We Made It!!

I had no doubts, but we made it! And no one fainted from a lack of food at lunch! I really don't think anyone really missed it either. Except perhaps, Faith, who watched the clock all afternoon, reminding me how many hours until dinner :) Our One meal for One Child was a piece of cake. Not cake, since we were not eating. Perhaps that was not the best metaphor. Anyway, it was easy.

I promised the kids a big breakfast, and an early delicious dinner. And I don't think they were disappointed. For breakfast we had scrambled eggs with green onions, shallots, and cheese with gluten-free chocolate chip pancakes. I was a bit worried about the pancakes, wondering if everyone would like them, since they were gluten-free, but they were amazing, and the kids didn't even use syrup. They were that good. I wish I had taken photos, but you will just have to take my word for it. They were amazing. I adapted a recipe that I found in a great cookbook, so the recipe that follows at the end of this post is an original!

For dinner, with the help of my great kids, we made Arroz Con Pollo (chicken with yellow rice). It was absolutely amazing. I think it was the best I ever had. I know it was the best I ever made. I used brown rice, so it was healthier that using white rice. I also used carrots, so it had hopefully had a little more vitamins, too. Here's how we did it:

We used a whole organic chicken, 2 Tbsp olive oil,  1 1/2 cups brown rice, a can of organic diced tomatoes, 2 carrots, one onion, 6 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 3-4 saffron threads, 3 Cups hot water and 1 Tbsp  organic chicken flavor Better than Boullion and some chopped cilantro.

First, I cut up the chicken. I my oldest son was grossed out when I was cutting it up, and so I didn't figure you all would want to see that! Then I browned the outside of the chicken it the olive oil in my wonderful

All-Clad high sided saute pan I got at HomeGoods for way cheap. Then I removed the chicken from the pan, and added the onion, rough chopped garlic, and rice. We sauteed them for a few minutes, then added the tomatoes, after draining off a little of the juice.

Next we added the water, saffron, cumin, paprika and Broth.

Now the carrots and cilantro.

Then we added the chicken back to the pan, covered, and turned the heat down to simmer and waited while the house smelled so delicious for 40 minutes. 

At the end of the time, I took off the lid and turned up the heat a little so the last of the juiciness could evaporate and the rice could fluff up. That took about 5 to 10 minutes.

It was the best meal we've had in a long time.

I served it with black beans, homemade salsa, and a salad. It was worth skipping a meal for!

Here's the recipe:

Arroz Con Pollo

1 Chicken, cut up

2-3 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, cut into chunks

6 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

2 carrots, sliced

1 can chopped tomatoes, slightly drained

1 1/2 cup brown rice

1 Tbsp chicken flavor Better than Boullion

3 Cups hot water

Brown the chicken in the olive oil over medium heat in a high side saute pan, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken, lower heat and add onions and garlic. Saute for a few minutes, then add rice. Saute for a few minutes more, then add the rest of the ingredients except chicken and bring to a boil. Lower heat and put the chicken back on the top. Nestle it snuggly in the pan, and put the lid on. Simmer for 40 minutes, checking periodically so it does not burn on the bottom. After 40 minutes, check rice and liquid level. If it seems too juicy, leave the lid off and simmer for a few more minutes until liquid is absorbed. Serve immediately, and ENJOY!!

And here is the pancake recipe:

Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Pancakes

2 eggs
3/4 cups oat flour (rolled oats that I ground up in the Vitamix)
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup olive oil (I think you could butter or a different oil if you would like)
1 Tbsp PLUS 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp honey
1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 cup vanilla
1 cup mini chocolate chips (you could use regular choc. chips, or chop them up a bit)

Mix the dry ingredients except the choc. chips, and then add all the wet ingredients and mix well. Add chocolate chips. Heat a buttered or oiled griddle or, in my case, cast iron skillet, until a drop of water 'dances' on the surface. Drop by big spoonfuls or ice creme scooper onto hot griddle. Cook over medium heat until browned on one side, then flip and cook on that side until done. Makes about 10 delicious 4" pancakes.



Back to Daily Life

Well, today is Monday and that means Laundry Day. I always do my laundry on Monday, and my goal is to get the entire lot of it done and put away. HA! That never happens. Usually it is Tuesday or Wednesday before it makes it to the closets and drawers, if it makes it at all. I always have high hopes of getting some craft time, but unfortunately it never seems to happen the way I'd hoped. Tonight was no exception, but since I haven't posted some of the fun things Faith and I have done recently, I thought I would share some goodies we loved doing.

So today, I am sharing our first attempt at Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

We have recently discovered that Faith and I are both gluten intolerant. So that has sent me on a search for delicious gluten free recipes. This one for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies was a home run with everyone, including my non-gluten free family. That says alot!

For our ingredients, we used old fashioned rolled oats. We ran some in the Vitamix, and ground it into flour using the Dry container. I love my viatmix!!
(Don't have one? check out vitamixlady.com for my friend Lea Ann's website to get yours!!)

We also used Xanthan Gum, which gives the dough stickyness, like gluten would. Then Yoghurt, butter, baking soda, vanilla, sucanat(which is dehydrated sugar cane), baking powder, salt, grain sweetened mini chocolate chips, and raisins, since we like them in our oatmeal cookies. You could add nuts, but we didn't this time. I think I will try it next time, though.

 

First, you creme the butter and sugar, then add the other ingredients. Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips and raisins.

Then, drop them in blobs (technical term here) on your silpat or parchment paper.

I used a medium sized cookie scoop to make uniform cookies. I have to make uniform sized cookies, or else somebody gets upset 'cause they got the little one, and somebody else got a bigger one.

So here are the uniform cookies. The dough was delicious. Would have liked to put some in a little ice creme. But then I decided it would be better to bake them and put ice creme in between and make a sandwich.

Heres the happy first plate. Yummy!

They disappeared way too fast. Next time I will make a double batch! And next time will be really soon!

Notice the Peets Coffee mug? Got that on the last California trip. So sad that all we have her is Fivebucks.

Those beautiful little fingers are dipping in a mug of milk, not coffee. Yes, you can use a Peets mug for milk. Especially when Peets coffee is not available.

Yum Yum. The beautiful face that goes with the fingers.

The cookies disappeared way faster than the time it took to make them!

Heres the actual recipe:

1/4 lb. (1/2 cup or 1 stick) butter

1/2 cup sucanat or firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. plain yoghurt

1 cup oat flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 cup+ :) chocolate chips (more, more, more!)

1/2 cup raisins (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degreees.

Creme butter and sugar together, then add eggs and mix until lighter and thicker. Add all other ingredients except the chips and raisins. Beat until thick and creamy. Stir in chips and raisins, and drop onto the cookie sheet. Baie for 8 to 9 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on the cookie sheet for a minute or two, then remove to a rack and let cool completely. Makes about 30 yummy cookies.

Enjoy!



Yummy Meatballs!

I am always amazed how fast the day goes by. Where does the time go?? I have such grand ideas every day, and every day I run out of time before run out of "to do's". Today, I had grand ideas of crafting, sewing and cooking a wonderful meal. But, as usual, life got in the way. The meal I planned was a slow cooked meal, and as the afternoon dwindled away, I knew that was not going to happ


en. So, plan B was what worked, and it was delicious, I must say. Faith was my lovely assistant, and if you do not have one of those, (a lovely assistant) you really should get yourself one. They are wonderful to have, and I think everyone should have at least two. I myself have 5. That way, if one is busy, there is always someone to help me out.
But I digress. I want to share our Lebanese Meatballs. I got the recipe from the Whole Paycheck's (otherwise known as Whole Foods). I love that store! But I usally spend way more there than anywhere else. But I do use their coupons, so I save money, too. Last time I shopped there, to buy the meat for this meal, I saved $37 by printing coupons off their website. I felt like one of those 'extreme couponers'! I won't mention that I spent $400.00! But I digress again.
Back to the Meatballs. They were supposed to be Kababs, but I could only find one of our skewers, and it was starting to rain, so the grill was out of the question, so I pan fried them in my wonderful cast iron skillets. Which is something else everyone should have. I don't know what I did before I got them last summer from my sister. But I digress yet again. I do that alot.
Anyhoo, here's what we did:
Lebanese Meatballs
(I did not think they were very lebanese tasting, but they were good!)

You will need: Ground Beef (I used grass fed, but any kind will do), an onion, parsley, allspice, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and olive oil.

First, we grated the onion into the ground beef. I used 2 lbs of meat and 1 med. onion.



Then, we added 4 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley,  1 tsp. allspice and cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 3/4 tsp. salt, and about 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper.



The you do the fun part: mixing it all together. We started with the spatula on the left, but quickly realized that the hands would be far more fun. And we had to make meatballs by hand anyway, so we dove in. As we were mushing it all together, Faith said, "we should put some cheese in the middle". I had some feta, so I cut it into cubes and wrapped the meat around it. They were especially delicious! Great idea!

Then I sauteed them in olive oil. I know, you are not supposed to overheat olive oil, but I just can't help myself. I love the flavor, and really can't substitute anything for that wonderful flavor.  (note the beautiful 6 burner gas stove. I got it when we remodeled the kitchen last year. The top is gas, the oven is electric. I love it!)

Here's the final product. The ones on the left are the ones with the feta. The others are plain. Everyone agreed the feta ones were the best. Next time I will make them all with the cheese. We served them with a salad and sugar snap peas.  Delicious!! 

Even though my craft and sewing projects still sit undone, I got to spend some fun time in the kitchen with my little Faith, and make a delicious meal for my family. And I feel blessed!
 To get the full recipe, here's the link:http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/3010
Happy Wednesday everyone!