the invisible pop show down

My attempt at making the Invisible Pops from Martha Stewart resulted in a fair number of usable lollipops, a possibly ruined pot and measuring cup, and one small stove fire. Just a small one. I found the recipe to be easy to follow and even without any added flavoring they actually taste pretty good. I made two batches and followed the directions exactly and my pops still turned out slightly yellow, instead of the way cool clear of Martha's. (When I put on my Fall apron I like to pretend we are on a first name basis.)

Martha's

Mine

I found that the candy hardened quickly, especially to the inside of the saucepan. Happily, I had read the reviews of others who had attempted these lollipops and so I used an old pan. Catastrophe avoided. 

I chose to use lollipop molds instead of pouring free form onto paper. I should have just poured away. I found the molds difficult to use because the candy mixture kept overflowing the small pop cups. I did try a few free form ones at the end and they turned out OK, so if I make these again I will keep the molds in the cupboard.

The next step was adding the candy corn to the pop. This was not so easy. I pushed each piece down as far as I could, which resulted in a few burns on the tip of my left index finger. They were not completely encased in the hot candy, so I figured they would sink as the lollipop cooled. This did not happen. So each pop has the candy corn sticking up a little.

OK, so all in all they didn't turn out so bad. They are not nearly as beautiful as the photo shopped image from Martha Stewart. (That's right, I don't know if it's my burned fingers or the sugar high I'm on but I am currently not on speaking terms with Martha. This has happened before. Like always, it will blow over.) But they are cute. And maybe it's just because I am surrounded by monster trucks and sticky boys in my world over here but I'm thinking that little bugs would look great "trapped" inside these pops. Now I just have to figure out how to make edible bugs...









it is officially Fall at Bethfork

Better late than never but it is now officially Fall at Bethfork. I finally finished hauling the rest of the Halloween/Fall decorations up from the basement and I found my Fall apron. Mock me if you must; I know my loving husband occasionally finds my aprons smile worthy. But I love them. I put one on and I am instantly transformed from chaotic to calm. Not only calm, nearly fearless. Which is why tomorrow I am going to try to make these:

Now, knowing these are Martha Stewart's lollipops I did my homework. I read the reviews and agree with those brave women who have already tried this recipe - it cannot be humanly possible to get these into a perfectly round shape without help. I doubt I could get them into anything even close to resembling a circle. So I will be using molds. I also think I will be adding some type of flavoring - the very simple recipe sounds very simply too sweet. I am thinking cherry, if I can find it.

Now this might not seem like that daunting of a challenge, but I am not a baker or a candy girl. I cook meals. Appetizers. The occasional coffee cake. Sometimes I even branch out into cookies. But I haven't made anything requiring a candy thermometer in years. And yes, I do not plan to use my calphalon. On the off chance the candy mixture completely melts itself into the metal I want to be using something I don't mind throwing away.

So, wish me luck! And stay tuned- photo's to follow!

a yummy twist on Chicken Wilson

Last night I made my own special version of Chicken Wilson for dinner. I find that this dish is not flavorful enough for me when made the traditional way, plus, with a few small updates it turns into a dish my whole family will eat, which is, of course, my goal. My oldest son liked this dish so much that I renamed it "Chicken Matthew". It is nice when a meal with grown up tastes also works for the little ones.


Chicken Matthew

6 eggs, slightly beaten
3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
butter
1/2 to 1 pound mushrooms, sliced (depends on your tastes)
1 small onion, chopped
bread crumbs ( I like to use the seasoned kind for more flavor)
1 cup white wine (the recipes always call for "dry white wine" but I just use what I have on hand, which is almost always a sweeter wine, and it is always good.)
6 slices muenster cheese
olive oil
sage
salt
pepper

Lightly beat eggs in medium size bowl. Place chicken pieces in bowl and let sit in refridgeraor for at least 30 minutes. I usually get this step completed before I walk out the door to pick up the boys from daycare; that way I can start dinner as soon as we get home.

Melt butter in a large pan and add mushrooms and onions. Cook, stirring, until softened.

Remove chicken from egg bath and roll pieces in breadcrumbs. Cook in heated pan with olive oil. I just use the same pan I already cooked the veggies in- it is all going to mix together in the casserole dish anyways. Add sage, salt and pepper to taste. Mix in 2 additional tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Once chicken is browned on all sides pour entire mixture into greased 9x 13 casserole dish. Pour wine over mixture and place sliced cheese on top.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and cheese is bubbly.

I found that the addition of the sage and extra breadcrumbs made a stuffing like taste to this dish, which is probably one reason it was such a hit with the little ones. The wine cooks off and only a light flavor was left. I found this made about 6 servings.

Enjoy!

an anniversary dinner straight from the pantry

Yesterday my husband and I celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary. We have plans to leave the boys with a sitter and spend some quality time together this weekend, so last night we just had  simple dinner together after the boys were in bed. Normally I would have planned a meal especially for my husband, complete with dessert, but this year two things got in the way of that. First of all, my temporary out of work situation has led to a tightening of the budget, so I needed to stick to the ingredients we already had in the house. And second, this anniversary kind of snuck up on us. Last Saturday when I was doing the meal planning for the coming week I didn't even consider our anniversary. I didn't plan on a special meal so I had to make do.

Sausage Ratatouille

4 links italian sausage
1 eggplant, peeled and chopped (I use a small eggplant because it's not my husband's favorite.)
1 zucchini, sliced. (I halve mine first before I slice it.)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, seeded and sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can stewed tomatoes, with juices
3 tablespoons basil (I like to use fresh)
olive oil
salt & pepper

Puncture the sausage links several times with  sharp knife. Place in a pot of boiling water and cook on a low boil until no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes. Remove from water, cool, and slice into 1/4 inch slices.

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large, deep skillet. Add onion and pepper and saute for approximately 3 minutes. Stir in sausage and garlic and saute for 3 to 4 more minutes, stirring often. Stir in eggplant, tomatoes and zucchini.

Place lid partially over the skillet and let cook at a simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste and let simmer 5 more minutes. Stir in half the basil and remove from heat. Transfer to plates and top with remaining basil.

This recipe serves 4 to 6 people. even though the boys weren't eating with us I went ahead and made the whole recipe so there would be leftovers for lunch. I have noticed that if you are going to eat leftovers of this meal you might need to add a tiny amount of water or butter to the meal before you reheat it. I served this meal last night with a salad and garlic bread and it made a wonderful anniversary dinner!

sour cream chicken & potatoes

Last night I tried out a new chicken recipe. The reviews were mixed.

Husband:     please make this again. And put it in my lunch for tomorrow.
4 year old:   I don't want to taste it, it looks gross. (He did eventually take a few bites.)
2 year old:   refused to eat anything but fruit cocktail. But at least he did not throw it on the floor.
Me:             really really yummy, but too much sour cream.

I pulled the recipe off www.foodonthetable.com but then, of course, made it my own. The recipe I am printing here is the one I fine tuned last night. As you know, I don't measure a lot of my ingredients, so all amounts are merely suggestions. Also, I added to the recipe so that I would have leftovers for lunches this week. And no, I did not send it with the boys to daycare today. Although I was tempted... And don't put too much stock into my kids' lack of excitement over this meal - neither of them eat very well so I just make what I want, give them something else if I am making something that no little one will eat, and otherwise let them eat when they are hungry.


Sour Cream Chicken & Potatoes

4 medium sized potatoes, quartered
1 cup parmesan cheese. (I have found it tastes better and is less expensive to just grate my own. I always grate a little more than I need for the recipe so that I have some ready for salads and soups.)
1 1/2 cup sour cream (I used all the recipe called for, which is what is listed here. Next time I will not use nearly as much.)
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup fresh spinach
1 clove garlic (I use fresh garlic but the jarred minced kind is good also. Buying fresh and mincing it yourself is going to save you money, but cost you time.)
1 red onion, chopped (I think the recipe needs 2 onions)
olive oil - as needed
1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped (I think the recipe needs the whole pepper)
10 chicken tenders (any kind of chicken would work in this recipe. I like chicken tenders because they are less expensive than breasts and smaller, so they are easier for the kids to handle.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and prep a casserole dish by lightly greasing. Place potatoes in large pot with water and pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Let boil long enough to cook until tender, approximately 10 minutes. Drain and return to pot. Partially mash with 3/4 cup parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup sour cream. Next time I will use only 1/4 cup of the sour cream.  Set aside, but away from the hungry hands of any two year olds who may be wandering through your kitchen or you might find yourself chasing down your potatoes.

Place sun dried tomatoes, spinach, butter, garlic and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese in food processor or blender and blend until almost smooth. This should only take a minute or two.

Heat olive oil in medium pan and add onions and peppers. Cook until tender and then spread onions and peppers in bottom of casserole dish.  Spread potato mixture on top. Keep oil in pan and mix tomato mixture in with oil. Add chicken and cook until done. Place chicken and tomato mixture on top of casserole and top with remaining 1 cup sour cream. This is the step I would leave out. I don't think the casserole needed the extra sour cream.

Place in pre-heated oven and bake approximately 15 minutes, until browned.

I like this recipe because of it's grown up tastes, it low cost, and it ease to make. I like casseroles that I can overcook keep in oven for longer than recipe states. Usually my meals hang out in the oven for a while, either due to my husband not getting home from work when expected or because my children have started some sort of war in the living room. Yesterday I had to remove both boys from the living room and send them into the backyard. Then I had to lock the screen door to prevent them from constantly coming and going. But at least I managed to get dinner on the table!

falling off the whole foods, no meals out of boxes wagon, landing in a ditch filled with diet root beer and instant pudding

The past few weeks have been very busy ones for me. I'm not sure why, really. I am between outside the home jobs and my two young children are in daycare throughout the week. My oldest son attends daycare/preschool five days a week and the little one is going two days a week until I go back to work. So maybe that is where my time has been going. Trying to adjust to being at home with the two year old three days a week was maybe a little more challenging that I thought it would be. I want him to still be challenged and learning, plus, if he sees that he does not have my total and undivided attention he turns into a tiny tasmanian devil, crossing the living room like a hurricane, leaving mayhem and destruction in his path. I send my oldest son and husband off in the morning and before I know it is time to do the daycare pickup. And frequently the two year old, (and me), is still wearing pajamas and I am rushing to get him dressed and thinking, "Where did the day go?" Then, all too soon, everyone is home and it is time for dinner. Which someone still has to make.

So I didn't even notice how crazy the past few weeks were until I was gathering up the trash from the kitchen. Not all of it would fit into the kitchen sized trash bag because there were so many boxes needing to be thrown away. I pulled them out and stacked them on the counter, to be carried out separately. And then it hit me. There, on my counter, were boxes from macaroni and cheese, hamburger skillet meals, pop. There were empty rice side dish and cookie boxes. I had to face the facts. I had completely fallen off the whole foods, no meals out of boxes wagon. Not just fallen off. Catapulted off while the wagon was rolling along at top speed, rolling down a hill covered with preservative laden fruit gummies and landing in a ditch filled with diet root beer and instant pudding.

Here's the sad part. Not only have I been feeding my family the least healthy meals I possibly could, but my oldest son had found a new favorite food. From a box. What have I done?

My four year old is just like every other four year old out there. He would eat meatballs and chicken nuggets every day if I let him. And he only eats those items if covered in cups and cups of ketchup. He is not big on trying new foods. And now I have given him a new food, a new unhealthy food, and he loved it. Now he keeps asking for it. So I finally found something different he would eat, something the whole family would eat, and now I feel like I can't serve it to him.

So back to eating outside the box. I know my experiment was working- last week my oldest son and I were at a play group dinner where very yummy and healthy food was served and I actually saw him eat a cucumber slice. Normally he sticks to fruit only and I have to trick him into eating his vegetables. It was a proud mommy moment, to be sure.

I set out to create a healthier version of my little guy's new favorite meal.

matthew zhao's favorite hamburger stroganoff

1 lb ground beef (lean lean lean!)
1/3 cup water
1 cup plain yogurt
8 ounces egg noodles

Cook noodles according to package directions. Brown ground beef in a large skillet with high sides, breaking into small pieces as it cooks. Drain. Remove from heat and add water and yogurt. Mix thoroughly. Return to low heat, add noodles, and mix.

I have played around with this recipe a few times trying to get it just right for my little guy. My first pass at it was too "grown up"- I made it like a traditional beef stroganoff, only replacing the beef strips with ground beef. I kept in the white wine, sour cream, onions and mushrooms I normally use in this dish. It didn't fly. I then removed all but the sour cream. Still too strong a taste for the four year old. Finally I replaced the sour cream with plain yogurt and voila - child approved. The good news is the cost of the meal was significantly lowered by replacing the sour cream with plain yogurt. In my house at least sour cream always goes to waste. I never plan accordingly and I wind up throwing away a half full carton away, long after the expiration date. The plain yogurt, on the other hand, never goes to waste. With the amount of yogurt my two year old puts away it is much healthier and cheaper to feed him plain yogurt with frozen unsweetened berries mixed in. So two birds, one stone. My son gets his new favorite meal served homemade and not from a box, and my grocery budget stays intact, which is more important than ever these days, with me between jobs. Another successful meal, and we are back to eating outside the box.

a visit to the farmer's market

Matthew Zhao and I are so excited that our local farmer's market is finally open! What started out as a quiet stroll through the fruits and veggies while pushing my little guy in his stroller has evolved into quality Mommy and Matthew time as we walk, chat, and buy our veggies for the week. I just cannot express how very much I look forward to this weekly event!

Last week we bought fresh green beans. Matthew picked them out himself, carefully stuffing them in the bag and then setting them on the scale. He handed over the money and attempted to pocket the change. Now I have read over and over again that if you want your kids to eat vegetables you should include them in the selection and preparation of said vegetables. This has never worked for me. Matthew likes to look at the wide selection of vegetables in the store and he likes to put them in the little bags to carry home. he likes to place them on the hanging scale and see how much each item weighs. What he does not like to do is east any of them. I remember back in China, the one time on the whole trip when he actually ate something other than cheerios, he ate tofu and veggies. Then he came home and somehow we broke him. My little guy wouldn't touch another vegetable.

I have found that the best way to get him to eat his veggies is to show him how physically strong he gets when he eats them. And by "eats" I mean actually chew and swallow them. I show him how he can't lift my arm up at all before he eats the vegetable and then, little by little, the more green beans or peas he eats, the higher he can lift my arm. He loves this game and it often results in him stealing vegetables off my plate just to see if he can lift my arm all the way over my head. It does, however, make for a long dinner time with the constant interruption of my son suddenly standing up on his chair demanding to see how high he can lift my arm, after every bite. So far I have only gotten this trick to work with green beans and peas. He still won't touch a carrot. Literally. He will not touch a carrot.

So maybe the combination of choosing his own veggies from the farmer's market and growing "strong" while eating them will continue to work for a while. But the farmer's market is so much more than a way to get my four year old to eat his vegetables. It is my opportunity to buy local. It offers my family fresh, pesticide free choices. And it gives me yet another chance to hang out with my little boy. They are young but for a minute and so anytime I can combine routine household chores with spending time with my boys we all win. Next week I think I will choose some fruit to try out a few new cobbler and dessert recipes, so stay tuned!

So here's a question for all of you: how do you get your little ones to eat their veggies?

organic or not organic, that is the question

It seems as though we hear an awful lot about organic these days. And I don't know about you, but to me, organic translates to pricey. I want to buy local, and I do, as often as I can. I understand that we should know where our food comes from, and it is often less expensive. And I love wandering around the local farmer's market, choosing our veggies for the week. But there is so much talk out there about "organic", so sometimes I feel as though this is what I should be feeding my family. So I did some research. And it turns out that some fruits and vegetables are lower in pesticides than others. I did not know this. I never really considered this before, but fruits and veggies with thicker rinds or that you will be peeling anyways will have fewer risk of pesticide residue. I also learned that young children are more at risk to harm from pesticides than adults. Yikes.

So here is what I have decided works for my family, and my family's budget.

always buy organic:

celery
apples
berries
potatoes
lettuce and fresh spinach/greens
peaches
pears

maybe not worry so much about:

corn
onions
pineapples
eggplant
cantaloupe
watermelon


There are a ton more fruits and vegetables that didn't make either list, but you get the idea. It's hard, right? You want to always do what's best for your family, but there is so much advice out there and only so much money to go around...

breakfast, anyone?

My sister and her daughter are spending the night with us tomorrow night and I am very excited. I don't have a large family, or barely any family, any more. Growing up it was just my sister and I. We have six cousins, both sides of the family combined, but being six years younger than the next youngest cousin I was never really close to any of them. My mom's lack of closeness with her sister-in-law led to a pretty non existent relationship with that aunt and uncle. While I was close to both sets of grandparents they have been gone for some time, the last one passing away back when I was in college. My father passed away shortly before I met my husband, and my mother has now been gone six months. My father's sister and brother-in-law, who are a great aunt and uncle to us and who are great with the kids, are aging, and my cousins are spread out throughout the country. It is basically just my sister and me. And while we are very different people who do not always see eye to eye I do enjoy spending time with her. Plus I like to have house guests. I'm weird that way. So I am looking forward to having overnight guests tomorrow night.

I have pulled out the basket of fluffy towels and toiletries. Because our guest bathroom is now the boy's bathroom I keep a basket filled with essentials for guests hidden away. I have checked for pillows and made sure the extra sheets are clean. I'll help the boys pick up their toys and straighten their rooms tonight before bed.

So now I am thinking about breakfast on Saturday morning. Three adults and three kids to feed, without becoming a short order cook. I think I'll make my french toast casserole. I know my family likes it, and hopefully my sister's family will too!

french toast casserole
12 slices dry white bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2  8-ounce blocks of cream cheese, cut into 3/4 inch cubes. (optional)
1 cup fresh or frozen berries (I like using fresh raspberries)
12 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup maple syrup

(the bread needs to be dry. I use the same method as I would for making bread crumbs. cut the bread into the 1/2 inch cubes and place on an ungreased cookie sheet or in a large baking pan. bake, uncovered, at 300 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring a few times. cool before use in the casserole.)

Place half of the bread cubes in the bottom of a well greased baking dish. Sprinkle cream cheese cubes and berries over bread cubes. Layer remaining bread cubes over fruit.

In separate bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, and syrup. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture. Cover tightly with saran wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Casserole can be chilled for up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove saran wrap and cover dish with foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for at least another additional 25 minutes. When done knife will come out clean and top will be puffed up and browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with warm syrup.

 

 

I like to make this recipe with raspberries, although the day I took the picture I had frozen blueberries in the freezer. There are so many reasons that I love this recipe. First of all, it is very easy to make. it is made with relatively wholesome ingredients. It can be made ahead of time. But the main reason I like it is because it is very easy to make with my oldest son. He loves to help Mommy in the kitchen, and this is the perfect meal for him to assist. And he is so proud when it is served!

back in the kitchen and loving it!

After a weekend at Cedar Point eating hotel and amusement park food I was happy to get home yesterday to my own kitchen. Overall we did pretty good while away. We all drank lots of water from our reusable water bottles. The boys did a good job of knowing that Alex's bottle was red with farm animals and Matthew's bottles was yellow with jungle animals. I did a god job of constantly refilling the bottles so that we always had water. On a side note to that: the family care center at Cedar Point is really nice! It is located in Planet Snoopy and also houses the medical services. The family bathrooms were clean and kid friendly and the baby changing station was right next to a small play room, so my older son could play while I changed the little guy. The sink had cold water for refilling our water bottles and there was even a quiet room with rocking chairs and high chairs, a microwave, and bottle warmers. Plus, there were two private breast feeding rooms. I was very impressed. And the best part? The air conditioning. We took a few diaper changing/snack breaks there and it was wonderful to sit down and relax out of the heat while not having to worry about what the kids were doing.

But back to yesterday. As soon as we got home I hit my "to do" list and got everyone ready for the week. The 4 year old and I did the grocery shopping and then I made two new recipes for dinner. Well, one new one and one that was still in "test" mode but that now I think is a real live recipe.

Parmesan Tomato Pasta Salad

1 bag tri colored pasta
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
1 to 3 cups fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 finely grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons dried tomato & garlic pesto mix (I use Tastefully Simple. Really, any of the dried seasonings made to add to olive oil for dipping bread would work fine. It all depends on the taste you are looking for in your finished dish!)

Boil pasta according to package directions. I prefer mine al dente, especially in a dish that might be served cold. Add sun dried tomatoes, fresh chopped tomato and baby spinach to cooking pasta during last few minutes of cooking.

While pasta is cooking mix together olive oil, cheese and pesto mix in small bowl. I prefer to use a whisk to mix this so that all of the seasoning is mixed in with the oil.

Drain the pasta and tomato mixture. Rinse with cold water and return to pot. Add seasoning and oil mixture and toss until well coated.

This dish can be served hot or cold. I prefer cold because I am not a big fan of warm tomatoes. Crazy, I know. I am the only Italian I know who doesn't really like tomato sauce... I added the fresh baby spinach because I add this to a lot of my dishes in an attempt to sneak more veggies onto my family's plates.

My husband and the 2 year old liked this side dish. The 4 year old not so much, but then again, he really doesn't eat much so I usually don't worry too much about his culinary opinion. This is a recipe I have been playing around with for some time, trying to get the oil mixture right. This time, it was pretty good! I served this with Blue Cheese Burgers. I am not a fan of hamburgers unless they are served to me at Red Robin, but my husband is a fan and part of my joy of cooking is making new dishes for him.

Blue Cheese Surprise Burgers

1 pound ground beef (I use as lean as I can find, which, to be honest, does seem to make the burgers a little dry. But it's a trade off I am willing to make for a healthier burger. It doesn't bother me, probably because I don't really like hamburgers to begin with.)

worcestershire sauce
course sea salt
black pepper
blue cheese (I used a wedge and just broke off what I needed with a spoon.)
dry red wine

Place ground beef in large bowl and add 4 to 6 shakes worcestershire sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix. Pull off about 1/4 of the meat mixture and roll into a ball. Push approximately 1 teaspoon of the blue cheese into the ball. Add more or less cheese to suit your taste. Roll the meat around the cheese and form a patty. Repeat until mix mixture is gone.

Pour enough red wine into a flat dish to cover the burgers halfway. Add a few more shakes of worcestershire sauce and stir. Place each burger into the wine and let sit while the broiler or grill is heating, turning once to coat both sides with the wine. Place the burgers on a greased broiler pan or onto grill. Cook until desired level of doneness.

These burgers are really good with fresh red onion on a sturdy kaiser roll. This is the first time I have made these burgers, although I have made meatballs with cheese inside and figured these would be similar to make. The cheese melted well. I think next time I make these burgers I will add a little more cheese. We could really taste the wine on these, so you might not want to serve these to the little ones. Mine ate chicken nuggets the night I made these burgers. My husband liked the blue cheese inside these burgers and this is definitely a meal I will be making again!

thank god for annie's

We are taking the boys to Cedar Point tomorrow for the weekend. Matthew has been asking to go to a beach for about a year now, so he is super excited. Plus, he absolutely loved Cedar Point last year. He is still talking about the rides and has already planned out what he will be riding this year. We have looked at the rides online and he is ready. We are all looking forward to it.

I have been working hard to assure that my family eats whole and healthy. This means less eating out, no fast food. (although Alex, Brad and I did just eat at Boston Market yesterday.) Snacks are healthy. Popsicles are fruit based, juice is 100%... I do have to admit though that I seem to have replaced my McDonald's sweet tea addiction with sugar free Kool Aid. So far cherry is my favorite.

So back to the weekend. Every meal will be eaten either in the park or in a restaurant. Like any other family, we'll do the best we can. Applesauce or oranges, when available, instead of french fries. No pop. (Which my kids don't drink anyways. My 4 year old did recently learn the joys of orange pop while at the zoo, but he knows that is for special occasions only.) And I am ready with the snacks and drinks. Thank God for annies, right?

I am armed and ready with the "gummy bunnies", as Matthew calls them. I've got bunny crackers and granola bars. I've got raisins. I've got 100% fruit juice drink boxes. Alex picked out his reusable water bottle and so now no one in the family will be drinking out of plastic containers. Not only is drinking filtered tap water less expensive, but drinking it out of BPA free containers is healthier for everyone. Bottled water runs about $6.00 for a case of 24 bottles, and at the amount we are supposed to drink every day a busy family, away from the home tap and fridge, can really shell out a lot of money over the course of a year! Plus, I want my children to understand that there simply isn't room in this world for waste items that don't break down. The other day my 4 year old and I were out somewhere and he spotted someone drinking from a disposable plastic bottle of water. He pointed it out to me and said "they should be using a bottle that is just theirs. They shouldn't be throwing that away." I was so proud!

 I think I can balance the unhealthy food choices we might have to make with our healthy snacks and drinks. Bring on the beach!



alex's pick for a reusable water bottle



The Mission: Create a Side Dish and Save Dinner!

The other day my husband and I were sitting at the kitchen table. He was eating a late dinner after having gotten home from the office too late to eat with the boys. The aforementioned boys were playing "race car", which meant every 20 seconds or so the older one would shoot past us wearing his race car helmet and holding the matching steering wheel out in front of him. About 20 seconds after that the little guy would waddle past holding the Wii steering wheel out in front of him, totally mimicking his older brother. The race car helmet makes appropriate race car noises and both boys were giggling and screaming. It was kind of loud. But I think I heard my husband ask about "grandma's potatoes". Now I don't know if anyone else has ever heard of this dish or if it is specific to my husband's family, but I do know that I had never heard of it prior to joining this family. My husband's sudden interest in side dishes could only mean one thing. Side dish boredom had set in. I had to act quickly.

So I wanted to spice up dinner but didn't want to head back to the grocery store. For me, at least, part of the fun of trying new recipes and cooking for my family is doing it all well and coming in under budget. Lacking the items needed for grandma's potatoes I did the next best thing and threw together a brand new potato dish. It wasn't too bad!

Beth's "Side Dish to the Rescue" New Potatoes

1 pound small new potatoes, quartered. I would think that any type of potato would work, I just happened to have new potatoes in the pantry.

2 cups fresh baby spinach

4 green onions. Use more, use less, depends on how much you like green onions.

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour (approximately)

salt to taste

black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon basil. I use fresh and I am just not sure I actually like basil, which is why I keep putting it in so many dishes. If you use dried then you will need to adjust the amount to suit your tastes.

1 cup milk (approximately) I use skim milk in all my recipes, because that is what I have on hand.

1 cup shredded cheese. I used mozzarella because that is what I had in the fridge. I would think any kind of cheese would be good in this dish, as long as it melts well. I would not use Velveeta. :)

bread crumbs.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the potatoes in lightly salted water in a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Boil for approximately 8 minutes or so. You want to use a large pot because you will be adding the spinach directly to the pot and will need the extra room. Stir in spinach and drain. Set aside.

In a smaller saucepan heat the butter. Cook the green onions in the hot butter over medium heat for about 3 minutes or so, until onions are softened. I like to use my kitchen shears to cut the green onions- so much easier than chopping and works great. This way you can cut them directly into the pot. Stir in flour, salt, pepper and basil. Continue stirring as you cook the mixture over medium heat until thickened. Add approximately 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and stir until melted.

Lightly coat a 2 quart baking dish with whatever you use to prevent foods form sticking. I usually use cooking spray or olive oil. Layer half of the potato and spinach mixture into the dish. Pour half the sauce over the potatoes and sprinkle with cheese. Top this with the remaining potatoes and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and breadcrumbs.

Bake, uncovered for about 25 minutes until potatoes reach your desired tenderness. I shut my oven off after 25 minutes and kept the door closed and didn't serve the potatoes until about 15 minutes after that, so they were in the oven for quite some time and they were fine. It seems like this is a dish that is hard to mess up, which, of course, makes it an instant favorite of mine!

These potatoes were really good. I may have added a smidge too much black pepper. My husband liked them. I liked them. The 24 month old smashed his with his spoon and then moussed up his hair with them. The 4 year old tasted them, stated they tasted "sour" and refused to try another bite. To his credit though, he really doesn't like potatoes. And to the 24 month old's credit, he didn't eat anything for dinner, so I'm thinking it was less the potatoes and more the heavy lunch that stopped him.

I served this side dish with homemade chicken and noodles. It was the first time I made the chicken and noodles without using some sort of cream soup, and it was lighter and yummier, and took only slightly longer. Plus, it was healthier. Two of the three boys ate the chicken and noodles; the little guy, again, just smushed his noodles into his hair.

OK, so if I had it to do all over again I would probably not serve potatoes with noodles. But my mission was to create a yummy side dish with what I had on hand, so mission accomplished.

Not Your Mom's Chicken & Noodles

3 cups frozen noodles

3 cups chicken broth

veggies. I used approximately 1 cup chopped onion, 2 stalks chopped celery and 1 cup frozen peas. You could also add sliced carrots.

2 cups milk

3 tablespoons flour

salt

black pepper

2 cups cooked chicken, or more, if your family really likes chicken. Mine doesn't really, so I only used about 2 cups.

In a large pot combine noodles, broth and veggies (except the peas). I used the granules to make the broth so I started with only water in the pot, then added the chicken broth granules, then added the veggies. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes or so, until noodles are the way you like them. Stir in 1 1/2 cup milk and the peas.

In a separate bowl combine the remaining milk (1/2 cup), flour, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Add to noodle mixture along with diced chicken. Stir  and serve.

I waited to add the milk/flour mixture until we were ready to sit down at the table, so the noodle mixture sat on the stove on "low" for about 10 extra minutes. The noodles were fine. I love dishes that can wait on the stove until we are ready, don't you?

dare I dream about finally making the perfect cup of iced coffee... at home?

I just found an old Starbucks gift card and checked on the balance and woo hoo, woo - there's enough money on it for the small french press I've been eyeing! Overnight iced coffee, here I come!

I have tried the whole refrigerating the hot brewed coffee way of living, and it is not for me. Something happens after the hot coffee cools down, leaving it bitter. I have been trying for a while now and just can't re-create the yummy iced coffee my favorite coffee shops are hawking. And by my "favorite coffee shops" I mean pretty much every coffee shop I have ever passed. I love coffee shops. But I digress. Coffee shops are expensive and taking the kids is difficult and often annoying to the other patrons. Although I do enjoy the "mommy and matthew" time we have at Starbucks. We play Uno or spell words with the Boggle tiles, we talk about our day, we share. And my son learns a little bit about the world and how to behave in it. But again, I digress. What was I talking about? Oh yes, iced coffee. ahhhhhhh.

So word on the specialty coffee drink street is that for really amazing iced coffee you need a french press. And I have been wanting one for a while now. So I might just have to use this gift card, which I know is mine despite the horrible way we keep track of our gift cards, because my husband hates all things coffee and anyone who knows him well would never get him a Starbucks gift card. And really, should we be accepting gift cards from people we don't know well?

I'll keep you posted on my iced coffee success. (thinking positively!) And if it works, I might just chuck my old coffee maker to the curb. The thing has never worked properly since the day I took it out of the box, and a cute little red french press would look oh so much better on my counter!

I dare you to find the veggies in this tomato sauce!

Today for lunch Alex and I had leftovers from last night's upside down pizza casserole. It was just as yummy a day later as it was last night. I love it when a meal is as good as it is inexpensive- a true win win! One of the reasons this recipe was so easy to pull together was the fact that I already had the sauce made and waiting in the freezer. If you try making the extra veggie sauce you might want to double the recipe so that you have some waiting for you too!

upside down pizza casserole

1 pound very lean ground beef
2 cups extra veggie tomato sauce (see recipe below)
shredded mozzarella cheese
1 clove garlic (can use garlic powder or minced garlic)
Italian seasoning
1 tin refrigerated biscuits
spray butter or 1 tablespoon melted butter
garlic salt

cook ground beef and drain fat. mix in sauce, (you can also use jar sauce), garlic (chopped), and seasoning. pour into 2 quart baking dish. cover with cheese. flatten biscuits and place on top, with sides touching. spray butter spray or brush melted butter onto top of biscuits. season with Italian seasonings or garlic salt. add more cheese on top, if desired. bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until biscuits are done. be careful with the biscuits- they will look done on top but may not be done underneath- you may have to flip them over if they do not bake properly.

extra veggie tomato sauce

olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
28 ounces whole tomatoes (canned works great)
2 carrots, shredded
sea salt
black pepper
oregano
1 bell pepper, any color, chopped
1 small zucchini, shredded

Heat the oil in a saucepan with the onions and garlic. Saute them until they begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, pinch of salt and pepper, oregano to taste, carrots, pepper and zucchini. Simmer for 20 minutes or so.

I find it is easier to puree the sauce with an immersion blender directly in the pot to minimize mess but you could use a food processor or blender. I use my immersion blender for everything! This sauce works well with whatever veggies you have wilting away in your crisper; you don't have to use what I have suggested. Leave out the carrots, add extra peppers or squash. It's all good! As long as you don't overtake the flavor of the tomatoes you should be fine. When you are ready to serve sauce, cross your fingers and say a little prayer that your family won't figure out your veggie secret.

 

The boys had this meal with mandarin oranges and my husband and I enjoyed a salad with ours. Easy, healthy, inexpensive, and yummy!

home made granola - yum!

The first request for a past recipe is in and it is for home made granola. This is a recipe I have played around with time and again, and I have found that each time I make it is just a little different than the last time, even with the same ingredients. It could be that granola is tricky. Or it could just be me. It's probably me. Anyways, this is how my family likes it. Yours will have different tastes, so you will probably need to conduct a few experiments of your own to figure out the right combination of add ins to suit your tastes. But hopefully you'll have fun eating the trials!

home made granola

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats. (not instant. I use steel cut but any type will work)
1/2 cup slivered almonds. (most people prefer more nuts, so you might want to increase the amount used.)
1/2 tablespoon wheat germ (optional. I use it because why pass up an easy way to sneak it in without the family knowing what you're up to?)
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon. (or any other spice you would like)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil (canola, sunflower, whatever you have should work)
1/2 to 3/4 cup pure maple syrup. (dark works the best, I think)
1 cup dried fruits (raisins, apricots, cherries, cranberries- you really can't go wrong here.)

Make sure your rack is in the middle of the oven and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. You can butter the cookie sheet instead, but I have found that this makes the granola harder to work with.

In a bowl combine the rolled oats, nuts, wheat germ, spices, and salt. In a smaller bowl stir together the maple syrup and oil. Pour over the dry mixture and mix with your hands until everything is coated well. Spread mixture onto your cookie sheet and bake for approximately 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to assure that the entire mixture browns evenly. Keep in mind that the darker brown the granola gets the crunchier it will be. If you prefer a less crunchy granola, as I do, then reduce your baking time and watch your mixture closely!

When you remove the pan from the oven the granola may still be sticky- don't freak out. This does not mean you didn't cook it long enough. (believe me, I learned this the hard way.) Your granola will dry out a little as it cools. Go ahead and break up any large pieces with a wooden spoon before it cools too much. Once it has cooled completely you can add in the dried fruits.

Store your granola in a airtight container. I have tried storing it both in the refrigerator and in the pantry, and I have found no difference in the taste. If you are one of those people who feel that everything needs to be refrigerated then by all means have at it!

welcome to my first "eating out of the box" blog post!

Three years ago when we brought our oldest son home from China we found ourselves faced with figuring out how to deal with his eczema. Everywhere I turned for information seemed to confuse me even further. Some experts touted withholding milk products. Others urged us to stay away from white flour. Yet another expert loudly proclaimed that food had nothing to do with the rashes and painful itching. All of these opposing views led to many interesting diet experiments.

My son is now 4 years old. He shot out of toddler hood with a major growth spurt and a lessening of the eczema. While the nearly invisible bumps and overall itchiness remain, his itchy patches have narrowed to a few stubborn locations. True to eczema's normal routine, he has developed asthma and continues to experience stress induced itchiness. And I still have no clue if it was diet, aging, or a combination of both that helped him through it.

While I was experimenting with these diet restrictions for my son one thing became clear. Why was I only concerned with our eating habits because of the eczema? Why were we not always choosing the whole foods path? I began to test the waters, sticking one toe in, trying new recipes and changing the way I shopped for food. Along the way I discovered that my whole foods experiment was so much more than I originally thought. Soon I found myself  daydreaming about farmer's markets, locally grown foods, making my own granola. And so it began...

Here is what I have learned so far:

 So far I have learned that there is an art to making perfect granola. Too long in the oven or not enough honey and it is way too crunchy for my tastes. Thankfully I have one of those husbands who will pretty much eat anything, so my granola experiments are not a total loss.

I have learned that Greek yogurt is amazing and can be used in so many ways. Why is this stuff not everywhere?

Thanks to an unfortunate diaper bag incident I am now painfully aware of the differences between organic fruit snacks and those you find in the cereal aisle at the local grocery store. After leaving fruit snacks in the car during the hottest week of the year so far, I found myself in the grocery store with a very cranky Matthew and in great need of a yummy diversion. The first bag I opened were "gummy bunnies", as Matthew calls them- organic bunny shaped fruit snacks. The poor little bunnies were completely melted together into one large, colorful bunny ball. The "gummy fire trucks" that I bought at the grocery store were fine. Totally fine. Not melted together, not even sticky. They were fine. Good Lord. How many preservatives must be in these things? Those organic bunnies are expensive, but so worth it.

I also learned that my "it must be nice friend" will never "get it". We all know someone who doesn't understand or agree with the lifestyle we have chosen. I can think of a few examples myself of times I heard what a friend was up to in his or her life and I would think to myself, "That's not the choice I would have made." Second guessing our friends and family is practically a national pastime. But then we sometimes have those people in our lives who seem to want what we have, may actually ask us our advice on how to achieve whatever it is we are accomplishing that they wish they had in their life, but who refuses to actually make any substantial changes in order to get it.
Recently my "it must be nice" friend said this to me: "It must be nice to have the time to cook organic meals for your family. I would love to do that, but I just work too  many hours." Now anyone who knows me knows that I put in a lot of hours at my job. I can barely find the time to do laundry. My to do list is as long as anyone else's. It is all about priorities. Oh, and by the way, my "it must be nice" friend, get this. First of all, I am rarely cooking organic. There is a difference between organic and whole. And while it is more time consuming than ordering take out or opening a box of preservative laden food for my family, it certainly is not impossible. Proper planning and the desire to make a difference in my family's life is all it takes.

I have learned that my family can afford to eat right, even with the addition of our second child.

I occasionally post recipes of my successes (after many failures, I assure you!) and a friend recently suggested I start a blog so others can try their hand at creating their own versions of these meals. While I am flattered, I must state, loudly, that these recipes are what works for me and my boys. If you do ever decide to make a meal I have suggested, please, please, please put your own spin on it. That is the fun of cooking!

And one last thing I have learned. I have learned that while I can attribute some of my recent weight loss to eating out of box, (my most recent weight loss is due, 100%, to that month I just spent in Russia...), I still feel so much better. So much. And I don't think it is all the actual food, although I know that has it's place. It is the planning, the shopping, the chopping and cooking, the enjoyment I get from spending a few hours a day away from the crazy, fast paced, media heavy world  secluded in my kitchen with my boys. Who knows, maybe this is just the beginning. Maybe other, bigger changes are right around the corner for me and my boys...