Oven Roasted Potatoes

Yummy side for lunch or dinner

Oven Roasted Potatoes

 

6 medium sized potatoes

2-3 Tbsp. olive oil

 

Seasonings (to taste) - all or any combination of the following

sea salt

pepper

rosemary

paprika

garlic

onion powder

parsley

thyme

sage

 

Cube potatoes.  Place in large bag (or bowl).  Add olive oil.  Shake to coat (or stir if using bowl).  Add seasonings.  Shake again (or stir).  Spread potatoes on baking sheet lined with foil (makes for easy clean-up).  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.



Split Pea Soup

A family favorite...

I remember eating split pea soup at a restaurant overlooking a beautiful river gorge in Oregon.

Some of my standard recipe modifications come from that meal.

Split Pea Soup

1 pound split peas
3 quarts of chicken broth
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp. garlic
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 cup chopped ham

Rinse split peas.  Add all ingredients to large stock pot.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour.  Serve.

Cinnamon Crêpes and Agave Syrup

Usually we serve crêpes with fruit and whipped cream.  Sometimes with peanut butter and jelly.  For dinner, we'll serve them with chicken and sautéed vegetables.

 

In a new twist on an old favorite, we spiced the crepes,

spread them with peanut butter,

and tried a lower glycemic syrup using agave.

 Cinnamon Crêpes

 

3 eggs

2/3 cups flour

1 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

 

Beat all ingredients in bowl until smooth.  Heat frying pan over medium heat.  When pan is hot, add 1/2 tsp. butter.  Swirl pan to coat surface.  Pour in 2-4 Tbsp. of batter (depending on your pan size), tilting pan so batter thinly coats the entire bottom of the pan.  Cook until lightly brown.  Flip and cook the other side.  Repeat. 

 

 

Agave Syrup

 

1 cup agave

1 tsp. Mapleine (or other maple flavoring)

 

Pour agave into glass bowl.  Heat in microwave until HOT.  Stir in maple flavoring.

 

We spread each wrap with peanut butter and drizzled our syrup on the top.

 Throw in some fruit, and we had breakfast.

New Fried Rice

My children love Fried Rice.

Today we tried a new seasoning twist, thanks to my friend, Julie.

Fried Rice

 

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery or peas

1 cup chopped onion

2 Tbsp. butter or oil oil

1 cup chopped ham

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups rice, cooked in chicken or beef broth

2 tsp. garlic

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. pepper

dash of chili powder

soy sauce, to taste

Cook veggies in oil, butter, or butter/oil combo.  Sauté until tender.  Stir in ham.  Cook for 2-3 minutes or until ham is warm.

 

I like to stick with one pan (fewer dishes), so I usually push the veggie mixture to one side of the pan.  Crack the eggs in the corner of the pan.  Stir only the eggs rapidly until well mixed.  You can add seasoning to the eggs at this stage if desired.  I like to add garlic salt, parsley, paprika & etc (if I'm doing a more traditionally seasoned Fried Rice, I love thyme in the eggs).  Continue stirring the eggs until they are cooked.  This only takes a minute or two.  Then stir the cooked eggs into the veggie mixture.  Add rice and seasoning.  Stir and serve.





Oat & Fruit Granola Bars

Need a healthy snack for on-the-go kids (and parents).

Try homemade granola bars.

 Oat & Fruit Granola Bars

3 cups chopped dates

1 1/4 cups warm water

2 large eggs

2 cups oatmeal

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups raisins (or other dried fruit)

 In a blender, combine chopped dates and warm water.  Blend until very smooth.  In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except for the raisins).  Stir until well mixed.  Add raisins.

Line two 11x7 pans (you could probably use one cake pan instead, I just liked the 7 inch length for granola bars) with foil.  Spread dough in pans.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  Carefully lift the bars by pulling the foil out.  Cool on a rack (still on the foil).  After bars are cool, carefully peel foil from the bottom of the bars.  Use a pizza cutter to slice bars.

Happy Pi Day

April Fools

Yesterday's lovely pie was really meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Meatloaf colored with small amounts of baking cocoa and molasses. Mashed potatoes colored with a small amount of pureed beets. Thanks to Family Fun for the great idea.