October 29, 2012

Hey all!! It's been a few days since I blogged but I've been SUPER busy. This weekend the children and I visited our town's Fire Station Open House. It was really neat to see THE JAWS OF LIFE in action. The kids were able to get in the fire trucks, ambulance and helicopter. They even had a clown show teaching the importance of having an escape route during emergencies. We also visited a SPOOKY CASTLE at a separate event. The children were able to participate in face painting and crafts. So with that being said, I haven't cooked in a few days. I was itching to get in the kitchen today; so, I prepared GROUND TURKEY MEATLOAF, MAC N CHEESE AND CABBAGE (this was cooked by my honey bun). The art of making a good turkey meatloaf is to make sure it's flavorful and moist. I typically add assorted spices and DICED ONIONS, DICED PEPPERS AND FRESH PARSLEY (my TRINITY). For moisture, I add WORCHESTERSHIRE SAUCE and cook at 400° for the first 20 minutes then I drop the temp to 350°...this sears/seels the meat to trap in juices. Once the cooking ends, let the meat rest for about 15 minutes before cutting. It was also nice to have my sweety cooking with me...ladies for added intimacy, let your men assist you in the kitchen by slicing veg or actually preparing a dish.

October 23, 2012

Tonight I was able to use the SWEET BASIL I bought for the first time. I prepared CHICKEN PARMESAN WITH RED SAUCE OVER SPAGHETTI. When using a new spice make sure you add all the usual ingredients then taste the dish. Next add the new ingredient(s) and taste the difference. Typically my red tomato sauce tastes just like RED TOMATO SAUCE with onions, spices and peppers but once the SWEET BASIL was added a new robust, italian sauce was created. Also, for you all who bread meats for pan frying or baking try using PANKO BREADCRUMBS....OMG it's one of my favorite things in the world outside of my children and the Lord himself. The crunchiness alone gives this product 5 STARS in my book. Usually PANKO CRUMBS are plain so you can mix all types of ingredients in...but there are also season blended panko. For italian dishes I mix PANKO WITH REGULAR ITALIAN BREADCRUMBS. ::UPDATE:: The PERSIMMON is still hard as a rock.

October 21, 2012

Today I made cinnamon, honey pancakes with bacon for my children. Here's a great tip for pancakes...cook the pancakes in the bacon grease and rinse plus wipe the skillet/griddle out between pancakes for the best looking pancakes. We also spent the day reading to each other while I slow cooked country-style ribs, cut fresh green beans and peeled sweet potatoes. I also used that time to complete my final recipe for the ribs. I also tried a different technique for cooking the green beans. I hate to admit it but my family prefers the texture of canned green beans vs fresh; so, I sauteed half an onion diced in olive oil with about 3 cups of the cut green beans. I sauteed them for about 10 minutes or until the green beans started to turn a bright emerald color. Once the color changed I added bouillon (typically beef bouillon but today chicken which gave a lighter taste) and spices; then, I added about 5 cups of water and cooked on medium heat for about one hour. The texture was spot on to the canned version and the kiddos loved it. We finished our day by watching THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK and this time I cried as always.

October 20, 2012

Today's entry will be about DIET (...and I didn't say diets or dieting). According to Websters, DIET (n) means the food that a person, animal or community habitually consumes. This is important due to a diet being a way of life and a new diet is a change in LIFESTYLE. As a parent, you are told by a doctor that your child is obese, for example. With this diagnosis, you decide to "put your child on a diet". In order for that child to be successful in living a healthier lifestyle the entire family must change and adapt. Never RESTRICT...MODIFY. If you want to cut back on sugar...go from SODAS to JUICE to LIGHT JUICES; and limit the times in  a day he/she can drink sweetened drinks. Juice is allowed only at dinner or lunch..push milk or water during snacks and breakfast. If you want to cut back on CARBS...don't send your child to school with lettuce wrapped sandwiches because bread isn't allowed in the house. MODIFY...instead of a whole sandwich with two slices of bread, make half a sandwich with extra fruits in the lunch and cheese. Or a great alternative for bread are SANDWICH WRAPS/TORTILLAS. Yes these wraps are similar to bread in nutritional value but ONE MEDIUM WRAP replaces TWO SLICES OF BREAD...(plus they come in different flavors...I love spinach wraps and my children love wheat or multigrain best). Replace FRUIT SNACKS with actual FRUIT. Don't put JELLY on that PB/J, just do PB with GRAPES/STRAWBERRIES on the side. Not everyone has the time to prepare things fresh or cook meals from scratch; but, remember when you do, YOU know  EXACTLY what's in YOUR MEAL. For those "DIET FOOD" consumers...BEWARE...if something is SUGAR FREE it's typically full of fat to compensate for flavor; and, if it's FAT FREE it's typically full of sodium/salt. **FUN FACT...when you drink the DIET SODAS that have no sugar, the body still responds by releasing insulin due to the sweet taste; therefore, you become hungry since insulin doesn't have any sugar to counteract with** Remember dieting is a quick fix for weight but when you modify your lifestyle, you are set for life.

October 18, 2012

Hey daily readers, (...did you miss me) I didn't make an entry yesterday since there wasn't much going on. However, I did start reading Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain with my 9 year old yesterday after homework time. Today, baby Maelena and I went on an adventure. We went to the local farmer's market and park. At the farmer's market, they had all the produce for the fall season...APPLES, PUMPKINS, GOURDS and SQUASH. They also had local honey from different farms. If you have never had a chance to taste honey from different farms, you should try it. It's similar to tasting wines from different vineyards. Honeybees consume foods from their natural surroundings. For example, if the honey comes from a pumpkin farm then the honey will have a slight pumpkin flavor. I personally have honey from a blackberry farm which has a slight tart taste of black berries which gives some of my dishes an extra dimension. So if you love honey, pay the extra money to experience something glorious. Typical of farmer's markets, there were plenty of JAMS, SAUCES, SPICE BLENDS and SALSAS. SWEET POTATO BUTTER is something that caught my eye...I mean, is it like PEANUT BUTTER or APPLE CINNAMON BUTTER? One day I will purchase it and let you guys know. But true to my personal projects, I did purchase a new vegetable/fruit. I bought a PERSIMMON (...I know, what the heck is a persimmon). Well after talking with one of the owners, he said it's "like" a fruit; his grandmother made PERSIMMON PIES. He also gave me a tip...DO NOT EAT PERSIMMONS UNTIL THE FRUIT HAS RIPENED (...water balloon-like were his words).  I have attached a picture of the fruit, but the skin is similar to a nectarine and the flesh is hard like a baseball. When it ripens in a few days, I will describe the taste. I also bought some SWEET POTATOES, GREEN BEANS and STRAWBERRIES. Strawberries from a farmer's market are sweeter and larger than the strawberries at the large supermarkets. After we left the market, Maelena and I went to the park to play in the fall leaves. At lunch, we ate PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES and FRESH STRAWBERRIES.

October 16, 2012

Today was an exciting day because I had my weekly excursion to the grocery store (I know, just let the thrill of shopping hit you...I'll wait). My current side venture is to either purchase a new spice, vegetable or fresh herb when I visit the grocer; today's winner was SWEET BASIL...haven't quite gotten the courage to purchase the HUGE GINGER ROOT in the produce section.  I also picked up one of my new favorite cuts of beef, CARNE PICADA. Carne picada is a shredded beef that can be cooked (browned) in under 5 minutes to tender perfection. I use this particular cut in STIR FRIES, STEWS, SPANISH DISHES and SALADS. I also brought plenty of fruits and cheese for my children. **FUN FACT: Did you know that GRAPES have the highest SUCROSE/SUGAR content out of all the fruits and ONIONS have the highest for vegetables? So, instead of FRUIT SNACKS and JUICE , take GRAPES and WATER to your kid's next sporting event and he/she will get all the carbs and hydration needed. Instead of cooking your meals with added sweeteners like SUGAR or KETCHUP try using SAUTEED ONION for added sweetness and bite in a savory dish**. So, my field trip to the grocery store was very productive.

Monday, October 15

Today was pretty uneventful regarding my culinary expertise. I prepared tuna in which we had chips with. My one year old had her first taste of tuna and by-golly sshe liked it. While looking through the weekly ads for grocery stores, I realized I keep forgetting to start my new hobby of couponing (6 months into the planning stage). Speaking of couponing, I had an educational discussion/tutorial on how coupons work with my 9 year old daughter. She actually thought that coupons are the equivalent to money (well, in a way it is)...for example, if you have a coupon for $1 off of milk (I would love that kind of discount) that would be equal to getting a free milk; so, I cleared up that type of thinking for her. Also, while searching through the ads, I was inspired to make CARAMEL APPLES for Halloween....hmmm, maybe CANDIED APPLES as well.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Today, I have been battling a serious sinus headache. I put out chicken drumsticks to thaw with the hopes of making fried chicken; however, that decision was immediatedly vetoed (..spelling ugh) in my mind. So, I decided to bake the chicken with mac n cheese with green beans.

Once, 6 pm came and another child was added to my large tribe (the neighbor's child) mac n cheese and green beans turned into fried rice which gave me an excuse to use my new wok given to me by a friend. 

So, the fam ate baked chicken and rice (I know, where's the veg...hey, I was sick). For the rare occassions that I do not make a veg with our meal, I keep salad greens for side salads (great tip..I think). The older kids had mango popsicles for dessert and the 2 lil ones had applesauce (no sugar added).

My Bio

I am a 31 year old mother of 4 exciting children ranging from 12 to 1 year of age. I am currently a stay at home mother/student. I am divorced yet engaged to the father of my youngest. (I refer to them as my EX and NEXT HUSBANDS). We reside in Texas but I am originally from Missouri (which contributes to my cooking style...this being a cooking blog). I have always been told that I am a great cook; however, I never had the passion for cooking that I possess now until I met my "next" hubs (who is also a wonderful home cook). Staying at home has also widened my cooking capabilities more than when I was a working mom. I have a very natural, old-school ("scratch" cooking) approach to cooking and food preparation but in a new era..hence the title of this blog. I am currently in the beginning stages of authoring my own cookbook and commencing a catering/food prep business. During my research on these new ventures in my life, it was highly recommended that I start a blog...and here we are. This WILL NOT be a "365 day/1 recipe a day" type blog but the main focus will be centered around my cooking, parenting and personal home life. With that being said...LET THE FUN BEGIN!!!

Something New

Today, I started a new adventure in blogging. I have very minimal experience in reading and or writing aa blog so please have patience. I actually am starting this blog as a research tool for writing a cookbook andd starting a catering company. Currently, I am going through a very interesting time in my life so this blog just mightt take on a life that is different fromm its initial purpose. Nevertheless, I hope all, if any, will enjoy this blog. Thank you, Young Mum