My Way, No. 33

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! My mind is already on Chanukah & Christmas. Last year, it took me awhile to get into the spirit. I have decided to go with re&upcycled neutral-colored decorations for both this year. Wood, tans, creams, beiges, burlap, and gold. I’m starting to think about edible gifts for friends and parties, but for me, All I want for Christmas is my 2 Beanie Boos. Have you seen the Beanies with the big eyes? They are so adorable. I bought one as a gift, but they have a penguin and pink owl that I’m just in love with.

I started to feel like I was coming down with something last Tuesday night. I made sure to drink plenty of water, took some Vit C, and got as much extra rest as I could. I felt fine Wednesday morning, but started to feel sluggish again by the afternoon. Out for a walk that day, I saw a sign on a car that read, ‘Say No.’ I have no idea what it was about for the driver, but I decided it was good advice — say ‘no’ to anything telling me to overextend myself (cooking and preparing for the Holiday). The point of this year’s menu was to be “less stress,” as I said. So, I prepared as much as I could, but when my body told me “no more”…I listened. I hit the hay very early and by Thursday, I was bright and chipper — ready to tackle French bread and more. I’m glad I paid attention to the Tips on Managing the Holiday Blues. It would have been unrealistic of me to think I could keep going at full speed (when my body was signaling for me to stop). I have kept going in the past and paid for it…dearly.

— The meal turned out fine, and I was able to make the kale salad the day ahead. I have been enjoying Waldorf salads since then, though. I recall the first time I had one (somewhere around middle school, I think), it was prepared by a family friend’s daughter. I thought ewww, apples and grapes in salad??? Salad is lettuce and tomatoes! Lol. But, I was made a believer, and it’s still one of my fave salad preps. More Adventures in Food to tell you about today: pre-Holiday, I made a vegetarian version of this Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole.

I didn’t actually make it ahead, but it was still a wonderful treat. I needed a smaller to-go snack, had a couple of bread ends left over, and this popped into my mind. I mixed 1 egg, an egg yolk, and homemade non-fat yogurt, poured it over the bread cubes, topped it with the sautéed veg/seasonings, then popped it in the oven. I made just an individual portion and cut it into quarters. I’ve prepared this several times and have eaten it hot and room temp. When it was room temp, the yogurt gave it a cheesy taste (I didn’t add any cheese with the veggies). This casserole was so satisfying, and you can do it up any way you like. Sort of a heartier fritatta. I think this will be a brunch hit, for sure. You could put it in muffin tins and have some with veggies and some with meat, perhaps.

Vegan Butternut Squash Veggie Pizza

After a couple of bites, I thought, I could give up tomato sauce pizza for this. Then, of course, I came to my senses. But, the thought was out there for a few seconds. Honey whole wheat crust (1/2 whole wheat & 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour with vital wheat gluten) adapted from The Best New York Style Pizza. Again, little sprinkle of smoked salt on the crust. Sprinkling salt or a sweetener on the outside of baked goods, etc., is a trick I frequently use. If I can taste the saltiness or sweetness a little more directly, I use a lot less in the overall recipe. I didn’t have broccolini, but the kale was delish! I just should have put a bit more on, I think. Next time. 1/2 of the crust recipe made 8 mini pizzas. Fab to pop out of the freezer when the mood struck (often, haha). This was a pre-freezer pic. I use a cast iron pan for my pizzas, but here’s a fun, inexpensive DIY link: 3 Dollar Pizza Stone.

Wow! A little goes a long way for this Mother of All Bread Dips. A crowd pleaser in which you can pretty much make from everything from scratch, or take easy short-cuts. I ran out of sweet paprika, so I subbed smoked, and used fresh oregano & rosemary vs. dry. You can make your own cheese (Homemade Cheese) and bread (like 40 Cents No-Knead Bread or Whole Grain No-Knead Artisan Bread), dice your homegrown veggies, and brine your own olives, or…get bread from the bakery and buy pre-diced tomatoes & peppers, feta, and olives from the local market. Either way, I think your guests will be pleased. Think about this recipe for those upcoming parties and potlucks.

I want to make this “Feeling Your Oats” Triple Oats Bread recipe one day. Pressed for time, I merged the concept with the NY-Style Bagels recipe (no boiling). It features oat flour, oat bran, and rolled oats (along with wheat). I made two loaves (with about 1/2 hr rest/rise time, instead of 10 min), the first for Whipped Feta-Persimmon Crostini w/ Pomegranate Molasses and Mint.

My store-bought pom molasses were a tad runny, so I reduced them a bit. Now is a good time to stock up on fresh cranberries for homemade cranberry molasses/reducs. I added a little homemade Greek-style yogurt to the feta. The persimmons were really sweet, so I balanced them out with the molasses (vs. my initial thought of balsamic) and a sprinkling of sea salt. This was so simple, but filling and delightful.

Finally, a sweet treat: Spicy Sweet Potato Galette:

Homemade Mexican vanilla soft-serve non-fat froyo, pecans, pom molasses reduc. Short-cut to my craving for Thanksgiving sweet potato pie, inspired by the spicy sweet potato soup I made a few weeks ago. Normally, our pie recipe is mashed baked or boiled sweet potatoes (I prefer baked because I love to eat the skins after baking), butter, nutmeg, vanilla, eggs, salt, and sugar in a shortening/butter pie shell. No whipped cream or ice cream, no nuts. Really simple, but loaded with mucho sat fat, cholesterol, cals, salt, sugar, etc. This was a quick mandoline slicing of a couple of potatoes tossed with nutmeg, vanilla,  a little coconut palm sugar, salt, crushed red pepper, and cayenne (not too spicy). I let them sit for a bit while preparing the crust. No sprouted flour left, so oat + whole wheat pastry flour with almond butter. This is my new go-to way to get my SPP crush on! I loved the combo of the sweet, the spicy, the tartness, warm pie with cool froyo, the nuts…just yum! And, it can be made in nearly half the time of the other pie.

— #GivingTuesday. Happy to read these articles: The Telegraph Christmas Charity Appeal 2015: Rethink Mental Illness, Last year’s Guardian and Observer charity appeal: mental health. Also, Trisha Goddard, Ade Adepitan, Lenny Henry Support Rethink Mental Illness Campaign | blacknet.co.uk.

— Going to get a little shimmery & sparkly for the Holidays? Several style inspirations here: Boat People Vintage – DIY style & art de vivre.

Or, what about plaid? Can’t be bad. DIY Plaid Blazer & Skirt | mimigoodwin.blogspot.com.

DIY tea bags from wrapping paper: Love Mae Blog | Tea Bag Gift Tag Tutorial.

Love this circular log holder and porcelain tableware: Porcelain Dinnerware and Ironworks | athome.kimvallee.com.

— Today’s Delights:

Bharwan/Stuffed Fish Recipe – Boldsky.

The Perfect Caramel Cake | cleobuttera.com.

Carrots, Dates, and Mint Salad | foodpleasureandhealth.com.

Beet Sports Energy Shots | yurielkaim.com. Great info in this post!

Butternut Squash Nachos | greenhealthycooking.com. You know I cannot have too much full-fat cheese at one time, so I made a version of these as tacos. Super!

Herring Apple Potato Salad | Kosher Scoop.

Pistachio Mulberry Fruit Nut Clusters | gourmandeinthekitchen.com.

Jack Frost Cocktail | Pretty Drinks | Pinterest.

It’s late, so have a great Wednesday! Until next time. Take care!

My Way, No. 32

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— I’ve told you how I love jackets. I really like this style (with the shirt & pants) I came across: My Style | Pinterest.

With the Holidays fast approaching, I’m sure some of you have youngins in recitals and whatnot. I found this super easy no-sew tutu tutorial I wanted to share: Adorable DIY No-Sew Tutu | simplyrealmoms.com.

You could probably use the same technique for an adult-sized petticoat for, say, a vintage circle skirt (or adult tutu).

— Adventures in Food: After making the citrus-mirin eggplant spread, I decided to prepare a simpler version of one of my all-time fave dishes: Eggplant Parmigiana Zoodles.

Instead of going through the whole bake-fry process, I just cubed it, then added it to my sauce. I think I’ve prepared this at least a dozen times now, and it’s still going strong. This pic, I prepared the zoodles separately. Many times, I just add them right into the sauce, though. I think I prefer them that way. I did my sauce on the stove, but I think I should make a big slow cooker batch soon (if my cravings continue). Extremely filling without being too heavy. Yums!

Moosewood Mixed Vegetable Curry from this post:

I became distracted and almost scorched the forbidden rice. I caught it just in time! This was fab & filling. I only altered it slightly by adding a few raisins while it was cooking (in addition to garnish), just a few mistos of oil, and I threw the carrots and tomatoes in just a couple of minutes before it finished. This can be a super versatile recipe, and you can surely experiment with the veggies you have on hand. Will be making this again soon!

Remember this fancy-dish post: Beetroot-Cured Salmon with Chrain and Herb Salad? While I would love to present this absolutely gorgeous recipe one day, I took the fanciness down a few notches (to my simple level, haha). For my everyday needs, just plain ole bay-goohlz & lahks:

I really liked this change-up from my usual gravad lax recipe. I used rum (as this recipe called for instead of my usual brandy), shredded beets, orange zest, black peppercorns, sea salt, coconut sugar, and basil. I like to weight mine down before placing it in the fridge. Also in this pic is the Rosemary Cranberry Spread from the Pates & Spreads post. I used homemade yogurt cheese for the base. So simple & tasty! I made mini sprouted rye bagels with charnushka (using the NY-Style Bagels recipe) for both. I didn’t have lovage, watercress, or borage flowers for the salad, so I improvised with celery leaves, mint, and toasted walnuts. Yummy! I think I will leave the chrain a bit chunkier next time.

2nd fishy use: Eggs Mornay with Beet-Cured Salmon, Mushrooms, Asparagus, and Chive Oil.

Lighter sauce with skim milk and a wee bit of parm. Sautéed mushrooms and asparagus in the bottom, topped with some sauce, eggs, more sauce, finished with lox, steamed asparagus, and chive oil. If I could have more cheese in my diet, I think I could eat this everyday. Even with a little toast, very satisfying, without being overly heavy.

Last adventure for today: Spicy Sweet Potato-Roasted Apple Soup in a “Pumpkin” Bread Bowl:

I really wasn’t sure how this would turn out, but it wasn’t that bad. The soup part I knew I could handle. Very simple, just baked sweet potatoes, roasted apples & mirepoix (carrots, scallion & leek whites, celery), fresh garlic, chile arbol, nutmeg, few pinches garlic & onion powder (lends a little different profile vs. fresh) few pinches of coconut sugar, a couple of orange segments (at the end, just before blending), water, s&p. I’m not very artistic (even with something as seemingly easy as a pumpkin), so that part made me a little nervy. I think I did OK, considering my lack of talent. I decided to use the bagel dough recipe (without the boiling, just a few spritzes of oil), as it’s a very quick, dense bread. I only made 2 bowls to test it out (1/3 of the recipe, 1 cup of flour w/ 1 TBSP vital wheat gluten). I checked on them after 20 minutes baking time, and they looked just about done. The top of the “stem” was very brown, so I covered it with a piece of foil. They were nicely browned after an additional 5 minutes.

I used sweet potatoes as I prefer them to pumpkin, but pumpkin soup in a “pumpkin” bread bowl is the obvious alternative. The addition of cream would up the luxury factor. I took the bagel dough shortcut, but I know there are all sorts of fab bread recipes out there that would fit the bill. This size bowl is nice for a small app, but you could double it for a main.

— Celebs Call For End To Mental Illness ‘Stigma’ | news.sky.com.

— 17 Genius Uses of Witch Hazel | mixer2mower.com.

— After seeing this, I’m indecisive about making a stone or pottery serving tray. Maybe I’ll do both. Mosaic Serving Tray or Plate | craftideas.info.

How awesome are these silver and gold leaf concrete bowls? Golden moon surfaces | architonic.com.

— Today’s Lovely Dishes:

Most of the time, I have to be in the mood to eat sausage (unlike bacon). But, what to do with all that leftover T-Day turkey? Here’s an idea: Turkey Breakfast Sausage | paleoaholic.com. 

I’m thinking we might just skip the turkey again this year and go for an all-carb meal of spaghetti, wine, and bread, though.

Homemade sausage would be a fabulous addition to this: Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole | Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Some evil person left Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies in the lunchroom (and baskets of candy in other places). I barely escaped with just one cookie consumed, and I never looked back, lol. Looking for mint recipes, I came across this: Homemade Thin Mint Cookies | flavorthemoments.com.

Make sure to support your local Girl Scouts’ cookie sales, though, too (if you have the opportunity)! I have to give mine away, or else I can easily eat the entire box, haha.

Simple Milk Kefir Yeast Bread | culturesforhealth.com. “Kefir contains various strains of yeast. These yeasts are similar in properties to those found in a sourdough starter, so kefir can be used make bread with no additional yeast or sourdough starter!” I wonder if this would work with water kefir as well???

THE MOTHER OF ALL BREAD DIP RECIPES: OLIVE OIL INFUSED WITH FLAVOR AND TEXTURE | glowkitchen.com.

I love a pb&j smoothie! Several smoothies to choose from here: Delicious Smoothies to Enjoy! – Essential Health.

Flavor up this classic recipe any way you like: Duchess Potatoes Recipe – Chowhound.

Vegan Butternut Squash Veggie Pizza | Minimalist Baker Recipes.

Tastes like waffles in a cup, the blog says: Irish Brunch Cocktail | theflairexchange.com.

See you next time!

My Way, No. 28

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

Hope Rosh Hashanah has been a wonderful time!

— Adventures in Food: Breakfasts for Dinner! I usually have fruit during the morning hours, so here are a couple of evening meals I recently enjoyed:

No, it’s not eggs! It’s a fake-out chickpea flour & tofu omelette. I found the recipe on the same site as the recently posted English muffins: Potato-Avocado Tofu Omelettes. Now, I do love eggs, but I thought the recipe sounded intriguing. If you recall, I did a lot of potato recipes the previous few weeks, so I went with sautéed kale, mini sweet peppers, criminis, and avocado (though, the potatoes in the pic looked SO yummy!). I sautéed the criminis in a little homemade Worcestershire and red wine. This is one of my fave ways to have mushrooms. Sometimes, I add a little butter and thyme. If you’ve never made your own Worcestershire, I just looked up this recipe: Homemade Worcestershire Sauce. I like to make mine with apple & balsamic vin, blackstrap molasses, honey (maybe stevia), smelly fish ;), tamari, garlic, onion, mustard powder, chile, some warm spices, and tamarind. If you run out of anchovies while making Caesar dressing, try Worcestershire to pinch-hit. If you’ve never seen tamarind, this is what it looks like (it’s also available in other forms, like paste):

Apparently, the original version of the recipe calls for Indian black salt to create a more ‘authentic egg experience.’ As I lacked such an item, I subbed the sea salt I smoked. I also ran out of nutritional yeast and replaced it with parm. The recipe indicates you should use a cooked chickpea flour vs. raw, and it gives illustrations of how you can tell the difference (if you purchase your flour). I ground dry peas for my flour and just cooked out the rawness a bit. I really enjoyed this meal (though I will still whip up a traditional omelette every now and then). Check out this recipe for sure if you don’t do eggs.

You know my obsession with carrot cake! Carrot cake steel-cut oats with shredded carrots, raisins, pineapple, walnuts, fresh coconut, ground cinnamon & ginger, pure Mexican vanilla extract, pinch of salt. As with my rice pudding, I like to put the vanilla and salt in after it’s finished cooking (cinnamon & ginger during). I throw the carrots in about a minute before the end of the cooking time (except garnish). Everything else is a topping. I forgot the honey in the pic, but I usually finish with a bit to sweeten.

I made versions of this dish several times: Daikon Radish Pasta with Corn and Tomatoes in Creamy Coconut Sauce.

I didn’t have daikon, so I subbed squash. In this pic, I also bulked it up with 1 oz. of whole wheat spaghetti. If you want to lighten up your traditional pasta dishes, a blend of a veggie spiral and a flour pasta is a great way to go. I just eyeballed the ingredients, but the sauce was fab. I can see it translating to all kinds of things. I used a blend of coconut water & milk I had in the freezer.

I told you I made the lovely Cherry Tomatoes & Basil Sauce from the last My Way post, and that gave birth to these roasted tomatoes:

I know roasted tomatoes aren’t the prettiest thing to look at! This has to be one of my fave preps in probably the past 6 months or so, though. So simple, but I could have made a meal out of them. I made several batches. I filled the pan with a little water (about halfway up to the tomatoes), roasted garlic cloves, salt, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, and basil. After one batch reached room temp, I had a hard time not just popping all of them in my mouth right then. They were SO GOOD! I also used them to top pasta (veggie & wheat spag), and this flatbread:

I adapted the flatbread/pizza dough from this recipe: The Best New York Style Cheese Pizza.

So, again, maybe not the most attractive meal in the world, but this was so tasty (prepared it a couple of times)! I made a honey-whole wheat dough with a little parm and garlic powder added. I adjusted the salt a bit because of the parm and smoked sea salt on the crust (like I did with the Sriracha garlic knots). I can’t remember where I read about the smoked salt, but I really like it. I added a little cornmeal to the bottom of the pan & replaced some of the oil with homemade non-fat yogurt. Sauce was a mixture of homemade non-fat yogurt and homemade (skim) feta (I hafta keep my dairy + fat portions low, boo 😦 ). Little finish of pomegranate molasses.

— Last My Way post, I forgot I wanted to tell you about the convertible Henkaa dress fabric. It’s a wrinkle-resistant fabric. If you’ve ever been to Chico’s, it kind of reminds me of a wrinkle-resistant travel-knit fabric they have. The young lady demo-ing the dress spilled something on it at lunch. She had a spare dress scrunched up in her purse and changed into it after the mishap. No ironing or steaming. The first dress was a floor length, and the second above-the-knee. She was very tall, and both dresses looked fabulous on her. After that last post, I watched a few of the various style vids. You have to see them. Amazing!

— I saw this on my food co-op’s social page. I think a lot of people know this type of thing goes on, but it’s always still shocking to see it in print: A Guide to Food Industry Front Groups | centerforfoodsafety.org.

— I found this article heart-breaking, but I’m glad they took the billboard down:Mental Health Advocates Topple Kenneth Cole Billboard Falsely Linking Mental Health Conditions and Gun Violence | bizjournals.com.

— I read back through a few of the articles from the last installment of my Mental Health Series. This article really hit me, so I wanted to post it here (and I may post it a few more times). Schizophrenia is not a split personality, there are four main symptoms | thejournal.ie. I think everyone should read this. It’s not just about this particular illness. It deals with some heart issues. I think you will find it enlightening.

— DIY Dip Dye Jeans | Fusion e-Magazine.

Maybe you could also DIY something like this: Wheretoget.it.

— I am in the market for a different (neutral-colored vs. my last vibrant color choice) heart rate monitor watch. While searching for one, I came across this sports bra made for the heart sensor chest strap: Pure Lime Compression Bra for Heart Rate Sensors – High Impact.

— OK, these are totally fun and hysterical! I love the bar, cat bed, and speakers.
DIY Retro Furniture — 12 Things To Do With Vintage Suitcases | Loffee.

— Deodorizing Homemade Lavender Linen Spray Recipe | soapdelinenews.com.

— Today’s Featured Recipes:

My mom likes to watch her sugars (and sodium), but she doesn’t care for several sugar subs. She especially doesn’t like stevia! She tried to use the same ratio as white sugar, lol! So, I have to sneak these things into her food sometimes, hehe. I’ve never used the sugar sub called for in this recipe, but you may be able to sub the sub if you need to:
Low Carb Cinnamon Sugar Cake Donuts – Gluten Free | Modern Low Carb.

Walnut and Olive Spelt Bread Rolls | Quite Good Food.

Brie, Fig Jam, and Serrano Ham Crostini | Flavor the Moments.

Tequila-Orange Grilled Shrimp | Cookbook Recipes.

Jewish Holiday Recipes: Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwiches | Gourmet Kosher Cooking. An idea you could adapt very easily. They suggest chocolate doughnuts with coffee or cookie and cream ice cream.

Chef JD’s Cuisine & Travel Website Turnstile | Cherokee Hominy and Tomato Soup.

This is not really a recipe, but you could really let your imagination run wild with this one: Home cured duck ham, Hendricks compressed cucumber, summer fruit and nitro sorbet. Due South Chefs Ltd.

Ginger Candy Appletini  Recipe | aroundmainline.com. I like the caramel apple garnish 🙂

Take good care of yourself, and I’ll see you next time!

My Way, No. 25

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I really saw a lot accomplished this weekend. Just odds and ends, but it feels so good to ‘check things off your list.’ Lists are one of my main motivators, I’ve found. I’m a firm believer in “Write the vision.” Writing a blog post was also on my list, so that’s one more goal down. A former work supervisor (who is a psychologist), told me there’s a physical chemical reaction when we check off our goals. It gives us a natural high, I think she said (or something to that effect). I haven’t researched it, but I think she’s right!

— Today’s Adventures in Food: Don’t laugh, but…inspired by my post Which ‘wich is Which?, I decided to have a 3 o’clock in the morning tea party. I woke up, wanted a snack, and remembered the post’s story about how tea service began…just a little bite to tide you over until the main event. I took a pic because I wanted to remember that even with leftovers and inexpensive foodstuffs, you can create a fun meal (it was early, don’t judge too harshly 😉 ).

If you have tuna and egg salad already prepared in the fridge (as I know you do…OK, maybe not 🙂 ), then your tea party-for-one is just minutes away. I took a lot of cues from the tea sandwiches I posted. Earlier in the day, I had prepared 2 different loaves of bread, so I was all set on the bread front (more on that in a bit). I used pretty standard fillings/spreads. I don’t care if folks think they’re over done, cucumber sands are still one of my fave things…so, I went with that first. The recipe in the post calls for a butter-herb spread, but I made use of my homemade yogurt cheese. A leftover boiled red potato provided a base for spicy egg salad with fresh horseradish & homemade mustard. I also mimicked the post’s peek-a-boo round, but I didn’t have a fancy fluted cutter. I used a cuke slice for curried tuna salad (w/ mashed avocado for a little creaminess), and I used the tuna for a sand, as well. Leftover sweet mini peppers provided garnishes, and I stacked them with cukes and yogurt cheese for a small sand. My thought was to have a few celery sticks with peanut butter, but I started to crave the tender, yellow inner stalks. They are my fave part. These sandwiches made for a delightful light snack, and I didn’t feel too weighed down when I had to do my morning workout a few hours later, haha.

— As I’ve said before, I usually try to not alter baking recipes too much…but, I ran out of regular yeast and wanted to bake a 2nd loaf of bread. The first loaf was a whole wheat-Yukon potato bread and was nice and dense. The 2nd loaf was a whole wheat-teff bread. I decided to try the instant yeast I had. I followed the food processor method I posted here, but allowed for only one rise time. The normal recipe calls for (2) one hour rises. Well, after 45-50 minutes, I went to check on it. It was HUGE — like molten lava! The pic of the potato bread (L) is about what the loaf would have looked like had I prepared it the normal way:

The potato bread actually has more flour as well. Besides the dough volume increasing, the texture also became light and airy. It reminded me of a loaf of squishy store-bought bread. I like this kind of bread for simple tuna salad or pb&j. So, I think this was a terrific accidental experiment for me.

— I did get to have my raspberry pie I wrote about in the 4th of July post. I took a big shortcut, though, and prepared a whole wheat pastry crust round, then plunked it atop the raspberries. I put it in a tea cup, so I could feel like I was having something special (instead of just pi-ah, lol). I subbed raw almond butter for the crust’s butter/lard.

I had a teacher who would always tell this joke, “Pie R square, cornbread are round.” lol. He had a wooden paddle that he kept for students who got out of line. He would say, “I’m going to have to perform an operation on you.” Anyway, troublemaking classmates knew to wear a couple pair of underpants just in case, haha.

Raw Salad Bowl with romaine and beet greens, julienne beets, zuc, and carrots, scallions, shaved Brussels,cauliflower, and creminis. I went with a creamy version of the salad dressing used in the previously posted Mung Bean Salad. Tasty!

And, lastly, to get myself out of a banana pudding smoothie for breakfast rut, I made a fruity smoothie bowl.

No, it’s not dragon fruit (though that would have been yummy). That bright pink hue is homemade non-fat yogurt, strawberries, beets, banana, oats, and flax. Make sure to check out that homemade yogurt post if you haven’t already! What I like about the particular slow cooker method used is that a thermometer is not required. Just keep track of your cooking times, and you’re good to go. Or, just go get Noosa Honey Yogurt, haha. I punched up the pink base with a few summer berries, kiwi, oranges, banana, homemade maple-flax granola, goji berries, and chia seeds.

— Apparently the new thing with a few people I know is a sort of clothing roulette site called Stitch Fix. It started with one of the cohorts and then spread. Only, it’s not too much of a gamble, as you give a stylist the low down on your tastes, preferences, etc., and they select items for you based on that info. “For busy women on the go, Stitch Fix is the personal styling service tailored to your taste, budget and lifestyle that helps you look and feel your best every day.” The woman who gave me the scoop told me she’s taking a few of the pieces on her upcoming honeymoon. When she told me she was having a big military production-type wedding, I said, “Oh, just like I Dream of Jeannie.” She said they are going as Jeannie and the Major to a costume party, haha! Awesome. Some days, don’t you wish Jeannie would come and blink your problems away?

Cute rockabilly hairstyle:
Cool Rockabilly Hairstyles 2014 | Cute Hairstyles 2015.

— 23 garden stepping stone ideas | How To Instructions.

Time To Feed The Hummingbirds | Cooking And Living It Up On A Ground Beef Budget.

— Food for Thought:

Iced Coffee Cubes | hotbeautyhealth.com.

Ramps Burgers with Goat Cheddar & Ramp Pesto | erinmerhar.com.

Green Tartine, or, Radish Top Toast | Emmy Cooks.

Chocolate chip cookie dough brownie bombs – recipe on comments | Matthew 4:4 | Pinterest.

Cucumber Salad with Lemon Balm and Comfrey Flowers | foragerchef.com

Healthy Green Kitchen Spring Tonic Soup with Wild Greens.

Pizza Cake | The WHOot.

Watermelon Keg Recipe from Georgia Pellegrini.

Take care! See you next time!

Making Yeast Bread Doughs w/ a Food Processor

I’m still playing around with our new processor. Over the weekend, I whipped up several things, including fresh butter and raw almond butter. I also planned to make bread, as I do most weekends. I tossed around the idea of posting pics to accompany my previous instructions for making yeast doughs with a food processor. I debated the idea for a few reasons: 1) I do not post ultra-professional pics on this blog, just mobile snapshots, 2) This is not a “food blog,” but a personal outlet journal that just so happens to contain a heck of a lot of food (you know food is one of my fave things!). So, I thought it might be slightly lame compared to some of the fab food blogs I enjoy. And, 3) Step-by-step pics/instructions are an involved process, and this blog is supposed to help me relax…not stress me out. A while back, I had a job that saw me writing numerous sets of instructions (for various tasks). “How to…” is ingrained in my brain. Hence, when it comes to instructions for this blog (my hobby), I will usually link to another’s know-how, haha. The previous yeast bread instructions were a rarity.

What made my decision for me is that I really, really hoped at least one person reading would find out how easy homemade bread is. Even if you don’t use a food processor. Baking isn’t my expertise (I’m more of a simple veggies cook), but homemade bread has its advantages: it’s inexpensive and, of course, you can better control the quality of ingredients. Aside from a using a tried-and-true recipe (until you get the hang of it), I suggest researching a little about the science of bread making (if you haven’t already). Understanding why you are doing what you are doing always helps when cooking, IMO. Recipes that were created specifically for food processors are fab, but I’ve always also had luck with stand/hand-mixer and hand-mixed recipes.

I am just going to re-post the previous instructions (yay for copy & paste!), including a few pics along the way. Don’t judge me by award-winning food blogs, OK 😉 . You may want to read the text instructions first, then go back and read it with the photo captions/explanations. I will post the general ingredients for the recipe I used at the end, but just know this is really about method (not a particular recipe). This past weekend, I had sandwiches in mind. I decided to use an old recipe my mom had for pitas. I divided the dough for a half batch of “plain” dough and a half batch of garlic, herb, and dried tomato.

Taken from My Way, No. 20:

Most of the time, I use my food processor when making bread doughs. I find it to be fairly quick and easy. You just need to make sure your processor is big enough to handle the volume of dough you are making (and that you have a strong motor). Many of the recipes I come across are for stand mixers (or hand mixing/kneading), so I usually use this simple food processor method (for non-sourdough breads) instead.

Olive oil, salt & pepper, vital wheat gluten, garlic cloves & home-dried tomatoes, and dried herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, & sage).
1) In a warm area (usually the top of my stove while it’s warming up) add sweetener (honey, molasses, etc.) and warm water (whatever temp range is indicated on yeast packaging) to a bowl, stir until sweetener is dissolved.

A thermometer is a good idea for water temp. Sometimes, I think I know what the temp is by touch, but the thermometer proves me wrong. It’s a safeguard to avoid killing your yeast.

Honey was called for in this pita recipe.

Stir in yeast until dissolved and let the yeast activate. Mixture should be bubbly and foaming after several minutes (sometimes, recipes will indicate an allotted activation time). *You can stir all 3 at once, I just find it’s easier for me to get the sticky honey, etc. from the bottom of the bowl when I can see it a bit better (without the yeast).*

Bubbly & foamy

2) While the yeast is activating, in the food processor bowl fitted with the metal ‘S’ blade (or dough blade, if you have one) add flour, vital wheat gluten or xanthan gum (if using), salt, and any other dry ingredients that are OK to be broken up into smaller pieces. (If I have ingredients I want to remain whole — perhaps raisins, nuts, candied peel, etc. — I will incorporate them after the wet ingredients have been added.) Pulse the dry ingredients for a bit (maybe a minute or less) until they are well combined.

I made a sprouted flour (kasha, teff, French lentils, and a few types of wheat) for this batch of pitas. Links for sprouted flour instructions can be found in this post: How to (& Why) Soak Seeds, Nuts, Grains, & Beans, & Homemade Sprouted Flour.

Flour, sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, vital wheat gluten.

3) When the yeast has activated, stir in any other liquid ingredients (eggs, oil, etc.).

Adding the olive oil. Many of the recipes I use do not require the addition of anything else at this stage. Just yeast, sweetener, and water.

4) Add the liquid ingredients to the food processor bowl, and pulse until the dough starts to come together. Some directions might tell you to slowly add the liquid through the chute, but I’ve never had a problem just putting it all in at the beginning. I want to see a recipe one day that says, “Do this fast, as fast as you possibly can!” lol. 😀

*If you are at all concerned with killing your yeast (or, if it’s just your preference), you can start the processor, then pour your liquid contents in a bit at a time.*
The dough will pull away from the sides, and I usually let it go for a bit longer (just to make sure the gluten is well developed). If the dough is too sticky, I add a little flour. Too dry, a little water.

I had to adjust the flour & water a bit, adding a little at a time. It should yield a smooth dough with good elasticity. The bread recipes in my Cuisinart cookbook indicate a 45 second kneading time once the dough has cleaned the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.

5) If I’m adding any of those dry ingredients I mentioned in step 2, I add them at this stage. I may coat them with a little flour first, to keep them from sticking and/or bleeding. I tip the dough into a bowl, then incorporate them by hand.

Earlier, I processed the garlic, then the tomatoes in the small work bowl. I didn’t want an overly red dough, so I coated the tomatoes with flour first. I cut the dough in half and added the garlic, herbs, and tomatoes to one half.

Otherwise, I just proceed to tip the dough into an oiled bowl, form it into a ball, Misto a little oil on top, and cover the bowl. I then follow the recipe instructions concerning rest periods, rise time(s), and shaping the dough.

After covering the bowl, I let the dough rise until it doubled in a warm place (it took a little over an hour), then “punched it down,” and cut it into portions.

This is the method I’ve used for years and years, and I’ve always been pleased with the results. Online, I found you can sub xanthan gum if you run out of vital wheat gluten (useful for doughs made without white flour). From what I’ve been reading, you should use 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum per 1 cup of flour (vs. 1 tablespoon of vital wheat gluten).

I made one large GHT pita, and the rest were mediumish-sized. I rolled them out about 1/8-1/4 inch thick (after making them a few times, you kind of get the feel for how thick you like them to be), placed them on a pan to rest/rise until doubled (about 40 minutes – 1 hour, per the recipe). Then, they go into a 475 degree Fahrenheit/246 Celsius oven for 7-10 minutes. After they cool on a baking rack for a bit, I store them in an air-tight container to keep them soft.

Plain pita

Garlic, herb, dried tomato

Straight away, I wanted a pb&j sandwich. It’s such a comfort, isn’t it? Even my grandmother still loves them (she’s my step-gram, but I love her like my own), and we have to persuade her to also include other foods in her diet, lol. I did make peanut butter with the processor, but went for raw almond butter w/ homemade cherry jam this go round.

The large GHT bread was treated to homemade yogurt cheese, roasted curried cauliflower, blistered tomatoes, and arugula.

I hope this was easy enough for you to follow. Pitas are wonderful, but there are all sorts of yeast breads waiting to be made & devoured! I’m partial to wheat-based breads, but there are many alternatives (if that is not an option for you). I’ve really enjoyed these previously posted recipes:

New York-Style Bagels

5-Minute Artisan Bread

Fugazetta (Argentine Pizza)

The ingredients for this basic pita were: 3 1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour, 3 1/2 TBSP Vital Wheat Gluten, 2 1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast (not instant/rapid), 1 tsp salt, 12 fl. oz. warm water (using temp directed on yeast packaging), 1 TBSP olive oil (not extra-virgin), 1/2 tsp. honey. *When measuring honey, I usually oil the spoon/cup, so the honey pours out easily.* I altered it by adding 1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper, and garlic, herb, and dried-tomatoes to half (no real measurements, just eyeballing the amounts).

Have a fabulous day, and happy bread making!

My Way, No. 20

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— I had a fab indulgence last week with the Fugazetta (Argentine Pizza) recipe. So tasty! The recipe calls for gobs and gobs of cheese, though, which I cannot have. I probably used less than a fourth of what it called for, but it was still quite delightful. I compromised with myself by tossing on a part-skim mozz vs. provolone. If I have dairy with any fat, I just have to limit my portions. Instead of a sheet pan, I made the Fugazetta in a 11.5 inch cast iron pan. My crust was probably a little thicker, but I absolutely loved it. It was pillowy-soft throughout and crispy on the bottom. I pushed the dough around the edges to make an even thicker crust around the rim. It reminded me of a thick-crust pizza from a restaurant in Texas. Even if it’s not my traditional NY-style, this familiarity brought me comfort. I just wished I had one of those neat-o Scizzas to cut it with! I had to make do with my boring pizza wheel. The instructions said to put the pan on the bottom rack to bake, but I was scared it would brown too quickly. My oven temp varies in different parts, so I thought it best to put it on the top rack. I let it go for 10 minutes, then gave it a hit under the broiler. I made a honey-whole wheat dough adapted from the original recipe. Toppings are just cheese (provolone or mozz), caramelized onions, green olives, oregano, and red pepper flakes, so it’s easy peasy. I added a bit of smoked salt (as I did when I made the sriracha-garlic knots) to give it a “brick-oven” appeal. I’m almost mad I found this recipe! You forget how much you love pizza until you have pizza again.

Most of the time, I use my food processor when making bread doughs. I find it to be fairly quick and easy. You just need to make sure your processor is big enough to handle the volume of dough you are making (and that you have a strong motor). Many of the recipes I come across are for stand mixers (or hand mixing/kneading), so I usually use this simple food processor method (for non-sourdough breads) instead:
1) In a warm area (usually the top of my stove while it’s warming up) add sweetener (honey, molasses, etc.) and warm water (whatever temp range is indicated on yeast packaging) to a bowl, stir until sweetener is dissolved; stir in yeast until dissolved and let the yeast activate. Mixture should be bubbly and foaming after several minutes (sometimes, recipes will indicate an allotted activation time). *You can stir all 3 at once, I just find it’s easier for me to get the sticky honey, etc. from the bottom of the bowl when I can see it a bit better (without the yeast).*
2) While the yeast is activating, in the food processor bowl fitted with the metal blade, add flour, vital wheat gluten or xanthan gum (if using), salt, and any other dry ingredients that are OK to be broken up into smaller pieces. (If I have ingredients I want to remain whole — perhaps raisins, nuts, candied peel, etc. — I will incorporate them after the wet ingredients have been added.) Pulse the dry ingredients for a bit (maybe a minute or less) until they are well combined.
3) When the yeast has activated, stir in any other liquid ingredients (eggs, oil, etc.).
4) Add the liquid ingredients to the food processor bowl, and pulse until the dough starts to come together. Some directions might tell you to slowly add the liquid through the chute, but I’ve never had a problem just putting it all in at the beginning. I want to see a recipe one day that says, “Do this fast, as fast as you possibly can!” lol. 😀 The dough will pull away from the sides, and I usually let it go for a bit longer (just to make sure the gluten is well developed). If the dough is too sticky, I add a little flour. Too dry, a little water.
5) If I’m adding any of those dry ingredients I mentioned in step 2, I add them at this stage. I may coat them with a little flour first, to keep them from sticking and/or bleeding. I tip the dough into a bowl, then incorporate them by hand. Otherwise, I just proceed to tip the dough into an oiled bowl, form it into a ball, Misto a little oil on top, and cover the bowl. I then follow the recipe instructions concerning rest periods, rise time(s), and shaping the dough.

This is the method I’ve used for years and years, and I’ve always been pleased with the results. Online, I found you can sub xanthan gum if you run out of vital wheat gluten (useful for doughs made without white flour). From what I’ve been reading, you should use 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum per 1 cup of flour (vs. 1 tablespoon of vital wheat gluten).

— Speaking of food processors, I am on the lookout for a new one soon. I have investigated several models, but haven’t completely made up my mind yet. I like this Cuisanart Elite 12-Cup model with a 1000-Watt Peak Motor | Cuisanart.com.

I’ve had good experiences with Cuisanart products in the past, so they were one of the first brands I scoped. A good processor (with a powerful motor) is an investment, for sure, but it’s a piece of equipment I use multiple times during the week. A quality processor will last for years and years. This one has a smaller work bowl, as well, so you get 2 for 1.

— The 2-Minute Green Spaghetti Sauce from the last ‘My Way’ post saved me quite a bit of time last week. I made batches of my standard ‘red’ the previous few weekends, so a change was in order. Totally simple, but I added a few things like garlic, chives, & hot pepper sauce. You just whizz it right up in the blender. I chose the option of nutritional yeast vs. parm & replaced the milk with the hot pasta water (my milk was frozen!). A couple of times, I added a bit of tinned salmon and finished with ground almonds — a quick and fab meal! I made another batch this past weekend. Make sure to check out the recipe if you get a minute.

— I am making another folding side table, this time a much easier version. I just spray painted the base of an old, beat up table, then staple gunned a DIY waterproof fabric to the top. I found a tip on another site: if your wax is a little white and streaky (from cooling) when applying the oil & wax mixture, use a blowdryer on the fabric for a bit. I tried this, and it worked beautifully. I have updated my How to Waterproof Fabric post with this tip.

— OK, so those are just temp pieces of furniture, not meant to stay up for any length of time — just a quick fold out, then up. But, I am trying to rethink a space to permanently store a few items. I really like this practical wooden boxes approach: DIY: VERSATILE USE OF WOODEN BOXES | Scandinavian Deko.

I have no idea what this says (as it’s in Spanish), but this looks like a fun place to be: Glamourosos y Coloridos Dormitorios de Niñas | Decoracion.IN.

— Love this article on How to Get Healthy Skin: A Natural Approach to Healthy Skin | DIYNatural.com.

“I’ve been asked over and over how old I am. I chuckle quietly to myself while someone tries to guess – often well below my actual age. I have good skin, and although I hit 51 last December, my skin is one of my best features. How do I do it? By using quite a few herbs and supplements that promote healthy, younger looking skin,” she says. Along with other types of oil, I like to use dabs of olive oil on my face (in certain spots) — fab for moisturizing the hair, as well. Also, if you haven’t done so already, check out my previous post: 10 Homemade Facial Scrubs.

— Cute iron-on appliques if you are not a machine sewer:
Hotfix Paris Eiffel Tower Applique Design for Fashion and Home Decor | Etsy.com | KBazaar.

— The Local First Arizona website gives a few tips on ‘keeping it local’ for upcoming graduations (they’ll be here before you know it!). If you’re in Tucson, we have SO many fine restaurants to celebrate at. Check out some of the pics under the Restaurants category of my blog menu.

— Today’s Nommy Treats:

One-Pan Jalapeño Kale & Roasted Garlic Egg Scramble | naturalchow.com.

Cold Sesame Coconut Noodle Salad | internationalrecipes.net.

Chocolate Garam Masala Truffles

Sea Bass in Coconut Cream

Pumpkinseed Butter Goji Cookies | Golubkakitchen.com.

Cherry Whiskey Smash | threadsence.com.

The Perfect Chinese Chicken Salad | toastytalk.com.

Well, I posted the whimsical Fish-Shaped Puff Pastry Entree, but have you ever made puff pastry from scratch? It’s easier than you think, more economical, and you can control the quality of the ingredients. If you can roll out pie crusts, tortillas, etc., then you can make puff pastry! It can take a bit of time, but it is well worth it. If you have little patience for the longer traditional French technique (the horror! lol), check out this quicker version: Homemade Puff Pastry ~ a quicker version | aflockinthecity.com.

Or, this: Quick Whole Wheat Puff Pastry | pinchandswirl.com.

Have a wonderful day, & I’ll see you next time!

My Way, No. 19

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Hope you had a lovely St. Patrick’s Day! This past week, I made the celery juice from this blog post, another batch of the Chunky Corn & Black Bean Falafel, as well as the Crab & Goat Cheese Guacamole posted some time back. All were delish! The falafel will frequently be in my rotation, for sure. After posting the Fruit & Herb Honey Syrups, I made one with fruits and herbs I had in the freezer: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, pom, lime, and purple basil. So far, I’ve just used it to top off a little sparkling water, and it’s very nice.

And, I made the cherry-vanilla. A cherry-vanilla float with my Holiday bourbon sounds good. These syrups are super versatile, easy to make, and do not require any cooking. I am thinking I might do pineapple-mint next. If you haven’t done so already, check out the honey syrups here.

OMGoodness, the Spicy Carrot & Hummus Sandwich from my Healthy Work Lunches post really hit the spot!

I made an open-faced sandwich on whole wheat sourdough toast. I used the No-Knead Whole Grain Sourdough (no herbs or garlic this time). The recipe actually calls for einkorn, but I still need to pick some up. One of the reasons I wanted to make this sandwich was that I had leftover garbanzo bean dip. It wasn’t actually a traditional hummus, but it worked. From the picture posted, I initially thought the carrots were raw, but they are sautéed until just wilted. I opted for the alternative suggested cumin vs. caraway seeds to flavor the carrots (as caraway seeds are not my favorite). I can tolerate caraway, but I have never really loved them. I added toasted sesame seeds on top, and it was quite a lovely sandwich!

Just an update, I made a few more ‘energy bites,’ this time chocolate-peanut butter. I made them in the style of the chocolate-orange, but baked them. So, I guess they were more like ‘granola bites.’ I didn’t have peanut butter, so I blended whole roasted peanuts with the rest of my wet ingredients: cooked sweet potato, egg (I had a bit already beaten I needed to use up), powdered chocolate, raisins, maple, vanilla. The dry ingredients were (I think): Oats, ground oats, ground chia & flax seeds, wheat germ, chopped peanuts, toasted coconut, and salt.

I can see using the sweet potato puree as perhaps a pie filling, maybe a base for a mousse, or just a pudding. The chocolate (and peanut butter) makes the sweet potato pretty much undetectable. Sweet potato puree is a great vehicle if you cannot have dairy, in that respect. You can use dates in place of raisins, but that’s just what I felt like using at the time.

And, the last bit about my eats for this post…I baked a few individual soda breads for St. Pat’s in ramekins on the weekend. I haven’t made another batch of the ‘green muffins‘ yet as I still have a few in the freezer. I think Irish soda bread was my first (non-yeast) bread-making venture. I’ve never made separate portions, though.

I still use the same recipe from way back in the day, but I replaced the AP flour with whole wheat pastry flour and butter with coconut oil. The recipe calls for caraway seeds, but I’ve never included them (as I’ve said, they’re not my fave). I love soda bread for toast. SO good! I wanted a hot cup of Irish coffee to go alongside (I didn’t add too much liquor), but ended up with an Irish coffee frappe/smoothie-type drink. I had a few sips hot, then blended in frozen banana, non-fat homemade yogurt, oats, flax, chia, wheat germ, and almonds. I topped it off with a coconut cream-yogurt whip and blackstrap molasses (I am not really fond of chocolate sauce, so I decided molasses would be nice). I forget how nice Irish coffee is until I’ve had it again!

— I made my folding side table! I wanted this to be a table I could quickly set up when needed, then quietly tuck it away. As it wasn’t meant to be a stable piece of furniture, I just wanted it to be presentable without much expense. To achieve this, I decided to re & up cycle as many items as I could. Pic:

Several years back, I cut down and stowed away a large piece of bamboo. It was meant to be a curtain rod, but I ended up using another (thinner) piece (of bamboo). I decided to pull it out of storage and use it for the table base. I cut it into 4 pieces, and put holes (to join the pieces, with glue) in 2 of them. When I was cutting the holes, I thought, Oh, I should make a flute (even though I don’t play the flute, lol!). I made the holes a little smaller than I wanted, then carved away a little at a time for a snug fit. I drilled a hole to adjoin both legs, put a screw through it, then secured it with a washer and nut. I wish the screw was a little shorter, but I used what I had. I purchased 4 rubber leg tips to keep the base from moving around. I then glued two sides of a pic frame to the top of the legs. The spray paint I used did not have primer, so I primed it first, gave it a coat of (leftover) black then a light coat of (purchased) gold. I tried to allow some of the black to show through. Then, I sprayed alternate wisps of black and gold until it looked the way I wanted it to. I do not care for the finish of a lot of metallic spray paints, so I dulled the shine with leftover frosted glass spray. I’ve used it before for other glossy spray paints as well.
The top: I used a picture covered with one of my many fabric remnants. I was going to use wallpaper (as was suggested in my Using Wallpaper Remnants post), but this fabric seemed to fit the space better. I made it waterproof by brushing on melted oil & wax (method found here). You can use beeswax, paraffin, perhaps soy wax, and any fixed drying oil. Some of these are healthier options than others. More on that in an upcoming post. I staple gunned the fabric to the frame and added decorative nails (originally intended to re-upholster a chair. I did it freehand, so some are a bit wonky. I will go back & fix them later. I just wanted to take the pic while I still had a little sunlight). The top is not attached to the legs, so I added “stoppers” (synthetic corks) on the back of the picture to hold the top of the legs (the frame sides) in place. All in all, I think I made out pretty well with just the purchases of the rubber leg tips and gold spray paint!

— I love macrame! There are tons of vids out there if you want to learn how to craft something for yourself. I think you could totally DIY something like this: Glass & Twine Lantern Set | shopterrain.com.

Here’s a sweet macrame bracelet tutorial: DIY Shamballa Style Macrame Bracelet Tutorial | rings-things.com.

— I have tons of plaid. It’s one of my fave things. This is a cute idea: DIY Clothes DIY Refashion: DIY: Ombre Dip Dyed Plaid Shirt | Pinterest | Lacy Hall.
This dress sort of encompasses several styles. A versatile piece, I think: Streetcar Dress in Black Plaid (with pockets) | trendvee.com.

— After looking at the ‘supoon’ and ‘clongs’ from the last ‘My Way‘ post, I checked out some of the other kitchen products they have available. Some really neat items like jots, onpots, teafus, levoons. I love this Scizza | Dreamfarm Products. 

— I saw that Bibi won the election in Israel. Yay! I am not that political of a person, but I like him because he’s dashing, charming, handsome, suave, and did I mention dashing? 😉

— I read an article that mentioned “fashionable food,” meaning certain food, dishes, etc., should (not just do) go in and out of style. This wasn’t referring to dining out. I thought this an odd concept. I mean, it’s one thing if you want to be “trendy” to sell things….but, common folk usually eat (or prepare for others) what is readily available to them, what is at the market during the time of their visit, and what they can afford (if they can afford to eat at all). The average person doesn’t live in a restaurant or test kitchen. They are not usually concerned if their meat and potatoes, beans on toast, Grandma’s prize dessert, or whatever, is “in style,” haha! Most people do not care that much about their clothing being in style, let alone their everyday (or even special occasion) food. It seemed like the article was targeted at your average person, but perhaps not. Perhaps it was more like people who struggle with dilemmas such as, “Should I take the Bentley or the Benz”? Or, more importantly, “Should I ask Jeeves or Parky to pull the car around when I make my decision between the Bentley and the Benz? lol 😀 Anyway…Here are Today’s Featured Recipes (fashionable or not, I couldn’t say…they just looked darn good to me!):

Breakfast Stuffed Peppers | eatwell101.com.

Fugazetta (Argentine Pizza) | Bourbon and Brown Sugar.

Lemon Meringue Pie with Poached Oranges and Basil | Great British Chefs.com.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Grilled Cheese | wellplated.com. Saw this last year and still thinking about it! Great St. Patrick’s Day leftovers idea.

Great tutorial: How to Ice a Cake | stylesweetca.com.

2-Minute Green Spaghetti Sauce

Shellfish Risotto | ciaoflorentina.com.

Have a fabulous day!

My Way, No. 17

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Yesterday, I left the house without a coat, as I often do this time of year. We’ve had fairly warm days (for the most part) here in Tucson. It was a bit windy yesterday, though, and partly cloudy. So, that set me off looking at coats that straddle the Tucson winter/summer season (beyond my jean jacket 🙂 ). Something like this floral kimono cardigan/shirt/coat would be fab (and, I love the colorful skirt next to it!): Street Style Boho Chic | cloudsevents.com.

I’m ready for it to be summer, already!

— Fab & functional coat/hat rack made from rulers: Dazzling DIY Coat Rack Shelf | frevinco.com.

I love this one, as well: Colorful Wall Hook Design Idea | homeplusdecor.com.

And, here’s a fun idea using a pallet: Pallet Furniture: Recycling Pallets into Unique Furniture Pieces | Pinterest | Vanessa.

— Yums! I made the Pad Thai Popcorn I posted here. Pad Thai has so many of my fave flavors (lime, cilantro, chiles, etc.). I subbed honey for the corn syrup, homemade chili-garlic paste for the sambal, and dried cilantro. I started drying cilantro because I could never use it up fast enough. I really love the intense flavor of it when it’s dried. Spur of the moment, I decided to make popcorn balls after pouring on the caramel mixture. *As a side, cupcake liners are a great inexpensive portion control tool. You can put all sorts of snacks in them, not just cupcakes and muffins. Kids really enjoy this, too.* Once forming them into balls, I only let them cook for another 5 minutes or so in the oven (I was a little impatient! They smelled so good!). I like that this recipe is timed and doesn’t require the use of a candy thermometer. If you don’t want to cook the popcorn on the stove, you can air pop it (my fave way) or use a micro. A brown paper bag sealed with a bit of tape (yes, tape!) works fab in a micro.

I’m so glad I made the popcorn, as it gave me an excuse to prepare a small dish of veggie Pad Thai afterwards (having all the ingredients at my disposal). I subbed soba for my usual rice noodles:

If you love Pad Thai, make sure to check out this very simple popcorn recipe!
I had a bag of random oranges, including a few that looked like pink grapefruit. Perhaps it’s common, but I have never seen this shade before. I remembered the Blood Orange Sorbet I posted for Valentine’s, so sorbet it was. My ice cream machine recipe calls for a simple syrup, so I added that and zest. It was delish, but made me a little chilly!

I found this recipe that warmed me up: Bourbon-Cider Cocktail with Cinnamon + Ginger. This recipe was written to be served cold over ice, but hot sounded good to me at the time.

I didn’t have cider, so I had to make some. I added fresh ginger, cinnamon, and brown palm sugar as it heated through (lemon juice to finish). The final drink was oh-so-good, with a caramel-y profile.

— Apparently, per this article, penguins have lost their ability to taste fish. They are only able to taste salty and sour. Maybe they would enjoy salt & vinegar chips 😉 .

— A while back, my mom’s friend gave me a commercial wood cleaner, and I still have a bit left. I suddenly thought I should look for a homemade concoction before I run out of it. If you use wood cleaner and have thought about a DIY version, I wanted to share this link: Homemade Wood Cleaner/Oil Soap.

— If you reside in Tucson, you may want to check out Habitat for Humanity’s free ‘Write-A-Will’ workshops. Here’s the link for more information. If you are not a Tucson resident, you may look into similar estate planning workshops in your area. Often, they are held at no cost to the participants.

— Today’s Recipes: I was thinking about gumbo a few days ago, but wishing I could have a somewhat healthier version. Then, I saw this: Sweet Potato Gumbo with Cornbread Muffins. This interested me, as I’ve never had dumplings made from a baguette: Boeuf Bourguignon with Baguette Dumplings. I love veggie pizza, but I’m sure you could whip up these Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza Puffs with whatever you like. Champagne Cake, Fritaffle, Crab and Smoked Salmon Salad with Avocado, Fennel, and Apple, One-Pan Salmon Tikka with Jeweled Rice, Tuscan Bean Soup, Best Ever Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

Until next time!