Pancake and Sausage Bites

August 15, 2018 by

I am not a fan of the sample tables at Costco.  At least, not when I want to get down that aisle that is being blocked by people waiting for samples.  However, I love that it has gotten my daughter to try so many new things and has really helped with her food aversions.  For some reason she will try almost anything they are giving out as samples! Because of that I’ve discovered that both of my daughters love funky cheese… I mean FUNKY cheese.  Who knew?!  I also discovered they make corn dogs.. but not.  You might have seen them, sausage instead of a hot dog and dipped in pancake batter, frozen.  While I’m not a big fan of processed food I’m also not opposed to having fun in the kitchen too.  So I came up with a home version I could feel better about for treat breakfasts.  These are great for busy mornings, pull out how ever many from the freezer and warm in an oven or microwave.

My favorite way to make them is with whole grain pancakes and turkey or chicken sausages.  One of the things I love about homeschooling is breakfast is not the hectic grab something and rush out the door experience.  We can have some time together to enjoy the morning… but that doesn’t necessarily mean I want to make a hot breakfast every single morning! Oh, and prebaking sausages for the freezer works great too.  Sometimes I have some leftover and I just throw them in a freezer container and when it’s time to reheat just put in a pan with a lid to reheat.  Breakfast presto!

PANCAKE SAUSAGE BITES

Sausage links (pork, turkey, or chicken)
Pancake batter (Whole wheat or oat work great!)

Bake your sausages on a foil lined baking tray at 435 degrees until done (these took about 12 minutes).

Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick coating and place a slice of sausage in the middle of each cup.

Use a small scooper to make easy work of filling 2/3rd s full with pancake batter.
Bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until cooked through.

Let cool before putting in freezer containers ( I haven’t had any issues with them sticking together).
Pull out how many you want and rewarm in the oven or microwave.

We’ve also done mini chocolate chips..

with and without colored sugar.  Fun for birthday breakfasts!
You can do pretty much anything in these you would use for pancakes.  Blueberries, blackberries do okay but they will get a bit more mushy if you plan on freezing.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Freezer

Ice Cream Party

July 18, 2018 by

An ice cream party is one of the funnest and easiest parties to throw.  And tastiest, of course.
We have done one 2 years in a row for my oldest daughter’s birthday she liked it so much!
I’m going to share my tips so you can do this super simply!
I’ve done this making homemade ice cream or using a tub from the store.  If you make homemade just be sure to make it a day ahead so it can firm up.

For the toppings.  Go to the grocery store and pick out some fun things.  If you have a Winco or other grocery store that sells bulk that works nicely so you only have to buy what you need.  You may have things in your pantry all ready too.

This is a good chance to mix homemade with purchased items.  I made the sauces myself along with the waffle bowls but I’ve also done it where I didn’t make anything but one sauce and it was loads of fun still.

Cute dishes for serving are fun, but even some mason jars are cute.

Since this was for a birthday I made an ice cream themed cake.  Super easy.  When you level off your cake rounds save the scraps and mix with frosting to make a big cake ball.  Put on top of frosted cake and pour ganache over and while wet place cone on top of cake ball.

Topping ideas:
Sauces (purchased or homemade)
Marshmallow cream
Salted Caramel
Hot Fudge (serve in mini crockpot?)
Chocolate
Butterscotch
Strawberry
Pineapple.. you get the idea.  Just pick a few sauces 🙂
Bananas
Strawberries or other berries
Chopped nuts
Mini Reese’s PB Cups
Sprinkles
Whipped Cream
Cookies
Oreos
Pop rocks (This one is always the most popular!)
Crumbled Sugar cones
Mini marshmallows
Pretzels
Mini Chocolate chips
Chocolate dipped dried bananas
m and m’s
Whipped cream
Waffle bowls
Seriously, just have fun with it.  Even gummy worms are fun!
Oh, and don’t forget the ice cream!!! I always just do vanilla since we have so many other flavors with the add ins but if you wanted to go all out you could do chocolate too of course!

The ice cream bowls and spoons are a set from Amazon and we still use them all the time! We ended up using them for the toppings and our big Corelle cereal bowls for serving since the kids could fit a waffle bowl inside them and all the toppings their hearts desired!

Filed Under: Ice cream, Parties

Balsamic Strawberry Crisp

June 6, 2018 by

I almost had a panic attack when I couldn’t find the scrap of paper I wrote this recipe on today.  So I figured I better post it before I loose it for good!
Strawberries are coming in season here in the Pacific Northwest and are a reminder why I love it here.  Nothing smells as much like childhood and sunbeams than the scent of fresh strawberries ripened on the plant.  I know vinegar might sound a little wacky but it adds a depth and flavor that will surprise you.  If you don’t like balsamic, even just add 1 tablespoon.  You won’t be able to really put your finger on what it is but it will add that amazing something special to the recipe.
And can we take a moment and talk about the crisp? This is my go-to crisp recipe.  I use it on tons of things and has remained a secret, until now.  Crunchy, easy, and will make your family think you picked up something at a fancy bakery.

BALSAMIC STRAWBERRY CRISP
2 quarts fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, optional
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar

For Crisp:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Wash and quarter the strawberries.  Place in a greased 8 or 9 inch square pan.
Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch and mix in with the berries along with the vanilla bean paste and vinegar.
Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Make the crisp.  In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.  Add the butter and mix until thoroughly combined.
Remove foil and crumble on top of the berries.  Return to oven, uncovered, and bake 20-30 more minutes, until berries and cooked down and crisp is golden brown and crunchy.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Filed Under: Desserts

Outdoor Music and Play Wall

May 21, 2018 by

Finally sharing this.. after my girls outgrew it!  Both our daughters have Autism and sensory issues and I wanted to make something interactive in our back yard for them.
Besides the fencing everything was re-purposed.  If you are in the Portland Oregon area Scrap PDX is a great resource, I found some of the items there.  Also, second hand stores for old xylophones, and Habitat for Humanity ReStore for some of the tubing.
We actually have a chain link fence so we can enjoy the wetlands behind our home.  So we made a section of cedar fencing and attached it to a couple of boards on the other side.
A driftwood chime.  All you need is driftwood and fishing line. If you don’t want them to move, drill a hole for each piece and thread the fishing line through the hole.  I just tied each “chime” to the main piece.

For drums a couple of metal planting buckets from IKEA work well.  Added some old drumsticks too.

A giant spring makes fun noise when you rub the drumsticks back and forth.

The chimes from an old wind chime get new use hung from a hook.

A few beat up old xylophones were found at second hand stores.  I removed the keys and hung with fishing line from an IKEA bar.

The tubing was found at a Habitat for Humanity Restore and makes a fun chute.
The chalkboards are pieces of Plexiglas that I added chalk paint to.

The gutters were from an old project.  I had used them above a craft desk to store ribbon.  They are much more fun to pour water and balls down!

This added a lot of fun to our back yard for many years!

Filed Under: Autism, Crafts / Sewing

Cashew Chicken (updated)

April 13, 2018 by

This is one of my favorite meals.  But years ago my youngest became severely allergic to tree nuts so they had to be banished from the house for her safety.  Then one day I thought duh.. I could make it with peanuts!  No, it’s not quite the same.  But it’s still one of my favorite meals! Even if you don’t use any nuts at all it’s still a great quick dinner.  I used to make it with a premade hoisin sauce but the flavor is so much better with making your own sauce!  You can see my original recipe here from… 8 YEARS AGO?!  I’ve figured a few more tricks out since then.  Like adding more vegetables, cutting the zucchini in larger chunks so it’s a better texture, and now I serve it with short grain brown rice.
As always, if you don’t have a wok a large skillet will work too.  I have even used an electric skillet before that retained heat well. Have everything all cut up and ready to go before you start.  Wok cooking should go fast.  Just remember to have your heat medium high, and if you aren’t hearing any sizzling you have your heat too low or are crowding your pan.
I’m going to go check my fridge and make sure I have enough zucchini on hand to make this tonight!

CASHEW CHICKEN

1 cup cashews (or peanuts)
Drizzle olive or canola oil
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut in 1/2″ cubes
2 Tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 white onion, chopped
2 carrot, chopped
2 celery rib, chopped
3 small zucchini, chopped (cut the center section with seeds out)
4 cloves garlic, minced

For Sauce:
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
2 Tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoons powdered ginger
1 teaspoons cornstarch

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
With the wok (or large skillet) over medium high heat, toast the cashews until fragrant.  Set aside.
Toss chicken with cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
Add drizzle of oil to wok and then the chicken.  (work in batches if it will crowd your pan)
Remove, then wok the onion, carrots, and celery for a few minutes.
Add zucchini and garlic, cook until vegetables are tender.
Add back chicken and cashews.
Add sauce and cook for just a couple of minutes, until everything is coated.

Filed Under: Asian, Chicken / Turkey

Lemon Oreo Dessert

March 27, 2018 by

Once I ran into an acquaintance while grocery shopping for an upcoming holiday.  A package of lemon oreos was in my mix of items and she gasped in shock.  “You buy oreos?! I would think you would make homemade!”
Now, don’t get me wrong, I am all about a crazy idea.. or 2.. okay, definitely not more than 3… a week.  But being fanatical about anything is dangerous in my opinion.  Do I love to make every little thing from scratch? Yes! Do I? Okay, most of the time, I do.  Probably a lot more than most busy moms.  But it’s also my passion and a hobby.  But by golly if it’s a special occasion I am going to make a fun dessert my kids love that, yes, has store bought oreos. And that’s okay.  You know what we’re having for Easter dinner? A simple brunch.  Frosted Flakes french toast to be exact!
And this might make an appearance too.  Because amid all the hand made pies and whatnot on holidays this is the one everyone wants seconds of, little and big kids alike!
And bonus, it is no bake and can be made using one bowl! Woot woot!

Lemon Oreo Dessert
1 package lemon oreos, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
5.9 oz package vanilla pudding
3 cups cold milk
8 oz cream cheese
16 oz cool whip, thawed

Combine oreos and butter in a medium bowl and mix until combined.
Press half to two-thirds into a 9 by 13 inch pan. (just guess)
Mix the pudding and milk together (same bowl is fine) for a few minutes until smooth.  Add cream cheese and mix in until well combined and smooth.
Fold in cool whip and pour on top of crust.  Sprinkle with remaining lemon oreo mixture and chill.

Filed Under: Desserts, Uncategorized

New Easter Tradition

March 20, 2018 by

Last year we tried something different for Easter.  And it’s become our new Easter tradition.  The week of Easter we studied Christ’s life and teachings and on the Thursday before Easter we had our own “Last Supper” of sorts.  I didn’t worry too much about how authentic we were being, but tried to have some things that were eaten in that time, or at least similar.  It was such a wonderful experience and made our Easter so much more meaningful.

We set the table with a picture of the last supper to help remind us.  I would urge you not to get so caught up in the details that you can’t enjoy it.
I’m not a food historian and I’m sure what we had wasn’t entirely accurate.  But it was close enough anyways.

So enjoy your egg hunts and baskets of chocolate, but don’t forget to make time to celebrate the real meaning of the holiday too.
I think there’s time to do both.

Some menu ideas:

Flatbread, we made Naan bread
Raisins
Grapes
Garlic- we used pickled garlic
Olives
Goat cheese
Honey
Fish
Eggs
Chicken Shawarma
Grape Juice
Lentils or Barley
Pomegranate
Nuts
Apricots

 

Filed Under: Easter, Uncategorized

Caesar Salad

February 26, 2018 by

This is my guilty pleasure.  I love a really good salad and it’s pretty hard to beat a well made Caesar salad.  Especially with homemade croutons and extra lemon.  I have fiddled with my dressing recipe for years and years and this is the only way I make it now.  I use Worcestershire instead of anchovies (it is made from anchovies after all).  This is a pretty assertive dressing, very garlicky and lemony.  But that is exactly how I like it! If you like it more mellow use half the amount of garlic and lemon juice and see how you like that first.  You can always add more.
For a main dish I like to serve roasted chicken with it or even add some leftover shredded chicken to the salad… that’s code for “I buy a roasted chicken at Costco and throw it in there”.  Even food bloggers have to sleep you know.

CAESAR SALAD
(with BEST CAESAR SALAD DRESSING EVER!)
Romaine lettuce, torn
Croutons or garlic croutons
shaved parmesan
lemon wedges

For Dressing:
4 garlic cloves
1 cup mayonnaise (I prefer the light made with olive oil)
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder (Coleman’s)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Place all dressing ingredients in a blender except the olive oil, salt and pepper.  Process until smooth.
With blender running add the olive oil in a small stream.
Season with salt and pepper.
Toss lettuce with dressing and top with croutons and shaved parmesan.
Squeeze extra lemon on top if desired.

Filed Under: Salad / Dressings, Uncategorized

Subgum Chow Mein

February 16, 2018 by

This recipe is from years ago and somehow never got posted.  I know because it has almonds and now that our youngest is allergic to tree nuts I make it with peanuts.  Not quite the same, but still really good! It’s one of my favorite Chinese dishes.  This is just like you would have at an American-Chinese restaurant.  We like it with fried rice and you can make it with or without the chicken.  The baking soda is not completely necessary, it is a little trick to make the chicken a little more tender.
Happy Chinese New Year!

SUBGUM CHOWMEIN

1 pound chicken breast, diced
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tablespoon oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup almonds, sliced or slivered
1/2 cup frozen peas

Toss chicken with baking soda and salt.  Heat oil in wok over medium high heat and add chicken.   Stir fry until cooked through.
Remove and add onion, carrots, celery, and water chestnuts to wok and cook until tender crisp.  Add chicken back to wok.
Mix cornstarch and chicken broth together then add to wok.  Cook until thickened then add almonds and peas.
Serve over chow mein noodles.

Filed Under: Asian

Red Licorice Ice Cream

January 30, 2018 by

In my hometown there was a little ice cream truck downtown in the summers that my sister worked at.  Occasionally I’d tag along with my Dad when he would pick her up.  He ALWAYS had to check if they had the black licorice ice cream in.  I’m not sure if I loved it too or just liked it because he liked it.  I’ve been toying around with different ways to make homemade when my youngest asked if we could make red licorice ice cream.  Why not?!
After a few batches of tedious straining I had a moment of clarity when I saw our vita mix on the counter.  Why not? So I made a simple Philadelphia style ice cream base with reduced sugar since the licorice itself has sugar.  I wish my Dad were here to try it, I think it would be his new favorite.
Make a batch up for your favorites this Valentines day!

LICORICE ICE CREAM
5 oz licorice (13 sticks)
1 1/2 cups milk (I use fat free)
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
Chill or immediately churn in ice cream maker.
(I used my Cuisinart 1 1/2 quart ice cream maker and churned 25 minutes)
Freeze in airtight container for at least an hour before serving.

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Filed Under: Ice cream