So we meet again...

I realized today (about 10 minutes ago actually), that when I attempted this blog, I made our meals much more interesting than they are these days. Granted, I didn't have a high-maintenance almost-3 year old, and I didn't realize how much work that'd be, but that's just beside the point here... I WANT to keep up with this blog, but, well, I'm not good at keeping up with things. Ideas are great in my head, but they rarely come to fruition. (Raise your hand if you're with me on that one. Okay, you can put your hand down now, nobody can see you anyway.)

SO much has changed since I last posted in August, but I'll save those boring details for another day. I just wanted to get the ball rolling. This is a totally random, do I really want to attempt this again, kind of post. So, I'll tell you what we're having for dinner...

Spinach. Easiest veggie ever. Throw it in a pan, add a little butter, garlic, salt & pepper, then a splash of stock or water. (Yes, those are exact measurements.) Put a lid on it & cook it on med high heat for just a few minutes (toss it around while the lid is on, just like the tv chefs do. If you can't do that, then go ahead & open it to stir. Fun ruiner.). Then, eat. Easy, easy, easy.

Carrots. I like to add the carrots to a pan, then add enough stock (water will work) to cover them. I let them cook at a low simmer (read: NOT BOILING), until the are tender. Keep an eye on them, you might have to add more stock. Once they are tender, I either go sweet with a dollop of coconut oil (butter works just fine) , a pinch of salt, a pinch of brown sugar & a little maple syrup; or savory with a dollop of butter, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper, some garlic, and any fresh herbs I might have handy. If I don't have any fresh herbs, I skip it. NBD as I tell my son (No Big Deal).

Oh sweet, glorious Mother's Day. This one is new for me. I can make bread with little to no effort. Best. present. ever. Kinda makes all those hours of labor worthwhile... Okay, the kid himself makes those worthwhile. I guess. That's what I'm suppose to say anyway.
I got a little spoiled this year, with a fancy Panasonic bread maker, complete with a delay timer, a yeast release, and lots of different functions/options.
...anyway, in here is our (hopefully) yummy bread for the night - spicy cheddar. I got the recipe from the instruction manual. Good job using my degree, huh?

The meat - spicy cheddar bbq chicken. I'll throw a little Stubbs (best sauce around!) Spicy on it while it bakes, then I'll finish it off with some chopped tomatoes (I'd add onion if I had it) & cheddar cheese on top, melted all ooey gooey... yummmmm.

Granola. Great on yogurt or ice cream. We'll see who feels like what tonight...

Recipe: hmmmm this is my best guess 'cause I just throw stuff in there.

2 c oatmeal (not the instant stuff you goon!)

2 tbs butter

2 tbsp honey (+ more later if you want)

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1.5 tsp cinnamon

.5 tsp salt

Mix everything but the oatmeal together in a pan over med heat.

Once it's all melted, pour it over the oatmeal (which you should probably put in a bowl), & mix it up really well.

Bake at 300* for 30 min. <--Stir every 10 min so you don't end up with burnt pieces.

Once I take it out, I like to add about 1 tbsp more honey, mix it together, and pat it down tight. Then it will make small clumps when you pour it into a storage container later, after it cools. You don't have to do that extra honey step though, especially if you don't like really sweet granola.

*You can add any kind of nuts to the mix, but don't add them until the last 10-15 min or they might burn. You can also add coconut (I add it in the beginning, with the oatmeal). Or, you can add any kind of dried fruit you like, but I'd add them after you take it out of the oven. You don't really need to cook your raisins, you know?

The mess that is my kitchen. This is real stuff folks. See the hair clip, kiddo's school papers, dishes... That's my life. You can click on it & make it bigger, if you're really that into other people's messes.

Keeping it really real... here's my pantry. It used to be organized & pretty. Then I became a crazy busy, working mom. Now I'm just lucky there's anything in there. ;)

(Sure, you can click on it & see a bigger version, if you really want to. Weirdo.)

On top we've got the teas (I spy 7 boxes, we need to get to drinking!), the cereals (organic "Cheerios" & Kashi Autumn Wheat), Late July crackers (they're seriously the best!), & some Newman's Own popcorn 'cause the guys in this house love popcorn

Next we've got kiddo snacks - Annie's Cheddar Bunnies, Veggie Booty, raisins, organic suckers, graham crackers, I spy some of daddy's tortilla chips, some sandwich bread, honey, maple syrup, and I probably don't even want to know what else.

Then comes "mommy's" shelf. Baking soda, baking powder, meringue powder, dry milk, powdered sugar, brown sugar, all kinds of flours, choc chips, walnuts, and other misc baking things.

Then we've got oils (coconut, vegetable, olive, sesame), cooking spray, pizza quick sauce, refried beans ('cause mommy always forgets to cook the beans to make her own, so she gave up), tomato sauce, chicken broth, and other what-nots.

At the bottom we keep dog food, dog treats, potatoes, and an ice cream maker.

That's it folks. We'll meet again another day. Hopefully soon... but I make no promises.

If you're reading this, post a comment & let me know if I should attempt a come-back, or if you think I suck & I just need to go away. I'm all about honesty, so bring it!

Blueberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 c blueberries

1 tsp sugar

---

1/2 c butter (I used soy butter, it works just fine)

1/2 c shortening

1 c brown sugar

1/2 c granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 c flour

1 c choc chips

Preheat oven to 350*.

Sprinkle 1 tsp sugar over blueberries & bake for 15 minutes.

Mix the butter, shortening, sugars until smooth.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs & vanilla, then add to the butter/sugar mixture.

Mix the dry ingredients well, then add (slowly) to the butter/sugar mixture.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Gently fold in the baked blueberries until well combined.

Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet, then bake at 350* for about 10-12 minutes.

Optionally, drizzle chocolate over the top to help with the look.

They're purple.

People seem to find purple cookies strange.

I find people strange.

In any event, the chocolate drizzled over them seems to make people not mind the color - they just see CHOCOLATE! ;)

Ginger Meatloaf Muffins

1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c ketchup
1.5 # beef

3/4 c bread crumbs
3/4 c milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 onion, chopped

Mix the ginger, sugar, and ketchup together in a small bowl.

Mix the beef (I actually used 1# beef & 1/2# of TVP (textured vegetable protein)), bread crumbs, milk, eggs, salt, pepper, & onion in a larger bowl. -Use your hands, you just can't mix a meatloaf well unless you get your hands dirty!

Fill all 12 muffin holes (is there a technical name for those?) half full of the meat mixture.
Evenly distribute the sauce on top of each loaf (use however much sauce you like).

Top each loaf with more meat.

(I used 2 muffin pans & just split the meat all up, topped half of the loafs, then plopped the other halves on top.)

Bake at 350* 30 min.

*You could just make 1 big loaf if you prefer.

A Little Different Tuna Casserole

Ingredients:
2 cans of tuna (whatever kind you buy, in water, in oil, whatever)
1 green bell pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups cooked rice (I cooked my rice with 1 onion. You can add the onion separately, or omit it.)
1 cup monterrey jack cheese (or whatever flavor cheese you have/prefer)

Dump all the ingredients in a bowl & mix well.
Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray, then dump the mixture into the dish & smooth it out.
Top with cheese.
Bake at 350* for 30 minutes.

Easy Sandwich Bread

I promise it's easy. It's also quick, which is how I cam up with the recipe. I needed some bread & I had 2 hours to have it complete. If I'm being honest, I was pretty shocked that this bread turned out. There's so much chemistry involved in baking that I'm always hesitant to mess with my own recipes, but if you never try you never create new stuff, right? So, here we go...

Ingredients:
1 cup minus 2 tbsp warm water
1 package of yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp oil (corn or vegetable)
Approx 3 cups of flour (white, wheat, a combo, whatever you like should work)

Put the yeast in the warm water & set aside to bloom while you get the rest of the ingredients together.
In a bowl (a mixer is nice, but not a must) combine the salt, molasses, oil, 2 cups of flour, and the yeast/water.
While mixing, slowly add as much of the last cup of flour as needed. (Add flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.) It's really sticky because of the molasses, so it won't act quit like "normal" bread dough.
Form into a ball & leave it alone for 10 minutes.
On a floured counter top, knead for about 5 minutes.
Put the dough in a greased loaf pan & push it out to the shape of the pan.
Let the dough rise until doubled, 30-45 minutes.
Bake at 350* for 30 minutes.
Turn the bread out & let cool on a cooling rack.

Cheesy Corn Dog Muffins

Ingredients:
1 pkg corn muffin mix

1/2 c. milk

1 egg

1 c. cheese (any flavor)

2 hot dog wienies (or you could use chunks of ham, chicken, or even cooked ground meat)

In a bowl, combine the muffin mix, milk & egg.

Cut the hot dog wienies in 1/4th (length-wise) & then into small chunks.

Add the wienies & cheese to the muffin mixture.

Spoon the mixture into a mini muffin pan. (You could use normal size, but I can't tell you how long you need to cook it, just keep an eye on it.)

Bake at 350* for about 12 minutes.

That's it - you're done. EASY!

If you're making these just for adults, you can add 1 tbsp dry mustard to the mix for a little kick. I wouldn't do it if kids will be eating it though - they can be picky. ;)

Very Berry Pancakes

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs baking powder
1 1/4 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon (if you want it)
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup berries (I used 3/4 c strawberries & 1/4 c blackberries)

Sift flour, salt, baking powder, & sugar into a bowl.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg, milk, & butter.

Mix the liquid stuff into the dry stuff.

Gently fold the berries into the mixture & set it aside for at least 30 minutes. (The batter will get fluffy, to be real technical.)
Oil the griddle or pan you're gonna use & heat it over med heat. Pour 3-4 oz of the batter onto the griddle/pan.

Flip when the edges get "solid". You don't ever want to flip pancakes more than once or they'll get tough.

Granola!

When it finally occurred to me that granola is "just" oatmeal (yes, I was slow about realizing that) it dawned on me just how much money I was wasting buying it. Even if I did buy it from the bulk bins. So, I have been on a quest to not only create the perfect granola recipe, but also the perfect granola bar recipe. The quest for the perfect granola bar is still going, but I may share some of the creations so far. Luke has enjoyed most of them at least. The granola recipe I am giving you is open to variety - the sky is the limit. It's sooo yummy like I do it, but I'm giving you a few suggestions if you want to change it up.

Now for today's recipe - Granola!
You can double or triple this recipe if you want, but this is a "basic" amount, if you make it weekly-ish.

Ingredients:

2 cups oats (NOT the instant or quick oatmeal stuff, the good old OATS that make oatmeal (and cookies, and muffins, and breads, and bars...)

2 tbsp butter (or oil if you prefer - weirdo!)

1 tsp cinnamon (not everyone like cinnamon as much as I do, you could cut it in half or even omit it)
1/2 tsp vanilla (or any other liquid flavor - maple, coconut, almond...)

3 tbsp (packed AND heaping) brown sugar

2 tbs honey (or agave nectar - and peanut butter or tahini should work too!)

----

Preheat the over to 300*.

Put the oats in a bowl (big enough to mix the other stuff into).

In a skillet (you should hear my son say that word - HILARIOUS!) on the stove, mix the butter, cinnamon, vanilla, brown sugar, and honey while heating over med-low heat.

Keep stirring & heating until the mixture is pretty liquidy (I don't think that's a word, huh?) & the sugar is starting to dissolve. Don't cook it too long or it might start to crystallize.

Pour the liquid into the oats & stir until they are well coated. It might seem like there isn't enough liquid - just keep stirring!

Spread the oat mixture on a cookie sheet/pan. I prefer to line it with parchment paper for ease of removal & clean up. :)

Cook for 30-40 minutes total. Be sure to stir the mixture up at least once (every 10 minutes is ideal, but I live in the real world...).

Oh - did I mention - make this right before you have company. Not because you're gonna share, but because it will make your house smell really good!

Once it cools, the granola will be crunchy & yummy & ready to eat! ...OR... you can add nuts, dried fruit, or whatever else you like to it, then eat it. (Dried cranberries + walnuts are my favorite addition.)