Feeding The Family

New Blog Site

2006-04-28T21:23:00.000-05:00

The new blog is ready! All future posts will be posted to the new blog at blog.feedingthefamily.net. The new feed location is feeds.feedburner.com/FeedingTheFamily.

Changes will be made soon!

2006-04-28T11:29:00.000-05:00

This blog will soon be moving to a new domain and a new blogging platform. I will post more details when the new site is ready. I will be migrating the posts to the new blog, and I hope I don't mess up this blog in the process. Any problems with the appearance or the availability of this blog should be temporary.

You may have already noticed that the title of this blog has changed. This will be the title of the new blog as well.

Feed subscribers will need to subscribe to the new feed. (FeedBlitz subscribers will not need to do anything. I will update the feed settings for you.)

Update on shipping

2006-04-11T14:01:00.000-05:00

Gurney's just made it with the shipping. They say to allow 10-14 days, and 14 days after it shipped, the trees arrived! They were delivered yesterday (Monday), and the roots had been packed with damp shredded paper to keep them moist. I planted them yesterday.

Gurney's is also sending me a merchandise credit for the peach tree that died over the winter. I think I might get another cherry tree instead.

Frosting

2006-04-08T12:11:00.000-05:00

Google apparently doesn't have this blog indexed yet since it moved to Blogspot, so it is hard to find old posts. One of the more popular posts was the frosting recipe, so if you're looking for that, Click Here!

Slow shipping!

2006-04-07T11:00:00.000-05:00

I ordered two plum trees and two raspberry bushes from Gurney's. The order shipped on March 27, and I still haven't received it. According to the tracking info, it is sitting in a sortation center in New Berlin, WI, where it has been since March 31. (That's about 370 miles away, according to Google Maps.) It has been sitting there for a week now, and the tracking system gives me an estimate of April 11 for delivery. I wonder if the plants are still alive. I hope Gurney's is getting a very low rate for this shipping (FedEx SmartPost ... apparently without the "Express" part of "FedEx").

Blog name?

2006-03-27T14:03:00.000-06:00

Since this blog is about both cooking and gardening, I'd like to have a title that mentions both instead of just cooking. Any suggestions?

Blog has moved

2006-03-17T10:31:00.000-06:00

This blog has moved, at least for now, to daddycooks.blogspot.com. The feed URL has not changed.

Wouldn't you like to be a Pepper, too?

2006-03-08T18:06:00.000-06:00

You Are Dr. Pepper

You're very unique and funky, yet you still have a bit of traditionalism to you.
People who like you think they have great taste... and they usually do.

Your best soda match: Root Beer

Stay away from: 7 Up

What Kind of Soda Are You?

Popcorn

2006-03-07T12:38:00.000-06:00

If you want great popcorn, get the West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper. This popper uses oil, and the choice of oil has an effect on the flavor of the popped corn. I use unrefined coconut oil (you can find this at natural food stores or in the natural/organic section of traditional grocery stores). After it is done popping, I stir in some salt. Everyone that tries it loves it!

See my "So You'd Like To ..." guide on Amazon.com: Make Delicious Popcorn

Quiz

2006-03-01T16:30:00.000-06:00

Take my Quiz on QuizYourFriends.com!

Mislabeled bread a danger, allergists say

2006-01-12T10:03:00.000-06:00

Mislabeled bread a danger, allergists say

Another case of mislabeled food. Kamut and spelt are both varieties of wheat, but the French Meadow Bakery was labeling breads made with these grains as "wheat-free".

Selling stuff ...

2006-01-01T01:14:00.000-06:00

I'm selling stuff on eBay. Check it out!

Can we trust ingredient lists?

2005-12-31T23:30:00.000-06:00

Today, I bought two items that I thought were free of garlic. One item was "Organic Mixed Party Olives" produced by Mediterranean Organic which lists "Organic Olives, Water, Organic Red Peppers, Organic Olive Oil, Organic Red Wine Vinegar, Sea Salt" as the ingredients. Looking closely at the jar, however, it is obvious that there are various herbs and spices in the jar. Other text on the label suggests that garlic may be included, but none of this is listed on the ingredient list.

The other item was from the deli at Lakewinds Natural Foods in Chanhassen, MN. The ingredient list on the sign and the label printed was "Kale, sesame oil, and sesame seeds." Once we tasted it at home, it was obvious that there is a fourth ingredient: garlic.

So that's two items in one night with incomplete ingredient lists. How many other items have we bought with incorrect or incomplete ingredient lists? How do we know which ones are correct and which ones aren't?

New layout

2005-12-27T13:11:00.000-06:00

The new blog layout seems to be working ... but if your browser window is too narrow, the sidebar on the left gets messed up. I'll work on that more later, but if any HTML experts want to give me any hints or tips in the meantime, I'd appreciate it. :-)

What would you like to see in this blog? I have my own ideas of what I want to write about, of course, but I'd like to know what people would like to read about. Leave me a comment!

Natural, organic, special diets, ???

2005-12-27T10:41:00.000-06:00

Do you have any questions about natural and organic cooking? Do you have special dietary needs, such as food allergies or intolerances or foods that you avoid for any other reason? Leave me a comment and I'll try to answer it as best as I can.

Remember, you can subscribe to this blog (so you don't miss future posts that may answer your question!) by using a feed reader (links to several online readers are in the sidebar on the left, or use the FeedBurner button if you are using a different feed reader) or by email using FeedBlitz (use the subscription form to the left).

I'm trying a new blog layout, so if you can't find them right now, check back later!

Gluten-free baking challenges

2005-12-27T10:35:00.000-06:00

I've been experimenting with gluten-free baking. I'm trying to develop my own recipes after being disappointed with many of the recipes I have found so far. I'm focusing on yeast breads right now, although I've done some work with muffins and cookies, too.

Are you doing gluten-free baking, or would you like to? What are your biggest issues and challenges? I'd like to hear from you, so please leave comments!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins II

2005-12-18T13:16:00.000-06:00

This is similar to the Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins that I posted last month, but this time I used a different flour blend.

1 cup millet flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour (same as tapioca starch)
1/2 cup sweet sorghum flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 Tbsp. xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup palm oil
1/4 cup honey
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 egg
1 cup gluten-free vanilla rice milk (Pacific brand)
1/2 cup gluten-free and dairy-free chocolate chips

Combine flours, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Add palm oil, honey, banana, egg, and rice milk and mix until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Put batter in 12 greased muffin cups and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.

I think this recipe could use a bit more sweetener and salt, as well as some cinnamon and vanilla. If you try this recipe, let me know what you think!

Note: When I originally posted this, I forgot the baking powder! So if you tried these before and they didn't work, try them again with the tablespoon of baking powder. Sorry about that!

New Lakewinds Coop store open

2005-12-13T13:47:00.000-06:00

If you are in the west metro area of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, you may want to visit the new Lakewinds Coop natural food store at 435 Pond Promenade, Chanhassen, MN 55317. Visit their website at www.lakewinds.coop for more information.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

2005-11-27T11:45:00.000-06:00

Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free (except for some soy lecithin in the chocolate chips).

1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup sweet sorghum flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup palm oil (sold as organic shortening)
1/4 cup honey
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 egg
1 cup gluten-free vanilla rice milk (I use Pacific brand)
1/2 cup gluten-free and dairy-free chocolate chips

Combine flours, baking powder, and salt. Add palm oil, honey, banana, egg, and rice milk and mix until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Put batter in 12 greased muffin cups and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.

What Kind of Pie Are You?

2005-11-23T21:05:00.000-06:00

You Are Mud Pie

You're the perfect combo of flavor and depth
Those who like you give into their impulses

What Kind of Pie Are You?

What Jones Holiday Soda Are You?

2005-11-23T21:01:00.000-06:00

You Are Broccoli Casserole Soda

Vegetarians taste better!

What Jones Holiday Soda Are You?

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

2005-11-23T20:59:00.000-06:00

You Are The Stuffing

You're complicated and complex, yet all your pieces fit together.
People miss you if you're gone - but they're not sure why.

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

Cooking for Engineers

2005-11-23T20:54:00.000-06:00

Interesting website if you're interested in some of the more technical aspects of cooking.

Cranberry-Orange Relish

2005-11-23T20:49:00.000-06:00

The first of the Thanksgiving Day recipes:

Cranberry-Orange Relish

30 ounces fresh cranberries
3 oranges, peeled and seeds removed
3 tablespoons crystallized ginger
2 cups white sugar

Using a coarse screen on the grinder, grind the cranberries, oranges, and ginger (I put it in while I was grinding the cranberries). Stir in sugar. Let sit overnight to blend flavors.

The initial tasting right after mixing seemed a bit sweet, so you might want to use less sugar for a more tart relish.

More recipes to follow ...

Gluten-free?

2005-10-27T10:54:00.000-05:00

I'm looking for gluten-free recipes that are also dairy-free, soy-free, and nut-free. Any suggestions? Please leave a comment! Thanks!

Homemade granola

2005-10-10T16:17:00.000-05:00

I haven't tried this recipe from TulipGirl yet, but homemade granola sounds good. Dairy-free and soy-free. This also looks like a good way to involve the kids (with appropriate assistance from the parents around the oven, of course).

What kind of food?

2005-10-07T12:14:00.000-05:00

This seems appropriate for this blog ...

You Are Italian Food

Comforting yet overwhelming.
People love you, but sometimes you're just too much.

What Kind of Food Are You?

Email subscriptions

2005-10-04T11:57:00.000-05:00

You can now subscribe to this blog by email. Simply enter your address and click the "Subscribe Me!" button (at the left side of this page). Then click the link in the email you will receive to confirm your subscription. Any new posts on this blog will then be emailed to you.

You can also subscribe to the RSS feed if you are using a feed reader.

Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

2005-09-28T10:20:00.000-05:00

TulipGirl posted this recipe for Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds. It looks good. I'll have to try it soon!

Mustard Pickles

2005-08-19T13:20:00.000-05:00

Are you looking for something else to do with those cucumbers from the garden or the local market? Try making Mustard Pickles.

I make these in a quart glass jar, but other containers should work as well. I'd avoid metal containers, though, as the vinegar may react.

For a quart jar, combine:

1 pint apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp pickling salt
2 Tbsp white sugar
2 Tbsp dry mustard (not prepared mustard)

Mix this up in the jar. Cut up the cucumbers and add them. Cover the container and let it sit for a few hours or more. As you consume the pickles from the jar, you can keep adding more cucumbers. I also put in some onion, garlic, and hot peppers for extra flavor, and those vegetables are good pickled, too!

For a larger or smaller container, simply scale the recipe. You want the vinegar amount to be approximately half the volume of the container. For example, if you are using a half-gallon jar, you would use 1 quart of vinegar and 4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) each of salt, sugar, and mustard.

These pickles are a family tradition. We always had a jar of mustard pickles every summer.

New canner

2005-08-17T12:11:00.000-05:00

I just ordered the Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry 15 1/2-Quart Pressure Cooker from Amazon.com. This is the "All-American" canner, but Amazon sells it under the name of the manufacturer, Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry. I'm starting to get lots of tomatoes from the garden, so I will probably get to use the canner soon!

This canner will handle 7 quart jars or 10 pint jars. I also have the Presto 01282 8-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker and Canner, which can handle 7 pint jars, so I could use both canners and do 17 pint jars at once if necessary.

Free lunch where you work?

2005-08-04T10:27:00.000-05:00

I wish the cafeteria at my workplace had stuff like this!

Middle Eastern Turkey Dogs

2005-07-12T09:19:00.000-05:00

This recipe from Allrecipes.com looks good.

Barbecue and grilling books

2005-06-21T11:38:00.000-05:00

Some books I've ordered from Amazon.com:

Char-Griller uses wood?

2005-06-17T11:42:00.000-05:00

According to people that posted on a thread at Barbecuebible.com, the Char-Griller with the side firebox (SFB) is designed to use 16" split logs for the main fuel source instead of charcoal. (This is only for indirect cooking, aka "smoking" or "barbecuing". Use charcoal if you are cooking directly in the SFB.) I need to find a good source of wood now!

Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free?

2005-06-14T16:48:00.000-05:00

I created a "Listmania" list on Amazon.com with a few cookbooks that have gluten-free and dairy-free recipes. Hopefully this list will be useful to anyone needing to avoid gluten and dairy.

Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Cookbooks

Smokin'!

2005-06-14T10:26:00.000-05:00

I recently bought a new Char-Griller grill & smoker (Super Pro with the side firebox). So far, I have cooked hamburgers and steaks on the grill, and I did some smoked chicken breasts on Sunday. I haven't cooked with charcoal for several years, so it is taking a little bit to get used to it again. This is also my first experience with an offset firebox.

I have been using natural lump charcoal with this grill. It seems to be a little harder to light, but I'm getting that figured out. It burns hot and produces little ash. So far I have tried Cowboy Charcoal and Royal Oak hardwood charcoal.

Next weekend, I plan on cooking a beef roast in the smoker. I also want to try a turkey breast and beef ribs.

Recipe: Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

2005-05-20T10:59:00.000-05:00

Strawberries and rhubarb are a great combination. This muffin recipe uses amaranth flour and brown rice flour in addition to wheat flour.

All Recipes | Bread | Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

Recipe: Mediterranean Bean Salad

2005-05-19T10:49:00.000-05:00

I'm not a fan of kidney beans, but I'm sure it would be good with pinto beans instead.

All Recipes | Salad | Mediterranean Bean Salad

Recipe: Chili-Lime Chicken Kabobs

2005-05-10T16:27:00.000-05:00

I previously posted this in the "clip blog", but I just discovered that those links won't get you to the recipe anymore. I won't be posting any more recipes in the clip blog, and I'll get all of those recipes posted here with the right (permanent) links. For now, I found this recipe again:

All Recipes | Barbeque | Chili-Lime Chicken Kabobs

Recipe: Lebanese Garlic Sauce

2005-05-05T09:58:00.000-05:00

Lots of garlic with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt.

All Recipes | Side Dish | Lebanese Garlic Sauce

Recipe: Mexican Bean Salad

2005-05-04T10:04:00.000-05:00

Canned beans (3 kinds), red and green bell pepper, corn, onion, in a spicy oil-and-vinegar dressing.

All Recipes | Salad | Mexican Bean Salad

Recipe: Polynesian Chicken

2005-05-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

Pineapple, coconut, basil, ginger, garlic ... and ginger ale!

All Recipes | Chicken | Polynesian Chicken

Recipe from allrecipes.com: Pico De Gallo

2005-05-04T09:59:00.000-05:00

I discovered that the clip blog on Bloglines ends up requiring several clicks to get to the recipe. This link should take you directly to the recipe.

I'll definitely be making this when fresh tomatoes and peppers are available in the garden this summer!

All Recipes | Side Dish | Pico De Gallo

Bloglines Clip Blog

2005-04-29T10:01:00.000-05:00

I have started a "clip blog" at Bloglines. Right now, it just has some links to recipes that look interesting. Those of you who subscribe to my RSS/XML feed have already seen this, as the posts from that blog are combined into the same feed. For those of you who don't subscribe, go check out the blog.

Carrot-Garbanzo Dip

2005-04-04T22:10:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm still cooking! ;-)

This recipe is from Fabulous Beans by Barb Bloomfield. I see that this book is no longer available (but it is available as a used book from Amazon.com). She does have a new book out, More Fabulous Beans, which appears to be an updated version.

Carrot-Garbanzo Dip
Yields 3 cups

1 cup bean stock or water
2 cups carrots, cut into 1/2" chunks
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans, drained (I used a can of garbanzos)
2 tsp dried mint
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock or water, carrots, garlic, and onions to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Place in a serving bowl, and serve with toasted pita bread pieces, rice cakes, or raw pepper and celery sticks.

We put this on tortillas with sliced tomatoes. I think it would also be good on pasta or rice. A nice change from tomato-based sauces, and it would also be suitable for people with tomato allergies.

Peppers and Herbs

2005-04-04T21:58:00.000-05:00

I have planted a variety of peppers and some herbs. For sweet peppers, I have Aconcagua, California Wonder Gold, and Tequila Sunrise. For hot peppers, I planted Black Hungarian, Bulgarian Carrot, Hungarian Yellow Wax (one of my favorites), Large Hot Cherry, Pasilla Bajio, Purple Tiger, and Serrano.

Herbs that I have planted are catnip, garlic chives, lemon balm, Greek oregano, pennyroyal, sage, wild bergamot, common yarrow, and chamomile.

The broccoli and Brussels sprouts are all up. The parsley is starting to come up, and the catnip is already up (I planted it Saturday). Some more tomatoes are up: Patti's Italian Paste and Persimmon. I'm still waiting for Dr. Lyle, Louisiana Pink, and Pink Ping Pong. I only have one Blondkopfchen, too.

More herbs will be planted next weekend, as well as tomatillos. I'll be starting some flowers, too.

INTERVIEW: Palm Oil To Gain From US Trans Fat Problem

2005-03-29T10:36:00.000-06:00

Palm oil is clearly the best solution. It's versatile. It's healthy, since saturated fats are better than trans fats. The cost, as well, is better.

I think it is a good choice. I use palm oil myself. Use it anywhere you would use shortening, and eliminate the trans fats!

Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages

2005-03-28T09:39:00.000-06:00

Follow the link above for a very informative site on spices around the world. It includes the spice names in many different languages as well as lots of other information on the various spices.

(I found this at TulipGirl's blog.)

Garden Update

2005-03-27T17:52:00.000-06:00

I just planted some more seeds (indoors): Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Italian flat leaf parsley, and curled parsley. I'll be starting more seeds next weekend.

Most of the tomatoes are up. The ones that are up are: Abraham Lincoln, Black Cherry, Black from Tula, Black Zebra, Blondkopfchen, Brandywine, Ghost Cherry, Gold Medal, Green Zebra, Jaune Flammé, Large Red Cherry, Matt's Wild Cherry, Pineapple, Purple Russian, Stupice, and White Wonder. Dr. Lyle, Louisiana Pink, Patti's Italian Paste, Persimmon, and Pink Ping Pong are not up yet. Hopefully they will be up in a few days. The Rosa Bianca eggplant is up, but the Long Purple eggplant is not. One snapdragon has come up so far. Maybe those seeds were too old.

Look for peppers and various herbs next week.

Buffalo Wings

2005-03-21T11:29:00.000-06:00

I made some Buffalo Wings last night. Simple to do if you have a deep fryer. Heat the oil to 350°F. (I use organic palm oil for frying.) Cut the wings into 3 pieces by cutting at the joints (this takes a bit of practice to get between the bones). Discard the wing tips (or save them for soup stock). Fry the wing pieces for 10-12 minutes. Drain and toss with wing sauce. I use Anchor Bar Wing Sauce. The "Hotter" and "Suicidal" sauces are dairy-free. The "Original" sauce contains margarine, so I don't use that one. Some grocery stores carry these sauces. In the Twin Cities area (Minneapolis/St. Paul), I have found the sauce at Cub Foods.

You could also use your favorite hot sauce, or use barbecue sauce instead. Once the wings are done, heat the oil up to 375°F for some fries!

Weekend planting

2005-03-21T11:25:00.000-06:00

I planted tomato seeds and eggplant seeds yesterday. This is 9 weeks before the "last frost" date here (using May 23). They should germinate in a week or two. In about 2 weeks I'll be starting other plants. Spring is getting closer!

Garden seeds

2005-03-18T11:30:00.000-06:00

I almost have all my seeds. I still need to buy some more squash seeds, but those don't get planted until it warms up, so no hurry on that.

I bought some seeds at local stores, but most of them came from two mail-order sources: TomatoFest and Heirloom Seeds. Prompt shipping on both, but TomatoFest's shipping charge seems a little high, especially since they put the seeds in an envelope and mailed them with 60 cents postage. Heirloom Seeds had lower shipping charges and packaged the seeds in a padded envelope. The seeds are cheaper at Heirloom Seeds, too, but that is mainly because most of their seeds are not certified organic, while TomatoFest sells only organic seeds. All seeds from both companies are open-pollinated (no F1 hybrids).

We ended up buying two varieties of sweet corn. One is white, and one is yellow. I'll try to keep them from crossing, and it should be easy to tell by the color of the kernels if they crossed or not. Hopefully, we will have a good crop of sweet corn this year, along with a huge crop of tomatoes.

Whole Foods - new concept store in Austin

2005-03-09T12:15:00.000-06:00

Whole Foods opens new concept store in Austin, Texas. This store is 80,000 square feet, "which is broken up into enticing, food-centric lands, la Disney." Sounds interesting. If anyone reading this has been to the store, I'd appreciate any comments.

Pumpkin Muffins

2005-03-06T12:32:00.000-06:00

This recipe is originally from The Post Punk Kitchen, but I have modified it to be soy-free. The recipe is also dairy-free and egg-free (so it is vegan).

1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup pureed cooked pumpkin (fresh or from a can)
1/2 cup ricemilk or other dairy-free, soy-free "milk"
1/2 cup canola, sunflower, or safflower oil
2 Tbsp. molasses

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease muffin pan. Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients in separate bowl and add to dry ingredients. Stir to combine. Fill muffin pan and bake for 15-20 minutes for standard-sized muffins or 27-30 minutes for jumbo muffins. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

This recipe makes 12 standard muffins or 6 jumbo muffins.

I'm not crazy about cloves, so I leave that out. Make sure you have canned pumkin, not canned pumpkin pie filling.

Enjoy!!

Great popcorn at home!

2005-03-05T10:12:00.000-06:00

I made some popcorn last night, using the West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper as I always do. I use unrefined coconut oil, which gives the popcorn a flavor similar to movie theater popcorn (they usually use butter-flavored coconut oil). This popcorn popper has a stirring rod which keeps the popcorn from scorching on the bottom and also helps to get all of the kernels popped. I usually end up with very few unpopped kernels. After the popping is done, unplug the unit, put the cap on the top of the cover, and flip the whole thing over. The cover is now the bowl! Add some salt and enjoy! If you want butter on your popcorn, you can place it on the top of the popper while the corn is popping, and it will melt and drip down onto the popcorn. We enjoy it with just coconut oil and salt!

If you can't find the coconut oil, check your local natural food store or health food store. You can also order it through Amazon.com: Oil, Coconut, Unrefined, Org., 14 oz.

Black-eyed Peas

2005-03-02T10:42:00.000-06:00

Last night, I made black-eyed peas in the pressure cooker. Quick and easy. Black-eyed peas do not need to be soaked, and they cook in about 10 minutes in the pressure cooker (once the pressure cooker has reached full pressure). They also stay whole, so you don't end up with mush.

Basic instructions: Sort and rinse black-eyed peas. Put in pressure cooker and cover with water. Bring to high pressure and cook for 10-11 minutes. Remove from heat and let pressure drop naturally for a few minutes to finish cooking. Do not add salt before cooking, as this may toughen the skins. You may add other seasonings and vegetables such as onions and peppers. Tomatoes should be avoided, as they can toughen the skins of the black-eyed peas. Tomatoes and salt can be added after the black-eyed peas are finished cooking.

Lorna Sass has a couple of recipes in her cookbook Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure, along with more information on cooking black-eyed peas and other dried peas and beans. Pressure Perfect : Two Hour Taste in Twenty Minutes Using Your Pressure Cooker is another good book by Lorna Sass. This book includes many recipes for cooking meat in the pressure cooker, too.

Grow your own food!

2005-03-01T12:46:00.000-06:00

I am busy planning my vegetable garden for planting this spring, after 4 years without a garden. I'm going to have a fairly large garden with a large variety of vegetables and many varieties of tomatoes. I'll try to keep updates posted here.

There is nothing else quite like vegetables fresh from your own garden. You can't get produce any fresher, and the flavor is wonderful. Your investment in seeds, plants, garden supplies, and time will pay off with large harvests. If you have never planted a garden before, or it has been a long time since you have, I encourage you to plant something this year. Maybe you don't have much space. You can still plant a couple of tomato plants, for example. Even if you live in an apartment, you probably have room for a small pot or two of herbs. (Fresh herbs have a much more complex flavor compared to the dried herbs!) So take some time and discover the joy of growing your own food this year!

TomatoFest

2005-01-27T09:09:00.000-06:00

Are you interested in growing tomatoes this year? Check out TomatoFest for a huge selection of certified organic heirloom tomato seeds! The website has color photos of most varieties, so it is fun to look at even if you aren't planning on growing any.

My Christmas Present

2004-12-09T19:31:00.000-06:00

This is my Christmas present, currently on its way to me from Amazon.com. I'll let you know how it works once I get it!

Info about trans fats

2004-12-08T10:38:00.000-06:00

This site has lots of info on trans fats, including what they are, why you should avoid them, and news relating to trans fats in processed foods.

The Observer | Food monthly | Originally hailed as wonderful, soya can be bad for your health.

2004-11-10T12:42:00.000-06:00

More about soy. Talks about health issues as well as environmental impacts.

The Observer | UK News | Hidden soya in fast food 'cutting men's fertility'

2004-11-10T12:41:00.000-06:00

Another reason to avoid soy (or soya, if you prefer).

New sauce recipe - not bad

2004-11-05T20:39:00.000-06:00

Here's what I remember of it:

2 big (and I mean big!) cloves of garlic, or maybe 3-6 smaller cloves would be good
1 can (15 oz?) of coconut milk
cucumber
dill weed
tahini
lemon juice
salt

Throw it all in the Vita-Mix and run it until it is smooth. I think I forgot something, but I can't remember what ... I guess that's what "forgot" means.

Maybe when my brain is working better, I'll come back and add to this to try to make more sense out of it.

Dill ... lemon juice ... garlic ... yeah, that's about it. Oh, onion would be good in it, too, I think. Kinda thin, though. Not sure what to do about that.

Goodnight.

Frosting Recipe

2004-11-01T19:23:00.000-06:00

This is the frosting recipe that my mom always used:

Decorator Frosting

1/2 cup shortening
4 cups pwd. sugar
5 tbsp. (1/3 cup) milk
1 tsp. flavoring

Beat well with mixer. Keeps well in refrigerator.

I use organic palm oil for the shortening (no trans fats!), organic powdered sugar, organic rice milk, and organic vanilla to make a frosting that is trans-fat free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, and organic. Yeah, it's still just fat and sugar, so don't get any ideas about it being healthy ... just not quite as unhealthy as "conventional" frosting. :-)

Really neat waffle maker!

2004-10-28T20:41:00.000-05:00

Do you like Belgian waffles? Have you been disappointed in the Belgian waffle makers for home use? Take a look at this waffle maker by Waring: Waring Pro WMK300 Belgian Waffle Maker, Brushed Stainless. Apparently, to make good, authentic Belgian waffles, you need to flip the waffle iron. That's what this one will do. I don't have one of these (yet), but I'm very impressed with the reviews on Amazon (26 reviews, all 5-star ratings). I have it on my Amazon.com Wish List, so if you want to buy it for me, you can! ;-)

I have other kitchen stuff and cookbooks on my wish list, too, and I've written a few reviews on Amazon.com, so take a look around if you want. If you decide to buy anything from my wish list, Amazon.com has my address so they can ship it right to me. ;-)

IPWatchdog.com - The Law of Recipes

2004-10-26T14:39:00.000-05:00

Interesting information regarding copyright law and recipes. According to this site, an individual recipe with ingredients and basic instructions cannot be copyrighted. It looks like a recipe with additional explanations, detailed instructions on certain techniques, history, etc., can be copyrighted. Also, collections of recipes can be copyrighted. So ... you can't copy the whole cookbook, but copying a single recipe from it is OK ... at least that's how I understand it. Don't take my word for it, though. Read the article for yourself.

Apple Chutney Recipe

2004-10-25T22:04:00.000-05:00

Looks good!

Apple Crisp Recipe

2004-10-24T19:18:00.000-05:00

This looks like a good apple crisp recipe. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Cooking Pleasures - Oct/Nov 04

2004-10-23T19:51:00.000-05:00

Cooking Pleasures is one of my favorite magazines. They have some great recipes! I have to pick and choose due to dietary restrictions, but I generally find plenty of recipes that I can use.

Let's take a look at this issue:

Caramelized Onion - Sweet Potato Bisque (p. 18) - Use olive oil instead of butter.
Tomato-Chicken Curry (p. 19) - That sounds good!
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Toffee and Coconut (p. 19) - I'd have to use all palm oil instead of butter and shortening, but it should work. Self-rising flour? I think it is easy to substitute regular flour and a couple other ingredients (can't remember what, though).
Greek Beef Stew with Baby Onions (p. 29) - Cinnamon, garlic, lemon, oregano. I'll skip the feta cheese. 8-10 hours in the slow cooker.
Cranberry-Walnut-Raisin Bread Stuffing (p. 33) - Olive oil instead of butter.
Apple Cake with Maple-Walnut Glaze (p. 43) - I should make this soon to use up some apples! I can just leave out the walnuts (maybe I'll use sunflower seeds) so Katie can have some.
Sticky-Top Pumpkin Cake with Brown Sugar Sauce (p. 44) - The cake is fine (I'll have to substitute for the butter), but the sauce has a lot of cream, so I'll skip that.
Coffe-Fudge Blondies with Chocolate Sauce and Coffee Whipped Cream (p. 45) - Again, I'll substitute for the butter and skip the sauce and whipped cream.
Broiled Flank Steak with Chipotle Chiles (p. 54) - Sounds really good!
Curried Chicken, Sweet Potatoes and Onions (p. 55) - It uses coconut milk!
Baked Mustard-Apple Chicken Breasts (p. 61) - Only 2 servings, so I'll double it (at least).
Apricot-Balsamic-Glazed Salmon (p. 61) - Again, only 2 servings ... oh, this is in the "Cooking for Two" section ... that explains it!
Moroccan Lamb Chops (p. 62) - I haven't had lamb for a while. That looks good. ("White and fluffy sheep, the kind I like to eat ...") (That's from a song in Ewe Know.)
Potato-Corn Chowder with Toasted Sesame Oil (p. 63) - I think I could use olive oil and rice milk to make this.

Not as long of a list compared to Veggie Life and Vegetarian Times, but there are lots of good articles about cooking in the magazine, too. I like to look through the products in the "Kitchen Tested" section as well as the "Cook's Giveaway." Oh, yeah, my name is in this issue, because I won the Chef Paul Prudhomme's Magic Seasoning Blends Set (Very good seasonings, too!)

Wacky Cake

2004-10-23T19:36:00.000-05:00

The Wacky Chocolate Cake (from a post a couple days ago) was great! It didn't last long!

Vegetarian Times - Nov/Dec 2004

2004-10-23T13:38:00.000-05:00

Vegetarian Times doesn't seem to have as many recipes as Veggie Life. Lots of articles, though. A lot of the articles are on natural/alternative living.

Here are some of the recipes we can use (no dairy or soy):

Chewy Meringue Cookies (p. 34) - not a big fan of meringue, though.
Lemon-Ginger Glazed Beets and Carrots with Toasted Walnuts (p. 43) - Lemon, ginger, beets, and carrots are all good! 6-8 hours in the slow cooker.
White-Bean "Cassoulet" (p. 43) - Looks good. 6-8 hours in the slow cooker.
Main-Dish Lentil-Vegetable Soup (p. 44) - I'll have to substitute for the soy sauce. 6-8 hours in the slow cooker.
Hearty Winter Vegetable Stew (p. 45) - Soy sauce in this one, too. 6-8 hours in the slow cooker.
Sweet Potato Hash (p. 51) - I'll substitute chicken sausage for the soy sausage.
Apple-Potato-"Sausage" Sauté (p. 52) - I'll use chicken sausage, and no cheese. I don't think I really need a recipe for that, though. Just sauté them together in a skillet.
Barley with Black Beans (p. 54) - Barley, black beans, roasted bell peppers, balsamic vinaigrette, fresh dill. Sounds good.
Chutney Bulgur with Curried Chickpeas (p. 56) - Sounds like a good combination.
Lucie's Chestnut Stuffing (p. 72) - I'll use olive oil (organic extra-virgin olive oil, of course) instead of butter. Chestnut stuffing is yummy!
Pumpkin-Coconut Bisque (p. 88) - Wow! We could eat this!
Orange Cranberry Bread (p. 89) - This is in the ad for Florida Crystals sugar. Use organic palm oil for the shortening, please!
Farmhouse Rolls (p. 94) - Organic palm oil for shortening, and olive oil in place of butter.
Cornucopia Compote (p. 95) - Served in acorn squash halves.
Egg and "Caviar" Canapés (p. 100) - Made with black olives instead of caviar!
Vegetable-Bean Spirals (p. 100) - Might be fun to make for New Year's Eve or something like that.
Sweet Potato Wedges with Rosemary (p. 101) - I'll need to replace the soy sauce. Balsamic vinegar would be good!
Sweet and Spicy Pecans (p. 103) - I love pecans!
Puréed Cranberry Soup (p. 109) - No sour cream, of course. I can leave out the optional almond extract and Katie can have it, too.
Spicy Cranberry Condiment (p. 110) - It says to use it like ketchup! Hey, why not?
Cranberry-Vegetable Ragout (p. 110) - Serve with polenta or quinoa.
Sweet-Tart Cranberry Cabbage (p. 110) - Sounds good I'll use cranberry juice instead of the wine.
Sibi's Crustless Cranberry-Pecan Pie (p. 111) - Pie is good!
There is a "special advertising section" (pp. 120-121) with a couple recipes that we could use. I could adapt the Banana Bread Pudding. The Mediterranean Vegetable Sandwiches have no dairy or soy.

That's not too bad of a list, but I think we may cancel this magazine. I think Veggie Life is a better magazine for vegetarian recipes.

Veggie Life - Winter 04/05

2004-10-22T20:28:00.000-05:00

Veggie Life has a lot of good recipes. We can't use all of them because I can't have dairy or soy. We don't eat mushrooms or seaweed, so that eliminates some others. But ... there are still plenty of good recipes!

Let's see what we have in this issue:

Black Bean Purée with Fresh Guacamole - Sounds really good! That and a bag of tortilla chips would be great!
Corn, Rice, and Jicama Salad in Bell Pepper Boats - We could eat this, except it uses mayonnaise. There are some available without soy, but they aren't organic, and we prefer to buy organic eggs and products with organic eggs. Oh well.
Spicy Pepitas - Sounds yummy! (For those that don't know, pepitas are pumpkin seeds.)
Chile Almonds - That would be good, too! (No nuts for Katie until she is 3, though.)
Okonomiyaki - I'll have to adapt the sauce to eliminate the soy, but the basic idea will work. This is the only recipe in the "Savory Japanese Cooking For Winter" article that we could use.
Provençal Bean Pot - I'll replace the soy sausage with chicken sausage ... just don't tell the people at Veggie Life! ;-)
Coconut-Pumpkin Soup with Cilantro Gremolata - Coconut milk! Yum!
Pumpkin Soup with Leeks - Can be made with other winter squash, too.
Curried Pumpkin and Apricot Soup - Brings to mind the bit about the "apricots in honey" in Notting Hill (and pronounce "apricot" with a long "a").
Carmelized Pearl Onions with Toasted Almonds - Yeah, but I gotta peel all those little onions!
Turnips and Brussels Sprouts with Honey-Walnut Glaze - If you cook them right, Brussels sprouts aren't that bad!
Rutabaga and Sweet Potatoes with Hazelnuts - I'll use rice milk instead of the cow's milk or soy milk. What is a rutabaga, anyway?
Maple-Walnut Squares - Sounds yummy!!!
Coconut Macaroons - I love coconut macaroons, and I can make these with organic eggs.
Crybabies - It says they are like gingerbread but better. I'll replace the butter with palm oil ... it looks like it has enough other stuff to flavor it that the lack of the butter flavor shouldn't be a problem.
Killer Peanut Butter Fudge Cookies - The name says it all ...
Lime and Pepita Sugar Cookies - I'll use palm oil instead of butter, and use unrefined corn oil for the vegetable oil to give it some flavor instead.
Gingerbread Sparklers - I think they had this in another issue that I have, because I'm sure I've made these. Gingerbread cookies with candied ginger pieces on top!
Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Bundt with Ganache - I'll use rice milk for the ganache ... and don't they know that "Bundt" is a registered trademark? Hmmm ... maybe I should write to them ... or write to Nordic Ware?
Honey Pumpkin Cake - I should be able to do this with palm oil, too.
Thai-Style Corn Fritters - Leaving out the soy sauce should be OK for this ... maybe add some salt.
Rice and Swiss Chard Croquettes - I'll leave out the Parmesan cheese.
"The Steaming Cup" has many recipes for hot drinks that we could make. Cran-Blueberry Wassail looks good! Grown-Up Cocoa is really a simple way to make hot chocolate - use chopped semisweet chocolate! Spice Coffee would be good ... but I'm not sure if I want to grind the cloves and peppercorns in the coffee grinder ... it may flavor additional pots of coffee, too. There are some others in this article, too.
Chocolate & Spice Chickpea Cake - Looks good. I was going to make this last night, but we didn't have orange juice. :-(
Carrot and Coconut Soup with Cloves - I'm not that fond of a lot of cloves, though.
Wilted Spinach and Shallot Salad with Nutmeg - Sounds fancy!
Overnight Red Onion Relish with Ginger - looks very simple and good!
Chocolate Ginger Chip Cookies - Chocolate and ginger is a wonderful combination. Really.
Garlic Fried Cauliflower - Garlic and ... just about anything ... is a wonderful combination. Right, Maggie? ;-)

Well, that wraps it up for this issue.

Wacky Cake Recipe (Chocolate!)

2004-10-21T21:16:00.000-05:00

Maggie sent this to me. It looks easy! I think I'll try it!

Kitchen Tools

2004-10-19T23:29:00.000-05:00

What's in my kitchen? Lots of stuff. Big stuff and little stuff!

Some of the big stuff:

KitchenAid Stand Mixer - I have the "Ultra Power" 4 1/2 quart model, which KitchenAid doesn't make anymore. Now they have the Artisan model, which has a 5 quart bowl and a somewhat more powerful motor. I've made cookies, bread, meatloaf, and angelfood cake with it. (It does a wonderful job of beating egg whites! Just keep an eye on it ... it's fast!) I also have the food grinder attachment with the fruit and vegetable strainer parts (makes smooth applesauce!). Other attachments that I have not had as much success with are the slicer/shredder (works, but tends to clog up) and the pasta extruder.
KitchenAid Food Processor - 11-cup Ultra Power model. I use this a lot for everything from coleslaw to hummus. Works great, and is easy to clean!
Vita-Mix Blender - I actually have the Vita-Prep model, which is the commercial version of the Vita-Mix 5000. As I understand, the only differences are the warranty and the NSF certification. This is an excellent blender. It works great for smoothies, which is why places like Orange Julius use Vita-Mix blenders in their stores. I also have the "dry" container, which will quickly grind wheat into flour.

Well, that's the main kitchen appliances. I'll save the rest for future posts.

Edited 28-Oct-04 to fix link to Vita-Mix website.

Eggplant

2004-10-19T10:19:00.000-05:00

I made an eggplant dish last night. I'll try to remember what I put in it:

Slice 2 eggplants and lightly brown in a skillet with olive oil. Place in 9x13 baking dish in 2 layers. Season with salt, pepper, and a pizza seasoning blend. Chop 1 onion and put on top of eggplant. Add some sliced olives. Cover with a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes. Bake at 350°F for approx. 50 minutes.

I might try adding some vinegar next time (probably red wine vinegar) and some fresh garlic. Bell peppers would be good, too.

Bon appétit!

Whole-Wheat Pancakes

2004-10-16T14:10:00.000-05:00

This recipe is from Veggie Life, with my changes as noted:

1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour (approx. 7.5 oz. by weight)

1/3 cup soy milk powder or nonfat dry milk (I omit this, since I can't have dairy or soy, and use rice milk instead of water below)

3 Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cup water (since I omit the milk powder above, I use rice milk here)

2 Tbsp. canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine the dry ingredients. Combine liquids in a separate bowl, and then stir into the dry mixture. Stir until all ingredients are moistened. Fry on an oiled griddle, approx. 1/4 cup of batter for a pancake.

I grind my own flour in the Vita-Mix blender, which is why I use the weight measurement. I put the flaxseed in with the wheat berries and grind them at the same time. I also use aluminum-free baking powder. Add some cinnamon or other spices if you want. Since this is apple season, I'm going to chop up an apple or two and put that in the batter.

2004-10-14T09:24:00.000-05:00

Tacos on Monday night, and Sloppy Joes on Tuesday. Amazing what you can do with a pound of ground beef! (Naturally-raised beef from Whole Foods.)

2004-09-24T15:09:00.000-05:00

Maggie just sent me this recipe:

1 winter squash, baked until soft (delicata, acorn, butternut, etc)
2 C Chickpeas, cooked
1 t each: cumin, coriander, dry mustard
1-2 T lemon juice (to taste)
1/2 to 1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 T olive oil

Maybe I can try it this weekend.

2004-09-23T16:39:00.000-05:00

Internal server error ... lost my whole post!!!! Well, I had a nice long post, but now it is gone.

2004-08-23T14:54:00.000-05:00

Wow! I haven't posted anything here for a long time! Like so many of my "projects" ... I start them but never continue them.

2004-05-15T19:42:00.000-05:00

ISLAND LOAF

Page 72 of Fabulous Beans. Has sunflower seeds (ground), navy beans, whole wheat bread crumbs, rolled oats, pineapple juice, green pepper, molasses, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and crushed pineapple on top. A meatless meatloaf that has no soy or any other "weird" stuff!

2004-05-15T18:58:00.000-05:00

Grains

Organic grains here ... maybe we could find some of the harder-to-find ones here? Good pictures, too. Now how do I cook them?

2004-05-15T15:42:00.000-05:00

A couple of recipes from the Spectrum Naturals site:

Sweet pie crust recipe
Unsweetened pie crust recipe

2004-05-15T15:39:00.000-05:00

Spectrum - Browse by Course

Lots of neat recipes here! Pick by product or course. I'm going to try one of the pie crust recipes.

2004-05-05T19:02:00.000-05:00

I'm going to make the "Rice 'N' Rye" tonight. This is a good whole-grain dish.

2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups water (use the higher amount in jiggle-top cookers)
1 cup brown rice
1/3 cup rye berries (or wheat, triticale, or kamut)
Seasonings
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

Bring water to a boil in the pressure cooker. Add rice, rye, seasonings, and salt. Lock lid in place. Bring to high pressure, reduce temperature to maintain pressure, and cook for 35 minutes. Allow pressure to come down naturally for 10 minutes, and then release any remaining pressure.

2004-05-02T22:44:00.000-05:00

The bread was very good! This time, it doesn't have sunflower seeds, and half of the flour is soft white wheat berries. It is baking right now! Katie is sleeping! :-)

2004-05-02T22:38:00.000-05:00

This is wonderful sauce!!!!

Vegan Soy-Free Alfredo Sauce

2 cans Great Northern beans
1 large can coconut milk
a lot of fresh garlic
¼ tsp black pepper or more to taste
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Put it all in the Vita-Mix and blend it until smooth and hot.

Maggie said it was the bestest sauce she ever had!
It could maybe use a little more salt and garlic, maybe a touch more vinegar? Very good this way, though!

2004-04-26T23:49:00.000-05:00

Bread looks good! We'll try it tomorrow.

2004-04-26T18:45:00.000-05:00

I set the timezone now, so maybe the time will show up right!

2004-04-26T18:42:00.000-05:00

I just put a loaf of bread in the bread machine.

1 3/4 cups water
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp orange peel
22 ounces wheat berries, ground into flour (isn't the Vita-Mix great?)
1/8 cup flax seeds, ground with the wheat (about 1 ounce by weight)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 tsp yeast

I think that's everything that went in. Hopefully it should be good!