New love, spontaneous and exciting, seems to me to create an appetite for adventure and experimentation. While an old flame, tried and true, seems to me to be more steady and performance proven. Both on their own can best the other using pros and cons based on your personality and season of life, but when you're able to put them both together, that's when the real magic happens.
Many of you know I'm currently separated....from my oven. In my quest for the perfect house with the perfect kitchen, I had to leave my oven/stove behind. I am now living in a future perfect kitchen with only one large major appliance installed, the refrigerator. In this time of separation and struggle, I've found two new loves and rekindled my relationship with two old flames. And, hopefully, when I'm able to once again be reunited with my estranged oven and stove (which will then have been converted to a double wall oven and 6 burner gas cook top), I will be able to combine my new loves and old flames to make edible magic.
Please let me introduce you to my newest love, a DeLonghi 3lb capacity fryer.
This baby made short work of my weekly nugget fry. I was able to cook 2 lbs of chicken nuggets in one batch. This means I can now cook these in a monthly supply for my freezer, and it won't take me all night. I was giggling and squealing like a school girl putting this lovely appliance to the test.
I would also like to introduce you to another new love, a KitchenAid toaster oven.
I have to say that I've never really used a toaster oven before. I know, crazy, right? It's true, though. I had no idea what was possible, and have been very pleasantly surprised. So far, I've made cookies, cupcakes, toasted sandwiches, homemade pizzas and more in this handsome little addition to my home.
However, there is an old flame that had been all but forgotten in my old kitchen. Bringing him out only for pancakes once in a blue moon, I had begun to think I might need to send him on to a new home. My electric skillet, seen here cooking a new favorite stir fry recipe (which I will be posting later).
I received this as a gift for my wedding more than 9 years ago. I used it quite often then, but somehow I had forgotten over the years just how useful and dependable this little appliance could be. I've used it for almost every meal in our new house, and I have really enjoyed having more temperature control than on a gas range eye.
Another old flame that has been revived during my separation period is my crock pot (well, I have three actually, one is lost in the pyramid of boxes still in my garage). Now, I've used my crock pot much more often over the years than my electric skillet, and I would never have considered giving it away. However, it was not my go to appliance just because it takes planning to use it. No fly by the seat of your pants cooking in a crock pot. It might be more boring and predictable, but it is all the more dependable and useful when you need it. So, this post wouldn't be complete without mentioning the slow cooking dear.
I've often thought that the recipes that I try and create might come out better if I had better equipment or a bigger kitchen to work in. The truth is, you can create good food in any size kitchen with pretty much any equipment. Combine the desire to cook, a little love and creativity along with some good old fashioned hard work and perseverance, and you can make edible magic.
Autism Speaks shared this video, and I just had to repost it. Such a simple video with an extremely powerful message. Why is it that we can't get funding for autism research like we can pediatric aids and cancer? Are we still fighting the battle with shame? Is it not as important in the public eye because it doesn't end life?
1 in 110 children, and one of those children is mine. Pass it on.
A good friend of mine shared her recipe for buttercream icing with me years ago. I believe it was a recipe she learned working for a caterer or baker, and it has taken on many different forms while I was trying to figure out all of Jackson's digestive issues. At one time, you probably wouldn't have recognized any of the ingredients, but this is the final recipe as it has been imprinted in my memory. I'm pretty sure that this is very close to the original minus the specialty ingredients, and I can't imagine using any other recipe for my little guy's cakes. He LOVES it! So, when my friend reads this post, THANK YOU, and I hope you don't mind my sharing it with the world.
1 cup (2 sticks) Butter 1 cup Shortening 1 large bag (24-32 oz.) Powdered Sugar (365 Everyday Value, a Whole Foods store brand, and Trader Joe's store brand powdered sugar does not contain corn starch.) 5 tsp Vanilla Extract (Rodelle or Spice Island) 1/2 tsp salt Enough water to smooth mixture to proper consistency
Cream butter and
shortening. Add vanilla and salt. Mix well. Add sugar a little at a time until
well blended. Add water to desired consistency. Spread onto cake or refrigerate
for later use.
I put together an awesome cake recipe from scratch. Loved it used it all the time until we did the gluten free/casein free diet, and because I didn't write it down, it got lost. So, I'm still searching for that best birthday cake or cupcake recipe. This is the latest in that search. I found it on AllRecipes.com and it has an awesome flavor and texture. It's not Duncan Hines, but it's really good.
1 cup butter 2 cups white sugar 4 eggs 2 1/2 cups self-rising flour 1 cup milk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and
sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Combine the milk and vanilla,
add alternately to the creamed mixture with the flour, ending with the
flour. Mix only as much as necessary. Pour into the prepared pans.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven.
Cake will pull away from the sides of the pan slightly when done. Allow
cakes to cool in the pans for a few minutes before removing to wire
racks to cool completely.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8 inch pans.
We're still in limbo right now, but I had to share a new product discovery.
If my children are with me while I grocery shop, I will often allow them to choose their own breakfast cereal. Jackson has never really noticed not having much of a choice before, but recently he asked me if he could choose his own like Jacob and Allie. One of those, 'ok, give me a second' moments while I scramble to read labels and recheck the isle. I noticed a box I hadn't seen before and decided to check it out. I'm very happy to say we were able to add two more cereals to Jackson's list of choices. Originally just Rice Krispies and Rice Chex, he now can choose from Mom's Best Naturals' Honey Nut Toasty O's and Sweetened Wheat-fuls. I was not only happy to see there wasn't any corn in the ingredient list, but I was also happy to notice there were only 4 ingredients listed total.
I wasn't able to tell a difference in taste between the regular brand (Mini-Wheats and Cheerios) versions, and Jackson likes them. So, win/win. Check it out.
We’ve been looking for that perfect house for a while now,
one that has enough room for us and our children with some to spare so we can
practice hospitality, one with a large kitchen and well laid out rooms,
somewhere we can permanently settle and raise our family. Well, we found it,
everything I mentioned above and more, but the timing of that decision has
proven to be the worst transition to date.
Our landlord decided he wanted to sell the house we were
renting, but closing on the new house kept getting pushed back. We were
suddenly faced with moving out before we had somewhere to move to. Big problem
for a family of five, but even worse for one with an autistic child. The only
solution we could figure out was to stay with family until we were able to close
on the new house.
Jackson has been doing better with transitions lately, usually only struggling with the ones any other five year old would struggle with. You know, like leaving the playground to go home get a bath and go to bed. I was hopeful we might get through this afterall.
So, step one was to get packed. Jackson took it relatively
well until the late nights and days without naps took their toll on his already
struggling system. He eventually broke down into a mess, sitting in his room
where his bed used to be crying over and over, “but I don’t want a new house, I
want to keep this one.” I couldn’t help but sit and cry with him.
Step two was to store everything and take only the bare
minimum. Trying to figure out what we absolutely had to have proved more
difficult for me than for Jackson. As long as he has his blanket, pillow pet
and some action figures, he’s good. I found a lesson in his simplicity, but
I’ll share that one another time.
Step three settling into my parents’ three bedroom, two
bathroom house where my brother and his wife are also staying. Yes, that means
nine people total in a little farm-house and all five of us sleeping in one
room. I have to say that while it is a struggle to get children who are used to
being tucked in and left to go to sleep on their own to go to sleep together in one room
has been a challenge, I have actually enjoyed the closeness. I’ve thought
several times that there are families all over the world who do this every
night. I can handle it for a couple of weeks, right? While spending time with
my parents has been nice and having a farm to roam has been nice as well, I’m
seeing more struggle in Jackson. More whining, more fussing, more stemming and
lashing out behavior. Less eye contact, less social interaction. More gaming, playing
action figures all by himself, more talking back and angry expressions of his
feelings. I wish I could say I have a plan all figured out for all this
behavior, but this transition is hard on me and the rest of us as well. We’re
all more testy and we’re all finding it harder to get along. His younger sister
is REALLY struggling with the whole thing. She’s asked to go home a couple of
times, and I’ve found myself struggling to know what to say because in the
craziness of those moments, I do, too. I think my struggle makes his that much more difficult.
I keep thinking to myself, this too shall pass. It will all
soon be a funny story we tell everyone who sees our new house, but that only
brings a little comfort in the throws of a five year old’s defiance or a two
year old’s testy screams. I can say, though, that once we do get settled into
our new home and past all the transition woes, I will be that much more
thankful for the rhythm and routine of a peaceful home we can call our own.
I’ve often joked with friends and family that I excel in
crisis, but I struggle with every day living. In the case of severe crisis, I
leap into action intuitively knowing what needs to be done, immediately
forgetting grudges or insecurities that might apply in my relationships with
those affected. However, in the minor everyday crisis like melt downs and food
allergies, I have a tendency to melt down, too.
I’ve recently read a book with many accounts of suffering
and struggle that produced more faith and strength in those afflicted. I
couldn’t help but think to myself, “If this is suffering, then I have never
suffered, not one moment of my life.” As I finished the 475 pages of this life-changing
book, I was reminded of the constant struggle I and my family face with
Jackson’s food allergies and autism.
We don’t come to one meal without thinking, “what about
Jackson?” We don’t face any Holiday, family gathering or crowded adventure
without thinking, “what about Jackson?” We’ve laid out plans for emotional crises
and forged recipes that keep well and satisfy his pallet for those unexpected
food emergencies. I have exit strategies for most of the public places we
frequent, and I can read a food label like a pro. Even those little things like
Kindergarten are approached with IEP’s, service and meal plans, therapy
schedules and private versus public options. After thinking about all the ways
his condition affects our lives, my ‘joke’ came to mind. Maybe the God of the
universe agrees with my silly statement and has sent daily struggles rather
than cataclysmic suffering to shape me, to make me more like His Son.
When the one person you can’t stand but still can’t get away
from suffers the loss of a spouse, parent or child (or some other catastrophic
event), and somehow all the issues you had with them melt away and you feel led
to intervene and help in some way. Well, that’s one thing. When the child God
has entrusted to your care freaks out because he’s out of his element and
struggling with the changes in his life, and somehow you can’t muster even the
slightest amount of compassion because you don’t think you can take anymore
whining or fussing. That’s another.
I’ve been humbled by this minor little revelation, and feel
the need to surrender this part of my life to the God who made me and my sweet
Jackson. He knows us both better than we know ourselves, and only He knows how
to best go about this mother/son relationship. I want so much to accept the
struggle and pass this test so I can someday say I’m good in crisis and better
at the every day struggle than I ever thought possible.
Oh, how I long to hear….
“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been
faithful over a few things; I will make you ruler over many. Enter into the joy
of the Lord.” Matt 25:23
I've gone through a burn out period in my cooking life. Between therapy appointments, preschool, homeschooling my older son, baseball and a rambunctious two year old, cooking has become more of a burden than a delight. For the most part, I've only been cooking/baking the minimum to get me by. However, I ran across a recipe that made me curious again, homemade poptarts. It came from Chickens in the Road, one of my favorite blogs to follow, and I couldn't help but want to try it and see what happened. It was most definitely a success, and Jackson is looking forward to eating them at school when the rest of his class is eating toaster pastries.
I used pre-made pie crust (for time's sake), and I added a little more vanilla and cinnamon to the filling. Next time I'll make some apple jelly or use some strawberry jam. Definitely a recipe worth keeping.
After everyone had enjoyed their own poptart, I froze the leftovers and plan to use them for quick morning breakfasts and morning school snacks.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream butter and sugar well, add whole beaten eggs, flavoring and cream of tartar. Beat until smooth. Add flour all at once. Beat for 10 minutes (medium speed). Pour into greased, floured tube or bundt pan and bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Ok. So, this is the recipe pretty much as written in my Memaw's cook book. I add another teaspoon of vanilla and some milk, about a half cup to make the batter more wet and pourable. I add the flour in a 1/2 a cup at a time, and I always have to cook it longer. But, let me tell you, it is the BEST pound cake of any I've tasted. Of course, I might be swayed by nostalgia and family taste, but I still think it's the best.
Jackson wanted it for his treat to take to his class on his birthday. He likes it better than cupcakes or iced cookies, and I really enjoy the fact that it's an old family recipe.
You can sift powdered sugar over the top or make a drizzle icing.
This is my version of the drizzle icing, and I usually just cover the cake in it.
Melt a half a stick of butter. Add it to the bowl of a stand mixer (you can mix this by hand, but it won't quite be as smooth as with a mixer) and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract (corn-free). Pour in confectioner's sugar (corn-free) a half a cup at a time (up to about 2 cups) and beat until the mixture becomes kind of like a dough. Add a couple tablespoons of hot water at a time, mixing until you get the desired consistency. Drizzle over the cooled pound cake (or cover the whole thing like I do). If you want it to be more transparent, then use more water. I like it thick like cinnamon roll icing. I sprinkled all natural, corn-free sprinkles over the top so it at least looked like it was intended for a celebration.
I made this yesterday, and between his class at school and my family, it was gone by lunch today.
When cold weather sets in, I start craving those hot comfort foods that warm you up from your toes. Things like chicken and dumplings, chicken pot pie and chili. I've found that there are as many different varieties of chili as there are families, but if you're looking for a recipe that has been used for years and proven yummy, this is it.
Slow Cooker Chili
1lb Ground Beef 1 15 oz Can of Tomato Sauce 1 14 oz Can Diced tomatoes 1 15 oz Can Kidney Beans 1 15 oz Can Pinto Beans 1 large onion, finely chopped 1-2 cloves garlic, minced 1/8 tsp Cayenne 1 tsp white sugar 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/4 cup Chili powder
Brown
the ground beef, drain, and saute together with the onions until the
onions are translucent. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add all ingredients to crock pot, turn on high
for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours. The longer it simmers the better it
is.
I use my dutch oven for this, too. Brown the meat, saute the onions and garlic, add the ingredients and leave it to simmer for a few hours. All in one pot. That's nice for clean up, but it's also nice to throw it in the crock pot and let it cook without having to worry about being near it to make sure it doesn't burn or something.
I don't like to use store bought canned stuff if I can help it, but
this is one of those things unless you canned it all yourself before
hand, it would take all day to prepare the sauce, tomatoes and
beans. So, I just buy organic canned goods. Check the label if you've got allergies. Kidney beans are hard to find without corn syrup or some other type of corn (i.e. dextrose, starch etc.). I've used red beans as a substitute successfully.
Now, the picture above has my homemade corn bread in the background. Obviously not an option for my little corn-allergic guy. Back to Nature has a saltine cracker that is corn free. I buy them at Kroger in their health food section or at Publix on the cookie/cracker isle in the greenwise section.
Also, when you're in a pinch and can't find the organic brands, the Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Saltine variety are corn-free. I buy them at Kroger. Kid's get a kick out of fish shaped crackers in their chili, too. Jackson usually just picks through and eats the crackers and meat.
