Ha! Okay so maybe once a week isn't even practical at this point.

Today was so great. I made "real" hot chocolate and we sat in the living room and read 4 books together today for school. I love it! So do they! The only thing missing was the roaring fire that I dream about. I love fall. Really, I love the beginning of every season.

Busy school days=the life of every mom

The love of real home cooked meals=the wish of most moms

Soup and a crock pot=reality at its finest in the kitchen

It can be done people. With joy even! Have a happy heart this week and try some of these crock pot recipes.

Taco Soup
1 pound ground beef
2 cans Rotel
3 cups cooked beans of your choice, (2 cans) -even better dried beans cooked in vegetable broth
16 oz bag of frozen corn
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
big can of tomato sauce
1 chopped onion
2 cups water
oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, cumin, garlic
Brown beef in skillet w/ onion. Drain fat and add to crock pot. Add all other ingredients (do not drain cans), and stir to mix. Cover and cook on low 8 hours or HIGH 4.


Beef & Vegetable Soup
a few squirts of Bragg's(soy sauce)
2 lbs. frozen mixed vegetables (I save left over veggies and use those)
2 pounds beef roast, cut into pieces or can use left over beef
salt and pepper to taste
1 (12 oz can tomato paste
6 cups water
Pour ingredients into a crock pot and stir well. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve w/ cheese toast or grilled cheese sandwiches.


Bean Soup
1 lb bag or 2 cups mixed beans, soaked overnight
7 C water
1-2 lbs ham, cubed
1-2 pressed cloves garlic
salt, celery salt, and pepper to taste
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
Put all ingredients into your crock pot and cook on LOW for 8 hours.



BBQ Beef Sandwiches
Makes 10 servings
3 pounds beef rump roast, trimmed
1 tablespoon Bragg's (soy sauce)
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
15 ounces tomato sauce
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
10 hamburger buns
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Rub flour into roast. Place in bottom of crock pot and add remaining ingredients, (except buns). Cook on low for about 14-16 hours. Serve over buns.

Greetings!

I am back. Well, in a way. Different. I can't possibly post every day. I can however, post once a week. For an extra special treat I might even post twice. How is that?

I really feel inspired today. There is just something special about homemade pizza and ice cream.

My friend Diana one year for my birthday gave me a pizza pan and her recipe for crust. So special and personal. I love gifts like that. Teach me and I will learn. Her recipe uses all white flour but I substitute some whole wheat in there and it just makes it heartier and chewier. Maybe I could get a special guest (Sarah) to post her famous (I hear from her mother) pizza crust recipe soon. I am sure she uses ALL whole wheat!

Crust
Sprinkle 2 pkg yeast into 1/4 c warm water and add a pinch of sugar or a drizzle of honey. Let sit until bubbly about 3-5 minutes. Combine 1 1/4 c flour and 1 tsp salt. Pour in yeast mixture, 1 c warm water and 1/4 c olive oil. Mix and knead until smooth. Let rise until double. Makes 2 pizzas. Bake on bottom shelf at 450 for about 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Boys Pizza
Roast a chicken, cut up in bite size pieces. Fry some bacon. Top a crust with olive oil and 2 garlic cloves. Layer with chicken, bacon and mozzarella. After it cooks drizzle it with ranch dressing. If it were mine I would also add some red onion slices. But it is theirs.

Mine and Tom's
Roast some garden fresh tomatoes in a 325 oven for 1-2 hours until they look delicious to you. The longer the better I say. All you have to do is cut off the top, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper and roast away.
Oh my.
Top the pizza with olive oil and garlic. Spread the tomatoes, basil and mozzarella.
oh my.

Okay now this is some rich ice cream. I actually got it from a blog that suggests it for breakfast. I mean all that milk, eggs, honey...good for ya right?!

Ice cream
10 egg yolks- please use only organic farm fresh eggs
6 c raw milk
1 c agave or honey
2 tsp vanilla
Beat with mixer. Pour into freezer ice cream maker. Stir often until done.

Defrost some blueberries add agave nectar and top your ice cream.

Mental note: JOG IN THE MORNING.

On Hold

Well, I did make a trip this past weekend and spring is here??!! Maybe... I must admit it is difficult to post these days. One reason is my computer picks up internet once a day at 4:00 for about an hour. I am serious. Maybe something beyond my control I think. So for a bit this blog is on hold. Do hope this has been a blessing to read and maybe gave you a chuckle every now and again.

Peace out - Angela

Soy. Do you know what it is?

The debate is there. Is soy good for you or bad? Where did all the confusion come from? I personally think it is NOT good for you unless it is fermented. Here is why I think this way. It is an article I got from mercola.com. I also have uploaded a picture of the fermented miso I use and I can only find it at Whole Foods. I am sure an ethnic store will carry it or maybe even Baum's around here, I have just not looked.

Soy Bad, Soy Good: The Pluses of Fermented Soy

Soy is a hotly debated product among those who promote and sell its nutritional value as well as consumers who eat it. The debate stems largely from the health value of nonfermented soy found in a great many processed foods in relation to those that use the much healthier alternative fermented soy.
Why? Nonfermented soy products contain phytic acid, which contains anti-nutritive properties. Phytic acid binds with certain nutrients, including iron, to inhibit their absorption. This is a direct, physical effect that takes place in the digestive system. Their ability to bind is limited by the milligrams of phytic acid present.
Products using nonfermented soy include:
Fresh green soybeans
Whole dry soybeans
Nuts
Sprouts
Flour
Soy milk
Tofu
What makes unfermented soy particularly unsafe: It's hard to avoid soy in processed foods such as baby formula, meat substitutes, drinks and snacks. One can find it in a great many domestically-produced food products at the grocery store. Additionally, soy is sanctioned by groups like the Soy Protein Council and USDA that cite the presence of isoflavones scientists say reduces one's risk of cancer.
On the other hand, fermented soy stops the effect of phytic acid and increases the availability of isoflavones. The fermentation also creates the probiotics--the "good" bacteria the body is absolutely dependent on, such as lactobacilli--that increase the quantity, availability, digestibility and assimilation of nutrients in the body.
Products using fermented soy include:
Natto
Miso
Tempeh
Soy sauces
Fermented tofu and soymilk
Many studies have shown traditionally fermented soy--which is the form that is very popular in many Asian cultures--aids in preventing and reducing a variety of diseases including certain forms of heart disease and cancers.
Good Foods
One such study of the culturing method involved in the production of the Japanese traditional food miso concluded the culturing process itself led to a lower number and growth rate of cancers. Researchers also found it was not the presence of any specific nutrient that was cultured along with the soyabean paste but the cultured soy medium itself that was responsible for the health benefits associated with eating miso.
Miso, a fermented or probiotic form of soyabean, is particularly rich in the isoflavone aglycones, genistein and daidzein, which are believed to be cancer chemopreventatives.
The health benefits are found to be as good with natto, according to research conducted by a Japanese scientist who found natto had the highest fibrinolytic activity among 200 foods produced worldwide. About 15 years ago, that same scientist discovered an enzyme produced in the fermentation process, nattokinase, a powerful agent contained in the sticky part of natto that dissolves blood clots that lead to heart attacks, strokes and senility.
Natto also contains vitamin K2 and isophrabon, which help to prevent diseases such as osteoporosis and breast cancer and slow down the aging process.
How Do Fermented Foods Work?
Scientists have considered three different theories:
Primary active ingredients in complex fermented soy "foods" act synergistically with secondary compounds
Secondary compounds mitigate the undesirable side effects caused by the predominant active ingredients
Multiple ingredients act through multiple discrete pathways to therapeutically affect the host. That allows lower concentrations of each of the botanicals or soy phytochemicals to be more efficacious when used together than when used individually
Four years ago, the World Health Organization reported the Japanese, who consume large amounts of fermented soy foods like natto and miso along with green tea, ginger and ocean herbs, have the longest lifespan of any people in the world.
Unfortunately, Americans didn't make the top 20 for lengthy lifespans, which has much to do with a Western diet that emphasizes foods that are processed and genetically altered. That could have a domino effect worldwide on the health of other cultures. Experts fear consumers in other cultures may abandon their traditional fermented foods for a more Western diet, losing healthy sources of probiotic whole food nutrition.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/08/04/fermented-soy.aspx

Ziti with Ratatouille cook along

In a skillet brown with some olive oil the onion for 10 minutes on medium heat. Add thick sliced garlic and brown for another 5 minutes. Remove garlic slices. Add eggplant some more olive oil and salt and pepper. Brown another 10 minutes. Remove to bowl.

Add more oil to skillet, cook peppers & zucchini. Brown for 8 minutes. Remove to bowl with other cooked vegetables.

Add tomatoes, parsley, basil, salt & pepper to skillet and gently boil for 10 minutes. Boil in another pot, water for ziti (or rigitoni). Cook pasta and drain.

Add vegetables to tomatoes in skillet and cook a few minutes more.

Add vegetables to bowl of ziti and mix. Top with parmesan cheese. Serve with roasted garlic french bread.

Thursday 4/16

I got this from an old Rachael Ray magazine. It was under the Take 5.

I lb linguine, cooked, drained +
1 onion, sliced (browned with garlic) +
4 cloves garlic, minced (browned with onion) +
1 lb asparagus (cooked in 1/4 c water until tender) +
crushed red pepper

Add all together and toss. Salt & pepper. Done.

Wednesday 4/15

The plan is Greek Salad. I will give you my recipe but...the boys have a 4H music project to do. We have to be there at 4 and won't leave until after 6 so that means we will be to late for church and we will have the boys so no dinner out for us. So what else? Dinner out for all of us. I hope we have some ribbons or accomplishments to celebrate. You do celebrate accomplishments don't you? Okay just checking. I pray the angels are dancing to the music tomorrow night and that God is well pleased.


Greek Salad
Prepare romaine lettuce and put in a bowl. Add everything cut and prepared:
cucumber, sliced
1/2 small red onion, diced
15 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
kalamata olives, cut in half
3 oz feta cheese, crumbled
red bell pepper, sliced


Vinaigrette:
garlic clove minced
1 shallot minced
1 tsp each dried oregano, thyme and salt
pepper
pinch of sugar
1/4 c red wine vinegar
2/3 c olive oil

Monday & Tuesday

Please forgive me. I do realize today is Tuesday and I forgot to give the recipes for yesterday and now today. Could I appease you with pictures? Yes! Great! Here is the recipe, go and get all the ingredients now! Hurray...

Oh and don't forget the movie!

Ziti with Ratatouille
1/2 c olive oil
1 onion, diced
8 large cloves garlic, sliced
1 medium eggplant, diced
salt & pepper
1 green pepper, diced
1 pound dried ziti
3 medium zucchini, sliced and cut into 1/4 moon pieces
2 (28oz) cans drained diced tomatoes
fresh parsley and basil
wedge of REAL Parmesan cheese

Go, now....be back or be square. Yes I said it, even if only to myself.