Fresh Pear Still Life

The image of this trio inspires me to get back into painting. I'm thinking watercolor!

It seems with the change of season I also have a change in taste buds. Now that it is Autumn I start craving things with cinnamon, pumpkin and a hearty texture. These pears are calling to me. Should I make a pear & sour cherry clafoutis? Perhaps a fresh pear pie? Or a coffee cake? The possibilities are endless.

But for now, I just enjoy gazing upon them as they sit ripening on my kitchen table.

Chez Kelly

I've never been to Paris, but when I do go (and I will go) I plan to head out for a night at a local bistro. I like hearty dishes and casual dining. So, last night I made my own bistro-style meal and ate it at my own table. It was VERY casual, it always is with children. I didn't bother with the white table linens or candlelight, but I did use my Dansk Bistro dishes and white ramekins to get the experience.

We had homemade French Dip sandwiches and garlicky mashed potatoes. Milk for the kids and Cabernet Sauvignon for the adults. We gathered at the table and talked about our day. Watching my son try to eat the au jus with a fork was interesting; and I could have done without my daughter complaining that she didn't like potatoes; but all in all it was a nice meal together.

To anyone who has a crock pot and is non-vegetarian, here is an amazing French Dip recipe you must try:

French Dip Sandwiches with Au Jus

1 rump roast (about 4 lbs)
1 10.5 oz can beef broth
1 10.5 oz can French Onion soup
1 12 oz bottle of beer
French rolls or stadium rolls
butter
garlic salt
sliced provolone cheese

I like to start cooking my meat the night before. Trim excess fat and place in crock pot with a little bit of water and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Allow to cook overnight. In the morning, remove the water from the crock pot and add in the broth, soup and beer. Cook on low for 7 hours. (WARNING: the smell of this cooking with make your mouth water the whole day!)

To prepare for sandwiches, take out the meat and place on a cutting board. The roast should be falling apart, no need for slicing. Double strain the au jus to remove bits and ladle into ramekins.

When ready to assemble sandwiches, open up the rolls and spread on butter and garlic salt (I use California garlic salt). Place under the broiler on low for a few minutes until bread browns and butter melts. Add shredded meat to the rolls, top with sliced provolone and place back under the broiler, open faced, until cheese melts. Cut sandwiches in half diagonally and serve with au jus. Then sit back and listen to all of the oooohhhhhs and aaaahhhhhs.

My husband tried one bite of his sandwich and asked me to marry him again. That's how good it is!

The Magic Ingredient

It has taken a while, but I have learned to love summer vegetables. I was never a fan of zucchini, and now I greedily add it to my cart at the grocery store. I even like yellow crookneck squash! My children, however, are not convinced of their deliciousness. So, finding a way to get my kids to eat their vegetables without shoveling them down their throats is a challenge. Fortunately, I think I may have found the solution.

The "magic ingredient" is participation ... and cheese ... but mostly participation. My daughter helped me to assemble this meal and took pride in it, therefore she ate her dinner and asked for seconds. Here is a great recipe that we all enjoyed seconds of:


Summer Vegetable Flatbread (modified from foodnetwork.com)

All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 pound pizza dough
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus extra, for drizzling
1 large (8 ounce) zucchini, thinly sliced
1 yellow crookneck squash, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves, divided
1 1/2 cups (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella (I used pre-shredded Italian blend)

Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle. With a pastry brush, brush 1 tablespoon of the oil over the dough. Using the tines of a fork, prick the dough all over. Arrange the vegetable slices on top of the dough. Drizzle the vegetables with oil. Bake the dough for 18 to 20 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Remove the bread from the oven, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of oregano and the cheeses. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the cheeses are melted and bubbly.

Sprinkle the flatbread with the remaining oregano, cut into wedges and serve. A light sprinkling of garlic salt is quite nice as well.

Now THAT is a painless way to eat your veggies!

More Bang for My Buck

Who would have thought beans and legumes could be so lovely?

It would seem that everywhere I go I see evidence of the economic recession. Businesses are shutting down, golf courses are closing their doors, and luxuries like eating out doesn't seem to be high on the priority list. And while these are hard times, I think it is a good thing in some respects.

I am trying to be more creative with how and where I spend my money. I try to make meals that will provide good left-overs for next day lunches. And I have been cooking A LOT of beans! This last week we had 12 bean soup. It tasted good, was satisfying, provided leftovers and used up some leftovers. I used homemade chicken stock that I keep on hand in the freezer, threw in some left over Easter ham and a chopped onion. And probably the best part about it is that I bought the bag of beans for $.99!

I have started to make a point of going to the Grocery Outlet store before my regular grocery shopping and I have scored some great deals. Items like pasta sauce, tea, brownie mix and a hirkin' jug of Clorox bleach at low prices have made these trips worthwhile. And, and so does the Starbucks chocolate bars for half the price at regular stores!

Lunch for Dinner

Don't these bagels look delicious? I got them from a cute little place called Kelly's Kitchen!

Mmmm, bagels. There is just something about the soft and chewy insides and browned outsides that make these breads so appealing. There is a place in town called The Daily Bagel that has bagels of all flavors ranging from garlic & herb, poppyseed, cheese and my favorite cranberry orange. Lightly toasted with a little schmear and I am happy!

The other day I was watching Martha Stewart and she had a guest on her show who was making bagel sandwiches. The ingredients really grossed me out. Chicken liver and pickles or whitefish salad with wasabi roe ... blah! Surprisingly, these are the most popular sandwiches at his shop. And while the thought of biting into a sandwich full of mushy chicken livers did not appeal to me in any way, the bagels themselves, did. So I decided to try to make my own bagels.

Sure, I could always head down to The Daily Bagel and pick up a few, but I was up for a challenge. I had never made bagels before and was curious about the process. I found a recipe online (I chose it because I had all of the ingredients on hand) and I had a blast making them.

Homemade Bagels (modified from recipetips.com)

1 tablespoon dry yeast, or 1 package
1 cup warm water
3 cups flour
1 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons sugar (optional, but gives a bit of gloss to the crust)
sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coarse salt (optional, for topping)

Dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Put flour, salt and sugar into electric mixer with dough hook attachment and mix. (Or mix together by hand in a bowl).

With mixer running, add yeasted water all at once and mix for about 30 seconds, until dough forms a single mass. If it's too runny to form a mass, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time. If too dry, add water a tablespoon at a time. Scrape dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for several minutes, adding a little more flour if necessary to make a firm dough.
Put dough into a bowl large enough to allow for rising, cover with plastic bag or damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (Time will vary with temperature)

When dough is risen, preheat oven to 400 and bring 2 quarts water to boil in a pot wide enough to hold 2 or 3 bagels without crowding. Add 2 tablespoons sugar to boiling water. While oven and water heat, punch dough down and divide as evenly as possible into 8 pieces. Shape the pieces into balls. Flatten each ball into a disc about 4 inches across and poke a hole in the center. Use your hands to enlarge the hole and shape the dough.

When the oven is hot and the water boiling, starting with the bagels that were shaped first, slide 2 or 3 into the boiling water. Adjust the temperature to maintain a simmer or slow boil, not a hard boil, and cook for 2 minutes, turn over and cook for another 2 minutes. Lift out carefully and drain on a rack. Sprinkle on topping seeds or salt, if using.

Arrange bagels on greased baking sheet with enough room so they aren't touching and bake until lightly browned and crusty, about 20 minutes. Remove from sheet and cool on a rack.

My efforts resulted in delicious and chewy - if not a little funny looking - bagels that made perfect sandwiches that we had for dinner. I made my own herbed cream cheese which I put with slices of ham on each bagel. I cut up some carrot sticks and apples, and we had lunch for dinner! The family seemed pleased and I would definitely do this again. In fact, my husband didn't even realize at first that I had made them ... yeah, they were THAT good!

My New Favorite Hangout

Sometime last weekend, my husband started up a subscription to the local paper. This paper isn't too impressive as it is only a few pages and about 1/16 of an inch thick! But it does have some coupons and sales listed as well as a funnies section. It is also nice to know a little bit about what is going on around town as we have been quite out of it for the nearly five years we have lived here!

With the paper arriving everyday and a new recipe I have for scones, my own kitchen has become my latest favorite hangout. I'll warn you ... these scones are good! They are subject to addiction and should be made only at one's willingness to indulge.

Warm, fresh-from-the oven scones with a cup of coffee and the daily crossword - who needs to go all the way to a coffeehouse for that?

Coffeehouse Scones (modified from joyofbaking.com) Makes 6 scones.

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

2/3 cup buttermilk (I didn't have buttermilk so I made sour milk instead: 2/3 cup milk and add 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Add the buttermilk (adding more if necessary) to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat, or roll, the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches round and about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut this circle in half, then cut each half into 3 pie-shaped wedges (triangles). Place the scones on a parchment lined baking sheet. Make an egg wash of one well-beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon milk and brush the tops of the scones with this mixture.

Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and then turn your broiler on high. Sift confectioners (powdered) sugar heavily over the tops of the scones and place them under the broiler. Broil for just a few seconds, turning the pan as necessary, until the sugar has melted and turns golden brown. Make sure to watch the scones carefully as the sugar will burn very quickly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Cherry Almond Scones

Use above recipe and add to dough before kneading:

1 tsp almond extract

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup dried cherries

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

Use above recipe and add to dough before kneading:

1-2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

zest of one lemon

2 Tbsp poppy seeds

These scones are a breeze to make and are a little easier on your wallet than going to your local bakery. My daughter had a blast making them, and all of us enjoyed eating them.

A Homemade Birthday

Well, the party is over. My son had a very nice birthday I think and the shindig was a success. As for my homemade cupcakes ... I am not sure.

They tasted really good with the chocolate chocolate chip cake and raspberry cream cheese frosting. However, the look isn't really what I was going for. I started to bake the cake in the Disney Cars cupcake papers and realized that the graphics would be unrecognizable because of the dark cake. So I used brown cupcake papers and slid the finished cakes into a "jacket" of the Cars papers. Then there was the issue of the frosting. It didn't even come to mind that making red frosting would be very difficult. I was just thinking it would look great with the Lightning McQueen character. Lets just say that the frosting was more the color of Mater than McQueen! But in the end, the kids did not care and they were gobbled up in no time.

Funny red frosting makes a great Ronald McDonald face!

It looks like we'll be doing this all again in May for my daughter's birthday. It's good to have two months to rest.

There Will Be Cake

Right now I am making a list ... a list for a two year-old's birthday party. I can't help but feel a little choked up at the thought that my baby is going to be two - the defining age where my baby no longer is a baby.

I am thinking I will do cupcakes this year. Disney Cars cupcakes! Last year I made quite a fancy cake, a dome shaped cake that looked like Mickey Mouse. It was a three layer cake made in both round cake pans and a stainless steel mixing bowl to acheive that dome shape. The ears were cardboard, covered in foil and frosted in black.

I designed this cake myself and I think it turned out pretty well. Hint: if you plan to make black frosting, start with chocolate frosting as a base! You will use a lot of black food coloring.

This year I think I will go easy on myself and do something simple as I have a habit to bite off more than I can chew (pun intended). Cupcakes with be much easier and kids and adults LOVE them! I'll be sure to post photos after the big day.

I've Got the Knead for Tortillas

In my post last week about cooking beans, I briefly mentioned my amoeba shaped tortillas. Well, that was the first time I had ever made on my own and in addition to being a funny shape, they were a bit on the crunchy side too. Since then I took another stab at making them. While I wouldn't say they are round, they are nearly-round and I like the organic shape. I learned not to leave them in the skillet for too long or they get dried out and crunchy. When done right they are soft, warm and utterly delicious!

Flour Tortillas (from the cookbook The Feast of Santa Fe) - makes 6 tortillas

1 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 to 3 Tbsp vegetable shortening (or you can use lard or bacon fat; if bacon fat is used, omit salt)

4 to 6 Tbsp water

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add the fat or shortening by cutting it into 1/4" cubes, adding them to the bowl and rubbing them quickly between thumb and forefinger until fat and flour form a coarse meal. Stir in water all at once and use a fork to toss quickly.

Knead dough and press it with your hands, adding extra water a teaspoonful at a time to catch the stray dry bits. When the dough can be gathered into a soft mass, turn it out onto a lightly floured board and continue to knead for 5 minutes.

It's important to allow the dough to rest for by forming the dough into 6 even balls and dredging them in flour. Then store in a plastic bag to prevent drying. When ready to cook a tortilla, flatten the ball of dough into a disk with the palm of your hand. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough 7 inches or larger (mine came out to be more like 6 inches!) and work with rapid, even strokes that do not reach to the edge.

To cook the tortillas, the traditional tool is called a Mexican comal, I don't have one so I use a cast iron skillet. Heat the skillet to just under medium heat. Gently lower the rolled tortilla into the skillet and let it cook for about 30 to 40 seconds. The upper surface will show little bubbles and a slight change of color, while the bottom will remain pale and sprinkled with brown spots. The idea is to have soft and pliable tortillas, so you really have to watch them as they bake. When done cooking, stack the finished tortillas on a plate and cover with another plate to allow additional steaming.

If it seems like a lot of work to make just 6 tortillas ... well, it is to be honest. But there is something about kneading the dough by hand that I love. I have yet to get my tortillas good enough to the point where they can be used to make burritos, but it will take some more practice. I actually love to eat homemade tortillas plain and I like them best when they are thick and soft.

Frijoles a la Bessie

In the past I have done an entire post about my favorite piece of cookery, my French Oven which I have affectionately named Bessie after my great-grandmother. Naming things is weird I know, but hey, that's me!

I use my French Oven for so many things and I think if anyone can afford to buy one, they should because everything I have made in this thing has turned out so well ... and I am not a gourmet cook, trust me. And after being inspired by a post on my friend Heather's blog, I decided to make a big pot of pinto beans. I was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and even though I only lived there for the first three years of my life, elements of the culture runs through my blood. I find great comfort in the aroma of a pot of beans that cook for hours. I think the flavor of homemade flour tortillas are incomparable, and the green chili is magical.

I love the freckles that dried pinto beans have. They look very earthy.

While taking the basic recipe from The Feast of Santa Fe, I created my own way of making pinto beans that cook for about 5 to 6 hours and end up creamy and full of flavor.

Frijoles a la Bessie (or Pinto Beans)

2 cups dried pinto beans

water to cover

1 small onion, chopped

6 slices thick cut bacon, cut into small pieces

2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp whole cumin seed

1/2 tsp cracked pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

To precook beans (or you can soak them overnight if you have the forethought to do so), bring two quarts of water to a boil, drop in sorted and rinsed beans and bring back to a boil, uncovered. Boil for exactly 2 minutes, remove pot from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour.

Cut up bacon into small pieces and cook in frying pan to render the fat. Chop onion and add to bacon; cook together until onions are translucent. When ready to cook beans, drain and rinse beans in a colander and return to oven proof pot (French/Dutch Oven is perfect). Add all ingredients except for the salt, and include the bacon and onions, plus enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. Use a bit of water to deglaze frying pan and add bacon drippings and brown bits to beans.

This is what you should have before adding the water to begin cooking the beans. When it does start to cook, the aroma is amazing!

Bring beans to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for several hours, stirring occasionally. When beans are cooked but still starchy to the bite, place entire pot into a conventional oven at 350° for 30 minutes. Then add 1 tsp salt, stir well and put back into oven for another 30 minutes. Beans should be soft and the "liquor" or sauce should be thick and opaque.

Of course this recipe can be made vegetarian by cooking the onions in olive oil. Additional salt may need to be added to taste.

Served with a piece of corn bread or homemade flour tortillas and it makes a very filling meal. I have yet to master the art of making tortillas. They taste great, but they never end up round when I make them. I'd say they are more amoeba shaped, but if cooked right ... who cares!

Beans are very economical and abundant, which is a good thing in this economy. Leftovers can be mashed and refried for burritos, and even the pickiest eaters (i.e. my kids!) like them.

A Big Bowl of Comfort

It has been snowing off and on for the last couple of months. And with the exception of a few days it has been very cold. So, it is natural for my thoughts to turn toward comfort and warmth.

A toasty blanket, a good book (or in my case, knitting project) and a hot bowl of soup. Mmmmm, what could be better? Fortunately, I have a great recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup that even my two year-old likes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 Tbs olive oil

2 medium onions, sliced

salt and pepper

5 cups chicken broth (homemade is best if you have it)

2 cups water

2 jalapeño peppers, cut in half and seeds removed

1/2 - 1 cup tomato salsa (I like medium salsa for a little kick)

2 fully cooked chicken breasts, sliced into bite sized pieces

1 can of mexicorn

2 Tbs heavy cream (optional, but I like a creamier soup)

In skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and salt and pepper, and reduce heat to medium-low and cook onions for about 20 minutes or until they are well caramelized and golden brown. In a soup pot, simmer jalapeños in the chicken broth until peppers are a dull green color, then remove peppers and discard. Add water to broth. In a food processor, combine onions and salsa and pulse until ingredients are at a fine consistency. Add to broth along with the chicken, mexicorn and heavy cream. Simmer for a few minutes to combine flavors and heat through.

The jalapeños add that spicy flavor but without too much heat and the mexicorn gives it great color and a pleasant sweetness. A perfect garnish for this soup is homemade tortilla strips, tortilla chips, or my favorite (and it may sound strange) ... Fritos! Anything is good with Fritos! Cilantro and a dab of sour cream would be delicious too.

The Fruits of My Labor

I am not a fan of grocery shopping. I try to get into it, I try to savor the experience of picking out produce and planning fabulous meals - but the reality is I think it is work. I went last night because we were dangerously close to being out of milk and cereal (two essentials in our household), and I needed a little time to myself.

The cost of food these days are constantly fluctuating. I am used to seeing milk prices go up and down, and I choose my cereal based on whatever deal the store has available. But I was absolutely shocked to see the size of cereal and cracker boxes! Have you noticed how tiny they are? I am all for reducing waste and the senseless use of plastic packaging, but I am concerned that the amount of product in these boxes has gone down as well. The prices don't seem to be going down. I don't know if I am getting my money's worth anymore. It's very disheartening.

There is good news. I bought the ingredients to make a very good fruit salad that is worth my money. Everyone in my house seems to like it and it keeps for more than a couple of days in the refrigerator. My mom gave me the recipe and I like to call it "Rainbow Salad".

Rainbow Salad

First, the essential ingredient
1 can pineapple tidbits in 100% juice (do NOT drain)

Now add whatever fruit you like, fresh is best:
raspberries
strawberries, quartered
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
banana, sliced (best if added right before serving)
kiwi, sliced
blueberries

The pineapple juice is what keeps this salad from turning brown. My daughter practically inhales this stuff and I feel good giving it to her because there is no added sugar, just pure fruit! It is great with yogurt or by itself.

Grocery shopping may be a lot of work, but it's nice to know that my whole family can enjoy the fruits of my labor. Get it? Fruits of my labor!? Ha!

The Bistro Sandwich of My Dreams

For Christmas this year we received a panini grill as a family gift (thank you Mom!) A Cuisinart Multifunctional Griddler Gourmet Maker GRID-8PC to be exact, and I was so excited to get it because there was a sandwich that I have been hoping to recreate for some time.


Last March our family went to Arizona to visit my in-laws. One day my mother-in-law and I went shopping and had lunch at a place in Scottsdale called Zinc Bistro and I have to say it was one of the best lunches I have EVER had! I had a cup of French onion soup, a Pellegrino, and the two of us shared a grilled sandwich and crème brûlée for dessert. The sandwich was u-n-b-e-l-i-e-v-a-b-l-e. On grilled rustic bread was a tender herbed chicken breast and gooey Brie cheese. That's it. Nothing else. Unbelievable.

The other night I tried to recreate this sandwich using my grill and I have to say that I did a very good job. Although the experience of eating it outside this charming bistro, talking with my maw-in-law and watching gorgeous people walk by is also a part what made the lunch so great. And eating this sandwich takes me back to that place.

Basiled Chicken & Brie Sandwich (makes 4 sandwiches)

rustic crusty French bread, sliced

butter

carved chicken breast (my secret is Hormel carved roasted chicken breast if I don't have some chicken breasts already roasted, it's quick and ready to go)


1 Tbs olive oil

2 tsp basil (fresh is probably best - finely chopped, but I only had dried on hand and it was still delicious!)

a pinch of thyme leaves (I used fresh)

double cream Brie cheese, sliced and white waxy rind removed

In small bowl combine olive oil, basil and thyme. Add carved chicken and toss. Let sit while preparing bread.

Butter outsides of sliced bread. Place sliced Brie on one piece of bread, then pile on herbed chicken. Place other slice of bread on top and place in panini grill on medium, with the top down. It only takes about 3-5 minutes to grill, but keep checking it; the cheese should melt and there should be deep golden grill marks on bread. Enjoy!


I'm sorry I don't have any photos of it, I was too anxious to eat it and completely forgot about taking pictures. Yeah, it was THAT good!

Blog Fodder

There are so many interesting (to me, anyway) and funny things to write about, it's hard to narrow it down to only a few.

Here is the first Blog Fodder of the year:

Mmmmm, Giada!

My son, who will be two years old in March has a crush on Giada de Laurentiis from the Food Network. There have been at least three occasions where if her show is on, his eyes will be glued to the television! I am not entirely sure if he is fascinated by the food she is making or he's just looking at her because she is so pretty, but it makes me a little nervous that my son is already developing crushes on girls. It makes me even more nervous that he is an expert at flirting ... I can't take him anywhere without him charming the ladies!

Airing Out My Subway

You know how Subway Sandwich Shops advertise as being a healthy alternative to fast food and that you can lose weight on the Subway diet? Well it's true, you can lose weight by going into one of their shops and you don't even have to order a thing because ... IT STINKS! I don't know what it is exactly that I am smelling when I go into a Subway, but it isn't the smell of freshly baked bread. The other day my family stopped into a shop to get some dinner when we were traveling and the smell is almost unbearable. To make matters worse, my hair and my clothes smelled like it the entire way home. I am airing out my sweater right now!

Four-Eyed Princess

How do you get a four year-old to wear her glasses? Make a pair for her favorite doll of course! For Christmas we got our daughter an Aurora Sleeping Beauty doll that sings, and she goes everywhere our daughter does. We have been having some trouble with trying to get our girl to wear her glasses because kids have been telling her they like her better without them. Thanks, that is so helpful! Anyway, my husband in his great brilliance fashioned a pair of wire glasses for Aurora and that has done the trick so far. Now there are two four-eyed princesses in our house.

Oh, The Things They Say

My daughter recently informed me that she is the boss of her Aurora doll. In fact, the exact quote is "I'm the boss of my baby. Yeah, sometimes she does bad things. I have to keep my eye on her!"

The last day of December I was talking to my daughter about it being the last day of the year and that the next day would be the first day of January and of 2009. I then asked her if she knew what the 4th (my birthday) was and what was special about it. She replied with great excitement and jumping up and down "Barack Obama!? The new president of the world?" Uh, okay! She was about 16 days off for his inauguration, but I was impressed by her knowledge of current events.

I Just Can't Get Enough

In an earlier post titled "Healthy Deliciousness" I sang the praises of the Larabar - an energy bar that is made of raw ingredients. The other day as I was doing some grocery shopping I found these addictive snacks in a variety of flavors, at my local Fred Meyer (located in the health food section by the organic chocolate bars). I immediately started throwing some into my cart, then I realized that they cost $1.59 a piece! Yeah ... I ended up buying only four.

On my way home I gobbled up a Key Lime Pie bar, which was spectacular! But I couldn't get over the price. So I decided to experiment and see if I could come up with my own bars to have on hand whenever I needed a pick-me-up. I bought whole pitted dates, unsweetened coconut, slivered almonds, unsweetened dried cherries and various other "raw" ingredients. Oh baby! I came up with a flavor that is so good I don't know if I should share ... but I will since I am such a generous person *Kelly pats herself on the back*. I got the basic recipe from Bunnyfoot, a blog that features mostly vegan cuisine.

To make one bar you will want to use about 4 Tbsp of ingredients. Here is my recipe for my Island Cookie bar:

1 Tbsp of whole, pitted dates

1 1/2 Tbsp of unsweetened coconut

1 Tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 Tbsp of macadamia nuts (due to the high fat content, you may want to go easy on these)

It is easiest to take a cup of dates and puree them at once. I used a food processor, first chopping, then grinding until the puree forms a ball. Removing the ball to a separate bowl, I placed my dry ingredients plus one tablespoon of the pureed dates into the processor and ground everything up together. Play around with consistency to see what you like.

Then on a piece of parchment paper, cut to fit as the wrapping for the bar, place the ground pulp. It will be a bit crumbly at first but you can form it into a bar with your hands and using the paper to gather and smoosh together. I then wrap up the bar in the parchment and place in the fridge to set.

Island Cookie Bar

What is fun about making these bars yourself is that you can experiment with different ingredients: dried fruits, nuts, juices, spices, etc. If you go to Larabar.com you can see what flavors they have and what ingredients go into them. But beware, they are addictive, high in calories (each bar is around 200 calories), and very delicious! I justify having one because of all the essential vitamins and minerals they contain, and it is a decent alternative to all that Halloween candy I have lying around the house.

NOTE: Larabars are unprocessed, raw, gluten free, dairy free, soy free, vegan, kosher, non-gmo, and have no sugar added. So as long as there are no nut allergies, these are great snacks for kids.

I am not trying to deter anyone from buying the real thing, because they are superior to the ones I made. But if you love them as much as I do, why not make your own at a fraction of the cost?

Well, I am off to make some Cherry Pie bars ...

I Have a Bone to Pick

Fast food is not too common in our household. It has been over a year since I have had Taco Bell, Arby's is getting too expensive, and there isn't much that I like from Burger King. McDonald's is considered a bad word in our family (okay, not really), and we NEVER eat there. Still I crave a cheeseburger on occasion and I like Wendy's.

For years I have been ordering the same thing from them: a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger - with NO MAYO, medium fries, and sometimes a small soda. I figure I am saving the burger assemblers a step by requesting no mayonnaise ... so why is there always the evil sauce on my cheeseburger when I receive it? Do they not read my order when making the food? Do they have a bunch of hamburgers sitting around pre-made? What's wrong with these people?

So then when I find mayo on my burger I knock on the window, tell them that I requested NO MAYO. Then give me a perturbed look, take the sandwich from me and make a production of throwing it in the trash. News flash to the employees: READ my order to avoid having to throw away otherwise perfectly edible food, ticking off your customers, and causing the people lined up behind me to wait until you get my order right.

Whew, I just had to get that out. I feel a little better.

Healthy Deliciousness

Health nut? Me? Not exactly. While I think that eating healthy is important, I also believe in the "everything in moderation" philosophy. I think it is okay to have an Oreo or two once in a while, but when it comes to my household staples I want to get the healthiest products for my family.

What child doesn't like macaroni and cheese? I have so many memories of eating it when I was a kid and lately as the weather has been cooling down I start to crave a box of Kraft. There is just something about the cheese powder that I love - it's probably all of the artificial ingredients! I recently picked up a couple boxes of Annie's Mac & Cheese from the health foods isle at the store. I made some for lunch yesterday and it is delicious! Pretty comparable to Kraft and it has all natural ingredients. Of course the two tablespoons of butter I added really made it good! Annie's also makes cereals and cheddar bunnies that taste just like goldfish crackers.

A favorite breakfast of my daughter and I is Nancy's Organic Vanilla Yogurt topped with super nutty granola. My daughter can't get enough of this stuff which surprises me because the yogurt isn't very sweet. Sometimes I will get the non-organic yogurt depending on the price, but the organic stuff has a creamier texture and tastes a little better. I really like that this yogurt is made in Oregon and is all natural.

I am not a huge snacker, but sometimes in the late afternoon I need a little energy. My mom introduced me to Larabars ... thank you Mom! I have only tried two flavors but these bars are so good they put Powerbar and even Cliff bars to shame. What is so great about them is that they are made with as few ingredients as possible. The Cherry Pie flavor only has three ingredients: dates, almonds and unsweetened cherries. They are dense so a half a bar will fill you up. My favorite is the Lemon Bar if anyone wants to know.

So while I love a good Oreo (and who knows what horrible artificial ingredients they put in those), it is good to know that there are some great products out there that are made with ingredients that God created. And they really are delicious!