Dairy-Free Chocolate Rice Krispie Bars

I made these tonight - the only thing I did differently was to use 1/2 Rice Krispies and 1/2 Cocoa Krispies. They're cooling, so you'll just have to be patient until I cut into them and let you know how they are!!

Dairy-Free Taco Pie

So I have been tweaking a recipe for a while now, and think I finally got it to where we really like it - it's a dairy-free Mexican casserole that we call Taco Pie for brevity. =)

Taco Pie

1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 cup cooked rice
3/4 cup salsa
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg
1/3 cup water
1 cup cooked corn, cooled

Preheat oven to 400.

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Drain off the excess fat, then add the taco seasoning according to the directions on the package. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, mash the pinto beans (I use a hand mixer to get a super smooth consistency). Stir in the rice and salsa. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine the corn muffin mix, the egg and the water. Stir until almost combined, then stir in corn kernels. Set aside.

In a glass 9x9 pan, spread the bean and rice mixture evenly. Top with the ground beef mixture. Spoon the cornbread over the top - it doesn't need to be perfectly even. Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes or until the top is crisp and golden brown. Enjoy!

has it been a month?

I know it's been a crazy one, but still. A month? Sorry!

So we sold our house, after 14 showings in 8 days... and two days later, our realtors showed us a house that wasn't on the market, which we promptly snapped up. :) We move in just over three weeks, which is a little scary, especially as the next week for me is going to be wrapped up in writing a talk I need to deliver twice at a conference next weekend. And the lovely Cellular Lola is coming to stay for a while next week - woohoo!

Peanut has been wonderful, she's such a toddler. We thought for a little while there that we might have been past the whole dairy thing, but we're not. Which is fine, it was just exciting there for a little while.

Most summers, I typically like to live in the basement with the air conditioning on - I don't like the heat or humidity. Ick! But I have a feeling that with a toddler, I'm going to be so tanned this summer... I already have a little sunburn and a little tan going on... She loves her blow up pool that we have on the deck. I don't know if it's the sunscreen or the water that's the attraction - I think it's 50/50 for her!

We enjoyed the Pioneer Woman's Crash Hot Potatoes the other day. I think I have single-handedly introduced 200 people to the recipe so far. Whoa they're good!

Go check out this post over at Rocks in My Dryer. I tell you - it's worth it!

I've become rather attached to Guitar Hero for the Wii lately. Serious fun. We've had it for a week, and I think it's hampering my packing abilities. That thing sucks up so much of my free time... :)

HELP!?

so I know that your 100th post is traditionally a list of 100 things about you... but you'll have to wait a little while for that, dear and patient reader(s). I'll save that for some day next week when I don't know what to blog about.

Today, though, I have a fabulous topic and I need your help! My Mister and I love movies. We just really have fun watching them and discussing them. In fact, he had a 92 inch projector / screen setup before I met him, and he's constantly tweaking his speaker setup. I have to say, 92 inches is great... but it spoils you for anything else!

We haven't watched a movie in well over a week - which is unusual for us. Heck, we haven't even watched TV! (Not that we usually do - but sometimes we'll flip for a few minutes.) I think half the fun of it is just cuddling on the couch with Peanut in between us...

We're a Netflixin' family, since we don't make it to the theater too often anymore with Peanut nursing and all. One of the movies we currently have from Netflix is Roll Bounce... which looks like fun.

My conundrum of the moment is this... I'd like to make a "Roll Bounce" themed supper. Here's some of my ideas, but if you have more, I'd love to hear them!! Please help make our Date Night just that much cooler...

Meatballs ('cause they roll)
Rotini pasta ('cause they look like springs and springs bounce)
Garlic bubble bread (because they look like little rolls)
Jello for dessert (because it bounces!)

woo hoo!

I have the windows open in the house right now. For the first time in WEEKS! Between Peanut and I, neither of us like to get hot and sticky, so we usually have the air running a little, and if it's really hot out, we'll live in the basement for a couple of days...

But there is sweet-smelling air blowing through the house right now - wahoo and thank you, LORD!!

Add that to our herb-infused eggs this morning, and I'm a happy woman. Yeah, I skipped the salsa eggs because we have sore throats and I opted for silky smooth herb eggs. So good. Just beat up eggs with a splash of milk (makes them softer) and finely cut up some herbs from your garden (I used sage, oregano, basil and thyme)... Scramble, and just before done, stir in a spoonful of cream cheese to add to the silkiness. Delicioso.

Okay. Now I just need to convince Peanut that she's really sleepy, so I can take a nap, too!

TGI Friday's "Cedar Seared Salmon on Field Greens"

Just thought I'd pass along a recipe I stole / made up... The other day, we got takeout from TGI Fridays (they have a new reduced portion size section of their menu, which we wholeheartedly approve of, so we're trying to support them.) I had this fabulous salad, which I enjoyed so much that I decided to try making it at home. It was great. So much so that I'm passing along the recipe... It's salmon and portabellos served on mixed greens with a mild balsamic dressing. First off, here's the recipe for the salmon. It's to die for hot, and was really good cold. I recommend getting thinner pieces of salmon so that the flavor can permeate...

Ginger Glazed Salmon

1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
1 salmon fillet (about 1 1/2 pounds) (we actually use individual pieces from Sam's Club...)

Preheat broiler to high. In a bowl, combine sugar, mustard, soy sauce, ginger and pepper. Coat a broiler-proof pan with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange salmon fillet in pan and make shallow cuts diagonally across the salmon. Brush with sugar mixture. Broil 6 inches from heat for about 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.



While you have your salmon cooking, grill up a portobello or two - I had marinated it overnight in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, a little sea salt and a crushed garlic clove. When your salmon and mushroom(s) are done, put them in the fridge until cold.

When the salmon is cold, it's very easy to peel off the skin, if your piece had skin on it. Prepare your salmon like that, and then slice the mushroom into skinny pieces. Arrange mushroom slices in a star pattern on top of a plate of greens, then place a portion of salmon on top of the mushrooms. Top with this balsamic dressing and serve:

Balsamic Dressing ala moi

balsamic vinegar
mayonnaise
brown sugar

I have no idea on the proportions - you just want it to be mild and a bit creamy. It takes a while to whisk out the mayonnaise clumps, but it was really worth it...


We served the salmon and mushroom both cold, but agreed that it would be delicious with the mushrooms cold and the salmon hot... let me know if you try it and what you think!

wfmw - put de lime in de coconut and mix it up togedduh

maltodextrin... monosodium glutamate... citric acid... lactic acid... dextrose... gum arabic... glycerol... blue 1... red 40... sodium diacetate... partially hydrogenated soybean oil.

if you're anything like me, you're not particularly excited about eating all of those ingredients (and more!) when you're sitting down to enjoy those AMAZING Tostitos chips with the Hint of Lime. but they're just soooo good. plain. with salsa. with queso. did i say plain? with a slice of avocado.

i have a solution, ladies!! for a heck of a lot cheaper, and really with very little fuss.

gather corn tortillas (i buy a 4 inch stack for $1.84), a lime, a salt shaker, a pizza pan or cookie sheet and a pizza cutter. you're ready to go. preheat your oven to about 350. roll the lime on the countertop for a minute to loosen the juices. slice off one end - just enough to expose some limey goodness. rub the exposed surface of the lime on as many tortillas as you like. if you stop getting lime juice, just slice off a little bit and you've got fresh juice! when your tortillas are shiny with the juice, salt 'em. slice them up with your pizza cutter. you can make chips by cutting wedges, you can just do strips, or you can do skinny strips for taco salad (we like those!). for added zing, lime up both sides.

put your pieces on your pizza pan / cookie sheet. i prefer my pizza pan because it has little holes in it, which allows me to skip the step of flipping them. put them in the oven for a few minutes - watching carefully. you'll want to experiment with how crispy you like them.

but that's it. they're so good hot - and really, they're very simple. i get chatty when writing recipes but the steps could have looked like this:

• cut lime
• rub on tortillas
• salt
• cut
• place on sheet
• bake
• eat

that's not too daunting, is it? and they're cheap and WAAAY lower in fat and sodium and all that stuff.

not-so-bloody-mary

I love V8 juice. It seems to be one of those things where you either love it or you think drinking it is worse than eating dryer lint. However, it can get a bit thick-tasting after a while, you know? I usually add a squirt of lemon juice and a dash of pepper to it, which helps a lot.

But today I tried something new. I put about 7 oz of regular V8 in a glass, and then added about 1 oz of sparkling lime water (not sweetened - zero calories) to it. Stir, and enjoy. It's much fresher tasting than regular V8, and because it's slightly watered down, it goes down much smoother. Talk about an easy way to get a serving of veggies!

pina colada pancakes and what-not

Hey, y'all! Missed me? I didn't realize that it had been almost a week since I'd posted last. It's been a little crazy around here. I broke a toe last week by dropping a colander on it. I know, I know. Who drops a colander on their toes, and who has a heavy enough one to do any damage? ME! Then the car was in the shop for a couple of days. Some of my non-SAHM friends just shrugged that off saying, "well, you're home anyway, why would it matter if the car is in the shop?"

Oh, but it does matter. You can't do the weekly library run, the grocery store run, etc. Peanut had developed a horribly red bottom due to the detergent I was washing her cloth diapers in, and so I was stuck at home without a way to go get her new detergent, or even some Huggies to hold her over... And my toe was broken, so even if I hadn't left the stroller in the car when we took the car in, I still couldn't have walked to the grocery store with her.

But. The foot is much better. The car is back. It's a bright sunny day, and her bottom is healed. Life is back to stable.

Last week, I had listed pina colada pancakes in my meal plan, and had been asked for the recipe. I waited this long to respond because there's only one slight problem when people ask me for recipes. I don't use recipes if I'm cooking. If I'm baking, I do, unless it's something like apple crisp where it's very flexible. So. Here's my pina colada pancake non-recipe:

Pina Colada Pancakes
pancake mix - the add water only type
canned pineapple - either the crushed or the tidbits
coconut - either sweetened or unsweetened works
coconut extract
water

Dump an appropriate amount of pancake mix into a bowl. I like the add-water-only type because if I'm out of eggs and milk, I can still make pancakes. Toss in some canned pineapple. If I'm making these for just Mister and I, then I use 1/2 a can and save the rest for another day. Make sure you put that nice pineapple juice in there, too, as that adds a touch more sweetness. Toss in some coconut. How much? I like to have that extra texture in every bite, so I use a good bit. Drizzle in a few drops of coconut extract. Add water until it's all at the proper consistency. Fry 'em up on a griddle and enjoy with maple syrup.

See what I mean? That's an awful recipe to follow if you like to measure out the 1/8 teaspoon salt when recipes call for that. This is a family trend - my Nana (great-grandmother) used to give people recipes with a "glop" of this or a "gurgle of oil..." My mom's the same way, but at least she will take the time to figure out a recipe before giving it to someone. Good luck following it - they really are the best pancakes I make. My repetoire consists of banana nut, apple, blueberry, pumpkin, multi grain, banana chocolate chip (another favorite), pina colada.... um... those are the regulars, but Mister loooooves my pina colada pancakes!

mmm: bread maker hamburger buns

1 c water
1 egg
3/4 t salt
1/4 c shortening
1/4 c sugar
2 c AP flour
1 c WW flour
3 t yeast

Put in machine on dough setting. When it beeps, take it out and cut into 10 pieces for burger buns, 12 pieces for hot dog buns. Shape and place on greased baking sheet. (Make sure your hot dog buns are at least 6 inches long - mine have a tendency to be short and fat if I'm not careful). Cover. Let rise in warm place until doubled - 30 to 45 minutes. Bake in preheated 400 oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on rack. Split. Enjoy.

my Mom's best pie crust...

For GiBee, who asked for the recipe...

Make a single crust if you're doing a bottom-only pie, a double crust for a lattice topped, and a triple crust for a top crust pie. Scraps? Top with cinnamon sugar and bake. Enjoy!

single crust
1 1/2 cups AP flour
2 tbsp white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
dash nutmeg
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
4 to 5 tbsp cold water

double crust
2 cups AP flour
3 tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
dash nutmeg
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup shortening
5 to 7 tbsp cold water

triple crust
3 cups AP flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
dash nutmeg
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
6 to 8 tbsp cold water


In food processor, blend flour, sugar, salt and nutmeg. Cut in butter and shortening until coarse. Add half of the water, pulse. Add water as needed just until dough forms a ball. Turn out onto floured surface. Roll into flat ball, chill at least 1/2 hour. Roll dough from center out to edge until 1/8" thick. Fit into pie plate and flute edges. Bake according to filling recipe. If edges brown too quickly, cover with strips of foil.

WFMW: tip and recipe

I just spent a good hour reading through all of this week's kitchen themed tips on WFMW. The whole time, I have in the back of my head "hey you, you have a blog now. Got a kitchen tip?" I had originally thought I'd post my grocery list tip, but it's pretty darn similar (although with a twist) to Shannon's and lots of other peoples. Then I thought I'd post how I use tupperwares and great waterproof labels I got from labelyourstuff.com (I couldn't find their kitchen set of labels on their site anymore, but you could just use the blank ones) to organize my very tiny pantry cabinet so I could see everything at once...

And then I went to go make a sandwich and realized I have a great tip for making your sandwiches lower in calories... I love mayonnaise. Love it with anything. We have a sandwich chain in town that slathers mayo all over their sandwiches, which is why I go there. That's sad now that I see it in print. But mayo's not all that low in calories. So now I use this: Grey Poupon's Mild and Creamy mustard. It gives the creaminess of mayo with the zip of mustard. With the added flavor, you don't notice that you're not using as much. And the best part? ZERO CALORIES. That's right. You can use as much as you want. :)

Here's an extra recipe for you. I know it's Brussels Sprouts and you may not like them. Or your kids might not like them. But all veggies are better roasted, and you add bacon? These are to die for!

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

INGREDIENTS:

2 slices bacon

1 clove garlic

1 lb brussels sprouts

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt

pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450. Trim brussels sprouts. Quarter the larger ones, halve the smaller ones. Cut bacon into small pieces. In a 13x9 baking pan, toss all ingredients, making sure to keep all sprouts in a single layer. Roast in oven for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until edges are browned and curling.

For Especially Heather

In honor of Especially Heather's search for great crockpot recipes, here's my submission:

White Chili

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, chunked

1 onion, diced

1 14 oz. can chicken broth

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ tsp. oregano

3 15 oz. cans northern beans

1 green or red bell pepper

4oz. diced chilies

shredded cheddar

crushed tortilla chips

In slowcooker, combine chicken, onion, broth, garlic, and oregano. Cook on low 4-6 hours, add beans, peppers and chilies, cook 1 hour more. Top with cheese and tortilla chips.