Overdue photos

I promised to post these pictures of Colin's haircut weeks ago! Since the original post, I've probably trimmed his hair 4 more times. It grows like weeds. This last time when I cut it Wes suggested perhaps it was time for a "professional" haircut. What, he doesn't think I'm a professional? I don't know what gave him that idea. Could it be because the morning after I cut his hair it always looks like a ball of fluff, reminiscent of an old man's perfectly coiffed do? These pictures are actually from the second haircut but you'll get the idea. The curls are still in tact and I plan to keep them that way as long as possible!

Chicken and Pie, Oh My!

Just because I haven't posted any recipes doesn't mean we haven't been eating! Quite the opposite, it means we've been eating so much I haven't had time. If I ever want to win the Pillsbury Bake-off and the grand prize of $1 million, I have to start coming up with some original recipes. In keeping with that thought, I came up with this pie. Of course it has nothing Pillsbury in it but the crust could easily be substituted with one of those refrigerated varieties that Pillsbury makes. I was craving pie, I was craving something nutty, and I was craving something cream cheesy. Ta da, Caramel Cream Cheese Delight!

For the crust I used a crust mix from William Sonoma but those are way too expensive, although tasty. You could easily whip up your own using your favorite recipe.


Filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup toasted walnuts (spread nuts on cookie sheet and bake in the oven until fragrant, about 10 minutes)
8oz sour cream
1 8oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the first 3 ingredients to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. (Reserve about 1/4 cup to use as a topping.)

Meanwhile, spread the chocolate chips and walnuts in the bottom of your unbaked pie shell. Pour the caramel mixture over the chips and nuts.

To make the cream cheese layer, beat sour cream, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time on low speed, until combined. Pour over caramel, nut mixture.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Chill before serving. Drizzle reserved caramel over each slice before serving.

Just as yummy but a little more healthy is this recipe for Chicken Parmesan. This was another tasty recipe from bon appetit magazine. When Wes saw that this is what Mario Batali serves his restaurant staff, he knew it would be good and wanted to try it. In fact, he volunteered to make the sauce (it turns out he was busy pressure washing the deck, but it's the thought that counts).

Chicken Parmesan
Basic Tomato Sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 3/4 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup coarsely grated peeled carrots
3 T. chopped fresh thyme
2 28-oz cans peeled whole tomatoes in juice

Chicken
10 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
3 cups fresh breadcrumbs
2 large eggs
1 cup (about) all purpose flour
6 T. (or more) olive oil, divided
3 cups coarsely grated well-drained fresh water-packed mozzarella, divided
1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 3/4 cups freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 T. chopped fresh marjoram

Sauce: Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; saute until onions are soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add carrots and thyme; saute until carrots are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice; bring to a boil, coarsely crushing tomatoes with potato masher or fork. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until sauce thickens and is reduced to generous 5 cups, about 1 hour. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
(Do ahead) Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm sauce before using.

Chicken: Place chicken breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Using meat mallet or rolling pin, pound chicken to 1/3-inch thickness. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Spread breadcrumbs on plate. Whisk eggs to blend in medium bowl. Spread flour on another plate. Coat both sides of chicken with flour, then eggs, then breadcrumbs.
Preheat oven to 350. Heat 2 T. oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken to skillet and cook until brown, about 2 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed (chicken will not be cooked through). Transfer chicken to platter. Spread 1 cup sauce over bottom of 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange 1 layer of chicken over sauce. Spoon 2 cups sauce over. Sprinkle half of mozzarella, Parmesan, and Pecorino over. Repeat with remaining chicken, sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Pecorina. Bake until cheeses melt and chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and marjoram and serve.

My notes: Clearly I didn't make all 10 chicken breasts! The recipe can easily be cut down to fit your needs. I used a cheese blend (still fresh cheeses though since that does make a noticeable difference). I didn't use the marjoram at the end either. I made the full recipe for the sauce and used the remainder for meatball subs later in the week. Yummo!

Rating: 4.5*

Who said there's no such thing as a free lunch?

They were wrong! To kick off football season, Chick-fil-a, aka the god of fast food restaurants, is giving away free chicken strips on Labor Day from 10:30-close. All you have to do is wear collegiate football attire and you'll be rewarded with a free 3-piece chicken strip box. That's a win, win combination - support UK AND get free chicken strips! You don't have to take my word for it, go here and see for yourself. You'll be saving over $2, so I think it only fair that you send me $1 for my broadcast. Fair is fair.

And he's off!

"He" being Colin and "off" being walking! As Wes and I sat in sheer amazement, I realized that I have very mixed feelings on this milestone. While it is very exciting and important, it also forces me to realize that Colin isn't a baby anymore. In fact, he's growing quicker than I could have ever imagined. Seriously, tomorrow marks his 14-month birthday and Wes and I were just wondering where those 2 months have gone since his 1st birthday? I guess we just have to realize that despite our best efforts, time is going to keep on moving. We just have to make sure to enjoy each moment and try to capture as many as we can on film. Wouldn't you know, when Colin took off yesterday there was no filming device anywhere close by that was charged! They're both being charged now so we don't miss the next steps.

Here's the lowdown. Colin was standing up, holding on to the couch, when the Geico gecko commercial came on the television. Yes, my child watches tv and if that makes me a bad parent, so be it! He was apparently so enamored with the gecko that he wanted to go to the tv to get it. He just took off from the couch and walked at least 10 steps towards the tv. Granny will be so pleased because she loves that stupid creature! Wes and I just sat there staring speechlessly at both him and each other. Wes has since told me at least 10 times that this is just how it happens, they don't think about it and just do it. Nonetheless, we were proud and praised him for his feat. By the way, one thing he does know is praise and recognition and he LOVES it. Another trick he has is shaking his head and he'll just randomly do it just to make us laugh. Ah yes, he is our offspring!

I realize he's not going to take off walking permanently but I don't think it will be much longer. Now I can finally appease all those nosey people, many of whom I don't even know, who incessantly ask, "Is he walking yet?" No people and does make him slow or bad because he isn't? Although I smile and say no, it's quite tempting to lay into them. Colin must know the limits of my patience though and is going to start walking before I lose it on some unsuspecting person.

Colin has also picked up a few other new tricks that clearly his Daddy has taught him. When he burps or toots, he laughs! What? I'm not raising Al Bundy here, it's not funny to do those things. You're supposed to say excuse me! When I told Wes he shouldn't encourage him by laughing with him, Wes replied that he thought it was funny and thought it was ok for Colin to think the same. As if that wasn't bad enough, Wes asked him where his "wee-wee" was. Colin proceeded to grab his crotch! Now keep in mind, he only knows where his ears, hair, and nose are, but now he also knows his pee-pee. Great! And here I was just bragging on the special bond that he and Colin had forged on their days together. Hmm, is this the kind of bond I want?! The crudeness ends here, right? There's nothing else Wes can teach him, right? This is where you say a resounding YES!

The award goes to...

Me! What award, you ask? Southern Comfort has deemed me a "Diamond Award" winner. Since she didn't know what this award entailed, I certainly don't know either but I like to think it means that I am super cool. Or maybe it means I'm the best blogger in the world! Let's not get carried away. The one thing we do know about this award is that you're supposed to pass it on to 7 other great bloggers. Now I get it, it's like those silly chain letters or email forwards where you have to send the message on to 7-10 people or your life will be drastically changed for the worst, or even worse, die! Since we all know those are 100% true, I don't want to run the risk of turning into a frog or something, therefore I hereby bequeath the Diamond Award to these 7 bloggers. By the way, thank you for giving me something to read while I'm supposed to be working. And for you food bloggers, thank you so much for sending me into a food addiction coma. No seriously, I believe I have some serious issues. Congratulations to:

Amy in Ohio
Changed for Good
Cookie Madness
Good Things Catered
Seeking our Silas
The Review Lady
Sugar Plum

Post Pickup

I should have waited and posted both of these as 1 post but I'm impatient and couldn't wait. I'm happy to report that both Colin and Daddy made it through the day! Yippee! When Wes went to pick him up, he was playing with a toy. Wes called his name and he just looked at him and held up his arm for Wes to pick him up. It wasn't a look of desperation or a thank-goodness-it's-you look, it was just like, "Oh hi Daddy." The school sends home a daily report that lets us know how he fared in the different categories. For the overall day, he got a "great". He didn't take a nap (big surprise!) but was quiet while others rested. The note said he ate "some" of his lunch, but when Wes went to clean out his lunchbox, it was almost all gone. Hopefully he doesn't hate us for sending him today. As someone pointed out to me, next week will be the true test. Will he remember this experience as a bad one and not want to stay, or will he remember how much fun he had and want to stay and play? Only time will tell.

1st Day of School

Yes, baby bird has left the nest! Colin started his Mom's Day Out program today at a nearby church. Of course he had no idea what was going on, but Wes and I (mostly Wes) were a mess. Our stomachs were doing flips, Wes couldn't finish his breakfast because of an uneasy stomach, and our minds were racing with "what ifs". Upon arrival, there were tons of kids ranging in age from 1 to I'm guessing 5. Colin was thrilled to see all the kids and immediately started pointing and "talking" to them. I wish I could spell out the noise he makes but there's no way - just think of the noise a donkey makes and it's somewhat similar. Wes wanted to carry him in and I took all his belongings. After searching up and down the hallways, we finally found his room. There are 2 teachers, Melanie and I can't remember the other one. They both were very welcoming and seemed very nurturing as well. I immediately warned Melanie that Colin had never been away from us and to expect the worse. She calmed my fears and said that he'd be fine and she was used to dealing with similar situations. They had boxes labeled with their names for their lunches, pegs for their bags, and cubbies for their diapers and wipes. I didn't have to worry about germs because the place reeked of Lysol! Hey beggars can't be choosers!

Colin started reaching for a toy that was on the floor, so Wes put him down. Colin was taken with the toy and never turned to look at Wes or I again. We hurried and slithered out of the room before he could notice. One of the teachers did a good job distracting him. We didn't have to hear him cry and that made it a little easier on both of us, at least me. Wes was quite emotional which of course made me emotional. He and Colin have such a special bond and it was sad but also heart warming to see him cry.

We had debated going to pick him up early but we realized Colin has no concept of time so he wouldn't know the difference between noon and 2. So unless Wes gets a call from the school, he'll be picking him up at 2 like the rest of the kids. I have no doubt Wes will be there at 1:30 waiting with open arms. I would love to have a video when he actually gets to pick him up. I don't know which one will be happier to see the other!

I did run into a fellow sorority sister of mine who's little girl, Ellie, is in Colin's class. She further reassured me that this was a wonderful program and that we'd love it. It's nice to hear a first-hand recommendation and it's also nice that there's another Mom that I already know!

Of course I couldn't miss the chance to capture this milestone on film. Here are a few pictures of Colin as we were getting ready to leave, as he was going into the building, and playing with his first toy. I had to pack a lunch for him too and there's a picture of that as well. This was actually somewhat of a challenge for me because they aren't able to heat the food, or feed them with a spoon (occasionally they can but not on a regular basis since there are only 2 of them and 6-7 kids). Then of course you know me, the lunch had to be healthy! I can hear the teachers now as they open Colin's lunchbox, "Wow, this kid is going to eat this?!" Yes, my child is going to be a gourmet chef!

Soup and Sandwich Glammed Up

If you've been following my posts, you recall my recent tale of Wes and his love of corn. I must revise the story from him eating 12 ears to a mere 5! To catch you up, a) Wes loves corn and b) he once at 5 ears at one time, not nearly as impressive as my original post where I said he ate a dozen. Not only does he love corn, he apparently loves me! He loves me enough to help me prepare dinner on the days that he stays home with Colin. What a guy! So last week his special dish was Summer Corn Soup. Hands off ladies, he's mine, all mine! The soup was quite tasty but we both agreed it needed a little umph. We omitted the bacon topping and that might have been just what it needed. It needed some salt or something else to kick it up a notch. Nonetheless, I didn't have to make it so it was delicious to me! I made the foccacia sandwiches to go with it - mine was grilled veggies and Wes had pastrami. What a tasty dinner.

An American Classic: Chicken Pot Pie

I'm not sure my title is accurate but it seems like it would be true! As I often do, I prepared most of this dish on Sunday to make my Monday night cooking easier. The recipe is divided into 2 parts and the chicken mixture can be made an entire day ahead. The dough can also be made a day ahead, but I'd wait and bake it the next day when you're ready to eat it. This recipe comes from the September bon appetit magazine. It was featured in the section of "Family Meals", which refers to what restaurant employees eat prior to opening the restaurant. This particular recipe comes from Dahlia Lounge in Seattle. The chef claims it's one of the staff's favorites and I can see why. The crust was very delicate and buttery - yum! And the filling had tons of chicken and veggies and the sauce was quite flavorful. I would highly recommend this dish!

Chicken Pot Pie
8 servings (I think that's stretching it. I only got 5 servings)

Crust
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 T. (or more) ice water
1 egg yolk, whisked to blend with 1 T. water (for glaze)

Filling
7 T. butter, room temperature, divided
5 T. flour
2 T. olive oil
8 oz. assorted fresh wild mushrooms, sliced (I just used shitake)
1`cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 1/2 T. chopped fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
5 cups coarsely chopped or torn roast chicken (I used about 3 1/2-4 cups of boiled chicken breasts)
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas
1/3 cup whipping cream (I lowered to 1/4 cup to try to cut some of the fat)
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley (I used about 1 T. dried parsley)

Crust/ Blend flour and salt in processor. Add butter and blend, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 T. ice water; blend until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into rectangle. Wrap in plastic; chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
Preheat oven to 425. Line baking sheet with parchment. Roll out crust on floured surface to 12x8-inch rectangle. (Good luck with this. I'm not sure if mine was harder because I left it in the fridge for 24 hours or what, but it was a bear to try to roll out.) Cut into 8 equal rectangles. Transfer to prepared sheet, spacing apart. Pierce crusts with fork, then brush with egg glaze (I omitted the egg glaze). Bake until light golden, about 15 minutes. If you skip the glaze, they won't get golden. Carefully run long sharp knife under crusts. Cool on sheet - I skipped this too because of time.
Filling/Mix 5 T. butter and flour in small bowl until smooth. Melt 2 T. butter with oil in large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, celery, and carrots; saute until vegetables start to soften and brown, about 10 minutes. Add thyme and garlic; stir 3 minutes. Add wine; boil until almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups chicken broth; bring to simmer. Add butter-flour mixture, 1 T. at a time; whisk until incorporated and mixture boils. Reduce heat; simmer until sauce thickens, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken, peas, cream, and parsley; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. You can make this all the day before.
Preheat oven to 425. Transfer filling to 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Carefully place crusts atop filling. Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes.
Notes: If you make the filling the day before, you'll need to rewarm the mixture before adding the crust. I went ahead and put mine in the baking dish, let is cool to room temperature, put it in the fridge, and then got it out about 30 minutes before baking the next day. While I cooked the crust strips, I also stuck the dish in the oven to be warming up. Then I took both out and put the strips on top of the filling and baked it for 20 more minutes.

Happy Birthday Mom!

As I mentioned in my previous post, Sunday was my Mom's birthday! I asked her where she would like to go for dinner and she said, "Does it have to be somewhere out because my first preference would be for you to cook?" So of course I obliged and thus the cookout. For her cake, she suggested something along the lines of an orange dreamsicle. I had no idea that orange cakes required so many eggs but every one I came across had at least 5! The one I tried was from Southern Living, and while it was good, I prefer my cake layers to be light and moist and these were more spongy and dry. The filling and icing more than made up for the cake though. Here's the link to the recipe again (Orange Chiffon Cake with Orange Icebox Pie Filling), as well as some pictures of my Mom opening her gifts (the up close and personal one is one that Elise took!).




Happy Birthday Mom, I love you!

Mission Organization

Whoops, did I steal that from HGTV? Please forgive me. Actually HGTV, could you pass this post on to FoodTV so they will see what talent I have and give me my own show? Um kay, thanks.

Anyone who knows me, or even those who don't but are reading my blog, knows that I love to cook and bake! So it should come as no surprise to you that I plan my menus a week in advance and search for new recipes the week prior. I have had numerous people ask a) how I do it and b) could you do it for me? Since I've given up the idea of marketing such a service (there really are only so many hours in a day), I'm passing on my skills free of charge - you can thank me later! First, let me start by saying that my way is in no way fool-proof. I have no doubt you'll have to alter my plan to fit your own style and needs. I'll quit rambling now and show you how I operate.

I begin planning next week's menu on Monday or Tuesday. I keep a folder in Word at work that I've divided into different categories, i.e. chicken, beef, pasta, breakfast, sides, salads, cakes, etc. As I read blogs and other cooking sites, I copy any recipe that I might want to try and paste it in one of my said folders. I do the same thing each time I get a new issue of Bon Appetit, Cooking Light, or Southern Living. I used to tear out the pages that had a recipe I liked, but those started piling up and I never used them, so now I go to their site to find the recipe and copy and paste it too. Now I have them all in one place and can add comments or ratings as I try them. If I don't like it, I just delete it from my data bank. The only problem with this is that the recipes are only accessible from my computer at work. So far this hasn't been an issue because I handle all the menu planning at work.

I also have a folder called "menus". I start a new document each week that has my menu at the top of the page and my grocery list(s) at the bottom. As I type my list, I type the grocery items I need below it. I also write these items in the order that they appear at the grocery. Before you call me a freak, realize that my time is precious and this saves me not only time but the headache of forgetting something or going back and forth in the grocery. I generally have 3 lists on the page, one for Meijer, one for Whole Foods, and one for Farmer's Market. Yes, I know that's excessive but it's just how I roll. I have also recently started notes on this page for next week's menu. I often find several recipes to try and can't fit them all in one week, so as to not forget them (as I'm inclined to do recently) I jot them down on this week. I also enjoy getting a head start for next week.

The menu selection is my favorite part but it's also the most challenging. I have to deal with the old Danielle who had lots of time and could try all these elaborate recipes, and the new Danielle who has a child now that has to eat before 6-6:30, thus limiting the amount of time I can spend preparing a meal. This is an ongoing conflict because cooking is a passion of mine and it's hard to turn it off, so to speak. I generally try not to repeat any meat in one week, while at the same time not repeating many recipes either (another work in progress). I start with the main entree and then try to incorporate one green side item and usually another vegetable, unless the main entree has several (like chicken pot pie).

I do allow myself one "challenging" meal a week and that's prepared on Sunday when I have more time. I also try to make Monday's meal such that I can prepare at least part of it on Sunday as well. If there's any other part of any meal that I can prepare on Sunday, I do. I'm not a fan of leaving cooked food in the fridge for longer than 2 days, so I usually don't do much prep work for later in the week. Tuesday and Thursday are the days Wes is at home with Colin and I usually try to make those meals fairly quick. It's ideal if I can find some that Wes feels confident with and thus, he'll be able to start before I get home. He's actually a good cook and somewhat enjoys it, but I'm still working on his confidence level. It's such a tremendous help when he does help! Wednesday my mom cooks and that is also wonderful! Friday's are free-for-all and we usually eat leftovers, out of the freezer, or get a sandwich. Saturday is our day to eat out and man I look forward to it!

I usually try to do the Meijer shopping on Thursday or Friday during my lunch break. I store the refrigerated items in our fridge at work. Then I go to Whole Foods on Saturday morning while Colin is napping. It's nice to have my list in order and ready to go so that I can get in and out fairly quickly. I used to go every 2 weeks but that's not ideal for fresh produce so I switched back to once a week.

Here's this week's example (I'll spare you the grocery listings):

Mom’s b-day: Turkey burgers, tomato jam, beer soaked brats, baked beans, potato salad, slaw, orange cake
Chicken pot pie (August bon appétit magazine), salad
Foccacia sandwiches (mine – veggie), corn soup
Shrimp and grits, asparagus



Next week:
Jambalaya with turkey sausage/shrimp, cornmeal cakes
Salmon patties, quinoa torte, Brussels sprouts

I'll post some cake pictures later. It was good but the cake wasn't as moist as I prefer. The rest of the meal was great, with the exception of the potato salad - it was just ok. The beans are one of our favorite dishes. I added a chunk of brie to the middle of the turkey burgers. The brats are a Bobby Flay recipe where you soak them in beer, but I couldn't find the exact recipe online. The slaw is the same slaw they sell at Kroger, but mine is obviously homemade. My mom enjoyed the meal and that's all that matters since it was HER birthday!

Happy planning!

Corn and Basil Tart

Summer = fresh fruits and vegetables! Enough said. Wes' favorite vegetable is corn. He tells a tale of going with a friend one summer to Michigan, where he ate some ungodly amount of corn - I'm thinking something like 10 ears! So anytime I run across a recipe that involves corn, I know he'll like it. This tart was great for both of us - crust for me, corn for Wes, and of course Mikey (aka Colin) will eat anything! This recipe is from Better Home and Gardens and I've made a few notes at the bottom of this recipe, but other than those I made it exactly as written. This one is a keeper!

Corn and Basil Tart

1/3 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
1-1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
1/2 cup coarsely snipped fresh basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Chopped tomato and basil (optional)

Directions
1. For cornmeal crust, in medium bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Beat until combined. Beat in 1 egg until combined. Add in cornmeal and as much of the flour as you can with the mixer; stir in any remaining flour. Form dough into a disc and wrap in plastic. Chill 30 to 60 minutes or until easy to handle.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pat dough onto bottom and sides of 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press evenly onto bottom and sides with a small glass (see note). Line pastry with double thickness of foil and bake 10 minutes; remove foil. Bake 4 to 6 minutes more.

3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl whisk together 2 eggs and half-and-half. Stir in corn, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Pour into pastry shell. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until set. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove sides of pan to serve. Sprinkle with tomato and additional basil. Makes 8 servings.

4. Note: To assure even baking, lightly press dough on bottom and up sides of the tart pan. Using the side of a small glass, roll the crust smooth on the bottom. Holding the glass upright gently press dough to the sides of the pan for a uniform edge.

My notes: I didn't have a tart pan so I used a springform pan. The liquid seeped out the bottom when I poured it in, so I wrapped the bottom in foil to contain it. Even with losing some of the liquid, it still tasted marvelous. I also did not use the full amount of basil. I probably used about 1/4 cup and to me, a basil lover, that was plenty. Fresh is key though.

These cookies were too good to be this easy!

One of my blog heroines is Anna at Cookie Madness. How in the world this lady can bake every day and still a) be alive and b) stay thin, is beyond me! I would love to have the time to bake every day but right now that is just not a possibility. Maybe if I could find more recipes like this one that are so easy, I could bake every day! So, thanks Anna for another great recipe.

Wheat Free Vegan Oatmeal-Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

3/4 cup oats
1/4 cup rice flour (I used non-bleached white)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons applesauce (I used a blueberry applesauce - yum)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup extra crunchy peanut butter (generous) – (I used regular and added almonds)
1/3 cup chopped up semi-sweet chocolate or vegan chips

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Grind oats in processor. Add rice flour, baking soda and salt and pulse to mix.

Stir oil and both sugars together in a medium bowl. It’s okay to do this with a spoon – no need to pull out the electric mixer. Beat in applesauce, peanut butter and vanilla. Add rice flour/oat mixture and stir until blended. Stir in chocolate chunks.

Using about 2 tablespoons of dough, form dough into balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake until edges are golden brown, about 11-12 minutes (the longer, the crunchier the edges). Cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool completely.

Makes about 6 cookies

Notes: You can use a little less oil and add more applesauce if you wish.

I did it!!

I finally mastered biscuit making and made what I consider the perfect biscuit! I have only been on this quest for over a year and I've probably only consumed 2-3 dozen biscuits. What's several hundred calories - it was all for a good cause! Sure I've made some that have tasted good, but none were as high and flaky as these! Without further ado, I present the best and easiest biscuits.


The recipe comes from All Recipes, but for your convenience I've typed it below.

Johnny's Biscuits

INGREDIENTS
2 cups self-rising flour (see note to make your own)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons shortening (see note)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/4 cups buttermilk (see note to make your own)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted


DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Spray a 10 1/2 inch cast iron skillet with non stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and sugar. Cut in the shortening and softened butter with a fork until the lumps are pea size. Gently stir in the buttermilk until all of the flour is incorporated; do not over mix. The dough should be very wet. If not, add more buttermilk to achieve a sloppy consistency. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes.
Place all-purpose flour in a bowl. Spray an ice cream scoop or large spoon with vegetable spray and scoop out dough. Drop each biscuit one at a time into the flour. Using well-floured hands, pick up each piece and pass from hand to hand lightly to shake off excess flour and shape it into a soft round. Place the biscuits gently into cast iron skillet. They will be a tight fit. Do not mash the biscuits down! Brush tops lightly with melted butter.
Bake at 475 degrees F (245 degrees C) for 16 to 18 minutes. Cool before serving.

Notes:
-To make your own self-rising flour, mix 1 cup flour with 1 1/4 tsp baking powder and 1/8 tsp salt.
-To make your own buttermilk, mix 1 cup milk with 1 T. white vinegar. Please make your own and don't use that stuff that they call buttermilk in the store - it's not! It's just milk with a bunch of chemicals added to it. If you can purchase the old-timey kind that's fine but not that synthetic stuff!
-I have always been against shortening because of the fat content and the general makeup of the stuff (Specifically, what is it?). I found a one that is not made from animal fat, rather from compressed oils. That sounded like a much better option to me! I got mine at Whole Foods but I would think any health food store would carry such a product.
-I didn't have a 10 1/2 inch cast iron skillet, so I used a 9-inch one and it just made the biscuits even bigger!
-Lastly, a food processor will make these a cinch! I'm always reluctant to drag that beast out but I'll do just about anything for a good biscuit. I'm not sure if that was part of the winning ticket but it was a lot easier and it blended everything just perfectly.

Only a Matter of Time

As this picture alludes, it's only a matter of time before Colin is hands-free and walking everywhere on his own! When I came home from work yesterday, Wes and Colin were anxious to show me the new trick Daddy had taught Colin. It is reassuring when I come home to a new trick because it gives me some peace of mind that Colin isn't being left along all day to fend for himself. I realize the day will come, probably sooner than I'd like, when the tricks won't be things I'm proud of, i.e. burping on command, making "lemonade" in the snow, and other boy things that I'm not familiar with. In the meantime, the tricks are cute and fun. The trick of the day was walking while only holding 1 hand, instead of both! As you can see, Colin seems quite pleased with himself, as were we.


I had to include these 2 pictures as well to show off his blankie! This has become his security and he can't go far without it. He likes to suck his thumb while holding the corner of the blankie with the rest of that hand. I probably should see if Target still makes these to have as a backup but I somehow think he'll know the difference!