It's finally our year...
the year the Seahawks are in the Super Bowl! WA-HOO!!!!
To celebrate, I've created a special cookie in honor of the "12th man," the Seahawk's fans... for us who are loud & proud, and blue & green!

 

Cookie:

½ c. butter (room temp.)

½ c. coconut oil (melted)

1 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 large egg

1 Tbsp. vanilla

2 c. flour

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking powder

lots of blue food coloring

Cream Cheese Frosting:

½ c. unsalted butter

1 package cream cheese (8oz.)

2-3 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

lots of green food coloring

If you are going to a party with lots of fans, feel free to double the recipe.

For the cookie, blend together all the wet ingredients. Then add the dry ingredients, adding the flour little by little. For the blue color, keep adding until you get a dark blue. (By the way, this is going to take a lot of food coloring. Feel free to add less... but dark blue is the way to go for true color!

 

Roll out the dough flat, about 1/4 inch thick, and cut out small sized circles. I used the rim of a champagne flute to get the right size. I made several larger ones at first, and they were just too big. Keep it small and sweet!

If you're feeling crazy, you can also carve some awesome 12's with a toothpick on the top of half of the cookies to show your pride!

Bake the cookies on a Silpat mat or non-stick parchment paper at 350* for 9-10 minutes. You want them to be firm and fully cooked, but still soft to bite.

While the cookies are baking, whip up some cream cheese frosting, blending the butter and the cream cheese first, then add the powdered sugar little by little for the right consistency. Slightly firm frosting is good, so when you blend it, it should forms peaks. Add green food coloring little by little for the right green. (Again, this takes quite a bit, but adjust to your own color desires.)

When the cookies are all baked and cooled, make sandwiches with the frosting in the middle. Serve to your fellow '12th Man' (aka. Seahawk's fans) on the big day!

GO SEAHAWKS!!!

Whole Wheat Garlic Flatbread

You know that thing that happens when what you try something new, and it turns out completely wrong... but instead you get something else that's super awesome? Ya, that happened to today! I tried to make these yummy looking crackers from ShowFood Chef: 10 Minute Crackers - Simple Saturday 

It's not her fault! I'm sure they would have worked... if I'd done it right. However, what I got instead was a super easy and delicious garlic flatbread recipe. SO you can decide, crackers... flat bread... some of each? You can go look at the original recipe, but this is what I did differently.

Whole Wheat Garlic Flatbread

1 c. whole wheat flour (spelt might work well too!)
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder (optional)
extra sea salt and parmesan cheese for sprinkling.

I added the flour, butter, and cheese together with my hand mixer. (Next time, I'm using the food processor!) Then I added the salt and garlic powder, (probably more than what I have listed if I'm being completely honest. I LOVE garlic!) Next, add the water a little at a time until soft. I accidentally added it all at the same time. Maybe don't do that!

The thing I did super different was this: when I rolled it out, because the dough was too sticky from too much water, I didn't make the crackers thin enough to be actual crackers. The dough was rolled thick like pizza dough.

I topped it with sea salt and parmesan, but feel free to experiment with toppings. I let it bake before cutting the crust for the bread slices. I made squares, but make whatever shapes you want!

Baked it at 400 for probably about 15 mins total. Try 10, then add 2 or 3 mins. a few times, checking. It might need longer. (I was also doing other things and lost track of how many times I added more time.) Just make sure they bake long enough to have nice golden color around the edges and the parmesan on top is baked in that lovely toasted color.

This beautiful thick garlic flatbread stuff was ready for lunch! I warmed up some marinara sauce I had and threw some parmesan in for dipping. Make a little side salad! DONE! If you have a pizza craving, this is cheap, fast, and super tasty!

Spelt Bread

(Bread-maker Style)

For Christmas, I got a bread-maker! I'm ecstatic!

I've made 3 loaves so far, and we're not that far into January!

Two of those loaves were spelt bread. "What is spelt?" people keep asking me. It is a type of ancient grain related to wheat but higher quality nutrients! Spelt still has gluten, but it is a different kind of gluten than is found in regular wheat. It is easier to digest, and people who are sensitive to wheat can often eat spelt, as it doesn't cause the same kinds of reactions. As always, if you need to be completely gluten-free, be cautious! (I'm sure I don't need to even tell you that!) But for those of us who are trying to simply have less gluten in our diet, spelt is a delicious alternative.

I'm not an expert on grains, so if you have more questions, I found a few good places for you to start your research.

You can read more about the spelt grain at these sites:

"What Is Spelt?" by The Spelt Bakers

"Spelt" by The World's Healthiest Foods

"Spelt" by Food-allergy.org

"Good Grains: What Is Spelt?" by theKitchn

So all this said, spelt is delicious, has a type of gluten that's easier to digest, and has more nutrients than regular wheat! And it's fun to mix things up in our diets every now and again. So, even if you're not gluten sensitive, you're going to want to try spelt bread!

I've been playing with a spelt bread recipe I found online:

'Perfect Bread Machine Spelt Bread'

The thing about spelt bread recipes is many include lecithin or a type of milk. I didn't want those. I just wanted to just keep it simple. Even the original recipe has two different types of spelt flour, which I'm sure makes the texture different. I wanted an easy recipe I could make for regular bread use. No more bought bread for this family!

This recipe is simple, egg and dairy-free, and turns out light and fluffy! What more could you ask for!?

Spelt Bread

1¾ c tepid water

2 tbsp. safflower oil (or olive oil)

4 c. organic wholegrain spelt flour

1½ tsp. sea salt

2 Tbsp. organic sugar (or honey)

¼ tsp. baking powder

2 tsp active dry yeast

First put in your water and oil into the bread-making bowl,

then add flour, salt, sugar, and then the yeast in the appropriate place (mine bread-maker has a yeast spot and adds it at the right time. I'm telling you, I love this thing!)

Bake on normal or rapid bake mode, with a small/medium loaf, and light/medium crust.

There is nothing like homemade bread just out the oven...

aka. the bread-maker!

Happy Baking!

In our home, we eat a bunch of stir fry type meals.

I don't mean we eat a lot of just Asian style stir fry. You can make so many wonderful dishes with this method: a bunch of seasonal chopped veggies and a type of grain.

If you want to add protein, add a protein.  

However, this is one reason I LOVE quinoa! 

There are 24 grams of protein in a cup of quinoa!

So with some different veggies, various grains, and often some sort of protein, stir fry type meals are a staple in our vegetarian household. We call them skillet dinners.

This particular one is a variety I've been playing around with for a couple months now.
There are so many lovely seasonal veggies right now showcasing the fall colors, with a beautiful blend of flavors. It's so delightful!

I also often take advantage of things grown in my garden.
So instead of 2 large store bought carrots, I will have 7 or 8 smaller garden carrots.
Always, always, always feel free to add or subtract ingredients for your family's needs and tastes! (I feel like that should go without saying.) And if you need to use up something and it might go with this, throw it in! However, if you follow this exactly, it's going to be pretty tasty.


Harvest Quinoa with Parmesan

1 c. quinoa
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. minced garlic*
1/2 small red diced onion
2 cubed small golden nugget squash
1 c. chopped kale
2 chopped celery stick
2 chopped carrots
5 chopped broccoli leaves**
 about 1/2 to 1 c. chopped red cabbage
To taste: oregano, basil, parsley, paprika, salt & pepper***
1/2 c. parmesan, and a little more to sprinkle on top


 * We LOVE garlic!!! I my have added even more than that... adjust accordingly.
**This was from my garden. We use what we have! You could also substitute spinach, use just kale, or add another cabbage variety or cook-able leafy green.
*** When I cook, I'm so bad about measuring. If it smells and tastes like it needs more, I add more! I probably put about 2 tsp. of each, possibly more.

1) You'll want to first cook your golden nugget squash.
I put both of mine on a cookie sheet in the oven at 350 for about 20 mins. You can also do this in the microwave. If you would like to try to peel it raw, you may. But it is SO much easier to cook a squash first before trying to remove the peel. (Trust me on this one.) When cooked and peeled, then cube.

2) Cook your quinoa just like how you make rice. Also like rice, it's 2 cups of water to every 1 cup quinoa. Don't forget to always rinse your grains, especially quinoa, as it has a bitter coating called saponin.

3) In a large skillet, warm olive oil to medium-high heat, then sauté your garlic and onions, until onions are beyond clear. Both should start to brown just a little at the edges, and start to caramelize. This is when these two little flavor powerhouses become divine!

4) Turn up the heat a little bit, and add your veggies!
Add your seasoning before the veggies really start cooking.
When the veggies have cooked down, and your quinoa is finished, add the quinoa to the skillet full of veggies, and mix it all together. Take a moment to admire the lovely fall colors all in one skillet!

5) At the last second, add your parmesan, and while stirring, let it melt into the rest of the dinner. Serve with a little extra sprinkle of parmesan on top.
Bon appetit!

I have had a lovely summer!

I have travelled almost as much as I've been home! Okay, well... that's an exaggeration, but I have been gone quite a bit. I've been to Gold Country California with my dad, Puget Sound & Seattle in Washington with my husband, the Willamette Valley to see friends, and camping last weekend with the hubby in the Cascades. 

And my summer's not over yet!

This week, a close friend and I are having a sister goddess camp out, and then the week after that, I'm off to the Valley again to visit my cousin before her baby shower.

As much as I'm a nester, I'm also an explorer.

I feel like I'm getting it all out of my system before the fall winds and winter snows come in, and then I will cozily hunker down with my knitting.

So, what do all these travels have to do with jam?

Glad you asked! ;)

On my trip to the Willamette Valley, my friend Denae and I went to a local farmers' market, where I picked up a half flat of raspberries.

There is nothing like fresh raspberries!

Right there, I determined I would make jam.

Since I had never made jam before, I went the easy route, and did freezer jam.

If you've never done canning, this is a good place to start, because you almost can't mess it up! I say almost, because you do have to use the recommended amount of sugar, or it won't set up. There are varieties that use less sugar, so look for those if that's what you so desire.

I found an instant pectin from Ball that you don't have to cook.

The flavor from the raspberries is so nicely fresh! This jam will be my little bit of summer to last me into the fall & winter months.

On the inside of the pectin label, they have this recipe:

For every pint of jam ~

1 2/3 c. of prepared fruit

2/3 c. sugar

2 Tbsp. Ball RealFruit Instant Pectin

If you are making peach jam ~

add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

I substituted honey for sugar, which gave it a wonderful flavor.

For mixing the fruit, I just blended it up in my food processor.

The directions were so simple:

Mix the pectin and sugar.

Add the blended fruit. Stir 3 minutes.

Seriously... one of the most easy recipes ever!

First I made the Raspberry Honey Jam

Then I experimented with Raspberry Nectarine Honey Jam.

Oh yum! Make sure you add a little lemon juice for nectarines and peaches for the flavor.

The sweet & tart combo tastes like candy from a jar!

Your jam will keep in the freezer for a whole year.

However, I don't think it will last that long in our house.

My hubby is so happy! He LOVES jam!

(Anyone else think of John Watson just then? Just me... okay...)

He even bought more bread recently just so he could eat more jam.

This might become a problem... I guess only if he eats it all before I can get some.
:)

Rainy Day Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Rainy days always make me want to bake. Always.

And they go perfectly with that cozy, milky cuppa tea and a blanket.

And maybe a fur-baby on your lap and a movie! I <3 rainy days!

This recipe is one of my most favorites, partially because I love oatmeal raisin, and partially because I made it. Yes, I did!

I can't say that about too many recipes, but this is one I altered, tweaked, and shifted, so much over many months, until it no longer resembled what it was originally.

After many tests on our small group and my hubby, it's ready!

Before you start, I need to say a few things about the ingredients.

The quality of ingredients totally makes this cookie. You can substitute things, (like brown sugar instead of the raw sugar & molasses) but honestly, it's not going to be as good. Use the molasses, use RAW honey. (Check in your area for a good, local raw honey)

You can taste the difference!

Rainy Day Oatmeal Cookies

  Ingredients ~

       1 c. butter, softened

       slightly less than 1 c. raw sugar

       about 1½ tbsp. molasses

       ½ c. raw, quality honey

       2 large eggs

       1½ tbsp. vanilla

       1 tsp. salt or LoSalt

       1 tsp cinnamon (Do you love cinnamon? Put in more!)

       ½ tsp nutmeg (Just like the cinnamon, if you're a spice fan, add more. Why not!?)

       1 tsp. baking soda  

       1½ c. flour ~ 1 c. white & ½ c. whole wheat 

                   (Or try just whole wheat for wonderfully thick cookies)

       3 to 3½ c. rolled oats

       1 to 1 ½ c. raisins

Directions ~

1. Preheat oven to 325*

2. Creme together butter and sugars, including honey. With the molasses, I don't usually measure the amount, which probably means I add a little more. (I'm terrible, I know!) Since the raw sugar is less than a full cup, I usually pour the molasses on top of the raw sugar, so both of them together make a full cup.

3. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth, and all mixed together.

4. Add salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda, and blend together.

5. Add flour. If doing all whole wheat, try adding a cup at a time. 

6. Add oats and raisins! At this time, resist eating all the dough before baking.

7. Make 2 inch balls or mounds on a cookie sheet. I highly recommend a Silpat mat or parchment sheet. If you don't have either, remember to grease your cookie sheet.

8. Bake for 11 to 15 mins. Check at the 10 or 11 min. mark, then add time. Don't over brown. When you take them out, let them stay on the sheet a few minutes. They cook a little longer on the sheet. When you take them out a minute or two before being really browned, and let the sheet cook for a minute, this is one of the ways they become delightfully chewy. (The honey and molasses helps too!)

9. Store cooled cookies in a sealed container to retain the extra chewiness moisture. Enjoy!!!

If you make these, and find problems, please let me know! 

I just made these on Sunday, so they should be wonderful! :) 

Happy Baking!

Pesto should always be homemade!

 Why, you ask? I will tell you...

Reason #1: You can make pesto sauce for about half the price 

of what it costs in the store!

That's right! Did you k/now that Trader Joe's sells ORGANIC basil in a large clamshell for $2!? Crazy! (The more I find there, the more I love T.J's!)

With most of this, you can make a good amount of sauce, and have a few leaves 

left over for a another recipe.

Reason #2: No preservatives!

I'm on a quest to try to eliminate most all preservatives from the food we eat. I must confess, we're not super strict, but we are slowing learning and getting better about this. Wherever you can eliminate fake preservatives you can't pronounce, that's is a very good thing, am I right?

Reason #3: It tastes amazing!!!

You can make it how you like! Do you want no or little salt? 

You can't take the salt out of a jar.

So, before I give you the recipe, this is the kind of thing you can eyeball.

You can measure if you want... but part of the fun is testing to see what 

needs a little extra boost.

Easy Pesto Recipe

Ingredients:

Lots of basil, about 1 cup

A couple tablespoons of olive oil (more to thin)

A few dashes of salt and pepper to taste

a clove or two of garlic (or more, if you have garlic madness like me!)

add 1/4 to 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (optional, if none, you might add a little extra salt)

add pine nuts if you want (again, optional, about 1/4 cup)

Directions:

Put basil and olive oil together in a food processor, and blend well.

Add the rest of the ingredients, and blend again.

Mmmm.... cheese...

 Blend it all in, and you're done!

I promise the rest of my recipes will not be this... abstract, if you will.

Sometimes, I just like to not measure! How about you?

I highly recommend this in a mozzarella, tomato, and pesto sandwich on toasted sourdough. Doesn't that sound divine on a Spring-turning-into-summer day? Mmmm...

Now I know what I'm having for lunch.

~~~

Please note that this recipe was adapted and tweaked from the original recipe at

http://forthemommas.com/cooking/easy-pesto-sauce-recipe

I like experimenting and making things my own, but let's also give credit where credit is due.

It's called Karma, people!