/2 cup of flour
1 tsp of baking power
1/4 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 tsp Mrs Dash
salt and pepper to taste

1. Mixed all above ingredients well.

2.Drop a tablespoon of batter into the oil and cook over medium heat. Cook on both side until golden brown. Serve with a dipping sauce.

You can add chopped shrimp to it as well.

We are Walking!

2008-07-16T04:09:00.000-07:00

Baby started walking a couple weeks ago and he's become quite good at it.

He can only walk holding on to his walker for now.

He gets very determined and takes off like he's got some business to take care of.

Wanna-be Papa John's Pizza

2008-07-15T03:17:00.000-07:00

I found this dough recipe here and the sauce recipes here. The dough is very fluffy. I, of course, forgot to grease the dough and poke holes in... blah blah blah. This is an easy dough recipe and tastes great too. Papa John's?....almost. I topped mine with chicken, mushrooms and tomatoes. I have rewritten the recipe the way I made it:

For the Dough:

2 1/2-3 cups flour
1 tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons fast rising yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup very warm water(120 to 130 degrees)
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. In the food processor, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt; blend well.

2. Gradually add water and oil to mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened, then pulse for 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 to 2 cup of flour until dough pulls away from sides of bowl.

3. On a floured surface, knead in 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour until dough is smooth and elastic. Cover loosely with plastic and let rest in a warm place for about 15 minutes.

4. Press out dough onto (2) 12-inch pizza pans (*I would recommend using 1 larger pan, since this dough has no problem rising to the same Papa John's thickness). Prick randomly with a fork. Let rest again in a warm place for 10-15 minutes.

5. Brush crusts lightly with oil then prebake them in a 450 degree oven for 5 minutes.

6. Top as desired, then bake again in 450 degree oven for 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Special Garlic Sauce:

1/2 cup margarine, spread
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Combine ingredients in a small bowl and mix well until completely blended.

2. Place the bowl into the microwave and cook on 1/2 power for 20 seconds. Stir to blend.

I made this with butter and fresh garlic - not the same taste.

Pizza Sauce

1 (14 ounce) can tomato puree
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon basil
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1 small minced garlic

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir well as bring to a boil.

2. When the sauce begins to bubble, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir often.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2008-07-14T04:26:00.000-07:00

Chicken:

2 chicken breasts - cut into chunks
2 tbsp corn starch
1 egg white
salt and pepper

Mix corn stach, egg white, salt and pepper together. Coat the chicken in it and deep fry until golden brown. Drain on a paper towels.

Sauce:

2 tbsp of ketchup
2 tbsp of sweet chili sauce
1 tsp of sugar
1 tbsp of vinegar
1 1/2 tsp of corn starch
3/4 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Whisk all but the cornstarch and 1/4 cups of water together.

2. Over medium-high heat, bring the sauce to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat.

3. In a small cup, mix the cornstarch into the water until dissolved.

4. Stir into the sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, approximately 5 minutes.

Vegetables:

1 half red and 1 half yellow pepper - cut to bite size pieces
1 cup of pineapple
1 small sliced chili-more or less depending your spiciness preference
3-4 slices of ginger
1 small onions - cut into chunks

1. Heat up wok with 1 tbsp of oil. Saute the onions & ginger until lightly browned.

2. Add in all the vegetables and stir fry for 1 min.

3. Add in sauce and toss the fried chicken until it's well coated. Serve with warm rice.

Archangel Gabriel

2008-07-13T07:10:00.000-07:00

This festive Synaxis is celebrated to the glory of the Archangel Gabriel, since he ministered to the marvelous mystery of God's incarnate dispensation.

FEAST OF THE annunciation of Our
Most holy lady, the theotokos
and ever virgin mary

Introduction

The Feast of the Annunciation of Our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is celebrated on March 25 each year. The Feast commemorates the announcement by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God, would become incarnate and enter into this world through her womb.

Biblical Story

The biblical story of the Feast of the Annunciation is found in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke (1:26-39). The Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary, who was living in Nazareth, and said to her, “Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you.” Mary was perplexed and wondered what kind of greeting this was.

The angel told her not to be afraid, for she had found favor with God. He said, “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary responded to the angel by asking how this could happen since she had no husband. The angel told her that the Holy Spirit and the power of God would come upon her, and that the child to be born of her would be called holy, the “Son of God.”

The angel then proceeded to tell the Virgin Mary that her cousin Elizabeth had conceived a son in her old age (John the Baptist), and affirmed that with God nothing is impossible.

In faith and obedience to the will of God, Mary replied to the angel, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be according to your word.” Upon her response, the angel departed.

It is on the Feast of the Annunciation, that Orthodox Christians commemorate both the divine initiative of God, whereby He took on flesh from the Virgin for our salvation, and the human response, whereby Mary freely accepted the vocation offered to her. He elected to become man, and He desired to do this with the willing agreement of her whom He chose as His mother. Mary could have refused, for she was not a passive instrument, but an active participant with a free and positive part to play in God’s plan for our salvation. Thus, when on this and other feasts the Orthodox Church honors the Theotokos, the Mother of God, it is not just because God chose her but also because she herself chose to follow His will.

Icon of the Feast

The icon of the Annunciation is one that presents the joy of the announcement of the coming of Christ. It is an icon of bright colors, depicting the Archangel Gabriel (1), who has descended from heaven, and the Virgin Mary (2), who has been chosen to be the Mother of God.


1. The Archangel Gabriel presents the good news of the coming of Christ to Mary (detail).	2. The Virgin Mary, who was chosen to be the Mother of God (detail).

The Archangel is shown with his feet spread apart as if he is running to share the good news with Mary (3). In his left hand is a staff, the symbol of a messenger. His right hand is extended toward Mary as he delivers the message and announces the blessing bestowed upon her by God (4).


3. The position of Archangel Gabriel's feet suggest that he is running to share the news with Mary (detail).	4. The Archangel's right hand is extended towards Mary as he announces the blessing bestowed upon her [Mary] by God (detail).

On the right side of the icon the Virgin sits on an elevated seat, indicating that as the Mother of God she is “greater in honor than the cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim, who without corruption gave birth to God the Word.” In her left hand she holds a spindle of scarlet yarn (5) which depicts the task she was assigned of preparing the purple and scarlet material to be used in making the veil for the Temple in Jerusalem. Her right hand is raised in a gesture of acceptance in response to Gabriel’s message (6). Her posture expresses willing cooperation with God’s plan of salvation. The three stars on her garments (7) represent that she was a Virgin before, during, and after the birth of Christ.


5. Her left hand holds a spindle of crimson yarn depicting the task that she had of making the veil of the Temple in Jerusalem (detail).	6. Mary's right hand is raised in acceptance of Gabriel's message (detail).

7. The three stars on the garments of the Theotokos represent that she was a Virgin before, during, and after the birth of Christ (detail).	8. A depiction of the divine realm and the Holy Spirit coming upon the Theotokos (detail).

At the top of the icon the segment of a circle represents the divine realm (8), from which three rays emerge. This demonstrates the action of the Holy Spirit coming upon her.

My Perfect Thai Dinner

2008-07-12T18:30:00.000-07:00

What a delightful dinner this was! I had to use the rest of my veggies and kind of threw everything I had in the wok. I turned out to be the best dinner this week.

Here is what I used:

Chicken, julienned carrots, green pepper, onion, chilly pepper, sprouts, scallions, garlic, ginger and cilantro. AS for the sauce, I used soy sauces and a spicy ginger teriayki sauce. Served it with Jasmine rice and egg.

Now this might not be considered a Thai meal to some but these are the flavors I remember from dinning out.

My Garden

2008-07-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Sweet Basil
Tomatoes

Jalapeño - bloomed after only a few days!!

Parsley

Rosemary

Failure!

2008-07-11T06:57:00.000-07:00

I found this test on this website. Hilarious!!! ....And I thought I was doing 'ok'....

As a 1930s wife, I am
Very Poor (Failure)

Take the test!

Chinese Scallion Pancakes

2008-07-11T03:12:00.000-07:00

I am so delighted with these goodies! We ate them with sour cream. The ideal dipping sauce would be a ginger soy sauce or even a sweet and spicy jelly. I can't say enough about how great these turned out!

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 cup hot boiling water (or little more or less if needed)
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup scallion, sliced thinly
vegetable oil for brushing and cooking

1. Combine flour and salt in a food processor. Add the oil and the boiling water to the flour. Mix thoroughly to form a dough then knead by hand for 5 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes.

2. Form the dough into a log and cut into 14-18 pieces. Roll each piece into a round disk.

3. Brush disk with oil, sprinkle with scallions and roll it up like a cigar. Pinch pinch the ends closed.

4. Coil the cigar into a snail-shaped disk. Cover with a wet paper towel and let rest for 15 min.

5. Flatten the snail like dough with the heel of your hand into a disk and roll it into a flat pancake.

6. Heat a non stick skillet over medium heat and fry in vegetable oil.

Classic Tote

2008-07-10T17:31:00.000-07:00

I recently won these fabrics here. I tried to follow this tutorial online to make a tote but that didn't really work out. I eye balled my measurements and got rather inspired by it.

This turned out better than my first project.

Peach Season

2008-07-10T01:17:00.000-07:00

I got this great recipe and pie picture from here. My camera was dead at the time and we just couldn't wait that long and risk the pie getting cold. :p

Ingredients:

6 firm-ripe white peaches, peeled and sliced (about 2 pounds)

1/3 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1/2 (17.3 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 large egg lightly beaten with

1 teaspoon water and a pinch of salt (for egg wash)

Almond Crunch Topping (recipe below)

Powdered sugar, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Unfold 1 puff pastry sheet, and roll to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, allowing edges to hang about 2 inches over rim. Add peach mixture, mounding in center of pastry. (Cup your hands around peach mixture, and push it toward center.) Bring corners of pastry to the center, leaving some filling exposed. Brush pastry with egg wash.

3. Press Almond Crunch Topping into pastry. Place pie plate on baking sheet, and bake at 400° for 40 to 45 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is bubbly. (Lay a sheet of foil over tart if it begins to overbrown.) Cool slightly, and dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm with ice cream or frozen yogurt, if desired.

ALMOND CRUNCH TOPPING

1/3 cup sliced almonds

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.

Best Lava Cake

2008-07-09T04:30:00.000-07:00

I found this super easy recipe here. What a treat and so easy to make. my sister and I used to go to Flemings Steakhouse at least once a month, just for their lava cake. Well, no need for that anymore. This one tastes exactly the same and of course the better the chocolate the better the cake. I slightly overcooked mine by a minute or so. It's supposed to be more runny in the middle.

Ingredients:

2 sticks of butter
1 1/3 semisweet chocolate chips
5 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
4 tsp flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Melt butter and chocolate chips in a pan, over low heat, stirring frequently.
3. Beat eggs and sugar well. Add melted chocolate mixture very slowly (careful that eggs don't scramble). Mix well together.
4. Add flour, stir 'til just combined.
5. Pour into 8 greased 10 oz ramekins. Bake 8-10 min.

I used a non stick 6 opening bunt cake tray, which I didn't have to grease. The cakes came right out. I cooked them for 11 min, which was tooooooooooo long. Results were still delicious though.

Farmers Market

2008-07-08T01:24:00.000-07:00

It's that time again. After moving, cleaning out the fridge and eating out every night; we finally found the time to hit the farmers market again. When I went for the first time this year, back in May, I was naive enough to believe that I would be finding all the 'regulars' from the grocery store. Not so.... there was a lot of nothing there.... radishes, arugula and asparagus, at least not what I was looking for. I since then, I made a list of things that are in season each month (for my state).

Little farmer

(grumpy) Twins

Making baby food again...

Southwestern Pinwheels

2008-07-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :

1 packet of store bought puff pastry
1 cup pulled chicken
BBQ sauce to taste
1 cup shredded jalapeno jack cheese
1/2 cup of corn
1/2 small onion - sauteed
1 egg - beaten (for glazing)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 400 F.

2. Lightly flour your work area. Unfold pastry according to package instructions.

3. Spread all ingredients evenly on the roll out pastry. Drizzle with BBQ sauce, leaving about 1/2" gap on the edges.

4. Brush the long ends on the opposite for the pastry with beaten egg and roll up pastry

5. Cut roll with a very sharp knife.

6. Brush with beaten egg.

7. Bake for 15-16 min. Serve with a avocado dipping sauce.

Independence Day

2008-07-07T05:32:00.000-07:00

We had such a great time with the family on the 4th. Unfortunately it rained the entire time, which is hard to see from the picture.

Wearing the pants I made him.

At last the we got some fireworks in before we headed back home.

Chicken Cheese Ball

2008-07-03T10:34:00.000-07:00

This recipe is my mother-in-law's. I unfortunately don't have a personal picture of it, but instead obtained one form valley fresh. I am not certain on the exact measurements of the mustard and ketchup, but you can play around with it to adjust it to your taste. Do add less mustard then ketchup. I can't say that this is the healthiest snack, but very appropriate for a July 4th party! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 (10 ounce) can VALLEY FRESH® 100% Natural White Chicken, drained and diced
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2-3 small chopped green onions

Salt to taste

1 tsp yellow mustard

1-2 tbs ketchup

1 cup almonds, chopped

Directions:

In large bowl, combine all ingredients leaving out the almonds. Form mixture into a ball and then roll in chopped nuts. Refrigerate for one hour. Serve with your favorite crackers (Wheat Thins).

Readings

2008-07-01T18:24:00.001-07:00

The Reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 12:27-31; 13:1-8

Brethren, you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.

Better Wipes

2008-07-01T07:03:00.000-07:00

So I've been using the wipes the I made and they've been working out well. The only thing that is sort of enoying is the vinegar scent. Eventhough I only used 1 tbsp, the scent is very strong.

I am happy to have found a better solution. My mom found these online. They claim to be free from harsh chemical detergents such as SLS, petroleum, mineral oil, parabens and synthetic preservatives and are made from organic plant-based ingredients. They are slightly smaller than the commercial wipes, but they do the 'dirty' job.

Another new baby product we found is by Natralia. Not sure if those two are affiliated. The names seem to be almost identical. Natralia products contain certified organic products and are:

100% Natural plant based ingredients
Hypoallergenic and pH balanced - suitable for sensitive skin types
Artificial Colours & Fragrances Free
Alcohol, Parabens & SLS Free
Naturally scented using herbal and floral water
Suitable for vegetarians and vegans

The shampoo doesn't lather up as much as other shampoos do, but I guess that's a good thing when it comes to rinsing.

Daring Baker Challenge - Danish Braid

2008-06-29T00:36:00.000-07:00

DANISH DOUGH- Makes 2-1/2 pounds dough

Ingredients:

For the dough (Detrempe) :

1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1/2 cup whole milk

1/3 cup sugar

Zest of 1 orange, finely grated

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped

2 large eggs, chilled

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

For the butter block (Beurrage):

1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

DOUGH:

Combine yeast and milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed. Slowly add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice. Mix well. Change to the dough hook and add the salt with the flour, 1 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium as the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.Without a standing mixer: Combine yeast and milk in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk. Add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice and mix well. Sift flour and salt on your working surface and make a fountain. Make sure that the “walls” of your fountain are thick and even. Pour the liquid in the middle of the fountain. With your fingertips, mix the liquid and the flour starting from the middle of the fountain, slowly working towards the edges. When the ingredients have been incorporated start kneading the dough with the heel of your hands until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, around 5 to 7 minutes. You might need to add more flour if the dough is sticky.

BUTTER BLOCK

1. Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.

2. After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

4. Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

DANISH BRAID - Makes enough for 2 large braids

Ingredients:

1 recipe Danish Dough

Filling:

2 (8 ounce) cream cheese

3/4 cup raw sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons sour cream

In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, white sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract and sour cream. Spread filling on top of rolls.

For the egg wash:

1 large egg, plus

1 large egg yolk

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.

2. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.

3. Spoon the cream cheese filling down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.

Egg Wash

Whisk together the whole egg and yolk in a bowl and with a pastry brush, lightly coat the braid.

Proofing and Baking

1. Spray cooking oil onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.

2. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.

3. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown. Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature. The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

Benihana Japanese Fried Rice

2008-06-26T17:20:00.000-07:00

I got the recipe here. These guys were on Oprah (not a fan!) a long time ago. I used minced garlic and butter in cooking my chicken as well as in the rice. I didn't have any eggs on hand and it just didn't taste like real fried rice without scrambled eggs. Overall this is a really good recipe though.

12 Food Additives to Avoid

2008-06-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

MSN came out with a list of food additives to avoid. Here it is...

1. Sodium Nitrate (also called Sodium Nitrite)This is a preservative, coloring, and flavoring commonly added to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish, and corned beef. Studies have linked eating it to various types of cancer.

2. BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene are used to preserve common household foods. They are found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils. They are oxidants, which form potentially cancer-causing reactive compounds in your body.

3. Propyl Gallate
Another preservative, often used in conjunction with BHA and BHT. It is sometimes found in meat products, chicken soup base, and chewing gum. Animals studies have suggested that it could be linked to cancer.

4. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and restaurant food. It can cause headaches and nausea, and animal studies link it to damaged nerve cells in the brains of infant mice.

5. Trans Fats
Trans fats are proven to cause heart disease. Restaurant food, especially fast food chains, often serve foods laden with trans fats.

6. Aspartame
Aspartame, also known by the brand names Nutrasweet and Equal, is a sweetener found in so-called diet foods such as low-calorie desserts, gelatins, drink mixes, and soft drinks. It may cause cancer or neurological problems, such as dizziness or hallucinations.

7. Acesulfame-K
This is a relatively new artificial sweetener found in baked goods, chewing gum, and gelatin desserts. There is a general concern that testing on this product has been scant, and some studies show the additive may cause cancer in rats.

8. Food Colorings: Blue 1, 2; Red 3; Green 3; Yellow 6
Five food colorings still on the market are linked with cancer in animal testing. Blue 1 and 2, found in beverages, candy, baked goods and pet food, have been linked to cancer in mice. Red 3, used to dye cherries, fruit cocktail, candy, and baked goods, has been shown to cause thyroid tumors in rats. Green 3, added to candy and beverages, has been linked to bladder cancer. The widely used yellow 6, added to beverages, sausage, gelatin, baked goods, and candy, has been linked to tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney.

9. Olestra
Olestra, a synthetic fat found in some potato chip brands, can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and gas. Olestra also inhibits healthy vitamin absorption from fat-soluble carotenoids that are found in fruits and vegetables.

10. Potassium Bromate
Potassium bromate is used as an additive to increase volume in some white flour, breads, and rolls. It is known to cause cancer in animals, and even small amounts in bread can create a risk for humans.

11. White Sugar
Watch out for foods with added sugars, such as baked goods, cereals, crackers, sauces and many other processed foods. It is unsafe for your health, and promotes bad nutrition.

12. Sodium Chloride
A dash of sodium chloride, more commonly known as salt, can bring flavor to your meal. But too much salt can be dangerous for your health, leading to high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.

Readings

2008-06-23T05:45:00.000-07:00

The Reading is from Matthew 6:31-34; 7:9-11

The Lord said, "Do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day. Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"

Baby Crackers

2008-06-22T04:10:00.000-07:00

We started our son on fruits on veggies first, rather than the traditional rice cereal. We actually chose to omit cereal all together because of it high iron content. Commercial baby cereal is made from grain that has been processed and then milled into a flour. The process strips the grain of ALL vitamins and nutrients. They are added back in artificially which the body does not absorb well. Anyway, I made plain crackers to use as a 'filler' in his homemade food.

Makes about 4 dozen
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut in pieces
3/4 cup milk

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, pulse flour and butter pieces, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, gradually add milk; process until dough comes together. Cover dough with plastic wrap, and allow to relax at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Unwrap dough, and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Roll into 17 1/2-by-17 1/2-inch square, 1/16 inch thick (if dough continues to spring back, allow to relax again, covered with plastic wrap, for another 10 minutes).

3. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into 2 1/2-inch squares. With a thin spatula, transfer to ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until light in color (lighter than mine - didn't get a better picture) and crisp.

4. Add the cooked crackers to the food processor and pulse until fine. Keep crackers in an airtight container, at room temperature.

I added 1 to 2 baby spoons to his graded apple, pureed banana and yogurt mixture this morning. Same to his lunch and dinner.

Laziness

2008-06-20T04:43:00.000-07:00

Dinner is not happening around here lately, at least not until we get situated into the new home. We haven't been grocery shopping in a long long time, so the fridge is pretty much empty. My husband got creative with the basics we had in the fridge last night. He made the only thing he knows how to make; breakfast! Excellent turn out.

The packing isn't going so well. Haven't really started yet. :( Hopefully someday soon... We only have a little over a week to turn the keys in.

Good to Know....

2008-06-19T18:15:00.000-07:00

If anyone ever wondered about where and who makes all these organic labels that have been popping up lately... . It's a little surprising and sketchy to know that Heinz, Kraft and Coca Cola are amongst some of the major health foods out there? Does that make you wonder about their quality?

Juicing

2008-06-19T17:58:00.000-07:00

Freshly juiced give your body an instant boost of nutrients, enzymes, vitamins and minerals in a form that the body can easily assimilate, absorb and digest.

The nutrients from juiced vegetables are within our bloodstream within 30 minutes of consumption!

Allows us to up the raw vegetable amount we consume, giving the body energy and boosting the immune system and the body’s cleansing process.

Juicing rules out packaged juices such as cartons of ‘fresh’ orange juice, Nudie-type juices or any other juice that has been packaged, pasteurized or made more than twenty minutes before consumption

Most prepackaged juices are pasteurized (therefore all nutrients found in the vegetable or fruit are killed) and packed with sugars, sweeteners and other chemicals you can begin to understand why they do not really count as ‘juice’. Pasturized store bought juices of any type, ‘100% or ‘all natural’, are NOT beneficial to your health.

Green juices contain lots of chlorophyll which is incredibly effective in detoxifying the body.
Chlorophyll can help make the body strong, detoxify the liver, purify and help to rebuild the blood cells remove mold, parasites and myco/exotoxins from the body and (as many, many studies show) can help prevent and remove *cancer cells.
Raw, fresh vegetable juices are extremely alkaline.
It is beneficial to ensure that your body does not become over-acidic and that an alkaline balance is maintained in the blood & tissues. Over acidification is the common theme and cause of almost all conditions of ill health!
Vegetable juices are rich in natural medicines, vegetal hormones & antibiotics.
Fresh vegetable juice contains easily absorbed organic minerals such as calcium, potassium & silicon. These minerals assist the body in restoring the biochemical & mineral balance in the tissues & cells, which helps to prevent the premature aging of cells & disease.
Juicing can be used as a healing technique for those with pain, cancer, depression and arthritis.

Vegetables that can be juiced:

- Lettuce (romaine, little gem, round, iceberg or any other!)
- Endive- Cucumber
- Celery
- Kale
- Spinach
- Broccoli (and stalk/stem)
- Herbs
- Chard
- Spinach
- Cabbage
- Bok Choi
- Garlic (but check your juicer can handle it, cheaper juicers will make everything that goes through it taste like garlic forevermore – believe me!)
- Sprouts- Fresh ginger
- Essential oils (such as Udo’s Choice and Flax Seed Oil)
- Wheat grass
- Watercress

My juicing isn’t as intense as the above name vegetable. We use organic apples and carrots in many of our juices as a base. We also add Norwegian Cod Liver Oil, as cod liver oil is naturally rich in vitamin A, vitamin D3, EPA and DHA. Our juicer was bought form here.

* Of course The American Institute of Cancer does not support any natural sort of healing (strict medication therapy only - ugh!). Juicing is considered 'dangerous' since the juice is raw and therefore may contain 'harmful bacteria'. It states that any juice needs to (I am laughing out loud while I am typing this) be pasteurized before consuming. Go figure.

Readings

2008-06-19T00:38:00.000-07:00

The Reading is from Matthew 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples, "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny."

Happy Anniversary To Us!

2008-06-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

Here is to 100 more years together!

We are Moving!

2008-06-17T12:20:00.000-07:00

...for the 6th time in five years. Hopefully this will be the last for awhile, unless, of course, we win the lottery (I don't want more than 9 million-saw what happened to the 'big' winners on True Hollywood Story!).

We have purchased our first home! The one thing that always bothered me about apartment living is that we couldn't paint the walls and now that we can, we both agreed on the color white-off-white across the board!!!

We went to Lowe's yesterday and were told that Olympic was the best choice for painting a child's room, since it contained zero VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) and had low odor.

Blue walls.... Pottery Barn (so expensive! They should be shot!)

Cream colored walls.... I think we like the cream better, besides they don't look so babyish.

How Raw Milk Got a Bad Rap

2008-06-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

Pasteurization has little to do with health and everything to do with practical matters. Without pasteurization, the transport, distribution, and sale of industrial milk and cheese as we know it would be impossible. This is a brief history of pasteurization in the U.S.

The push for pasteurization began in the late 1800s and the early 1900s. It was a response to an acute and growing public health crisis caused by inferior milk. At one time, milk came to the kitchen in buckets straight from the family cow or in glass jars from a local dairy farm, but with the rise of cities, urban dairies developed to supply the growing population. In cities from New York to Cincinnati, most milk came from crowded, urban dairies where cows were confined indoors. Owners put the dairies next to whisky distilleries in order to feed cows a cheap, unhealthy diet of spent mash called distillery slop. They were remarkably efficient. In 1852, three quarters of the milk drunk by the 700,000 residents of New York City came from distillery dairies.

'Slop milk' was so poor it could not even be used to make butter or cheese. Unscrupulous distillery dairy owners sometimes added sugar, starch, or flour to give body to the pale, thin milk. Others thinned it with water to make more money. Conditions were unhygienic. Bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis were common and cow mortality was high. The people milking cows were often dirty or sick.

As distillery dairies became common in the early 1800s, many deaths from diseases such as infant diarrhea, scarlet fever, typhoid, undulant fever, and human tuberculosis were caused by contaminated milk. Infant mortality (often due to diarrhea and tuberculosis) rose sharply, accounting for nearly half of all deaths in New York City in 1839. Reformers blamed the slop milk industry and some began to call for pasteurization, which kills pathogens such as tuberculosis that could be carried in contaminated milk.

At first, no one argued that raw milk itself was unsafe, according to Ron Schmid in The Untold Story of Milk. 'Demands for pasteurization allowed for the continued production and sale of clean raw milk,' he writes. 'No one was claiming that all milk should be pasteurized, as even the most zealous proponents of pasteurization recognized that carefully produced raw milk from healthy animals was safe.' In New York City an ordinance to ban raw milk was introduced in 1907 was defeated by a coalition of doctors, social workers, and milk distributors who argued that safe milk should be guaranteed by inspections instead of mandatory pasteurization.

For a short time, that view prevailed-but only briefly. Theodore Roosevelt appointed a panel of experts who concluded in 1908 that raw milk itself was to blame for food-borne illnesses. In 1914, New York required pasteurization of all milk except milk sold from certified dairies. In the Standard Milk Ordinance of 1924, the F.D.A. urged states to require pasteurization and by 1949, it was the law in most states.

Herb Focaccia

2008-06-17T00:41:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups unbleached flour, + more for kneading
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped rosemary

Topping:
Gruyere Cheese
1/2 tbsp rosemary dipped in olive oil for drizzling

Directions:

In your measuring cup mix the yeast with 1/4 cup of lukewarm water. Let it stand for 10 min until creamy. Stir in the remaining lukewarm water and the olive oil. Transfer the mixture to your food processor. Add 1 cup of the flour and the salt and zap until smooth. Add the thyme and rosemary and mix well, then add remaining 1 cup of flour gradually until dough comes together in rough mass.

On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough until smooth and velvety, 8-10 min. It will be soft. Lightly oil a bowl, please the dough in it and turn the dough to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours. The dough will double in size (or triple)

Divide the dough in two and knead briefly. Lightly oil an 8 inch round cake pan and place dough in it. Stretch gently to achieve an even thickness. Cover with a kitchen towel, move to a warm place and let rise, until soft and puffy, for about 40 min.

Preheat oven to 475 F.

Using fingertips, dimple the dough in several places, leaving indentations about 1/2inch deep. Cover with towel and let dough rise in a warm place for another 20 min.

Top the risen dough evenly with Gruyere cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the top with the olive oil mixture (be sure not to use too much oil, just enough to moisten the dough). Cook for 15 or until golden.

The Difference

2008-06-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

RAW SUGAR vs. WHITE or BROWN REFINED SUGAR

Refined sugar is devoid of all nutrients.
Typically, white sugar is made of pure carbohydrates.
Raw sugar contains minerals and nutrients.
Raw sugar contains roughly eleven calories per teaspoon and has the same vitamin and mineral consistency that is found in the juice from the sugarcane plant. These minerals include Phosphorus, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, and Potassium.
When sugar is refined and processed there are many harmful ingredients that are added to the sugar as a result. Some of these include: Phosphoric Acid, Sulfur Dioxide, and Formic Acid.
In addition to unrefined raw sugar, raw honey is also a great sweetener that offers nutritional benefits as well.
Raw unrefined sugar is not the same as the brown sugar that you see in the store, even though they are both brown.
It is common knowledge that refined white sugar has devastating affects on the body and health in general.

Don't mistake unrefined raw sugar with brown sugar. Brown sugar is sugar that has been refined and then molasses has been added to it. Brown sugar varies in color according to the amount of molasses that has been added to it. Just like white refined sugar, brown sugar does not have the nutritional content found in unrefined. Both white refined and brown sugar are comprised of sucrose.

Artificial sweeteners (the once in the pink, yellow and blue packages) have numerous side effects and warning signs accompanied with them, even those that have been approved by the FDA. Some people think that if the FDA or government approves something then it is healthy. WRONG! (more on that later) Cigarettes are approved by the FDA. Need more to say?

Unrefined raw sugar is a much better alternative then artificial sweeteners. Not only is it healthy, but also it cooks and bakes exactly like white refined sugar giving it an advantage over other products.

Schnitzel - My Husband's Favorite

2008-06-15T18:09:00.000-07:00

Pound meat very thin, salt and pepper. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Place flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Dredge chicken breasts in the flour, shaking off any excess, then egg, and finally breadcrumbs. Fry until golden. I use chicken instead of veal.

This is my husbands favorite dinner and since it's fathers day, of course I made it for him.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!

Homemade Mayonnaise

2008-06-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

3 large egg yolk

1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste

2 cup vegetable oil

Direction:

1. In a blender, combine egg yolks, vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Blend until thoroughly combined. With blender running, add 2 cups vegetable oil in a slow, steady stream. Add enough of the remaining oil to achieve a thick, creamy consistency. Mayonnaise will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 1 week.

Homemade mayo is healthier, cheaper and MUCH tastier!!!