About a month ago I wrote about how I was going to be a "better blogger" and post new recipes almost every day, blah blah blah...
And that didn't happen.
I am sure you are wondering why that didn't happen. If you know me in the "real" world, you already know the answer. If you don't know me, and you just happen to read this blog by some fate of the internet search engines... well, read on is all I can say. And if you, like me, are easily moved to tears: you may want to get some tissues ready.
I'll be honest. I am already crying.
So a month ago when I wrote that I would be posting recipes a lot more frequently, I had specified that one of those reasons was because I was put on bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy. If you don't recall - my due date was May 12, 2011 (though my doctor insists it was May 18th according to her measurements). January 14th, I had a "normal" weekly ultrasound... my umpteenth ultrasound of this pregnancy... We went in as we always go in, smiling, excited, chattering about our daughter and how beautiful she is going to be and how perfect she is. During the first part of the appointment they did an external ultrasound. We watched in amazement as she flipped around and squirmed at the touch of the technician. After the technician had wiggled her around in all different positions and angles to get each picture she needed, it was time for the cervical measurement...
To spare you the gory details... this one is done with a... different approach. Not your normal belly ultrasound.
So anyway, as soon as the technician located my cervix to do the measurement (this is why I had to go every week), we both noticed something very alarming...
No cervix.
None.
It was gone.
And our baby was trying to come N-O-W.
I instantly panicked, and though I am sure she wouldn't want to admit it, the ultra sound tech looked a little panicked too as she quickly paged the doctor.
My husband stared on in wonderment - completely oblivious to what we were worried about. All he could see was his gorgeous baby girl swimming around on the screen.
After the doctor rushed in it was obvious that I wasn't going to be leaving the hospital pregnant. The next time I left the hospital, no matter how long or short it would be, would be after the birth of our daughter.
I was admitted within the hour and as I lay on the hospital bed sobbing uncontrollably, I listened to the doctors drone on about my condition and their ideas of how to stabilize the baby so I could continue my pregnancy in the hospital until she decided to appear.
But all the talk never went anywhere, because 48 hours later I was rushed in for an emergency C section, and our gorgeous daughter, Leilani (Leila) Marie Decker, was born.
She was everything we imagined she would be, just smaller. She had ten fingers, ten toes, the sweetest little nose you have ever seen, and lots of dark peach fuzz all over her sweet little head.
She was four months early, weighing in at just 1 lb, 4 oz. She was 11 1/2 inches long. She had the longest, skinniest little fingers. Everyone said she would grow up to be a pianist or a surgeon. Her eyes were fused shut - they hadn't finished forming in the womb and would need extra time to open now that she was "out".
She was so eager. She wanted to do everything her way: always kicking and thrashing around even when the doctors had her bundled up to help her conserve her energy.
She was our fighter. From day one the doctors said she may not make it through the first night, but she showed them. She fought and fought and survived day after day.
When she was nine days old the doctors called us and told us that she was in her final hours and we should come be with her.
We prepared ourselves for the worst, went to her side, and prayed.
And prayed.
And within a few hours, she started to respond.
The doctors admitted that even they didn't expect the turn around.
We spent ever minute with her we could for the next 24 hours. She was getting stronger, she was improving.
Everyone was impressed.
We left Thursday afternoon, around 11. We kissed her through the isolette. We told her we would be back on Saturday but we would miss her terribly. We sang to her. We laughed, we smiled. We were so confident in our little fighter's ability to thrive.
All night long we received updates from the doctors every few hours. It was obvious that our decision to leave the hospital, located about an hour from our home, was a hasty one. They told us to come back: that they were having to make some decisions that we would need to be there for.
We weren't worried.
We knew she would fight. We knew she was going to make it. But we hurried there anyway. Expecting to walk in and see her waving and kicking like she always did.
But that is not what we saw.
Our baby girl was struggling. She was in pain. She was dying.
They all knew it. Even my husband could look at her and see it was true.
Maybe I was selfish, but I wasn't ready to give up. The tears are rolling down over the keyboard as I write this, but I just wasn't ready to let go. No mother ever is.
The doctors asked me to hold her. To say goodbye.
So I did.
And I rocked her, and I sang to her, and I prayed that God take the breath out of my lungs and put it in to her. That He take my heart beat and let it beat for her.
But that didn't happen.
At 3:50pm, on Friday, January 28th, Leila passed away in my arms. I begged the doctors to revive her - to do anything to bring her back to me. I cried harder than I had ever cried before. I felt like I wouldn't be able to breathe. I didn't want to let her go.
The doctors said it was multiple organ failure. Her little body just couldn't fight anymore.
There aren't a lot of words I can use to describe how the past week has been since her passing.
I have felt so empty, so lost at times... like I will never be the same. I have felt so much guilt, so much anger. Helplessness, hopelessness... all these words describe only a portion of the emotional roller coaster I have been on.
And I know it will be this way for a while. They say time heals all wounds... but they never tell you how long it takes. There is no timeline on grief. But I know one day it will hurt a little less, though the hurt will never truly be gone.
My daughter was the closest thing I have ever known to an angel. When I think about her I am filled with so many different feelings. I feel so blessed to be her mother and to have been able to know her for 12 whole days. I feel heartbreak at knowing that I will never again get to hold her, I will never see her grow up. I will never watch my daughter walk down the aisle, or have her own children.
But I will also never see my daughter cry from heartbreak. I will never have to watch her get sick or be in pain. I will never hear her say the words "I hate you, Mom". All my daughter knows is a world where her parents love her and wanted her more than anything.
There are so many more words I want to write about this precious angel and how she touched me. I can promise you that I will talk about her often, but I can also promise you that I will be posting more recipes soon. Cooking has always been therapeutic for me, and as my life gets back to normal, I am sure I will find extra comfort in the kitchen.
This morning when I woke up, my son grabbed my hand and dragged me to the kitchen. He pointed to a box of Hungry Jack and said "Pease?" (Please in Landon speak). Though part of me wanted to crawl back into bed and cry, the other part (the cooking part) couldn't help but start thinking of a recipe. Here my living breathing child was hungry, and he needed his mama. So I did one of the few things I know how to do well: I thought up a recipe, and I cooked.
And it felt good.
Memories... Like Mom Made!
Out of dark moments, flowers grow.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Morning Glory Muffins
When I was a little girl I used to LOVE making muffins with my Mom on Saturday morning. Now I will be honest, this wasn't an every Saturday type of thing, but when she did decide to make muffins, I was right there stirring the buttermilk and helping measure the flour and oil and crack the eggs... well, you get the picture.
But now that I am older and wiser I realize that sometimes an ordinary muffin can really be a... vessel of sorts... to deliver important nutrients to my son and husband to get them through the day. Am I saying my Mom's muffins, loaded with oil and sugar and all purpose flour, were unhealthy? Well, not in so many words... but basically, if breakfast is supposed to be the most important meal of the day, why not pack some important vitamins into it, and heck, let's even hide a serving or two of fruits and veggies in there.
Oh and to go for the Trifecta: let's make them moist, savory, and irresistibly addictive...
How does that sound?
Yeah, I know!
Thus I began my search for the perfect "Morning Glory" muffin recipe. You know, those yummy muffins you can find at coffee shops and bakeries? Well I found a recipe that seemed... well... Okay. Just okay. It was packed with all the things that I didn't want in the first place: oil, white flour, tons of sugar, added fat, and just a fraction of the amount of fruits and veggies I wanted to see in my muffins.
So I fixed it.
It was pretty simple actually. I used one of my favorite recipes of all time, my mom's Carrot Bread/Zucchini Bread recipe, as inspiration. I traded the oil for all natural unsweetened applesauce. I swapped the white flour for whole wheat flour. I sprinkled in some wheat germ and flax seed. I added a ton of shredded carrots and apples. I added a handful of raisins and craisins. Oh and that pesky sugar problem? I swapped the almost 1.5 cups of white sugar for 1/2 cup brown sugar. And even at that I think it could use less (how does 1/3 cup sound compared to 1.5? I know, right?!). I made a few other changes to, and all in all, it was a brilliant success.
So after about 10 requests for this recipe via my Facebook, I decided to comply. Here you go! I hope you enjoy these as much as my husband, my picky 2 year old, and of course, ME!
Virginia's Morning Glory Muffins
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 c packed brown sugar (1/3 if you want less sugar)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
pinch or so of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 cups shredded carrots (about 4-5 medium carrots, maybe more)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 large granny smith apple - peeled, cored and shredded
3 eggs
1 c natural, unsweetened applesauce
2 Tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sift together the dry ingredients, then fold in the carrots, apple, raisins, craisins, and nuts. This is when I sprinkle in some wheat germ and flax seed. I don't really measure, I just kind of shake it in until I think it looks like enough. If you really want a measurement, start with just 2 T the first time and then you can decide if you want to increase it or not.
Beat the eggs with the applesauce, molasses and vanilla... Then combine with the dry mixture. Spoon by 1/3 cup fulls into muffin cups (definitely use liners) and bake for about 22 minutes at 350.
There is a lot of shredding and grating involved, but if you have a food processor it makes easy work of it!
Also, it wouldn't be a "Like Mom Made" recipe if it wasn't customizable. And, OF COURSE it is!
You can feel free to swap out any combination of the mix ins.
In place of the applesauce you can use pureed pumpkin, a mashed banana, or if you REALLY have to, you can use the same amount of oil.
Don't like raisins? Toss in some dried cherries and replace the pecans with macadamia nuts.
Use zucchini in place of the carrots for a different texture and taste (more like Zucchini bread... yum!).
Change any kind of nut, dried fruit, or oil replacer that you can think of.
The possibilities are endless!
Enjoy! :)
Oh and to all my Mom readers: remember, this is a GREAT way to sneak extra veggies and fruit in to your child's diet... but they don't HAVE to know that! ;)
But now that I am older and wiser I realize that sometimes an ordinary muffin can really be a... vessel of sorts... to deliver important nutrients to my son and husband to get them through the day. Am I saying my Mom's muffins, loaded with oil and sugar and all purpose flour, were unhealthy? Well, not in so many words... but basically, if breakfast is supposed to be the most important meal of the day, why not pack some important vitamins into it, and heck, let's even hide a serving or two of fruits and veggies in there.
Oh and to go for the Trifecta: let's make them moist, savory, and irresistibly addictive...
How does that sound?
Yeah, I know!
Thus I began my search for the perfect "Morning Glory" muffin recipe. You know, those yummy muffins you can find at coffee shops and bakeries? Well I found a recipe that seemed... well... Okay. Just okay. It was packed with all the things that I didn't want in the first place: oil, white flour, tons of sugar, added fat, and just a fraction of the amount of fruits and veggies I wanted to see in my muffins.
So I fixed it.
It was pretty simple actually. I used one of my favorite recipes of all time, my mom's Carrot Bread/Zucchini Bread recipe, as inspiration. I traded the oil for all natural unsweetened applesauce. I swapped the white flour for whole wheat flour. I sprinkled in some wheat germ and flax seed. I added a ton of shredded carrots and apples. I added a handful of raisins and craisins. Oh and that pesky sugar problem? I swapped the almost 1.5 cups of white sugar for 1/2 cup brown sugar. And even at that I think it could use less (how does 1/3 cup sound compared to 1.5? I know, right?!). I made a few other changes to, and all in all, it was a brilliant success.
So after about 10 requests for this recipe via my Facebook, I decided to comply. Here you go! I hope you enjoy these as much as my husband, my picky 2 year old, and of course, ME!
Virginia's Morning Glory Muffins
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 c packed brown sugar (1/3 if you want less sugar)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
pinch or so of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 cups shredded carrots (about 4-5 medium carrots, maybe more)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 large granny smith apple - peeled, cored and shredded
3 eggs
1 c natural, unsweetened applesauce
2 Tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sift together the dry ingredients, then fold in the carrots, apple, raisins, craisins, and nuts. This is when I sprinkle in some wheat germ and flax seed. I don't really measure, I just kind of shake it in until I think it looks like enough. If you really want a measurement, start with just 2 T the first time and then you can decide if you want to increase it or not.
Beat the eggs with the applesauce, molasses and vanilla... Then combine with the dry mixture. Spoon by 1/3 cup fulls into muffin cups (definitely use liners) and bake for about 22 minutes at 350.
There is a lot of shredding and grating involved, but if you have a food processor it makes easy work of it!
Also, it wouldn't be a "Like Mom Made" recipe if it wasn't customizable. And, OF COURSE it is!
You can feel free to swap out any combination of the mix ins.
In place of the applesauce you can use pureed pumpkin, a mashed banana, or if you REALLY have to, you can use the same amount of oil.
Don't like raisins? Toss in some dried cherries and replace the pecans with macadamia nuts.
Use zucchini in place of the carrots for a different texture and taste (more like Zucchini bread... yum!).
Change any kind of nut, dried fruit, or oil replacer that you can think of.
The possibilities are endless!
Enjoy! :)
Oh and to all my Mom readers: remember, this is a GREAT way to sneak extra veggies and fruit in to your child's diet... but they don't HAVE to know that! ;)
New Year: New Blog... Sort of...
Welcome to a New Year! I hope that the New Year found all of you well and of course, well fed! So since this is a "New Year" post, obviously I am going to tell you my New Year's Resolution... Duh!
Well it's very simple.
Sort of.
Ok, honestly, it's a bit complicated. The simple part is that my (blog related) resolution is to be a more active contributor to my blog. I have been told so many stories from readers of my blog about how they use my recipes and check my blog often and want to know when I will be posting more... Some of my readers told me that they are trying to become better cooks or learning how to cook and that my blog was the place they turned to first. What an honor to be considered a valuable resource! Out of all the amazing writers and food wizards available on the web, you choose to read my simple little blog? Well then, I had better not disappoint! So because of you, my wonderful readers, I pledge to myself and to you to participate more fully on this blog.
Ok now that wasn't so complicated, right? Well, I guess it really wasn't THAT complicated, but the truth of the matter is, if it was just that simple for me to be a more active blogger, I would have already done it, right? Right. So therefore something must have happened in my life to give me all this newfound free time to think up and cook and write down new recipes, right?
RIGHT!
As of yesterday, I am officially "unemployed". Most of you know (large part in thanks to all of my bizarre cravings and recipes as result of those cravings) that I am pregnant. What many of you do not know is that this pregnancy has been very difficult on my body. As a result of this, my doctor has placed me on bed rest at only 22 weeks pregnant. Hence: FREE TIME!
So there you have it: a New Year's Resolution that I should *hopefully* be able to follow...
Well that is, of course, until our little baby girl decides to make her appearance! Yes that's right! We are having a girl!
But until then, I will be here, and as always, I will be making lots of great things to eat! And now, thanks to my stubborn daughter, I will actually have the time to share those amazing bites with all of you!
I hope you are as excited for 2011 as I am!
Eat Happy!
Virginia
Well it's very simple.
Sort of.
Ok, honestly, it's a bit complicated. The simple part is that my (blog related) resolution is to be a more active contributor to my blog. I have been told so many stories from readers of my blog about how they use my recipes and check my blog often and want to know when I will be posting more... Some of my readers told me that they are trying to become better cooks or learning how to cook and that my blog was the place they turned to first. What an honor to be considered a valuable resource! Out of all the amazing writers and food wizards available on the web, you choose to read my simple little blog? Well then, I had better not disappoint! So because of you, my wonderful readers, I pledge to myself and to you to participate more fully on this blog.
Ok now that wasn't so complicated, right? Well, I guess it really wasn't THAT complicated, but the truth of the matter is, if it was just that simple for me to be a more active blogger, I would have already done it, right? Right. So therefore something must have happened in my life to give me all this newfound free time to think up and cook and write down new recipes, right?
RIGHT!
As of yesterday, I am officially "unemployed". Most of you know (large part in thanks to all of my bizarre cravings and recipes as result of those cravings) that I am pregnant. What many of you do not know is that this pregnancy has been very difficult on my body. As a result of this, my doctor has placed me on bed rest at only 22 weeks pregnant. Hence: FREE TIME!
So there you have it: a New Year's Resolution that I should *hopefully* be able to follow...
Well that is, of course, until our little baby girl decides to make her appearance! Yes that's right! We are having a girl!
But until then, I will be here, and as always, I will be making lots of great things to eat! And now, thanks to my stubborn daughter, I will actually have the time to share those amazing bites with all of you!
I hope you are as excited for 2011 as I am!
Eat Happy!
Virginia
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Shortbread: Quick and Tasty!!!
So most of you know that I have a full time job on top of my "full time job" as a wife and mother... Which is why new recipes are few and far between...
Well every now and then my poor baby boy is sick and I am forced to stay home with him and spoil him rotten.
Today was one of those days. I will spare you the gruesome details, but long story short, he was hacking and coughing all night and day long! It was nice to be able to give him love and nurse him back to health - one of the most wonderful things about motherhood is that Mama always makes you feel better!!! :)
Well anyway, with all of my extra time at home I became extremely motivated to do, well, everything!! I cleaned out my cabinets, hung up a mountain of clothes that had been mocking me, washed about 38,000 loads of laundry (exaggeration? Guess we will never know...) I also broke out my apron and floured my hands and got down to work in the kitchen. I whipped up something I have been craving a lot lately! Shortbread cookies!!!
My favorite thing about Shortbread in general is that it is SO versatile and can be made to suit anyone's tastes! If you read my blog much, you know that I LOVE any opportunity to alter recipes and make them unique... personalization is key to any good cook!
So how easy is this recipe you ask? Well let me ask you this: does 3 ingredients sound easy enough for you?
Yes?
I thought so...
So the basic recipe is this:
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1 1/4 c sifted all purpose flour
sift together then cut in
1/2 c REAL butter (I use salted because a little extra salt is always welcome here....)
Work into a nice dough and roll into a circle on parchment paper. Cut into 8 wedges but do not separate on the sheet. Place parchment on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until cookie is firm in the middle.
Now for mine I simple sprinkled 1 teaspoon cinnamon into the flour and sprinkled 1 teaspoon pure vanilla onto the dough as I was working in the butter. Then I rolled into the circle, cut my wedges, then I sprinkled finely chopped pecans on top and lightly pressed them into the dough.
After the wedges bake you will want to recut them while still warm with a pizza cutter or knife... You can also sprinkle a little bit of white sugar on top for a nice texture and finish... That is how the shortbread I grew up with always was! But it was cut into bars and not wedges, and they made it a lot thicker than I make mine... but other than that, the basic recipe was the same!
Some suggestions:
Fold nuts into the dough
Fold chocolate or flavored chips into the dough
Cut into different sized rounds and brush with melted butter after baking and sprinkle with colored sugar
Add lemon extract and poppy seeds to the dough
Add chopped dried cranberries to the dough (ooh and some white chocolate chips!!!)
*If you cut the cookies into shapes you will want to bake them for 10-15 minutes instead of 15-20.
Start to finish these cookies take less than 40 minutes!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Chocolate Pudding: The Ultimate Comfort Food
Tomorrow I will officially be 9 weeks pregnant... This means I will be 4 weeks away from being out of the first trimester... Most people say that your morning sickness is supposed to stop around 14 weeks, which means that typically I would have about 5 weeks of morning sickness left and then I should get some relief....
HA!!!
Well, if I were typical, that may be true... But I have never been, and probably never will be, "typical"...
So my hopes aren't high for the end of "morning sickness" (yet another thing that makes me laugh, because morning doesn't have much to do with this sickness... I think this baby has a mind of his/her own...) to come anytime soon. Instead I will continue to bring you recipes that have been friendly to my rather easily up-settable pregnant palette. Try saying that one ten times fast: easily up-settable pregnant palette...
Well anyway, today I attempted an impromptu chocolate pudding. I call it impromptu because I didn't plan it out very well... In fact, I started throwing bits of randomness into it as I went, and don't you know that is usually how I end up with my best products...
Well anyway, this is how I did it (well, sort of... I will clean up the craziness for you and just give you a recipe that makes sense...)
Homemade Chocolate Pudding
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (golden brown is what I used)
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder (this is roughly how much I used... I started with 1/4 cup and the sprinkled in some more for good measure... If you want yours to be more milk chocolatey, then only use 3 Tbs, or 1/4 cup)
2 Tbs cornstarch (I started with 2 Tbs and sprinkled a little more. If you want to use this for a pudding pie, put in 3 to 4 Tbs)
Dash salt
Sift these ingredients together in a sauce pan making sure to remove all lumps. By the time I got done the powder I ended up with resembled the instant stuff you buy in a box.. But of course this will be way better....
Turn the burner on medium heat and add 2 3/4 cup milk. Whisk like crazy (don't get discouraged... at first it will look all lumpy and then all of a sudden you will have a magical moment when it all mixes into a creamy chocolate milk looking consistency.)
I sprinkled a little bit of cinnamon into the pot about halfway through, just for a nice touch... Feel free to do it if you want to.
I also noticed halfway through that it was a lot less chocolate looking than I wanted it, so I tossed in a handful of chocolate chips and stirred those like crazy until they melted too. This is also optional.
Continue to let simmer until it starts to thicken. This will also be a magical moment, so watch it closely or it will thicken into a big nasty blob (that almost happened to me, but I caught it in time!) Once it starts to boil, stir it down and remove from heat. It should be thick enough to cling to the back of a spoon (or cling to your whisk), but not as thick as cooled pudding. Remember, it will set up as it cools.
After removing from heat, stir in 2 Tbs margarine and some vanilla. Stir thoroughly, let cool a bit, then pour into serving cups (or tupperware, if you plan on saving it for later like me!).
Enjoy!!!
HA!!!
Well, if I were typical, that may be true... But I have never been, and probably never will be, "typical"...
So my hopes aren't high for the end of "morning sickness" (yet another thing that makes me laugh, because morning doesn't have much to do with this sickness... I think this baby has a mind of his/her own...) to come anytime soon. Instead I will continue to bring you recipes that have been friendly to my rather easily up-settable pregnant palette. Try saying that one ten times fast: easily up-settable pregnant palette...
Well anyway, today I attempted an impromptu chocolate pudding. I call it impromptu because I didn't plan it out very well... In fact, I started throwing bits of randomness into it as I went, and don't you know that is usually how I end up with my best products...
Well anyway, this is how I did it (well, sort of... I will clean up the craziness for you and just give you a recipe that makes sense...)
Homemade Chocolate Pudding
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (golden brown is what I used)
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder (this is roughly how much I used... I started with 1/4 cup and the sprinkled in some more for good measure... If you want yours to be more milk chocolatey, then only use 3 Tbs, or 1/4 cup)
2 Tbs cornstarch (I started with 2 Tbs and sprinkled a little more. If you want to use this for a pudding pie, put in 3 to 4 Tbs)
Dash salt
Sift these ingredients together in a sauce pan making sure to remove all lumps. By the time I got done the powder I ended up with resembled the instant stuff you buy in a box.. But of course this will be way better....
Turn the burner on medium heat and add 2 3/4 cup milk. Whisk like crazy (don't get discouraged... at first it will look all lumpy and then all of a sudden you will have a magical moment when it all mixes into a creamy chocolate milk looking consistency.)
I sprinkled a little bit of cinnamon into the pot about halfway through, just for a nice touch... Feel free to do it if you want to.
I also noticed halfway through that it was a lot less chocolate looking than I wanted it, so I tossed in a handful of chocolate chips and stirred those like crazy until they melted too. This is also optional.
Continue to let simmer until it starts to thicken. This will also be a magical moment, so watch it closely or it will thicken into a big nasty blob (that almost happened to me, but I caught it in time!) Once it starts to boil, stir it down and remove from heat. It should be thick enough to cling to the back of a spoon (or cling to your whisk), but not as thick as cooled pudding. Remember, it will set up as it cools.
After removing from heat, stir in 2 Tbs margarine and some vanilla. Stir thoroughly, let cool a bit, then pour into serving cups (or tupperware, if you plan on saving it for later like me!).
Enjoy!!!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Cheese Sauce, and Many Ways to Use it!!!
Ok so in case you didn't know... We recently found out that I am pregnant!!!!!!
Well so far this baby has been very... hmmm... let's just say picky. Very, very picky.... And by picky I mean that if this baby doesn't get exactly what he or she wants, mama gets very VERY sick... Needless to say, this is a hard task to accomplish, so I am sick a lot...
But there has been one thing that I have been craving nonstop, and that I have managed to keep down about 50% of the time (that is actually a really big deal right now, believe it or not!).
Cheese sauce... Yes, you read right: cheese sauce.... on EVERYTHING!!!!
The first time I made the sauce it was to make a homemade au gratin potatoes for my husband's birthday dinner... It was so tasty and I liked it so much I made it again a few nights later and steamed some broccoli and some rice and then mixed it all together to make homemade cheesy broccoli rice (I used to love the stuff in a bag, but that is sooooo not good for you... so this is a good alternative).
Then I made pasta the next night, steamed some more broccoli, and cut up some cooked chicken into chunks and tossed it all in cheese sauce...
Oh and if those three ideas weren't enough, I made another recipe involving crescent roll dough stuffed with chicken and cheese, topped with a cheese sauce (to which I added a can of cream of chicken and mushroom soup) then baked in the oven... super yum...
Okay so anyway... Cheese sauce...
Start with 1/4 c butter and a few tablespoons flour. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then stir in the flour and mix well. Add about a cup and a half of milk, stirring well. After the mixture bubbles, add 1 cup of cheese into the pot and stir well. Once the sauce slightly bubbles and thickens it is finished...
The type of cheese can be changed for the recipe... I have used sharp cheddar, mild cheddar, and a four cheese mixture... All of them were good, though the sharp cheddar is my personal favorite...
A few ideas for using it:
Fondue!!! Cube a loaf of french bread and dip in the cheese sauce (you can use a fancier cheese for this, or just plain old cheddar).
Broccoli Chicken Cheesy Mac: Cook pasta according to package. Meanwhile make the cheese sauce, when adding the cheese also add 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or chili powder. Steam broccoli florets and cut cooked chicken into cubes. Toss with pasta and sauce and serve. If you use already cooked chicken this recipe takes 15 minutes to make, start to finish!
Cheddar Broccoli Rice: Steam 1-2 cups of rice. Steam 1 cup of broccoli. Make cheese sauce and toss with rice and broccoli. This recipe only takes about 15 minutes to make if you use minute rice.
Cheddar Broccoli Rice Bake: Make cheddar broccoli rice. Layer a casserole dish with thinly sliced chicken tenders. Top with cheddar broccoli rice and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes, then top with cheese (and French Fried Onions if you want some fun texture!!!) and bake for 5-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Au Gratin Potatoes: Thinly slice four to six large potatoes. Layer potatoes in a casserole dish, pouring half of the sauce over the first layer, followed by another layer of potatoes, and topped with the rest of the sauce and grated cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 300 degrees for an hour and a half.
Enjoy!!!
Well so far this baby has been very... hmmm... let's just say picky. Very, very picky.... And by picky I mean that if this baby doesn't get exactly what he or she wants, mama gets very VERY sick... Needless to say, this is a hard task to accomplish, so I am sick a lot...
But there has been one thing that I have been craving nonstop, and that I have managed to keep down about 50% of the time (that is actually a really big deal right now, believe it or not!).
Cheese sauce... Yes, you read right: cheese sauce.... on EVERYTHING!!!!
The first time I made the sauce it was to make a homemade au gratin potatoes for my husband's birthday dinner... It was so tasty and I liked it so much I made it again a few nights later and steamed some broccoli and some rice and then mixed it all together to make homemade cheesy broccoli rice (I used to love the stuff in a bag, but that is sooooo not good for you... so this is a good alternative).
Then I made pasta the next night, steamed some more broccoli, and cut up some cooked chicken into chunks and tossed it all in cheese sauce...
Oh and if those three ideas weren't enough, I made another recipe involving crescent roll dough stuffed with chicken and cheese, topped with a cheese sauce (to which I added a can of cream of chicken and mushroom soup) then baked in the oven... super yum...
Okay so anyway... Cheese sauce...
Start with 1/4 c butter and a few tablespoons flour. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then stir in the flour and mix well. Add about a cup and a half of milk, stirring well. After the mixture bubbles, add 1 cup of cheese into the pot and stir well. Once the sauce slightly bubbles and thickens it is finished...
The type of cheese can be changed for the recipe... I have used sharp cheddar, mild cheddar, and a four cheese mixture... All of them were good, though the sharp cheddar is my personal favorite...
A few ideas for using it:
Fondue!!! Cube a loaf of french bread and dip in the cheese sauce (you can use a fancier cheese for this, or just plain old cheddar).
Broccoli Chicken Cheesy Mac: Cook pasta according to package. Meanwhile make the cheese sauce, when adding the cheese also add 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or chili powder. Steam broccoli florets and cut cooked chicken into cubes. Toss with pasta and sauce and serve. If you use already cooked chicken this recipe takes 15 minutes to make, start to finish!
Cheddar Broccoli Rice: Steam 1-2 cups of rice. Steam 1 cup of broccoli. Make cheese sauce and toss with rice and broccoli. This recipe only takes about 15 minutes to make if you use minute rice.
Cheddar Broccoli Rice Bake: Make cheddar broccoli rice. Layer a casserole dish with thinly sliced chicken tenders. Top with cheddar broccoli rice and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes, then top with cheese (and French Fried Onions if you want some fun texture!!!) and bake for 5-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Au Gratin Potatoes: Thinly slice four to six large potatoes. Layer potatoes in a casserole dish, pouring half of the sauce over the first layer, followed by another layer of potatoes, and topped with the rest of the sauce and grated cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 300 degrees for an hour and a half.
Enjoy!!!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Steak and Bean Quesadillas with Tomatillos!!!
So tonight's post doesn't have any pictures, but I think I am doing good to post anything at all with the rate I've been at lately...
We had these last night and a friend asked for the recipe, so I figured I might as well share it... These were delicious and, like most of my recipes, are VERY easily customized or adapted... Have at it! And like always, if you make them yourself, I would love to know any adjustments you make, or ideas you have!
You need:
1/2 lb tomatillos, husked and washed (the husks are the little green wrapper looking thing... gently peel it off and then scrub the sticky residue off of the tomatillo)
generous spoonful of minced garlic
1/2 c shredded carrot
2 tsp cumin
olive oil
2-3 london broil steaks (I don't know the exact term for them... but they are the big flat thin cuts of meat... great for salads and whatnot... if you have trouble finding them, just ask the meat guy at your grocery store for help!)
1 15 oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 cup frozen corn (rinsed and drained)
cilantro
a pack of tortillas... I used the 8 inch kind.. but the huge burrito kind would have been good for folding over... i did mine sandwich style with two tortillas.
1 - 2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
salsa (homemade if you can help it ;) of course )
shred the carrot and chop the tomatillos... saute garlic in a good glug of oil over medium high heat until fragrant... add the veggies and the cumin and stir well. cook until the veggies are tender, taking care to not burn the garlic.
add the beans and corn and heat until heated through, then transfer to a bowl, cover with foil, and set aside.
while the veggies are cooking, salt and pepper the steaks and set on a broiler pan... broil on high for about 2 minutes on each side or until brown but not over cooked.. i like mine to be the tiniest bit of pink in the middle, but that is hard to achieve with a cut this thin, so cook it to your preference. let set for a few minutes, then slice at an angle into very thin strips and set aside.
wipe out the pan you cooked the filling in and heat over medium high heat. spray a tortilla with cooking spray and lay spray side down on the hot pan... heat until browned and then spray the up side with cooking spray and flip over. top with a handful of cheese, some steak strips, a big scoop of the bean mixture, some cilantro if you have it, and some salsa. top with another tortilla (or fold over if you are using the huge ones), and spray the upside with cooking spray. once the bottom tortilla is browned, carefully flip the quesadilla and brown the other side...
remove to a cookie sheet and place in the oven to keep warm... i ended up wrapping ours up in foil first and then passed the foil wrapped quesadillas out to each individual.. it worked out well... serve cut into triangles and with salsa and lime (if you want to be fancy)...
these were delicious! I hope you enjoy them!
We had these last night and a friend asked for the recipe, so I figured I might as well share it... These were delicious and, like most of my recipes, are VERY easily customized or adapted... Have at it! And like always, if you make them yourself, I would love to know any adjustments you make, or ideas you have!
You need:
1/2 lb tomatillos, husked and washed (the husks are the little green wrapper looking thing... gently peel it off and then scrub the sticky residue off of the tomatillo)
generous spoonful of minced garlic
1/2 c shredded carrot
2 tsp cumin
olive oil
2-3 london broil steaks (I don't know the exact term for them... but they are the big flat thin cuts of meat... great for salads and whatnot... if you have trouble finding them, just ask the meat guy at your grocery store for help!)
1 15 oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 cup frozen corn (rinsed and drained)
cilantro
a pack of tortillas... I used the 8 inch kind.. but the huge burrito kind would have been good for folding over... i did mine sandwich style with two tortillas.
1 - 2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
salsa (homemade if you can help it ;) of course )
shred the carrot and chop the tomatillos... saute garlic in a good glug of oil over medium high heat until fragrant... add the veggies and the cumin and stir well. cook until the veggies are tender, taking care to not burn the garlic.
add the beans and corn and heat until heated through, then transfer to a bowl, cover with foil, and set aside.
while the veggies are cooking, salt and pepper the steaks and set on a broiler pan... broil on high for about 2 minutes on each side or until brown but not over cooked.. i like mine to be the tiniest bit of pink in the middle, but that is hard to achieve with a cut this thin, so cook it to your preference. let set for a few minutes, then slice at an angle into very thin strips and set aside.
wipe out the pan you cooked the filling in and heat over medium high heat. spray a tortilla with cooking spray and lay spray side down on the hot pan... heat until browned and then spray the up side with cooking spray and flip over. top with a handful of cheese, some steak strips, a big scoop of the bean mixture, some cilantro if you have it, and some salsa. top with another tortilla (or fold over if you are using the huge ones), and spray the upside with cooking spray. once the bottom tortilla is browned, carefully flip the quesadilla and brown the other side...
remove to a cookie sheet and place in the oven to keep warm... i ended up wrapping ours up in foil first and then passed the foil wrapped quesadillas out to each individual.. it worked out well... serve cut into triangles and with salsa and lime (if you want to be fancy)...
these were delicious! I hope you enjoy them!
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