Kitchen Rules

The fact that I even have to type this out and hang in the kitchen is PATHETIC! but True...Feel free to ADD any of your rules to the bottom, in the comments area! I'd love to hear them.

~~ Kitchen Rules ~~

1. WIPE the counter clean EVERY time you use it, even pouring beverages or making sandwiches on a plate. (Ants can see what you cannot...)
2. If you are the only one eating, wash your dishes, dry them and put them away.
3. If we are eating together (2 or more) wash, dry & put away dishes together immediately after eating, including pots or pans on stove. (Best to soak them during eating to be easier to clean)
4. Wipe counters clean right after preparing food, BEFORE eating.
5. No open or partially used Foods, no Crumbs, no Drips left on counter. (One would think #4 would take care of this but...)
6. Wipe stove clean after every use, lifting up burner grates to get drip area. (This way it doesn't build up to a full blown chore)
7. When done washing dishes, clean any 'foodstuff' out of sink.

Holy Hannah! I made PIE!

Well, I don't really know who Hannah is... or whether or not she is Holy... but what I DO know, is that "I made PIE!!"  Now, that may not seem so great an accomplishment to you, but I have led a fairly full life of cooking and baking, and known to be fairly good at it... but NEVER have I made (or even attempted to make) a PIE! ...unless you count Pizza Pie! LOL... but seriously... Pie Crust is one of the things I was just SURE I couldn't make. Not because I tried and failed, but because I FAILED to TRY.

So a month or so ago I was sitting in the living room with dear husband and I remarked how I really would like to make a Peach Pie (my favorite) if only I had a pie crust. "Why don't you go make a pie crust for me?" I said to DH. He didn't respond...at least not at first. 10 minutes later he got up, went into the kitchen and asked where the flour was. "Why?" I asked him. He said, "well you asked me to make a pie crust and it requires flour." Wow! Why didn't he respond like that when I asked him to build a deck on the back of the house? Hmmm owell, little steps.

A couple hours later, we had Pie. I cut up the peaches and mixed with sugar and spices and added it to his amazingly normal looking pie crust and we baked it. WOW! It was great. I was totally surprised. For a week or two I was resigned to a life of husband made pie crusts with me assembling the fillings. But then the competition or the inadequacy got the better of me and I asked him if he'd show me how to make pie crust. Not only me, but my pie-queen-friend also wanted to know his secret/method. So she came over one day, and we assembled all our ingredients and followed his example and we three made 3 pie crusts with our own individual fillings. He made peach, my friend made strawberry rhubarb, and I made Apple-Pear-Raspberry. Awesome pies! (mostly)

After that day, I decided I could now whip up a pie crust at a moment's notice! What an awesome ability! Yesterday I made a Black Raspberry-Mullberry pie using berries picked in our backyard and today I have in the oven 6 little mini pies of the Peach variety, complete with lattice tops. (see below) Tomorrow will be another Black Raspberry and a Cherry pie also from our back yard cherry trees. This has opened up a whole new world for me... someday I may even try making a savory pie!

Asian slaw

Another healthy recipe that sounds good enough to try... this time from the Slender Kitchen

Weight Watchers Asian Peanut Slaw
Points: 1 weight watchers pointsplus
Servings: 8 servings
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Nutritional Info: 44.9 calories, .2 g of fat, 6.4 g of carbohydrates, 1.9 g of fiber, 2 g of protein

Ingredients
3 cups of cole slaw mix (red and green cabbage and shredded carrots)
1/3 red onion, sliced thin
2 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
1 small jalapeno, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 medium jicama, diced
3 scallions, diced
2 tbsp low calorie peanut dressing (I love Tamari Peanut by San-J)
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Add the lime juice and dressing. Mix well and enjoy! I like to let it sit for at least 15 minutes for the flavors to combine.

Need Some Anti-Cupcake Weight Food!

I've been making cupcakes for a month or more now, and somehow a large portion of the weight I had lost has sneaked back on! OH NO! so I have been getting back on my stationery bike, and riding 20 minutes in the morning... but I'm finding I need some GOOD FOOD ideas... I've added salads back into my daily routine... but am starting to experiment with dressings to find a less fattening one, not totally fat free, but also less acidy that some in the stores. Here is one I found on a blog that I follow: The Gracious Pantry and in case you'd like to see more of her recipes, here is a link to her blog! This is one I'll be trying this week.

Clean Eating Raspberry Vinaigrette

(Makes approximately 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup avocado oil (or other light flavored oil)
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1/4 cup honey (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon prepared dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or to taste)
• Pinch of salt to taste

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients together with a blender until smooth. Store in an air-tight bottle or container for up to 2 weeks (give or take)

Strawberry Yum-Cakes

Yumm Yummm Yummmmmmy! I tried a new flavor and a new frosting last nite... strawberry. I even cut up pieces of strawberries and put in the batter! And then, I found a light and fluffy frosting recipe I liked so I tried it. I think the hubby liked it more than I did, but it was okay. I'm not sure what I didn't like about it, it was light... it was airy... it had a good vanilla flavor... but... still something was not exactly right... So I have a couple ideas of ways I can tweak it but that will be tomorrow, for today I have another plan (stay tuned!)

Meanwhile here is a picture of yesterday's delight! They froze well too, I put a couple dozen in the freezer and tried one this morning, for research you understand, and it was still Wonderful!

No,... sorry... not posting this recipe. LOL

Yummy Healthy Omlette

Well, I didn't think this omelette would turn out so well, or I would have taken a photo of it! But it's fast and easy... so Here it IS!

Chopped up 7 or 8 leaves of spinach and put in a small fry pan, sauteing with butter (or cooking spray).
Add 1 chopped up clove of garlic.
Let saute for about 3 min while you whisk up an egg with about 2-3 Tblspoons of water.
Add eggs to the pan, along with Salt & Pepper to taste.

Once it firms a bit, fold the sides in toward the middle and then (attempt to) FLIP. After flipping... add a little bit of cheese to melt on the top, OR as I did... a few small pieces of Ricotta Cheese!

Put lid on, turn off heat. Pour coffee, juice, whatever you drink and get a plate...it's READY!

Vidalia Onion Casserole

I really try not to skip days because then I have TWO things to blog about... and I don't like doing 2 things in one post... but... today I will tell you about "Vidalia Onion Casserole" AND the yummy omlette I made this morning.  (and maybe tomorrow I'll tell you about the Healthy Butter cream frosting I made yesterday!!)

Ok... So I went to a luncheon put on by our Quilting group at church and one of the ladies made this Kick Butt Onion Casserole. I know what *I* was thinking when I heard onion casserole...so I can easily imagine what YOU are thinking... but believe-you-me! It was "kick butt"... as I begged for the recipe, she told me it was... ONLINE!... LOLOLOL and told me the website as well... so I will give you the link and just tell you ... TRY IT.  If you like sauteed onions you will LOVE this and it couldn't be ANY easier to make.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/vidalia-casserole
(photo compliments of taste of home website)

I think i'll put the Yummy Omlette in a separate post... LOL