It's A Crazy Life.....

Yesterday, on a whim, I decided to bake a chocolate cake...from scratch!  Not really sure why.  Perhaps it was the chocolate calling to me.  Perhaps I just wanted to turn the oven on and warm up the house.  Perhaps it was because I've had this cookbook sitting in my library bag for three weeks and not even cracked it open.  Whatever the case, I did it.  With help from two little muchkins of course.  The best kind of help....counting measuring scoops and sticking fingers into the batter to "taste" it.



The FarmChicks Dark Chocolate Butter Cake

1 C milk
1 Tbs white vinegar
1 1/2 C unsalted butter
2 1/2 C sugar
2 1/4 C flour
3/4 C Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
5 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 C espresso or very strong coffee brewed
Raspberry Sauce for serving

*Preheat oven to 325.  Butter a 10 in Bundt pan well; then dust with  cocoa powder, knocking out excess.

*Combine milk and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside to slightly thicken.
*Cream butter and sugar.
*In a separate bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt cinnamon and baking powder.  Set aside.
*Add eggs one at a time to butter/sugar mixture, beating on high speed in between each.
*Beat in vanilla.
*Whisk the espresso into the milk mixture by hand.
*In thirds, alternately add the flour mixture and milk mixture to the butter mixture, beating on medium speed and blending well after each addition.
*Scrape batter into pan.  Bake for 60-70 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool, then invert the pan onto a plate.  Serve with Raspberry Sauce (raspberries, 1/2 C sugar, 1 TBS lemon juice cooked slightly).
*Enjoy!

Now....I didn't quite follow the recipe exactly.  I was out of vanilla extract, so I figured I would add almond instead.  But I was out of that too....so I used Khluha instead.  I also left out the espresso/coffee, as I don't enjoy that flavor at all.  And now...typing out the recipe, I realized that I also left out the baking powder!  Oops!  But it still turned out okay.  And quite tasty.  Mr. CrazyLife says it tastes just like no-bake cookies.  Which from him is a HUGE compliment as that is one of his favorites!

So today I was blog hopping (I do that alot . . . I should probably leave some comments and share in the fun, but mostly I just read.).  Today it was some craft blogs and some Mommy blogs and some running blogs.  All good fun.

And then I saw this post at Make it and Love it: Delicious and Quick Holiday Treat.  And then I looked at the pictures attached.  And then I fell in love.  Total and deep love.

Oreos and Brownies?  Two of my favorite treats blended into one?

Try this, I must!!

So I followed the original link: Picky Palate  and printed the directions.  Guess what I'll be doing tonight??

Update tomorrow (or maybe Sunday or Monday or whenever I next get online to post) to let you know if these are as good as they appear to be!!!

Fall is by far my favorite season of the year.  Despite horrid allergies, I love the cooler weather and the changing of the leaves.  I think one of the benefits to living in northern mid-Michigan is that the fall weather makes for some beautiful drives.

With cooler weather and greyer skies, my head immediatly turns to warm belly food.  This is the food that fills you up and warms you from head to toe.  My favorite kind of food!

Today I'm sharing my famous pot-roast recipe.  It's super easy (even for a busy working mom mid-week) to throw together and super yummy too! 

Blueberry, that is?

It's blueberry season in Michigan and I love it!  As a child I never cared for blueberries.  I refused to eat them - whether plain, in muffins or mushed up in yogurt.  I hated them - with a capitol H.  My Gram used to say that I was her favorite blueberry picker, because my bucket was always full - I never ate any while picking!  In the years since, I have grown to tolerate them.  I still won't eat them plain or just mushed and mixed with yogurt or cottage cheese.  But I will eat them cooked in breads or pancakes.  And I love them in my breakfast smoothies!

My family has had a tradition from, well, forever, that every August, usually the first weekend, we all meet at Gram and Gramp's house and go blueberrying.  My aunt, uncle and cousin come.  Gram and Gramps used to come before it got to be too much for them.  My mom and sister always come up.  It's a fun time.  We have a favorite farm that we go to and the berries there have always been fantastic!

This year the calendar was not our friend.  We just couldn't find a time to meet up with everyone and hit the farm.  I was sad.  My own family usually picks around 30-40 pounds of berries and my mom and aunt pick around the same for their family.  I was worried about not having any berries for the freezer this year.

Then I discovered a secret, hidden treasure, just up the road from our own little farm - a BLUEBERRY patch!!!  Now, it isn't the best patch I've ever been to (you should see the patch at Soldini Blueberries - that's our favorite little patch!), but it isn't too bad either.  The bushes are huge and the berries small - but still tasty!  So I've gone a few times and picked.  It's late to be picking here, but these bushes are sill loaded up with berries.  I took the kids once and will probably go at least once more this month.

So now I've got berries to freeze.  Yay!!!  And berries to use in my favorite blueberry recipes.  Here's a couple to share....try them out and enjoy!!!

Lemon Blueberry Shortbread
2 C white or white whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp salt (I just pinch it in)
1/2 C dark brown sugar
1/2 TBS grated lemon peel (I use fresh and guesstimate the measurement)
3/4 C dried blueberries (I use fresh or frozen)
1 C butter (only butter - no substitutes)

Heat oven to 350.

Mix flour, salt, sugar, lemon peel and blueberries.

Cut in butter and mix till crumbly.  Continue mixing until a smooth dough forms.

Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out cold dough between two sheets of wax paper to about 1/2" thickness.  Cut out with cookie cutters or score and cut into squares.

Place 1" apart on cookie sheet and bake 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Whipped Cream - yummy on cakeor with fresh fruit
2 C whipping cream (not coolwhip)
1/4 C granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 C mushed blueberries

Mix together all ingredients in a deep bowl (it splatters).

Whip with a mixer 8-10 minutes or until a nice whipped cream texture.  Chill.

Enjoy!

Bath Fizzies Baisc Recipe

1 C baking soda
1/2 C citric acid (available at drugstore/bulk foods)
1/2 C salts (dead sea or epsom)
1/2 C corn starch

Mix together all dry ingredients.

1 TBS water
1-2 TBS oil (any light vegetable oil will work; I've also used cocnut oil)
1-2 drops food coloring (if desired - makes for fun colors)
1-2 tsp essential oil (if desired - for fun)

Mix wet ingredients and add to dry ingredient mixture.  Now you have to work fast before the mix begins to set.  Take the mix and press into a mold.  Let them sit in a dry place, out of humidity for at least a day.  You can take them out of the mold reletively quickly as they will take shape and then let them dry out of the mold.  You can also use just about anything for a mold - ice cube trays, candy molds, plastic two piece christmas bulbs, etc. You can also take large scoops and use your hands to mold them into balls.

Basic Sugaring Recipe and Directions

2 cups sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup water

Combine the ingredients in a heavy saucepan, and heat on low using a candy thermometer. Watch the mixture very carefully so that it doesn’t boil over. Heat the mixture to 250 F on the candy thermometer; this is the hardball candy stage.

Remove from the heat and let cool enough to pour into a jar without breaking or melting the jar. (Note that this jar will be reheated in the future. Make sure it is safe for whatever form of reheating you plan to do—in the microwave, or in a pan of water.


Rip clean cotton fabric in 1-inch strips. Make sure the cotton isn’t too coarsely woven.

This next step is very critical: Let the mixture cool enough so that it won’t burn your skin. The first time I did this I didn’t let the blend cool enough and I burned myself! Test the mixture on the palm of your hand, knowing that is much tougher than the sensitive skin under your arms.

Using a dull knife or Popsicle stick, spread the cooled sugar onto your skin. Cover with the cloth strips, let set for a few minutes, and then rip off quickly as you would a bandage.

In the future you can reheat the mixture to a warm and not hot temperature (see above), and reuse. Note that reheating will thicken the paste.

Taken from: Care 2 Make A Difference

A recipe inspired by one in my recent Fitness magazine.  Pretty tasty and healthy too!

4 oz Salmon fillet
Asian marinade (I used Teryaki Pinapple)
1TBS sesame oil
1/2 C rice wine vinegar (next time I'll use red wine vinegar instead)
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

I love mac n' cheese.  No, let me re-phrase that.  I adore mac n' cheese.  And I've managed to pass that love on to my darling wee things.  If you ask them what they would like for dinner, nine times out of ten, it's Macaroni  (and cheese for the girls).  They scarf it down like there's no tomorrow.  It's super yummy, in their words.  Unlike their Momma, however, somehow my wee things seem to think that boxed is best.  How that came to happen I can't imagine (although I blame their father!  =)  )

I love homemade macaroni and cheese the best.  I have fond memories of this wonderful, warm, ooey, gooey, cheesey dinner from a very young age.  Now, it's not my Mom's mac n' cheese I remember so fondly.  No, although my mother did made homemade, as the boxed variety was at that time quite a luxury item for us poor Pastor's family; it is a friend's homemade mac n' cheese that I remember so dearly.  She was a neighbor of ours when we lived in Grimes, Iowa.  I don't remember her name (and neither does Mom), although we think she had a daughter named Sarah that I was friends with.  My dad used to go pheasant hunting with her husband and we would sometimes go over to their house to be babysat while Mom and Dad went out for an evening.

Sarah's mom made some fantastic homemade mac n' cheese.  I mean, if I remember it from thirty-some-odd years ago, it must have been, right?  Right-O.  And in my mind, this is the way it should be.  And I've spent a good portion of my adult life trying to recreate that fantastic mac n' cheese.  And failed each and every time.  Now, I have found some good recipes along the way (after all no mac n' cheese recipe is a bad on, eh?), but never the "perfect" one of my memory.  So I continue the search....someday I'll find it.  (Although I may have to get my hands on some of that cheese the government used to give out to us poor people!  *laugh* )

In the meantime, I'll share a couple of good ones I've found.  Recently the Taste of Home  featured homemade mac n' cheese in their magazine.  Good stuff there!

A Basic Mac N' Cheese Recipe (otherwise known as the quick-time version)
Macaroni Noodles, cooked to tenderness
Velveeta cheese, cubed, probably about 1/8 of the big block

Once the noodles are cooked and drained, add the cubed velveeta to the warm noodles.  Stir and let melt.  Mix in warm veggies if desired.  Or a can of tuna fish, drained.

*Okay, I know Velveeta isn't the best.  In fact, it's pretty bad.  But it melts so nice and really, the flavor isn't that bad.  Just don't think about all the bad parts to it!  *laugh*

Bistro Mac N' Cheese
1 pkg (16 oz) uncooked elbow macaroni
3 TBS butter
3 TBS all-purpose flour
2 1/2 C milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 C shredded mozzarella cheese
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 C crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/2 C sour cream

Cook macaroni according to directions.  Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth.  Gradually stir in milk and seasonings.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Reduce heat.  Add cheeses and stir untl melted.  Sirt in sour cream.  Drain macaroni; sirt into sauce.

You can also bake this with a crumb topping.  Place macaroni in a greased baking dish.  Combine 1/3 C seasoned bread crumbs and 2 TBS melted butter; sprinkle over macaroni.  Bake, uncovered at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

TGI Friday's Gourmet Mac n' Five Cheese
(Probably not the healthiest, but when we're talking mac n' cheese, who cares?)
6 servings elbow macaroni
1 cups Bacon
.5 cups Onions, Diced
5 tablespoons light unsalted butter
6 tablespoons All-purpose Flour
1 tablespoons Mustard, Dijon
2.5 cups whole milk
2 cups Heavy Cream Bc
1 tablespoons Thyme, Fresh
1 teaspoons Bay Leaf
.5 teaspoons Salt*
1.5 cups Fontina Cheese
.5 cups Crumbled Blue Cheese (1/2 Oz.)
.75 cups Gruyere Cheese
.75 cups White Cheddar Cheese
.75 cups parmesan cheese, grated
3 tablespoons Parsley
.25 cups Breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and butter a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain.
In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, saute the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Saute the onion in the bacon drippings until soft. Add the 5 tablespoons butter to the onion mixture and melt the butter stirring with a wooden spoon.
Using a whisk, add the flour, and stir constantly until well mixed with the fat making a roux. Whisk in the mustard. Gradually add the milk and cream whisking constantly.
Add the thyme, bay leaf, and salt. Let come to a simmer and stir frequently for 15 minutes.
Strain the hot milk mixture into a metal bowl and discard the solids. Working quickly, mix in 1 cup fontina, blue cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyere, 1/2 cup white Cheddar, 1/2 cup Parmesan, the reserved bacon, and parsley. Continue to stir until all cheese is melted.
Add the cooked noodles to the cheese mixture to coat. Add the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish. Mix the remaining cheese and bread crumbs together and sprinkle on top of the noodles. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown. Remove from oven when done and rest for 5 minutes

*from The Daily Plate

Fried Mac N' Cheese (maybe not healthy, but YUM-O)
1 cup milk
5 teaspoons flour
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup monterey jack cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups cooked small elbow macaroni or regular size macaroni
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs or plain breadcrumbs
3/4 teaspoon salt
6-10 cups shortening or peanut oil or corn oil
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced

1Place flour in a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Whisk in milk till smooth, then add cheeses, olive oil and salt, stirring until cheese starts to melt.

2Reduce heat to low, simmer 30 minutes. Using whisk, stir sauce every few minutes to make sure the sauce becomes thick and smooth.

3Now place the 3/4 cup uncooked macaroni in a pot of boiling water. Boil for 10 minutes(8 minutes for small macaroni), or till tender. Drain. You should have about 1 3/4 cups cooked macaroni.

4When sauce is done cooking, reserve 2 tbs of the sauce for later.

5Pour pasta into a medium bowl and pour in remaining cheese sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8x8-inch pan that has been greased with oil. Cover and chill in fridge.

6When the macaroni and cheese is cold, slice into 16 squares(slicing down middle, then slicing those squares in half). Put each square on a piece of wax paper, place in covered container, and freeze 2 hours.

7When the mac and cheese has frozen solid, mix milk and egg in a bowl. In another bowl place flour. In a third bowl, mix breadcrumbs and 3/4 teaspoons salt.

8Heat the oil to 350°F.

9Bread the mac and cheese one piece at a time,coating a piece with flour, then placing it in the egg and milk mixture, then coating it with breadcrumbs. Place each piece back into the egg and milk, then in the breadcrumbs again. Repeat this process with all of the pieces, then place on a large plate. Let them sit about 15 minutes to defrost.

10Fry 4 to 6 at a time in hot oil for 3 minutes or until golden brown (test the first one to make sure it is hot all the way through. If it is cold inside, let the squares defrost a few more minutes). Drain on paper towels a few minutes, then place on a serving platter.

11Heat the remaining 2 tbs of cheese sauce for about 15 seconds (or until hot) in the microwave.

12Drizzle the hot sauce over the mac and cheese squares. Sprinkle parsley over the top and serve. Enjoy!

*Recipezaar

My fitness instructor, Renee, gave us this recipe at our last Fitness Buffet class.  Every week she would bring in a new recipe or a new food to help us "healthify" our diets.  This is a wonderful dessert cookie, with just enough sweetness to satisfy.

Tahini Cookies
 1 1/2 C oats
1/2 C honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C chopped nuts (optional)
6 TBS tahini
chopped apples, dried fruit, raisins, dates or mini chocolate
     chips make great additions for more flavor

Stir all ingredients together and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Enjoy!

What is Tahini and is it good for you?

Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds. Sesame seeds are packed full of good stuff.  By grinding up the sesame seeds into a paste, it makes it easier for us to absorb the nutrients.  Here are the nutrients in sesame seeds:

1. Protien - sesame seeds have about 20% protien. 
2. Fibre - sesame seeds are 10% fibre
3. Fat - sesame seeds are about 55% fat, however, most of this is mono and poly unsaturated fat.  They contain a small amount of Omega 3's but mostly have Omeg 6 essential fatty acids
4. Carbohydrates - only 0.9%
5. Minerals - potassium, magnesium, manganese, small amounts of calcium and one of teh few vegetarian sources of zinc
6. Vitamins - Vitamin E as well as small amounts of some B vitamins
7. Anioxidants - they contain a group of antioxidants called lignans; they have been shown to reduce cholesterol and improve heart health

*All of the above information was on a hand-out Renee gave us.

Tonight's dinner is White Bean Chicken Chili.  I got this recipe from a good friend and it's super-fantastic!!  I'll try to get a picture of it to put up here (and see if DH thinks I've totally lost it taking photos of the food now!)



*1 lb or so of cooked chicken meat (I use breasts - baked with chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper; then shredded)
*48 oz jar great northern beans, undrained
*16 oz mild thick and chunky salsa (for more heat, use medium salsa)
*1 can low-sodium, reduced fat chicken broth (I usually use chicken stock instead)
*2 tsp cumin
*8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, cubed
*1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, finely minced (for more heat, leave in the seeds)
I throw it all together in a crock pot and let it cook all day on low. You can also put it in a dutch oven or stock pot and make it in 10-15 mins. on the stove top. If you do this, add the cheese at the end.
 
We top this with sour cream and shredded cheese and serve with either corn chips or pita chips.  It's super filling, fast, warm and soooo yummy!
 
**I'm linking this up to the Nourishing Gourmet's Pennywise Platter for 3/11/10**