OOMC- update

So, my whole OOMC plan, kind of fell through the cracks this weekend.  Family came and I decided that was much more fun and important.  On top of that, something went wacko with my tooth ( the wise one) and I havent been able to eat.  Which meant that cooking all that fine food was just torcherous.  So, I’m kind of doing a wee bit at a time.  Tonight I am doing the rice and chicken and we’ll work from there.

Once a Month cooking plan

 

I had wanted to do this with MoneySavingMom and FishMama but I got sick and therefore am about 2 days behind.  But I am determind to do something.   My freezer is kind of small so I am not sure exactly what I can/will be doing but here is a basic idea;

2 Batches of GF Pumpkin pancakes
Pumpkin Puree (in the oven as I type)
Egg salad for this week
4 Chicken Tetrazinni a bit tweaked though so we can eat it GF
3 batches of Cream of Chicken GF style
GF Granola (adapted)
Yogurt
2 dinners of slow-cooked pepper steak
1 batch of oven-baked rice (makes a LOT!)
And I have a pot of beans soaking.   I should have done something besides just pinto but oh well. 

And thats probably all I’ll have freezer room for.  LOL.  So I’m starting with that and we’ll just go from there.

So I’m doning my apron and off I go!

Make and Share idea~

 

My sister in law recently shared with me something she is doing with a few other ladies and I thought it was such a cool idea that I would share it with you.

She said that they have this group that makes a meal once a month x how ever many people that are in that group.  So for example she has a group of I think 11 ladies.  And once a month they all meet and exchange food.  You make 1 meal for yourself + 10 others (if you have 11.  However that would work for you). 

It doesnt have to be elaborate.   She made taco meat.  Another gal could make spaghetti sauce.  So and and so forth.   Once a month cooking brought to a different level.   You make one meal but you get a veriety of meals through someone else’s baking.  I love this idea!

Look at this post for a conservative way to freeze meals.

 

Hope this will be useful for you all.

Gluten Free Pantry

 

 Most of you know that for the most part we are gluten-free/wheat-free.  I havent been as consistent or as picky about it.  Until about a month ago when I found out that my son is very sensitive to wheat and possibly dairy.  Therefore I did more of a strict diet and it has seemed to help the problems we were facing (nasty runny diapers, rashy area and unsoothing crankiness).   However, I do not like experimenting with recipes so much.   I want what is put in front of me and I want to get out of the kitchen as quickly as possible.   I know, great homemaker attitude there huh? For the most part when I started out doing GF with David I didnt find many recipes that appealed to us.  Rice bread was always dry and substituting a certain flour just made it edible.  But in the past couple weeks I have made:

Shoofly pie with GF crust- Got an A from Hubby
Bread 2 weekly (A+ from hubby and I’ll actually eat this)
Tonight I found a nice moist cornbread recipe  (pst, worked really well in the cast iron skillet)

Who knows what else lies out there?  I found 2 blogs:

http://glutenfreemamafriends.blogspot.com/

http://mennonitegirlscancook.blogspot.com/

So, what else is going on in our little corner of the city?   Well, yesterday my husband made a chest/box/window seat for our livingroom.  I havent taken pictures because the lid isnt made and I already filled it with um, stuff.   But he did a good job.   I have been sewing and learning to make pretty cards;

 I have also been trying to create a winter nightgown like the one I have on my Etsy store-

This is what I have so far.  It may look dull and uncreative but I hope it will be a cute nightgown soon.

 Still looking forward to start plowing the ground for fall.  I need to get a move on it yesterday.   Its so blazing hot again.  103 today.  75 last week.  This is definetly the desert.

 

Starting afresh…

 

Anne Shirley’s motto; “Tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes in it”  is about to become my weeks motto.  I hope to remember that everytime I fail this week.  What a cheeful way to start this post.  Let me take a step back.

Its starting to turn fall.  While nature is dying and casting away I am renewed and full of energy.   My body is sneezing at the change in the weather but I’m rearin’ to go.  This week I’m starting on a theory I have.   I am seeing if my lil ones will kind of pick up in their attitude and behavior issues if I feed them on schedule.  Usually they start to whine, I deal with it then I give em a little something.   They have David’s metabolism and NEVER EvER get full.  No matter how much protien I give em.  No matter how I balance it with fiber and carbohydrates.  Yes, we’ve tried it all.  They just burn their food fast.  So I’m trying to feed them every 3 hours.  With some help of family and friends I’ve put a little snack menu for them.   I have a bottle of juice that I’ll delude with water and some fresh homemade goat yogurt with veggies like carrots and zuccini.  Carbs and protien.   I have celery, PB and raisins,  I have cheese and fruit, and I have homemade trail mix with finely chopped walnuts, raisins and I’m hoping to make GF oat granola.  It’ll take me all day tomorrow to prepare this and at the end of the week I may say… this is so not worth it.  But I’m gonna give it a try.  Who knows, maybe someone else will find this helpful. 

My own personal goal is to way cut back the sugar.  I eat sugar under stress and pressure.  I have been under that a lot lately with my whole back issues.  2 chiropracter visits in 1 week and no change to the stabbing pain I’m getting.  You know its bad when you walk and drive like an S shape.   No one can figure out why.  So anyway, I made a betty crocker GF cookie mix.  The box says it makes 20.  I made 48.    I divided em up into 2 cookies a bag.  And these arent dinkie quarter size cookies. Nope. They are lid size cookies. mmmmm.  I added peanut butter 1/4 cup to mine and let them cook a bit longer.  Added protein and my hubby says they arent as sweet.  A + for him. I labeled em Monday, Tuesday and so forth with the calories on them.  I’m hoping that if I miss Tuesday’s or another day that it’ll give me the butler kick I need.  Who wants their hubby to see missing zip lock bags!

Its time to start the fall garden.  I’m thinking with starting on Sugar Snap Peas. YAY!

Its a brand new day……….

A Summer Treat~

 One of our favorite summer treats over here is Orange Julius.  Its so simple to make and not very expensive at all.    Careful though, you just might divide everything so evenly that your family will not be happy with you (see picture below for explanation;)

~Recipe~

Either 1/2 of a 16fl oz can of frozen orange juice (I have used 1 1/2 cups of already made orange juice too) OR use a 12? fl. oz can of orange juice. 
1 TSP of Vanilla extract (pure)
1/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of milk
12 ice cubes.
Put all in a blender.  Blend it up finely (approx 15-30 seconds)  and voila.  Orange Julius

Emma's whiskey shot glass, David's normal cup size and my mason jar. See I told you we divide things even-Stephen around here.

Christmas Recipe

 I used this recipe to make our pumpkin bread.

For the Cranberry-orange nut bread, I used the recipe from King Arthur Cookbook

Cranberry-Orange Nut Bread

Preheat oven to 350F

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together;
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
and 3/4 tsp. Salt.

In a medium size bowl, grade the outside of an orange peel til all you see is white, then juice the orange.  Or you can do 1/8 tsp. orange oil and 3/4 cup orange juice.  Combine with that;
3/4 cup buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt.
1 Large Egg
3 TBSP vegetable oil (olive)
Mix.   Add the wet ingredients to the dry.  Mix.  Add;
1 cup of cranberries, fresh, frozen, dried, or roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts) (optional)
Pour into a greased 9×5 loaf pan.  Bake bread for 55-65 minutes.  (note; I could get one loaf and one mini loaf with the dough so cook the mini loaf for about 40-45minutes)  Insert toothpink and if it comes out clean, its done.   Remove and cool on rack for 15 minutes, turn it out of the pan to finish cooling.

I finished a book yesterday.  It would make a nice light Christmas reading for fiction readers.   It was called, Til Morning is Nigh by Leisha Kelly
In the back I found some more recipes that I’ll share too, cause I’m gonna make them!

Christmas Sugar Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter or Margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp.  salt
1 tsp. baking powder

Cream shortening, butter, and sugar.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Mix in other dry ingredients.  Roll out on floured surface to 1/4″  thickness or less.  Cut into desired shapes, place on ungreased baking sheet, and decorate as desired.  Bake at 350 F.  Remove before browned (about 8-10 minutes).  Yield will depend on size of cookies, usually 6-7 dozen.  For iced cookies, decorate after baked cookies have cooled

 

Date Nut Bread

1 cup dates chopped
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups boiling water
3 TBSP lard or shortening
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Pour boiling water over dates; let cool.  Mix with all other ingredients and bake in greased pans at 350F for 50-55 minutes.  Makes 2 loaves-1 for home, 1 to give away.

Grandma’s Apple Fruit Bread

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup lard (or shortening)
3 eggs
3/4 cups cold coffee
1 1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups chopped apple
1 cup chopped nuts.

Sift dry ingredients and blend with lard.  Add unbeaten eggs and beat well.  Flour the fruits and nuts before adding.  Add coffee alternatley with fruit and nuts and stir well.  Bake in 2 large loaf pans (greased) at 350 F for about 1 hour.
Variation:  To make Grandma’s Apple Fruit Cake, add 1 tsp. ground cloves, 1/2 cup candied cherries, and 3/4 cup candied citron.  Also substitute pears for half or mroe of the apples.  Good for family and company.

Enjoy!

On the 5th and 6th days of DEC.

 I made two of these bird ornaments for day 5.  One went to a friend of mine out of state and the other I made in rememberance of my friend J’s bird that died this past year.

I found the tutorial here.

I also put together these baskets for our neighbors.   My one neighbow has everything she wants so I put together a basket of the things we mainly buy for her (we do her shopping as she cant get around much) with an extra treat or two.

homemade pumpkin bread, and whoppers being the treat.  

This one isn’t for my actual neighbor but my mother’s neighbor…but she is very dear and I wanted to do one for her. There is even a treat for the dog.  They got homemade bread too, but I used my cranberry- orange nut bread recipe.

Recipe’s to follow….

Blog contest~

 No not my own, my friends blog linked me to this one
http://mountainmorning.blogspot.com/2008/08/this-weeks-giveaway.html

I enjoy Martha Greene so much and wanted to share this opportunity.  And a free vintage apron too!

Ok, for my healthy recipe-

Zuccini and Italian sausage side dish
Skin the italian sausage.  cut into quarters.  Cook covered, in some chicken broth over low-med heat. 
Once cooked add sliced zuccini peices.  Note; you may need to add more chicken broth.

Serve over rice and with some baked Chicken.

 

The joke’s on me! I didn’t look at the dates posted and therefore missed the fact that this contest was held back in August.  But enjoy the recipe anyway!

Cafe’ Cookin Friday wk 1

 

 This is a day late and I apologize. 

Chewy Fruit and Oatmeal Bars   Makes 2 dozen
Oven 350

3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 sugar
1 8oz container of vanilla or plain yogurt (1 cup)
2 egg whites slightly beated
2 TBSP oil (olive or vegetable)
2 TBSP Milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup of flour (or GF flour, rice, potato, etc)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups oats uncooked
1 cup of dried fruit or raisins (extra yummy if you let them sit in warm water while you are mixing the ingredients)

1. In a large bowl, combine sugars, yogurt, egg whites, oil, milk, and vanilla;
mix well.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix well. Stir in oats and fruit.
2. Spread dough on bottom of ungreased 13×9 baking pan.
3. Bake 28-32 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into squares and refridgerate to store.

Note- I use about 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 cup of sugar and its always been sweet enough.

enjoy!