Here on the Family Food Journal, I have been sharing recipes, nutrition, cooking and other tips that I am using and learning to help keep our family healthy. Also, I have been sharing about how we are imparting good understanding of nutrition and sanitation into our kids, as part of their life skills training.
For this particular post, I am sharing a photojournal as an illustrated recipe for our “Sunday Brunch Journal” (via Flickr)
Currently, this photo journal features a brunch we prepared in June 2010 with a SW style corn frittata and chocolate-filled croissants with coffee.
For the frittata recipe, you’ll see here that a seasoned egg mixture is poured over a seasoned corn-tomato mixture that has been reduced to boil off most of the liquid until just before it starts to carmelize/brown on the bottom (carmelization brings out the sweetness and aroma of the seasoned tomato mixture … delicious!). At the very end, a cheese topping is browned in the broiler for several seconds to give the frittata a beautiful finish and delicious cheesy sw taste.
Please click the slideshow link above to view the entire illustrated recipe.
The photos below are just a brief excerpt of this photo journal.
Childs' Plate of SW Style Tomato-Corn Frittata with Chocolate-Filled Croissant
Cheese topping of SW Style Breakfast Frittata is melted and browned. It's ready to be served.
Southwest Style Corn-Tomato Fritatta has been served -- be sure not to have heat too high to prevent it being too dark on bottom; carmelization on bottom makes the flavor awesome, but too much is not good
Haiti Still Needs Help – Donate Now – Dr. Pat Bailey-Jones is there, sponsor her missions work. If you are a compassionate mom who wants to know more about how you can still help the moms in Haiti, go to
Once our kids began reading and doing basic math, we started letting them cook. We have found that giving them some control and choice over what they are eating has helped to boost their confidence, not just in their schooling, but over all. It has also helped to decrease the complaining about how food tastes when they know they’re responsible for the outcome themselves.
The main key that we have found for successful family team cooking is:
PLANNING AHEAD
Though we’re not yet perfect at it, when we sit down and discuss our meals for that day (and ideally for the whole week), we always have great success with cooking our meals as a family team. We try to be sure that everyone has at least one favorite dish and that everyone has at least one job.
There are times when we can leave the kids to their own devices in the kitchen. They have truly amazed us with some good meals, and with some really bad ones, too. However, it is all part of the learning process, the good and the bad … so we welcome it all because our goal is to learn, not to be perfect.
Truthfully, each time when we’ve planned the meals out well beforehand, those have been the most fabulous meals. One of the tools that we have created and have started using is available to you for free, if you’d like it. It’s a customized “power plate” template that gives the kids space to write in what dishes they will have in their meals from each of the major food groups. We have found that it helps them to keep their meals more balanced, even if they don’t cook the food from scratch. It gives them a great visual so that, with our guidance, they can be sure to get enough balanced nutrients from each food group.
Feel free to click the below picture and click “save image as” to download this to your computer.
Template to assist families with balanced meal planning.
As part of our family’s quest to be more “village conscious”, we recently joined The Sierra Club, which has a Georgia chapter based out of downtown Decatur, Georgia in Dekalb County.
I have been so blessed by Sierra Club for as long as I can remember, because of the wonderful photos that they made available as art, post cards, etc, when I was a girl. Now, I’ve been even more blessed by them most recently because of their efforts with promoting urban conservation and multi-cultural diversity within the conservation world.
Today I was even more delighted when I read my newsletter and saw the link for Annie Somerville’s videos with green cooking tips. I was drawn to the following video because I have never liked beets, but have been wanting to “re-introduce” myself to them and see if I can find a way to prepare them so that our whole family would enjoy them.
This recipe features a dressing recipe that I think would make most vegetable dishes taste good — roasted, steamed or raw.
Here is Sierra Club’s video:
“Chef Annie Somerville in the Greens Restaurant’s kitchen with Sierra Club’s Orli Cotel cooking up some tasty organic beets.”
“Village Building” is important to me because I was raised to believe that our family is part of “the village”. Teamwork is important to us also because we were taught that we can get the best results when we all do our own parts and work well together.
Some of my most fond memories were in Gary, Indiana in Grandmommy Ernestine’s kitchen with her, my aunts and mommy. We would all work together to get our holiday meals ready. As my grandparents aged, the holiday parties moved to my beautiful Aunt Genevieve’s home. Truly these are some of the best and most vivid memories in my life. They make me smile.
I also remember how our “village” always came together – with neighbors sharing food, looking out for and helping one another. This was especially true as the adults in the neighborhood got older. Grandmommy would look out for her ill next door neighbor, cook for her and go and sit with her. I see the same thing now with my parents and their neighbors, as well, in Chicago and Charlotte. I am also grateful that we have good neighbors here in Atlanta who are generous and look out for us, as we do for them.
In our home, we are elated that our kids are old enough to understand the importance of teamwork and help more in the kitchen, and in the house overall now. I find myself constantly flashing back to helping out with dishes and house chores so the adults could focus on preparing some of the best food known to man. Yes, there are few on Earth who can throw down like our family does. I don’t believe this is at all biased or exaggerated, just ask my brother, Michael, and all of our cousins.
Just as my family took time to impart the kitchen basics to me, our oldest kids have also been learning their way around in there. At this point, we are able to trust them more to keep their hands clean and use hygenic and sanitary practices in the kitchen. Our oldest enjoys helping prepare the pasta and rice for many of the meals, and helping with other simple dishes, as well.
We seem to have fallen into an actual system in our kitchen. Everyone pretty much has their own chores, and generally speaking, makes the effort to contribute when we are all working together as a team. Being hungry is a good motivator for teamwork, as well. I know it was for me when I was young! LOL!
Also, now that the older kids can read pretty well, we have been teaching them more about the meal planning process – from preparing the weekly meal plan and shopping list all the way down to preparing a balanced plate.
Here are some great resources that have been helpful for our kids’ kitchen learning journey:
*the “power plate” and “food pyramid” guides posted on our refridgerator door help with understanding how to eat a balanced meal
*the older children each have a copy of a weekly meal plan form and are expected to fill it out with whatever they’d like to have for meals; then we sit and discuss it with the other family members and come to an agreement
*then we write up our shopping list on a paper turned sideways and folded into four sections; after we double-check the cabinets, we fill in the sections of the list according to how the grocery store is organized (i.e., frozen, fresh, canned, bakery, dairy, etc.)
Giving Honor to our Influencers, Past and Present
I must give thanks to God for increasing my wisdom in the kitchen daily and also must give credit to some of my most notable food influencers:
–various food and mom blogs I’ve read, some of which you can find links for under “BOOKMARKS” at wwahhmpreneur.com
–my mom, grandmommy, and daddy – all of whom were my first kitchen teachers
–my friends Marjory, Tanya, Nicki, Lexis, Alby and many other family and friends who have shared their tricks, tips and even a few secrets here and there
–last but not least, I am thankful for my encouraging, and prayerful, husband and kids who have been willing to allow me to experiment and keep growing into a better cook over these past 10+ years
Truly, all of these folks make up our “village kitchen”. Though most are not physically with us here very often, their collective influence dwells in every morsel.
Who are the influencers who have made up your “village kitchen”, both past and present? Do you use meal preparation to teach your kids about principles of teamwork? How do you use holidays and other special events and times to teach your kids about family and community?
We will be posting to Family Food Journal again soon. This blog is back open for food blogging again, despite an earlier post that we were going to close it down.
**I love Ellie Krieger’s cooking videos because she is knowledgable about nutrition and provides clear and simple instructions. I found many great episodes of her show on Hulu.com and have posted this one here with the help of vodpod.com.**
Ellie’s chicken pot pie recipe is wonderfully delicious and nutritious. However, it is not for those with dairy (cow-milk) food allergies, so I have listed ways to work around some of the uses of dairy products here. Also, she didn’t really suggest many ingredient substitutes, so I have left other suggestions below that may fit other family’s preferences more. Furthermore, there are certain methods and procedures I have suggested here to help make cooking for a family healthier, more flavorful, easier to prepare, and to help prevent/correct cooking mistakes.
Dairy-Free Modifications
*instead of milk, use the same/equivalent amount of vegetable or chicken broth in the pie filling; which will then turn out like a savory gravy, instead of creamy white sauce; in a seperate pan, make gravy by first browning about 1/2 cup of whole grain flour (do not burn it) in olive oil on medium heat, and then briskly whisking in the broth, being sure to break up the clumps of flour until your gravy is smooth; let it simmer on the lowest heat setting until it’s bubbly and thick while you are sauteing vegetables and meat in a separate pan; you will add the gravy to your pie filling just the same as is done with the creamy sauce
*butter used in the crust can be replaced with olive oil safely and will still turn out flaky, if you cut it into the flour properly, just how she instructs here; if you don’t have a food processor, then combine the ingredients using a fork, instead of a spoon
*for the buttermilk used in this dough, I can use goats milk because my child with the dairy allergy is only allergic to cows milk; the flavor is a bit more tangy than buttermilk, but that is a great flavor to have in a pot pie dinner
Other Tweaks & Tips
*use extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), instead of canola oil as Ellie suggests, for sauteing, but be sure to keep your heat at medium and not medium high; on our electric stove that is at level 4 out of 10 possible levels; this will prevent the problem of smoking oil and scorched ingredients; EVOO has been proven to have many internal and external benefits for the human body because it contains natural antioxidants that are a benefit to our blood system, internal organs, skin and more; also, the flavor of EVOO, especially in savory dishes, is usually pretty pleasing, as well
*before adding anything else to the saute pan, first saute the onions, garlic and celery to help infuse those flavors into the oil and soften the celery further; keep a close eye on the pan to ensure that the garlic and onions do not burn, if you feel it’s a little too brown, it is okay to add a bit of hot water and stir up the mixture to release the carmelized juices from the bottom of the pan, but be sure to start adding the other veggies as soon as the extra moisture evaporates, but before the browning process starts again (if it is truly burnt and not just brown, this method of using hot water will not help; you will need to remove the burnt ingredients from the pan, clean the pan and start over)
*for faster preparation, buy the mixed frozen or fresh diced seasonings prepared by your local grocers/farmers which already contain onions and celery, along with sweet red, yellow and green peppers; some of these mixes even contain herbs, like parsley for added flavor, as well
*also to save time, use prepared minced garlic that you can find in a jar in the produce section
*if you’re concerned that fresh herbs will spoil before you have time to cook with them, try the herb pastes available in the produce refrigerated section; keep in the fridge and don’t break the seal on it until you are ready to cook with it; right after you cook with it, replace the cap and toss it in the freezer right away so it won’t spoil before you cook with it again
*any other harder veggies, like carrots, should be sauteed before the softer veggies are added in (during this slower step, prepare your meat; see below for more on meats)
*other suggested veggies: roasted diced tomatoes (just the fleshy outer part without seeds or juice); roasted red/yellow/orange sweet bell peppers; fresh mushrooms; zucchini (be sure to remove the seeds); okra; red kidney beans (canned, strained and rinsed) or any other vegetables or legumes/beans according to your family’s tastes; in Ellies recipe: green beans, carrots, and sweet peas
*IMPORTANT: sautee your chicken (or other meat, tofu or other meat substitute) AFTER the veggies, instead of before, as Ellie does; remove the veggies from the saute pan, but leave the veggie drippings in the pan and add about 1 Tbsp of olive oil and heat before adding in your seasoned meat; be sure to sprinkle your favorite dried seasonings onto the raw chicken (or other meat) before sauteeing (I use Mrs. Dash chipotle flavor and table blend salt-free seasoning mixes.)
*when buying chicken (or any other meat of your choice) for this dish, be sure to go with higher quality meats that are from animals who are well taken care of without added chemicals, antibiotics, growth hormones and other undesirables that are not good for your family’s health; we started purchasing Purdue brand products because of their commitment to quality in this arena, and now have found that other select meat producers are now also striving to provide the same type of quality meats at reasonable prices
In this recipe and others that I have seen Ellie prepare, I love her generous use of fresh vegetables, fresh herbs and whole grains. To me, this alone makes her worthy of my attention because that is a true sign of someone who understands the importance of not sacrificing flavor for healthy cooking.
Any chicken pot pie recipe is a hands-down family pleaser, even for those who don’t usually like vegetables. And with this recipe, the health conscious family members (especially many moms like me) will also be pleased. Sauteing the vegetables is one of the keys to getting this right. You never want to skip that step, nor rush through that step, because it infuses the flavors of the seasonings into the sauce and vegetables. Furthermore, if you have any family members with dental challenges, like we do, you will need to be sure that your veggies become nice and soft during the saute process.
As you’ll see here when Ellie removes the pie from the oven and plates it, the ratio of starchier carbohydrates to more fibrous carbs is lower because the dough doesn’t cover the entire dish. So, not only is this dish lower in fat and salt than some of the convenience or restaurant versions, but it is also much higher in complex carbohydrates, fiber, antioxidants, protein, and good cholesterol (LDL) — all of the things our bodies need to replenish and cleanse us for renewed health and strength.
On behalf of my whole family, I give this recipe our stamp of approval.
We are so glad that we have found some great cold cereals that are healthier which our kids will actually eat. We have also found ways to ehance them by adding in nutritious and tasty goodies. This saves us time (and strife) on mornings when we don’t have time (or energy) to cook hot cereal.
The Kellogg’s Jumbo Krispies cereal was a big surprise because, at first, we thought that it was just larger puffs of rice. When we realized that it’s a multi-grain product that contains 3 grams of fiber per serving, we were overjoyed! Sliced bananas and/or berries make a great addition to this cereal as a nutrition booster, though it’s not necessary because it already tastes great.
Also, we have been enjoying some of the Kashi products, which are famous for using whole grains in their cereal and frozen breakfast products.
Mom's Favorite
Kashi Heart to Heart cold cereal is my personal favorite, to the point where I keep my own personal stash separate from the kids’ allotted one box of this same cereal. It is high in fiber (5 grams per serving) and has just a hint of sweetness. The flavor is great by itself, but sometimes I add fresh or dried berries and seeds or nuts for an extra boost of protein and fresh vitamins.
Better than cow's milk in both taste and nutrition.
As we try to keep our home low in dairy products, we have found Silk Vanilla Soy Milk be the tastiest and most nutritious alternative to cow’s milk. We’ve tried several other brands of soy milk, but always come back to Silk because it just tastes so good. We love the fact that it contains 1 gram of fiber per serving plus 270 mg of Omega-3 antioxidants, along with no cholesterol and only a half gram of saturated fat. In comparison, 2% milk has no fiber, 3 grams of saturated fat and 20 mg of cholesterol.
Also, Silk Soy Milk works well as an alternative to milk in recipes such as pancake batter, cornbread muffin batter and more. For dishes that are to be more savory instead of sweet, like Alfredo sauce, we would recommend the plain unsweetened flavor of Silk.
Post #2: Healthy Eating Family: Healthy Eating Kids – Breakfast
Our children have varying specific nutritional needs based on their developmental stages, growth cycles and health statuses (i.e., allergies, dental challenges, sensitivities, etc.). So, we have learned that it’s best for our family to have flexible breakfast recipes, and during their growing phases, to have extra healthy food and snacks on hand for extra-hungry kids.
As a homeschool family, it is so much easier to give them those extra snacks at mid-morning and mid-afternoon to supplement breakfast and lunch. We’ve found that this also makes them mentally sharper without making them fat, as we give them healthier snacks during their most physically active time of day.
Breakfast is, hands-down, the most important meal of the day for growing children. You may see this as kind of a cliche, but, seriously, children need to replenish and “break the fast” even more than adults because their metabolisms kick into high-gear while they are sleeping and growing, and growing and sleeping.
Even before breakfast, they also need to drink a good amount of fresh water when they first wake-up, to detoxify and get their bodies ready to handle whatever challenges/stresses that their day may hold. {If it’s a big challenge, just add fresh half slice of a clean lemon and a piece of ice to the water cup. Little kids love the taste, smell and feel of both.}
The kinds of breakfast foods that we give to our children include whole grains, seeds and nuts, dairy and soy products, along with fresh fruit. We work hard to ensure that daily meals are lower in fat and sugar, and higher in complex carbohydrates and protein. {If you’re not sure of the proper balance of nutrients in your family meals, see MyPyramid.gov.}
Also, especially for the younger children, it’s very important to include natural seeds (with no added sugar, salt or fat) because the natural Omega 3 and 6 fats help with brain development. One way that I do this is by adding flax seed meal to some of my hot cereal recipes. {With our fruity oatmeal recipe, you would add about 1/3 cup of flax meal to dry oatmeal and mix well before cooking. Makes it taste a bit lighter, less dense/more airy and a little nutty flavored}. You can also add a bit of flax oil into uncooked or cooled meals, however, be sure to do this only just before eating {or add it into vinaigrette dressing along with your other oil}, so as to preserve the nutrients and keep them from degrading with a higher temperature.
Once or twice a week, we may have a larger breakfast meal with eggs and meat included, but we don’t do those higher fat meals every day. We also try to incorporate fresh veggies into the larger breakfast by making omelets or frittatas.
I love the fact that organic products are becoming more mainstream because I can always find my favorite, higher quality types of eggs at the regular grocer or Wal-mart for reasonable prices. One type that I like to buy says on the package that it is higher in the Omega fats that are good for you. If you’ve never tried these more expensive eggs, try it just one time and taste the difference. Even my husband can tell the difference now and has finally stopped buying the cheaper eggs.
In regards to breakfast meats, we have come to love real deli meat from across the deli counter, as it is fresher and tastes like real meat. Oscar Meyer has gotten wise to this, as well, and has started selling packaged real deli products that are slightly less expensive than the counter deli items. If you are patient, you can also get very good deals on deli items that the grocer is trying to move a bit quicker across the counter and by packaging the items in-store. We also like Hormel’s brand of nitrite-free, or uncured, deli meats. Unfortunately, Hormel’s uncured products don’t stay fresh as long as their counterparts, so be sure to eat them up within two or three days of opening the package {or freeze them right after opening}. For all of these products, be sure to check the expiration date before adding it to your cart. At the deli yesterday, I asked if they have low-salt meats, and they did. Of course, they’re pricier and don’t go on sale as often, but keep your eyes out for some good sales in the future.
I have really been enjoying writing about what works for our family because I’ve gotten some good feedback on these posts and recipes. I’d love to hear from you, as well, so be sure to leave a comment if you’d like to share a recipe or give feedback.
This series of posts on our Family Food Journal discusses healthy eating tips that may be more relevant for your family if you, like us, have a large young family (2 parents with 3 kids under 8 years old). Also, it may speak to you if your family is dealing with food allergies, sensitivities, or dental challenges. We have one child who was born with a cleft lip and gum/teeth challenges, another who is allergic to dairy, and everyone has had reflux and/or anemia. We also have one spouse who is slender and has never been fat, and another who has been challenged with weight management and swelling/salt-sensitivity.
Tip #1
a.
First of all, tell everyone in your household to stop bringing junk into your home, especially the adults.
b.
Instead of fatty-salty-sugary snacks and desserts, make a purposeful decision as a family to get accustomed to eating healthier by experimenting and figuring out what works for you. Stock up on whichever fresh fruit you already know you like. Don’t just get anything because it is cheap. Buy what looks fresh.
c.
If you don’t understand how to tell what produce is fresh and not over-ripe, ask the produce attendant or store manager to provide assistance and/or to point you to instructional reading materials that they may offer in their store for free. Take the time to look on youtube and google for tips on buying, cleaning and preparing fresh produce. For example, the channel called Expert Village features experts such as Christi Ferretti, giving excellent detailed advice and illustrations:
Educate yourself on purpose.
d.
Plan your meals and snacks in advance. Read food magazines, look up recipes online, and watch cooking shows. As you build your meal planning and preparation skills, you’ll begin to love your own meals at home.
e.
When you like your own food at home more, you will start to see that it is much easier to avoid the temptation of “fast” processed or canned foods with the added salt, preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup and toxins. These things can also lead to “fast” death by cutting years off of your life expectancy due to too much weight gain.
f.
If you’re not used to eating fresh produce, then just try one to two new items every week and get your tongues used to different tastes.
g.
Learn to quickly (and safely) cut up various fruits and veggies and combine them in salads, as well. You’ll discover that mixing them together will bring out new flavors for your palate to enjoy. In future posts, I’ll share some of my favorite combinations.
h.
Also, there are very tasty ways to prepare fresh veggies as snacks. Try out different types of natural and fresh dressings that have no added white sugar, preservatives, and high fructose corn syrup and contain lower salt.
Future posts in this series will talk about specific snacks and types of dressings that work well for our family’s nutritional needs and preferences.
Thanks for stopping by.
Please leave a comment about what works for your family or to let us know how our suggestions have worked out for you.
Yes, it is possible to have dairy-free birthday cake that is healthier for you.
As far back as I can remember, birthday cake has never been the highlight of my birthday celebrations. If we even have cake it’s usually store bought or from a boxed mix.
However, this year, we had something different for my son’s sixth birthday, as well as for mine, and I am so glad that we did.
Our friends, Mari and Candace Sawyer, own a well-known bakery called Mari’s Sweets. I had been wanting to try their goods, and finally had the opportunity.
So, we had a dairy-free carrot cake bundt cake for my son’s birthday, as he is allergic to dairy. It only lasted us about 3 days, as grandpa and myself polished off the leftovers rather quickly while he visited with us for the our son’s birthday and the July 4th Independence Day holiday.
This cake was so good as breakfast the next day. I was totally amazed at how moist it was, including having juicy raisins inside. Even on the last day of eating it, every bit was still moist. I don’t know what she did to this cake to keep it moist like this, but I definitely want to get one of these for the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Mari's Sweets -- Dairy-Free (left) and Orange Cream Cheese Frosted; Super-Moist & Yummy! Truly a great surprise and highlight of my birthday.
Also, for my birthday this past week, my husband surprised me with Mari’s Sweets’ carrot cake muffins that had the orange cream cheese frosting. The frosting is like heaven! I already love cream cheese frosting and orange flavor by themselves, let alone combined. Again, the leftover muffins were breakfast for the days following my day. Yummy!
Thank you to Mari and Candace for your excellence in your craft! You really made our July holidays special.
As a nutritional scientist in training, and as a wife and mom of 3, I’ve learned both theory and practical application that has been transforming both our health and our enjoyment of the wonderful blessed food God has so privileged us to have access to in the Earth.
I am looking forward to sharing nuggets of wisdom that I’ve been learning from the scientific, food and health pro’s, along with my videos and pictures of both my successes and failures in the kitchen.
I’d love to hear your recipes and tips, as well. So, be sure to leave your comments also.
Tonight, I tried to sweeten up leftover spicy black bean soup by adding golden raisins from Sunmaid. Although I enjoyed the contrasting spicy and sweet flavors, not all of the family members did. I may still experiment with similar recipes in the future, but for now, I think I’ll leave that alone.
In addition to re-purposing the leftover soup, I prepared a rice and veggie dish using short grain white rice, broth, garlic, fresh herbs (thyme, sage, and rosemary), onions, green and red peppers, and merlot olives. I used a portion of the merlot vinagrette in the olive jar to briefly marinade the mixture of herbs, onions, and peppers (about 30 minutes or so).
Rice & Veggies with Olive Merlot Marinade & Fresh Herbs
The rice dish was a big hit, despite the fact that it was full of fresh frozen green beans, sweet peas, and corn. My family is notorious for trying to avoid these crisp vegetables, however the wonderful flavors from the spices and marinade made a huge difference in our enjoyment of this rice and veggie dish.
Check back soon for pictures, as well as video of these and other dishes.
I will also be providing pics of some of my favorite products and cooking tools.
This is a very versatile dish. Careful not to burn it.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
(Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees farenheit.)
This roasted sweet potatoes dish is versatile in so many ways.
[The featured picture shows that I included small red potatoes and fresh snap beans. If you want to mix veggies of varying thicknesses, roast them separately to prevent burning.]
First of all, there are so many spices to choose from that go well with sweet potatoes, depending on your taste and what else you want to do with it.
Throw together a little of all your favorite spices, make sure to include fresh herbs when you can (I love rosemary, sage, and thyme.) because they infuse the oil better than dried spices. Add a couple of Tbsp of olive oil (or mix olive and sesame, etc.). Drizzle the oil and spice mixture over the sliced pieces of sweet potatoes (2 medium/large) in a large bowl. Cover the bowl tightly (or use a zip log bag), and shake vigorously to ensure all of the pieces are coated with the mixture. You can also buy a roasted potatoes mix in most grocers veggie section.
Then you’ll need to have a large baking tray / flat, short-edged pan that you can spread the pieces out on. Spray the pan with oil spray (I use PAM.) Each piece doesn’t have to be in direct contact with the bottom of the pan, but if you want them to be crispy, then you’ll need your layering to be thinner. If you prefer them to still be a little moist, then you can layer the potatoes by 2 or 3 before you begin roasting them.
This dish is also versatile because you can cut your potatoes in different ways based on your preference. Whatever way you choose, make sure that you have all of the sweet potatoes’ slices cut the same way and close to the same size. This will ensure that some of them don’t end up burnt while others are undercooked. I prefer to use my food processor to cut them into thicker circular pieces so they don’t cook too fast.
To be on the safe side, start it out for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F, and check it every few minutes to ensure that you don’t end up with badly burnt edges. (Our Flickr picture journal includes a good BAD example. LOL)
Here are some other ways to make this a versatile dish:
*serve it alone with a light sprinkle of sea salt as a snack or as a side dish
*serve it as a garnish on top of soup or salad (This is really nice when you’ve cut them very thin in the food processor and seasoned them with a strong or spicy spice.)
*cut them thick by hand or in a food processor (of course it will take a little longer to cook), then add them to a tortilla or other flatbread as the main ingredient along with your baby sweet greens and your favorite burritto ingredients.
One More Tip: Turn this dish into a dessert
*refrain from adding any spices prior to roasting if you want to make a large amount of it and have it available for other dishes that don’t need a lot of spice; just drizzle the oil, shake, and roast
*use pumpkin spice mix or just a pinch or two of cinnamon and nutmeg
*use turbinado (raw sugar) to taste; or you can use stevia, honey, 100% maple syrup
*mix in apples, raisins, and/or other fresh and dried fruits
Let your imagination run wild here.
Bon Appétit!
(I really do speak French. I am not trying to be the black Julia Childs. Don’t have those kind of skills, yet. LOL)
Be sure to take a look at the FFJ pics on Flickr (see the link in the side bar) for a good and bad example of this dish.
As my husband and children have gotten older and more bold (and learned to trust me) about experimenting with different types of foods, my passion to learn more about cooking has expanded. And this has definitely paid off in our kitchen.
There is hardly anything that compares to the satisfaction I’ve gotten from preparing dishes that my family appreciates. So, at this point, I would say that making every day cooking a family celebration has become a top priority for me. I am no longer satisfied with just always having something that is quick and easy or something that is just “edible”.
Today, my son told me, “You’re a star mommy cook.” And my oldest daughter also told me that I am the best cook in the world.
The best cooking publication ever!
There is a saying that birds of a feather flock together. I have been watching Julia Childs, The Food Network, and other cooking shows for most of my life. Also, I have a Star-Cook Grandmother who spent a good amount of time with me as a young girl imparting the basics. Recently, my subscription to The Food Network’s wonderful magazine started, as well. Handsdown, this is the best cooking magazine ever published. Take a look at the photojournal on Flickr, and you may agree with me. I was overjoyed to see the pictorial recipe index; and then the index of celebrities from TFN.
In addition to this beautiful magazine, I also have the classic and well-known Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. It has been a “staple” in my kitchen since I first began cooking for myself as a college junior living on her own.
Like THE Standard cooking text book for all successful cooks.
I hope to truly live up to being a “star” in our family kitchen and create a family celebration every day. I also hope to share my journey with the readers of this Family Food Journal blog; and that you’ll share your own cooking journey with me, as well. Be sure to leave comments on this blog, and follow me on Twitter.com (WWAHHMpreneur) so that I can follow you back.
Lastly, our online bookstore at Books.UnderstandJesus.org has lists and reviews of books, magazines, and more to help with creating a successful kitchen.
Thanks to all of you who’ve been visiting this tiny blip on the www map.
I don’t know how busy working women have time to cook. But I know that my grandmother did it.
I try to use my memories of when I lived with my grandparents to guide me.
For instance, Grandmommy was great at getting Granddaddy to chip in. And he was great at delegating chores. So, all of us kids used to do all of the chores every Saturday morning, and all of the dishes every night. This left my grandmother time and room in the kitchen so that she could cook her socks off.
She was an awesome cook and I only pray to be as good as her one day.
Apples, oranges, grapes, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries
Fruit Salad Tip
To give your fruit salad a wonderful burst of flavor, incorporate fresh berries (Dried berries can help, too, but usually have added sugar).
We try to avoid foods with added white sugar because one of our children is very sensitive to sugar. (It makes her very hyper and then leads to mood swings later.)
We also know that the antioxidants in the berries helps to fight disease, now and over the long term. They also have many other great qualities that help enhance our health.
A great book that I use to learn about healthier foods is called
Close-up of our little mini-treat. Here you can see the polenta on the toasted tortilla under all the toppings.
There's no greater love than a man laying down his life for a friend. -Jesus Christ
VALENTINE’S DAY IS COMING! Need a good place to take your sweetheart? Read my review of a very nice place.
Last night I created a delicious little dish that was a modified version of a snack I ate on my anniversary. I took my husband to a wonderful restaurant-plus called The Grape at Atlantic Station (a beautiful and convenient multi-use community in Atlanta, near Midtown).
Wonderful place to have a snack or meal before a movie or Cirque du Soleil.
Their version of this dish is called a Piza and is on what seems like a large cracker or wafer (about the size of a small corn tortilla, but very light and crispy). My version was no where near as good as their version, which included smoked salmon…YUM-YUM! But, it’ll do until we can get back up there again.
We’ll definitely be going back because the service was very good in the table area. But they only had one bartender at the packed bar, and we felt a bit neglected there. It’s not a big place, but the folks kept packing in anyway, as they were waiting to go see Cirque du Soleil’s “Kooza” show, which was just right next door. Prayerfully, we’ll go see it on our next date, as well.
I made mine on top of toasted corn tortillas and slices of polenta. My Dish name is “P-zaz”.
Toppings:
*polenta (thinly sliced)
*avocado (thinly sliced)
*baby sweet greens (small pieces)
*caesar salad dressing drizzled on top of the baby greens
*soy cheese
*shredded parmesan cheese
Everyone in the family enjoyed this tasty treat.
It’s a fun dish to make because you can use just about anything as your base, and any combo of toppings that you like.
FFJ'S P-ZAZ Snack
Here’s a preview of Kooza by Cirque du Soleil
The highlight of our anniversary evening was to watch “Not Easily Broken” a wonderful new movie based on the book by Bishop T.D. Jakes. Every single and married Christian teen and adult needs to see this movie. It was not just moving, but it helped you think and inspired you, as well.
We are so happy to have celebrated 9 years of marriage and are looking forward to 99 more, should Jesus tarry.
Any brand of whole oats will do, usually, but my favorite is definitely Quaker…I’ve been eating them my whole life.
My favorite brand of oats. I try to use the whole oats, instead of instant, because there is more fiber, protein, and other nutrients since the grain is more intact.
Lately we’ve been having freshly prepared oatmeal about every other morning or so. Surprisingly, we haven’t been getting tired of it, either. This is mostly because I finally learned how to cook it so that it tastes good — not burnt, mushy, nor too thick or watery.
We love this as a topping on oatmeal, other cereals, fruit salads, and frozen treats.
Also, the kids like it because we try to give them a choice of toppings they can add to make it just right and just for them. The little one loves raisins. Everyone likes Vanilla Silk Soy milk. I love fresh raspberries and fresh apple slices. The older kids like fresh banana slices. (If you really want to be special, use some unsweetened organic dark chocolate…mmmmm).
To make this a quick breakfast on a busy morning, prepare the mix listed below in advance (feeds 3 big eaters or a mixture of 5 to 6 medium to light eaters). And, yes, this is a very good meal for beginning baby eaters, as well — just be sure to pick out any hulls that may not have been pulled out during plant processing (look similar to the hard thin popcorn hulls).
Just pour the following mix into 5 cups of boiling water plus 1 tsp of vanilla extract and stir often on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes (be sure not to let it cook too long, and remove the pot from the heat source after it’s turned off). Just before adding the oats, you can also add applesauce (about 1/2 cup) or honey (about 1/4 cup) or another sweetener to taste.
Vanilla Silk Soy Milk is a staple in our home. We drink about 2 gallons a week, at the very least. We've tried several other brands, but always come back to Silk.
Fresh Quick Oatmeal Mix:
3 cups of whole oats
ground cinnamon (sprinkle to taste, usually about .5 tsp for us)
ground ginger (sprinkle to taste, no more than 1/8 tsp for us)
optional: chopped nuts (don’t suggest nuts in the mix if you expect to store it a while)
My "secret" ingredient for flavor-full oatmeal
You can shake up this mix in a sealed zip-seal baggie or bowl/canister that has an air-tight lid. It will keep as long as all of those ingredients will. So far as I know, that should be at least 6 months for the freshness of the spices. I’m sure it would be less if you use nuts, depending on the type of nuts.
Theoretically, you could make up several batches of this oatmeal mix a few days every week and store it in your pantry. It would definitely save you both money and time, while also enhancing your healthy breakfast selections at home.
Thin spaghetti + semi-homemade Alfredo sauce
To the sauce, Add mixed veggies, being sure to include colorful red, green, orange, and yellow veggies.
PASTA TIPS FOR LITTLE KIDS: break up the spaghetti at least in half, and in quarters and even smaller for the tiniest ones; also, instead of spaghetti, use whole grain Penne pasta because it’s smaller, nutrient rich, and has a wonderful nutty flavor
VEGGIE TIPS FOR THOSE WITH DENTAL/HEALTH CHALLENGES:
I like my veggies to be crisp. But if you have a child born with a cleft, as we do, or another family member with health or dental challenges, be sensitive when cooking veggies and be sure to make them nice and soft, and even mushy if they are more challenged. You may even find it’s better to cook their veggies separately from everyone elses, but most people don’t mind soft veggies and will eat them, as well.
SHORTCUT: buy onions and sweet peppers mixtures that are pre-washed and diced in produce or freezer section
*sliced mushrooms (fresh is better than canned here; buy them pre-washed and sliced for quicker prep)
*sweet peas
*carrots
*skinned, seeded & diced tomatoes
IMPORTANT HINT: never ever use canned tomatoes or tomato products; it’s cheap and fast, but not worth what you are losing; Click here to see my favorite chopped tomatoes product and why I say this.
Parmalat and Pomi have come together so that we can now have wonderful imported italian tomatoes that taste like someone just recently chopped them for us. No acidic/metallic taste in this asceptic container!
TO SPICE IT UP!
*sauteed garlic and other seasonings in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO, per Rach) together before adding cream
*the saute process was used as a way to add flavors in layers/stages
*after the garlic had softened, but before browning, we added a bit of broth
*then we dashed in our favorite seasonings to taste (Mrs. Dash plus an Italian seasoning mixture)
*we then tweaked it a bit with some yellow mustard (YUM!) about 1 to 2 tablespoons, but use less if you need to
*once that cooked down well, we added fresh mushrooms, peppers, and onion and let them simmer down so that all of the flavors could be absorbed into the veggies and meld together
SPICE TIP: for any dishes that you sautee or roast, the fresher the herbs, the better the flavor; I have been able to get great prices in the produce section on fresh herbs in bunches (usually rosemary, sage and thyme). You can also buy the paste, which is more expensive, but very concentrated. Be careful not to use too much of the paste.
Then we added in two cans of condensed creamed soup (mushroom and chicken) and one can of water (be careful not to add too much water).
WATER TIP: when cooking, never use tap water; instead, use filtered or bottled water that is non-fluoridated; this is because, as tap water boils and evaporates, the concentration of fluoride and toxins increases; too much fluoride is also suspected of causing many of the common health challenges that are seen in modern times
SALT TIP: Be careful not to use a salted broth if you use soup that already has salt in it.
An alternative to milk-based creamed soups is coconut milk, which heightens the flavor in another very wonderful way. Use two cans (do not add any water, use broth if you need more liquid so that you don’t dilute the flavor too much)
Make your creamy sauces and soups dairy-free and very flavor-full!
Then give it more time to simmer and thicken. You can wisk in a tablespoon full of all-purpose flour or corn starch that’s been carefully wisked into broth prior to adding into the pan. Be careful to break up all clumps before pouring it into your pan.
We let this homemade alfredo sauce simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes and then served the thin spaghetti with the sauce spooned over it. On the side, we had whole grain bread topped with roasted garlic and herbs. I’ll have to leave the instructions for the garlic bread in a future post. Please check back soon for that.
The strawberries I purchased on Saturday at Publix were fresh, beautiful and just right; sweet, and not over-ripe. I love that I can always find high-quality fresh produce at Publix. I travel to other neighborhoods in the Atlanta area to shop there, and hope that one will be opened in my neighborhood in the near future.
This delicious, refreshing dessert recipe is very versatile and customizable with relatively low sugar and fat (depending on how you shop, prepare, and portion it). It is loaded with lots of great nutrients, like Vitamins A and C, as well as lutein. It is also dairy-free and low in fat and white sugar. Obesity, milk allergy, dental/chewing challenges, and sugar sensitivity are all health concerns within our family. As a result, we have learned to love making our own healthier recipes. We even started our own digital food journal, as we hope other families with similar needs will benefit from it.
Straw-Berry Blues Delight
Approximate Time: 10 minutes
Makes 6 servings
Shopping List
Produce: one pint of fresh strawberries (about $1.50)
Bakery: one package of individual yellow shortcakes (6) (about $1.00)
Shelf: one small jar Blueberry Smucker’s Simply Fruit Preserves (about $2.80) (no sugar nor artificial sweetener added)
This is one of the most delicious preserves I've ever tasted.
Preparation
wash, drain, and quarter fresh strawberries; place in a medium bowl; add half or a whole jar of the blueberry preserves, according to your liking; mix well, but gently, so as to leave the strawberries intact; spoon the fruit combination into the center of your shortcakes; You can pile it up as high or as low as you want.
Optional Garnish: a dollop of non-dairy whipped cream and a fresh, fragrant mint leaf
OTHER TIPS
For Little Children: make the pile of fruit lower and let them eat it with their hands, like an open-faced sandwich; if you have nice light upholstery, be sure it’s covered beforehand; also, remember to wipe the wee one’s hands well before they leave the table, or just take them to the sink to wash right after they’ve finished
Variations: There are so many variations that can be made to this awesome recipe. For example, you can use yogurt or pudding, instead of, or in addition to the preserves. Of course, you can always use a different fruit combination, such as banana slices gently mixed with strawberry Smucker’s Simply Fruit.
Ferrero has produced a heavenly spread containing chocolate and hazelnut.
If you’re a chocolate and nut lover, like me, I strongly recommend Nutella (about $4.25) a spreadable mixture of chocolate and hazelnut that will blow your mind. However, instead of mixing it in with the strawberries, simply fill the center of your shortcake with the Nutella and then top it with the strawberry pieces. Then drizzle chocolate sauce on top of the strawberries. Wow! This version is going to have a bit more fat and sugar, but it’ll be so worth it! I definitely don’t recommend whipped cream, if you want to avoid making it too sweet. Also, if you or a loved one (little children) are very sensitive to sugar or caffeine (or allergic to nuts), this would not be a good variation for you.
Fill the center of your shortcake with the Nutella (keep it at room temp; stir well before spreading) and then top it with washed and sliced strawberries. Then drizzle a small amount of chocolate sauce on top of the strawberries. Sprinkle on nuts and/or coconut to taste. Whipped cream is not recommended if you don’t want it to be too sweet. This recipe is easily varied and customized according to your tastes and health needs. Bananas and peanuts would also make a great compliment to these ingredients.
This tuna salad is a meal because of the healthy ingredients that make it denser and full of protein along with other great nutrients. It is also easy to vary the ingredients according to your own tastes and/or nutritional needs. This would be easy to turn into a vegan or allergen free meal.
See the alternative ingredients below to make this recipe your own.
Penne pasta (whole grain & gluten-free is best), drained (not rinsed)
Cooked to al dente (firm not soft) – about 8 to 9 minutes for a large box
–to 3 quarts of water (12 cups) add a dash of sea salt and 2 Tbsp of toasted sesame oil for more flavor
2 boiled eggs
–boil no more than 15 minutes boiling to keep from greening
–turn off and let sit to “self-cook” 5 min
–remove eggs to a bowl of ice water for 15 min
–carefully peel and rinse off any small pieces of shells
–pat dry with lint-free clean cloth
–dice up into small pieces
1 large can of tuna
–wash top of can before opening
–Drain in a mesh strainer
In large sauté pan
–spread 1 Tbsp olive oil
–Heat pan to medium high (about 4 on electric stove)
–Add chopped onions, red and green peppers and sauté just until softened & not browned
–Add tuna
–Sprinkle 1 to 2 tsp with Mrs. Dash table blend, or other, according to your taste or preference
–Heating helps to let the seasonings’ flavors sink into the fish
–To also help get rid of fishy taste, sprinkle on about 1 Tbsp of lemon or lime juice, per your preference
–Heating Tuna and seasonings about 5 to 7 minutes should help to get rid of some of the fish juice; Don’t need to brown it
Cool all ingredients about 15 min each simultaneously (or as close to it as you can, to save time)
In a large mixing bowl:
–Combine all cooled diced eggs, sautéed fish and spices, and al dente pasta
–Add 2 heaping tablespoons of mayo (we love Duke’s)
–Sprinkle in about 2 tsp of dill, or whatever seasonings you like (some like Lawry’s lime seasoning, be careful if you’re salt sensitive, not to add anything with salt or msg added to it)
–Fold this mixture together so that you don’t chop up the pasta too much.
Lay out a bed of spinach leaves in each bowl
And then top spinach with a heaping spoonful of your tuna salad
Variations:
*FUN: my kids like to use their spinach leaves like little tortillas filled with tuna salad
*OTHER FISH/MEAT: canned or steamed salmon or chicken instead of tuna.
*VEGAN: instead of fish and eggs, use tofu and/or beans; instead of mayo, just use your fav vegan dressing
*season it with anything that you prefer; many people like a little curry or chile
*adding fresh herbs during the sautéing process will take it to another wonderful level
*instead of mayo, you can use any kind of salad dressing that you like; but if it’s a very wet dressing, be careful of how much you use
Let me know if you try this and how it comes out and/or if you have a similar recipe to share, as well.
Nothing tastes better than fresh tortillas! If you hate those leathery ones often found in the grocery store that tear when you wrap them, then you can easily make your own. Here’s how.
Ingredients
(for 8 tortillas)
2cups of flour
1tsp. baking powder
1tsp. salt
3/4 cups of water (many substitute warm milk for a fluffier texture)
1Tbsp. vegetable shortening (or lard)
Steps
Combine flour, salt, & baking powder in a large medium/large bowl.
Cut in shortening until lumps are gone.
Make a well (indentation) in the center of the dry ingredients.
Add water, about a half a cup at a time, and work mixture into a dough. Knead until smooth. The dough should be slightly sticky but not hard. You can add slightly more water or flour if needed.
Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.
Form dough into balls about the size of eggs.
Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into about a 6 inch circle.
Heat griddle or skillet on med heat without grease.
Cook tortilla 1/2 to 1 minute (if it starts to bubble, that’s long enough).
Flip tortilla to the other side and cook for a few seconds.
Continue in this manner until all your dough is cooked.
Video
In this video, Chef Jason Hill shows you how to make Tortillas from scratch with this delicious and easy recipe.
Tips
To make fewer tortillas, only use half the measurements of each ingredient.
Making good tortillas takes practice. Eventually you will be able to get them round.
If you don’t like fluffy tortillas, you can eliminate the baking powder.
Keeping the griddle hot makes the tortillas cook fast. If you find they are burning before they are cooked, turn the heat down slightly.
If you do not have a rolling pin, you can use a small round bottle or even a broom handle!
Small hand-operated presses are available in some Latino cooking supply stores, if you want an easy way to shape tortillas.
Warnings
Store extra tortillas in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Since they don’t have preservatives, they will spoil after a couple of days on the counter.
Traditional authentic tortillas are more often made with masa or ground cornflour. You will need to adjust all the ingredients in the recipe if you are using masa because it has a different texture from wheat flour.
purchased this vacuum sealing item [Frisper Freshkeeper] and loves it for ease of use, value, and convenience.
She has had bariatric weight loss surgery and is only able to eat small portions of food. So, this keeps her from wasting lots of food or ending up with a lot of freezer burnt items.
Also, there are only two people in her household, so this helps with preserving regular groceries better, along with freezer items that they like to buy in bulk.
In turn, she’s an artist [Slideshow] and needs quicker preparation, when she’s working on big projects. So, this helps to provide delicious healthy leftovers in lieu of junk or fast foods.
Bio: Val is a locally-famous Chicago- based artist specializing in paper crafts.
OUR FAMILY’S STORY:Our 5 year old middle child has been refusing to eat eggs since he first began eating solid foods until now. I have cooked this breakfast pizza (modified frittata) dish for him twice, and he said that he really liked it each time, even though he knew that it was eggs.
Also, with 3 small children, getting ready in the mornings can be a huge challenge for us. Preparing healthy and fresh foods, or some of the ingredients, the night before a busy day has been helpful. Therefore, this recipe is broken down into stages for smarter prep.
If you try this recipe on a picky eater, let us know how things turn out for you.
Cook all of these ingredients until a good bit of the moisture has vaporated, but do not let it brown; it should be fragrant and taste like the seasonings have begun to meld together.
Let it cool and then transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover tightly and refrigerate.
Wash the skillet and let dry overnight so that you can use it again in the morning.
On the Night Before or Early Morning on that Day:In a large bowl, prepare egg mixture:Break 8 eggs (shell free, please; see tips near the bottom of this recipe)
Sprinkle in about 1 Tbsp total of your favorite herbs and spices; Fresh is best, but I used:
–about 1/3 Tbsp mixed dried italian seasonings
–a few dashes of Mrs. Dash chipotle seasoning (mildly spicy, not hot)
–several dashes of Mrs. Dash table blend seasonings
–about 1/3 Tbsp dried chives
Lightly beat the eggs and spices
–cover bowl tightly and refrigerate until ready to prepare the dish
About Better Quality Eggs
>we prefer Eggland’s Best and other similar brands with natural/organic/vegetarian eggs
>we find that they taste significantly better than regular white eggs
>also, the whites are mostly clear and a lot less cloudy looking, which may mean that a healthier, happier chicken produced those eggs
>in my opinion: free roaming poultry who are allowed to eat a naturally organic diet, instead of enhanced corn and soy feeds with added antibiotics, growth hormones, and pesticides, produce more normal amounts of estrogen and other hormones in their eggs
For those who like egg whites only:
You can use them in this
recipe, but will need twice as many eggs for a large family, or just
buy the cholesterol free mixture from your grocer
Stage 3
Stage 4
In the morning…*pull out your clean large skillet again*brush about 2 Tbsp of olive oil onto the bottom and sides of the pan
*heat on medium-high heat (about level 4)
*spread
veggie mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan while leaving about a
quarter inch of space between the mixture and edge of the pan
*heat until the pan is hot enough to begin cooking the eggs, but before the veggies start browning
*pour egg mixture into the middle of the pan and tilt and turn pan to move
the liquid around for full and even coverage
*use a non-stick spatula (with a bit of oil on its tip) to lift the edges of the egg
away from the edge of the pan and tilt to allow some of the liquid to run underneath
*continue to lift the edges and cook until the top of the eggs are slightly moist and glossy but almost set (approx 5 minutes)
*the bottom of the mixture will be dark, but not burnt, as the veggies will carmelize YUMMY!
Your whole family should be able to smell all of this deliciousness throughout your house!
*immediately remove the skillet from the burner so that it doesn’t overcook*turn on the broiler and get out your thick oven mits
*sprinkle 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese evenly over eggs
*place
uncovered skillet close to broiler (about 5 inches to allow room for
mixture to puff up some) for no more than a couple of minutes just to
melt the cheese and continue setting the egg mixture
*turn off broiler and carefully remove skillet from oven using oven mits on each hand
Everyone should be salivating right now, as the cheese makes the smell even more intense.
*Let it rest for 5 minutes
*Slice
with a pizza cutter; oil the edges of the cutter beforehand to cut down sticking;
make smaller slices if you have small kids
*For our young family of 5, the adults can usually have 2 or 3 slices each and the kids get 1 or 2 slices each
Because
it’s so delicious, we don’t usually have leftovers, so I don’t know how
this would keep, but a day or two should be okay. See storage tips near bottom of recipe.
Also, for smaller families, this would be easy to do in smaller quantities, too, if you adjust your ingredients.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
These are some of the things we have enjoyed along with our breakfast “pizza” in the past:
*serve the Zza on a bed of cheese grits — my personal favorite is to cut it up and mix it into the grits
*crescent rolls in the can from the refrigerated section of the grocery store; spread 1 tsp. Kroger brand blueberry jam (no sugar added, all natural) or your favorite jam on the wide end of the dough before rolling it up and baking it
*cornbread — this is great if you have leftovers from a prior night; slice it up, top it with butter, broil until toasted and butter is melted; YUMMY!!
*fruit salad compliments this dish well and balances out your meal, especially if this is for a brunch that’s later in the morning and everyone needs an appetizer — especially helpful after a long Sunday morning at church or mass.
*fresh juice or the freshest you can get
*small bowls of oatmeal with raisins and applesauce and a little brown sugar or maple syrup
*toaster waffles make a great quick add on for this meal
*whole grain pancakes with blueberry jam mixed into the batter…yummy!
*homemade fresh-brewed flavored coffee (recipe for inexpensive version is forthcoming) — for the adults only;
Because we homeschool our kids, we have made purposeful time in the kitchen a part of our children’s curriculum so they can learn these tips and more.
Always wash hands before and after cooking and/or eating
Be watchful to use hygenic measures while working with eggs:
>throw all cracked shells directly into the garbage or an old non-holey plastic bag as you finish with each
>wash your hands as soon as you’re finished cracking the eggs open with very warm water and lots of sudsy soap
>use a clean towel to dry your hands and then place it in the dirty laundry
>if you want to recycle the egg shells in your garden or potted plants, then use a bag or the empty egg carton to store the shells until you’re ready
Sauteing or Frying Safety:
>Be sure there is no water in or near the pan while frying or sauteing, to prevent dangerous and harmful splatter.
>Wear an apron and a shirt with 3/4 length sleeves, or securely roll up sleeves so that they don’t fall down (too long or too short is not good for fire safety and sanitation)
>You (and kids, if helping) should also wear glasses or goggles while sauteing or frying
>I haven’t noticed any difference in flavor or quality by taking this short-cut
Flavor-Enhancer:
>use fresh herbs or an herb paste instead of dried herbs
Time-Saver:
>purchase fresh and frozen produce that is pre-washed and pre-cut to save time.
To help prevent shell fragments from falling into your egg mixture:
>try not to hit the egg more than one time before you pull it open
>be careful not to crush the shell anywhere except where you initially hit it, be gentle when pulling it apart
>use a sharp edge only to hit it, such as the edge of the countertop, versus
hitting it on the edge of a plastic bowl or rounded edge bowl
>as you pull the shell open, twist it upwards so that the clean cut, non-crushed side makes contact with the egg contents as they empty out of the egg shell
>if you still make a mistake, ask an older child to fish out the shells for you
>shortcut: use Egg Beaters or similar packaged shell-free egg product
If you do have leftovers:
>Never leave items in the refrigerator uncovered. This helps to prevent spreading germs or mold spores from getting into it.
Click to read more about this awesome product.
>For safe leftover storage, I highly recommend a vacuum seal system, like the one my mom, Val, has. She loves it. You can read her testimonial here.
Connect with me 24/7. Click my picture now.
Donna Johnson, aka WWAHHMpreneur, is a mom who is simply sharing information based on her own personal research and experience. She is not a health professional and is not giving professional advice. You should seek professional nutritional health counseling, especially if you or a family member has any ongoing medical conditions, prior to implementing any new dietary changes in your own household.
All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2009. Seek permissions information from DMJConsultinng.com.
There is hardly anything that compares to the satisfaction I’ve gotten from preparing dishes that my family appreciates. So, at this point, I would say that making every day cooking a family celebration has become a top priority for me. I am no longer satisfied with just always having something that is quick and easy or something that is just “edible”.
