Jambalaya

I haven't posted a recipe in a long time....

Truth be told....

I haven't really cooked in a long time. We mostly live off of the same rotation of slow cooker meals that just get dumped into the crockpot.

And tonight's recipe is also made in a slowcooker...

But it was good.

Really good.

That's how good....

So I wasn't really home long enough today to get it all dumped in at once.

So I got my slowcooker out and turned it in high. I chopped up 10 mild Italian sausages and a big sweet onion (in rustic chunks).

And then I was late.

When I came home I added celery (probably around 2 to 3 cups) and a big can of diced tomatoes and 2 cups of chicken broth and I sprinkled oregano and cayanne pepper and paprika on the top. I sprinkled seasoning salt on top of that and I threw in a half a bag of coleslaw and stirred it all up. Oh and a green pepper (diced pretty fine since none of my kids like peppers-cooked).

Then I was late again. 4 hours later when I got home (like 330) I dumped 2 cups of basmati rice in and stirred it up. Then I was late again. When I got home at 5 it was totally cooked and starting to get stuck on my crock pot. Fluffed and ate. So good. The only complainer was Penny but she complains about anything other than potato soup or hot dogs.... So a win!

Oh Rotten Bananas

I had a counter full of mushy brown bananas. This heat wave has not been kind to them. I did not want to heat my near equator feeling home.... So Pinterest to the rescue.

http://www.repeatcrafterme.com/2012/05/crock-pot-chocolate-chip-banana-bread.html

It worked perfectly. I recommend a big bread pan because mine spilt over. And it cooked 3 hours on the nose and was done.

I cooked it outside so not even the slowcooker heated up our haven from the heat!

On Penny's Menu

Penny has a new favourite lunch...

Eat all day every day food.

Egg salad with nothing crunchy and really spicy on crackers.

Spicy Egg Salad

5 eggs boiled, peeled, and mashed 

1 tablespoon of mayo

2 teaspoons mustard

1 tablespoon dill

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Sprinkle of salt and pepper 

Spread on soda crackers or bread or lettuce.... Or eat it by the spoonful like Penny!

the big one

There was an epic day.

An epic day of water.

It was the water day.

The boys and Amy left bright and early to try their hands at ocean fishing.

The girls and Andy decided to try their hand at staying off a sunburn whilst swimming ALL day.

We met for breakfast at our favourite establishment.

(aka the Royal Club)

I am not sure why mom looks like she is in pain.

She was not.

It was a delightful experience.

Penny enjoying her fruit loops and fruit.

Lucy and her grub

My Grub.

mmmmmmm I really could be wealthy

and have a cook

and white table linens that someone else would wash when my children split on them

and did I mention a cook......

Brianna.

We ate outside.

with his stroller..

so handy.

especially because we got to enjoy the views.

One of the many dining views.

 

And after breakfast.....

The boys club was.....

Catching the big one.

Rhys caught a sail fish too.

And all the outlaws caught the barf bug.

Only the Vint's remained strong.

Apparently the ocean was rough.

And while they were barfing

We were swimming.

Penny at her waterfall.

Ellie snorkeling 

Lucy sleep/swimming

Andy getting sunburned on one half of his face.

Lucy diving. 

She was doing so awesome.

Ellie diving/ lunging across the pool.

When the boys (and Amy) returned

they were hungry

and so was Penny.

And one of the many wonderful things about this trip

WAS

the pool side dining.

(no etiquette required)

besides bringing back an appetite 

they also brought back some colour!

It was an epic day.

And this is an epic breakfast.

(like this post wasn't long enough... but now you get a recipe too)

Mexican Hash

Peppers ( I use about 1/3 cup diced)

Onions (1/4 cup diced)

3 eggs

bacon crumbles

 1/4 cup enchilada rice (rice cooked in cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and a can of tomatoes)

served with warm corn tortillas (international grocery store... $5 for a big stack of gluten free tortillas)

salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste.

Gluten free Dairy free Egg free Corn bread

Corn bread

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup rice flour

3/4 cup margarine

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup almond milk

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 Tablespoons chia seeds soaked in 4Tbs of warm water

Mix wet together. Mix dry together. Combine stirring the least amount of times possible. Put in greased 8x8 pan and bake at 350 for 20+ minutes.

The taste and texture were great. It was a bit crumbly.

Gluten free- diary free- egg free- sugar free Banana Walnut Muffins

I browse through pinterest daily for some sort of light bulb moment or hope that I find something that looks like what I want.

Last night I found a banana muffin that looked like it could pass

www.gluten-free-vegan-girl.com/2014/01/gluten-free-vegan-chocolate-chip-banana-muffins.html

You can check out her recipe.

It has buckwheat in it.

Not my favorite...

So I swapped it for Sorghum

There were a few more trades made...

Banana Walnut Muffins

1 heaping cup sorghum flour

1 scant cup of tapioca starch

2 heaping teaspoons of baking powder

1 cup of walnuts smashed

Put above in bowl

Get out food processor.

1/2 cup almond milk

3 bananas

1 tsp vanilla 

1 cup of dates (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes)

Process.

Add dry.

Scoop into greased muffin tins until full.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes

Penny ate hers with homemade chocolate sauce.

Labels

A few years ago

Like 5

My friend introduced me to "clean" eating.

Not a new concept

More of a throw away processed foods and get back to "the good ol' days"

You know like horse and buggy cooking.

Since then I read a lot of labels at the grocery store

(yes I am one of those people who spend an agonizing amount of time reading labels, blocking amd contesting the isles at the store)

I am always amazed at the crap that is in food.

Now more than ever I am scouring labels again

With greater purpose I suppose.

It has really brought me back to cooking.

I found a recipe for condensed cream of chicken soup.

I have been missing creamy sauces on rice

So when I saw this I knew I had to try to make is gluten, dairy, and egg free.

RECIPE

3 cups of chicken broth 

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp parsley

1/4 tsp pepper

Sprinkle of paprika

1/2 cup of tapioca starch (or corn starch)

3 cups of coconut milk or almond.

Boil the stock and 2 cups of milk with the seasonings. Add the starch to the remaining milk. Whisk into boiling stock (medium heat) and cook 2 minutes. Keep stirring. Turn off heat and carefully ladle into jars. It will make about 3 500ml jars. Store in fridge.

I found the original recipe on pinterest. There was a ton of them all the same if you want to make it with dairy

Buckwheat and Quinoa muffins

These muffins are wheat, dairy, and egg free.

I wouldn't change this recipe to include any of those ingredients 

(even if I ate them)

I couldn't sleep last night.

I was pairing ingredients

Contemplating what goes with what and so forth.

And how much of what...

I didn't get much sleep

But

As a result

And a little luck

I have a counter full of muffin (18)

That passed all three kids' test!

First off- get a bowl

Than add:

1 cup of buckwheat flour

1 cup quinoa flour

1/2 cup of rolled oats

1/2 cup corn starch or tapioca flour

2 1/2 tsp of baking powder

Stir

Add 1 cup of brown sugar (loose)

2 mashed banana 

Sprinkle 1 tsp baking soda on bananas

Add 1 1/2 cups almond milk

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup of coconut. (I used unsweetened)

1/2 cup of walnuts  chopped

Spoon into greased muffin tins about 3/4 full

Bake at 350 for 23 minutes.

So after biting into these muffins

They taste awesome.

Great texture

Fluffy moist

But the con

They smell

They smell like ground quinoa

(which duh that's what is in it)

At first I was nervous you would taste the smell 

but

I don't really taste it.

Now that this is out of my brain

Hopefully I can get some sleep.

A little bite of Fall

Our go-to breakfast is pancakes.

Pancakes and eggs.

The eggs are a no-go right now

But

I knew I could do pancakes...

These pancakes are fall.

Every bite tastes like harvest time.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups of rolled oats

2 teaspoons of baking powder

4 tablespoons of sugar or honey 

1/3 cup of pumpkin or an egg if you don't want pumpkin pancakes

1-2 cups of coconut milk or water or milk

Get out your food processor and put your two cups of rolled oats in.

Turn it on and let it go until you get a coarse flour. Add the rest of the ingredients in the order listed.

Mix.

Cook on a hot pan on medium heat. 

They are really great served with Apple syrup or apples sauce.

Nothing in 'em Waffles

So 

The whole gluten free

Dairy free

Egg free

Business hasn't been too bad.

The worst meal is breakfast.

While my husband and children have been stuffing their faces with fluffy over filling pancakes I have been sitting on the sidelines in envy.

Dusty tried hard to make pancakes using corn flour and they were good. Not fluffy. But made me less envious.

Well after a VERY long night

I NEEDED carbs.

Fluffy delicious fattening carbs.

I was a little gun shy after yesterday's disastrous muffin experience

But my need overcame my fear and

BAM!

Waffles.

Gluten free- dairy free- egg free

WAFFLES!

They were fluffy

They were good.

They were crispy in the outside

Chewy in the inside.

Even the kids are them...

Recipe:

1 1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup of corn starch

2 teaspoons of baking powder

2 Tablespoons of canola oil

2 Tablespoons of sugar

1 cup coconut milk

Mix dry. Mix wet. Add wet to dry. The batter will be thick. It should just be runny enough to pour out of the bowl but in a slow thick batter manner.

They were amazing.

But it could be because I haven't eaten anything with anything in it for a while...

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I love banana muffins.

So do the kids.

My mom takes the cake for healthy banana muffins.

So when I make them I want fluffy white deliciousness.

I found this recipe on Pinterest.

It's really good.

I made a few adjustments.

Mostly because of my laziness to find room temperature butter and I didn't want to haul my good mixer out.

The original recipe is found here :

 http://www.adventures-in-food.com/2012/06/banana-chocolate-chip-muffins.html?m=1

Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Makes 12 normal sized and then 24 minis

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter (I used cold margarine)

1 cup mashed bananas (I used 3 large)

1/4 cup milk (I used 1/2 cup- I added at least another 1/4 cup at the end because the batter was too thick)

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder (heaping)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325 ( 350) degrees and grease muffin pans or use muffin cup liners. (Just the pan greased and floured) 

2. Beat together butter, sugar, banana, egg, and milk until smooth. (Mine wasn't so smooth)

3. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, then mix until combined. 

4. Stir in chocolate chips and scoop batter into muffin pans.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, (12 minutes for my minis and 20 for my normal ones) until a toothpick comes out clean, then cool in muffin pan for 10 minutes before turning out. (I skipped the cooling and went straight to burning my mouth)

My unmotivated day this week

I need my head examined.

I am tired.

I want to sleep.

Instead I make snack mix.

What my counter looks like until snack mix gets made.....

After snack mix gets made.....

I am glad it's over.

I think the smell of bugles might make me sick.

But

The people I make this for will love it....

A lot....

And if they don't...

Hopefully they never tell me 

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

So we go through food phases.

Enchiladas is one that's been around for a while

but it hasn't been until lately that

the kids have really liked them.

You can adjust this recipe to your tastes.

I prefer really hot enchiladas

Ellie likes hers super mild.

This is a little spicier than mild but Ellie will eat them

so that pretty much makes them safe for anyone.

but I have made them even milder and

with no vegetables for the pickier eaters.

like I said,

adjust.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Tortillas (like 10)

3 chicken breasts

1 container of sour cream (big container)

1 package of shredded cheese (or about 2-3 cups of grated cheese)

salsa (optional)

tomatoes (optional)

corn (optional)

beans (I either use re-fried or black or optional)

Taco sauce (I usually just make my own since it's like 5 bucks for a tiny jar)

Cook chicken

chop chicken

put chicken in bowl with 1/2- 3/4's of sour cream

add in salsa 1/2 cup- 1 cup 

(this all depends on how many other ingredients you are putting in and how hot you want them to taste)

Add in half the cheese

Add in chopped veggies and beans 

(unless using re-fried then I just smear some on the tortilla)

Mix the bowl

Put a heaping tablespoon of mixture in each tortilla and roll them up

put them in a pan lined with parchment paper

(because I don't love scrubbing pans)

make all of them.

Now pour/spoon taco sauce over them

**If you are making taco sauce get a bowl.

Add 1 can of condensed tomato soup

add 2-3 tablespoons of salsa

add 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning

add a tablespoon of chili powder

add 2 tablespoon of garlic powder

stir

taste

add anything else

(this is where I add franks or cayenne pepper)

spoon over enchiladas

sprinkle remainder of  cheese

bake for 1 hour

at 350.

Humus

Humus

I like humus.
 I wouldn't say I am a humus lover
 BUT
I started to buy Jalapeno humus from my favourite store
and I began a very fond relationship with this dip.

BUT

then they stopped carrying it and I don't eat enough of it to buy two containers of the onion kind

so

alas

my relationship ended.

I have a friend

and 

she makes humus.

she said that she makes really good humus

(she is modest- unlike me- that's why we are friends-it's really about balance)

well

FINALLY

I made it

and it is more than really good

it is dip your leather shoe in it worthy.

Humus

- 1 can of chickpeas

- 1 tablespoon of all natural peanut butter (she uses two BUT...)

- 1 tablespoon of tahini (I have a vat of tahini that I really should use)

-3 garlic cloves

- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

-1 tablespoon of hot sauce

- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin

-1/2 teaspoon of paprika

and a dash of salt.

Process it until the consistency you most desire. 

i like mine like whipped cream.... 

well just really smooth.

you might need to add a little water if it gets too thick.

and eat.

YUM

Black Bean Burgers

 It was a fine afternoon 

and

I

was hungry.

We were all hungry.

but

the BBQ lights me on fire.

So BBQ burgers were out.

I decided I would actually try my hand at the whole cooking business

it has been a while.

So I looked in my pantry

I looked in my fridge

Nothing.

I had a bunch of veggie that needed using

beans in my cupboard

and hamburger buns.

This is not a recipe.

I didn't measure anything.

This was ravenous dumping.

I grabbed:

1) my food processor

2) black beans (1 can)

3) cooked oatmeal (1 cup)

4) half a thing of mushrooms

5) carrots (about 1 cup shredded)

6) Onion (half of one)

and then I processed

Oh and then I dumped in

7) a drained can of diced tomatoes

and then I decided I better add some 

8) dry oatmeal

until it got less liquidy

Then I put in the spices.

garlic powder

seasoning salt

onion powder

pepper

Cayenne pepper

Then I plopped (cause that is the sound) them

on parchment paper

and baked them in the oven

for 25 minutes 

on 425

(because that is my favourite temp because I am impatient)

(especially at lunch)

(particularly when I am hungry)

and they actually weren't too bad.

I put some tomato and lettuce and mayo and BBQ sauce on

and 

it was almost enjoyable

Dusty even admitted they were tolerable...

Heavenly Hawaiian Hash

It took a lot to not name this "tropical who-hash" but alas I was out-voted by the small people....

So anyways,

This morning was a wee bit frosty.... And since there is no tropical vacation on my horizon... I needed a little Hawaii in my life.

So without further adu....

Heavenly Hawaiian Hash

{one cowboy and wife or one wife and three children serving}

The players...

- 2 potatoes (I used Yukon golds- I feel they are the best breakfast potato but please feel free to contact me on my potato soap box .... because I have one)

- 1 tablespoon of EVOO {thank-you Rachel for the awesome acronym}

- 1 tsp of butter

- garlic salt

- onions

- parsley

- pepper

- paprika

- salsa

- pineapple

- bacon/ ham

- eggs

- cheese

The Script...

- chop potatoes small

- heat oil and butter in skillet

- fry potatoes

- add garlic salt (couple tsps)

- cook till soft

- add green onions or regular sweet onions.... Like a 1/4 cup or so

- add a cup of chopped ham or crumbled bacon (omit oil if using bacon)

- add pineapple ( 1 can)

- fry together

{potatoes and pineapple frying}

- add paprika (1 tsp) and pepper (sprinkle liberally)

- add salsa (2 tablespoons... And I used hot salsa)

- add two eggs beaten with some milk

- stir until eggs are cooked

- top with sharp cheddar

EAT.

yum!

The girls gave 5 fingers up!

Snacks

I like peanut butter.
A lot.
Probably too much.

I like apples.
Not as much as peanut butter....

I found a pin on pinterest and it was this apple sandwich. The apple was cored and then between the slices was peanut butter and chocolate chips.

I have never paired the two together. Ever.
Until......

More Sunshine

So the last couple days have been spent finishing the oranges! 

I had a lot of fun experimenting and I hope then when I finally get to crack these bad boys open that they are as delicious as I imagine.

I made:

sweet pickled sliced oranges

(think Asian sauces or with a balsamic glaze on pork or chicken)

Candied Orange Peel

(I couldn't just throw it away so I boiled it till the peel was soft and lost it's bitterness and hopefully I will be able to use it in some of my baking.... Orange buns, cake, ice cream, chocolate.... muffins.... mmmm)

and then just orange slices in a really light syrup for salads etc.

Now I am tired.
and want a nap.
but
my children are hungry and deprived


I might just call Grandma.....

creepy-not Halloween but Christmas- cookies

Lucy is the *hopefully* last victim to the flu.

I am glad I kept them home today just to be on the safe side

(I am just trying to redeem myself)

Anyways, the girls and I made cookies.

Penny feels sick but probably not a recurrence of the flu.

Most likely it's all the chocolate chips she ate in the decorating process.

I saved candy corn from Halloween for these frosty's...

Ellie told me they look creepy...

I guess we'll just stick to trees.

Korean BBQ Salad

Korean BBQ Salad

go to extra foods and buy some Korean BBQ sauce. 

It comes in a jar. 

It is labeled Korean BBQ sauce.

Get a roast from the freezer or the store or where ever one might find a roast. 

Cook the roast. 

Cut the roast. 

Pour sauce over roast. 

Place back in oven.

cut green onions and lettuce and put some carrot slaw mix in the pile. 

Add nuts or seeds or any other things.

Put some of the BBQ in a small bowl with a splash of soya sauce and some oil. 

mix and put over top of lettuce. 

Take roast out and cut into bitty bits 

and put on salad.

Eat.