Prep Work

Hat Rock State Park, Oregon

So with the end of the month, I'm left with a pile of recipes that I'm missing one ingredient for. I hate that! But tomorrow is a new month, and I'm going to go stock up on everything I need to complete all these recipes. So look for new blogs, and recipes soon.

School also started and I'm starting to pile things on my plate, working as a para educator substitute, signed up for PTA events, and going for a board position on the PTA, plus throwing a huge slumber party for Isabelle's 8th birthday this weekend (um where did the time go??)

But I'm still going to have my days free as of next week, since Nick goes back on day shift, and Izzy's in school all day long. Time for some good home cooking :)

Nutella-Swirled Banana Bread

Nutella-Swirled Banana Bread...is the yummiest creation so far! Sweet, but no more than all the other fruit breads. I love this, even though it was an adventure to make considering, I made two trips to the store, once for flour (I was 1/4c. short and didn't want to risk it) and then again when I cracked the last egg and saw that it was a bloody still born! (EWWWWW) So finally I got it in the oven and fought my nemisis...bread that's cooked all the way through...mine ALWAYS wants to be gooey in the middle. Its still cooling on the rack, so I'm not sure if I won that battle..but with a corner missing..I'm impatient ok..it sure tastes good! Now the recipe says a regular bread loaf pan, but mine is occupied with another creation so I doubled the recipe and cooked it in an 8x8, and had a little extra batter left..no big deal.

Nutella-Swirled Banana Bread

courtesy of http://www.recipegirl.com/

2 cups all-purposed flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 c. mashed ripe banana

1/3 cup plain low fat yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 c. nutella

Preheat the own to 350 degrees F. Spray 8x4 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

In mixer, beat sugar and butter at medium speed until well blended.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended.

Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until flour is incorporated (don't over mix).

Spoon Nutella into a medium dish and soften in the microwave about 30 seconds. Add 1 cup of the banana bread batter into the Nutella and stir until blended.

Spoon unblended banana bread batter alternately with the nutella bread batter into prepared bread pan.

Swirl batters together with knife.

Bake 60-70 minute, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Check the oven at 45 minutes to check the top of the bread for browning. If its browning too quickly, cover lightly with foil for the remainder of the baking. Cool for atleast 15 minutes in the pan, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cook.

So this sunny, summer afternoon, I'm busy thinking about all the foods I'd like to make. My recipe pile is growing, and so is my drive to cook more and more things myself. So I thought I'd make a list.

1. Peanut butter-this is extremely dangerous considering that I LOVE peanut butter, and especially with apples which are coming into season.

2. Applesauce- going to go fast in this house!

3. Pears (canned)- Pears are my daughter's absolute favorite fruit so she will benefit from this the most.

4. Bread- I'd really like to make a nice healthy bread like once a week..maybe sundays..for Isabelle to use for sandwiches in her lunch box, or healthy toast in the morning. Plus I'm sure Nick and I will gobble it down right away too.

5. Chorizo sausage- my husband loves this, and I just found a recipe to do it without having to mess with casings and gross things like that. I may like to cook, but I have a thing about touching meat..I just can't do it.

6. A million and one new recipes for dinner and cookies lol!! Seriously the stack is so high now I think I'll be set for months!

Everything seems to be going well. Not only is my pantry stocked, but with all the home cooking I'm doing the fridge is full of yummy leftovers. So when I have a night (like last night) where it was just me and Isabelle, and I didn't really want to cook, we still had a hot homemade meal made of leftovers. Plus is was way better than a big mac and the roll that would put around my waist! lol! This isn't so hard. Just keeping in mind that my mom did it, and my grandmothers and so on..and there for I should be happy we're not so far back that I'm growing the wheat and grinding it, and making butter with my churn LOL!

Introductions are due!

As I looked back at my blog I thought..what if someone actually sees this that's not related to me lol! They'd never know anything about me. First I'm a mother of one..yep..one..a 7 year old daughter. Then there is my other half..a correctional officer with a huge appetite. We've been together almost 9 years and will continue to be forever...that is as long as he continues to pick up his socks! (Hear that honey!) I love photography, although my budget prevents me from getting the $600 camera I dream about..so I make do with the one I have. And since I have a billion and one photos, I have to do something with them..so I scrapbook. Maybe I'll even post some of my projects...who knows.

This year my daughter is going to be in school full time. I've been a stay at home mom since the moment she was born. So where does an empty house leave me? With A LOT of empty time. So I'm going to use my time to devote myself to home cooking, cooking almost everything from scratch, trying endless new recipes, and learning to can veggies, fruits and sauces. But even to top that..and less to be blogged about because who really wants to read about cleaning..is my goal of keeping this house as clean as possible. Until recently it has been an uphill battle, but now that my toilet is free of tiny, Dora the Explorer potty seats, bath crayons scribblings on the bathtub, tile floor and even bathroom mirror, so now I might have a shot.

Then this fall I'll be tending to my flower beds...learning to plant bulbs, prepping the vegetable garden for the future planting season, and planning out all my veggies for next spring. I plan to cook, can, preserve, and EAT as many as possible. 

But I have to say, I used to not care about canning, or growing my own produce. But in the last year, with food recalls, and skyrocketing food prices, too much sugar and salt, and growing waistlines, I decided that fresher, local and prepared by my own hands is the better route. Canning is no longer for grandma's, great grandma's, hicks making moonshine, or the poor....even this month's Better Homes and Gardens acknowledges that. They say the same thing as me..time for fresh and tasty!

All stocked up!

One whole shelf in my pantry is full of the yummy canning goodies I made with my mom this week.

We've got fresh peaches canned with no-sugar apple juice to make a healthy snack for my daughter.

Then lots of dill pickles that will ready for tasting int 8 weeks.

And then salsa...which will be tried tonight since I'm anxious to see how spicy it is after the jalapenos burned my hands for about 4 hours.

So tonight is mexican night, fresh salsa from scratch, fajitas made with my own seasoning, no-fry refried beans that I'm cooking in my slow-cooker all day.

Its looking like a yummy night at our house!

Fajita Seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients together.

I use this mix as a rub mostly. I brush olive oil over the meat, then rub on the spice mixture and barbeque my meat while I saute the onions and peppers in a little olive oil  in pan on the stove. Then add the meat when done, add a little water to the veggies and a little extra mix and TADA! Fajitas!

SALSA BABY!!

This is my mother in law's salsa recipe which is so good!  She used to can hers every summer and send a bunch up to us. However she had to sell her house 2 years ago and since then we've missed the salsa. She always grew the ingredients and didn't see the need to buy them now that her garden was gone. So I'm passing it on...just like her enchiladas and pico de gallo. It smelled up the kitchen and made me crave some serious mexican food.

And yet I paid dearly for this colorful mixture of veggies and spices. I made the STUPID mistake of cutting 1/2 pound of jalapenos without gloves! NEVER AGAIN! My hands burned so bad for hours I thought I was gonna go crazy.

Just so you know...no matter what google tells you Elmer's glue doesn't help it seems to trap the heat worse LOL! Ice made my hands burn worse, water only helped when it was colding and constantly running, milk was the best, but luckily my hands are finally burn free..a little tender and I learned a huge lesson: ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES...you aren't too tough to go without! Believe me!

Let's Hear it for Canning!

So my mom came to visit me and brought me boxes full of tomatoes, pickling cucumbers, and peaches. So today I learned the lost art of canning!

It was a lot of work, I mean A LOT! It took almost all day to get the 14 jars of pickles, 10 pints of salsa, and 4 quarts of spaghetti sauce all done, but it was totally worth it. My family will now have fresh veggies and sauces made 100% from scratch..not a single canned product in my sauce. Plus there is something to be said for spending the day in the kitchen where you feel a kinship with your elders. I have so much more respect from my grandparents and even my mom who canned when I was younger.

But now that I'm prepared with lots of jars, a wonderful recipe book, and the knowledge of how to do, I can see myself canning alot more things.

Friday we're going to do peaches. I didn't have the energy left to can another thing lol! But for tonight I'm stocked up and happy as can be.

Fresh Blackberry Season Means Cobbler!

My first blackberry cobbler

Super yummy! Even my mother in law said that it was delicious which was a huge compliment! We just put a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top. Yummy!

Blackberry Cobbler

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups white sugar, divided

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons of cold butter

1/4 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons of cornstarch

1/4 cup of cold water

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

4 cups fresh blackberries, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, 1/2 c. sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir in 1/4 c. bowling water just until mixture is evenly moist.

In a seperate bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in cold water. Mix in remaining 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, and blackberries. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Transfer to cast iron skillet (I didn't have one so I put it in a big stock pot and boiled it and then transfered it to a pie dish). Bring mixture to boil, stirring frequently. Drop dough into the skillet by spoonfuls. Place skillet on the foil lined baking sheet.

Bake 25 minutes, or until dough it golden brown.

HAHA!! Home economics for the 50's housewife!

Home Economics For Women In The 1950's


From a 1950's high school home economics textbook, teaching girls how to prepare for married life.


1. Have dinner ready: Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal on time.
This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him, and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospects of a good meal are part of the warm welcome needed.



2. Prepare yourself: Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking.
He has just been with a lot of work- weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.


3. Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc. Then run a dust cloth over the tables.
Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift, too.


4. Prepare the children: Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces if they are small, comb their hair, and if necessary, change their clothes.
They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.


5. Minimize the noise: At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of washer, dryer, dishwasher or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.
Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and be glad to see him.


6. Things to avoid: Don't greet him with problems or complaints. Don't complain if he's late for dinner.
Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day.


7. Make him comfortable: Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes.
Speak in a low, soft, soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax and unwind.


8. Listen to him: You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first.


9. Make the evening his: Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment; instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to be home and relax.


10. The goal: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can relax.

I'm not sure if I want to take this retro-housewife stuff that far! LOL! But its funny to see what they used to teach girls in prep for marriage.

The Goal!!

Yes I have a goal!
This summer a lot of things changed for me. My daughter was home for the summer, my husband was busy working swing shift and spending a month away doing his naval reserves duty. During this time however I realized that things have to change around here. My life is no longer just my own. I have a husband who counts on me...for everything from missing car keys to laundry. My daughter is only 7 and still thinks I need to wait on her manicured feet like the princess she truly is. Now really though...yes the hubby can't seem to wash a plate without my asking, and sometimes the lawn being a foot tall bothers him, but he really does love me and work a corrections job that he hates to support us. And though my daughter toes might be "shimmer pink" she does understand that mommy works hard to keep the house clean. But how hard has this mommy worked the past 8 months of this year? Not as hard as she would like people to believe.

I have a best friend from Washington. We are so much alike its pretty scary. Even our husbands seem like they were cut from the same mold. However she has jumped on to the all organic and homemade route long before me. Despite knowing its healthiest for me and my family I can't always afford the organic milk. BUT THAT'S WHEN IT HIT!  I can make my food. Really cook it. Not pull the box of pasta and sauce out of the pantry and through in cubed chicken from a can. No I can make my own sauces, my own pasta and all the yummy side dishes. So after spending two long hours on the computer..which is almost impossible considering the clinginess of my daughter, I can away with tons of recipes from my now favorite site http://www.allrecipes.com/ They had everything I needed.

So now the goal this year (school year since its easiest to start these things while the kiddo is in school full time) is to have homemade meals on the table almost every evening. Eating out only once or twice a month. But because one goal has never been enough I want to fulfill that idea in my head of the 50's housewife. Laugh if you want. I have always wanted to be the wife with the hot meal on the table, from scratch, and have a clean house ready for when my husband got home. So clean house and meals from scratch. What everyone women should be able to do, what I did the first 2 years of our marriage, and yet seems so simple but few actually do it.  So here we go. Lets see if I can pry myself off of facebook long enough to scrub the toilets and drag the ladder out of the garage so I can use it to dust the ceiling fans. <3

Popping my blog cherry!

My first blog! Yipee! I've done small update blogs on facebook and myspace, but to have my own complete space is something bigger! A place to share the way my life is shaping up. I welcome everyone to this space that is mine..all mine...*insert evil laugh*. Next step is creating a goal...a direction...hmmm....