Some Fun At Home

I secretly made brownies one evening.  Kevin admitted after the kids' bedtime that he thought he smelled something like that...but it worked!  It wasn't until 2 days later that I shared my indulgence with the girls (the boys went outside and we had a snitch...to be fair, the boys can't eat them, so, we were hiding them for their sake!).

L got a skip-it for her birthday last year and it came out again this spring.  

Mn prepping for our friends to deliver some "sunshine" for our garden.  Their term for the manure.

Mn and his oatmeal.  He will take what he can and add it to the oats.  There was a seasoning that I didn't let him have today (sort of rationing...he has no concept of portion size), so, he pulls out the turmeric.  Yep, he added it...just a little today, because he didn't want it to make his oatmeal smell.  Haha.  I'll have to let you know if he keeps up the turmeric bit.  Otherwise in the bowl:  oats, raisins (I portioned some for him), honey, (said no to molasses), coconut, walnuts, coconut oil, cinnamon, (said no to ginger and ____?), peanut butter (I portioned that this morning as well)…  I think that's all.  AND turmeric!

Oatmeal Pumpkin Breakfast Bars

• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1T flaxmeal/2T water (as an egg substitute) let stand for 2 minutes
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (oops, forgot)
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup sugar (decreased amount, original recipe had maple syrup, but I didn't have that yet)
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup flaxmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup raisins/dried cranberries

Bake in pan 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  I made a double batch and used a bar pan and a 9x9 pan.  They turned out well!

**for cookies:  Drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about an inch between cookies. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and solid. Let cool for five minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire baking rack to cool completely.

Original recipe for Oatmeal Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies.

Kids in the Kitchen

The girls, Kj especially have been asking to bake recently.  I have been on a kick of trying to make sourdough bread "right" and so I have been kind of selfish and have been doing it by myself.  So, this particular Friday afternoon, the time was right.  I called the girls downstairs from their "rest time" and asked if they wanted to bake some cookies.  They looked through a couple cookbooks and found a recipe that we had all the ingredients and had no need for "wait time" (refrigeration...).  They set out to make them all by themselves.  Meanwhile, on another counter of the kitchen Mn and I made peanut butter, and sesame seed butters.  He learned out to start and stop the food processor. 

All in all, my job was to get the cookie sheets in and out of the oven and give them some small tips on previously unknown areas of the kitchen.  I would say that is the best way to make cookies!!  I may have to try it again!  ;) 

P.S. For those of you who don't know...I (nearly) never make cookies.  Maybe, once every 10 years or so.

Rest Time

It's our after lunch rest time.  Mainly the girls go into their room and listen to music or a story and play quietly and look at books.  Sometimes L naps, but usually not anymore.  Ahh...  Now, should I be doing all my bits or relaxing myself?  I haven't gotten any calls to show the house today so we're keeping it clean but not doing extras.  Laundry though had been piling up.  Almost done with that for the week.

Day 8 of kindergarten today.  They finished making their days of creation books last week, and today they sewed them together to hold them in book form.  Aunt R would be so proud!  I started helping L and told Kj that I would help her in a minute.  When I looked over, she was doing it beautifully all on her own.  :) 

Our routine for the morning went like this:

Breakfast - all the kids slept in this morning and didn't even see Kevin!  Which meant he could also leave a few minutes early for his 9 mile bike ride to work.  "Can we do school now?"

Clean up - Kj did dishes (MWF, L-TTh), cleared table, read devotional, brushed teeth, got dressed, brushed hair.  "Can we have school yet?"

Quiet reading - The girls picked out a few books and sat on the recliner and couch and looked at them while Mama got ready!  "Is it time for school now?"

School - Day 8 - My Father's World - We'll try to do 5 days this week.  3 from curriculum and the numbers 11 and 12, so we can finish their coloring workbooks that we found at Once Upon a Child.  I was wondering why it went to 12 and then realized that it got kids ready for clock reading.  Nice.

Snack

Laundry - girls sorting, me folding

Lunch and Pickle Making - Mmm...Kevin's mom was making some refrigerator dill pickles last week and when I brought her some extra cucumbers she added them to the jar.  I asked her how to make them and it sounded easy enough.  So, I found a recipe online and tried it out.  And we had some tasty mac and cheese.  Maybe we'll start a Mac and Cheese Monday tradition!  :)

Rest time!!  Well, I sat down now to write these bits, so now, I think I'll go get some more laundry done and then to the couch with a book for a while.  G's talking, he didn't take a nap all morning and then cried and cried and cried.  I am trying to get him to nap on the crib (instead of the chair), but that and the fact that we lost our working pacifier...no good!  Lots of tears.  The pacifier is somewhere in the house...  Hmm... 

Bits and Pieces...

~  Kevin's birthday cake...I want to remember was based off of this recipe.  Yumm!!  Rich.  Lasted many weeks in the freezer, only taking bits out at a time.

~  Hobo Tin Foil Meals:  Onion soup mix is a great way to season them.  I made a homemade no MSG, no gluten version from here.  I substituted vegetable broth bullion for beef in the recipe to suit vegetarians in the family!  Great!

~  I was gone for a week from my regular laundry duties.  The first load I did when I came back...no soap.  Oops...didn't realize this until I had already started the dryer.  Yes, I used the dryer on a beautiful summer day.  I didn't know if I could handle hanging things out.

~  Oh, big news.  Baby on the way.  Haha.  I have all-day morning sickness this round.  I've never experienced this before.  It's awful!  But I did have some great help last week as I stayed at my parents house with the three kids.  Kevin had to go home to work, and missed us, but had fun anyways, I think.  Baby G missed Kevin too, I think.  He's been waking up in the night every night since Kevin's been around.  Otherwise, he's been sleeping through the night for at least a month.  We might have to go camping again if this keeps up.  Just to get him back to the all night sleeping.

~  So tired.  Better get to bed.

Bread Machine

I found a bread machine at my friend's rummage sale for $5 and it included the instruction manual with recipes!!  As I walked up to it (after it was pointed out to me), I thought to myself, "I'd take it for $5, otherwise..."  YES!  Just right.  

First attempt (1 lb. loaf):

I used old...gluten free flour and tried to substitute for the plain white bread recipe.  I still need to throw out the rest of the flour. Kj and I sampled the bit that didn't seem like a solid brick.  Just a tiny nibble...she kept asking for more and then all of the sudden it hit her.  "That doesn't taste very good."  Yeah!  Saved the brick to show off to Kevin as our first attempt.

Well, good thing I didn't give up after one try! 

Second attempt (2 lb. loaf):

Pretty and delicious white bread.  Ok, we'll go from here.  It was so easy!  Kevin says I can do this as often as I want!  Haha.  Oh, we tried some warm with butter...I should have gotten out the strawberry rhubarb jam!!  Tomorrow!  My goal is to make a sourdough starter and bake sourdough bread in the machine! 

Gluten Free Waffles

I used this recipe to make a gluten free waffle mix.  I mixed up the dry ingredients and brought it along on a family retreat/Christmas/birthday party we had.  Yumm...very good!

1 cup 1-to-1 gluten free flour mix (store bought)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup coconut milk (ended up using 1 1/2+ cups to make it the right consistency)
1/6 cup melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (forgot to bring)

Neighbor Baking

I decided to do some baking with the girls the last few days.  We've made banana bread, brownies, and there are oatmeal bars in the oven right now.  Kj's plan is to fill a basket with the yummies and walk around the neighborhood to deliver them.  She mentioned "that lady".  What lady?  "The lady that we went to her house when our line was down."  That was this summer.  Our phone/internet line went down and we found that our neighbor (an older couple) was in their garage, so we asked to use their phone.  I hadn't thought of them.  :)  I'm not sure how we'll divide everything up or how we'll package it, but I am sure Kj has a plan for that as well. 

...

We did it.  We passed out the goodies, but "that lady" wasn't home so her treats are still on our counter.  Haven't gotten back out.  

Baked Oatmeal/Baked Quinoa

Original recipe:  Refined Sugar Free Baked Oatmeal
 

Baked Oatmeal

• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 - 1 cup honey
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1 cup strawberries cut up
• 1 cup applesauce, unsweetened
• 5 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 3 cups milk

Mix, bake 350 degrees, 35-40 minutes.

Baked Quinoa

• 1 1/2 cups prepared quinoa
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ~1/3 cup honey
•  sliced banana
• ~1/2 cup chopped strawberries
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• a sprinkle of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2/3 cup coconut milk

Mix, bake 350 degrees, ~1 hour 

Canning Applesauce!

So, I made my a batch of applesauce from some free apples and canned it!  This is the first time I have canned in my own kitchen, in my adult life.  My mom used to can things...  Yummy things made from elderberries and mulberries!!  I don't recall her ever making applesauce.  

It was very easy. 

Applesauce
Lots of apples to fill your crockpot (cut and cored...not peeled)
A bit of water
Bake in crockpot until soft/mushy.
Can!

For canning tips I used:

Simply Canning

My neighbor J came over at just the right time to help!  She had been wanting to learn as well, so we went through the steps together.  Mutually confirming that what we were doing was correct (her mom cans also, so she knows bits). 

Blueberry - Yogurt Muffins - Gluten Free

2 cups + 2 tablespoons gluten free flour mix
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened juice (original: orange, mine: V8Splash)
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 egg
1 cup frozen blueberries and strawberries

Mix, divide into muffin cups (~12), bake 400 degrees for about 18 minutes...I switched to 350 partway through because I had just baked a batch of muffins at 350...you decide.

The original recipe came from my junior high home economics class.  Yep, I saved recipes from back then!  I'm trying to do some baking for 2 things.  A small road trip this coming weekend and a whole lot of new moms with new babies at our church.  Trying to get some meals and things together for them.  So, I even tried out my mini muffin tin so that I could hand the girls a mini muffin and they wouldn't get crumbs all over!  :)  Great idea, right!? 

Lola's Strawberry Bread - Gluten Free

Strawberry Bread

3 1/4 cups gluten free flour mix
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
~2 1/2 cups strawberries (20 oz. frozen container, add liquid too)
1 1/4 cup oil
4 eggs 
1 teaspoon red food coloring (I used half that and it didn't quite do the trick...I usually don't use any)

Mix.  Bake in 2 loaf pans or 1 bundt pan.  350 degrees for 1 hour.

I would also like to make this Strawberry Salad!  That is why I am posting it...because I don't want to lose the recipe. 

Gluten-Free Cake Mix

Oh, dear, I don't have anything pictorially to post on this one...I'm sure my dad does though. I mixed up the dry ingredients for this cake to take to my parent's house for L's birthday. The cupcakes turned out wonderfully. Yumm!! And L knew just what to do when it came to the candles...and she's only 2! I didn't realize that she would. Fun!

Gluten-Free Coffee Cake

Yumm...I am working on using glutenous recipes and changing them to gluten-free recipes...rather than trying to find everything I want gluten-free. So here is a new and improved recipe.

The original recipe "Blueberry Coffee Cake" was found in the Bethel Lutheran Community Cookbook published in 1999 and submitted by Elsie M. Hildebrandt.

Peach Coffee Cake

1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 cups gluten free flour mix
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder

1 can peach pie filling

Mix first six ingredients together. Pour half in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Spread peach pie filling on top and dollop the rest of the batter on top of that. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Drizzle with powdered sugar frosting (powder sugar, a bit of vanilla, enough water to get to the consistency you desire). Enjoy!!


My gluten-free flour mix: 2 parts rice flour, 2 parts potato starch, 1 part tapioca flour.

Hot Pockets in Progress

Using a combination of ideas and recipes, I am trying to make Hot Pockets.

Crust (with some changes in the flours)
Directions (parts)
Idea (sort of)

The crust needed a bit more flour while I tried to mash it out. I used mozzarella, cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, pepperoni, hot Italian sausage, red pepper, smoked turkey lunch meat, and a random marinara sauce concoction. There is extra sauce for dipping, and if this turns out I will actually have to write down some directions to keep. Smells wonderful!

Cooking Chickpeas

I thought I would make this recipe:

Sweet and Salty Chickpeas

And I learned a valuable lesson...it has taken a few times of this happening to make me research it.

**There is a difference between wax paper and parchment paper.**

Here is the link I found to tell me more: http://www.chow.com/food-news/55408/whats-the-difference-between-parchment-paper-and-waxed-paper/

Wax paper, which I have, is not meant to go in the oven. It burns to whatever you are using with it and therefore causes smoke, which sets of fire alarms, which causes your verbal 3 year old to say, "Why does your oven do a fire alarm?" :)

Update: I expected the chickpeas to be crunchy, but they weren't. I'm not sure if this was due to the wax paper removal, mid-cooking, or that it just wasn't supposed to be that way. I am trying to think of ways to use up my sweetened chickpeas...thinking of maybe grinding them into a sweet hummus. We'll see.

Noah's Ark Crackers

The girls and I made these delicious crackers yesterday. They were as easy as I expected with very few ingredients. I accidentally popped one in my mouth...Mmm...Oops...Gluten. Notice L in the background watching the crackers cook. We all were watching for a bit. I would also like to try these graham crackers.

Gluten/Lactose Free Progress

Day -1:

• ate an ice cream parfait on the way to Nana and Bumpa's to pick up the girls from a fun weekend
• drank a medium sized glass of milk
• felt YUCKY!
• talked to Aunt C. about recent lactose problems...she mentioned a friend with a newly found gluten intolerance...
• researched gluten intolerance
  

Day 0:

• researched gluten intolerance
  
• decided that tomorrow was Day 1 of the Gluten and Lactose free me.
  
• put together a supper recipe for tomorrow with lots of yummy things including gluten and lactose...tested it...YUMM!!

Day 1:

• random rice, applesauce, hard-boiled egg breakfast.
• music with the girls.
• grocery store run to get "bread" aka corn tortillas, "milk" aka coconut milk, and snacks...
• Lunch
• naptime
• Aunt A comes and plays with the girls
  
• run to the grocery store to get my own version of the above mentioned yummy supper
• ruin my version of supper by putting corn tortillas and it is so much spicier that I get bad heartburn (I have never cared for corn tortillas...that will have to be an acquired taste for me)
  
• made brownies with brown rice flour! Great dessert!
• went out to get some wedding registry items for our family and Aunt R.
  
• checked the grocery section of that store too
• reminded by Aunt R. that there are lots of cereals (some of which are sitting on our fridge) that are gluten free!
  

Results of Day 1: Still nauseous but no distension of the stomach. Also, started getting an earache and possibly sore throat...that would be sickness #4 in 4 weeks.

Day 2:

• light-headed the past few mornings...need more food! I've been losing weight recently, well, I guess for the past year according to my recent physical
  
• Kix, coconut milk, banana breakfast! This seems normal! (Disclaimer...Kix is not marketed as Gluten-Free...so if you should read the label...I think it is, but there might have been a couple questionable ingredients...so double-check)
  
• found that french dressing is GF
• had a conversation with my doctor's nurse and the receptionist...can't make an appointment until November...but I don't feel good NOW! What to do??
  
• made GF chili (very mild though as I am realizing that currently spicy/peppery things give me heartburn...if I even know what heartburn is)

Results of Day 2: Still nauseous, but maybe getting better. (middle of the night pain in my throat!! trying not to go to the doctor this week!!)

Day 3:

• Corn Chex are GF although the generic brands are not...at least the generic that I looked at...
• feeling like I am eating "normal" meals and really healthy at the same time. More vegetables for sure!
• called a friend to ask who her doctor was, had a good talk with her
• hung up the phone and the phone rang, thought it was her calling back, it was my doctor's office...my doctor is making a "special" appointment time for me on Monday next week!!!!
• YEAH! God answered that quandary!! And I didn't even have to call them again!
• took a nap this afternoon and woke up feeling awful...had a snack...felt better after a bit
  
• have I said yet, no nausea today!!
  

Results of Day 3: No nausea!!! Upon further reflection about the after nap awful...that happens no matter what...naps, especially the longer ones are not always good to wake up from! Pain in my throat is turned into a right earache. Glad that I will be able to see my doctor on Monday. Craved a really good hamburger (w/ bun of course)!! I don't feel too saddened by what I have given up...except the extra money at the grocery store. Hahaha...

I will leave you with a yummy GF recipe!

Banana Bread

1 3/4 c. brown rice flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/3 c. canola oil
2-3 bananas

Mix, place in well-greased loaf pan, bake 350 degrees for about an hour.
or 12 muffins: 20-25 min.
Double recipe and bake in bundt pan!

(Can't believe bundt is not in my "dictionary"...I just added it)