A visit with Santa...

Tonight we visited with Santa Claus at one of the local malls. Rylee was thrilled, to say the least! We intended to get his picture made, but the elves' were having trouble with their credit card machine (y'all know we didn't have cash). So, we were able to settle for cell phone pictures. I refuse to think about life without my phone. Either way, Alex didn't care so long as he had a chance to chat. Santa even helped him work on the proper way to laugh "Ho! Ho! Ho!"

A great way to top off such an evening was with a visit to one of the BBQ joints near the EE. Today was the first sign of a regular appetite since Rylee caught the crud last week and began taking an antibiotic containing a known allergen. So, when he asked for a big sandwich and fries, Ryan and I were happy to oblige. Considering he polished off all the fries and 3/4 of the sandwich, I feel certain a recovery is imminent.

The Christmas Train

Christmas trees need a train. I have no idea why, but they just seem to go togther. The EE is privilaged to have an especially significant train. Years ago, on Rylee's first Christmas, his beloved maternal grandparents deemed that their little man needed a train. Notice the word  NEED was used. They were serious about this gift. They were even brand specific; nothing less than a Lionel steam engine would do. With their gift in mind, Santa Claus left a holiday boxcar that Christmas and has continued to do so as the years pass. It looks like next year will require a track expansion as the engine and caboose are close to touching with our current setup!

Ryan made a video to share. The engine, tender & caboose are from the original set. There isn't room for the other cars that came with them! The Hogwarts Express is sitting on top of a table looking rather forlorn at the moment. Rylee has mentioned for the last year that he would like the Polar Express by Lionel. I'm not sure where we would put it. I have expressed a desire for tracks running around the living room suspended from the ceiling. Somehow that just hasn't happened.

We will need to update with a picture if Santa follows through with tradition and leaves the 2011 boxcar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaB7Ft74Fco&feature=player_detailpage

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

Pumpkin is yummy beyond words. The EE kitchen uses this quintesential fall fruit in savory and sweet concoctions. The sweet dip we're featuring today surprises most people willing to give it a try. It has been described as both surprising and addictive. Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip is great on a buffet or as a special dessert treat.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

16 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz. unsalted butter, softened
15 oz. pumpkin puree
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon allspice

In an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, and pumpkin until well blended.
On low speed add sugars, extract, and spices.
Place pumpkin dip in a covered container. Refrigerate until serving time.
Serve with cinnamon graham crackers or apple slices (lemon wash to prevent browning).

Victorian Pomander Hand Scrub

Earlier this week I posted a receipt for Gingerbread Hand Scrub in which I described my love of pampering hand treatments. The post for today includes a receipt  for one of the most popular scents here at the EE, Victorian Pomander. This fragrance is gentle yet vibrant with the spicy tang of cloves and sweet oranges. It evokes a warm feeling on a chilly winter solstice such as today!

Victorian Pomander Hand Scrub
1 cup Epsom salts
6 drops sweet orange essential oil
3 drops cinnamon leaf essential oil
3 drops clove bud essential oil
1/8 cup veggie oil

Blend ingredients well and store in a tightly lidded jar.
Gently scrub hands with 1 tablespoon of mixture and rinse under warm water.

Now go throw on a Yule log and enjoy Midwinter!

Verde Veggie Dip

Warm, cheesy, green veggie goodness. This dip is delicious served warm with crackers or crudite. It also proves vegetables can be bad for you under the right circumstances. But your tastebuds will thank you. Just ask the PMAHA board members. We enjoyed this and Chocolate Chip Cheeseball
at a recent meeting while the kids slogged away on the ice.

Verde Veggie Dip

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 oz. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon ranch dry mix
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 can heart of palm, drained & diced
1 can artichokes, drained & diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 cups fresh baby spinach, washed, dried, & roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in an oven proof dish.
Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Gingerbread Hand Scrub

The EE’s kitchen is filled with surprises. One never knows what to expect from day to day. Sweet or savory? Mundane or exotic? Recipe or creation? Something or nothing? Just teasing about that last one! One thing that seems inevitable is strong smelling ingredients refusing to budge from my hands. It’s a pet peeve. For example, I love eating garlic, but despise the smell of the raw stuff on my hands. Another inevitability with lots of cooking is lots of hand washing which leads to dry skin. This cycle resulted in the following receipt for Gingerbread Hand Scrub.

Gingerbread Hand Scrub

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/8 cup veggie oil

Combine dry ingredients. Gently stir in vanilla and oil until well blended.
Store in a jar by the kitchen sink. When your hands need a pick me up, gently massage 1 tablespoon of Gingerbread Hand Scrub into your hands and rinse thoroughly under warm water. A gentle exfoliation, moisturizing, and a delicious scent… what more can a cook’s hands desire*?

*Trick question. Of course this cook’s hands would desire a lovely set of Wusthof knives…

Veggies for Breakfast? Spinach Egg Cups

Fruit seems like a no brainer for breakfast. Having some oatmeal this morning? Throw in some apples or raisins. Cereal? Throw in a sliced banana. Quiche? Melon wedges with that. Now mention a green vegetable in the context of breakfast and some folks might look at you funny. Eggs, one of the most versatile foods on the planet, love veggies. Omelets are the breakfast version of gumbo*, but sometimes you just lack the time or inclination to stand at the stove making individual omelets. My response? Egg Cups. Preheat your oven,  then grab a mixing bowl and a muffin tin. Food will be on the table in no time!

Spinach Egg Cups

6 eggs
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon mustard
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese (or other crisp, pungent cheese)
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1 cup fresh baby spinach, washed, dried, & chopped
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with oil (even if a nonstick pan!).
In a bowl, whisk eggs, adding subsequent ingredients until well blended.
Pour egg mixture evenly into oiled muffin tin.
Bake 20+ minutes OR until golden and not to0 jiggly. Yes, jiggly is a technical term meaning cooked and set but not dry and hard.

Fresh herbs are a lovely addition to this dish. Thyme and Asiago cheese taste sublime.  Minced rosemary would be gorgeous if you threw in a few diced tomatoes. The possibilities are endless! While the egg cups are cooking, prepare some fruit and whole wheat toast or bagels. A menu like that is always welcome at the EE on a Sunday night when supper needs to go from none to done in 30 minutes after church!

* My personal creed is that gumbo should be prepared by looking through the refrigerator for everything needing to be used up and throwing it in the pot. I have been known to get a wicked thrill from serving up a pot of gumbo, then waiting to be asked “So, what’s in this?” <insert evil grin>

Menu Plan for December 11-17

Following a meal plan for the last few days has been such a good experience! The time needed upfront to shop the pantry/refrigerator and then shop according to a specific list is so worth it when meal time rolls around. Ryan and I have agreed that it is nice to avoid the "What do you want to eat?" discussion. That one line can suck the life out of the joy of cooking at the end of a busy day. It seems to spiral into a miasma of frustration every time, even though we should feel blessed to have a choice beyond stale bread and a cup of lukewarm water.

Our food waste is going down considerably, too. By this time next week, I hope to be starting fresh with a cleaned out kitchen (from pantry to cabinets and everywhere in between). I work better in an organized space but the last few months of surgery recoveries, etc. have taken a toll on organization. It feels so empowering to accomplish this task! So, here we go with the menu for the coming week:

Sunday, Dec. 11
Breakfast: cereal, whole milk
Dinner: steak salad (This is a toss-up considering our schedule between church services.)
Supper: spinach egg cups, toasted whole wheat bagels, mandarin oranges

Monday, Dec. 12
Breakfast: ambrosia
Dinner: warm couscous and herbed tomatoes
Supper: Italian flag soup (tortellini, sausage, spinach, white beans, tomatoes)

Tuesday, Dec 13
Breakfast: pumpkin raisin oatmeal
Dinner: pepperoni whole wheat tortilla pizzas
Supper: pan seared ham, corn fritters, salad

Wednesday, Dec. 14
Breakfast: bacon grits, apple
Dinner: peanut butter, local honey, whole wheat toast
Supper: pumpkin chili, cornbread muffins

Thursday, Dec. 15
Breakfast: cereal, whole milk, fruit
Dinner: grilled cheese sandwiches
Supper: Eggrolls, white rice

Friday, Dec. 16
Breakfast: pumpkin butter, whole wheat toast
Dinner: veggie plate
Supper: coconut shrimp, soba noodles, pineapple/peach/cilantro chutney

Saturday, Dec. 17
Breakfast: cereal, whole milk, fruit
Dinner: waffles, nutella, raspberries, maple syrup
Supper: thyme oil roasted chicken, black eye peas, rice trio, vinegar cabbage slaw

Snacks include raw veggies, yogurt, granola, crackers with a spread or cheese, and other things of that nature. Drink options include crisp, refreshing tap water, ice tea, hot tea (herbal & decaf), whole milk, cranberry juice, and unsweetened apple juice.

Have a blessed week! I hope to post a few easy breakfast recipes and some homemade scrub receipts this week. Be watching for a tweet on facebook when they are posted.

Menu Planning

The EE is undergoing a food revolution. The current state of the pantry proves this. It was needful. It was necessary. Hopefully, it will also be helpful! Now to be fair, we have been on the made-from-scratch bandwagon for a long time. Not to say packaged foods could never be found in our home, crackers and such abound! However, packaged meals generally had two things working against them: 1) too pricey for our modest budget, and back in the day, our budget was thinnnnn LOL 2) often contain ingredients a certain little guy couldn’t tolerate.
Fast forward a few years to a budget blessed with abundance and a little guy who isn’t so little anymore who has fewer food issues. Some of those packaged foods crept into the pantry. Then came the day of a brand name gelatin product containing copious amounts of Red Dye 40 and who knows what else. It confirmed a suspicion we wished to avoid. Rylee still can’t handle artificial products.
At the same time I had been making some substitutions in my eating to get healthy. Sounds good, right? In my zeal to do better, I pulled out some artificial sweetener for my tea and occasionally had diet soda. I was reminded rather forcefully that this has never been kind to me in the past. Yep, lethargy and headaches ensued; not precisely conducive to a healthier lifestyle.
So, where does all this leave the EE? Remember the comment about our pantry? I had an epiphany, obvious though it may seem, that we need to shift back to a natural diet and everything else will work itself out with discipline and forethought. For myself, I would rather have a small amount of real sugar or local honey in my morning tea than the fake, hard to pronounce stuff that makes me feel yucky. Rylee enjoys eating a variety of foods and truly understands some things are better left untouched because consequences can be painful (I could stand to learn from him!). Ryan will be the first to tell you a desk job and restaurant food are not the best combination, financially or health-wise. All of this and many other factors meant  frugality and ideology must find common ground.
Hence, a desire to post a weekly meal plan for the world to see. Not to say the world at large cares what we eat but it lends a moment of accountability for me to plan ahead; thus avoiding food waste, encouraging frugality, and not getting sucked into “What do you want for supper?” which invariably means takeout. It seems an obvious Step 2 to follow Step 1: The Great Pantry Purge.
Wednesday, Dec. 7
Breakfast: crispy rice cereal, whole milk, banana
Dinner: veggie plate
Supper: potato clam chowder and garlic cheese popovers
Thursday, Dec. 8
Breakfast: ambrosia
Dinner: fire roasted tomato & thyme soup with alphabet pasta
Supper: baked ham, rosemary & honey smashed sweet potatoes, green bean gratin
Friday, Dec. 9
Breakfast: cranberry pear compote and whole wheat toast
Dinner: tuna & rice
Supper: bean soup with ham hock, cornbread muffins
Saturday isn’t getting a plan because it won’t see us together much. The perfect day for grabbing whatever leftovers are in the refrigerator! The intent is to prepare supper for 4 to allow leftovers for Lee’s weekday work dinners (he much prefers it this way). I’m going to test publishing a menu on Saturday for the coming week to coincide with a jaunt to the grocery store for needed items.
Have a blessed day!