Honey at Cub in Bear

Mmm. Honey. Honeeeeeyyyyy. 

Practically its own food group at our house. The only food that never spoils. What you're looking at here are two lovely samples given to me by a friendly bee-keeper at my local Cub Foods grocery store. He was stocking the shelves personally with his product, and after finding out we were honey lovers, offered us a sample of his regular and whipped honey. 

This image is my way of thanking him for his tasty gift. He was so excited to have his product at the store. It was a really nice moment of local farmer in the large chain grocery store. Buying local doesn't always require a trip to the farmers market, eh?

Cinnamon Girl

Or in this case, boy, for all you Neil Young fans out there. He smelled great all day.

You can also see from this photo that I'm making progress in covering all of my interior home surfaces with plastic.

Fish Friday Recipes

I've had a couple of successful new recipes this Lent. Tonight was beer-battered fish tacos with an excellent (and easy) white sauce.

A couple weeks ago I went out on a limb and made a tuna noodle casserole. Probably the first tuna casserole of my life, and it went over much better than I expected. What I mean by that is my husband and I ate it, as well as the left-overs. My kids ate the noodles, or none of it, but it's a casserole/hot-dish, which means various foods are touching one another, so that rules out 1 child for sure, and possibly more if they aren't at starvation levels. Which they apparently weren't.

The funny thing about my search for the tuna noodle casserole was reading descriptions of what people described as "like mom used to make" or "with ingredients you have on hand." The recipe that suggested I would likely have all the ingredients on hand had precisely ONE ingredient that I had on hand. The tuna. Other ingredients included a couple different "cream of --" soups, American cheese, and oyster crackers. Strikes 1, 2, and 3.

The recipe that made the cut was, shockingly, from epicurious. How often do you have a) the time and b) the ingredients to make a spur-of-the-moment epicurious recipe? Not exactly my normal week-night go-to at this stage of life. Anyway, the directions fit on one iPad screen and had ingredients that I happened to have on hand. Vitally, the reviews sounded promising. FYI, I substituted wine for the sherry and skipped the mushrooms, subbing in some red pepper. I'm extremely proud of myself for these variations on the published recipe since only about 5 years ago I would have been completely incapable of this type of Bold Move.

So if you're feeling tuna-casserole-ish, give it a whirl here: Tuna Noodle Casserole.

Chalkboard baby book

Sad, but true. You're looking at the 18-22 month portion of my son's baby book. The chalkboard wall in my kitchen is a stream-of-consciousness catch-all for me as I'm cooking meals or cleaning up. Without thinking about it too much, I started to jot down little notes to remind me of things I should include in his ACTUAL baby book. 

When I get around to it, that is. This does make me think that he might just have a section of chalkboard photos for his toddler years. 

Use-cases

iPad, wedged between toaster and old-school "printed" cookbook

iPad balanced on drying dishes

iPad supported by cactus (the most stable, arguably)

I haven't done any extensive formal user research for some time, and suspect this collection of photos I've been taking in my kitchen is scratching a latent itch. I should [not] note that this iPad is on loan from a really nice client. I'm not sure it was intended to be the recipe holder that it has become, but it's going to be a sad day when I return it. Hopefully not too oiled and floured.

Forgotten entree

Ever have a dinner party and forget to put out a main dish?

We had a soup supper tonight, with friends bringing their favorite soups to share. Great conversation, kids happily playing together until the wee hours (ok, 9PM, but that's pretty fantastic for the not-yet-2 through 7 set).

We made some sandwiches to go along with the soups. Unfortunately, I didn't remember them until everyone had gone home and we were cleaning up for the night.

What do you call food that isn't technically a left-over? Forgotten-overs?

Wish I had taken photos of all the soups. There were 6, and all fabulously different.

Cosmic Alignment

I was munching on an apple while working on my (oh my) Apple computer last week. When I finished the apple, I set the core on a paint sample that I noticed was called "apple core."

Later that afternoon, I carried the apple core and paint samples downstairs to throw away, setting the items briefly on my dining room table which is covered with…(drumroll)…

apples.

Promising use for Flaxseed Meal

Don't these little bites look tasty?
http://smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com/2011/08/no-bake-energy-bites-recipe.html

Wait. I should hesitate before sending you off to some other blog that looks tended, stylish, and like they have hired photography, but what the heck. When I showed them to my daughter, she said, "They look like oatmeal meatballs!" Fair enough. But the presence of chocolate chips will get me to try anything.

Considering that for a moment. Yes, I think that's true.

My brief search for flaxseed meal recipes landed a lot of muffins, smoothie add-ins, and brownies. Hm. Thanks, Sylvia, for sending me this recipe and therefore providing a glimmer of hope that I'll use more of this stuff before finding it rancid in my fridge a year from now.

In the meantime, if anyone needs to borrow a bit of flaxseed meal, I'm willing to share.

p.s. peanut allergies? My friend says sunbutter makes a good substitute in this recipe.

Hot Dog Party

Temperature according to my Mac when
we came back inside

It's February 5th, with almost no snow on the ground here in St Paul, Minnesota. When the kids suggested having a fire today, we instantly thought: Hot Dog Party!

So while most of the country was Super Bowling, we gathered in winter coats and plastic snow-hardy lawn chairs around our outside fire pit, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows. Joy!

By the way, there are many ways to enjoy a hot dog party.
If you're my daughter: plain hot dog on a bun
My oldest son: bun with ketchup, hold the hot dog
My youngest: plain hot dog, hold the bun
My husband: bun, hot dog, mustard
Me: bun, hot dog, ketchup, or whatever the kids haven't eaten

foot fetish

I adore little kid feet in all the random shapes, sizes, and softness that come with them. These days my youngest can often be found playing in the kitchen sink after dragging a chair over to reach all those fun knives, bowls from breakfast, and wet dishcloths that await.

When that happens, I get to stare at cute little toes straining to enjoy the extra inch going tip-toe brings.

Bran Muffins

I think these are 3rd generation now. As far as I know, this recipe originated with my grandmother, Inez Holmes. I don't know where she got it, but it's great. Cereals have changed a little over the years, and sometimes the bran doesn't break down the way it should. If you have trouble with your bran cereal not breaking down, thereby looking like cat kibble, try two things. A) try a different type of bran cereal next time (the recipe isn't that fussy) or B) try mixing the heck out of it to get them to break down after a day or two of sitting in the mix. It won't make the muffins tough.

There's a reason this recipe starts by listing the sugar first. They are moist, sweet, and multiples better than any other bran muffin out there. If you like bran muffins that taste and feel like bird seed in your mouth, these are not for you.

----
Bran Muffins -- Inez Holmes
----
2 1/2 c sugar
1 c crisco
2 t salt
1 qt buttermilk (fresh or powdered, just follow package directions if powdered)
5 c flour
5 t baking soda
4 c eggs
4 c bran buds
2 c wheaties/bran flakes
pour 2 c boiling water over cereal before adding to mixture.

Mix all together. 375 degrees for 10 mins. Increase cook time to 20+ minutes if cooking from the refrigerator. Err on the side of slightly under-baked for best texture. Batter keeps up to 6 weeks if refrigerated (according to my grandma. I've never made it past a week).

Can cut recipe in half.

Headline: Peace at Bennett's

Just had a memorably peaceful dinner out with the kids. I looked at my husband toward the end of the meal  with an eyeball message that conveyed: Wow. Is this really going this well?  

He eyeballed back: Incredible! One for the record books.

I think it was nearly an hour of sitting, ordering food, and eating calmly. No trips to the bathroom. No dumped milk. No arguments. Nothing but compliments about the food (none of which was what they'd asked for -- pizza/hot dogs).

Heaven. Absolute heaven.

Doughboy

My husband was staff chef this weekend, specializing in all things bread. On Friday he made a pizza with the Mark Bittman crust recipe, on Saturday, he made cinnamon rolls (see cinna-man in the photo), and Sunday he made chili with cornbread.

Household favorites were in order of sweetness, with cinnamon rolls being the clear winner.

Dish-slayer

For nearly 3 horrifying weeks in December I was without a dishwasher.

Long-time followers will know that I was loathe to bring a portable dishwasher into my already small kitchen, and within 2 days of doing so, fell completely in love with the thing.

Here's an action-shot of a heap of drying dishes as I worked like mad to keep dirty dishes from piling up. I did pretty well, but was oh-so-happy to have the new dishwasher arrive just in time for Christmas. Joy to my world!

Regarding the new dishwasher purchase: if you are in the market for a portable dishwasher, there are essentially 2 models out there. The expensive one, and the cheap one. Don't buy the cheap one. We did initially, and within 2 hours of it being in our house my youngest had cut his hand on the rough edge of the plastic, just opening the door! What a piece. We returned it. Expensive model=worth every penny. No bandaids required.

The Art of Cooking

My daughter was in the kitchen with me as I tried out one of my fun new kitchen tools. I was chopping some ingredients for a stew using my new hand-chopper (thanks, Mom!), and was struck by how photogenic the little squares were with colorful bits of veggie poking through. The light-dark (yes, the chiaroscuro, having recently read Despereaux), the symmetrical pattern of the squares, the unruly vegetables. 

I looked at it for a moment, and my daughter, reading my mind, said, "Mom, we should take a picture of that."

She then wanted to find some beauty of her own, with camera in hand. Here's a photo of some celery she found alluring. Isn't that green hue delicious this time of year?

I hereby dedicate myself to finding beauty in the kitchen this year. 

Blueberry Muffins

This is probably my most-made recipe. I like it because it's easy, reliable, and the muffins have a nice slightly crisp texture that makes them less cake-like and overwhelmingly sweet than some.

Blueberry Muffins--Blue Willow Inn Cookbook

------

1 egg

1/2c milk

1/4c salad oil

1 1/2c flour

1/2c sugar

2t baking powder

1/2t salt

1 cup fresh or 3/4 cup frozen blueberries

Mix all together very lightly, adding blueberries at the end.

400 degree oven, 20-25 min

Makes about 12 muffins

Toddler Lunch

Confirming once again that I am the only person in our house that eats mac n' cheese.

I have no memory of this blob.

In a hasty pre-holiday fridge clean out, I discovered a container with a white blob inside. I approached with some hesitation, as one does with items recovered from the forgotten depths of one's fridge.

It was odorless, colorless, and just the tiniest bit wiggly. The texture was quite smooth.

I asked my husband if he had any clue what it might be. He had no memory of it either. I scooped it into the trash, with the smallest bit of curiosity over what it might taste like.

A mystery best left to 2011, I think.

Two Takes on the Gingerbread Man

My daughter's gingy, with cute little Santa hat.

 99¢ kits at Trader Joe's. So fun! They're about 10 inches tall, so look substantial enough to hop off the pan and run away.

My son's gingy, with fangs.

Are you a freegan?

One thing I love about my work (when wearing the graphic design hat) is coming across niche info. For example, I hit on an article tonight that discussed the existence of the Oxford English Dictionary's "rejected words" vault. This word is apparently among them:

Freegan 


Someone who rejects consumerism - usually by eating discarded food

Read more: http://digitaljournal.com/article/295635#ixzz1gZtmzIVS

I never would have thought this, but I am probably closer to being vegan than freegan. Interesting idea, though.