Blueberry Crepes

We will celebrate 5 birthdays in our house in the next 29 days, and Adia is the first of these, turning 6 today! The kids get to pick their birthday breakfast, dinner and cake and Adia chose blueberry crepes this morning.

Crepes:
1 c flour
3 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
pinch of salt
1/2 t sugar
1/2 t vanilla
4 T melted butter

Blueberry sauce:
2 T Orange juice
2 T cornstarch
1/2 c water
2 T butter
1/3 c sugar
4 c blueberries (or other summer berries)

Cream cheese filling:
8 oz cream cheese
2 T powdered sugar
1/2 t vanilla

Fall Update

Apparently fall is when I often return to my blog to share updates and recipes. Must be the extended time indoors and the urge to keep my house warm and oven on!

The past year been full of change and transition. Bobby stepped out of his position in vocational ministry and started a new job/new career in financial advising. It has been a really great change and he constantly amazes me with his ability to master yet another skill set. Though he never took a foreign language in school (how does that even happen?!?) he can speak multiple languages when it comes to all the things he knows! He is already becoming a master of the financial world :)

All of my children are in school now, which means I have a little extra time to do fun things work. I love a good routine though and it seems we have our new normal down. And I do enjoy the work I get to do, so I suppose it could be categorized as fun ;)

As we lead up to Christmas, we have been following @100dayswithJesus on instagram which gives a new name for Jesus each day (e.g. Amen, Baby, Lion, Rock). It has been super fun to discuss as a family at breakfast each morning and is building our anticipation of celebrating Jesus' birthday in just over a month!

In case you were wondering, our kids are still growing like weeds. Here are some sweet pics of our giants taken by the lovely @libbyasaystudio

Cornmeal Pancakes

This post is mostly for Bobby's sister Cathy, who requested this recipe be shared many months ago. Sorry I'm so slow to share! It's not a secret recipe, so here you are :)

Cornmeal Pancakes
1 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 c cornmeal
1/2 t salt
3 T baking powder
1/4 c sugar
1 1/2 c milk
1 c plain yogurt
2 eggs
1 T vanilla
4 T butter, melted

Mix dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl mix wet ingredients together except butter. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Stir in melted butter. Cook pancakes over med-low heat. Serve with lots of butter and real maple syrup. Your husband will thank you (or at least this is what happens in my house!).

Carrot Bacon Hash

A good friend of mine passed this recipe to me and it is a breakfast treat around here! Bobby eats it most mornings for breakfast, so I make one batch of this and it lasts all week for him.

2-3 lbs carrots, chopped into tiny pieces
1 lb bacon
1 onion (preferably red), minced
salt
pepper
garlic powder
onion powder

Cut bacon into small pieces and fry until crisp. Remove the bacon and cook the onion and carrots in the bacon fat. Add salt, pepper and garlic and onion powder (I use twice as much onion powder as garlic powder). Cook until soft, add back the bacon and serve with an over easy egg on top!

When preparing ahead, I just put all of the carrot/bacon mixture in a large glass container, reheat the amount I need in the frying pan, cooking an egg next to it and serve :)

Beer Cheese Soup with Ham

My children call this "cheesy soup" :) It's good with or without the ham!

Beer Cheese Soup
6 c potatoes (chopped, julienned, cubed - which ever you prefer) or 24 oz frozen hash browns
1/2 c celery, chopped
1 c carrots, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 c water
1 can beer
1 lb cheddar cheese (or velveeta)
3 c milk
2 t parsley
1 t salt
pepper to taste
1 1/2 c ham, cubed/chopped

Cook vegetables in water and beer. Melt cheese in the milk. Add together along with parsley, salt, pepper and ham. Simmer 10 min until heated through.

Since you're already eating super healthy with this soup, you might as well serve it with Beer Bread :)

Double Chocolate Biscotti

Over the past few months I've made biscotti a few times for an event at our church called CREATIVE. Basically it provides a space for people to share the ways that God has made them creative from visual art to music. It's pretty cool! And I'm proud of my husband for getting it going!

In addition to the Almond Biscotti I shared a few months ago, I made this Double Chocolate Biscotti. I'd recommend making it a day in advance as I thought it was better the second day!

1 3/4 c + 2 T flour
1/4 c + 2 T cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
1/2 c butter, room temp
3/4 c + 2 T sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1-2 T powdered sugar for dusting

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Stir until just combined.

Dust a work surface with flour. Turn dough onto floured surface and dust the top with flour. Shape the dough into a rough ball and cut in half. Form the dough into two short logs by rolling back and forth. Place logs on parchment covered baking sheet and back at 350 for 35 minutes, until firm to the touch.  Cool for 5 min or until just cool enough to touch. Slice the biscotti into 3/4 inch slices. Turn the biscotti on their sides and bake for another 10 min. When cool, dust with powdered sugar and serve with coffee, tea or milk!

Cinnamon Rolls

In typical Maria fashion, I've been reminded that maybe I should post a recipe or two every now and then so I'll just post several in one day :) At least I'm consistent in my irregular posting?!?

Before I share this easy cinnamon roll recipe, I do have to mention that four years ago TODAY we welcomed Owen home! He is such a joy and obviously a very special boy to me. Love him!

I tried these cinnamon rolls this week after a friend had shared it more than once. I followed the freezer directions so I could just pop them in in the morning and eat them fresh out of the oven! I've just copied and pasted the roll recipe from here. I used this frosting recipe.

Fast Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Dough:
2 c warm water
1 T honey
1 T yeast
1 t salt
2 T butter
1 T vanilla
5 c flour

Filling:
1/2 c softened butter
2 handfuls brown sugar, or more
sprinkling of cinnamon

Pour warm water and honey into mixing bowl. Stir.
Sprinkle yeast on the honey water.
Mix remaining ingredients in a mixer. Add wet ingredients. Mix with dough hook until combined.
Dump sticky dough into buttered bowl. Cover and let rise 20 min.
Roll dough out into large rectangle on well floured surface.
Spread softened butter, then brown sugar, then cinnamon on your rectangle of dough.
Roll up and cut into 12 equal pieces. Place in greased 9x13 pan.
Cover and let rise 10 min.
Bake at 400 degrees fro 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Flip rolls upside down, out of the pan, onto a cutting board.
Ice them or eat them hot!

Freezer Directions:
After you put the 12 rolls in the greased pan, cover and freeze. To bake, put your pan of frozen rolls into a cold oven. Preheat the oven to 400 (the preheat will both thaw and rise the rolls). Once the oven is heated to 400, bake rolls for 20 min.

Frosting
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 1/2 t milk
1/2 t vanilla

Beat until well mixed. Frost those rolls!

Almond Biscotti

I have made this almond biscotti many times in the past year. Everyone loves it. Our small group loves it. My kids love it. My husband and I tell my kids they can only have one so there is more for us and our coffee because we love it. You get the picture. The original recipe is from Smitten Kitchen, and it is posted below with just a few tiny changes.

3 1/4 c flour
1 T baking powder
1/3 t salt
1 1/2 c sugar
10 tablespoons butter, melted
3 eggs
1 T vanilla extract
1 T orange juice
zest from one orange
1 c sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.
Mix remaining ingredients except almonds in large bowl.
Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until well blended. Add in almonds.
Divide dough in half and shape each into a log (about 13 1/2 inches long, 2 1/2 inches wide) on the pan using floured hands. Space the two logs apart on the baking sheet as they will spread.
Bake 30 min until golden brown.
Cool completely, about 25 min.
Cut into 1/2 inch strips using a serrated knife.
Arrange slices, cut side down, on baking pan (no parchment paper). Bake for 12 min, flip and bake 8 more min.

Chili

Now that things are warming up around here, I'll go ahead and post the chili recipe you probably needed all winter :) This and cornbread (we use the recipe on the Quaker cornmeal box) are always a quick, easy win around here.

1 lb ground beef or pork
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomatoes with green chiles
1 can beer
2 cans chili beans
1 can black beans
1 T chili powder
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t paprika

Brown meat with onion and garlic. Drain fat. Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil, and simmer 15 min.

Buttermilk Pancakes

We love Saturday morning pancakes! Lately we have been on a rotation between orange pancakes, buttermilk pancakes, and corn meal pancakes (Bobby's favorite). Here is the recipe for the buttermilk ones!

3 cups flour
1/4 c + 1T sugar
3 t baking powder
1 1/2 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
3 cups buttermilk (use 2 3/4 c milk and add 1/4 c lemon juice)
1 c plain greek yogurt
3 eggs
1/3 c butter, melted

In a large measuring cup, add lemon juice to milk to allow it to curdle a bit.

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix well. In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Using a 1/3 c measuring cup, drop batter onto greased skillet over medium heat... you know the rest :) Serve with more butter and/or maple syrup.

Scott Huevos Rancheros

Here is our version of "huevos rancheros." I'm not sure if I should technically call them that, but we do :)

Huevos Rancheros
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can tomatoes with green chiles
2 cans chili beans
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t chili powder
eggs
tostadas
cheddar cheese
avocado
cilantro
tabasco sauce for the spicy people :)

Saute onion and garlic in a large frying pan. Add tomatoes, beans, cumin and chili powder, bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium. Crack eggs into bean mixture. Each egg should have it's own little "pocket." Cover and let simmer until egg whites are cooked through - can serve eggs over easy or over hard. Serve over tostadas, top with cheese, avocado, cilantro and tabasco sauce if desired.

Note: Adjust amount of beans and eggs as needed. I have done 10 eggs in a large pan, so they can be close together. I also usually throw in black beans if I have some to use up.

Meal Planning - Menu Samples

Oops. Again. I meant to post these MONTHS ago, but happy to finally share a few sample weeks of our menu.

Breakfasts are on the same rotation each week, typically served with fruit of some sort:
Monday - stovetop oatmeal
Tuesday- yogurt and granola
Wednesday - eggs
Thursday - refrigerator oatmeal/summer porridge
Friday - egg sandwiches
Saturday - pancakes, bacon
Sunday - baked oatmeal

Lunches are usually leftovers, except Sunday is always turkey, mayo, and pesto sandwiches.

Snacks - I shared some snack ideas here, but do have the rule that they only eat the snack I have planned. If they don't want that, then they wait until dinner. This simplifies my afternoons and my ability to plan.

I don't have a typical rotation of meals for dinners, but do mix things up a bit with vegetarian, fish, poultry and red meat. I don't always write down everything I serve with the meal (fruits, veggies) but just have plenty on hand to complete the meal. Here are three weeks of sample dinner menus.

WEEK ONE
Monday - grilled pizza, salad
Tuesday - ham and pea tortellini
Wednesday - grilled chicken, sweet potatoes, watermelon
Thursday - bean burgers, chips and salsa, grapes
Friday - burgers (with homemade buns), caprese salad, watermelon
Saturday - veggie tacos, chips and salsa, grapes
Sunday - crockpot ribs, rolls, broccoli

WEEK TWO
Monday - tostadas
Tuesday - frittata (lots of roasted veggies and sometimes some sausage too)
Wednesday - brats, garlic cheesy grits and tomato/onion/pepper saute
Thursday - chicken tortilla soup
Friday - huevos rancheros
Saturday - chicken pesto pasta with mushrooms and tomatoes (a version of this recipe)
Sunday - fish tacos

WEEK THREE
Monday - mexican salad (green salad with corn, beans, tomatoes, onions, peppers, avocado)
Tuesday - chicken garlic stir fry
Wednesday - lasagna
Thursday - quesadillas
Friday - grilled chicken and sweet potato green salad
Saturday - baked mac and cheese, salad
Sunday - grilled pizza, salad

Snacks

Snack time can be a battle, not because my kids are asking for a million different things (they know that what mom says we're having for snack is what we're having), but because I struggle to come up with something that isn't the clean up equivalent of another meal. SO, for the sake of keeping my kitchen relatively untouched, we have a simple rotation of afternoon snacks. In case you're looking for ideas for your kids, or for yourself, here you go!

apple or banana slices to dip in peanut butter or hazelnut spread (strawberries are also delicious)
veggies and hummus
smoothies (add some green for a little something extra)
popcorn
nuts and raisins
rice cakes
pretzels and chocolate chips
cheese sticks
muffins
hardboiled eggs
any fruit you can poke with a toothpick :)
yogurt and granola
homemade granola bars
homemade larabars

Having a list of options is always helpful to me when it comes to meal planning or snack planning. Hopefully it's helpful for you too!

Fish Tacos and Corn Cake

To compliment our recent obsession with this salsa from Pioneer Woman, we have often enjoyed fish tacos with corn cake. A friend introduced me to Costco's tortilla encrusted tilapia which makes the fish part of the tacos really easy! You can also find similar fish at Target. I found a recipe to do my own crust as well but haven't tried it yet. We serve them on warm corn tortillas with black beans, avocados, and tomatoes. I like the corn cake on the side but Bobby and Owen both like to pile it on their tacos :)

Corn Cake

1/2 c butter, softened

1/3 c sugar

1 1/4 c cornmeal

1/2 t salt

1 t baking powder

3/4 c milk

3 c frozen corn

Cream butter and sugar. Add cornmeal, salt, and baking powder. Mix well. Add milk, then corn. Spread into greased 9x13 pan and bake in preheated oven at 350 for 50-60 minutes. 

PANCAKES!

We have a pretty regular routine around here, and part of our weekly rhythm is Saturday morning pancakes. Bobby and the kids watch one cartoon while I fire up the skillet. It's such a fun little tradition that we have :) I have made quite the variety of pancakes over time (including Bobby's grandma's famous pancakes!), but most recently we have landed on a recipe my sister-in-law shared for Orange Ricotta Pancakes from Sweet Pea's Kitchen. Let's just say it's REALLY hard to eat "regular" pancakes now...

The recipe is linked above and pasted below for your convenience with my one substitution in Italics

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup ricotta cheese (I use plain greek yogurt since I always have that on hand)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Maple syrup

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, ricotta cheese, milk, orange juice, butter, and orange zest; set aside. In medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

Make a well in center of the dry ingredients; pour in milk mixture and whisk very gently until just combined (a few lumps should remain). Do not over mix.Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes; add 1 teaspoon oil and brush to coat skillet bottom evenly. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto 3 spots on skillet. Cook pancakes until large bubbles begin to appear, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Using a thin, wide spatula, flip pancakes and cook until golden brown on second side, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes longer. Serve immediately, and repeat with remaining batter, using remaining vegetable oil only if necessary. Serve warm with maple syrup.

Sausage

We received another half pig from Bob and Barb this year (thank you!!) and are once again exploring new pork recipes :) Last week, when I made lasagna, I used a version of this recipe for the italian sausage. We have also consistently used this breakfast sausage recipe for things like Sweet Potato Hash and many other breakfast needs :) Both are re-written below for your convenience.

Mild Italian Sausage Seasoning (for adding to 1 lb ground pork)
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 t paprika
1/2 t fennel seeds
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 t parsley

In a medium bowl, mix pressed garlic and pork. Mix remaining ingredients in smaller bowl then add to pork. Mix well with hands.

Breakfast Sausage Seasoning (for adding to 1 lb ground pork)
1 t dried sage
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/8 t marjoram
1 1/2 t brown sugar
pinch red pepper flakes
pinch ground cloves

Mix spices in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, add spice mixture to pork and mix well with hands.

Granola

I have been making granola for several years now. We regularly eat it over yogurt or just with milk. When I have shared it with friends they laugh at my "36 minute" baking time, but I tell you what, it works!

Granola
6 c oats (can use 1/2 quick)
2 c rice krispies
1 c wheat germ
1 c wheat bran
1/3 c ground flax seed
1 T cinnamon
1/2 c slivered almonds
1/2 brown sugar
1/2 canola oil
1 c honey
2 t vanilla extract

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Mix wet ingredients in smaller bowl/measuring cup. Pour over dry ingredients. Stir until all dry ingredients are moistened.

Spread granola in thin layer on two large cookie sheets (I use 11x17 jellyroll pans). Bake at 295 for 36 min, stirring and alternating pans (top rack to middle rack, and visa versa) every 12 min.

Granola will still be "wet" when removed from the oven. Stir again 5 min after removing from oven to avoid large chunks. Allow to cool and dry completely before storing.

*Can add different nuts or dried fruits if desired. This recipe also works with coconut oil instead of canola.

Beer Bread

Typically when I share this recipe I have just sent a text message of the recipe my mom wrote out for me several years ago. People always think it's some secret family recipe, but it's not. Just real good, butter soaked, quick, easy bread :) Not necessarily a complement for every meal, but okay in moderation, right?!?

Beer Bread

3 c flour

3 t baking powder

1 t salt

1/4 c sugar

12 oz beer

1/2 c melted butter

Mix dry ingredients. Add beer. Pour into greased loaf pan. Pour melted butter over mixture. Bake 1 hr at 375. Remove from pan and cool 15 min before cutting.

*You can use 1/2 whole wheat flour for a less-guilty version :)

Bacon Avocado Green Salad with White Wine Vinegar Dressing

This was a favorite this summer and was often served on Sunday nights with grilled pizza. Who doesn't love salad that has bacon in it? And our children will eat anything with avocados, so this is a big win at our house. The dressing it the best part of this salad though, light, fresh, yummy!

Salad greens (mix of romaine, green leaf, red leaf, arugula)
8 strips of crispy bacon, chopped
1 avocado, diced
Feta cheese

Dressing
1/4 c white wine vinegar
2 t honey
2 t dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Mix dressing well and toss with greens, bacon, and avocado. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

Adjust amounts of greens, etc., according to number of servings needed.
Dressing amount is likely sufficient for two large salads. Keeps well in fridge for 1 week.

Oops

Oops. Apparently I've been busy with other things as evidenced by the silence on the blog for more than 6 months! And it's true, we have been busy. We moved to the Iowa City area after Bobby accepted a position with Veritas Church here. We are still settling into our home but are already feeling connected in our new community. Though we miss our friends in Ames dearly, we are thankful to only be a few hours down the road and have been graced with many visits from familiar faces :) Thank you friends, both old and new!

Owen and Rya both started Kindergarten this fall and LOVE it! Here is a pic from the first day of school. Crazy kids.

Gibson and Adia got right to work getting themselves into new shenanigans. 

Below they are covered in mascara and concealer. Naturally.

During my absence from the blogosphere I haven't been completely absent in the kitchen, so I will be catching up with a few recipes in the next few days!