Rhubarb: Revisited

As part of my search for a healthier lifestyle, I have revisited many veggies to see if I could find more variety for my diet.  Today rhubarb was available from a locally grown source so I bought $1 worth.  Then I started searching for a healthy way to eat this veggie, which has less than 30 calories an cup and is a good source of Vitamin C and calcium.

Prior today, I had only ate rhubarb in a pie.  However, after finding several interesting options, I decided that a Roasted Rhubarb and Walnut Salad would work well with what I have in my pantry.  After preparing this easy dish, I am not sure that I will ever put rhubarb in a pie again.  I thought this was much tastier and the salad was very satisfying.

Roasted Rhubarb and Walnut Salad

1 cup of rhubarb (raw & cut into bite size pieces) 
2 tablespoons of honey
1/4 cup of walnuts
A goat cheese such as feta
Mixed greens or baby spinach

I preheated the oven to 425 degrees.  I tossed 1 cup of rhubarb with 1 Tablespoon of honey and placed the mixture on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Then I tossed the walnuts with a Tablespoon of honey and put them on the parchment lined cookie sheet too.

I happened to have some honey whipped with berry juice and some cinnamon infused honey from my cousin in Durango, Colorado so I used the berry honey on the rhubarb and the cinnamon on the walnuts, but plain honey would work fine.

I let these cook for about 7 minutes until the rhubarb could be easily pierced with a fork.  Then after it had cooled for a few minutes (but it was still warm), I put it on top of my mixed greens and sprinkled on feta.  Finally I used a light raspberry vinaigrette for the dressing.

The flavor is similar to a salad with a tart apple on it.  The rhubarb has a texture like a cooked apple and even the peel which can seem very tough when it is raw will become soft after it is cooked.  I found the warm rhubarb to be a good combination with the greens, and the warmth seemed to make the salad more satisfying.  I will definitely be making this again and I am looking forward to trying other rhubarb recipes.

I love Spring & Comp Ad Shopping

 

Not my CSA (community supported agriculture) share,
it is my goodie bag from my mom.

I met my mom today after she had visited her garden and after she had been shopping with the grocery ads.  She gave me a bag FULL of goodies that I love! 

I immediately turned the cauliflower, asparagus and some of the peppers into dinner!  I love riced cauliflower, but I rarely buy cauliflower due to the current price.  Tonight I made it and topped it with grilled mixed veggies so it would provide more servings.  I usually only make it when I am REALLY hungry for rice and I do not have the carbohydrates left in my meal plan for the day.  The easy and hunger-satisfying recipe is below.  I served it with Tuna tonight (and cheese quesadillas and hot dogs for my picky eaters).

Riced Cauliflower with grilled veggies.

RICED CAULIFLOWER

Rinse and cut up one head of cauliflower.

Season to your taste with herbs (like oregano, parsley, basil, thyme & lavender) and a dash of lemon pepper.  Steam on low for 18 minutes. 

Let it cool a few minutes and then mash it with a potato masher or a ricer. 

Then while it is still warm stir in some butter buds or similar product and some garlic salt.

Corrine is 14!

Today Corrine celebrated turning 14 years old.  We went to lunch at Ruby Tuesdays.  Then we visited the pediatricians office for her well check (and a shot).  On the way home, we stopped at Sonic for Happy Hour drinks. She went to the library and got a book that she requested months ago so she was happy that it arrived for her birthday.  Finally, we went and picked out the last items for her birthday dinner while the Italian Chicken finished cooking in the crockpot.  

Corrine chose Italian chicken, spinach salad, broccoli, and  garlic pasta for dinner.  By the way, if you have not made Italian Chicken in the crockpot, it is so easy and tasty.  Plus it works well for a dish to pass at potluck dinners.  The recipe is below, but I think that I have shared it before.

Italian Chicken


She started laughing and couldn't
blow out her candles.

2 pounds of chicken breast

1 block of cream cheese (reduced fat works well, but fat free does not melt easily so it makes a lumpy sauce)

1/2 can of evaporated milk (if the chicken is thawed and drained/if the chicken is frozen then I omit this.)

An envelop of italian dressing mix OR 1 Tablespoon of Italian seasoning and 1/2 Tablespoon of garlic salt.

Put it on low and let it cook for about 4-5 hours, if thawed.  If frozen, cook on low for 7-8 hours.  Then stir sauce until smooth.  Finally stir in a handful of your favorite Italian cheese and serve. 

We need more pumpkins...to eat!

As I travel along this weight loss journey, I am constantly trying new foods or old foods in new ways.  So for the past few days, I've been experimenting with pumpkin since it is in season and on sale for $2 a pumpkin.  Plus when I found out that a cup of pumpkin is only about 50 calories, I knew I had to find some good recipes for it!  AND it is a great source of vitamin A and a good source of potassium.

MASHED:

So far I have made boiled and mashed pumpkin two ways.  One was with some sweetner, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.  It was a sound dish, but a bit bland.  The other version had chicken broth, butter buds and a bit of Ms. Dash.  It resulted in a nice variation on starchy potatoes as a side dish for the roasted turkey tenderloin with which I served it. 

We were shocked how good
Roasted Pumpkin tastes!

ROASTED:

This is a new favorite in our house!  However, it takes a lot of hand strength and time to cube it.  In order to make roasted pumpkin, a fresh pumpkin must be cut up into 1" or so pieces and the peel must be cut off.  Then spray the cookie sheet with cooking spray and place the pieces on the cookie sheet.  Finally season with the seasonings of your choice, but so far our favorite is a bit of salt and Ms. Dash.  Finally, spray the top of the pumpkin lightly with cooking spray and put it in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.  The pieces should be turned over after about 12-15 minutes as the bottom starts to brown.  It has a very mild pumpkin flavor and it is yummy.

BAKED:

This has been my least favorite so far, but it was the easiest.  We cut off the top and cleaned out the inside.  Then we salted it lightly and turned it upside down in a baking dish with about 2" of water to bake.  I baked it at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes and the let it cool and cut it apart.  This resulted in a taste similar to a spaghetti squash, and I think it would be a good soup stir-in as it stays firm.

AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE SEEDS!

These were toasted a longer time by request so your seeds
don't have to be this brown to be yummy.

This year I tried a new roasted pumpkin seed recipe and it has the kids fighting over the seeds.  We start by boiling the seeds in salt water until they start to look gray.  Then drain the water and pat the dry on a paper towel.  Finally, place in a baggie with a little oil (and I do mean a little...like 1/2 a tsp per cup of seeds...it goes a long ways!) and some seasonings like just salt or Cajun or whatever you love on popcorn.  Place the seasoned seeds on a cookie sheet in a single layer and then bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes (depending on how toasted you like them).  It is best to stir them every 8-10 minutes while it cooks so the seeds cook evenly.   

Cinco de Mayo Baja Grasa (Low Fat)

With Cinco de Mayo this month, I have been experimenting with low fat dishes that are full of flavor to satisfy my love of foods from the southwest.  These are what I've tried so far.



Enchilada Chicken

I put chicken in the crock pot with my homemade enchilada sauce and let it cook on low for about 5 hours.  Then I added a cup of the sauce and red beans to the rice and water in my steamer for a flavorful and easy Spanish rice.  I topped it with black olives and cheese.  This was yummy and easy!




 



For a light lunch, I put some cooked lean taco meat and the leftover Spanish rice (from above recipe) in a raw 1/2 of a green pepper and I topped it with cheese.  It could be baked for stuffed peppers, but the raw crunch is very satisfying.









I LOVE green chili and I LOVE cheese sauce.  This next one will become a frequent dinner at our house.  It has so much flavor.


I seasoned my raw chicken with Ms. Dash Fiesta Lime seasoning and then seared the breast in a pan with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. When it was well seared, I added lime juice and chopped green chili. Then I covered it with a lid and let it simmer until the chicken was done.



Then I took 3 wedges of low fat Laughing Cow Veggie Cream Cheese spread and added 3 tablespoons of milk and 2 tablespoons of green chili.  Finally, I microwaved it for 1 minutes and stirred it until it was smooth.  Lastly I drizzled some of the cheese sauce over the chicken.  This was definately our family's favorite of my experiments with low fat Cinco de Mayo foods!!!

 

Day 106: Winning the Weight Loss Battle

Meals like this are paying off!
Baked Swai and Grilled Asparagus

Today was our weekly weigh in at TOPS again.  I had expected a low loss, but I lost 4 pounds!  This brings me to 53 3/4 pounds lost in 106 days!  Needless to say, right now I'm feeling pretty positive about this dieting lifestyle.  With today's loss, I'm now 26.3% of the way to my target weight.  It is nice to be over the quarter mark since I have so much to loss, which can become depressing to think about.

BTW-I must brag on Corrine and Grace too.  The three of us together have now lost 104 1/2 pounds this year!

The BEST Baked Fish Seasoning

• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika (I like the smoked paprika)    
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt (I do 1/8 teaspoon)
• 2 medium lemons, quartered or 2 tablespoons of juice added to the baking dish

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or longer if the fillet is thick.

Day 71: Weigh In

The struggle to eat well and lose weight continues.  As of today at the TOPS weigh in, I have lost 38 3/4 pounds.  However, I'm feeling hunger again and having some cravings that are making this tough!  I cut back to be ready for a family dinner and I think I cut too much so now my body is letting me know.  I guess I'll have to be extra careful to eat all the foods that I'm allowed for the next few days to get my diet balanced again.

Leftovers inspired some creative crock pot meals recently...a couple of which we'll be having again.

I had some leftover pizza sauce and some mushrooms that needed used so I threw them in a crock pot with chicken and shrimp and olives.  Then it cooked on high for 4 hours and served with brown rice.  It was delicious!  (Sorry no picture because it went fast and I had no idea that it was going to be so tasty.)

Another evening I tossed chicken in the crock pot with some original Ott's dressing and cooked it until done.  It was yummy.  I have coated chicken and baked it before, but this tasted even better.

40: Day 15

Look at this picture of Jon from today. Isn't he just too cute?  Amber did his hair like this today, I really like it.  Based on the smiles that Jon was giving me while I was taking his picture, I think he likes it too.

Okay a quick summary of my day:

Community Responsibility:  Grace and I took a donation of new baby items/supplies to a local pregnancy care center in remembrance of Rowe V. Wade's Anniversary today.

Health/Fitness:  Yes, today was my 2nd weekly weigh in. I lost 4 1/4 pounds bringing my 2 week total to 14 pounds lost. I have been really hungry this past week and this is getting tougher.  I'm going to need to step it up this week and start exercising.

Spirituality: Lots of reading, but still very far behind on my planned schedule.  I'm thinking a modified schedule may be needed.

Wisdom:  I really don't like controlling every item that I ingest, but I need to improve my health.  I miss processed food, but I know they are not compatible with my goals.  I dislike singing with older ladies about weight loss.  However, I am seeing changes.  In other words, it works.

This evening I made my mom's version of Aunt Treva's tuna fish salad.  My mom used to make it for me when I was trimming weight in high school and she said Treva made it for her and her friends when they were dieting.  All I know is it is delicious and satisfying.

Tuna Salad
2 oz tuna
2-3 diced radishes
2 sliced green onions
1 stalk of celery
2 T light mayo

and I didn't have it today, but I like fresh cilantro in the mix too.

40: Day 14

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Inauguration Day and tomorrow is the 40th Anniversary of Rowe V. Wade.  That is a lot of things to reflect on in such a short time.  I cannot think of any advice more fitting than the words of Martin Luther King, Jr, “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”

Today was Ed's day off so he visited the doctor in the morning and then we took 7 of the kids to the dentist this afternoon for check ups.  Based on the attention given our bus, I dare say the dentist office doesn't have too many families arrive by bus!  However, good check-ups all around.  We got home and I made my own version of low calorie/low fat stuffed mushrooms and meat balls with pasta.  It was delicious and one of the more satisfying tasting foods that I've ate in about 2 weeks.

Stuffed Mushrooms (my version)
16-20 mushroom caps (washed)
2 low fat string cheese sticks cut in 8-10 pieces each

Mix together:
1 box Savory herb Stove Top dressing, dry
1 egg
2 t. Italian seasoning
1 T of grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 in mix and 1/2 as topping)

Put 1/4" deep of low sodium chicken broth in the bottom of a glass baking dish.  Place a piece of cheese in each mushroom cap and top with a teaspoon or two of the stuffing mix.  Then sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. By my calculations, these are 20-30 calories each.

I added some of the chopped mushroom stems to the left over Stove Top mixture.  Then I mashed the stuffing into 1/4 cup measuring cup as a mold and turned onto a sprayed baking dish.  I baked them at 350 for 15-20 minutes too. (I saved this for a side with another meal.)

40: Day 8

Well, today was my first weigh in at TOPS.  Corrine wanted to go with me and she loved it.  She thought the songs were cool and said its better than Grandma's Weight Watchers meetings.  (Makes me thankful that I never went to Grandma's group!)  So yes, we weighed in, sang songs, had a program and said the emotional eating pledge....but I lost 9 3/4 pounds!  Yes, I'm pleased, but oh how I hate the emotional eating pledge and the dieting songs!  Just my opinion, but emotional eating is what happens to bad cooks.  I over eat because my food tastes awesome and I know where other awesome tasting food is for sale!

This afternoon I prepared to teach class tomorrow and worked on paperwork for the office and home.  The day just flew by, but I made an African Harvest Stew and modified it to be more tasty.  Then I topped it with a chopped up left over fish fillet and 1/3 c of rice from yesterday.  The stew recipe is below.  It is intended for fresh veggies, but I used canned, drained and water rinsed veggies.  I substituted one can for 1 cup.  The original stew recipe is in blue and my add-in are in green.

African Harvest Stew
1 cup okra
1 cup carrots
1 cup zucchini
1 cup sweet corn
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup water but I used 1 can of low sodium beef broth
1 t thyme
1/4 t red pepper flakes
2 cups shredded cabbage, fresh
5 sliced mushrooms
1 more can diced tomatoes
1 T chili powder
1 t. cumin
2 T diced dried onion
1/2 t lemon pepper
1 clove garlic
1/4 t celery salt

Cooked until the cabbage was soft.  I toped with yesterday's fish and rice leftovers.

40: Day 6 & 7

Day 6 is a simple report...sick....I think I caught an achy, flue bug at the doctor's office.

Day 7 is pretty simple too...still sick, but now just very tired and sore.  I was very glad to have Angela and Amber helping today.  I don't think I would have gotten anything finished today without them.

I have a lot to catch up on for turning 40, for work and for home. I was able to do some catch up on written work and home management this afternoon.

Tonight I'm having my favorite tilapia recipe for dinner.  It is super healthy and has great flavor!

 Baked Tilapia

• 4 (4 ounce)  tilapia fillets (thawed)

Mixed together the following and shake over tilapia:

• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
• Add a little garlic salt (optional)

Spray glass pan with cooking spray.  Add fish with the seasoning mix to a 375 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes (or until done cooking).  I serve over rice cooked in lemon tea with a side of steamed broccoli with lemon pepper seasoning.

More Cheap Eats!

People frequently ask me for my recipes for inexpensive meals.  I really struggle with this because I don't have very many "standard go to recipes".  I "create" a lot as I go based on what I have or can get cheap or free.  I must say, I've cooked with and tried foods that I had to consult the internet about, and some have become new favorites.  I grow my own herbs and use lots of spices like smoked paparika and rich flavors like balsamic and specialty vinegars, worcestershire sauce, cooking wines and soy sauce.  These let me hide a lot of specifics from my kids! 

We frequently receive donated foods from various sources that are a real blessing. Plus I shop with coupons and ads SO I often feel a bit like the Iron Chef.  Only my challenge sounds more like, "You were given 2 pounds of ox tails, 5 pounds of venison, a case of mustard greens, 2 cases of chick peas and 3 dozen eggs. You bought with a coupon on sale the following: sugar, salad dressing, flour, oranges, bananas, dry egg noodles and potatoes.  You got kohlrabi, green peppers and squash from the garden.  You bought green beans, onions and zucchini at the farmers market. Now cook for the week or longer!"  Obviously, I try to plan menus, but when something gets dropped off as a donation and needs used ASAP...well, I have to be flexible and creative!

So let me share a few low cost "gems" that I've been given, tried and loved along the way.

Venison:  Cube it. Apply a generous sprinkling of apple pie spice and some fresh cracked black pepper to taste (like a teaspoon or more of apple pie spice per pound) and then use it as you would any super lean beef.  Cubed venison is especially good in the crock pot on low with a cup or so of New York Steakhouse A-1 Marinade, which is frequently on sale and has had lots of coupons so I can usually get it for $1.25.  (Yes, you read this right, "a-p-p-l-e pie spice" and sometimes I add a little fresh ground ginger, which is much cheaper at the whole foods store than at the grocery store and it is a favorite of mine.) 

Oxtails:  Oxtails are BEEF, don't freak out.  They were a staple during the Great Depression because of their high nutritional content (especially high in iron) and their low cost.  Campbell's even used to sell Oxtail Soup! I frankly hate to tell you about oxtails because I might not get them given to me so often if people knew that they make extra tasty stews and soups.  I sear the oxtails first in some olive oil and then slow cook them to get the great flavorful stock!

Ham hocks:  These are awesome in a pot of pinto beans, but my favorite recipe is by the Pioneer Woman. It is Black Bean Chowder.  I've taken this to several school luncheons and to friends in need of some awesome comfort food.  It is a FAVORITE and I've picked up some un-deserved fans of "my" cooking.

Pickled Beets with Hard Boiled Eggs: 
Tasty & Pretty & Cheap!

Beets:  People apparently grow beets, but don't like to eat beets.  When I'm given beets, I love to make Pickled Beets with Hard Boiled Eggs!  Its a big treat.  I make 4 or 6 times the recipe below, but this is a size for typical folks. 

3 pealed and sliced beets that have been boiled
1 red/purple onion thinly sliced
6-8 hard boiled shelled eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp of pickling spice tied in a cheese cloth bag

Place the liquid off the boiled beets (about a cup) in a pan and add sugar, vinegar, and bag of pickling spice.  Bring to a boil and simmer at a low boil for 15 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Layer beet slices onion slices and eggs in a jar.  After the liquid cools so it is just warm, pour it over the layers. Put the pickling bag in the jar too.  Cover the jar.  Shake or stir twice a day to mix the contents.  Let it sit 3 to 5 days before serving.  (BTW-This is an awesome snack or as a side for a salad or mustard greens.)

Garbanzo Beans/Chick Peas:  There are hundreds of ways to use garbanzo beans, but apparently few people in the Mid-West know them.  I get lots of canned garbanzo beans given to us.  Garbanzo beans can be roasted for a highly nutritious snack.  Our kids love hummus which can easily be made if you have two things: 1) food processor and 2) tahini (sesame seed paste).  I can't believe that I used to think that garbanzo beans were just to add to veggie soup!

Mustard Greens & other leafy things:  Mustard greens are much milder than spinach and they can be easily seasoned with sauteed onion and ham hocs.  Kohlrabi leaves, collard greens, mustard green are such are amazing in a hearty veggie soup.  A favorite is Balsamic Reduction-Glazed Garbanzo Beans served over mustard greens or other leafy things like fresh baby spinach with some crumbled feta and seasoned walnuts.  But its all about what's in the house already so if I don't have feta, I might put some other cheese or some drained mandarin oranges or whatever strikes my fancy.  Some of it turns out better than others, but with 12 hungry mouths and visitors, it usually all gets ate!

A favorite low cost "Pioneer Woman"
 dessert is "Prune Cake"

Sometimes I end my blog with a Bible verse or two, but this blog entry would probably be most appropriately ended with a Bible story from Numbers 11.  The food that is given to our family and that is purchased at low prices are seen by my husband and I as gifts from the Lord, much like the manna in Moses time.  While it is true that we could ignore the budget and buy other foods, we feel that would not be acting as good steward of the gifts we are given.  We often share our surplus of gifted and bargain foods with others, but we try to use all that we need with contentment in our hearts.  When I find myself wishing for something else, I remember that my children are being exposed to more variety of wholesome foods than most children and I pray for God to make me content with His generosity.  (Its amazing how often the next few weeks yields something I was secretly hoping for!  I'll never forget wanting to buy steak for Mr. Workman for Father's Day a few months after the we added the 4 boys to our family.  It would have busted the strained budget!  But I prayed for contentment and planned to fix lasagna, but two days before Father's Day some friends started a fast and gave us two huge steaks from their freezer that were tempting them!) 

<$4 Dinners for 12: Beans & Cornbread

I was given Hormel Smoked Pork Chops and wasn't sure what to make with them because my boys generally don't like smoked meats.  So tonight I sauteed an onion and garlic in balsamic vinegar and diced the pre-cooked chops into the onions.  Then I added the sauteed mixture to a bag of 16 bean soup ($2.28) that I had soaked overnight.  Lastly I stirred in some chicken soup starter and thyme.  Then let it cook for 2 hours. 

Then I paired it with a triple batch of Betty Crocker Cornbread ($.25 each on sale) and 2 cans of warmed mustard greens (given to me) with Balsamic Reduction drizzled on top. 

It wasn't the hit that pizza is at our house, but everyone ate something!

Balsamic Reduction
If you haven't tried reducing balsamic vinegar and using it on greens and in dressings, then you really should give it a try.  Mr. Workman and I had it drizzled on bruschetta at a restaurant in St. Louis when we went to see "A Christmas Carol" at the Fox.  Since then I have found out that this flavorful treat is supper easy to make.  However, due to the smell, I cook it on the deck!  I use my crock pot on high and cook the balsamic vinegar until it is 1/2 the volume as when I started.  A hot plate or electric skillet could be used too.  (I use a wooden spoon to check for when it is 1/2 as deep.) BTW-If the vinegar does not naturally sweeten, just add a little sugar.  Then after it cools, I store it in a bottle in the refrigerator to use as a yummy flavor kick on salads, greens, and as a base for salad dressing BUT it doesn't last long!

And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou
hither, and eat of the bread,

and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat
 beside the reapers:

 and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat,

and was sufficed, and left.--Ruth 2:14 

Chicken Recipe

I usually share recipes and homemade things in March as part of a Made in March theme, but so far I've only been blogging about the deck so today I have a great baked chicken dish for you.

You can call this whatever you wish.  It was just something I threw together as a variation on cordon-blu and it stuck as a new favorite.

Chicken breast, plain or dipped in bread crumbs
spaghetti sauce or even pizza sauce
deli pepperoni (3 or 4" big circles)
sliced provalone or other favorite cheese

Put a small bit of sauce in the baking dish.  Add chicken breast and top each with pepperoni slice(s) and a cheese slice.  Dump the rest of the sauce over the chicken.  Add olives, mushrooms or other favorite add-ons.  Bake at 350 until the thickest chicken breast is done.  Sprinkle with more cheese like parmasan and serve with salad, your choice of veggies, pasta, and warm crusty bread.  Also, if you have really picky eaters, you can throw in some frozen meatballs to reheat with the chicken cooking and this recipe can be made in a skillet or crock-pot too.

Money $aving $auces

Below are two money saving sauces that are easy to make, AND these are favorites at our house. 

The FIRST one is an enchilada sauce, which falls between mild & medium on my spice index.  The recipe comes from Daddy's Deli in Little Rock, Arkansas and was originally made with 28 oz diced tomatos and 8 oz of water added.  (If you make it with the diced tomatos it needs to cook down for 30 minutes or more.)  However, I have picky eaters who don't like tomato chunks so I substitute the equal amount of tomato sauce.

ENCHILADA SAUCE

28 oz tomato sauce 

1 can diced green chili

1 T dried onion

2 T chili powder

2 t cumin

1 t garlic powder

Stir together and heat over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.  Stir occassionally as it starts boiling.  This recipe typically costs $1.60 to make.  If I bought this much store bought enchilada sauce, then it would cost over $8 AND it would not taste as good.  This sauce is a favorite at our house.  Mild enough for the kids and spicy enough to have great flavor.  This sauce is also great mixed with ranch dressing for a Southwest Ranch flavor, and it is a fabulous base for tortilla soup.

SECOND SAUCE:  My kids eat lots of chocolate syrup to add to milk, pediasure, ice cream and squeezed directly into their mouth when they think I'm not looking.  The next recipe is for homemade chocolate syrup.  The recipe taste so much better than store bought syrup.

CHOCOLATE SYRUP

½ cup cocoa powder

1 cup water

2 cups sugar

⅛ teaspoon salt

After removed from heat add

¼ teaspoon vanilla

Twins Mark & Luke enjoying a drink together.
Photo by La Marie Photography/Angela Covington

Mix all the ingredients except the vanilla in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Bring to a low boil for 2 minutes to fully dissolve the sugar.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.  Remember to let this cool in the pan for 10 minute or so because it can melt a plastic squeeze bottle.  Stores in the refrigerator in a glass or plastic container.  I've been told it lasts a month in the refrigerator, BUT not at our house! It is also great on pears!  I especially like that it does not contain milk because of the milk allergies in our family.  The syrup costs $1.50 to make the same amount that I buy for $2.57 in the off brand.



5 More MBA Graduates & Carrot Cookies

I know the people below look like they belong to a legal defense team, but they are actually the newest graduates from William Woods University's MBA program.  I had the honor of facilitating their final Capstone class and tonight they presented and defended their business plan for a local foods distributorship. 



L to R:  Mickey Plummer, Jeannette Gibbons, John Harris, Elizabeth
Robertson, & Eric McGuire 



They did an amazing job and can be proud to have ended the program with a solid "A" on this important final project required before being allowed to graduate.  Their presentation and marketing props including chocolate covered strawberries and carrot cookies were impressive and delicious!  However, having learned from their presentation that the produce at my local supermarket has traveled 1,500 miles on average has made me a bit queasy.  Makes me really wish one of them was turning their project into a real company!

Carrot Cookies that they made are a light cake-like cookie with delicate flavor and my kids even liked the ones I brought home to them.  The recipe is below.

Carrot Cookies



Hand Dipped Chocolate Strawberries & Carrot Cookies



1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons grated orange rind
1 egg
1 1/4 cups grated carrots
2 2/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 dash salt

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy.  Fold in the the egg (beaten) and orange rind.  Then fold in the carrots.  Combine flour, salt,baking powder and cinnamon and add these to butter mixture stirring as you add the dry ingredients.   Once it is well mixed drop teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.   Bake at 375* for about 12 minutes or until very light brown around the edges. Let cool 1 minute, before removing from cookie sheet.

Carla's Recipes

My cousin Carla always had a new recipe to try out on us at family gatherings.  From her teen years (my earliest memories), I remember her always bringing a new recipe to reunions or when just visiting.  It was usually dessert and it was usually, unusual but delicious!  As a small tribute to Carla I am going to share a few of my favorite Carla recipes.  And yes, they are all desserts!

Apple Pie

Kneed together:

1/2 cup Butter

1 cup Flour 

And pat out in the pie pan.  (This is the bottom crust.)

Mix 6 cups sliced fresh apples, 1 1/2 cup sugar, 3 T. Flour & 1 t. cinnamon.

This is the filling.  Put it in the pie pan.

Mix 1 cup melted butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 cup flour. 

Pat out by hand and lay on top of the apples in the pie pan. 

(I pat it out on wax paper and then put it on top.)

Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. (About 35-45 minutes)

Zucchini Bread

3 cups raw grated, unpeeled zucchini

1 cup oil

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar (1 brown & 1 white)

1 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1 1/2 cup chopped nuts (such as walnuts)

1 1/2 cup coconut

3 eggs

2 t. vanilla  

Mix together.  For variations, add canned fruit or raisins. 

(I sometimes omit the nuts.) Put in small loaf pans.

Cook at 325 degrees for 60 to 90 minutes depending on the size of the loafs.

This is a VERY moist bread and freezes well.

Zucchini Brownies

Cream together:

1/2 c oleo

 1 1/2 c sugar

 2 eggs

Mix in 2 c flour

1 t baking soda

 1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 T. cocoa

Then stir in 2 c grated zucchini

1 c chocolate chips

and chopped nuts if desired

Bake at 350 degrees in 9X13 greased and

floured pan for 40-45 minutes. Frost if desired or eat as is. 

My kids like it with Hershey syrup drizzled over it.

Freezes well unfrosted.



Photo from 2009:  Grace & David eating strawberries
dipped  in sour cream and brown sugar.  Carla, Corrine
& Grandma are visiting in the background. 



Carla and our cousin Brenda taught my kids the "only" way to eat strawberries.  Hold on to your hats because this is weird and even weirder is the fact that ALL my kids like it.  Dip a fresh strawberry in sour cream and then in brown sugar and enjoy!  I don't agree with my kids about it being the "only" way, but it is a very delicious way to enjoy fresh strawberries!

My Crock Pot Favorites!

I love my crock pots! Yes I said pots. Plural. It is not uncommon for us to eat 3 or 4 meals a week out of the crock pot. A couple years ago, after the tornado, I used a crock pot daily and our construction workers would say the delicious smells were very distracting. One worker said that he never let his wife cook in a crock pot because it all tastes the same. A bowl of roast & veggies later, and he was asking for some recipes to take home along with the crock pot that he said he would be picking up on the way home! It made me feel good to know that it wasn't just my imagination that crock pot meals are super flavorful.

Italian Chicken

4-6 chicken breast (frozen or thawed)

1 cup chicken broth or other liquid

1 block of cream cheese

1 packet of Italian Dressing Seasoning Mix

Toss all this in the crock pot in the order listed. Put on the lid and place on low for 4-5 hours if thawed OR 5-6 hours if frozen. Stir in some cheese (such as 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of parmesan) and serve over pasta or rice. I sometimes add broccoli and/or slice mushrooms or carrots to the pot at the beginning for variety. It’s ALL good!

Okay so the next 2 recipes involve cooking wine (salted) and
I know this is not acceptable for some people so a possible
substitute is chicken broth with meat tenderizer added.
Red cooking wine is found near vinegar in most stores.

Slow Cooked Beef Roast

6 or 7 celery stalks trimmed

3 to 5 lb. beef roast (thawed)

1 to 2 cup(s) of red cooking wine depending on roast size
1 can Campbell's Select Harvest French Onion Soup
1 can Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom*
1/2 to 1 lbs. of carrots**
2 to 3 lbs. of sliced or cubed potatoes**
5 to 8 sliced or quartered mushrooms**

Place a single layer of celery on the bottom of the crock pot like a grate to keep the meat off the heat at the bottom. Add the ingredients in the order above. Put the lid on and set the crock pot on low for 8 to 10 hours (depending on the size of the roast). Stir before serving.

*Brand doesn't matter, unless you want it to be MSG-Free.

**Optional.  I rarely add the extra mushrooms.

Beef Stroganoff

2 lbs lean stew meat

1 lb mushrooms (washed & quartered)

1 cup red cooking wine

1 onion (chopped)

1 clove of garlic (optional)

1 bay leaf (optional)

1 t. cracked pepper

At the end:

    2 T. cornstarch

    2 T. Dijon mustard 

    1/2 cup of sour cream

Put all the ingredients in a crock pot and stir. Set on low and cook for 8-9 hours. After 8-9 hours, you need to thicken the juices and add two final ingredients. In a microwave safe dish, combine 2 T of cornstarch with 2 T of water and stir together. Then ladle off 1 cup of broth from the crock pot into the cornstarch mixture. Stir and microwave 30-45 seconds at a time. Stirring each time the microwave stops until the mixture boils. Then stir this thickened liquid into the crock pot and stir. Finally turn off the crock pot and stir in the mustard and sour cream. (I like to mix some dill weed into the sour cream before adding it.) Then serve over egg noodles. We especially like it with a slice of crusty hot French bread on the side.

Cake That Won't Make It to the Church Dinner

This past Sunday was our Pastor's Anniversary of 19 years of service to the Lord at our church.  I was intending to bring a dessert that is a crowd pleasing favorite, but as usual my crowd at home got to it first.  The cake is called Mexican Chocolate Cake and my Aunt Treva gave us the recipe years ago.  It is great for church dinners or other large groups because it bakes in a flat "cookie" sheet (mine is 12x17x1) so when serving a big crowd it makes at least 24 servings (20-3x3 pieces and 4-2x3).

When I was in college, a small Italian restaurant had a very similar cake that they sold for $2 per piece and they called it Texas cake.  It wasn't as good as my aunt's recipe, but it would help satisfy the craving (especially since this is not a cake to be baked and left sitting in an apartment with 1 or 2 people to be tempted to eat it all). 

Mexican Chocolate Cake

1 stick butter

1/2 C. vegetable oil

2 squares unsweetned chocolate OR 4 T cocoa

1 C. water

2 C. flour

1 t. baking soda

2 C. sugar

1/2 C. sour milk* 

2 eggs

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

*Add 1 1/2 t. vinegar to "sour" the milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine butter, oil, chocolate, and water in a sauce pan.  Heat on medium low until fairly smooth.  Remove from heat.

Combine flour, baking soda, sugar, milk, eggs,  and cinnamon in a bowl.  Add the first mixture and stir.  Put the mixture in a cookie sheet (no oil, spray, etc) and bake until done (about 35 minutes in my oven).  Test doneness with a tooth pick.  Let cool for about 20-30 minutes and add the icing while the cake is still warm. 

Icing

1 stick butter

4 T. cocoa

6 T. milk

1 pound powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. chopped nuts such as pecans (optional)

Combine butter, chocolate and milk in a saucepan and stir over medium low heat until smooth.  Remove from hear and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.  Ice the cake while the cake is still warm.  After it cools, garnish with pecans or other nut, if desired. 

AND last but not least, find a safe hiding spot for the cake until you're ready to serve it.

Eat Our Way Out!

We have a lot of snow!  In our area of Missouri, we usually get freezing rain and rarely over 4 inches of snow.   When this storm's accumulation passed 14 inches...well, that almost made this a storm of the decade!  (The ice storm that took away the power for over a week and destroyed our trees a few years ago remains as the #1 storm of the decade.)

So (or should I say "Snow") now we have a problem...removal!  Even though we live in town, the city is cleaning only the main roads.  A few neighbors fought their way out today, but several tried and went back home.  This problem had me thinking and I thought I had arrived at the perfect solution.....eat it!  Yes, seriously, my kids ate 3 days worth of food today SO if we make snow ice cream, then I figure my crew could reach the main road in 48 hours!

"Snow" I experimented with several snowy recipes today.  Paula Deem offered up one that I was sure would be tasty, but too high calorie and too expensive....she uses sweetened condensed milk, but then again she makes good money and does not have as many (non-paying) mouths to feed as we do.  The recipe below is from a friend's friend.  (Thank you to Kathryn Gold's friend!)

"Snow"  here is the "BEST" Snow Ice Cream Recipe:
‎1 gallon of snow
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
just shy of a 1/2 cup sugar (1/2 cup was a bit sweet)
dash salt

Mix all ingredients except snow.  Dump over the snow & stir.



Some of our crew eating their weight in snow!



"Snow" my kids loved it, as I expected they ate bowl after bowl of it, especially Hannah, Vanessa, David and the twins.  However, WOW!  They got major hyper....crazy hyper...."snow" hyper that I took a nap and left their Dad in charge! 

 

"Snow" I'm back to thinking....until I find the answer, I think I'll cook some sugar free foods and enjoy having the kids & hubby all at home watching movies, arguing over board game rules and fighting over computer time.  People tell me that someday when the kids are grown, I'll miss these times.  Well, people are probably right because then it will just be Mr. Workman and I at home watching movies, arguing over board game rules and fighting over computer time.