Navigating the Chemical Free Highway!

Hannah made dinner!

2010-06-17T21:30:00.000-07:00

Hannah's creative dinner idea! Tortilla chips with tomatoes, chopped spinach, cheese and cream cheese! Was pretty yummy!

Cilantro is a salads best friend!

2010-06-12T09:59:00.001-07:00

I recently discovered how amazing herbs are in a salad, expecially Cilantro!!!

1st Food Co-op Order!!

2010-06-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

When I got here, I soon realized finding a health food store was not easy, and the two very smalls ones in the area are also very pricey :-( Then I discovered Trader Joes, which I LOOOOOOVE!!! But, I still couldnt get everything there, and wanted to buy in bulk. And I wanted organic. I get very reasonable prices on sugar, flour and oil at the Commissary on base. And the strawberry patch sells farm fresh local eggs. But I could not find things like organic dried beans. So, a friend reminded me of one resource I had found about a year ago, called Quail Cove Farms! It works kind of like a Food Co-op, so Ill call it that :-) That same friend posted a link on Facebook to a video called "The Future of Food", and after viewing it, I knew it was beyond time to go fully organic! So, we are about a month in, and cooking about 95% from scratch. (which isnt a big deal, we were already about 80%) So, here is my loot from my first order. Red Lentils, green lentils, coconut, oatmeal, black beans, provalone, a HUGE bag of garbanzo beans (we love hummas), and some extra virgin coconut oil for sunscreen, yes, sunscreen!

Sourdough starter!

2010-06-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

I LOVE my sourdough starter! And I also love this cute jump cocoa mug I found to keep it in ;-)
I tried to make a sourdough starter about a year and a half ago, but failed. Then I found some really great videos that showed me what I was doing wrong! Here is a video I followed to grow my starter. My current starter is organic, and was started about 2 months ago.

Some favorites!

2010-06-02T22:19:00.000-07:00

I am in LOVE with my sour dough starter!!! A friend shared this recipe with me, and it is the bomb! Really, hands down, the BEST waffles ever!

SOURDOUGH WAFFLES
1/2 CUP SOURDOUGH STARTER
2 CUPS WATER
2 CUPS FLOUR
MIX TOGETHER AND LET SIT OUT OVER NIGHT

THE NEXT MORNING ADD:
2 EGGS
4 TABLESPOON SUGAR
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA MIXED IN 2 TABLE SPOON WATER
1/2 CUP OIL
MIX ALL TOGETHER AND COOK IN WAFFLE IRON

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Homemade donuts! I used mini bundt pans to make THESE. The older kids loved them. I gotta say they are awesome warm! But also good the next morning :-)

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The hubbys favorite cookies are oatmeal cookies. THESE turned out nice and soft, I had a hard time stopping myself from eating them all!

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Some cutie apple pies made in the mini bundt pans :-)

GONE ORGANIC!!!

2010-05-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

I have wanted to go organic for a long time, and we finally made the plunge! We are now almost completely organic! This involved giving ALOT of food to a food bank, which did not thrill the kids. But, After watching The Future of Food, I knew it was time to start feeding my kids real, healthy, clean food.

This is the BEST sourdough bread recipe Ive found so far, we LOVE it! And we had it today with hummas.

A few of the latest...

2009-10-18T12:24:00.000-07:00

Dinner last Thursday night. Cabbage Rolls, Meatloaf, and Rice with mushroom gravy. Gravy wasnt loved.

Berry crisp. Kids werent crazy about it, but it was very pretty!

This is a popover, baked in a mini bunt pan. With a hint of powdered sugar and a scoop of amazing Breyers Caramel Praline Crunch Real Ice Cream! Yummo!

Spinach and Hummas stuffed Mini Pita Shells (from TJ's)

2009-07-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

These turned out super cute and yummy! The mini pita shells were purchased at Trader Joes. And they were paired with a side salad!
Hummas recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Real-Hummus/Detail.aspx
( I added extra garli and some cumin!)

Indian Chapati Bread!!!

2009-05-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

Recipe is from: http://showmethecurry.com/
The ladies who run the site are great!!!

Homemade Donuts!!!

2009-05-15T06:18:00.000-07:00

By far, the BEST 'donut' recipe yet! It was supposed to be called a Popover, but I used a mini bunt pan, and YUMMMM!!!! Rather then the fruit in the pic, I drizzeled them with a thin frosting coat. (I know, less healthy, but that made it a donut!)
They are best right out of the oven. The next morning they are still good, but not nearly as good as fresh and warm! This one is a keeper!!! Oh, and really easy to make!
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Popovers/Detail.aspx

A Very Berry Day!!

2009-05-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

These cookies were really easy and good! We made them with our homemade strawberry jam! RECIPE

This is Raw Strawberry Shortcake. It was more work then traditional shortcake, but turned out pretty good! All four kids liked it, which is rare! I added extra strawberries. RECIPE

Super yummy Strawberry Jam! Calvin couldnt stop eating it, we will be making a big batch tomorrow! RECIPE

Green Eggs!!

2009-03-07T15:36:00.000-08:00

Hannahs class was having green eggs and ham, and since we dont do pork, I skipped on the ham. But the green eggs were a must. So, I put some spinach in the mixer with some water and let it run awhile. Then, mixed my green liquid with some eggs and fried them up!

V-day yummies :-)

2009-02-13T18:35:00.000-08:00

I made a few practice treats, preparing for tomorrows V-day dinner I plan to put on for the family. I havent gotten as much done as planned, as Luke has been sick :-(
The gummie recipe is great!!
The mini cupcakes turned out too dry, so they were todays after school snacks, but they did turn out cute!!

A hit with the hubby!

2009-01-29T14:38:00.001-08:00

In this burrito is a yummy mixture I came up with yesterday. This was my lunch, and for dinner I made the same filling, but put it in french bread!
I put some Olive Oil in a pan, sauted onion and garlic. Added raw mushroom strips and red pepper strips. After a while, I added some salt and halved grape tomatoes. Let it saute for a while then added fresh cilantro. I placed the yummy mix onto of swiss and provolone cheese!

Bradshaw Banana Split!

2009-01-24T19:39:00.001-08:00

Bananas, strawberry ice cream, crushed pineapple, and chocolate....mmmmmmm.........

Quinoa Soup!

2009-01-20T06:55:00.000-08:00

This is, about 1.5 cup cooked Quinoa, a can of black beans WITH the juice, a can of organic sweet corn, a diced tomato, and my favorite seasonings! YUMM!!

This week...

2009-01-11T11:02:00.000-08:00

EXCELENT Spinach-Feta Bread!! I made great sandwiches with it for lunch today, the hubby LOVED it! RECIPE It tastes like bread you would eat in an upscale restaurant :-)

I've been playing with Quinoa. It really good! My favorite recipe so far, is cooked Quinoa, with a can of black beans, a can of corn, some diced tomatoes, and my four favorite spices, as shown below :-)

Two new Yummies!

2009-01-03T15:29:00.000-08:00

My sweet tooth was aching for comfort, so I mixed together:
About 1/4 cup of Tofu
1 cup Vanilla Soy milk
1/4 cup frozen OJ
6 frozen strawberries
And WOW was it good!!!

The end of the hunk of bread got left out last night, and got hard. So, I cut it up into bits, sprinkled with a small amount of olive oil, sea salt, fresh garlic and parsley. Our first Croutons since we started Feingold 9 months ago!! They baked at 350*f for about 15 minutes.

Yummy White Pizza!!

2008-12-31T15:53:00.000-08:00

The kids all LOVE my homemade Ranch dressing. So, for New Years Eve, the each got to make their own mini pizza. The RECIPE for the crust is great!! It was the softest dough Ive ever neaded, and baked light and airy. (The pizza shown above was the thinner batch). We then topped it with ranch and Mozzerella cheese. This was Calvins first time having white pizza and loved it :-)

My first Crepes!!

2008-12-29T08:20:00.000-08:00

This recipe turned out great:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Basic-Crepes/Detail.aspx
The topping was just 1.5 cups strawberries, .25 cup sugar, and half a pack of cream cheese all mushed together. YUMMY!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

2008-11-27T18:56:00.001-08:00

Turkey was ok, but will do different next year.
Yams were GREAT! Recipe
Mac'n'cheese was good! Recipe
Potato salad recipe is below
Stuffing was good, didnt really follow a recipe.

Drop Biscuits

2008-11-26T20:35:00.002-08:00

Im not a big biscuit fan, but my husband is, and gave these a thumbs up.
RECIPE

Beautiful, Yummy, Chemically Free Pies!

2008-11-26T20:32:00.000-08:00

Both of these recipes are great!
Pumpkin Pie
Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato- Potato Salad

2008-11-24T10:30:00.000-08:00

I did my trial run today, and it turned out Great!! And pretty too :-)
RECIPE

My 1st homemade Pie Shells!!!

2008-11-24T06:19:00.001-08:00

The pile shells turned out great! This is a SUPER EASY recipe!! They look beautiful, hopefully they taste great too! Cant wait to fill and bake them on Thanksgiving :-)
RECIPE

Pumpkin Time!!

2008-11-24T06:06:00.001-08:00

We made these fantastic pancakes this morning, they kids gave them rave reviews!!
RECIPE

Great Alfredo Sauce

2008-11-15T16:47:00.000-08:00

Dinner was Alfredo over pasta and Butternut Squash Pie (Recipe below)
Here is the Alfredo sauce (Thanks SusanW!)
16 ounces dry fettuccine pasta --I used Rotini pasta
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
While pasta is cooking, melt cream cheese and butter in a skillet over low heat. Stir until smooth. Stir in milk and Parmesan cheese, and season with garlic, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 3 minutes, or until thickened, stirring constantly.

And the left over Alfredo sauce made a great Pizza sauce!!!!

Indian Sprouted Lentils!

2008-10-29T05:59:00.000-07:00

I know these may not look real appealing, but Im telling you, these turned out GOOD! All four kids ate theirs and two had seconds!! They turned out really yummy, and will be a new regular of ours! I sprouted the lentils in a glass jar for about 3 days. Then, I took an onion, some fresh garlic and ginger, and sauted them in a pan. Once the onions were soft, I added the lentils along with a good amount of Cumin, tumeric, and some salt and pepper. After about 10 minutes, I added half a cup of water, and let that cook for another 10 minutes. YUM!

A Feingold Halloween!

2008-10-29T05:58:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Seeds!!

2008-10-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year, because I love squash! Yesterday, Luke and I stopped at a pumpkin patch (Farmers Market) to pick up a few pie pumpkins and a bail of hay (for the compost). We made pumkin cake, and cupcakes last night. Today we will make bars and pie. But, those photos will be later, because I ran out of stuff for frosting, and I must have frosting!!
These seeds were easy. Luke sorted out all the seeds, then we added a bit of oil to the stone, sprinkled with cinnamon and salt, and put in the oven at 350* for 20 minutes. (Stirring every 5 minutes). Meya didnt like them, but everyone else did!

Oatmeal Waffles, YUM!

2008-10-18T06:47:00.000-07:00

These turned out really good!! All the kids loved them, and they are full of whole grains (I ground the wheat flour fresh).
Here is the recipe:
(I added 1 t. vanilla & 1T. sugar to the recipe)
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Oatmeal-Waffles-2/Detail.aspx

New Mexican style Breakfast Burritos!!

2008-10-18T06:43:00.000-07:00

These became a favorite of ours in NM!! The peppers are not on Hannahs diet, but everything else fits. Besides, the peppers are too hot for her anyhow :-)

They are really simple.
Potato chunks, or hashbrowns, fryed in a bit of oil.
Scrambled eggs with salt and pepper
Green Chilli Peppers
On a Tortilla!!
YUM!

Cheese Dip!

2008-10-18T06:38:00.000-07:00

The kids enjoyed THIS:

Not THIS:

The cheese dip turned out pretty good, about an 8. Ill try to inprove it next time, but they had 2 servings and thought it was just fine :-)
Heres the recipe:
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter or margarine. Mix in flour and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir continually until the mixture is simmering.
Slowly pour milk into the mixture. Continue stirring over a medium heat until the mixture has thickened. Stir in cheese and mustard. Continue stirring until all of the cheese is melted and the dip is smooth. Serve warm after adding salt and pepper to taste.

Soft Pretzels!!

2008-10-13T08:07:00.000-07:00

These turned out SO good!! So much better then any Ive even bought! Definitly a 10!
Here is the recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Buttery-Soft-Pretzels/Detail.aspx

8.5 Macaroni Salad

2008-10-08T07:48:00.000-07:00

This got the husbands approval :-) Id rate it about an 8.5
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbs. vinegar
1 Tbsp. mustard powder
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 sticks chopped celery
1 chopped onion
4 cups (when dry) cooked and drained macaroni
Mix and chill well before serving

Second Generation Vita Mix!

2008-10-06T17:56:00.001-07:00

Thanks Mom, Im loving it! Im still searching for the 'perfect' smoothy recipe..... The smaller purple-ish one is pretty good, once I doubled the orange and added blueberries!

Cheesy Beans!

2008-10-06T17:53:00.000-07:00

It took me 28 years to realize that pinto beans...... are refried beans! I LOVE them homemade!! I cook a crock pot full (one bag, about $.60) then, add 6 slices of cheese and some salt. YUM!

KT's Iced Coffee Milkshake!

2008-10-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

I found a recipe online, and altered it to fit our diet, and here it is. YUM! Luke is enjoying a class also.....shhh.... :-)
In blender, add:
2/3 cup of strong brewed coffee
9 large ice cubes
1 T. cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
5 oz. sweetened condensed milk
Blend and serve on ice!

Beefy Cheesy Pasta

2008-10-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

Since Hannah has strong reactions to tomatoes, Im always looking for new pasta recipes, without tomatoes in them. This was got pretty good reviews from the kids.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Beefy-Cheesy-Pasta/Detail.aspx

Spaghetti Squash

2008-09-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

This is a wonderful spaghetti squash recipe. Simple and good!
(Again, I will upload a photo as soon as I take one :-)
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spaghetti-Squash-I/Detail.aspx?prop31=2

Butternut Squash Casserole

2008-09-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

This recipe had alot of good reviews, so we gave it a try. I personally LOVED it! The kids ate it, but thats about it. Im not sure what is wrong with them :-) It was sweet and soft with crunch on top.
My kids also dont like sweet potatoes, which I love. If you like sweet potatoes, you will enjoy this!
RECIPE
ps. I used 1.5 packs of saltines instead of vanilla wafers, so my topping was much fuller and crunchier!

Corn Dogs!!

2008-09-26T14:24:00.000-07:00

Hannah claims all the other kids were jealous of her lunch, when she pulled out her homemade corn dog! I gotta admit, they turned out pretty darn good!
Corn Dog Recipe

SUPER yummy cinnamon rolls I forgot to take a pic of.....

2008-09-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

But no worries, I WILL be making more this weekend, and will get a pic then!

Click here:
Clone of a Cinnabon!

Red lentil Curry

2008-07-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

No, this does not fit into Hannah diet. But, I will be altering it soon, so it will!
This turned out SO good! I'll surely be making some Naan to go with it for dinner. Im pretty confident this will go over well with the husband. It is a flavor I would expect to find and enjoy at our local Indian Restaurant. Id give it a 9!

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
2 cups red lentils
1 large onion, diced
1/8 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 inch ginger root, minced
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

DIRECTIONS
Wash the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear (this is very important or the lentils will get "scummy"), put the lentils in a pot with water to cover and simmer covered until lentils tender (add more water if necessary).
While the lentils are cooking: In a large skillet or saucepan, caramelize the onions in vegetable oil.
While the onions are cooking, combine the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, salt, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a mixing bowl. Mix well. When the onions are cooked, add the curry mixture to the onions and cook over a high heat stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in the tomato sauce and reduce heat, allow the curry base to simmer until the lentils are ready.
Mix the curry base into the lentils and serve immediately.

2 thumbs up from the husband!

2008-07-21T15:47:00.000-07:00

Here is the recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Honey-Wheat-Sandwich-Rolls/Detail.aspx?strb=1
After I topped them with butter, I added a dab of honey.uummmm!

Pancake result!

2008-07-21T14:24:00.000-07:00

Here is the result of the pancake recipe listed below. It is very much a whole wheat pancake. If you like the taste of whole wheat, you will enjoy this recipe. Id give it a 8.5. It was very eatable!
I added some chocolate chips to some for the kids. Now I regret not having added them to most of the batch, since it will be a transition for the kids, from white pancakes.

Milling Whole Grain Wheat into Flour!

2008-07-21T07:18:00.000-07:00

I was told, and researched to confirm, that wheat actually contains good amounts of protein and fiber! I had no idea! BUT, the trick is that it must be consumed within 72 hours of being milled into flour, after that point 80% of its nutrients are lost. I dont have a flour mill, or $300-$700 laying around to go get one. So, I used my vintage garage sale blender, and it worked great! I put the grain in, about a half cup at a time for 5-8 minutes. (I didnt time it). Basically, until it looked like flour :-) Then I sifted it, and put the larger pieces back in the blender.
I baked a loaf of bread yesterday, using 2c ww flour and 1.5 c all purpose flour and it turned out great. Not as airy as white bread, but I expected that. Im setting a goal for now, of cooking with at least 50% fresh milled ww flour.
Where I messed up this time, was that I milled my whole 2 pound bag. So, we will be eating ALOT of wheat in the next 2-3 days! I want to use it while it contains the "good stuff". In the future, I will grab the blender and do what I need for the next two days.
I ran out of milk last night, so for breakfast we couldnt do ww pancakes, but we will tomorrow. Once I can get to the store. Here is the recipe I plan to try first:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grain-and-Nut-Whole-Wheat-Pancakes/Detail.aspx
Minus the nuts.
Oatmeal is also a great source of fiber and nutrients!

I made laundry soap!!

2008-07-21T07:03:00.000-07:00

Ok, no denying the fact that I am proud of myself. I made laundry soap!! On the right of the picture is the laundry soap, and to the left is baking soda. Each load gets a half cup of each, and Im still spending at least 70% less then buying factory soap! Of course, I have to use my time to make it, but since I am home with the kids, time is all I have :-)
The soap was stored in a 15 gallon platic tub for awhile, because I couldnt find anything to put it in. Then, on Saturday, I stopped at ReStore, and found this PERFECT duel holder for $5!! YEAH!
Now I just need to make a nice top for it :-)
And Im not saving all our dryer link for my compost pile. More to come on that topic....
Here is the link to the laundry soap recipe:
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap2.htm
And here is more info on ReStore: (profits go to Habitat for Humanity!!)
http://www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx

The Not so Successful Twinkie Rip-Off....

2008-07-17T07:37:00.000-07:00

Well, my attempt at faux twinkies didnt turn out so successful. We basically ended up with pound cake and some weird textured runny frosting with clumps. Good thing the kids didnt know what the end result goal was intended to be. So, happy as ever, they ate it.
But we still dont have twinkies......

YUMM-EEEE :-)

2008-07-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

After a few days of begging, I made the kids some pizza. They got a pizza made with the untomato sauce that was LOADED with spices to ensure the 'beet' flavor is covered. They ate it right up and loved it. Hannah even said "Mom, this pizza tastes just like the bad kind of pizza!"
Then, I made myself my own pizza :-) It turned out so pretty, I had to take a pic and write it down, so I wont forget it!
I started with this dough recipe,
http://www.recipezaar.com/267552
Which I added about 1 T. of each: garlic, oregano, and basil. When it was done, I split it in half, to make 2 pizzas on round stones.
Then, I covered the toasted dough with homemade ranch, fresh grated parm cheese, mozzarella cheese, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, more parm cheese, then topped with oregano and garlic. YUM!

My first cheese!!

2008-07-08T06:58:00.001-07:00

After an amazing trip to a goat dairy farm, I was equipt with enough insight to make my first cheese out of yogurt!! And I gotta say, it was good :-) I have a larger size in the fridge now, with garlic and herbs, just a few more days.......

Oatmeal Cookies

2008-07-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

These were really yummy, soft oatmeal cookies. I will surely keep this recipe, as my husband is a hard core oatmeal cookie lover! He only likes them plain. So, for the kids and I, we added choc chips and choc bits. I doubled this recipe, made close to 6dozen cookies, and froze another 2 dozen in the form of dough, for another day. Okay, and we didnt single handedly eat 6 dozen, half went to a friend :-)
Here is the recipe from allrecipes.com
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup butterscotch chips
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream margarine, oil, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually stir in the sifted ingredients until well blended. Mix in oats and butterscotch chips. Drop from a teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Let set up on the cookie sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cowboy-Oatmeal-Cookies/Detail.aspx

Homemade Ice Cream!

2008-07-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

Ya know, just like the stuff you made as a kid! The flavor reminded me of a night when I was a child, and my dad made ice cream at home. I remembered the joy, excitement and amazement. Hopefully the kids now have some fond homemade ice cream memories also!!
Luke had to get every last drop out of his bag!

Heres Meya shake'n it!

We ran out of large ziplock bags, and made due with mason jars!

If you havent done this before, its a must! The rock salt was only $1.05 at our local super market. The flavor is great!
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBlpSyr2Ryo

Frozen Yogurt Pop!

2008-06-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

My helper Luke and I found a yummy way to use some left over chunks of papaya!
In a blender, we liquified:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 t. vanilla extract
1 cup papaya chunks
1 cup pineapple chunks
1 cup pineapple juice.
We then put them in the freezer, in popsicle trays. It took them a full day to get all the way hard, I guess yogurt freezes slow??..
They are very rich, and very yogurty, and the kids LOVED them!!
Im sure we will play with this idea much more in the future with lots of other fruits.

Homemade Pancake Mix

2008-06-27T07:53:00.000-07:00

I am finding that most pancake mixes that are approved for Hannah to have, contain Hyro oils. I am trying to aviod giving those to the kids as much as possible, so Ive been looking for a good mix recipe. I think Ive found one!! I would estimate the cost of making it to be about half the cost of buying it, so thats a plus.

The bottom Pancake is made as the recipe directs. The middle pancake has an extra 1/8 cup of milk added, this is the one I prefer. The top pancake has an extra 1/4 cup of milk added.

I used an old 10 pound bag from pancake mix we had used up to hold my new mix.
Here is the recipe:
INGREDIENTS
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS FOR PANCAKES:
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS FOR BLUEBERRY BANANA PANCAKES:
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 medium ripe banana, mashed
3/4 cup blueberries
DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.
To prepare pancakes: In a bowl, combine egg and milk. Whisk in 1 cup pancake mix. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle; turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes. Cook until second side is golden brown
To prepare blueberry banana pancakes: In a bowl, combine egg, milk and banana. Whisk in 1 cup pancake mix. Fold in blueberries. Cook as directed above.

Waffle Ala Mode!

2008-06-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

I made a waffle mix, that is extra sweet, topped it with Bryers Natural Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream, a slice of waffle and drizzled it with the chocolate syrup mentioned below. When handed hers, Hannah asked "Wow Mom, will be have this another time?!"
Here is the recipe I used for the waffle mix, except I made it in a normal waffle machine.
WAFFLE CONE

WAFFLE-CONE - Waffle ice-cream cone, pizelles

This recipe comes from a recent issue of Canadian Living
magazine. Waffle cones look like round waffles shaped into
a cone, and have a wonderful taste. (I admit it-I'm hooked
on them.) This recipe is actually for a type of cookie
called the pizelle, but it tastes just like the waffle cones
you can get at an ice-cream parlor.

INGREDIENTS (about 20 cones)
3 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups
flour
2 tsp baking powder

PROCEDURE
(1) Beat the eggs and gradually beat in the sugar
until the mixture is creamy.

(2) Stir in the melted butter and vanilla.

(3) Combine the flour and baking powder, and then add
it to the mixture. Blend it in well.

(4) Drop about 4 tsp of the batter into a heated
pizelle iron, and cook both sides over medium-high
heat for about 1 minute each, or until golden
brown.

(5) Remove the waffle from the pizelle iron and
immediately shape it into a cone while it is still
pliable.

MMMMM.....Indian!

2008-06-26T05:11:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me well, knows that my favorite food in the world is Indian! I could eat it everyday! In fact, I try to convince Calvin that we should just move to India, but I guess he doesnt feel the love of a food should cause us to move half way around the globe :-)
So, now that Im cooking more, I getting more courage to try different recipes. And thanks to great sites like allrecipes.com, I can read reviews first, to aviod potential disaster recipes. They are prooving to be a great help in avoiding waste of time, money and energy. So, all you recipe websites, my hats off to you!!

Here is the naan. I changed around the recipe a little, so I will post 'my' version here. Keep in mind, this bread gets a bit tough after a day or so. Its better to eat right away or soon after. Well, this was Calvins critic, the kids didnt have one, they loved it!
INGREDIENTS
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour or more, until the dough has doubled in volume.
Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 500*f, with pizza stone, or any large stone inside oven.
Roll dough into flat circle, brush with butter on each side.
Place dough in oven, on HOT stone for 3-4 minutes. Its ready when you start to see dark brown spots on top side of bread.
Enjoy!!!

This chicken recipe is not stage 1, but will be soon :-) I made it last night, to see how it tasted, next I will be switching out ingredients, until I get the right mixture for Hannah to have! But Ive gotta say, it was really good!
Heres the recipe:
http://www.recipezaar.com/88578

This last recipe I have made three times, it is stage 1, but I keep forgetting to take a photo of it :-( I will add one soon, because I know I will be making it again, and likely soon! It is really good. There is a trick though, and I need to figure it out, as to getting it the right creamy consistency. All the kids loved it! I got this from the feingold recipe board, under Cindys Recipes, so Thanks Cindy!
Indian Spice Chicken
1 stick butter
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
1 T. cumin
1 T. turmeric
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. chicken stock or water
1/2 c. sour cream

Saute chicken strips in butter until browned. Add cumin, turmeric and garlic; stir and saute for a couple of minutes. Add stock or water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sour cream and heat through (do not boil). Good with brown rice

Hello...YUM!

2008-06-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

Homemade potato chips...mmmmm.....
I didnt have lunch planned, so we cut up a few potatos and tossed them in a hot pan of oil, and dipped them in the carrot ketchup! YUM! Oh, and a sprinkel of salt :-)

Hannah was my assistant this morning, making some cocoanut maccroons! Then, we made Susan's Better Than Hershey's Syrup to dip them in! YUM!
Heres the super yummy chocolate syrup recipe:
Better Thank Hershey's Syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Mix sugar, cocoa, salt and water in saucepan. Heat until boiling, stirring constantly until everything dissolves. Remove from heat and add vanilla. When it has cooled down, pour into a clean chocolate syrup squeeze bottle.

For a glass of chocolate milk, add 1-2 TBS syrup. Great on desserts and in coffee mochas, too.

Cinnamon Biscotti!

2008-06-19T07:09:00.001-07:00

While cleaning up some in the kitchen yesterday, to begin a new batch of cooking, I decided to make the old bread pieces and ends into crumbs. I put them all on a bread sheet, and in the oven. Before I could get them ground up in the food processor, the kids had eaten them all! This got my wheels goes, and used my new loaf, that didnt raise properly, to make cinnamon biscotti's!
Next I will cut just the crust off the whole loaf, cut them into small squares, sprinkle with cinnamon, and have cinnamon chips!!
Im really enjoying the adventurous side of home cooking. And the kids are too!!

Ketchup.....Kind of....

2008-06-19T07:05:00.001-07:00

In avoiding tomatoes, this is attempt #2 at ketchup. The first recipe smelled horrid. This one smells like canned baby food carrots. But, the taste wasnt so bad. Im going to let it sit a while, and maybe add salt and pepper. We will see.... The main goal is not for me to accept it, but for the kids to! Im planning to make some french fries for dinner, and see how this goes over...
Carrot Ketchup
4 large carrots, sliced thin
2-3 tablespoons vinegar
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
pear juice
I put everything except the pear juice in the slow cooker and cooked until the carrots were mushy. Then I scooped everything into the food processor and processed with pear juice until I got a nice ketchupy consistency.

Vodka Anyone??.......

2008-06-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

This was posted on our other blog as well, giving me the opportunity to relive a memory from my time in Russia at 17. Memories......
However, it is taken on a much different, far better tasting face now!!!
MUCH to my suprise, I recently learned that vanilla extract (the real stuff), is made from vanilla beans soaking in vodka for a few months, and never goes bad! So, the longer it sits in the vodka, the better it gets! Im tired of paying TOO much for tiny little bottles, and am very excited to be making our own! I ordered high grade Madagasgar vanilla beans online, got advise from the gentleman working in the local liquor store, and we are on our way!!
Now, another comment I must make. For anyone saying "I cant believe you would bring that in your home!!!" The immitation vanilla is made of deadly chemicals, google it!

FG approved Taco Seasoning mix!!

2008-06-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, the label could be better.... (But I dont have a printer right now.) However I did find a great use for the pepper can I was about to toss into recycling!
Tacos became a frequently eatten item in our home while in NM. So, I was sad to cut it out of our meals when we began the FG diet. However, someone named 'Cindy' has masterfully put one together!!! The only thing missing from it is the color. It tastes JUST like any other taco seasoning. The kids loved it!
Taco Seasoning Recipe:
2 tsp onion flakes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp corn starch(can replace with potato starch)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground oregeno
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
Brown 2# of Burger and add seasoning and 1/4 cup of water.Cook until thick..

The BEST Ethiopian Cabbage!!

2008-06-17T08:47:00.001-07:00

There are a few recipes that we use each week in our cooking, that Meya and I make together. This is one of them. Not just because I love passing off some of the potato peeling and chopping to someone else :-) But because she loves to cook anything, expecially Ethiopian! This is one of our staple foods, it is cooked in double batches once or twice a week. (More often twice!)
I havent mastered, or even minored Injera, so we eat it with tortillas!!
Here is the link to the recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Ethiopian-Cabbage-Dish/Detail.aspx
I LOVE www.allrecipes.com!

The verdict is in!

2008-06-11T18:07:00.001-07:00

The S'mores were a huge success! "Better then the real ones!" is how the kids judged them!
In addition to the marshmallows, we added Ghardelli chocolate chips on top of homemade graham crackers! YUMMY! You know how the store brand crackers will break apart, making a big mess? These dont break apart! The marshmallows still makes a sticky mess however, but isnt that half the fun! :-)
Heres the recipe for the graham crackers. I cut mine with a biscuit cutter, making perfect circles rather than squares. They are soft like cookies, and yummy, so can be eaten as cookies also!
http://www.recipezaar.com/9125

Hummus Lover? Heres a good one!

2008-06-11T17:24:00.000-07:00

Don’t EVER buy hummus from the store again…this is the best recipe I’ve found! Just be sure not to tripple the recipe and mess up your math. Tonight it had a funny taste, and after re-checking the recipe, I discovered that I messed up the amount of sesame oil and olive oil, and ended up with 6T of sesame oil instead of 3t!!!! Oops. Meya still loved it :-) Guess we will work on fixing that tonight!
2 cups cooked chickpeas (canned is ok, soaking your own is best)
2-3 T freshly squeezed lemon juice (adjust to taste)
2-3 T tahini
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 small to medium garlic clove
1/2 t toasted sesame oil
1/2 t sea salt
3-4 T water (or less/more as desired)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients and puree until smooth, adding a little water at first, then more if desired to thin it. Scrape down sides of bowl several times throughout and puree again until very smooth. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice. Serve in a large bowl, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil.

A Good Home.....Person.....Thing

2008-06-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

Thats what my sweet husband called me last night. ;-) He wasnt sure what the politically correct term is. I think Im pretty okay with being called a Home Maker, because that is what I am. I see no offence, I dont need to be called a domestic something or other.

Canning my Un-tomato sauce

So, his praises were for chicken slow cooked in a crock put with 'faux' spaghetti sauce (made from beets and carrots), because with the Feingold diet we are avoiding tomatoes and served over pasta with fresh grated Parmesan cheese. The 100% homemade pizza the night before was great also, but very time consuming. What pushed me to make this un-tomato sauce was Meya making the comment "We never get to have pizza anymore because of Hannah". Ouch, not how I want the kids to feel! And surely this diet is not torture by any means, you have got to taste the fruit dip we topped our bananas with! YUM! I passed up ice cream last night for it. Okay, its REALLY high in calories, but chemical free!
Here is the recipe:
Caramel Fruit Dip:
8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. white sugar
1 tsp. REAL vanilla, (imitation is deadly!!)
Then mix until smooth, YUM!

And here is the Un-tomato Sauce:
1 1-pound can beets, drained (or one pound fresh)
2 1-pound cans carrots, drained (or 2lb fresh or frozen)
2 Tbls. Lemon juice
1 C. Water
1 T. salt
2-3 T. Oregano
1.5 T. Garlic powder
2-3 T. Basil
2 t. sugar
Puree completely in food processor, extra long- to avoid any small beet chunks. Let set for several hours or overnight in refrigerator for flavors to blend.

Gotta have some carbs!

2008-06-11T15:57:00.000-07:00

I cant find any of the Feingold 'approved' tortillas in our area. Tortillas became a staple food in our diet while living in NM. So, here is Meya rolling out a tortilla.......

And here is one cooking....

And the final product!! They taste really good. And when they were thicker, they were a little like Naan. And when they were super thin and cooked longer, they became chips! So, theres no messing these up :-)
Heres the recipe:
2 c all-purpose white flour (can substitute one cup for whole wheat if you like)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vegetable oil
3/4 c warm milk
Mix flour, powder, salt and oil. Slowly add warm milk. Stir until sticky ball forms. Knead for 2 minutes then cover with towel for 20 minutes. After 20 min. divide dough into 8 pieces and roll into balls. Let rest covered for 10 minutes. Then one at a time mash into flat pancake and roll from center out until it's very thin and about 8 inches in diameter. ( I did this on a lightly floured glass cutting board and they peeled right off when I went to cook them.) They won't be perfectly round. Keep rolled out dough covered until ready to cook. (I rolled and cooked at the same time) Cook on hot dry skillet 30 seconds on each side. Let cool and enjoy. Can freeze as well. These are very easy to make and taste great. Best of all you don't need shortening which I can't seem to find in any store!!

I finally found a bread maker at a thrift store, and what a great $3 investment it has become! This loaf actually lasted long enough to get sliced. The ones before it were a hard shell when I found them, so I guess that means Calvin likes the soft inside loaded with butter as much as I do :-)
Heres my favorite break recipe so far:
White bread
Ingredients
• 1 1/2 ounces warm water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
Directions
Put ingredients in the bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer (usually wet ingredients followed by dry ingredients and yeast in middle) Use the white bread cycle.
Walk away and wait until it's done!

All this for some S'mores!!

2008-06-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

First attempt :-(

Success!!

Since we have changed our eating habbits, to accomodate Hannahs chemical sensitity, Ive been learning all kids of things! Surely, this is coming with lots of sweat and tears :-) I really cant complain, we've had lots of successes. My first attempt at marshmellows were a flop. (But looking back, it may have worked as gummy worms, but its too late to try now...) And after pricing FG approved mellows online (EEK!), I decided to try one more time, because justifying $8 for a bag of mellows to cook while having a picnic. This attempt was a great success!!
Here is the recipe that finally worked:
http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/106/Marshmallows
Just call me a domestic engineer! :-)