no TREAT DAY

If you are wondering where the treat is I fell down some stairs and bruised my hip yesterday(prime baking time). I am fine simply bruised my hip but they where very nice and said they missed the treat but I can make something extra good next week. I ‘m thinking brownies? Just wanted to let you know no yummies this week.

Spring is COMING!!!!

I am so happy that spring is coming. It is 80 degrees in Oklahoma today. I have fresh veggies dancing in my head. I just found out about a farmer co-op here that I am trying to join. But I don’t know if there is an opening so I am waiting to hear. I miss light and airy veggies and all the varity spring offers. I love broccoli but I would like something else. I am excited to compare the farmers market’s here as opposed to out east in Delaware where I lived last spring/summer. I think that every state I have lived in has a different variety I have lived from Oklahoma to Delaware/ Maryland so I (favorite was Florida) have the east side covered. In the 13 yrs I have been married this is our 10th state so I think we should head to California next but I think we are settling in to stay.

I thought I would do a perfect boiled egg today as spring is coming and that is the eggy season. Also I haven’t posted anything about food and I am feeling guilty. I put as many eggs fit to cover the bottom of my pan, mine holds 14- oddly enough. Then I use cold water to cover throw in 2 T salt and bring to a rolling boil while tightly covered. Put heat on lowest setting after the boil starts and leave for 10 min. pull off the heat and run cold water over it. This should give you a lovely bright yellow yolk with absolutely no grayish tinge. Perfect for slicing in salads or any other egg needs.

Junk Mail

This is more of an environment post then a food post. I hate junk mail it is annoying and completely not needed. I never even look at all the stuff I just stick it straight in the recycling. I always wished there was a do not mail list kinda like the do not call list. This is a petition to make a do not mail list I thought that was pretty cool so I thought I would link up. http://donotmail.org/index.php so just give it a click and we can see what happens.

less fat then Mcdee's but just as good

Since I have been diagnosed with diabetes I have now lost 12 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am extremely excited (can you tell?) I have been trying to be super careful because you can eat healthy and still manage to make sweets. For proof see last week’s treat picture, organic chocolate chip cookies. This website isn’t a “diet” blog but I felt so happy I will likely still share when things are going well. The goal of organic and natural eating is to be healthier and be kind to the earth. Weight loss results in a healthier and happier body so it works out for everyone. This morning I was hoping for a mcdee type breakfast so I used a whole grain English muffin and 1 egg scrambled with a little onion and green pepper. This was a great way to add a little veggie early in the day. I toasted my muffin and used Smart Start butter, I miss real butter but I changed at my cardiologist request. I buttered the kid’s muffin with real organic butter. I used a bit of cheese one thin slice of cheddar, about an ounce. Then I simply stacked it up so easy and I got the taste of a buttery biscuit without all the gross things they slather on the biscuits. I don’t always have time to make eggs in the morning but the kids were up by six am that should be against the law, as I don’t have to get up till 7 am. This was a nice change to cook a warm breakfast mid week as the term stay at home mom should be changed to sitting in the minivan mom.

Out of Town

I have been out of town this weekend. I went to a town in Oklahoma called Muskogee. We went out to dinner and it was so wonderful. We went to an Italian restaurant called Johnny V’s. I had the shrimp scampi with fettuccini Alfredo. This is not a meal I would usually cook but it is more of a treat food. The portions were huge and I could share my meal with my 2 and 4 year old and still have leftover for sunday breakfast. I enjoy having someone else cook for me for a change. This is a small town and not a lot of choices as far as places to eat but I feel we had a good time and made a good choice. I hope everyone had a great weekend.

WOW 300 people have seen my site!!!!

Wow, I am so happy that so many people have looked at my site. I have had so many changes to my life in the past month and I am happy that people want to see how and what I am cooking. Thank you so much for being there. Thanks for putting up with all my errors as I learn how to blog. This has been a great month and I promise to add more pictures and get better at my punctuations!

I got a new toy!

My husband works dreadful hours. He leaves at 5 am and sometimes isn’t home till midnight. I try to have food ready so if he walks in at 7 or 9 I have something ready. This is not easy. I cook dinner for the kids at 5pm but he is rarely home then. I found a gadget that cooks a frozen chick breast in 9 min yes start to finish 9 min. I can prepare chicken or meat before in a marinade and throw it in when he is on the way home. I was leery to spend 100 dollars on a new product but on sale 50 percent off I decided to give it a whirl. It is called the Rocket Grill. It has parchment bags it cooks the food in so there is zero cleanup. I was concerned about the bags as I try to leave as small a carbon footprint as possible but it is paper so I thought I could recycle it. I love that because it cooks in the bag there is no cleanup time. Let’s face who wants to clean the kitchen again after you already did it right? So last night I made a simple garlic and balsamic vinegar breast. I threw a couple of cloves of garlic in with the breast and it cooked PERFECT. I made a quick dinner a 8 pm and cleanup took just 30 seconds. All in all I am happy and now if I forget to defrost I can still cook a healthy and delicious dinner.

TREAT DAY the picture !

This is my very first picture! I used a dvd on the bottom to show the size. i used a 1/4 measuring cup and then pressed down. I put a normal one on top to show the luscious chocolate and walnuts better. I did about 10 super size and the rest are small using a tablespoon scoop so each on is the same size. I assumed not everyone would like a big one so I tried to cover everyone.

rice cookers

I am a lone wolf, at least that is how I feel lately regarding kitchen gadgets. Am I the only person in the world who doesn’t have a rice cooker? Every blog I read and every site I visit comments on their rice cooker. What happened to using a pot on the stove? For about 6 mos last year I lived in a 20 foot long trailer it was about 7 feet wide. I had 1 husband and 2 kids living with me so it was slightly crowded. My kitchen (including storage) was about 2 feet total, no you read that right, 2 feet. I learned on this voyage what a person REALLY needed. I was surprised to discover I didn’t need a lot. My large and luscious kitchen aid mixer was in storage as it was the same size as my stove. I had a mini rechargeable mixer system that hung on the wall to replace it. I also had no room for extras like a salad spinner or extra appliances. I had 1 nonstick fry pan and one larger cast iron pot for everything else. That is right 2 pans. Now I am in a larger place with all my bits and pieces and I wonder what I did without it! I do not however have a rice cooker. I am wondering if I need it as I never needed one before but I am thinking I need what the rest of the pack has. I love kitchen items. I read kitchen magazines with lust in my heart. Napa style catalog has so many types of salt I have no clue what they are for, but they are pretty. I pour over the catalogs dreaming of what I need and then I realize I don’t need a two hundred dollar olive oil bottle. I think for now I will leave the rice cooker on the shelf. I make rice rarely so I probly don’t need one but I bet I will need it later after I dwell on my desire. I’m gonna need a bigger kitchen.

TREAT DAY

It is treat day again and I decided to make a simple chocolate chip and walnut cookie. I discovered my hubby has eaten all the walnuts but I went to the store and got more as I think the cookies need it. I forgot to make a yummy last week so this time I thought - easy but fun. I decided to make them jumbo size to make them a little different. Instead of using a tablespoon I will do a ¼ cup that is a nice size for holding I thought. I decided to go fancy or unique as home cooking seems to be most popular; they still seem perplexed by the pumpkin cookies.

I am so happy that they like my treats. It makes it fun when I am appreciated even for something simple. I know the parents out there can understand that. Now I still need to make dinner and the kids are fighting ahhh, normal life. Have a healthy and happy day.

Sunday is In-Law Day

Every Sunday that we can my mother and father in law come to dinner. They live across the road from us and I try to make sure we see them often as my kids love them. Today I am thinking a large roasted chicken. I got a gorgeous chicken from my new butcher and it is rather large so this is perfect. I am going to make a lemon and onion stuffed chicken. I cook my chicken longer then I have seen other people do but I love a super crispy skin. I salt and pepper inside and out and put a cut up lemon inside and squeeze the juice of another lemon on the outside. I have a few potatoes roaming about so I will cut up some red potatoes and put around them, they can all roast at the same time. I love onion so I cut up one onion inside and another cut up outside with a clove or four of garlic. I use onion and garlic like some people use salt and pepper. I will pop it all into the oven at 2 pm at 350 degrees and will serve it at 5 pm.

I am not making a loaf of bread because if I can’t have any no one can. I am still in phase 1 of south beach so I haven’t make bread once this week. I normally bake a fresh loaf every morning but the smell is just so yummy I don’t want to be tempted. My husband is starting to whine about the lack of bread but one more week and I can start to add it back in.
I must go and clean my living room so I can pretend it isn’t always covered in cars and trains. :)Have a restful Sunday.

National Pig Day

According to the wonderful people at http://www.seriouseats.com/ it is national pig day. Now if that isn’t a reason to celebrate what is?
I have been looking for a local butcher that knows his meat and I found one! This may not excite you but in tiny towns in Oklahoma that have a wal-mart and NOTHING else- this is great news. They smoke all there own meat and I happen to have gotten bacon on my voyage yesterday. I am thinking I will make a tuna salad inside a tomato with bacon on the top, still healthy enough to please my cardiologist and yet plenty of tasty bacon.
I believe bacon should be its own food group. I am not normally a fan of meat. I was deeply saddened by the recent news on cattle mistreatment and I rarely ate meat until my doc said no more pasta. BUT, I always loved bacon I know it seems like a double standard and it is- I admit it. If I was stuck on an island with one food I more then likely would pick bacon, even thou I don’t love other parts of the pig i.e. pork chops. Don’t ask me why I am just a little crazy I assume.
More importantly - What will you eat on pig day?

TREAT DAY

OH NO, I forgot it was Wednesday! I was just preparing to make tomorrow’s treat when I realized today is Wednesday. Not feeling well makes it easier to mix up the days and I was feeling kinds puny this week. I called my hubby and everyone was wondering where the treat was. I did make suckers yesterday, for one of the guys who asked for cinnamon last week. My hubby just told them that is the treat so ….. I may make them something for tomorrow.

I use the highly concentrated flavor you get in the tiny bottle, it is the perfect amount. The smell was so strong when I added the flavor my husband in the next room asked if I spilled an extra bottle. I was worried the flavor would be to strong but once they were shaped and cooled the flavor was perfect. I don’t use artificial colors in my suckers and the cinnamon flavor has no color so they were a light carmely color. They were a big hit with the guys but I better make some cookies for tomorrow.


2 c fair trade organic sugar
1 c water
2/3 c light corn syrup
Powdered sugar for later


Stir till the sugar dissolves and then let it boil without stirring till the candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees then take off heat let the boiling sugar settle and then add 1 dram of flavor. Any flavor is the same recipe I made grape last week for the kids. Immediately start to put in molds or just pour into a silicone pan once cool break it apart. Put it in a plastic bag and add a little powder sugar about a teaspoon should be enough. Shake it up and it will keep the candy from sticking. If you use a mold or make a cute design you can sprinkle more delicately so you don’t break them up. You can use sticks or not depending on what your needs are I use both. I also lay sticks in a silicone mat and with a teaspoon pour a little on each stick I go back after they cool for a minute and add another layer so they are a little thicker but just make sure the sticks are not to close. Just do this quickly as they set up fast as soon as it comes off the heat it starts to set up.

It does seem to take a few minutes to go from 225 to 300 degrees but just leave it alone and let it boil without stirring or bothering it.I always want to rush it but I try to be patient.

Tonight is Sesame Chicken with Broccoli and Brown Rice Night

This is a great meal for company as it smells good and looks good. We used to order Chinese delivery at least once a week but as I try to cook at home more and no one delivers in this town I found this. It smells just like our favorite sesame chicken takeout but I used sweet rice that adds to the sweet flavor of the dish. I used bulk rice from Whole Foods that still has the outer hull. This had a nice flavor and even the kids liked the chicken.

Sesame Chicken with Broccoli and Brown Sweet Rice

1 cup organic brown rice
6 tablespoons local honey
4 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted till slightly golen
4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 organic garlic clove, minced
2 large free range egg whites
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 pounds boneless/skinless organic free range chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2"chunks
salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds organic broccoli, cut into large florets

Cook rice according to package instructions.
In a small bowl, whisk together honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce and garlic.
In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites and cornstarch.
Add chicken, season with salt and pepper and toss well to coat.In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Place half of the chicken into the skillet - cook, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and chicken. Place all of the chicken back into the skillet and pour in the honey sauce - toss well to coat and remove from the heat.Meanwhile, roast broccoli until crisp-tender, about 44 min.
Serve sesame chicken over the rice and broccoli.
Makes about 4 servings

New Healthy Diet May be to Late

Well I come from a long line of diabetics and now it is my turn. I had a bunch of blood work done and it appears I am now a diabetic with high cholesterol. I am on a new diet from my doc for 2 weeks no bread no sugar and even no fruit!!!! Argggg! Will I survive it? I am still planning to feed my family the same as always and just modify my plate. We eat healthy enough that it might work ok. I have not always been as concerned about eating more fruits and veggies so I am glad they are already a part of my and the kids diet so this won’t be a big change. If you are wondering I am 31 and my kids are 2 and 4. I will still be adding yummy items but I may need to have my hubby to describe the taste. :( Have a happy and healthy weekend.

TREAT DAY

Today is Wednesday so that means treat day. I try to have him take something yummyish every week. It seems to help them to relax a little bit so this week I made a spiced pumpkin cookie with vanilla sugar icing. I left one batch in the oven a little long, about 20 min extra, but it still came out great in fact my husband ate all the crispy bottomed ones first. I use a cookie scoop that is about a tablespoon size. These hardly spread at all so you can fit a lot on the cookie sheet my first batch I put them few and far between but the next time I fit 16 on a medium size sheet. The dough doesn’t look like cookie dough it is very light and fluffy. The cookies are also very airy and light. My changes are in bold


Pumpkin Spiced and Iced Cookies (Adapted from Nestle)

For the cookie batter

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
I used 1T of pumpkin pie spice instead of all the different types
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8 tablespoons spectrum organic shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups mashed pumpkin
1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
Dark block of chocolate 3.2 oz chopped up
1/2 c chopped walnuts


For the glaze1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
4 T milk I just kept adding till it was smooth and creamy
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375

To make the cookie batter
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla. Slowly mix in the flour mixture and beat until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.Scoop out dough using a tablespoon cookie scoop and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden, about 13-18 minutes. 16 min was perfectRemove and let cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.To make the glazeIn a small bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cookies.
Makes about 66 cookies. It only made about 30 cookies for me. I don’t know how they got so many as I wound up with smallish cookies about 1 inch across. My husband really, really loved these. He likes pumpkin pie so i assume...


I again used all organic including the canned pumpkin I got from Whole Foods.


If I am feeling bold I may start adding pictures but for now i am dreadful at taking pictures.

New Food of the Week - Brociflower

I have made a decision my food is dull. Yes, I cook many meals every week but I wonder is there more out there? I have been reading lots of blogs lately and realize as I meander thru Whole Foods I have no clue about certain foods. I was raised on mcdees and pizza then as a single gal on my own it was Raman or Mac n cheese (out of a box). The foods my mom did cook were fatty like real Mac n cheese and chicken and rice both are two of the best foods in the world and nothing compares after a bad day but I am trying to change how I think about food. Food was the most important thing to my dad if he was in a burning building and had to choose between his child or the pork chop, the pork chop would win no contest. My memories of my daddy are always food related. Trips are remembered for the food good or bad. So now I am going to try one new item every week. This week I actually got two new items brociflower was the first I had heard about it for years but never found it in a store. The other item is also a kind of cauliflower but it is purple so pretty. I got the purple as it is my friend’s favorite color and she was coming to visit so I thought it would be fun. In the oven I have the brociflower roasting with olive oil and salt. It just came out. OHHHHHHH the taste is amazing I am eating it just like I cooked it olive oil and salt. The taste is so different from boiling or mixing it with other items in a heavy cream. The taste stands out and it is perfect. A little crunchy and crisp but still soft so good. I roasted carrots last week so I am in a roasting mood. I may not share with my husband this is so good. I love not boiling all the good stuff out of the veggies. I roasted for 45 min at 350 yes some edges were crispy but I like that but if you don’t you could always cover them to cook. GO Roast that will be a theme in Oklahoma come summerJ.

What makes a person ORGANIC?

Can a person who eats organic ever eat at a fast food restaurant? I am surprised at the anger some people have about this. I feed my kids as natural and organic as possible. I use fair trade items like sugar and coffee as I think everybody should get their piece of the pie. All people deserve a safe working environment. I also feel that when you buy local and organic it is better for the earth. I sometimes am running late and I run thru a fast food place. Panera Bread has a great organic selection but alas they are not in my town. I live in a tiny, I mean TINY, town which means if I want fast I get grease. I say does this make me a bad person? So if my choice is they don’t eat or they get something I wouldn’t normally feed them what would you do? I think that every person has the right to do the best they can without being mocked for being different. In my home I buy all organic, all natural and fresh as possible but if I need something and it isn’t available in an organic form I may choose to buy the item as is or I may not make the item after all. I choose how my family will live and I think everybody has the right to eat how they want. I welcome herbivores, carnivores, vegans, vegetarians that think fish is ok and vegetarians that don’t eat fish. Everyone has the right to be themselves. Don’t you think so?

Wow did you catch how bad I spelled?

Oh my that is some spelling i wasn't paying as close attention as i should as i was also having a conversation re thomas the train. The pre-k is closed for student teacher conference and so my son is home. He lives for 2:30 on pbs. Today we meet Neville!!!! A high five of excitment is required when life is that good.

Making Hamburger Buns

Well I was going to my mothers house sunday afternoon, I always want to make something to bring. I try to make something divine but last time i made a very rich and i mean VERY rich carrot cake that was roll your eyes back good but my stepdad is a dieabetic and i put his sugar really high. He only ate a tiny piece,i swear i like him. I decided to make hamburger buns because mom is making sloppy joes i offered to cook something else but that is what she wanted. I thought i would make the buns in the bread machine and try something new. I love my bread machine for kneading it enables me to get alot more done while it works. I always bake it in the oven even if i am just making plain bread. I didn't use a good recipe for it to be a soft light roll. It did however make a wonderful harder roll. I used a egg wash and added some sesame seeds so thye seemed more like packaged bread. My mom is a big fan of processed foods so i try to make it resemble what she likes.

Hamburger Buns
1 cup milk
1 cup water
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
21/4 teaspoons instant yeast
Egg wash
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

In a small saucepan, add milk, 1 cup water, sugar, butter and salt. Heat over low just until the butter melts - cool to lukewarm.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour with the yeast.Pour the milk mixture into a large mixing bowl. Mix in the flour/yeast mixture, 1 cup at a time, until all 3 cups are in, beating until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make stiff dough.Scoop the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8-10 minutes), adding enough of the remaining flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. Move dough into a large bowl lightly coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 60 minutes.Uncover and punch down the dough. Evenly divide into 12-16 pieces, depending on how large you want the buns to be. Form each piece into a tight ball and place about 2" apart on a parchment lined baking sheet - you may need to use 2 sheets depending on the size. Slightly flatten each ball. Cover and let rise until doubled - another 30 to 45 minutes.Preheat oven to 400In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and water. Gently brush egg wash over each bun.Bake about 20-25 minutes, until golden and they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
I got the recipe from http://desertculinary.blogspot.com/2005/06/hamburger-buns.html . It came out delish but i couldn't change it to a bread machine it just wound up getting a wee bit tough. Next time i will just do it 100 percent by hand.

Of course, i used unbleached organic flour and organic butter. I used farm freash local eggs. My salt is a natual sea salt that is a browish color that is lovely. I also use fair trade sugar.

This is my very first post so i plan to get better and if anyone asks i will post the carrot cake recipe. I hope that you will visit again as my posts will get better as i learn how to do this:).