HappyMama

Well, I have a hundred things I’d like to post about, but because I’ve been out of town for a week, I’m a tad bit behind on you know, EVERYTHING.

So for today, here’s a recipe we tried and enjoyed recently after I got the Fall itch to go buy a ton of locally grown produce at a Farmer’s Market, despite the fact that I didn’t know what to do with half of the things I bought.

This recipe is a Grand Prize winner from Taste of Home.  You can find it here. 

I added some other vegetables (including a beet!) and I substituted canned vegetable broth and just stir fried the chicken & veggies.  (I used acorn squash.) I omitted the kale because they didn’t have it at the grocery store.  All of my kiddos liked this soup.

It’s hard to know what’s “healthy” these days. I recently read a magazine article about these “10 best foods you aren’t eating” which they claimed to be very healthy. The article included descriptions, benefits & recipes. You probably can’t find half of them at a small-town grocery store, but here’s the list anyway:

• fresh beets
• guava (rind, seeds, & all)
• cabbage
• pomegranate juice
• swiss chard
• cinnamon
• purslane
• goji berries
• dried plums (i.e., prunes - no longer a fashionable term)
• pumpkin seeds

Company is a great excuse to make our favorite desserts.  Yesterday I made a chocolate swirl cheesecake for dessert today, and apparently this time it was my 4-year-old who, in his own words, “just couldn’t help myself.”  He willingly confessed, with pride, to “checking to see if it was still hot.  It wasn’t!”  So much for a beautiful presentation.  (This is hubby’s favorite dessert.  Let me know if you want the recipe!)

On a healthier note, I also made a pasta/vegetable salad that our neighbor, Paul, brought to a party a few weeks ago.  He said his mom got the recipe from a chef.  I thought it was fun to try out, because it has ingredients I haven’t used before - the orzo and the fresh cilantro.  Plus, it’s just fun to say “orzo”.

Orzo Salad

Vinaigrette:

• 1/3 C Red wine vinegar
• 1/2 C chopped cilantro
• 1 1/2 T Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 T dark brown sugar
• 2/3 C olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. ground black pepper

Salad:

• 3 C orzo
• 1 yellow & 1 red bell peppers cut into 1/4″ pieces
• 2 habanero chilies diced (opt.)
• 1 C whole medium pitted olives, halved
• 1 C golden raisins
• 1/2 C chopped Italian parsley
• 1/3 C diced red onion
• 10 oz. frozen sweet peas, cooked & chilled
• salt & pepper to taste

Cook orzo according to directions, rinse & drain.  Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients well and toss with orzo, then add everything else.  Chill overnight, but serve room temperature.

A dear friend, her hubby & 2 kiddos are coming to visit us this weekend.  In preparation, I made & froze Mom’s Brownies (also from Sassafras cookbook.)  The pan was cooling on the dining table, and apparently it was too much of a temptation for my 2-year-old.  I found this: 

along with a trail of crumbs leading all the way to his bed, where I found him hiding under his comforter.  Well anyway, here’s the delicious recipe.  Mom used to make these occasionally when we were kids, and freeze a layer of ice-cream between two slices.  They were the best ice cream sandwiches in the world.

• 1 1/4 C butter, melted
• 3/4 C cocoa
• 2 C sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 T vanilla
• 1 1/4 C flour
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/8 t. baking powder

Grease & flour a 10 1/2 x 15 1/2 x 1 inch jelly roll pan.  In a large mixing bowl mix well first 5 ingredients.  Sift together remaining ingredients and add.  Mix until smooth.  Spread evenly in pan, bake 25 min. @ 350.  Cool before cutting, ideally in a place out of the reach of little hands. 

While i’ve got my recipes out, here’s another one i made recently called Calico Beans, it’s kindof like thick chili.  Because we don’t use our oven when the AC is on, i put this one in a crock pot and plugged it into the outlet on the porch. 

Open & drain:

• 1 can pork & beans/baked beans
• 1 can [baby] butter beans
• 1 can kidney beans

Brown 1# hamburger with onion, drain.  Fry 6 strips (or more) of bacon, then crumble.  Put everything in the crock pot.  Add:

• 1/2 C ketchup
• 1 t. dry mustard
• 2 t. vinegar
• 3/4 C brown sugar
• 1 t. salt

Or bake @ 350 for 40 min.  We prefer to add the bacon when serving so it doesn’t get soft.  I’ve messed with all of the ingredients, you can’t really go wrong.  Good with corn chips or tortillas.

I hope it’s not in bad taste to follow the previous post with a recipe. 

This is a delicious, cold soup that makes a great appetiser on a hot day.  It’s called “Cool-cumber Soup” from Sassafras cookbook.  (Love that book!)

• 3 cucumbers (i’ve used 4)
• 1/2 C chopped onion (i use powder)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped (i use powder)

I also added dill.  Process until smooth, then pour into a large bowl.  Add & whisk:

• 2 C sour cream (could sub. plain yogurt)
• 2 C chicken broth
• 3 T. white wine vinegar (i assume you can sub. reg. vinegar)
• salt & pepper to taste

Cover & chill for several hours or overnight.  May garnish with diced tomato & minced green onion tops. 

a good, simple article here with pictures

Nutritionists and financial planners alike point out the stupidity of indulging in cold coffee drinks like Starbucks frappuccino. Although, of course, if you need to de-stress and a $5 cup of fatty coffee accomplishes this, it’s better than, say, a $50 massage or a $60 pair of new shoes.

What is it about a “fancy” (i.e., expensive) coffee drink that is so alluring when I’m frazzled & stressed out? The caffeine, of course, the sweetness, and the whole “naughtiness” of a splurge. That, plus no mess to clean up. I have a very strong love of coffee, and during the summer I like to make “home-made” (i.e., cheap) blended versions. Other recipes here.

HappyMama’s summer coffee:

1. pour left-over coffee into ice-cube tray & freeze. When you’re ready to blend, take the tray out of the freezer and let it sit for a couple minutes; they thaw quickly & pop out easily then.

2. pour some skim milk (I don’t measure ingredients typically, I prefer the “dump & adjust as needed” method) into the blender or smoothie machine, add the frozen coffee cubes and a scoop of vanilla protein powder, and blend. [I'm a big believer that we need high-protein breakfasts, and typical whey protein has 20 g. per scoop. I get flavor, caffeine, and protein in just one shake. The protein powder also adds about 120 calories, but it will keep you feeling "full" longer.]

3. having a bad day or want a treat? Add sugar, hershey’s syrup, or chocolate malt powder, or substitute cream for the milk! Top with cool-whip & chocolate shavings for company.