What else will this day bring

Flatbread pizzas became the way I coped, an olive oil infused with Italian seasonings presented the challenge, a dusting with Parmesan before mozzarella took over the layering, ribbons of deli ham knocking it out of the ballpark and into the crowd.  They raved as was expected and ultimately required.

If I'm gonna get it in my thick skull to twist pretzels, dipped in baking soda, coarse salt leftover from a freezer pretzel show-off I battled.  Then when Meatballs and Pasta just show up taunting me with the goddamned ditalini...never even owned an orzo.  Then sure, sautéing an onion with two cloves of minced garlic and a tsp oregano may sound particular, even vengeful.  Especially when a half teaspoon each of friend salt and pal pepper makes you realize.

But when a simple can of tomato paste and two cans of diced tomatoes rant and rave for five minutes, a half teaspoon each of salt and pepper totally invited, I told you!  Simmering the tomatoes for ten more minutes to build the flavor seems a tad spurious, when a boiling pot of almost-meatball stew is tonight's de rigueur.  And just wait until you double the peas AND the pasta.

I owned that A-plus dinner, and the zephyr pancakes that preceded them like a soft wind, half whole wheat and subbing milk for the heavy cream has never been a problem for me, really. Though, my pancakes may not have risen as high as career women and bank robbers alike choose for their own lives, they are simply lovely as leftovers this morning.

Nobody could have predicted the meatballs were going to be from IKEA.  Blame the freezer for even considering holding onto a grudge when the limelight was all any meatball needed.  I mean think about it, the savory flavors are alive in my mouth today, in love with tomatoes.  But just so you know, and are never mistaken, being out of cream cheese is like totally preventing so many awesome recipes.

Have you heard of the cheeseball?  Not only to be envied, but obviously the more grounded one.

Because you're worth it

Mega millions to win tonight, simple iced pumpkin cupcakes to shower upon those I dote on.  Who couldn't've been happier to be realizing icing's only components need be a stick of butter and 8 oz cream cheese, 3-1/2 cups powdered sugar, a teaspoon vanilla, an eighth of salt sprinkled therein.

A can of pumpkin puree's all I can relate to, unless you count two cans of cherry pie filling taking a nice break between cherry desserts to indulge in.  A girl can take only so much cream cheese, even if it is Neufchâtel, as a base for everything.  Bad enough an entire stick of butter (plus a cup of vegetable oil) snuck its way in, 4 eggs later you have 2 cups each of sugar and flour to blame for it, a tablespoon salt, 2 tsp baking powder, a whole tsp salt into infinity, you know how to get there.

Whisk dry, beat wet for two minutes, combine it all and thank your lucky stars you blended flour in three additions, only 'til incorporated.  You don't want to be cooking pumpkin cupcakes for 24 minutes at 350 unless you've committed to cooling for ten minutes.  Before transferring to a wire rack, then soon frosting.

Grains of the heart

The avocados insist upon providing guacamole, standard recipe, 3 ripe ones added to 2 T minced onion, a minced clove of garlic.  Cumin and salt take you all the way there, so you can focus on your quinoa, combine black beans and roasted corn with onion and jalapeño.

It's destined to make cilantro forget I ever had it in mind as important, blew me off AND didn't show up, as of yet it's unforgiven.  I mean if it were a sin to make squash lasagna with all the wrong tomato products, I'm as guilty as everyone.  What was I thinking starring tomato paste with that 36 ounces crushed/sauce dilemma, did NOT tie it all together in any which way, epic failure.

Pulling black beans together with 3 T olive oil and 2 T lime juice begs the question that was never even asked in the first place.  Sprinkle heavily with shredded mozzerella cheese, forgo the tomatoes you're out of anyway.  It's all about the quinoa, trust me.

Instructions

1. In a food processor, 24 oz nonfat cottage with 15 saltines.  Add two eggs and 3/4 teaspoon salt, half teaspoon pepper, 1-1/2 T dried parsley are thrown in without any hint of an apology. Not for their dryness, nor for their crumbly texture, should this spice of life really be spat upon through instinct?  Not so, or the half cup of mozz you've shredded plus an extra 2 T looking about aggravated and so you toss more in there.  Without a regret in the world, ever.

2.  Marinara should probably get cooking about now, let's see what tomato products I've laying low in my pantry, I'll need 28 ounces leaning more towards the crushed, not completely ruling out "petite diced", could work.  Not that I'd recommend sautéing a minced clove of garlic, a teaspoon each parsley and oregano, two teaspoons dried basil to just anyone.  Only you qualify that two teaspoons olive oil, heating it up plenty over medium, 30 seconds until you give up and add the tomatoes, a teaspoon balsamic.

3.  Oh don't get into particulars when you've simmered it for ten minutes, then fully committed, you peel the dang squash, dice up 1-1/2 cups, and microwave it covered with a T of water for 5-7 minutes.  Plenty of anticipation there, even when you're average.  Now get that 1-1/2 cups onion minced, and sautéed over medium with oil or spray, shouldn't matter...add water if necessary, wait, up to a quarter cup's necessary?

4.  Should oil and water create havoc, don't deny your role in it, you listened.  Instead of going with your gut and getting 23 lasagna noodles boiled and ready, at least a half cup of Parmesan grated, and let the layering begin.

5.  Spray 2 qt glass pan with nonstick, 1/2 cup sauce, lay 3-4 noodles, spread 1 cup "ricotta", add squash, then 3/4 cup sauce, 3-4 noodles, 1 cup "ricotta", drained spinach, 3/4 cup sauce, 3-4 noodles, sauce, Parmesan (add mozzerella to your liking, if you're into browned and bubbly).

I am.  And to cover with foil and bake at 375 will be sure to heat this house up for the first 30 minutes.  After which I'll uncover for another 30, seeking brownness at every turn, it's my nature, can't help it.  Now if you think cooling for ten is the answer, then you haven't sufficiently burned your mouth and ruined your upcoming days like the pros have.  Just daring ya.

There are firsts for everything

I was so taken aback when I remembered what was on today's agenda, it held that I make Butternut Squash Lasagna with spinach for my family's dining pleasure.  I mean at this point, who'd turn down Mom's cooking, even with such exotic ingredients as butternut squash, spinach, and homemade "ricotta" out of fat free cottage, and saltines.  Marinara thrown together.

It's a rather hefty achievement when you've squash to peel, quarter, and cook before adding to said lasagna, cheese to grate of course, sauce to assemble and believe in wholeheartedly, a food processor combines the "ricotta".  An 8 x 8 pan will suffice with these flavors, I mean let's admit it before the start...squash, spinach, cooked noodles, homemade marinara and ricotta.  Someone's gonna turn their nose up, quasi nutritionists.

Turns me over in my grave before I even get there, seeing my kitchen all messed, my focused full attention on task after task, after task.  Really getting up to my elbows in grease, oh and the clean up that inevitably happens after every damn meal, despite you.  And your modern inclinations to be the best you can be at aspiring to lasagna's character as both healthy AND delicious.  Plus all that cooking experience you'll gain on the way, it's win-win, and a breeze I'd say.

Slow cooker split pea

Split Pea with hash browns, celery, carrot, onion, garlic

Pasta e Fagioli with carrots, celery, ditalini, white kidney beans (cannellini)

Black bean and corn with quinoa and avocado

Black beans with 1/2 green and red pepper, use quinoa

Oh, and don't forget the casseroles.

So rustic

The dice are in the air, do I spend the evening laboring over a steel cut crockpot oatmeal with real maple syrup, to be savored every morning this week with warmed milk and thawed frozen blueberries.  Oh it's a toss up, is crusty risen no-knead bread what I'm up for, an overnight rise in my fridge, making tomorrow's chore the pure hell of putting it in the oven, makes the house smell.

Kinda unpleasant like when today after years of inner searching, I surrendered fully to the fact that I needed to follow through with my white beans, you recall Mom's recipe?  Not mine, somebody else's.  And I had the ham on hand from like eons ago, the 3/4 cup onion and third cup carrots weren't out of the question, nor the minced clove of garlic thrown in, into 2/3 cup of broth, boiled 'til tender.  Add the two cans of white beans and be supportive like you usually are.

Suggested ten minutes and I think he was way out of line, mine turned tender beyond repairable. You know the difference.  But I ate it anyway enjoying the fact that I'd made white beans, and preferred the recipe almost as much as my black beans and quinoa fulfill the basic needs of good taste and nutrition.  And no my grapefruit won't go unnoticed, nor will the plethora of vitamin-rich fruits and veggies I consumed all day, and thereafter.

Began it all with white beans and black beans taunting me further, just determined to find out for myself what two sweet potatoes and a shapely butternut squash glaring orange ultraviolet rays out their sinews are expecting.  Oh yeah, this one's conquered.  Probably something along the lines of yup, a peeler and a plan gleaned from the internet.  Obsessive stalking, guilt-ridden vegetables they are known to be, and never admitting the desperation that's inherent in that.  Poor celery.

And worldly.  I mean, who can live without twice baked russet potatoes banging on their door every chance they get, but why do I ultimately give up and throw them in the garbage?  Is it a conspiracy, an act of protest or rebellion?  Mexican food hasn't a clue.  Go jalapeños!

Forgive me

I'm sorry but quesadillas are kind of on my mind lately in the same way health consciousness is perfectly fitting.  If you're gonna go ahead and make up a batch of black beans and corn to be sandwiched between a couple of tortillas with cheese, might as well have a white bean and tuna concoction to throw down with.  Just recommending.

I'm addicted to quinoa as well and knowing how to microwave a butternut squash into a soup with shredded chicken and kalamata olives is the next obvious step if you know me, which some pretend to but don't.  Besides this harvest chicken and quinoa soup that proves white and sweet potatoes both have a home right beside each other, I'm not sure what to make of any of it.  Plus it's got the kale going on.

Kalamata olives are everything

Who wants scrambled eggs was my answer for dinner.  Dangblasted son, he's a nine year old, requested the last crescent roll toasted with jelly on it, he's my hero.  Everything I make tastes great to him, should've seen when he obliged my "please try the quinoa and black bean delicacy I created".

Called it fantastic right before my eyes, which means he knew what I now know, the secret to long-lasting life and insurmountable happiness?  Doing right by your kitchen.  Ask the butternut squash and sweet potatoes who are currently engaging me in banter..., from THE GROCERY STORE! Not even in harm's way yet summoning me to take part in their cause.  Paired with quinoa even!

New high in life, goal setting

I didn't expect black beans and quinoa to take over my life, though they have.  Leftovers reserved only for me is my new high in life, cooking exclusively for health conscious reasons, leaves me searching for oatmeals, beans, and grains that are my staples, my ones and only.

Everybody wants to adjust their diet in favor of eggs in a burrito, beans, vegetables, grains, and oatmeals exclusively.  Waking up in the morning with thawed frozen blueberries stirred into steel cut oats leaves me exhausted, imagining destiny.  Heated with a dribble of milk (more like a pouring, a moistening), an instantaneous adherence to Mel's stringent six to two cups ratio. Leaving room for an additional dose of milk is the trend of the century.

So when you're making Mother's White Beans mixed with ham like I am, keeping your pantry STOCKED with white beans AND black beans galore, because you like variety in your bean repertoire.  Think of me in my kitchen, pursuing my quinoa in its chicken broth, alongside the black beans I always use when I'm throwing around a green pepper and an onion like it's nobody's business, taking a can of diced tomatoes, more broth, and enjoying it to smitherings.

Distance

There is an uncertainty to having just the 5 tablespoons of butter you needed but hadn't planned on, an eighth of a stick filched from the end of the unsuspecting, just to make your melted six, seven more tablespoons left to wonder what their fate looks like.  Isn't pretty.

Because when breadmaking's in order, you're really in trouble, and I haven't even gotten started berating yeast yet.  It knows what it's in for.  Trust me, when buttermilk croissants are pretty much your first choice, though you've never made 'em.  You go right to the rolls section on instinct, because vanilla pudding cinnamon rolls ARE going to make their way onto your table, their comfort is bidden, calming's in store.

An afterschool snack festivity galore, rolled and coiled in an ambitious attempt to set right order, returning all serenity to my kitchen, and future.

God that smells heavenly

No, flouring is not necessary post-greasing a jelly roll pan geared for sheet cake.  Melting two sticks of butter with a cup of boiling water on the stovetop, is.  Making way for a teaspoon baking soda, half a teaspoon salt, mixed with two-cups each of flour and sugar, there, that oughta do'er.

Letting the butter concoction cool as much as necessary, adding 2 eggs and a half cup buttermilk, a teaspoon vanilla, mixing until pouring in a greased pan just comes naturally.  Should take a year or longer.  Don't forget to set the oven for 300 degrees, you'll need that low heat for moderately 30 minutes.

Don't go over thirty in general until brownness prevails, you want a moist sponge with a thin layer of crisp to spread all that icing on.  Pour it on actually, like a stick of melted butter with a half cup bath in buttermilk, 3 to 4-1/2 cups powdered sugar, half teaspoon vanilla.  Letting the cake cool for twenty minutes before making frosting, don't let heat separate your buttermilk!

Poured on just another white Texas sheet cake recipe in the oven by eleven thirty, I've icing to prepare, more loads of laundry to run.

Deal breaker

Yesterday didn't go quite as planned and so today has become unpredictable, I'm warning you. What's wrong with me that first thing in the morning all I have my sights set on is carving and chopping all my vegetables, despite plans to exercise, and I follow through with it.

Learning to go with my gut and oblige urges and instincts, putting lesser needs on hold because life teaches you, prioritize.  Deep in my heart I know the best Friday afternoon can do is provide a tomato/vegetable/bean/spinach soul-soothing minestrone, devoured by eager young children.

Capped off by an evening fruit smoothie laced with MORE spinach because vitamins and minerals are the theme of today's preferences, so sue me.  Ree's peanut butter sheet cake will have to wait until next week, when visions of snack cake splendor reignites action, surpassed by a new cookbook I'm exploring.

The shells, remember?

Sometimes things just work out and today is one of those days.  Do you believe I'm going to put my grade schoolers to work when they come home, peeling and chopping potatoes, carrots, celery, I'll conquer that onion.  All the veggies' goodness will be sautéed with minced cloves of garlic, in the heated-over-medium olive oil for 3-5 minutes, or longer if I push it.  That'd happen never.

Adding the diced Italian tomatoes, the chicken broth, and tomato paste will make 2 T fresh basil and 1 T fresh oregano agreeable with the tablespoon of salt, so I won't even mention it.  Too embarrassing for everyone, trust me.

Thank God for homemade pizza sauce! Needing it for the quesadizzas I'm about to bake at 375 for twenty-ish minutes (some people call them pizzadillas, I wouldn't).  It's like my heart finally gained access to the truth of fresh herbs basil and oregano, and can you imagine a teaspoon of each with a minced clove of garlic simmered in eight ounces of tomato sauce, a pinch of sugar thrown in.

The fraternal order of an afterschool snack at your service with soup and a peanut butter cake sidekick.  I'm goin' in.

Tangible rewards

Deciding what to buy at Target, with an earned 5% rewards card from their pharmacy is the strangest conundrum I've been in yet.  Ever since my daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 almost five years ago, we've been racking up those rewards pharmacy cards like nobody's business.  Who doesn't want to earn rewards cards at Target?

How strange it is indeed that I'm stocked to the gills on everything.  Not even a Christmas gift begging to be taken care of early, like I said I'm all caught up on everything.  It's a state that I've strived for, clean and orderly house, dinners and baked goods tempting me forward.

I mean it seriously is a toss up, do I break out my Swiffers and give my wood floors a quick shakedown?  Shine up the glass fixtures throughout my upstairs, or do mirrors.  Both are at the top of my priorities, put away one more basket of folded, sorted laundry.

Then get started on that minestrone, the medium shells I'll use, the light red kidney beans, the spinach added after everything.  But I have it all, no one's complaining, no loss for words, nothing incubating.  Well, except for Pioneer Woman's three-and-a-half sticks butter Peanut Butter sheetcake, why fight it.

It's political

I just whipped up some honey graham, honey nut Cheerios, Reese's Puffs marshmallow bars.  A six-cup medley mixed into a bag of marshmallows melted with 3 T butter, three total minutes in the microwave.  Had to do it, after school snack was just not the same before it existed, now it's better.

Not for a lack of options for my trial, but either breaded chicken nuggets or Best Goulash Ever  better get its rear into gear sometime this millennium or I conclude with a random pasta salad made on the spot.  I know it's in me.

Take 2 cups of broccoli, a cupful of cauliflower seriously, and make them suffer.  This is the point where you'll want to decide which size you're gonna make 'em.  Not everyone's a natural mother of six children, one stillborn into heaven, a wife to a husband.  An unassisted birther, a pride-filled unschooler.

But if you're making 1/2 cup olive oil to 1/4 cup balsamic anyway.  And taking 2 T juice out of that unfriendly lemon there, adding a teaspoon sugar of your own kind, dashing it with 1/2 t salt, a quarter teaspoon pepper.

Then feel free to add half a red chopped bell pepper, enough to your liking cherry tomatoes, halved and pronounced by a true blood Midwesterner.  Half a cup of chopped green olives dancing its heart out in a mosh pit with enough marinated artichokes to point you in the right direction.  It's the quarter cup of sunflower kernels that gets your goat with gusto every time, isn't it.

What, a quarter cup fresh minced basil solves everything?  An equal sized cup sun dried tomatoes, for extra flavor that's absolutely necessary, ultimately perfecting it.  And two uncooked cups of al dente bowties into the future, the chewier the better we tend to say, leaves the most room for accuracy in the long run.

Victorious

Cubing four cups of red potatoes, a carrot, a green and red pepper, and morphing said ingredients into a chowder craved by everyone has literally changed my life.  Gone are the days when the mystery of soup and its components left me uncertain of my abilities to relate to vegetables, now I know their formula.  Everyone can make a roux.

You really can boil diced potatoes for 10-15 minutes so long as fork-tender is in your vocabulary, and sauté diced veggies for about 8 minutes over medium heat until softened, it's possible.  Just as a favorite minestrone is next in line to be conquered, 3 potatoes, 5 carrots, and 4 celery stalks later you'll congratulate yourself, trust me.

So g'head and stalk your birth sister for her recipes, be as obsessed as a sociopath unable to admit a shred of wrongdoing.  I've seen it happen too many times to keep track of and adjusted to its awkwardness and moved forward.  Soup is basically an antidote, a remedy, a shortcoming that's birthed from insecurity.  Overcome its absurdity, I just did.

Revolutionary burnt sugar

I've never experienced a meatballs and cream sauce conundrum like I did yesterday and last night. Do I whip up the meatball mix and assemble them during the school day or not feel like it and whip everything together during the evening hour.  The recipe itself was a no brainer, nor messy.

Skipping the frying in favor of oven-baked makes these meatballs first choice, say over the teriyaki or the pineapple (sweet and sour wasn't even in the running.).  Shouldn't matter today as we were satisfied by the outcome, especially the peas and the perfectly-boiled egg noodles that rounded out the deliciousness.  Only the cream sauce fell short of what some eaters expected.

The homemade haunted Halloween houses to be assembled after school will make up for everything confusing and worthwhile in one fell swoop.  The trimmings are just begging for a chance to shine, and I'm determined they will.  The royal icing tinted orange is a surefire adhesive, the burnt sugar is for the construction, it's high-end luxury haunted houses we're invested in, so be forewarned.

A past life told me

Sometimes a trip to the grocery store is a pain in the ass, other times it's a destination.  I wouldn't go overboard seeking to make a potato soup with pepper jack cheese unless you're willing to commit to the cup of cream and half stick of butter that goes into it.  Dicing 4 cups of potatoes and boiling for about 15 minutes is just about as easy as a relationship to potatoes gets.  It's a two-way street, admitting everything.

Both a green and red pepper are delighted to meet their match with 2/3 of a diced onion, a peeled and diced carrot, 2 minced cloves of garlic, becoming your latest and greatest friends.  Forgetting to laugh at your jokes is an ailment you'll find intriguing, they know you less for the comedienne you strive to be, more for the injured abandonee you prefer not to see.

Sautéing on medium until soft is a pretty intuitive move, most people can't pinpoint that exact moment when 2-1/2 cups of chicken broth are in order as opposed to fakey-fakey crumbled bacon that knows what it's in for and wants to avoid it.  Making that roux with only 1/4 cup of flour is kind of like letting down your guard for once, much like salt, pepper and a teaspoon of thyme reveal character.  Forgetting to add a cup of pepper jack is akin to rejecting the life God gave you, and the people destined to be in it.

Think somberly about it, for a minute you can spare, then distract yourself until potato soup goes away or gets used to it.  Exactly why your friends get what's expected, while nieces and nephews grow up spared, protected, and shielded.

Accentuate much?

Bloody trolls fingers are a pretty common staple among Halloween enthusiasts, dipped in heated raspberry jam and utilizing a basic sugar cookie dough makes them scream authentic.  It's so easy to remember 2 cups of flour mixed with 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt, that I don't even want to get into it, not today anyway.

If you're so dangblasted stubborn that you can't see the light shed by a stick of room temperature butter beaten for 2-3 minutes with a cup sugar, well then you shouldn't exist on this planet, let alone in the realm of the ordinary.  An egg, a teaspoon vanilla, covers just about everything that needs to be said on the matter, you'll see the light someday.

Maybe on your deathbed it will all come rushing back to you, that the rest of us gave it a chance while you wallowed in distrust and plain snobbery.  Being the ideal in a family adorned with serial adultery, not quite the Halloween props you were looking for, well get over it.

Do 'er as you please

My heart and soul ended up bleeding into these make 'em yourself popcorn mounds, the texture is everything Cracker Jack should've been.  Lindt dark chocolate with crunchy caramel bits, mini chocolate chips for balance, slivered almonds for that, "hey I thought it was a popcorn kernel" feeling. Without the broken tooth that inevitably happens to the weaker.  You know who you are.

So take Giada's sound advice and microwave 6 cups of mini marshmallows with 3 itty bitty tablespoons of butter.  Do it as long as it takes, you know your microwave, now I'm a timekeeper? The actual rice crispie bar recipe that I follow requires a bag of mini marshmallows microwaved with 3 T butter, for two minutes unbidden, then another minute after stirring.

Mix six cups of rice crispies in unless you're using popcorn.  Turn deceased loved ones over in their graves by adding the caramel dark chocolate broken into shattered bits, the mini chocolate chips, the slivered almonds.  We'll all croak someday.

Copyright infringement

Made the tea, now the banana bread.  I hate not having this recipe laying around whenever I'm needing it, three loudly ripening bananas that would make my Grandma proud, the sweeter the better. A dazzling dark trio with no idea what's in store for it.

Mash three ripe bananas with a fork, add 6 T butter, melted and cooled, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, a quarter cup plain Greek yogurt, which you keep on hand constantly, and a whole teaspoon of vanilla to make your world right and redistribute organized chaos, and manage disorder.

You'd combine 2 cups flour, 3/4 cups sugar, 3/4 tsp soda and 1/2 tsp salt too if it meant having the best crusty, risen loaf of banana bread you ever set forth to experience while treading this planet. Grease and flour that nonstick pan like nobody's insistence.  Not mine anyway.

Three hundred and fifty degrees is a blazing hot oven for fifty-five straight minutes, no need to add even a second longer, it's justice.  To have that and the best brownie recipe up my sleeve, is my heart's content, my soul's refinement.

To do: Make tea, bread chicken nuggets, further laundry...

Loaded 10-cups vegetables soup is my new goal in life, to take something that hearty, nutritious and glorious in its silky cheesiness...and buy the vegetables necessary to concoct it.  You see, I'm all out of everything, been that way for awhile.  What with trips to Minneapolis to bond with cute cousins, empties the fridge like no tornado you've ever seen, makes you get rid of stuff and use up stuff automatically.  Love it when my fridge flows with my life's mission.

To cook that soup requires celery, potatoes, carrots, and oh yes broccoli.  Even half a cup of chopped onion is thrown in with 4-6 slices bacon and a daring but doable four cups of sharp cheddar cheese, Jesus!  Is honored with half a teaspoon dried mustard, a teaspoon salt, half teaspoon pepper.  The milk, flour, and butter shouldn't complicate the extradition of roasted vegetable pasta sauce, with balsamic calling all the shots and making mortal enemies.

1-1/3 cups of sour cream later, 2/3 cups softened butter

Carving carrots IS my forte after all, and so I'd better get on it.  Cooling on the stove is a last-minute easy-peasy chocolate chip cake, cooked wa-a-a-y longer than the blogger recommended. What's up with you Mel, I got a toasty browned cinnamon sugar encrusted chocolate chip decorated DESSERT for my family.  It's a Monday after all, what else've I got to do with my time but make IKEA's own meatballs, with the Swedish cream sauce, the mashed potatoes (instant), the lingonberries.

Oh yeah I'm gonna fire my oven back up from its wavering between both 325 to 350 for almost as many minutes.  What was WITH that 30-35 min time recommendation, even used the glass dish, 9-1/2 x 13-1/2.  But should I've?  One never knows with these things until falling again and again while getting just the right thinking.  Oh you know just what I'm meaning.  The sour cream thing.

Hold it against me for the rest of my life that tomorrow's gonna mean I use chicken and a slow cooker, leaning gratuitously towards buttery cornmeal crescent rolls IS the answer.  Finding fascination with white chicken and spinach lasagna, oh yes I did.  It's always been a black thing. Stealing and misquoting, and gossiping about everybodies families, in this town it's the norm, it's nothing you'd see in Chicago.  That's ghetto.

Character traits

I've been chasing that chicken and broccoli Alfredo for over a week now, and it thankfully came into being this morning.  I'm hoping it will be as delicious as it was throw-together easy and that the broccoli will be adored by my children as much as light Alfredo proves to be a tasty substitution. You can never count on these things until they happen right before your eyes, it's just the way it is.

Making a Texas sheet cake for dessert however, so stinkin' simple, both the ingredients and the process, you don't want to be caught dead standing in an aisle at TJ Maxx pretending you don't know the recipe.  Everyone does because it's obvious and standing two inches away from your breathing space, not being invisible as some non-cooks hope and assume.

So caught up in the latest discounted product that blind spots simply come in handy is a way of life Texas sheet cake enthusiasts can't endorse and are wont to refuse.  Which is why time marches on, cookies crumble, and children grow up way too fast.  Be the man your mothers raised you to be, ditch the blinders and own your blunders.  Cake's exactly what the doctor ordered.

Healthkick Monday

Oh sure, we all go through phases, but cravings are a whole 'nother matter.  Beans and pasta are on my mind, nailing down the recipe is the harder part, even with Mel's Kitchen Cafe, The Pioneer Woman, and allrecipes.com at my beckon call.  It's difficult.  Wanting solely to experience the health benefits of beans, desiring that texture with no solution to the matter, only suggested serving combos like for example, with quinoa.  Can a person realistically tire of all things Mexican?  I can't.

You all know me by now, two cans of black beans will always get my attention and be my saving grace, and throwing in a cup of corn is ideal in my neck of the woods, and elsewhere.  Even on my very own plate, a teaspoon of cumin with 1/4 tsp cayenne, first sautéing 3 cloves of garlic and an entire onion...boiling 3/4 cup quinoa with 1-1/2 cup broth, then simmering covered for 20 minutes, insanely choosey!  And recommended.

Sometimes as I sit here in my life orchestrated by guardian angels, I wonder if seeking the next bean recipe that will satisfy my soul is jeopardizing enough.  Within minutes I know for sure, a half cup of cilantro mixed in with the black beans at the end is serious business when dealing with a healthified bean-focused option.  Especially when reliable Monday rolls around, pretending to be the oldest sibling in a family of six that never existed.  You knew that was true but never admitted it.

Casserole fun

A best lasagna rolls recipe ever found its way onto our table last night, and boy were we a happy bunch of campers.  Must've been my improvised cheese filling that really took it over the top, even mistook it for ricotta, bonus!  This morning bright and early I finally manufactured the no-bake Eclair cake I've been looking forward to, having put it off for like forever.  And at a loss for what to serve up pre-dessert, an actual meal with protein is called for, so I stuck six frozen chicken breasts on a foil-lined pan for a roasting at 400 for about 50 minutes.  Baked chicken ought to go perfectly with SOME recipe out there, cubed or shredded.

Trekking to the grocery store eventually will be the missing piece of the puzzle, I've got like four lists full of needs and wants, but mostly requirements to keep this kitchen running.  And I will check them all off one by one, emptying my lists into the nethersphere, got me?  It's only Chicken and Broccoli with a jar of Alfredo that's currently in the running, which is fine with me thanks to the broccoli and chicken minus about a cup of cheese (plus what's IN alfredo anyway).  Certainly not healthy but easy for an autumn Wednesday.

Lose yer soul

Holy hell, when measurements for ingredients are less than you bargained for, improvise.  Sure ricotta filling converts almost equally to 1-2/7 cup nonfat cottage, what's left of that Neufchâtel, topped with a schmear of Light sour cream...to make that cup its fullest self, unencumbered. It's the spices that matter to us most, and when forced to sub 2 T parsley with 2 t dried, be as concerned as a clinical psychologist wanting only the best for everyone.  And trust them.

I mean it's not like we're asked to use fresh basil, dried is called for.  At least the garlic cloves are real.  Have you ever tried rinsing under cool water steaming hot pasta?  Burns ridiculously, and painful.  It's the cooking scars that never seem to fade, no matter how far you evolve beyond them. Seared right onto your arm, left bicep actually, a proficient and steady reminder, of that cookie sheet you did battle with.  Lost your father, and your Freudian mother.

Italian night

Don't embark on the journey if you're not willing to do what it takes to get there, use a food processor.  Yes, it's a trial to process 2 cups of nonfat cottage with 9-1/2 saltine crackers, once smooth add a teaspoon of dried basil, two teaspoons of dried parsley.  Continue to include an egg, a cup-and-a-half mozzerella, over a cup of Parm, just shy of two...1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper.

This is your lasagna cheese mixture which you'll roll into twelve cooked lasagna noodles, drained, rinsed, and cooled.

For the sauce brown a pound of ground pork with half an onion and two minced cloves of garlic, a teaspoon of salt, half teaspoon of pepper.  Add two 15-oz cans diced tomatoes and 15 ounces of sauce to a teaspoon basil, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon thyme.  Simmer 10-15.

Roll up cheese mixture drizzled in sauce over noodles, following Mel's method exactly.   Cover greased dish with one cup sauce, seam side down, drizzle sauce, sprinkle cheeses.

At 350 covered with sprayed foil for thirty-five minutes, uncovered for ten, rest ten.  Eat!

It's all on you, icing everywhere

I'm no cinnamon roll snob, won't catch me bragging left and right about my accomplishments that everyone's so jealous of and wish they'd attained in their own lives, being free to be me is my primary goal here, and always has been.  Whether I'm making Giant cinnamon rolls or those infused with Vanilla pudding, I'm the last person you'll meet who'll spend their lifetime achieving in the workplace, I'm more of a sidelines girl, letting success splatter upon me from those knit close around me, while I simply feed them and enjoy the rest of my day, delighting.

Being a millionaire without even trying hard is kind of how my parents raised me, which is why going the buttermilk route and skipping all the drama associated with gym rats and wine party enthusiasts alike, fits me perfectly.  I mean sure, one-hour caramel apple cinnamon rolls serve a purpose in society, a very valuable one I'd suppose if looking square at it and agreeing.  Instead, I go where God puts me, standing there so strongly others miss what I'm seeing.  It's all about bounty in my neck of the woods, with a few trials decorating the long run, which glitters in the mornings and shines a very undeniable shade of merciful gold.

Crudités and Pizza Rolls

Homemade caramel apple cinnamon rolls it is, all risen.  I can not get over how easy it is to make Cookie Dough fudge, keep it in your fridge, and nibble on it here-and-there waiting for it to run out so you can make chocolate.  My Grandma's recipe and my aunt's, both including marshmallows and chocolate chips, I'm thinking.  But these caramel apple cinnamon rolls are the highlight of my weekend...both the assembly and the leftovers that will last for days, into the school week.

Unrelated, more cilantro rice must be awakened, needing another whole batch of Mel's perfected recipe, wrapped up in a corn tortilla with shredded pork and black beans, beyond amazing, amazing.  Even better.  Well, there is this buttermilk ranch I can't get enough of, once you get over the whole mayonnaise being the primary ingredient in most dressings issues you have, use Light.

Spicy black bean salad

Falling in love was the easy part, when it comes to black bean dips and all, but it's the curiosity about the dressing, that most intrigued me.  Two cans of black beans was like beckoning me to respect it (I already did!), a can of corn I'd replace with bagged frozen, a diced red onion (LOVE!), three quarter cups salsa...suit yourself with the quantity.

Three minced cloves of garlic are doused in olive oil (3/4 c) and swirled with 1/2 cup cilantro, dashed with cumin, salt and pepper. 1-1/2 t, 1 t, 1/4 t  Are not left to your imagination, working overtime to secure 2 T lemon juice and 1 T red wine vinegar.  As always.

Pork digest

Since when can you go wrong with a pork roast in a crockpot, providing enough shredded goodness after 5 hours on high to supply these Sweet Pork burritos, with extra for pork sandwiches, nachos, there are no limits.  You can amuse yourself with post-workout InstaGlam photos all you like, while your peers laugh on, and there still won't be enough reason to not invest in 2 1/2 to 5 lbs of pork butt or shoulder, bone-in is where I'm leaning.  The options are as endless as witty Facebook comments, but can Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin truly call itself a relationship when visits to the table are few and far between, unless non-existent enters your vocabulary.  From a distance pork maintains whatever illusion the ego desires...it's succulent and will someday become trendy, I'm certain.  Up close, it's a little harder to admit and explain, but pork, my friend, hates talking on the phone, can't remember faces, and has walls aplenty that will never come down.

Soak it up

If you're going to go so far as to make bread pudding for your family, you'll thank yourself.  Part of it is the ease of whisking 3 eggs, 2 cups of milk, 2 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt.  I mean c'mon!  Having purchased (or made) a couple of loaves of cinnamon swirl bread, one for your freezer because God knows you'll make bread pudding at least twice, if not many, many more times than that.  Trust me.  You'll cut the loaf up, or at least 12 slices, into 3/4 inch pieces, and then soak it in your slurry for ten minutes flat, give or take.  Spreading the soaked cinnamon swirl bread in a buttered glass dish, 8 x 8 or larger if you prefer more carmelizing, your choice.  You'll want to sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top, say a tablespoon (or two) of sugar blended with 1/4 tsp (or 1/2). Three-seventy-five for 35-40 minutes should do you.

Nightly battle

Salad-making has become my forte whether I like it or not.  Blending organic mixed greens with organic romaine creates just the delicate or crunchy texture I'm in for, with a plethora of opportunities to unite both Mexican and barbecue.  Take the dressing for instance, basically a mayo/buttermilk/barbecue sauce trio, accentuated with lime juice, white vinegar, cumin and cayenne if I were naming any names.  It's the vegetables dressing the salad like confetti that bring my heart into being.  Craving avocado chunks anyone?  How about sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack cubed into small squares, red onion sliced almost as thin as is humanly possible, but not quite.  Oh I threw in the can of rinsed black beans, the cup and a half of frozen corn she recommended, certainly the minced cilantro.  Grilled shredded chicken soaked in barbecue sauce is the clincher.  Don't remind me of the tortilla strips sprinkled upon this glory, sucker punched by a warm, waiting cinnamon-sugar-encrusted bread pudding on the stove.

Nacho season

I used the whole onion, my mistake.  Digging in my produce drawer for the leftover half from Cowboy Pasta Sauce, I recalled no, I went for the full cup, having doubled the sauce recipe.  No problem when I whip together this one-minute literally divine salsa (at least I'm hoping).  Finding good use for an overabundance of tomatoes, slightly short on cilantro, but alas lime juice, pickled jalapeños, and garlic cloves are a dime a dozen around here.  Don't even have a bag of chips, I thought, then recalled quartered corn tortillas crisp up in a 350 oven after about twenty-five minutes, liberally sprayed with oil, of course.

Condensed version

I knew my bananas were destined for greatness, banana blueberry muffins DOUBLED it is.  My freezer absolutely loves me as I supply its depths with muffins and breads to take out at life's leisure. Speaking only of crockpots here, have you tried these Pulled Pork mini sandwiches with a spicy coleslaw to stand with it?  My husband will LOVE me for securing a pork roast to make this, say five to seven pounds.  Going on next week's menu feels certain to me, like knowing how to make crockpot stuffing for next Thanksgiving makes me breathe.

OMG

When I went about making Cowboy Pasta last night, I had no idea what I'd be proving.  My easiest sauce ever plan fell flat on its back, actually ran out of Giada's sauce, I know, can you imagine? So plan b held three pounds worth of ground beef and ground pork, literally a half and half mixture. And a hunt, of a lasagna? Another beef/pork complimented pasta?  As soon as I centered on Mel's Cowboy Spaghetti, I just knew, we could adapt it.

Tripled the meat in the end, sacrificed the bacon, doubled the sauce, and you know what's so interesting about adding 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce?  The four tablespoons of Worcestershire that somehow sweetens everything up.  I mean with a teaspoon only of oregano and four cloves of garlic minced, serving my version of Cowboy Pasta Sauce over a pound of rotelle.  Could freeze an entire half of the recipe for another fallish-night feeling, and have enough to feed a family of eight, with leftovers!  Not even kidding.

Anticipation

If I could do it all over again, relive last night's dinner with forethought, less with abandon, I'd have made nice with my slow cooker YEARS ago, despite the unavoidable aromas penetrating every nook and cranny of my house.  I'd simply go ahead with these chocolate chip pumpkin loaves, to mask any unwanted memories of the day's slow cooking, similar to yesterday's French bread rolls wafting everywhere, doing duty as a cover up.  You know precisely what I'm meaning.

A couple of balsamic glazed pork loins or a true 5 lb chuck roast going incognito as Italian Beef, right up my alley.  Who wouldn't meld two teaspoons of salt, pepper, oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley and two bay leaves together, expecting family dinner to stun and amaze as always.  What a guarantee!

Sidelines

I had to outdo myself today, I had no choice.  Had leftover buttercream icing, you see, a 7 year old's fake birthday happening last Saturday.  You weren't invited.  The oohing and aahing over the best vanilla cupcakes ever made interesting, and a stick of butter combined with 3 oz cream cheese, 3-1/2 cups powdered sugar, a teaspoon vanilla, a quarter cup cream, yes heavy whipped, now we're talking.

Not like to each other, remember the banishment, it's everlasting.  But back to these French Rolls, they're sublime AND amazing.  Plucking my eight hideaway rolls I'd of course snuck in the depths of my freezer...waiting, just waiting for a purpose, a sandwich straight from heaven.

It was of course the French dip, thank God I reserved a package of deli roast beef, easily nabbed off the shelf of a Sam's Club.  So you combine two packs of Zesty Italian dressing mix with a mere 16 ounces of beef broth, an entire jar of pepperoncinis, juice not included...crockpot with roast beef on low until you're all ready to sit down for dinner.

Bake those well-risen French rolls, extras for tonight, some for butter and jam, the rest sneaking their illicit way back into the freezer.  On the side I have crafted Mel's barbecue pasta salad, subbing bacon for the sausage as recommended in her comments.  And tonight we'll ice the rest of today's vanilla cupcakes, with multi-colored buttercream icing, the joy's more than you can fathom.

Methods to madness

I'm gonna go out on a limb and try making Mel's version of taco filling.  I mean to be honest mine's meant for tacos and nachos, hers for rolled up burritos, adding rice.  Can hers be adapted to my preference for crunchy, using exactly her method and same ingredients?  Look ahead.

Do what she says with the bean mixture, mashing half a can of pintos with half a cup of chicken broth.  Cook half a cup of chopped onions in half a tablespoon oil, start with medium heat, then experiment with medium-high, 3-4 minutes.  Stirring often, then stirring in:

3 T tomato paste
3 finely minced cloves of garlic
Cumin, 1/2 T
Oregano, 1 t
Chili powder, 1 t

Cook one to two minutes, add ground beef...and BROWN.  Drain, stir in mashed bean mixture, three to four minutes, add beans, a tablespoon of lime juice and 3/4 tsp salt.

MAKE IT WORK.

Sour cream and shredded cheddar needed

When making guacamole to go alongside tacos versus oven nachos w/ jalapeños, you'll recall the importance of securing your food processor for a whirling of those ranch dressing ingredients. You'll want this dip on hand for all your many intentions for it...crunchy lettuce salads speaking the loudest with a barely audible Antipasto Salad remembering how we enjoy it time and again (sans mushrooms) at good ol' Bemidji's Dave's Pizza, it's the best.

Taco Meat Recipe

Brown 2 lbs ground beef, drain well.  Add 2-15 oz cans pinto or black beans, whatever's on hand.

Add:

4 tsp instant minced onion

2 tsp salt

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp instant minced garlic

1 tsp crushed dried red pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp oregano

Simmer with 1/2 cup water or more to meld flavors.  Serve on oven baked chips with melt cheese, green onions, and pickled jalapeño slices...350 for 7 minutes.  Or in toasted crunchy taco shells, rolled in microwaved soft tacos, however your heart leads.

Pure rivalry

Spoil me rotten, friends.  Throw as many cherry tomatoes, green peppers, and ears of corn at me as your heart pleases, make my refrigerator burst forth with plenty and abandon.  Hate me, but yesterday I wanted nothing to do with Caprese salad-making, today I'm not even interested.  All the ingredients are speaking loudly, yes cilantro AND parsley, already sure of my favorite but letting you sit on the sidelines and figure it out.  Do it logically, like a psychologist who wanted to be a doctor would. Then talk wa-a-a-y too much while misreading a totally innocent fifteen year old's perceptions, try writing a historically accurate book about it, and then pretend to yourself that your shadow had nothing to do with it, at all.

I went with Mexican Tomato and Corn.

Linkage

I get all excited like when another perfect cooking blog comes marching forth with intention. Making everyday family favorites like Hawaiian Haystacks that I know my children will love and Chicken Chili Casserole that seems so easy and will likely get devoured.  Salads are right up her alley as well, a cilantro-honey-lime dressing flowing perfectly over a Barbecue Chicken Salad, with an Antipasto Salad shouting for a little more attention in the background.  I'll make you, I'll make you! Even you, Fiesta Ranch Vinaigrette Salad, I'll make you too.

Never forget for the life of you that Jello Salads are indeed her forte, especially when Cabbage Rolls come knockin' on your window, being brazen.  A bite of meat, cabbage, and sauce being addicting to young ones?  Oh, I'd agree.  Mexican crockpot chicken, anyone?  Fine, me.

Boundless

I am just determined to do two important things, and that it's only 2 o'clock both floats my boat and is my cup of tea.  One, is make Ranch dressing.  What with all the vegetables I have cut up, or crudités I guess you could call them...all I need is to get the cilantro and parsley minced and dancing with some light mayo and light sour cream.  Don't leave out the tablespoons of olive oil and lemon juice, nor the garlic, green onions or buttermilk, or you'd kill yourself.  I mean what's stopping you from taking a knife and getting your mincing on, is it the granola you just can't get your mind off of?

A skillet toasting of slivered almonds, chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds and old-fashioned rolled oats, baked at 325 after mixing with canola oil and honey.  Salt and raisins are the least of your worries when you have to memorize all those measurements, 1/4 cup each, 3 cups those, 3 T, 1/4 cup, 1/4 tsp, and a whole cup.  You know.

Sightless

Toasted walnuts, definitely.  You can't just wander around the house aimlessly, observing task after task that you already accomplished yesterday.  Choosing wisely to start those loads even if it meant emptying the dryer, folding and putting away half a basket upstairs.  My intentions were all good, I'll admit it, to take it one step further each time, never looking back and realizing all I'd accomplished.  So yes, here I am about to make banana bread, two loaves 'cause I'm lucky, actually bought extra bunches for the future, not even knowing what I could've had planned.

Amicable means

Had I not just invented a recipe this morning, combining that dang hot Italian leftover sausage and some mushrooms and peppers that have near literally gone astray.  I'd assume everyone had this good of fortune in the kitchen.  Now I know better, you can't just be anyone and take what was meant to be a calzone and rebirth it into Quick Cherry Cheesecake bars and a Sausage with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Peppers Penne.  Takes Jesus, and three finely minced cloves of garlic AND 2-1/2 cups of chicken broth (and 3-1/2 cups o' water), simmered with as many diced sun dried tomatoes as your fridge is currently providing.  Stir in 6 ounces of baby spinach and 3/4 cup grated parm, until all that liquid's absorbed and pasta's tender.  Salt and pepper your signature all over it, oh and don't forget to refrigerate it topped with cherry pie filling.  Delightful!

Night two

Mel's meatball recipes should be famous, all four varieties satisfy the what's-for-dinner question with a modicum of preparation.  I mean, don't get me wrong, sweet and sour and pineapple are as essential as those with cream sauce, but tonight's teriyaki goodness has got me amped about the process.  I can already hear my skillet sizzling with 2 T oil as I brown the goodness out of 2 lbs of lean ground beef rolled into 1-in portions.  Of course you have to mix together the binder first, nothing more than 2 eggs, 2/3 cup bread crumbs, a teaspoon of salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder and pepper, 1-1/2 tsp Worcestershire, and 3 T milk.  Have that sauce all ready and on the side and simmer the browned meatballs in it for 10-15 minutes.  Cook up some rice in chicken broth, and a delectable dinner have you!

Error code

Not necessarily a flop, but I can't say my Jumbo Stuffed Shells with meat sauce was exactly what I was looking for.  Lightening up the filling with a 20 ounce tub of nonfat cottage cheese, paired with a cup-and-a-half of mozz, a half cup of Parmesan, a half teaspoon of salt, two minced cloves of garlic and two T of basil, and don't forget 12 saltines...may bask in its own perfection.  But to include only 6 ounces of ground beef with an entire onion, two cloves of garlic, two T of paste, 1 T soy sauce and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 3 cans of diced tomatoes later, stirring in 4 T of basil off the heat, a sauce that tasted great but leaned a tad heavily towards meat-free and onion-y.

Already plotting tomorrow's delectable dealing, teriyaki meatballs over rice, makes a school night worthwhile AND divine.

Old school

A girl can't go wrong with a fully stocked fridge, even if a 5 lb bag of Yukon Gold potatoes and a package of fresh basil really are the answer.  They are the beginning, anyway, of a three day shortened school week, one where overnight oatmeal is on hand, a supply of ready-cooked sausage and scrambled egg burritos appealing to my young ones.

A no-bake Eclair cake pairing with Stuffed Jumbo Shells one of those same weeknights, but tonight relax.  A fridge filled with grilled hot Italian sausages, and steaks for the panini grill at the cabin, sliced for sandwiches.

Wealth

Literally, I was just making the sauce of my dreams, you know, easiest sauce ever?  Whipped up garlic bread for my kiddos because what could be literally simpler than cutting up a loaf of sitting- around Italian bread, spreading it with butter then sprinkling it with garlic powder and Monterey Jack, because you were literally out of mozzerella.  Turned out spectacular, have leftovers for lunch tomorrow, and am already grilling chicken in my mind for a white chicken chile enchilada recipe that will literally blow your soul to smitherings.  Only, do I want to literally heat up my house tomorrow with the warm weather that's coming, my expectations are so low, I literally do not know. Only hope is that my future grandchildren will be nourished by the example I set, that I put into place literally everyday of my existence, being home with my young ones, celebrating the value of our family, extended in literally every direction I can imagine, or choose to take part in.

Grains of truth

Having ultimate kids requires looking beyond typical frozen waffle and dry cereal with-or-without milk mornings.  It takes planning ahead, keeping quick oats on hand always, because making this Oatmeal Pancake Mix with only eggs and buttermilk is a sure fire way to keep bellies filled beyond mid-morning.  Of course, being on the fence with regards to making oatmeal itself, leaves me wondering if steel cut oats will be difficult to find at the local grocers, because 6 cups of water added to 2 cups of oats leaves only 1/4 cup each of maple syrup and brown sugar (plus 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp cinnamon) to mix into it, cooking for 7-8 hours on low.  I'm sure there are other overnight crockpot oatmeals on the web, other means to satisfy grain and fruit servings that will rival my morning breakfast burritos.  Oatmeal's goin' into the repertoire, that's all I know.

Flim flam

Errors in judgment are common when mastering new kitchen maneuvers.  For example, when making chicken pot pie, browning 1/4 cup of flour before whisking in that cup of milk, can result in burning if not stirred absolutely constantly.  I mean, medium-high is an awfully hot caliber of fire to be acting nonchalantly with even for a moment, when you've none to spare.  Same thing with toasting panko at 475 for 7-10 minutes.  Go ahead and be an idiot and ignore all signs of browning until the timer goes off at ten, what, fully-dependent on artificial time-keepers now, despite a fine-tuned sense of smelling?  It does make you feel grateful when another seven minutes worth of browning panko later, you read WELL-browned in the directions, salvaging two-inch mozzerella bites about to be dunked in Giada's creamy tomato anytime soon, so get on it.

Note to self

Preheat oven to 425 when you get home from the park.  Pop in your pre-thawed puff pastry dough, rolled into a 9 x 13 rectangle, layed upon a parchment paper lined, rimmed pan.  About 8 minutes, let cool.  You want it puffed and lightly browned.

Toast flour over med-high heat for 5 minutes.  You want it fragrant and lightly golden.  Let cool.

Two teaspoons canola over medium-high, soften and lightly brown onions and celery, 8-10 minutes.  Stir in 3-1/2 cups broth, a T of soy sauce, scraping up browned bits.  Add two pounds chopped chicken and carrots, bring to simmer.  Reduce to low, cover and cook 10-15 minutes.  Let cool, shred into bite-size.

Whisk a cup of milk into flour, whisk into pot.  Simmer and cook, whisking constantly for two minutes, until thickened.  Off heat, stir in chicken, 3/4 cup frozen peas, two teaspoons of God-given dried parsley, 2 tsp lemon juice (thank God I always have these).  Season to taste.

Bake w/ puff pastry on top, after slitting four steam vents along center...15 minutes, until pastry is deep golden, sauce is bubbling around the edges.  Cool slightly before serving.

Daytime drama

Could've killed the cashier girl, AGAIN charging me for cilantro when I really bought parsley.  Had to check the actual bag AGAIN making sure I was right that it was indeed parsley.  $1.58 a bunch is much different than under a buck seasoning (going in tonight's chicken pot pie under puff pastry). Not that I couldn't find a use for cilantro if I tried to, but to have accidentally bought it instead of parsley makes a difference.  It means it was MY fault, my thoughts were perhaps elsewhere, focusing not intently upon the leaf shape, imagining the future wrong, misleading myself intuitively toward a recipe, like blacked out.  Irony was, the bunch actually was cilantro.  I'd thought, perhaps she sees all these tortillas I'm buying, both corn and similarly small-sized flour, the two limes, Nicki's Salsa (bought at a nearby Hugo's).  Plus my jumbo shells, two packages I'll lighten up (simple comfort food, again!) and serve with meat sauce throughout the school year. But back to the cilantro, and having to get used to dried parsley.  I'll adapt my expectations, follow through with my rice crispie bars (two layers tall, always), plan ahead for no-bake Eclair cake (Hugo's had my French vanilla), and get on chopping my vegetables...three carrots to peel and halve lengthwise, to slice 1/4 inch thick, and a stick of celery to MINCE, an entire onion chopped fine.

Affairs of the heart

I was completely obsessed with corn tortillas last night and into this morning, but now I'm brooding over chicken potentials, such a journey.  Mixing a can of rinsed black beans with some diced onion and a teaspoon each of cumin and paprika, meets my every basic need.  Leaving behind Arizona and the cuisine we enjoyed there, makes warming a corn tortilla upon a vegetable oil sprayed skillet, filling it with beans and shredded pepper jack before folding it in half, frying each side for three minutes, fully aware now of all I'd been missing.  Like, instead of PB&J, or a toasted ham and cheese, we can have these now.  Of course, two pounds of raw chicken are beckoning me rather loudly, begging to be cut up, marinated, and Panko-crusted into baked nuggets.  On the other hand, chicken pot pie with puff pastry atop longs to be sautéed into being, in fact the entire method of roux-making, softening onions and celery, and simmering chicken and carrots in broth, well it's just the kind of digging in I'm up for.  So true.

Calzone-mania!

When you know the perfect calzone dough recipe, and have a never-fail cheesy filling, grilling your own Italian sausage and steaming bite-sized broccoli for three minutes in the microwave is only the beginning. Willing to throw caution to the wind, you'll happily sauté 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms in a tablespoon of olive oil for five minutes, adding two minced cloves of garlic and one-half teaspoon of oregano for another minute-long sauté, AND four cups of packed spinach leaves for another sixty seconds thereafter.  All this knowing full-well you're the only mushroom-lover in the family, a champion of spinach, doesn't really matter.  Experimenting with new flavors YOU love is the ideal way to run a kitchen, returning time-and-again to the tried-and-true basics that keep you moving forward, especially where perfect calzones are concerned.

Nothing better

This last week was a dream, I hardly could've planned it.  Determined to make oven-nachos w/homemade chips that have become a tradition, followed by lightened up calzones, oh-the-possibilities with 2 cups of bread flour mixed with 1 tsp rapid-rise, 1 tsp salt, 1 T olive oil and a 3/4 cup of warmed water, and at least an hour rise.  After assembling any medley you'd dream of, but especially the lowered-fat cheese sauce, freaky easy homemade specialty that can be served up in my house weekly.  Now on the agenda, after success with Grandma's raisin cookies and a ready batch of Freezer Peanut Butter cookies, is an attempt, different than a try at Crispy Chicken nuggets lightened up with vegetable oil spray and Panko.  Of course I'll have to pick up two small boxes of French vanilla pudding, cool whip, and a box of graham crackers for some unpredictable night's no bake (refrigerate overnight!) Eclair cake.  Oh man, yum!

Letting it rise

An hour and a half to spend at my leisure, calzone dough rising currently as we speak.  Gonna take America's Test Kitchen up on it and do the sausage, broccoli, and cheese combo.  Of course the wrinkling orange pepper's just begging to take a dip in it...can you imagine, not just 4 oz mozzerella, 1/4 cup parm, but also processed together with 1-1/4 cup non-fat cottage (and 6 saltines, to absorb the moisture).  Seasoned with only a clove of garlic and 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, yum!  Of course with my large family, serving four's just not an option, so double everything.  Even the calzone dough. Grilled sausage just around the corner...I've got my veggies to chop, my cheese filling's in order.

Locate

It's not so bad, honestly, reclaiming 10,000 loads of post-trip laundry.  Doing a new method, actually, rather than wash, avoid, dry, lay flat, then fold...putting away at my leisure.  Too lazy, in my reborn opinion.  Now just stare straight at the top of my front-loading washer and dryer, grab each child's garment, folding and putting into unique piles.  All the time reminiscing and envisioning the futures of all six children, my husband.  They will eventually make it upstairs to drawers.

Atta' girl

So glad I went through with my plan tonight, to fill back up my fridge after an excursion to Target.  Primo time spent with my fifteen year old who every day is growing lovelier, an actual writer.  Not to be confused, you know.  Raising her up to love my nachos as much as I love to make 'em.  Easiest recipe straight out of Comfort Food makeovers, ever.  First you make your own tortilla chips...cutting up twelve corn tortillas ( thank God I had 'em ) into fourths, liberally spraying them with vegetable oil for five seconds ( upon two foil-lined pans ), then flip and respray, then salt to your liking.  Crisp up in the oven for twenty whole minutes ( in my oven, perhaps twenty-five ), 350.  Well don't stop me there...let cool, top each chip with refried beans ( a total of one can ), spring onions ( thinly slice three ), a block of reduced fat shredded cheddar ( insisted upon full-flavor ), and a jalapeño slice upon all of thee.  Melt in said oven for another seven.  Please!

Intact pride

Because no actual recipe exists, just a list of ingredients left to a cook's imagination, my Grandma's Monster Cookies aren't an experience guaranteed to everyone.  I mean, I could probably piece it together in some recognizable order, construct a successful reunion among the sugars, butters, and syrups, but that type of generosity isn't always best for non-cooks everywhere.  Certain recipe-making wannabes have earned the difficulties in their kitchens, through neglectful use and abuse of their burners.  Sons of Monster Cookie masters are everything daughters would hope them to be, nothing short of loyal, true, and honest...leaning naturally towards the more authentic cookies, by nature.  Creaming 12 ounces of peanut butter and 1/4 lb of butter with 1-3/8 cups of brown sugar and 1 cup of white sugar...probably the next obvious step, in reality.  I mean, how much more rejection can mixing 3 eggs in stand, does it take adding 1/4 tablespoon each of vanilla and corn syrup to the family's tried-and-true batter...or is it maple.  Grandma doesn't clarify.  Having tasted these cookies throughout my entire intact childhood makes a girl actually know that answer...and not wish to reveal it.  Mostly because standing around with your coworkers while throwing 4-1/2 cups of oatmeal, 1/4 lb chocolate chips, and 1/4 lb M&Ms under a bus, instead of in the bowl with the 2 tsp of baking soda...not the kindest, sisterly act ever, frowned upon by most, if not all of my family.  But alas, it's the cookies that matter most at this point, their crumbs are important to the cookies that made them, and frankly, they won't live forever.  Believe me, there are pictures of all four siblings, and two semi-sisters...everywhere.  Reaffirming the natural order of Grandma's Monster Cookies, only one apology filled-with-honesty short.  Go figure.

Stewardship

If you've never had my Grandma's raisin cookies, sent year after year to affirm Christmas in our family, you'll be so glad I know how to reproduce them.  They are the type of favorite-cookie-ever to linger in your taste memory for an entire lifetime, light and fluffy without a hint of oatmeal, never overbaked, in fact perfection falls short of describing them.  Boil 1-1/2 cups of raisins in 1 cup of water until almost dry..., cream 1-1/2 cups of brown sugar with 1 whole cup of shortening..., add 2 eggs and beat well.  Combine 3-1/2 cups of flour with 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp each of nutmeg and cloves, also add 1-1/2 tsp baking soda and a little bit of salt.  Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheets, baking at 350 on the bottom rack until puffing up...then moving to the top rack until slightly golden.  Do not overbake these precious gemstones from our family.  Or you'll never, ever get it, you'll forever fail to understand.  And don't get me started on her Monster Cookies.

Perfectly softened

When you need two tablespoons of butter softened, waiting patiently while it melts is never a good idea. Takes forever. About 8 seconds in the microwave (20 sec for a whole stick) is sufficient, perfectly melted. It's a grand day in paradise when making rice crispie bars and your choice of muffins falls onto your agenda. Showering said rice crispie bars upon cast members of a middle school play, a delight I intend to indulge in. Quickly baking a batch of large and small muffins, for my freezer and for hungry summer bellies, quite the pleasure. The four cups of bran cereal that go into the entire concoction, makes mixing one tablespoon of white vinegar into a cup of milk to make buttermilk, worth the effort. Cooking and not having to go to the store..., wa-a-a-y better than being on welfare, but less an endangerment than daycare. Trust me!

A+

Tonight I'm making Pasta al Forno, otherwise known as baked pasta with tomatoes and mozzarella. It is easy to pull together (requires mincing 2 garlic cloves finely), and not much more than a 28 oz can of petite diced tomatoes paired with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Plus cheese, don't ask. The 5 lb bag of shredded Stella at Sam's Club is AMAZING, and the wedge of Parmesan you keep in your fridge at all times is so gonna be your new best friend. Don't mock her. Find some pasta, and know, I'm literally praying for a good penne to be in my pantry as we speak, but any tubular will do. Slice that waiting loaf of whole grain bread lengthwise, slather on softened butter, sprinkle with garlic powder, wrap in foil...400 degrees for about 15 minutes, or longer.

Buy up

Already organizing for the school year, I want it to go smoothly, meal-wise anyway. Requires stocking up on 5 lbs ground beef, oh, any ratio you please. It's not like this is my meatball post, praising four different styles to serve them, wherein I'd go lean. Oh and don't forget 4 whole pounds of ground pork, yes we're stocking up for four potential meals with tomato-based sauces, all that meat (9 lbs!) goin' in the freezer. It's a month until the start of the school year, I repeat.

Don't follow my directions

I leave things out, like always pre-toasting your panko for instance, especially when stuffing your jalapeños. It's not like you can link to every recipe in the universe, when relying on your new favorite cookbook, it's complicated. On the one hand, you don't want to go so far as to steal recipes from copyrighted sources, but at the same time you want those ingredient combos in your memory bank, for like forever. It's not always obvious to everyone that 6 oz light shredded cheddar can combine with 4 oz Neufchâtel, 2 finely chopped scallions, 2 tsp lime juice, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt...bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Only a true psychopath would forget to stuff the cheese mixture into the jalapeños, or print up all of my recipes and pay the postage to send them to birth parents and recipe enthusiasts alike. With a rather large "see, I'm the good daughter you've always wanted" desperate cry for validation printed all over it. Yeah, don't.

Comfort Food Makeovers

One week away from departure and I HAVE to make these mozzerella sticks. Combining 1/4 cup flour with 3/4 tsp garlic powder and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper is a breeze, according to America's Test Kitchen. Whisking 2 egg whites until foamy seems to be a commonly preferred method, and filling a third dish with 1 cup panko, 1/2 tsp basil, 1/4 tsp oregano, and 1/4 tsp salt is my new tried-and-true. Dipping 2-in lengths of mozzerella sticks in all three, old hat if you ask me, it's the freezing for 30-minutes before baking at 475 for 8-10 minutes that hadn't occurred to me at all.

Panko crumbs galore!

It's a wonderful lesson for my children as they watch their cousins tweet away, unfiltered, creative and free. That's what youth is all about these days, is it not? Which is why they are not allowed to have cellphones. Panko-crusted chicken nuggets on the other hand, totally accepted fare in our conservative household. It's funny, one moment you're marinating very specifically cut chicken breasts in 2 T Worcestershire, 2 t onion powder, 1/2 t each of garlic powder and salt, and 1/4 t pepper. Thirty minutes later you're patting dry said nuggets, dredging them in 1/2 c flour, 3 egg whites whisked until foamy, and 2 c panko crumbs (pre toasted for 10-12 min at 475) mixed with 1 T canola oil. Ultimately, baking them on a wire rack at 475 for another 10-12 min. Recipes like these are not only healthy, but provide that schadenfreude you'd been missing your whole entire life, 'lil nuggets of karma. Much less vulgar and arrogant though.

Diff'rent strokes

If you're the type to Christmas shop all-year round, finding security in a gift closet filled with perfect things for everyone, well, take pride. That kind of foresight will get you far in life, it might even win over relatives and close friends, but mostly it just makes you look good. Prepared for all of life's disasters and uh-oh's is a good place to be in the scope of things. Something to strive for, definitely. On the other hand, if you just wander into libraries hoping to find perfect books on non-fiction new release shelves, only faintly wondering what it is you have against all other genres, but mostly fiction, you'll likely conclude two things. One, that a busy, fulfilled mom like yourself (unless you're a gay male masquerading as a straight husband, then please, excuse me) values non-fiction truth over fantasies written by strangers, talented though they may be. And two, no time. I mean, I would probably LOVE to get lost in a novel-that-everyone's-reading as much as anyone, if I had the time someday and gave it a chance. But instead, I'm stuck loving the hell out of whatever America's Test Kitchen's latest offering is...even if it IS Comfort Food Makeovers involving substitutions like Greek yogurt and lower fat cheeses that make all that deliciousness possible. Yum and AMEN!

Condemnation and a cure

A sentence of six months in prison over the course of six years, a husband and wife will alternate serving March and Septembers. A faith healing family who prayed for the the cure, lost their daughter to diabetes, prolonged high blood sugar over weeks, probably fueled with fluids laced with sugar. Not everyone can consume 15 grams of carbohydrates and supply a unit of insulin to cover it. Probably sees insulin, like all doctors, as a false idol, or something. Best news ever, however, scientists at Boston's Children's Hospital have figured out the molecular pathway where the immune response occurs that attacks the beta cells that produce the insulin, and results in juvenile diabetes. Other research promises to the nth degree without guaranteeing, that a vaccine will be developed to prevent this childhood atrocity from even happening. The disease CAN be reversed, the beta cells can be reborn, it's a miracle of science beyond comprehension. Spread the Word, and thank our Lord.

Dining in

This cheesy chicken and rice soup IS classic, in fact it reminds me of a similar hot dish experienced late in my college career, early on in my budding romance with my hubs,...only it was called California Medley. It was the same chicken-and-cheesy concoction, but with a bag of California Blend vegetables mixed in, something to the likes of sliced carrots, broccoli spears, and cauliflower florets. I'm SO gonna make this and find inner peace with the tablespoon of butter that goes into every serving. Not that I'm obsessed with butter ratios per serving, but definitely paying attention. Not the kind of attention people should pay to their teenagers' Twitter accounts, what with all the break ups and make ups and swearing going on. I mean, what land of well-raised children allows them to spend every moment broadcasting to the world such nonsensical strewn pronouncements. Must be 2013, or some similar justification.

Chicago girl

I can't be entirely sure if this next pasta dish landed in my lap so instantly because the Internet is so great or because prayer works amazing wonders in our lives. It felt like the latter after my recent plea to pasta, you know, to stand-up and be more representative of their race and all. And lucky for even me, only one link away from The Sisters Cafe was The Picky Palate, which in her archives featured Grown-up Spaghettios. I'll admit when I first saw this recipe I instantly thought, "I'm going ghetto". It was more of a threat, to go ghetto, and I pondered that ditalini and tomato sauce combination for about three days, realizing with more and more joy that this dish also contained our favorite, grilled chicken, along with a stick of butter and a cup of cheese. Hidden Valley Ranch enthusiasts everywhere will be glad to know a tablespoon of ranch dip mix is secretly mixed in. Now I don't know if it was the ditalini itself that was being like, I'm all cute and tiny rings, or if the outspoken cheese was getting all gooey-like, but the three fifteen ounce cans of tomato sauce definitely brought warmth to my soul. It comforted.

Easiest sauce ever

When you have a large family like I do, six kids ages 2 to fifteen, you sometimes insist on allowing inspiration to creep in at the very last minute. Standing in the kitchen gazing into empty space, your core knows a table filled with splendor is in order, your kids, your family's memories, are deserving of your best. You are so glad that during your last trip to the grocery store you indeed grabbed two pounds each of ground beef and ground pork. You stuck them in the back of your fridge, not your freezer, because you just knew from past experience that if all else fails, whipping this up couldn't fill plates any easier. I mean, browning beef and pork together, with a previously diced onion of any size, like child's play, right? Draining the hell out of it with paper towels (never pour grease down a drain!), hot and potentially dangerous, but certainly doable. It's the mixing in of two jars of Giada's Creamy Tomato sauce (available only at Target) that gets you every time, I'd suppose. The noodles? Well if al dente goes by any other name than PERFECT, I'd like to know.

Leaning towards Thai

Not that I'm an expert or anything, on foreign cuisine or flavors. I just know that I love the idea of peanut butter, ginger, and red pepper mixed with spaghetti noodles, and sesame seeds and oil. Almost as much as combining black beans with corn, onions, and jalapeños, being one who tends naturally towards cilantro and Mex-in-general. At times, and I totally know you won't understand this, I want to be led from the start by an inviting rice or a good pasta, radiatore and cavatappi currently in wait for my easiest sauce ever,...gently persuading the large elbows to finally have it out with medium shells...skillet Mac-and-cheese, paired with Mel's Sloppy Joes, a memory made to stand forever.

There is a next best thing

...and I'm making them right now, I'll take you through it. Lemme warn you though, 12 ounces of butter and six ounces of cream cheese go into this alternative EGGLESS chocolate chip cookie. Talk about cream cheese smooshed between chocolate chip cookie, quite literally BONDED together, though sans egg you'll remember. Cream together cream cheese, melted and cooled butter, and both types of sugars. Add vanilla, then flour, baking soda and salt. Don't forget the chocolate chips. Roll into 1-inch balls on parchment at 325 for 14-16 minutes. Slightly smoosh cookies before baking. Should make about three pans, but beware, rolled cookies are OILY!

Cannot be done

An egg-and-a-half short is an unusual predicament to be in. I mean, who uses half an egg, the YOLK expressly,...why, a recipe which requires 3 EGGS to make it possible, two-and-a-half which go into the whole entire production. Bye-bye egg white that nobody thought to create a meringue with. So apparently I cannot make those Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Chip Bars because I have ONE egg,...not two, not the required two-and-a-half, nor the three eggs in all that would make this indulgence possible. Here, I wanted to spoil the office with them on Monday, hoped to surprise my loved ones who left together for a movie, and just the thought of the cheesecake alone smooshed between two gooey chocolate chip cookie bars. Sent me upward, straight to heaven.

Been there

If you're going to cook your chicken pot pies at 425, like most people do, just watch that pie crust after about 30 minutes. In our household we enjoy all things nicely browned and golden. It is never worthwhile to just go ahead and eat your pie crust underbaked, besides being tasteless it's ugly. Nor does it make any sense to put your pies directly upon the rack, a baking sheet with edges will catch any bubble-overs, and when lined with foil, clean up couldn't BE any easier. I

It sorta reminds you of those people who won't cook because giving of your heart and soul to others is more painful, due to abandonment issues that began at birth, then continued afterwards. Or they just don't know how.

The type of non-cook who justifies stalking you and just about everyone they know ONLINE, because for some, too much closeness and actual relationships that require honesty and accountability, must be too hard. A dreamworld where OTHERS are always envious of you, and all you've accomplished, is preferable to bonding with nieces and nephews and admitting you were wrong.

 Very wrong for digging in garbage cans at work trying to find dirt on your peers, dirt on anyone who you feel superior to, hoarding dirt like it's going out of style and sharing mud pies with your technician who you fired. Obsessed, is how she referred to you.

Old friends of yours who don't buy it anymore, "it's been TOO long, we should get together" reunions are now answered behind YOUR back with... don't you find that as strange as WE do? I mean, it's not like she doesn't have our phone number. Yeah, me too.