Another Odd Request for a 7 Year Old

So, after the parsnip request, I asked my 7 year old if there was some other food he wanted to try. He said brussel sprouts. I have to admit, I was a little skeptical having never been a fan, but holding to my 'try anything once' philosophy, I had to say let's try it.

I've had brussel sprouts I liked before, but they were prepared by a trained chef in a nice restaurant. So, this was all pretty new to me. I asked around and decided to pan fry them in butter with a little salt and pepper. They turned out pretty good, I think, and I enjoyed them very much. My little guy, though, tolerated them mostly because he asked for them and he wanted to get desert (something you only get if you finish your veggies). He said he didn't want to eat them again. I'm cool with that, and honestly, I'm just happy to see him branching out and trying new things willingly. Who knows what he'll want to try next.

Confessions of a Root Snob

Hello, my name is Rachel. I'm 31 years old, and I've never eaten a parsnip. Of course, I'm always up for trying new things, and when my son asked if we could try parsnips, I had to say I was game. Where does a 7 year old get the idea to try parsnips, Food Network, of course.

I looked up all kinds of recipes, grill them, mash them, roast them. These little mysteries were pretty versatile. I was impressed and inspired. So, I decided I would just roast them like I do any other root veggie we already like. Since I wasn't sure we would like them (although my son assured me that we would because Alton Brown said so), I decided to cook them with potatoes and carrots. Note to self: next time you cook parsnips with potatoes, use a more hearty potato or cut them much bigger. By the time the parsnips and carrots were done, the potatoes I used were a little over done.

I have to say I enjoyed my first parsnip very much. My little guy enjoyed them, too, and he was super proud when I told him I would make sure everyone knew that trying parsnips was his idea. Yay for a new veggie in our house!

Roasted Root Vegetables

4-5 carrots, peeled and sliced (approximately)
4-5 parsnips, peeled and sliced (approximately)
6-7 red potatoes, sliced (Giada De Laurentis uses red bliss potatoes, I don't even know what those are, but thought I would share since the golden kind didn't work out so great for me)
4-5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp basil (approximately)
1 tsp oregano (approximately)
1 tsp thyme (approximately)
1 tsp sugar (approximately, my Memaw says a little bit of sugar makes all the difference for veggies)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a large shallow pan or cookie sheet. In a large mixing bowl, combine carrots, parsnips and potatoes. Add salt, pepper, basil, oregano, thyme, sugar and oil and toss to coat. Spread out in the pan. You want a pretty thin layer so it all cooks evenly. Cook for about 30-40 minutes or until fork tender.

New Loves and Old Flames

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.

"Fixing" Autism

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.

The Best Buttercream Icing EVER

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.

Newest Yellow Cake Recipe Experiment

(photo to come)

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.

More Breakfast Choices

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.