As promised, Homemade Pop Tarts

One of the things I love about my husband is how versatile he is.  He is book smart but also street smart.  He loves to hunt, great at cooking.  He is a man's man, but a tender tender heart.  (I promise, I will get to the pop tarts).  A few years ago we decided to dive in to the world of canning, as we'd seen his parents and grandparents do.  There is no way I would continue canning if he didn't help me with it.    It is hard hard work, but worth the reward.  He really loves it as much as I do, and for that I am thankful!  Over the years we've learned how to make many jams and jellies, along with pie fillings, canned green beans, pickles, tomato sauce and more.  What I love about the jams and jellies is that they can be used for far more than spreading on a biscuit!  My boys like to use it as a topping to their oatmeal, I use apple jelly and butter on top of a pork recipe, and most of all...we love to stuff our homemade pop tarts with our home made jams and jellies!!

Below is the recipe we use from 100 Days of Real Food.  They are easily frozen so I tend to make them in bulk, with several different varieties.  This is a great food to let your kids help with.  Mine love to help roll out the dough, spread the jelly and press the ends down.  On the morning of, pop one in the toaster and voila!  Another fresh, warm breakfast at your service.  AND it's all real food.  Winning.  

Whole-Wheat Toaster Pastries (a.k.a. Pop Tarts!)

SERVES: 7 – 8 TOASTER PASTRIES

ADAPTED FROM THE HOMEMADE PANTRY

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ¼ cup whole-wheat flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup cold, unsalted butter (2 sticks)
• ½ cup water plus ice
• 1 egg beaten with a splash of water
• 7 – 8 tablespoons
• jam or jelly (we prefer either homemade jam or an all-fruit spread that’s sweetened with fruit juice concentrate as opposed to sugar or high-fructose corn syrup)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Put the flour and salt in a food processor with the dough blade and pulse it together briefly.
3. Meanwhile fill a glass measuring cup with ½ cup water and add a few ice cubes to it.
4. Take the cold butter straight out of the fridge and cut it into ½ inch chunks. Sprinkle the pieces of butter on top of the flour in the food processor. Be careful to spread out the butter as opposed to letting it all clump together in one piece.
5. Turn on the food processor and blend until the mixture resembles a crumbly meal. While the food processor is still running add ⅓ cup water through the top. Watch the dough come together and add 2 – 3 more teaspoons of water as needed so a dough ball will form. If some of the dough is in a ball and some is stuck to the sides that is okay…you can fix it with your hands. At this point the dough could be stored in the fridge in plastic wrap for up to 3 days or in the freezer (in a freezer safe container) for up to 6 months.
6. Remove the dough from the food processor and put it on a lightly floured counter or large cutting board. With a rolling pin (and another sprinkling of flour) flatten out the dough to one big rectangle or square that’s no more than a quarter inch thick. Trim any uneven ends and use those to patch other edges as necessary.
7. Using a knife cut out 14 to 16 rectangles of dough. Actually you could make them any shape or size that you want at this point. Lay half of your dough shapes onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Spoon about a tablespoon of jam down the middle of those bottom dough pieces.
8. Top them with matching dough shapes and seal around the edges by pushing down with a fork. Make a few holes in the top with the fork as well. Lastly, brush the tops of the uncooked toaster pastries with the egg wash.
9. Bake at 375 degrees F for 18 – 24 minutes or until golden brown. Cool the cooked pastries on a cooling rack (if you have one) then either eat them right away or store them in the fridge for 3 days or the freezer for several months. They can be eaten cold or reheated. Enjoy!

Freezer Muffins

The title of this post doesn't do it justice.  Freezer muffins are life altering.  Truly.  My life changed when I found out about it.  Why, you may ask?  Think hot, warm, FRESH muffins any time of day without having to make them on the spot.  Guests coming on a whim?  No problem, let me throw some fantastically awesome blueberry muffins in the oven right quick.  Taking care of kids all day with no time to make a quick treat for your Bible Study ladies?  On it.  House smell like diapers and in need of a "I promise I do more than chance diapers" pick me up?  No?  Anyone?  Ok.  Don't feel like waking up at 5:30 am just to make your family a warm breakfast?  Please, and thank you.

So, here's my little secret.  I've held on to it for a while wanting it to be all mine but I feel like there's some pride to that in fooling everyone I'm a happy little baker and have time (hah!) to bake all the day long.  So without much further ado...

Make your batter.  Pour it in your lined muffin tins. Pop that tray of raw muffins in the freezer.  Let them freeze.  Pop them out and into a storage bag.  Label said bag with oven temperature and cooking time.  Next time you want some muffins, pop some of those suckers in the oven and voila: You're awesome. 

And if you want to get CRAZY make your muffins in bulk.  Bake a few in the moment.  Save a fewer for later.  And make a few varieties all in one day.  Then you can heat up whichever muffins you want...whenever you want.  

Week 1 of Real Food = Real Changes

As you may recall, this was our first week of "Real Food" changes.  It's been an adjustment but I would have to say that this week qualifies as a SUCCESS! I used Lisa's free menu/grocery list/recipe list to give us a good starting point.  Please note: she feeds a family of 4 which includes her two daughters.  I don't know how much they eat, but my 2 year old son ate 12 shrimp for the main course of his dinner tonight... 3 courses (as she usually suggests for her meals) do not fill my boys so I added a few all-veggie sides as needed.

I cannot believe that in one month Everett will be ready (if I am...) to begin solids.  SO. MUCH. FOOD.  I digress... 

So, her meal plans (found upon "liking" on her facebook page) included links to everything we needed for the week.   I've linked each recipe so you can try it out yourself!  Here's my personal opinion on some of the things we tried:

Granola - 

We didn't actually try this...  I so wanted to and got everything off of her grocery list but when I got home to look at the recipe I was missing ingredients???  So we didn't get to try it but it's on my list of things to try this week.  With all the ingredients ;)

Whole Wheat Muffins - 

Whole wheat is a shock to us.  It is definitely an "acquired" taste.  I wish I would have used a pastry whole-wheat flour instead of your regular, hearty, whole wheat flour.  I think my muffins were a little tough but I can't wait to try them again.  Here's what I love about them:  Mix in pretty much whatever filling you'd like to make a variety for the week.  THEN, freeze 1/2 of them to keep for another week.  Our varieties included 1) apple butter, 2) strawberry and 3) cinnamon/raisin/walnut.  I think it was a fun mix-up.  The bittersweet thing about making everything home-made with no preservatives is that they don't keep as long.  Good: you know your ingredients are fresh and real.  Bad: they spoil much more quickly.  I made the muffins Sunday and on Wednesday there was one molding next to the muffins we purchased at Kroger 2 weeks earlier that were still perfectly in tact.  Yikes.  Note to self: store them in the fridge for the week.  

(Muffins getting ready to go in the oven)

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes-

I should have known better going into this recipe.  Luke loves bananas but doesn't really like them cooked in anything.  This is also true of these pancakes.  I thought they were really yummy and very filling.  They cooked a little differently but after the first few we had the hang of it.  We even used real maple syrup and while it tasted vastly different than what we were previously using - we looked at the label and it said, "Less than 2% maple syrup."  You can guess what other syrups made up the other 98%......... - we loved the taste.

Vegetarian Fajitas - 

I love the phrase she uses, "Flexitarian," to describe their family's eating habits.  They're not vegetarians but they also don't eat meat every night.  This recipe didn't call for any meat but I had a leftover chicken breast that needed to be used so I threw it in there to add extra protein for the boys.  These were DELISH and actually called for HOMEMADE WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLAS.  Sounds crazy, a little.  But since whole wheat is a little hard to get used to I figured homemade is always better anyways so why not go for it?  The recipe was super easy and Luke loved "helping" me roll out each tortilla.  They were de-lish!  Billy actually liked them as well and we all had plenty to eat.  Winner!

Egg Salad - 

This is your pretty standard egg salad recipe.  Unfortunately Everett's belly still can't handle eggs like this so this was just for Billy's lunches a couple times.  

Jambalaya - 

Again, pretty standard but SO delicious!  I forgot to buy shrimp earlier in the week so I quickly ran out with both babies in tow and picked up some frozen shrimp (big no no in Lisa's challenge) but it worked for us and it was oh so yummy.  It made plenty to freeze and use for another meal.  This is a huge win in my book.  

ICE CREAM!!!!!!-

Excited much?  Coming from the girl who has had to give up her main food group for 12 months, this was beyond the highlight of my week.  Maybe not.  But it is pretty high up there.  As I was browsing on the 100daysofrealfood.com website I stumbled across her recommendation of deliciouslyorganic.com who HAPPENED to have a recipe on the front page of the website for DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM.  Hot diggity dog!  You better believe I went out that day and picked up all (FOUR) ingredients to make this.  And boy did it deliver.  SO easy to make, only 4 ingredients and heaaaaaaavenly.  

Power Balls -

I have been racking my brain to try and come up with a more delicious name for these delightful treats but I'm not much for creativity with words.  Again, another incredibly easy recipe with only 5 ingredients and took maybe 20 minutes to whip up.  We rolled ours in coconut and they were like eating a Mound or Almond Joy.  Yummmmmm-oooo.  

Real Foods = Major Changes

While my sister-in-law was recently in town with our adorable and ever-so-edible niece, Addi, she mentioned a blog that a friend mentioned to her.. 100daysofrealfood.com. It is based on the idea of eating without any - as in none, zero, nil, ANY - preservatives. 100% all natural and all good for you food. I've often been intrigued and very interested in this but the time it takes to rethink a menu, find appropriate recipes that are "allowed" and shop at multiple stores when necessary was daunting enough with one child. But thanks to Lisa, most of the leg-work is complete as her website and facebook page offer [free] menus, shopping lists complete with prices from Trader Joes/Whole Foods/Earthfare, and printable recipes. After browsing around and seeing if this was even possible with our budget and my time we've decided to take the plunge! We've made a few modifications to fit our lifestyle right now as we gradually transition to a healthier kitchen. Here's how we're approaching it:

1. I'm not getting rid of any previously bought processed/not-all-natural/not-organic goods. I can't justify the waste and we are just thankful for food in the pantry and refrigerator!

2. We aren't following her meal plan 100%. I'm using the meal suggestions and planning/preparing accordingly but hey if Luke doesn't like egg salad, no big deal. And if Billy prefers carrot sticks over celery sticks that's fine by me.

3. Her weekly budget is high for our needs. SO, we buy the most important things first and work around what fits in our grocery budget on a monthly basis. And as stated above, if I already have an ingredient in the house that doesn't fit her "criteria," I'm using it up before I purchase anything new.

4. We are not doing a "100 day challenge." We are slowly modifying our complete diet as we are able and are willing to make an exception here or there to eat out or splurge on a special treat. My hope is that within 6 months we are out of the main processed foods in our house and relying on what's in season and more natural alternatives, such as honey for sugar, whole wheat flour instead of white flour, etc.

This week we did our shopping on Saturday (the farmer's market and grocery shopping is so much more pleasant when my husband tags along!) and are only on day 2 of this "food makeover." I'll be sure to give an update at the end of the week to share how we're making this work. For now, run over to 100daysofrealfood.com and check it out for yourself. So worth it!

A life without butter & chocolate

It might be no big deal to some. But growing up with a family of great cooks - er - great southern cooks - a day without butter and/or chocolate is a day not worth eating in my book. I'm sure my mom is laughing right now, thinking about my chocolate obsession, but seeing how many treats and M&M's she brings to Luke each week, it's no wonder I have a sweet tooth... love you, mom :)

So, as we have recently learned, Everett is not only allergic to dairy but also eggs. All things dairy, not just lactose. And anything and everything that contains the slightest amount of eggs. I want to continue nursing right now so this has meant a huge change in my diet. I think I'm too busy with my wild two year old to cry about it, but it has been quite the adjustment to say the least. I'm the girl that would eat butter plain. Plain as in...by itself. I used to request mayonnaise sandwiches as a child. And chocolate? Considered a main course in my book. So I have learned what I can and can't eat and have found many things to be quite helpful lately. For the most part I stick to meat and produce, but here are a few of my latest finds that have helped tremendously with this whole "dairy/egg" free business.

1. Oreos are considered vegan. I'm not sure what's in them exactly, but I eat them by the sleeve. This is not a joke.

2. Starbucks just became worth the price of their drinks. Soy options all around make the rainy, tired days a little bit brighter.

3. P.F. Changs has it figured out. You simply tell your server which allergies you have and they type it into their computer, and voila! A complete printable list that they bring you to your table of all the menu options that are safe JUST. FOR. YOU.

4. Whole Foods is the best place to go for those with allergies. I'm amazed at the mayonnaise, cheese, chocolate options that don't contain eggs or milk. I don't understand how it works, but I'll take it.

5. If I continue to buy the dairy free chocolate bars we may never be able to buy another house. They are expeeeensive.

6. There is also such thing as dairy free ice cream. Something about soy and coconut milk, but oh my it's delicious. And when sister hasn't had any ice cream in over a month, this is the best darn ice cream you could ever imagine. See number 5 for the reason why we do not purchase this on a regular basis.

7. As I'm writing this I'm realizing that our grocery budget has more than likely gone up significantly based on the stores and products that are available to those with allergies.

8. Always plan ahead. We recently took a trip to DC and while we were out and about there were very few options of things for me to eat on the go. Luna Bars are my new best friend.

9. Pinterest (although I'm still confused about this ... how is this different from just google searching???) has GREAT resources and substitution lists for baking and cooking without dairy and eggs. It's amazing how many things can be used to substitute milk, butter & eggs to get the same-ish result.

So, life goes on and tonight's dinner involves lots of meat and vegetables :)

Apple Extravaganza

This weekend our house has smelled absolutely delicious. Apples everywhere. In the crock pot, jars, pies, crisps...it was delightful :) With each season Billy and I usually get on a kick of a particular fruit or veggie to can so we can enjoy it's fresh goodness all year long. No but really...all year. Earlier this year it started with blackberries, then on to tomatoes and we finished up the summer with peaches. I love that when I'm making soups and stews this winter I am still using this summer's tomatoes, when I need a quick side or fruit I'm able to pull out a jar of 100% peaches WITHOUT the added preservatives (and sugar), when we're looking for an easy warm breakfast I've got a plethora of fresh jams and jellies to spread on fresh made biscuits or toast and last but not least - the pie filling makes an oh so easy dessert option that I can whip up for guests in the form of a crisp, pie or even served warm with vanilla ice cream. But back to my apple kick. This Saturday it was apples. Luke and I headed on over to the Farmer's Market while Billy was building our deck and we scored a whopping 40 pounds of apples for $24! You might be wondering how many apples = 40 pounds. Well, I didn't count, but I can tell you that after 13 half pints of apple butter, 4 quarts of apple cider (which, by the way you just use all your scraps from slicing and peeling apples, stick it in the crock pot with water and seasonings and voila! Apple cider!), 6 quarts of apple pie filling and 4 jars of apple jam we still have about 25 apples leftover.

You're probably wondering what on earth I'm going to do with all of these jars. We will keep some of the jam, butter, cider & pie filling on the shelves with our canned tomatoes, peach slices, blackberry jam & peach jam. Then we will be giving the rest away - along with our other summer goodies - as Christmas gifts. Don't worry brothers and sisters, these are just for friends and extended family... you will have a wrapped gift under the tree ;)

Blame it on my urge to nest right now or my love of all things Christmas, but I have enjoyed every minute of it. My feet are a bit tired but I just love knowing that we'll get to share something tasty with ones we love that they can eat right away or save for a quick dessert on a cold winter's night. Once they're tagged and recipe'd (made that one up) I'll be sure to post pictures.

Here are a few of my favorite looks... minus the newlywed names and replace it with favorite recipes:

I love the simplicity of these...just a little twine (which I have an abundance of) and a sweet card full of delicious suggestions. IE: Apple butter pork tenderloin, apple crisp, apple pie, homemade biscuits with peach jam, etc. Can you tell I'm 29 weeks preggers??

I'm generally not a fan of the fabric toppers - they're a bit too old fashioned for my taste. HOWEVER - I love these. Again..simple and sweet. Literally.

I LOVE these but I'm not sure I'm going to have the time (or energy) to mess with making labels along with the packaging, mailing, delivering...oh and making the boy's blankets, finishing the boy's shared bedroom and finishing up Everett's cradle bedding. But still, super cute.

And off to the next project I go while my little man is sleeping... some custom curtains and towels for the ever so fun Moms Sew Sassy :)

Everyday Chinese...

just so happens to be my new favorite cookbook.

For the past two years of my marriage I have learned two things. 1. my husbands love language: food. 2. His sub-love language: chinese food.

Every now and then I like a good Asian dish but it's not typically my go-to food. I try and keep our monthly menu pretty versatile but let's be honest, I've never come close to choosing to add Chinese food to the list :) One afternoon while diddling around in World Market with Billy we came across this little (literally...it's about the size of a post card) Chinese cookbook...hence the title of this post, "Everyday Chinese." At first I was a little skeptical and expecting a not-so-great attempt at this Chinese dish. But boy was I wrong! Our first dish we tried was chicken stir fry with rice & veggies. It was DE-LISH. Again, thinking maybe it was a fluke we tried another dish this weekend and I was blown away at the yumminess and authenticity found in our giant wok of food! This time we tried beef & broccoli with soba noodles...mm so good.

So if you like Chinese cuisine and have a chance to go pick up a good book, I highly recommend this $4.99 find at World Market.

Chicken stir fry with rice & veggies

Five Days of Favorites: Day 5!

This is the perfect day for my last day of favorites! We are a family that loooove soups. Soups make a day so cozy, you can make them in bulk and save them for another rainy or snowy day, and you can typically stretch them pretty far for low cost by just increasing the broth, noodles or potatoes. Here's to a lovely snowy and rainy day :)

Day 5: Chicken Florentine Soup

2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 c chopped onions

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

1 can (15 oz) Italian Style tomato sauce

5-6 cups chicken or turkey stock or 1 can (46 oz) chicken broth

1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey

1 1/2 c cooked orzo or other small pasta

1/2 lb fresh spinach, well washed and shredded

1/4 c fresh basil leaves shredded or 1-2 tbsp pesto sauce

1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

salt

ground pepper

1. In large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions, sugar, Italian seasoning & red pepper.

2. Saute 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent.

3. Stir in tomato sauce and stock; reduce heat to med-low and simmer uncovered 8-10 minutes until slightly reduced, stirring occasionally.

4. Stir in shredded chicken or turkey, orzo, spinach, basil, parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.

5. Cook 4-5 minutes longer until heated through.

6.. Serve with hot crusty garlic bread.

Five Days of Favorites: Day 4

I'm on a blogging roll this week! Another great recipe that we love to use during football season and on lovely snow days. Here comes day four favorite, chip dip for a crowd (Compliments of Jenna Liberto :) )

Cream Cheese Dip:

1 can of stewed tomatoes

2 blocks of cream cheese

1 can of green chiles

1. Melt cream cheese in medium saucepan

2. Add tomatoes and chiles with juices - try to break up tomatoes if possible

3. Bring to a boil

4. Serve with chips!

Five Days of Favorites: Day 3

A staple in our house during Christmas...well, actually all year round, is chocolate. This next recipe is a fun twist on snickerdoodles and it makes for great gift boxes! I just sent off over 60 cookies to my relatives to enjoy over the holidays. Hope you enjoy, too!

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1 egg

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar + 1 tsp ground cinnamon to sprinkle on top

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup sugar, soda and cream of tartar until combined. Beat in egg & vanilla. Beat in cocoa powder and flour.

3. Drop by rounded tsps. about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

4. Bake 9-11 minutes until edges are firm and cookie begins to crack. Cool on wire racks.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Five Days of Favorites: Day 2

This yummy recipe comes from my amazing sister-in-law, Sarah. She's such a gem and such a godly example of a wife and soon to be mom. Spending time with she and Ray never disappoints and is always a great challenge to us. She made this recipe while we were visiting for Thanksgiving and oh my word, it is SO good!! And SOOO easy!!

Day 2: Apple Butter Pork

1-1.5 lb pork tenderloin

Dijon Mustard

Apple Butter

Cream or 1/2 and 1/2

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place meat in casserole dish and spread dijon mustard and apply apple butter on top so the pork is covered.

2. Bake for about an hour or until slightly pink in the middle. Remove meat from pan & keep warm.

3. Take juice & drippings from pan & mix cream & apple butter until it's a gravy consistency. Serve with pork.

Enjoy!!

Five Days of Favorites: Day 1

Forgive my lack of blogging lately, our modem died so blogging went on hold for a bit. In the meantime I've been cooking up a storm for my fellas and out of town relatives. My oh MY how much my role has changed now that I have a full-time husband! I love having him home, truly. But let's be honest...we joke often about his love language: food! And his little boy takes right after him :) When Billy was traveling 70% of the time that was 70% less meals I had to work on. And 70% less of a grocery bill. So in the past two weeks I have been on a deal searching, meal planning, grocery shopping, food cooking frenzy. I love trying new recipes from friends and I've found several favorites since we said the vows 2 1/2 years ago. In spite of the weather and season I thought I'd spend a few days sharing some of my fall/winter favs!

Five Days of Favorites, Day 1: Brunswick Stew

This is from a sweet friend that brought us a meal after Luke was born. I love it for several reasons. First, it's delicious. Second, it's very easy. Third, it stretches a long way, which is GREAT for the budget - and great to serve with friends :)

1 whole chicken (3 lbs)

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 tbsp veg. oil

3 (16 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes, undrained & chopped

1 (8oz) can tomato sauce

1/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp white vinegar

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp flour

1 cup water from boiling the chicken

1 lb red potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 (16 oz) can baked beans

1 tbsp hot sauce

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground tumeric

1/2 tsp pepper

1 16oz can corn, drained

1 16 oz can lima beans, drained (** optional - we HATE lima beans so we never include them)

1. Cook chicken in dutch oven in boiling water to cover until cooked through. Pull apart and chop chicken. Reserve

2. Saute onion and bell pepper in hot oil in Dutch oven until tender. Add chicken, tomato & next 4 ingredients.

3. Combine flour & 1 cup water, whisking until smooth. Stir into chicken mixture. Add potato and next 5 ingredients

4. Cover & cook over medium heat stirring occasionally, about an hour - an hour and 15 minutes. Add corn and lima beans, cook another 10-15 minutes.

**Yields 16 servings

ENJOY!