it started out well. my 39th birthday.could have been my 40th- none of us can remember- probably, we tried to block it out. my birthday is july 1st, which has always been like a long, continuous party running on into the 4th of july. i've always loved that.
this particular year i had the brilliant idea idea of a lake birthday. i L O V E the lake. we grew up spending wonderful weekends on lake eufaula on our houseboat of many names...."first mate", 'forty-feet-of-fun", "tres niñas"...say when.....depending on who you asked. i could write a blog about that boat.
this fine saturday, we'd rented a huge pontoon boat for the day & ventured out with us, my sister, joy, her husband & some of their kids as well as my beloved in-laws & 47 life preservers. now, joy & i love the lake- the suntan (burn), the swimming, splashing, that good kind of tired & hungry, & all of us (except joy) laughing at the ever -present terrorizing threat of "balls-of-snakes"(read: large entangled masses of water moccasins) that to this day joy S W E A R S lurk under every floating styrofoam dock & roil around in the open water waiting to bite skiiers & her......but especially, we love the food the ice chest might as well have been a treasure chest full of gold. that's how much we love our lake food. joy & i had been planning this feast for days- chips ahoy cookies, carrots, grapes, pop, cantaloupe, those frosted sugar cookies that are way too messy for home, white bunny bread, iceberg lettuce, but most importantly that all-important yellow plastic package of oscar mayer beef bologna. things you would never eat at home are magically transformed into food of the gods in a boat on the lake.
joy had been talking incessantly for days about how much she was anticipating this delicious sandwich-this memory of our childhood come to life between two slices of wonder bread. it was to be the much bally-hooed highlight of her weekend. maybe even her whole summer.
the morning went well. lots of kids taking turns tubing. lots of kids taking turns "driving" the boat. l i f e w a s g o o d ....for about 12 more minutes.
we found a nice little spot to cut the motor-thought we might drift a little, but we didn't drop the anchor. joy & i set out the smorgasborg. it was a thing of beauty.... for about 7 more minutes.
kids were all happily eating, grandpa bill was admiring the scenery, the guys were talking about how to keep the motor from flooding again....joy & i had everyone taken care of , as is customary among us moms... the moment came when joy began assembling her beloved favorite bologna sandwich on 2 perfect pieces of white (it's gotta be white) bread - when all of a sudden......what's THIS? grandma nancy seems to be in a bit of distress............good heavens......she's....she's......choking?!? oh-my-gosh. i sprang into action-which for me was talking. "are you ok?"......no words....turning red......"are you breathing?".......i rather firmly began patting grandma nancy on the back...i'm on the verge of panic. with 11 people in a relatively small space, what was astounding was how oblivious everyone was to this turn of events. grandpa bill was still gazing into the distance pointing out interesting features of the shoreline to 2 totally engrossed 6 year olds. david & josh were having trouble getting the boat to start back up & were considering options as we began drifting dangerously close to the reeds (they figured it was just flooded again). other kids were trying to poke holes in their juice boxes with the flimsy straws clinging to the sides of their hawaiian punch.....and all the while, joy is holding her precious bologna sandwich with mayonnaise watching in horror as i try in vain to help grandma nancy- who at that precise moment coughed up a baby carrot onto the fake blue carpet on the floor of the boat....then proceeds to announce that she is going to LOSE IT. oh, noooooooooo! not on the kids! not on the....... b o l o g n a ! "quick! over the side!"
i am still talking. some of the less fortunate kids had caught on by now-ellen was holding her ears & covering her eyes & might have been humming, too- who knows? john had,too - john, my child who barfs any & every time any one else does......."JOHN! CLOSE -YOUR- EYES!" but , it was too late. seconds later, the co-captain's chair was covered in orange cheet-o remains & sticky pink sugar cookie icing. not completely sure, but there may have been sprinkles. all the while, joy is sitting there on her igloo, mouth agape, yet unable to speak surveying the hysteria unfolding all around her. then, without expression, in one swift motion of the arm, she flung her beloved bologna- on- white over her right shoulder & into the lake.
it was the single most horrifyingly funny 75 seconds of my entire life. i HAD managed to remember to throw in a roll of paper towels, so after a brief wipedown of the orange & pink food carnage- lest some other offspring would begin to hurl- the boat was still stalled & we were up to our pontoons in reeds. there was only one solution. someone was going to have to get in & physically hold the boat. everyone peered over the side into the shallow, chunky reeds- complete with the remains of one bloated bologna sandwich which the fish (at least the ones who didn't like barf) were starting to fight over. no one spoke. finally, without discussion, it became clear that josh & david were going to have to do it. reluctantly, but bravely they gathered their courage & together they bailed over the side & held the boat in chest-deep murky bologna barf water until the people from the marina jet-skiied out to save us.
joy never had her sandwich. grandma nancy was NEVER invited to the boat again. but, i turned 39...or 40 (who's counting?) none-the-less & as a birthday present have this great story to tell & re-tell & it always bring down the house. the end.
-the snackmom ...who decided not to post a recipe this time since 1.) no one probably has an appetite after that & 2.) nothing, but nothing, we take to the lake is EVER home-made...that's the best part of it...well, that & the stories
May 20, 2011
May 9, 2011
long live peach tea! (it may be served at my funeral)
peach tea is T H E drink of jenks black football.
& the VBS teacher snackroom ...& pre-school mother's day tea parties ...& piano recitals. ..& other things.
i have probably made thousands of gallons of the stuff. people swear they volunteer to work at VBS just for the peach tea that awaits them on breaks. it's embarrassingly simple & probably my most requested recipe... which would be even better if there WAS a recipe. i wing a lot of things.
it's just a can of powdered peach flavored tea mix (name brand or generic) doctored up a little. i LOVE doctoring stuff up. i'm sorta like ann byrn, the cake mix doctor, meets sandra lee, the semi-homemade gal, meets giada. well, kinda. i just threw that in to keep you on your toes. i AM Italian, but that's where the similarities end, sad to say. but back to all- American peach tea. i like to label it "peach/apricot/mint" tea. sounds much more complex & it gives me more credibility that admitting i dump in a canister of artificially flavored peach tea mix & add water. SO, i add apricot nectar...or peach nectar, if apricot disappears from the grocery store shelves , as it has the habit of doing. then i plop in a few sprigs of fresh mint, sprinkle in a little extra sugar & tons of ice.
one unfortunate day years ago in the VBS snackroom, when apricot nectar was nowhere to be found, i had the brilliant idea of adding apricot jell-O (you know i love me some jell-O:) into the mix....with disastrous results. there were tiny apricot jell-O beads permeating the whole mess & it was terribly embarrassing to serve up my now-famous tea as a part solid/part liquid. live & learn. tea should not have to be served with dental floss.
last june during VBS, i couldn't find apricot nectar ANYWHERE (& it's pretty expensive when you're making 11 gallons a week anyway) so i revisited the jell-O idea. great flavor, but the big question was how to avoid miniscule jell-O shots in every glass? so, i experimented. prepared the jell-O according to directions (for once) & then dumped it into the crock with the already made tea- it was wonderful-and as a bonus,cheap.... but, you MUST add the mint for the necessary depth of flavor & sophistication. it's so Southern.... mint is so easy to grow, too- just throw it into a pot or the segregated corner of your garden where it can be contained. it's like a bossy sister (no, i do not have a bossy sister, but i've seen them) & takes over everything until it has control & has permeated everything. so, unless you are a fan of mint infused chives, tomatoes & peppers, keep it apart from the rest of your herbs & stuff.
anyway, peach/apricot/mint tea is refreshingly delish. i've seen football players actually lay under the igloo & dispense it directly out of the spout without bothering with
a paper cup. i've seen football players do a lot of weird things. but, they love & adore peach tea. it's a mainstay at all thursday buffet nights- i can not make enough. it's a ritual. well, that & i don't want to even THINK about facing a 230 lb. offensive lineman if i show up without it.
this is for you, sheldon.
*peach/apricot/mint tea* (of which no official recipe exists)
1 canister peach flavored iced tea mix (lipton & great value make it)
1 12 oz. can apricot nectar, if you're lucky & can find it, peach of you can't, jell-O, if you're gutsy
3-4 sprigs fesh mint, crushed a little
water (not sure how much- about a gallon or whatever the can says)
ice
mix all of this up & stir well to dissolve the tea mix...& by the way, jell-O beads to not dissolve-ever. just adjust the amounts according to your taste-add more sugar if you want-or use apricot jell-O , if you're the brave sort. take to football practice. or anywhere.
-the snackmom
& the VBS teacher snackroom ...& pre-school mother's day tea parties ...& piano recitals. ..& other things.
i have probably made thousands of gallons of the stuff. people swear they volunteer to work at VBS just for the peach tea that awaits them on breaks. it's embarrassingly simple & probably my most requested recipe... which would be even better if there WAS a recipe. i wing a lot of things.
it's just a can of powdered peach flavored tea mix (name brand or generic) doctored up a little. i LOVE doctoring stuff up. i'm sorta like ann byrn, the cake mix doctor, meets sandra lee, the semi-homemade gal, meets giada. well, kinda. i just threw that in to keep you on your toes. i AM Italian, but that's where the similarities end, sad to say. but back to all- American peach tea. i like to label it "peach/apricot/mint" tea. sounds much more complex & it gives me more credibility that admitting i dump in a canister of artificially flavored peach tea mix & add water. SO, i add apricot nectar...or peach nectar, if apricot disappears from the grocery store shelves , as it has the habit of doing. then i plop in a few sprigs of fresh mint, sprinkle in a little extra sugar & tons of ice.
one unfortunate day years ago in the VBS snackroom, when apricot nectar was nowhere to be found, i had the brilliant idea of adding apricot jell-O (you know i love me some jell-O:) into the mix....with disastrous results. there were tiny apricot jell-O beads permeating the whole mess & it was terribly embarrassing to serve up my now-famous tea as a part solid/part liquid. live & learn. tea should not have to be served with dental floss.
last june during VBS, i couldn't find apricot nectar ANYWHERE (& it's pretty expensive when you're making 11 gallons a week anyway) so i revisited the jell-O idea. great flavor, but the big question was how to avoid miniscule jell-O shots in every glass? so, i experimented. prepared the jell-O according to directions (for once) & then dumped it into the crock with the already made tea- it was wonderful-and as a bonus,cheap.... but, you MUST add the mint for the necessary depth of flavor & sophistication. it's so Southern.... mint is so easy to grow, too- just throw it into a pot or the segregated corner of your garden where it can be contained. it's like a bossy sister (no, i do not have a bossy sister, but i've seen them) & takes over everything until it has control & has permeated everything. so, unless you are a fan of mint infused chives, tomatoes & peppers, keep it apart from the rest of your herbs & stuff.
anyway, peach/apricot/mint tea is refreshingly delish. i've seen football players actually lay under the igloo & dispense it directly out of the spout without bothering with
a paper cup. i've seen football players do a lot of weird things. but, they love & adore peach tea. it's a mainstay at all thursday buffet nights- i can not make enough. it's a ritual. well, that & i don't want to even THINK about facing a 230 lb. offensive lineman if i show up without it.
this is for you, sheldon.
*peach/apricot/mint tea* (of which no official recipe exists)
1 canister peach flavored iced tea mix (lipton & great value make it)
1 12 oz. can apricot nectar, if you're lucky & can find it, peach of you can't, jell-O, if you're gutsy
3-4 sprigs fesh mint, crushed a little
water (not sure how much- about a gallon or whatever the can says)
ice
mix all of this up & stir well to dissolve the tea mix...& by the way, jell-O beads to not dissolve-ever. just adjust the amounts according to your taste-add more sugar if you want-or use apricot jell-O , if you're the brave sort. take to football practice. or anywhere.
-the snackmom
May 8, 2011
"i'll never fall in love again..." 1969 & other tales
1969 was a good year. i was in kindergarten, sporting a pixie haircut & carpooling every afternoon at 12:30pm with two of my best friends, john & shawn.
my clearest memory of that year (aside from meeting my best friend, kristie, & the GLORIOUS play kitchen in our classroom- that even at the age of barely 5 was my favorite place on earth) was listening to "i'll never fall in love again" playing on the radio in the blue oldsmobile on the way to st. stephen's methodist church every afternoon (kindergarten was private in OK in 1969). "what do ya get when you kiss a guy? you'll get enough germs to catch pneumonia- after ya do, he'll never phone ya...i'll 'll 'll ......"
what i DON'T remember was the blessed day in that year when mrs. nickle scribbled down the recipe for brownie fudge cupcakes & gave it to my mother. l i f e c h a n g i n g.
perhaps there is no single recipe that defines my family like this one- it is our family tradition. period. there is no telling, although i wish there was, how many hundreds (thousands, definitely thousands) of these my mom & sisters (& friends & nieces) & i have made since that day........enough to build an oleo colliseum (see * i can't believe it's not butter* from april for the oleo lowdown-this is one of the exactly 3 recipes in the world that must be made with margarine-butter just doesn't get the same result-weirdly).
they are perfect. perfect. perfect. made with simple pantry ingredients you always have on hand (or should). they are fudgy, rich & develop this wonderful crackly top when they bake- no need to frost. they're so easy to mix up in a single bowl (no mixer needed), tote well to everywhere & anyone at all who has ever tried one has fallen in love on the spot.
it's the ONLY family recipe that has ever begged the question, "should we SHARE it?" "COULD we share it?" it's almost sacred.
well, i think the statute of limitations has run out on hogging this recipe, so now, some 42 years later, it's going public. it may disappear tomorrow since i didn't hear back from my sisters & mom when i asked their permission to post it & they may blow a brownie fudge gasket when they see this .....so, write fast, my 20 followers (& julius)........this is your chance!
i think i hear karen carpenter singing in approval............
*brownie fudge cupcakes*
1 stick (nearly plastic) margarine ( i like imperial brand the best)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans-optional, but recommended*
*man, these are full of naughty, bad ingredients*
melt & mix the "oleo:)" & chocolate chips in the 'wave or on the cooktop... in a medium mixing bowl mix the other 4 ingredients together, beating well.....add the chocolate mixture- no need to cool before- mix well & pour into 10 paper lined muffin tins....that's it- ridiculously easy...bake at 325* for , hmmmmm, i never set the timer.....say, 18 minutes, until they crackle on top but are still slightly underdone.....we eat them warm right out of the muffin pan, but if you have people coming over, then 1. make a double batch 2. hide them & 3. serve with ice cream & hot fudge (homemade is best & easy- i'll post that one soon)....it's so fun to share this special recipe with you all-happy mother's day!
*almost forgot to mention that these are insanely good with a peanut butter cup smooshed in before baking- we love the great value brand b/c they have really creamy centers & melt marvelously*
-the snackmom
*this post created a little bit of a stir for the 9 hours it was on recently- my mother saw it & read it & hinted that maybe the statute of limitations NEVER runs out on things of a sacred nature, like brownie fudge cupcakes- then she was shocked when i hastily deleted it....you see, she wasn't serious, she was trying to joke around with me a little- it's just that she's not the goofy, joking type- you all who know & love her appreciate how kind & sweet she is- and she DOES like to laugh a lot, but she just doesn't kid a lot- so i took it seriously & got all prickly-panicked-you know that feeling......but really all along she was happy for me to pass on this little treasure that means so much to our family......so, to make a long story a little bit longer.....here it is......at long last- joy said just today that she is happy to be sharing it , too, though josh doesn't think she's made hundreds of them-she needs to get bakin' 'em.....hoping jana feels the same way- we're sure she does:) we hope she does....
my clearest memory of that year (aside from meeting my best friend, kristie, & the GLORIOUS play kitchen in our classroom- that even at the age of barely 5 was my favorite place on earth) was listening to "i'll never fall in love again" playing on the radio in the blue oldsmobile on the way to st. stephen's methodist church every afternoon (kindergarten was private in OK in 1969). "what do ya get when you kiss a guy? you'll get enough germs to catch pneumonia- after ya do, he'll never phone ya...i'll 'll 'll ......"
what i DON'T remember was the blessed day in that year when mrs. nickle scribbled down the recipe for brownie fudge cupcakes & gave it to my mother. l i f e c h a n g i n g.
perhaps there is no single recipe that defines my family like this one- it is our family tradition. period. there is no telling, although i wish there was, how many hundreds (thousands, definitely thousands) of these my mom & sisters (& friends & nieces) & i have made since that day........enough to build an oleo colliseum (see * i can't believe it's not butter* from april for the oleo lowdown-this is one of the exactly 3 recipes in the world that must be made with margarine-butter just doesn't get the same result-weirdly).
they are perfect. perfect. perfect. made with simple pantry ingredients you always have on hand (or should). they are fudgy, rich & develop this wonderful crackly top when they bake- no need to frost. they're so easy to mix up in a single bowl (no mixer needed), tote well to everywhere & anyone at all who has ever tried one has fallen in love on the spot.
it's the ONLY family recipe that has ever begged the question, "should we SHARE it?" "COULD we share it?" it's almost sacred.
well, i think the statute of limitations has run out on hogging this recipe, so now, some 42 years later, it's going public. it may disappear tomorrow since i didn't hear back from my sisters & mom when i asked their permission to post it & they may blow a brownie fudge gasket when they see this .....so, write fast, my 20 followers (& julius)........this is your chance!
i think i hear karen carpenter singing in approval............
*brownie fudge cupcakes*
1 stick (nearly plastic) margarine ( i like imperial brand the best)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans-optional, but recommended*
*man, these are full of naughty, bad ingredients*
melt & mix the "oleo:)" & chocolate chips in the 'wave or on the cooktop... in a medium mixing bowl mix the other 4 ingredients together, beating well.....add the chocolate mixture- no need to cool before- mix well & pour into 10 paper lined muffin tins....that's it- ridiculously easy...bake at 325* for , hmmmmm, i never set the timer.....say, 18 minutes, until they crackle on top but are still slightly underdone.....we eat them warm right out of the muffin pan, but if you have people coming over, then 1. make a double batch 2. hide them & 3. serve with ice cream & hot fudge (homemade is best & easy- i'll post that one soon)....it's so fun to share this special recipe with you all-happy mother's day!
*almost forgot to mention that these are insanely good with a peanut butter cup smooshed in before baking- we love the great value brand b/c they have really creamy centers & melt marvelously*
-the snackmom
*this post created a little bit of a stir for the 9 hours it was on recently- my mother saw it & read it & hinted that maybe the statute of limitations NEVER runs out on things of a sacred nature, like brownie fudge cupcakes- then she was shocked when i hastily deleted it....you see, she wasn't serious, she was trying to joke around with me a little- it's just that she's not the goofy, joking type- you all who know & love her appreciate how kind & sweet she is- and she DOES like to laugh a lot, but she just doesn't kid a lot- so i took it seriously & got all prickly-panicked-you know that feeling......but really all along she was happy for me to pass on this little treasure that means so much to our family......so, to make a long story a little bit longer.....here it is......at long last- joy said just today that she is happy to be sharing it , too, though josh doesn't think she's made hundreds of them-she needs to get bakin' 'em.....hoping jana feels the same way- we're sure she does:) we hope she does....
April 20, 2011
...never been to paris (although my mom is there today)
but i did go through a phase right after "julie & julia" when i made beef bourguignon way too often ( just ask my kids) & i do have a great recipe for french drip beef... it's from an old cookbook that was a wedding gift 25 years ago & somewhere along the way it got wet & now all the pages are stuck together, but i can't part with it even though it is about as useful as a brick & weighs almost as much... the recipe is committed to memory, but sometimes i pry open the pages just to check. as recipes go, this one is just about perfect. it's up there with the nestle toll house chocolate chip cookie recipe. it really is.
everyone loves this drip beef. men love it. women love it. kids love it. football players & coaches (are you surprised?), principals & superintendents, book club friends, sorority sisters, regular sisters, vacation Bible school teachers, & Habitat-for -Humanity workers...the list goes on- i have served this to all of these. you MUST have this recipe. you will wonder what you ate before. now you will have the perfect thing to take to a pot-luck or serve a crowd watching the big game at your house. or anyone's house. it comes out perfectly every time. there's really no way to ruin it. if you're out of an ingredient, no one will notice (unless, of course, it's the meat). it holds well, feeds a crowd , is easy, relatively inexpensive & **smells heavenly. perfect. at least for us carnivores.
** though it does smell heavenly, you might want to start the cooking process in the morning- whenever i forget & put this in the crock-pot at night- we inevitably awaken @ 3:37am with the feeling that an Old Testament burnt sacrifice is going on in the kitchen & it's not altogether that pleasant to smell rosemary & beef in the night- trust me on this**
*french drip beef*
1 rump or well-trimmed chuck roast
(at this point, i rinse & dry the roast then dust it with flour & sear it in hot pan with a little bit of olive oil)
transfer the roast to your crock-pot & add:
1 T. cracked pepper
1 T. garlic salt
1 T. dried rosemary or a sprig of fresh
1 tsp. summer savory
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. dried parsley
1-2 beef bouillon cubes
1 bay leaf
feel free to add any additional spices you like to this or adjust amounts-you can't go wrong
* i love about 2 T. pampered chef's grandmother's roast beef seasoning, too, but you may not have that
1/3 cup red wine to loosen the bits in the pan then add to the pot
water to barely cover the meat
cook on high (or medium if your crock-pot is like mine & boils on "keep warm") for about 6 hours...shred with forks & serve with french rolls (i like the earth grains whole wheat sub style rolls) or any rolls you like & an assortment of mustards or some of the au' jus.....easy! yummy! run out & get a roast !
-the snackmom
everyone loves this drip beef. men love it. women love it. kids love it. football players & coaches (are you surprised?), principals & superintendents, book club friends, sorority sisters, regular sisters, vacation Bible school teachers, & Habitat-for -Humanity workers...the list goes on- i have served this to all of these. you MUST have this recipe. you will wonder what you ate before. now you will have the perfect thing to take to a pot-luck or serve a crowd watching the big game at your house. or anyone's house. it comes out perfectly every time. there's really no way to ruin it. if you're out of an ingredient, no one will notice (unless, of course, it's the meat). it holds well, feeds a crowd , is easy, relatively inexpensive & **smells heavenly. perfect. at least for us carnivores.
** though it does smell heavenly, you might want to start the cooking process in the morning- whenever i forget & put this in the crock-pot at night- we inevitably awaken @ 3:37am with the feeling that an Old Testament burnt sacrifice is going on in the kitchen & it's not altogether that pleasant to smell rosemary & beef in the night- trust me on this**
*french drip beef*
1 rump or well-trimmed chuck roast
(at this point, i rinse & dry the roast then dust it with flour & sear it in hot pan with a little bit of olive oil)
transfer the roast to your crock-pot & add:
1 T. cracked pepper
1 T. garlic salt
1 T. dried rosemary or a sprig of fresh
1 tsp. summer savory
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. dried parsley
1-2 beef bouillon cubes
1 bay leaf
feel free to add any additional spices you like to this or adjust amounts-you can't go wrong
* i love about 2 T. pampered chef's grandmother's roast beef seasoning, too, but you may not have that
1/3 cup red wine to loosen the bits in the pan then add to the pot
water to barely cover the meat
cook on high (or medium if your crock-pot is like mine & boils on "keep warm") for about 6 hours...shred with forks & serve with french rolls (i like the earth grains whole wheat sub style rolls) or any rolls you like & an assortment of mustards or some of the au' jus.....easy! yummy! run out & get a roast !
-the snackmom
April 11, 2011
aunt alice & the porcupines...
when i was about 12 years old, my mother's aunt alice took the train up from south texas for a little visit. naturally, this called for an extra special jell-o concoction-possibly a pink one involving pineapple & cool-whip- i don't remember. it was also, memorably, the first time i cooked an entire dinner by myself. i chose one of my absolute favorites: porcupine meatballs- meatballs with minute rice mixed in so when they baked, the rice kinda poked out like porcupine quills- with baked potatoes, tossed salad & rolls. it took me f o r e v e r... & that was just chopping the carrots. those were the days when ranch dressing was all the rage & it didn't come in a bottle-you had to shake up the hidden valley ranch dry mix with milk & mayonnaise.....so that was another forever.
when we finally ate-it was around 9:30pm, i think, everyone oohed & ahhed....actually, they were starving & would have raved if i'd fed them rice cakes & fruit cocktail, but that's not the point. there really is no point. just that i vividly remember that night- being given the task of making dinner for company- TRUSTED to make dinner for great aunt alice & i did it!....it was a huge confidence builder. i hope you do that for your kids- give them the chance to do something you could maybe do a lot faster & easier (& with far less mess)-like baking cookies or even cooking dinner for great aunts to let them know they can do it-that they have what it takes. after several years of teaching kids in public schools, i came to the conclusion that nearly all of the problems/poor choices/conflicts/bullying i saw in the classroom (maybe the world) somehow seemed to point back to lack of self-confidence & poor self-esteem. it may be a stretch to fix that with meatballs, but whatever makes a kid succeed in some way, to be confident & capable, is a step in the right direction...maybe it's cooking...or sports...or photography...or cheerleading...or academics....or art...or music...or drama...or martial arts...you get the picture....
and i still love porcupine meatballs. (i debated sharing this-they're not very sophisticated, but then again, neither am i...and they are tasty:)
*porcupine meatballs*
1 lb. ground chuck, sirloin or round (i prefer ground something" identifiable"-usually it's leaner & ground beef might be meat from lots of parts of the cow- legs, etc...did you know that?)
1 cup minute rice (brown or white)
1 egg (or egg white, if you're not into cholesterol)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
dash worchestershire
juice from 1 can of diced tomatoes (save the tomatoes) & a little water- maybe 1/2 cup
salt & pepper...maybe celery salt or garlic salt or seasoning salt, if you like the flavors, or any herbs you like...
mix all of the ingredients together. form meatballs about the size of a golf ball ( i use a large metal scoop-like a big melon-baller) & place in an 8x8 or 6x10 baking dish sprayed with pam-makes about 16... i like to dump the remaining tomatoes on part of the top- my kids don't like them, but i do- you could add ketchup if you like that whole meatloaf-y thing...bake covered with foil for hmmm...50 minutes or so at 350*
* this isn't really a recipe- i just made it up since it isn't writen down anywhere, but i think it's about right- these are good with baked potatoes & salad & rolls-great aunts optional- i'm going to BE one this summer! can't wait!
-the snackmom
when we finally ate-it was around 9:30pm, i think, everyone oohed & ahhed....actually, they were starving & would have raved if i'd fed them rice cakes & fruit cocktail, but that's not the point. there really is no point. just that i vividly remember that night- being given the task of making dinner for company- TRUSTED to make dinner for great aunt alice & i did it!....it was a huge confidence builder. i hope you do that for your kids- give them the chance to do something you could maybe do a lot faster & easier (& with far less mess)-like baking cookies or even cooking dinner for great aunts to let them know they can do it-that they have what it takes. after several years of teaching kids in public schools, i came to the conclusion that nearly all of the problems/poor choices/conflicts/bullying i saw in the classroom (maybe the world) somehow seemed to point back to lack of self-confidence & poor self-esteem. it may be a stretch to fix that with meatballs, but whatever makes a kid succeed in some way, to be confident & capable, is a step in the right direction...maybe it's cooking...or sports...or photography...or cheerleading...or academics....or art...or music...or drama...or martial arts...you get the picture....
and i still love porcupine meatballs. (i debated sharing this-they're not very sophisticated, but then again, neither am i...and they are tasty:)
*porcupine meatballs*
1 lb. ground chuck, sirloin or round (i prefer ground something" identifiable"-usually it's leaner & ground beef might be meat from lots of parts of the cow- legs, etc...did you know that?)
1 cup minute rice (brown or white)
1 egg (or egg white, if you're not into cholesterol)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
dash worchestershire
juice from 1 can of diced tomatoes (save the tomatoes) & a little water- maybe 1/2 cup
salt & pepper...maybe celery salt or garlic salt or seasoning salt, if you like the flavors, or any herbs you like...
mix all of the ingredients together. form meatballs about the size of a golf ball ( i use a large metal scoop-like a big melon-baller) & place in an 8x8 or 6x10 baking dish sprayed with pam-makes about 16... i like to dump the remaining tomatoes on part of the top- my kids don't like them, but i do- you could add ketchup if you like that whole meatloaf-y thing...bake covered with foil for hmmm...50 minutes or so at 350*
* this isn't really a recipe- i just made it up since it isn't writen down anywhere, but i think it's about right- these are good with baked potatoes & salad & rolls-great aunts optional- i'm going to BE one this summer! can't wait!
-the snackmom
April 6, 2011
by special request....the carrot
i adore carrots. really, i could LIVE on them. as a testimony, i also have 20/25 vision- i have to intentionally fail eye exams to qualify for glasses, because i love them... once when i was in the 8th grade, our dear family friend, who is a dermatologist, gave me a gamma gobulin shot because the soles of my feet & my palms were turning ORANGE- which is just one over on the color chart from yellow-the color of hepatitis...granted, our neighborhood grocery store had just caused an outbreak of hepatitis (which i know everyone in my hometown remembers-you remember, don't you, 1978?) so we were on heightened alert......i never got hepatitis- just a little vitamin A overdose. (and a huge shot)... vitamin A-fat soluble-who knew?
as well as being potentially toxic, carrots are extremely versatile. we love them steamed, in stir fry, added to a sunday pot roast, glazed with brown sugar, orange juice & butter, raw with dip or hummus, shredded in a big salad....but i don't need to sing the virtues of carrots- you know all about them- chances are you've been eating them in some form or another since you were 4 months old.
the short history of this little blogging adventure, though, reminds me that i tend to gravitate toward baking. this coupled with the carrot thing naturally brings to mind carrot cake. unfortunately, though i love it & have a number of good recipes, i can't make it. it always sinks. and has strange texture. fortunately, my mom & my sisters make it very well (we'll talk banana bread sometime soon, too) . so do a lot of bakeries, so i don't spend much time worrying about it. maybe someday i can figure it out. until then , i will enjoy someone else's...
many years ago at a bed & breakfast in colorado springs, i fell in love with these muffins AND i can make them. they are made with carrots. and a lot of other things. good use of a vegetable, huh?
*morning glory muffins*
2 cups flour- may use 1/2 whole wheat/ 1/2 white
1 1/4 cups sugar ( you healthy types can substitute 1/2 apple sauce)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 1/2 cups shredded apples
1/4 cup raisins (if desired or not feeding these to children who may think they're gross & pick them out)
1/2 nuts (optional* i don't care for nuts baked into muffins or bread- i think they're gross & pick them out)
3 beaten eggs
1 cup oil (or again, use 1/2 applesauce- & rename them "applesauce glory muffins")
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup coconut, if desired or 1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple, if you have some
combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt & cinnamon in a mixing bowl. in another bowl, mix up the carrots, apples, and *optional nuts & raisins, coconut & pineapple. mix in the eggs, oil & vanilla. pour this mixture into the dry ingredients & combine thoroughly. fill muffin cups 2/3 full & bake at 350* for about 18-20 minutes.... these make a great snack or quick breakfast on the way out the door......football players like them, too:)
-the snackmom
as well as being potentially toxic, carrots are extremely versatile. we love them steamed, in stir fry, added to a sunday pot roast, glazed with brown sugar, orange juice & butter, raw with dip or hummus, shredded in a big salad....but i don't need to sing the virtues of carrots- you know all about them- chances are you've been eating them in some form or another since you were 4 months old.
the short history of this little blogging adventure, though, reminds me that i tend to gravitate toward baking. this coupled with the carrot thing naturally brings to mind carrot cake. unfortunately, though i love it & have a number of good recipes, i can't make it. it always sinks. and has strange texture. fortunately, my mom & my sisters make it very well (we'll talk banana bread sometime soon, too) . so do a lot of bakeries, so i don't spend much time worrying about it. maybe someday i can figure it out. until then , i will enjoy someone else's...
many years ago at a bed & breakfast in colorado springs, i fell in love with these muffins AND i can make them. they are made with carrots. and a lot of other things. good use of a vegetable, huh?
*morning glory muffins*
2 cups flour- may use 1/2 whole wheat/ 1/2 white
1 1/4 cups sugar ( you healthy types can substitute 1/2 apple sauce)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 1/2 cups shredded apples
1/4 cup raisins (if desired or not feeding these to children who may think they're gross & pick them out)
1/2 nuts (optional* i don't care for nuts baked into muffins or bread- i think they're gross & pick them out)
3 beaten eggs
1 cup oil (or again, use 1/2 applesauce- & rename them "applesauce glory muffins")
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup coconut, if desired or 1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple, if you have some
combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt & cinnamon in a mixing bowl. in another bowl, mix up the carrots, apples, and *optional nuts & raisins, coconut & pineapple. mix in the eggs, oil & vanilla. pour this mixture into the dry ingredients & combine thoroughly. fill muffin cups 2/3 full & bake at 350* for about 18-20 minutes.... these make a great snack or quick breakfast on the way out the door......football players like them, too:)
-the snackmom
April 3, 2011
"i can't believe it's not butter" -aka "oleO-H no!"
...i've been avoiding the subject...but, it's time....
*o*l*e*o*- those four little letters that fill county extension cookbooks (who extends a county?) of days gone by...it's kind of an outdated term- not really sure what oleo even means, possibly a reference to the one molecule that separates it from a plastic, but it's out there & we've gotta deal with it......
sometimes it's referred to as plain "oleo" or just "margarine", also known as "oleo-margarine", but isn't that redundant? AND repetitive? all i know is, with very few exceptions, i prefer b u t t e r- full-fat, full-flavor, non-plastic, artery-clogging butter...it's natural, from a cow, after all, not a nearly- plastic substance in a plastic tub- which is kinda ironic, if you think about it...
in my (disorganized) permanent recipe collection, all but 2, no 3, recipes have been converted to butter instead of oleo or it's evil twin, margarine...but, i must say, there are three that work better & taste better with.....ahem......o l e o. there, i said it- hope that doesn't knock a horn off any sacred cows.......i TRIED to make butter work, but somehow the results are a little slick, shiny or weird. maybe due to the fact that butter goes rancid easier & plastic lasts- well- forever. oleo just out performs butter in these recipes- kinda like motor oil. here's one of the winners of the butter/margarine debate....there are two more that will get their own page someday- interestingly, all three are chocolate. by the way, when one must use marg, my personal recommendation for the best tasting brand out there with the most butter-like texture & color & no icky aftertaste is Imperial. i won't use any other brand. i can't believe i'm an oleo snob.
probably every one of you has this recipe already, but it is hands-down the best use of 1/2 lb. (yikes) of margarine in the world-unless you count fudge.......or brownie fudge cupcakes-so stay tuned.
*chocolate sheet cake*
sift together:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda &
1/2 tsp. cinnamon ( i love this little addition)
in a saucepan heat:
i stick oleo ( i swear the recipe i have says oleo)
1/2 cup oil
1 cup water & 8 tbsp. cocoa ( i DOUBLE what most recipes call for, which must be why people like it so much)
bring to a boil & pour over the dry ingredients in a big mixing bowl
add:
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 beaten eggs &
1 tsp. vanilla
mix well & pour into a 15 1/ x 11 1/2 sheet pan-sprayed with cooking spray- then bake at 350* for about 30 minutes.... now the even yummier part!
the icing! (make while the cake is baking- you ice it while the cake is hot)
in a saucepan heat:
1 (more) stick of oleo
4 tbsp. cocoa & one unsweetened chocolate baking square (that's a secret, too)
6 tbsp. milk-whatever kind you have , but using 1/2 & 1/2 will make the frosting greasy, i find
remove from heat & pour over 1 pound of powdered sugar- i buy it in the box for easy measuring-
mix well & add 3/4 cup or so of chopped pecans, if you like - i like:)
kids will fight over licking the bowl- i've found it's best to leave a lot in there for the sake of family tranquility
this is the best cake- i make it all the time & sometimes divide it into three 8 X 8 aluminum cake pans to share-(you may need more icing- just 1 & 1/2 it)
once i was told i had the *spiritual gift of chocolate* when i served this at a church function- don't know if that's possible, but it made me happy:) thanks, MS!
-the snackmom
*o*l*e*o*- those four little letters that fill county extension cookbooks (who extends a county?) of days gone by...it's kind of an outdated term- not really sure what oleo even means, possibly a reference to the one molecule that separates it from a plastic, but it's out there & we've gotta deal with it......
sometimes it's referred to as plain "oleo" or just "margarine", also known as "oleo-margarine", but isn't that redundant? AND repetitive? all i know is, with very few exceptions, i prefer b u t t e r- full-fat, full-flavor, non-plastic, artery-clogging butter...it's natural, from a cow, after all, not a nearly- plastic substance in a plastic tub- which is kinda ironic, if you think about it...
in my (disorganized) permanent recipe collection, all but 2, no 3, recipes have been converted to butter instead of oleo or it's evil twin, margarine...but, i must say, there are three that work better & taste better with.....ahem......o l e o. there, i said it- hope that doesn't knock a horn off any sacred cows.......i TRIED to make butter work, but somehow the results are a little slick, shiny or weird. maybe due to the fact that butter goes rancid easier & plastic lasts- well- forever. oleo just out performs butter in these recipes- kinda like motor oil. here's one of the winners of the butter/margarine debate....there are two more that will get their own page someday- interestingly, all three are chocolate. by the way, when one must use marg, my personal recommendation for the best tasting brand out there with the most butter-like texture & color & no icky aftertaste is Imperial. i won't use any other brand. i can't believe i'm an oleo snob.
probably every one of you has this recipe already, but it is hands-down the best use of 1/2 lb. (yikes) of margarine in the world-unless you count fudge.......or brownie fudge cupcakes-so stay tuned.
*chocolate sheet cake*
sift together:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda &
1/2 tsp. cinnamon ( i love this little addition)
in a saucepan heat:
i stick oleo ( i swear the recipe i have says oleo)
1/2 cup oil
1 cup water & 8 tbsp. cocoa ( i DOUBLE what most recipes call for, which must be why people like it so much)
bring to a boil & pour over the dry ingredients in a big mixing bowl
add:
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 beaten eggs &
1 tsp. vanilla
mix well & pour into a 15 1/ x 11 1/2 sheet pan-sprayed with cooking spray- then bake at 350* for about 30 minutes.... now the even yummier part!
the icing! (make while the cake is baking- you ice it while the cake is hot)
in a saucepan heat:
1 (more) stick of oleo
4 tbsp. cocoa & one unsweetened chocolate baking square (that's a secret, too)
6 tbsp. milk-whatever kind you have , but using 1/2 & 1/2 will make the frosting greasy, i find
remove from heat & pour over 1 pound of powdered sugar- i buy it in the box for easy measuring-
mix well & add 3/4 cup or so of chopped pecans, if you like - i like:)
kids will fight over licking the bowl- i've found it's best to leave a lot in there for the sake of family tranquility
this is the best cake- i make it all the time & sometimes divide it into three 8 X 8 aluminum cake pans to share-(you may need more icing- just 1 & 1/2 it)
once i was told i had the *spiritual gift of chocolate* when i served this at a church function- don't know if that's possible, but it made me happy:) thanks, MS!
-the snackmom
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