Announcement and Spinach cheese bread

In the last week or so I've had several people tell me that I needed to get serious about my cooking! I have decided to step up my blogging and head down a path of writing a cook book. And yesterday as I reflected on turning 28, gosh, I realized that this is something I want to do! I want to do it for myself, but more than that for my daughter! I want her to know that if she puts her mind to it she can do it! I also want to teach her that healthy eating is a life style choice that doesn't have to be boring or flavorless!

The recipes will be about good yummy food that you will want to eat! It will not be chalk full of all kinds of crazy or exotic ingredients. I buy all of my ingredients at Homeland. If it's not there it's not here! However if you would like to send me a challenge to use an ingredient, I wouldn't say no!

Spinach Cheese Bread 
for HC

1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp each of: garlic powder, minced onion, chili powder, italian seasoning, salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
1 cup frozen spinach (thaw overnight then squeeze dry)
1/4 cup of cottage cheese
2-3 tbls  of room temp water

Preheat your oven to 325*
Oil your pan

Mix all of your dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and oil together. Stir the wet into the dry until combined. Now add the spinach and cheese! Stir.
At this point your bread batter may look super thick, if so add 1tbls of water at a time to thin it out.
Pour the batter into the pan, and smooth the top.
Bake for 30-45 minutes

You will know it's done when the top is firm to the touch!

This is seriously delicious! It's also gluten free and slow-carb friendly!

mmm...smo cone?

Last night I was craving a sno cone. In particular a tigers blood with cream...that is my sno cone of chose. However, I didn't have any cash, and I was to lazy/tired (hmm...let's go with tired rather than lazy) to get cash out of the bank atm.

I devised a plan to go home and make my own sno cone with a snoopy snow cone machine. I remembered I don't have one anymore because I grew up and moved out.

Did anybody else have one? My sister and I loved ours!

So I have a blender now, the grown up snoopy sno cone machine, and I have been on a major smoothie kick lately. Grown up sno cone idea!
Strawberry Coconut sno cone....It's not quite a sno cone, but it is delicious!
1 cup whole Strawberries (preferably frozen)
1 tray of ice
3/4 can of coconut milk (remember to shake before use)
2-3 tbls. Agave nectar or honey
blend until smooth

It is a nice texture mix of smoothie and sno cone! It's the SMO CONE! It's tart, and I love that, but you may want to make it sweeter! 

This made about 30 -35 oz.
Enjoy!!!

The inspiration of good food!

So starting out pregnant I didn't think that there would be any time that I would need to post any recipes. I really felt that I had lost all of my creativity with food. It had just become the stuff you eat because you have too. Ryan had started  a no carb diet, and he has been working 2nd shift so it was just easier to do cereal or something as easy. This was especially true during the first trimester when I was exhausted.

I have recently, through our Bradly Method birthing classes , been re-energized for healthy eating that is creative and delicious. Do you remember the quinoa pizza crust or the breakfast stirfries? I just looked at them again! I am inspired.

So in the next couple of days I will be cooking up some delicious breakfast and dinner meals that I hope will inspire you as well! See you in a couple of days!

Chester is in a Brine Bath and Arlo is in Massachuesets

Chester, the turkey, is comfortably tucked away into a brine bath. This is Chester in his bath house best:

He's looking a little peaked, but he's going tanning tomorrow and he will look much better after that!
If you have the hankering to brine your turkey friend try this one:

Cider Brine:
1 gallon of cider
1 cup of Kosher Salt
3 oranges cut in half
Fresh tarragon- I used the whole box
Whole Cloves---->a palm full
(You could add a bottle of good bourbon to this and it would only improve it)

2-3 bags of ice and an ice chest
oh yeah and the turkey, thawed, rinsed and patted dry. Giblets and Neck removed please! ( I'm using a 12lb., if  you have a bigger one increase the recipe.)

Bring the first five ingredients to a hard boil. Turn the burner down and let simmer for 10 minutes. Afterwards let the brine cool down to where you are able to handle it.  Once cool put your brine and 1 bag of ice in the chest. The ice will mostly melt and bring the brine temperature down further. Feel the brine with your finger and make sure it is cool enough for the bird, if it's not add more ice. Once it is very cool (because you don't want to semi cook your bird in the brine), let your friend dip into his lovely bath. Keep him there for at least 24hrs and up to 48. Turn once or twice to make sure that your friend gets soaked on both sides well! Keep adding ice to keep the little guy nice and cold!

Take the birdie out and rinse him off. Pat dry with some paper towels. Now he's ready to go tanning.
I like to create a frozen herb butter log , and stick the frozen cut medallions under the skin. I will then rub my friend down with more butter and salt and pepper. Cook according to the specifications about poundage and what not until birdie is golden brown!
Chester will be beautiful and delicious. This recipe literally makes the meat fall off the bones! It's my husbands favorite!

Happy Thanksgiving! Watch Alice's Restaurant. It's the only Thanksgiving movie that I know of! Trailer is Well look at Arlo!
 arlo

Love love love,
Meg

It's been awhile, but I have a great reason.....

Let me show you my reason for not cooking too much lately...

This is our little McCracken!

Can I just tell you that I am elated! Completely and utterly in love with this little person!

Rooms and sherpas

Today the Pioneer Woman  asked what your favorite room is in your house!
I imagine that your thinking....your kitchen of course, and you would be right I do like my kitchen, but favorite uhhh maybe.

These two rooms probably are my favorite! My kitchen is one of them so there you go, and I love my dining room! My kitchen is a pretty pink that contrasts perfectly to my dinning room which is a gentle green. I need to take pictures of them done so you can see. Sorry I don't have that!

You know, I love that my kitchen is small. It's cozy! Everytime I cook in it, I feel as if I'm filling my house with this beautiful abundance of love and aroma!
Side note: My husband just snorted and sent me a video that I will share later because it's hilarious!
I love love my dinning room! It's a sweet and gentle green that isn't overwhelming! I love that when we sit down for a meal we eat good food, have great conversations, and there is an overwhelming since of generosity and blessing!

LOL!!! The Original Martians

come over for dinner sometime!
I would like to have a sherpa to carry my backpack with gets heavier all the time.

It's time to start again

I know I've said it before, but this time I mean it. Fall is soon, like next week, and today is perfect! A cool 57* and cloudy! This is my favorite time of year!

Because I love you, and because I care, you should know why I've been so remiss lately.
1. 100* and hotter weather.
2. We moved into a house which is finally in working order
3. We are going to have a baby and food hasn't been my highest priority.

Now let me tell you about last night! Two highlights from the evening meal. The first was great company! We are blessed with some amazing friends in our life. The second was wonderful wonderful food!

The Menu:
Bangers and Mash (Sausages and Mashed potatoes)
Cabbage
peas
Rolls
Fruit Salad (It was beautiful and perfect) Thanks Jen
Apple pie
Fresh whipped Cream

Bangers and Mash: Preheat oven to 450*

For the potatoes (which is the most time consuming part of the meal) I used the Pioneer Woman's recipe: Find it HERE
Probably really close to the best mashed potatoes I've ever had. Once those where cooked I loaded them up in the biggest cast iron skillet I had (it's huge and I rubbed it down with butter first) dotted it with butter and put my sausages on the top of the potatoes.
Push down a bit so they snug in the comfort of the mash!
Throw it in the oven for 20 minutes. If the sausages haven't split it's not done. Try another 10 minutes and check! I think you know what I'm going to say, but I'm saying it anyways, once the sausages have split it's ready!

Peas- boiled until done salt and pepper.
Cabbage- crock pot for 6 hours butter and salt and pepper

Apple Pie- preheat oven to 450* or don't turn it off from earlier.
 2 LBS Apples
1 recipe for 2 crust pie or store bought
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/8 cup of flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp of nutmeg and allspice
3/4 tsp of clove
1tsp salt
1-3 Tbl. + 1 tsp lemon juice
1 egg wash
2 tbls. Sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Cut 2 pounds of apples in slices. Sprinkle with tsp. lemon juice so they don't brown.
Mix the Brown sugar, Flour, Salt, and spices (not including the bottom 2 tsp of cinnamon) together. Throw in with the apples and mix well. Add the Lemon juice (the amount depends on how juicey and tangy you would like the pie to be). Cover the apples and put them in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Roll out the crust and get it ready for the apples. you want about in inch extra over the pie plate on the bottom crust. Put your apples in. I don't do any fancy arrangements or anything, I just put them in. Top with the second crust that is not an inch over the pie plate, but fits it perfectly. I then crimp the two crust together and roll down. It looks really pretty.
Cut slits or do a hole in the middle, whatever you choose. Brush with the egg wash, and sprinkle with the combined cinnamon and sugar (mmmmmm.....cinnamon-sugar, it makes everything better)!
Next wrap the edge of the pie in aluminum foil. This will insure that your pie cooks but the edges don't burn!
Bake for 30 minutes! Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes!
Let cool for 20 minutes on the stove before serving.
Serve warm with fresh whipped cream!