Banana Bran Muffins

I like to bake when I’m not too tired on Sunday nights.  It’s either bread, muffins, cookies, or pies.  This past Sunday evening it was muffins.  I had bought some “All Natural Unprocessed Wheat Bran” from the market and was ready to try some bran muffins.  However, the bran muffins from my memory were chewy and needed to be frosted with a pile of butter to taste good.  I looked at the recipe on the back of the Hodgson Mill Company’s box and decided to tweak it a bit.

Here’s the recipe I used:

2 ripe bananas
1 1/2 cup wheat bran (soften in 1 cup boiling water)
1/2 cup ground flax (if you have it, if not, just substitute with flour)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup vanilla yogurt (natural...no artificial sweeteners)
2 cups milk (I used fat free)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
chopped walnuts for sprinkling on top (optional)

Measure 1 cup of boiling water and pour into a bowl.  Add the wheat bran to the water and set aside.  Meanwhile, put all the rest of the ingredients in your mixer.  Add the softened bran and mix.  Pour into muffin pans and bake at 325 for 25 minutes.  Makes 2 and a 1/2 dozen.  Enjoy!  Each muffin has 161 calories.

They turned out great.  My kids gobbled them up and asked when I would make more.  My husband said that this is a great recipe...a definite repeat.  I packaged up a few for my son’s teacher for Valentine’s Day tomorrow...she thought they were tasty!  Mrs. Jennings said, “Max, did your Mom MAKE these?!”  Max was so proud.

Swiss Chard...Easy and Tasty!

‘Tis the season to clip some chard from the garden and cook it up for dinner.  This winter veggie is quick and easy to cook as a side dish ...which is nice because between homework, piano, tennis, track, and the twins getting into things quicker these days, I'm too busy to fuss with much!  I’m sure there are many variations as there are seasonings to this one.  Just go with what you like. 

 Here’s what I do:  After washing the chard, I chop it up into strips while I sauté an onion (on medium heat) in some olive oil with a little salt and pepper.  Yes, I even chop and cook up the stems.

Fresh from the garden, washed, chopped and ready to cook.

Once the onion is soft and a little browned, I add some minced garlic.  I love the smell of garlic as it hits the pan!  I immediately add the chard and a table spoon of water.  Toss it to coat the chard with some of the onion/oil/garlic/salt/pepper mixture and cover to begin the steaming process.

I added crumbled bacon to this recipe.  It is served with a pot roast, baked potato and some steamed broccoli.

Chard is a lot like spinach and it will wilt nicely and absorb the flavors that it’s cooked with.  It only takes a few minutes.  Toss it a few more times and enjoy!

Yay for quick and tasty winter garden veggies!!!  Now, off to an Orthodontist appointment...

Quick Quinoa Dinner

It was 5:20 and I was snuggling with one of my babies who wasn’t feeling well.  I had not planned dinner and I knew my people would be hungry very soon if not already.

I thought spaghetti with meat sauce would be easiest, but when I opened the fridge I remembered that I had made some quinoa yesterday and it was just sitting there.  I also had some fresh vegetables and cooked chicken breasts too.  I googled “quinoa, vegetables” and found a recipe entitled: Quinoa Primavera.  Close enough.  I didn’t even have time to read the whole recipe.  I just looked at the ingredients and the picture and thought “I can do that.”  So I did.  Here’s what we had for dinner:

Garden celery!

olive oil
1/2 chopped onion
celery...from my garden!
1 cup chopped kale
diced red and green bell peppers
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 diced green zucchini
2 diced yellow squash
diced cooked chicken breasts

Because I was in a hurry, I turned on the pan (and a TV show for the kids) and began a mad chopping session.  I sautéed the onions in olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  I added each of the rest of the ingredients in order as I had them chopped and ready.

I put the cooked quinoa in a 9x13 baking dish and poured the vegetable and chicken mixture over the top.  I tossed it lightly and drizzled a tiny bit more olive oil on top.  I topped it with some shredded mozzarella.  I am still making this up as I go ...and as I put it in a 325 degree oven, I thought to myself, “I hope this turns out.”

I had my kids quickly set the table while I popped some homemade "sesame, whole wheat, flax bread" in the toaster.  I did it.  We were ready for dinner at 6pm.

Still, as I was dishing it up to each of my kids, I thought...”I have no idea how this is going to taste...I hope they eat it up and love it!”  It seemed way too healthy.  I doubted they would like it.  Seriously, quinoa? vegetables?

They loved it.  Whew!  Another night saved in the nick of time!  Jeff came home as the boys were in the tub and appreciated the healthy meal...and said it was pretty tasty too!

P.S. Cook quinoa like rice.  One cup quinoa to 2 cups chicken broth.  To add some more flavor, substitute 1/4 cup of the chicken broth for fresh lemon juice.  Simmer for about 20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.

Chicken Stock Secrets

Homemade Chicken Stock is hands down the best tasting broth around...and it’s actually quite easy to make.  When I buy chicken, I usually buy chicken breasts with skin on and bones in.  Not only is it cheaper, it will save you money and you'll have healthier and tastier meals.

Every time I roast a whole chicken or a tray of chicken breasts, I save all the bones and seasonings that are left after taking off the meat.  I toss it all into a gallon ziplock bag, date and label it “for chicken stock” and throw it in the freezer.  Then, when I need chicken stock for a recipe, I know that I’ll have what I need to make great chicken stock.

The secret to great broth?  Rosemary and Sage.  These two plants are my most used herbs in my garden.

Basic Chicken Stock:
leftover chicken parts (bones and skin)
1 onion
garlic cloves...about 5???
about 4 carrots
about 4 celery stalks
about 1 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper or peppercorns
a sprig each of rosemary and sage (come over and I'll share!)

Wash and roughly chop the vegetables.  No need to dice or slice.  I don’t even peel the carrots. Put the chicken and all the ingredients in a stock pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 4 hours...while you do all those other things that you have to get done!  Strain through a colander and put in the refrigerator overnight so you can skim off the fat before you use it.  I like to use it within a few days of making it.

Tonight, I made “the best chicken noodle soup ever, Mom!”  It was good.  The secret is in the broth...wink wink.

Special Occasion Stuffed Shells or Manicotti

For some reason ever since my Grandfather passed away, we have strayed from our normal Italian Feasts for special occasions.  However, from this year forward, Christmas dinner will always be Italian.  Always.  Christmas Eve can be anything anyone requests, but Christmas dinner must be Italian.

Isn't he so handsome?!
Grandpa Ciaccia, WWII

My red headed, blue eyed, Irish Grandmother married a Southern Italian. When they were newlyweds and young parents they lived right next door to his parents in Brooklyn, NY. It was my Grandfather’s Mother who taught my Grandmother to cook.

Great Grandma and Grandpa Ciaccia...aren't they just so cute?!

Ruth Ciaccia and baby Nancy in 1946, Brooklyn, NY

Grandma called me about a week before Christmas to see what she could bring for Christmas dinner.  She always does that.  So, we decided on a menu.  Italian Feast.  Grandma (87), eagerly made the meatballs and the eggplant parmesan.  I made the stuffed shells, bread and salad (easy).  I like to make Italian food for Christmas because it’s something you can make on Christmas Eve morning and then, after you wake up from an afternoon nap on Christmas Day, you can pop it in the oven, set the table and voila...you’ve got yourself a tasty meal!

My basil is still hanging on (just barely) in my December garden.  Fresh garlic...well, we used all of last season’s crop, so I had to buy garlic.  In Southern California we can have an herb garden that is available all year round...in fact, I have two herb gardens...one in my backyard and one in the front yard.  It’s a treat to take a clipping of oregano or rosemary to use for our meals.  It’s easy to add to an herb gardens all year round.  Just plant what you will use and use it!

Oregano and Basil

Basic cheese filling for one box of jumbo shells or manicotti
In a bowl mix together:

• Ricotta 15 ounces 
• Mozzerella: about 2 cups, shredded
• Saute: one diced onion (add a pinch of salt), and fresh minced garlic at the last minute
• Oregano and basil (fresh tastes best, but dried will work in a pinch)
• Thawed chopped spinach - drained (just sneak it in and don’t tell your kids... “they’re just spices...”)
• 1egg
• Traditionally, you’re supposed to add a pinch of nutmeg...try it and see if you like it.
• Optional:  sneak in some shredded zucchini

I forgot the spinach this time around...too much to do at Christmas time!

Cook the shells till they are almost “done”...al dente.  They will finish cooking when they are baked.  Stuff the shells (about 1 tablespoon of cheese mixture per shell) and arrange them in a baking dish.  Cover with some good sauce and bake (covered with foil) till hot and bubbly (375 for about 45 minutes).  Let it sit for 15-20 minutes (covered) before serving.  Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Christmas Dinner

Happy (late) Birthday Grandpa!  I miss your wit, your jokes, your love of family.  You made the party...always.  I miss you so much!

Grandma and Grandpa Ciaccia, 1999

Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls

In my 18 years of wedded blissful experiences...I have learned that men really only need two things...And, cinnamon rolls are on top of the “food” list.

 What man doesn’t LOVE cinnamon rolls?  Ask any man around you (right now) ...”Do you LOVE cinnamon rolls?” ...and the answer will always be YES.

A basic sweet bread dough is what you need to make cinnamon rolls.  I prefer a sweet dough that is made with butter rather than shortening (who wouldn’t?!).  This recipe is a “dinner roll” recipe that I got from my friend, Natalie, many years ago.  I recently made these rolls and my husband loved them so much that he thought they’d make a great dough for our Christmas morning cinnamon rolls...so I “practiced” them earlier this week and they turned out GREAT...so I made them again for this morning...going running tomorrow...and spinning the next day, and yoga, and...cutting out sugar in January (really).

I’ve learned that bread making is for people who have a lot of other things to do.  Do not just make bread.  While the bread is kneading or rising or rising again, you can do all the other things that you need to get done around the house.  Right now I have some french bread in my oven rising :)

Sweet Bread or Dinner Roll recipe:
2 cups milk
1 cube butter
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 packages dry yeast dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water
7 cups flour

If you’re new to making dinner rolls or dough for cinnamon rolls, here are a few tips and how to’s:  (DO NOT be intimidated by all these instructions!)

Add 2 packages of dry yeast to a 1/2 cup of warm water (each package equals 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast).  Let it get all foamy...about 10 minutes or so.

While the yeast is dissolving ...in a pot on the stovetop, slowly melt one cube of butter.  Add two cups of milk (anything except for fat free) and 1/3 cup of sugar.  Keep it at a low temperature.  When all is melted and warmed and you can stick your finger in the mixture without burning yourself, turn off the heat.  Add two beaten eggs (always use large eggs for baking, ALWAYS).  Make sure it’s not too hot when you add the eggs or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs in a milky-buttery soup.

In your mixer, measure 7 cups of flour and 2 teaspoons of salt.  Add the yeast/water (which is now foamy and dissolved) and the butter/sugar/milk/egg mixture (that is not too hot or it will kill the yeast).  Turn the mixer on slow till the flour and liquids are combined.  For kneading, turn the mixer to medium speed for 6 or 7 minutes.

Grease a LARGE non-metal bowl with some oil.  Rub it around with your hands and get your hands all greasy.  Once the dough is kneaded you can then pull it out with your greasy hands and put it in the bowl.  Turn the dough over once to coat it with oil.

Now you need to let the dough rise.  I like to let my doughs rise in the oven because dough needs a warm, draft free, “safe” location.  I turn on my oven just until it reaches 105 degrees and then I turn it off and open it up to let some heat escape.  Now it’s just  warm enough for it to rise nicely.  I put a dish towel on a rack and put my big plastic bowl on it.  I cover the bowl with a tea towel and close the oven.  This is now a good time to do something else for an hour or two.  The dough needs to double in size.  It is possible to over rise your dough...and that is bad.  If it over rises, it will break the strands of gluten.  Always gently deflate your dough...don’t punch it down.  A longer, slower rise makes for a tastier loaf...

Once it has risen, gently deflate the dough.  At this point, you can either put the dough in the refrigerator for tomorrow morning or roll it out to make cinnamon rolls, cinnamon loaves or make dinner rolls.  NOTE:  if you do decide to refrigerate it to use later, take it out of the fridge an hour or so before shaping it into what you want it to be.

If you’re making cinnamon rolls, melt some butter and let it cool a bit.  I divide this dough into thirds to make it easier to work with.  Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a fat rectangle.  Pour the butter on and brush it all over.  Sprinkle the dough with brown sugar and cinnamon (to taste).  I have discovered that too much (butter or sugar or both) will melt into the bottom of the pan and burn into a mess...   ;)

Yes, this is my fat rectangle ...with brown sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top of butter.

Roll the rectangle up starting from one of the longer sides.  Once it’s all rolled up squeeze and shape it a bit to form a nice long roll.  Rather than using a knife, use thread to cut the rolls.  My Mom taught me that years ago...it’s fun to do!

For nice big rolls, cut each roll into 2” pieces.  Place into a greased pan.  Set into a warm (just barely) oven for 20 minutes or so.  Leave them in the oven and turn it on to  350 and bake them for 15-20 minutes.

This is what they look like before rising.

DO NOT OVER BAKE!!!!  If you over bake them, the bottoms will be BLACK and the whole thing will be ruined (I know this from experience).  The cinnamon rolls should be just be barely golden when baked right.  My old oven tends to heat slowly so I have to bake them a little longer, but I check on them often.  Note to self, start shopping for a new oven.

Let the cinnamon rolls cool for a few minutes and then remove them from the pan.  If you don’t they will stick to the bottom of the pan...again, from experience.

FROSTING:  I like this recipe because it’s super easy...and tasty too.
1 box (16 ounces) of powdered sugar
1 8 ounce container of regular cream cheese
1 cube of real butter (salted)
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1-3 tablespoons of milk

Using a hand mixer, whip up all the ingredients.  Frost the cinnamon rolls and enjoy!

Now, if only I could find some cinnamon roll scented lingerie...

Happy 18th Anniversary baby (this next week)!  You’re the best thing that ever happened in my life...thank you for always being on my team.

Homemade Pizza on a "Cold" Day in December

We played in the sprinklers on Monday morning (80 degrees) yet had to bundle up for our morning run yesterday (60 degrees)...sheesh!

I LOVE my double BOB stroller.

I took the babies to the Santa Ana Zoo this morning and while I was there I was thinking about what to make for dinner.  Yes, I have to think about dinner way before dinner time otherwise dinner ends up being way late or the dinner turns out just plain awful.  I'd rather plan all my meals for one whole week on Sunday night, go shopping on Monday and then let the week move along just splendidly...that was before the twins.

Pizza.  I have my garden fresh homemade tomato sauce in the freezer.  I have flour (this time I added a few cups of whole wheat flour into the dough), I have pepperoni, ground turkey, veggies (onion and garlic too!) and mozzarella. That's pretty much all you need to make a healthy pizza for your family. It seems that no two pizza nights are exactly the same.

Pizza dough (enough for 3 large pizzas) is 7 cups flour, 2 1/2 cups warm water, 2 Tablespoons yeast, 2 teaspoons salt and any spices you want to throw in to the mix.  I make it early in the day and let it rise on the counter a few times before I toss it in the fridge till I'm ready to use it (which can be a few days, if needed).

I chopped all my veggies up and sauteed them with a little olive oil.  I put the garlic in towards the end so they won't burn.  My kids like to top the partially cooked pizza crusts and then I bake them for an additional 12-15 minutes at 425...hence the Pizza on a "cold" Day title...it warms up your kitchen fast!

...And, who doesn't like pizza?  The babies.

Roma Tomatoes in December?!?

Would you believe that in mid-December I harvested 34 (yes, I counted) roma tomatoes!?!?  We had an unusually cold summer this past summer.  In fact, in all my year, I think it was by far the coldest summer that Southern California has ever had.  So, at the end of August when it was still cold-ish (for August), I bought a roma tomato plant from OSH and plopped it in some prepared soil in a sunny spot.  I thought that it might be a warm fall since we didn’t really have a summer.  September was HOT and so was October.  It cooled down in November and I didn’t think that those green Romas would ripen...but they did.

  

So, today I decided to use them up.  I roasted them skins and all plus some onions and garlic and salt and pepper (kinda like I did when I made my spaghetti sauce this summer).  I followed Ina Garten’s recipe for Basil Tomato Soup...yes, I still have some useable basil in the garden!  My son, who does not like soup at all, at this up fast and said, “Mom, it wasn’t that bad!”  I took that as a compliment ...coming from him.

Pie Pumpkins...and LOTS of 'em!

I hit the jackpot at the grocery store.  They were practically giving away pie pumpkins just after Thanksgiving...so I snatched up...A LOT!  People were asking me "What are you going to do with those?"  Duh...

Pie Pumpkins are the cute small ones.

I found a recipe on line with complete instructions on how to turn them into PIES!!  I steamed the pumpkins (cut in half with seeds scraped out) for about 30 minutes.  The pumpkin scrapes right out of the shell.  I used my stick blender to blend the cooked pumpkin.  Because I had so many pumpkins to cook up, I froze them for future use.

I did make a pie.  Here’s the recipe I used and, to my surprise, it turned out perfectly!
I took the the pureed pumpkin out of the freezer a day ahead of time and once it was thawed I put it in a strainer over a bowl for a few hours to get out excess water.

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
3 cups prepared pumpkin
1 1/2 cans (12 ounces each) of evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Use a stick blender to combine all ingredients and pour into a homemade pie crust.

Bake at 425 for the first 15 minutes (cover edges with a foil tent), then turn the temperature down to 350 and bake for another 45-60 minutes, until a clean knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let the pie cool.  Refrigerate until you're ready to serve...with real whipping cream, of course!

Note:  I used to use "pumpkin pie spice" and now after buying all the spices separately and following this recipe, I will never go back.  The flavor is unbelievable when you use the real spices (cloves, allspice, ginger and cinnamon) separately!  Try it, it’s not that hard!

Note #2:  I saved the seeds, dried them out...and I'll plant them next summer...good plan.

Got left over pumpkin?  There’s always pumpkin muffins, pancakes, bread...the list goes on!

A Boy, A Summer Day, and Squmpkins!

In July, my son poked around my seed basket and found some acorn squash seeds.

"Can I plant them, Mom?"

"Of course."

"Ok, what kind of sun do they like?"

"They like a lot of sun."

"Ok, how big will the plant grow?"

"About the size of a zucchini plant."

So off he goes planting seeds here and there.  I mentioned that they will need to be near the soaker hose or a sprinkler.  Now, it’s October.

"Mom, I think my Squmpkins are ready!"

"Your what?"

"Squmpkins.  They look like a squash and green pumpkins!"

So, we picked them.

I thought we should try two different recipes so the kids would be able to taste two very different ways of serving up acorn squash, um, I mean squmpkins.

I baked both of them up in a 375 degree oven face down (cut in half, seeds out) for 30 minutes.  To one of them I added a little butter and brown sugar and returned to the oven face up for about 25 minutes.  The other one I made into a savory dish.  I sauted 1/2 an onion in butter till lightly browned, added in a clove of garlic (minced), 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.  I added a little more butter and then added the chopped up mostly cooked acorn squash.  Once it was all warm and coated with the onion mixture, I added a pinch of salt and a few turns of pepper.  I spooned a little into “taster” cups for all of us.

Savory acorn squash

Sweet acorn squash

Without telling anyone, I predicted that they would all hate the savory sample and love the brown sugar sample.  To my surprise, all four kids loved both!

Garden Fresh Lasagna

Today, I made garden fresh lasagna and froze it so my husband could have a ready-made dinner while my daughter and I are out of town.  We are headed to Boston to visit my friend, Whitney, and tour New England for almost a whole week!

Whenever I make lasagna, I try to see how many vegetables I can cram in it without my kids really knowing.  This time, I was able to put in: zucchini, yellow squash, spinach and carrots.  I added ground turkey for the meat.  I added basil and some more garlic to the sauce.  Whenever I cook up the sauce, I like to add shredded carrots to cut down on the acidity rather than use sugar.

This looks like cheddar cheese, but it's really shredded carrot.  Note to self,  save up for a nice camera.

I add shredded zucchini to the ricotta mixture along with spinach.

Then, when I'm layering the sauce, cheese and the pasta (I use the no boil kind...shhhh, don't tell Giada), I also layer in more zucchini.

Yes, from the garden

And, that was my afternoon... mixed in with homework, piano practice and babies.  For dinner tonight, along with leftovers, I made this garden pizza using my left over pesto and tons of vegetables from the garden (garlic, zucchini, tomatoes, basil).  I vote for real food every time I can.  And, yes, the kids ate it.

A Whole Lotta Tomatoes!

I love home grown summer tomatoes... so much, that I planted 15 plants this past spring.

This is just one of the tomato plants before it started producing fruit.  It was an unusually cold summer this year.

Every March, my friend Caylynne and I mark our calendars and trek over to the Fullerton College Horticulture Department to buy our tomato plants.  We make sure we are there early to get the best selection.  The varieties I bought this year were:  jelly bean, tiny tim, Thai pink eggs, cherry, yellow pear, san marzano, san marzano redorta, sweet pea currant, window box roma, tumbling tom, patio, grape, fresh salsa.  I also bought some bell pepper plants too.

These are the san marzano tomatoes mixed in with the a few cherry tomatoes.

This year's goal:  DO NOT WASTE A SINGLE TOMATO!  Rules: either eat them, share with friends, or preserve them in an easy way.  So, we ate salsa (and chips) ALL summer.  This is one of my favorite things about summer.  I also shared my bounty with friends.  We ate a lot of pasta salads and green salads with tomatoes.  I made several batches of Summer Salad (tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, mozzerella medallions and balsamic vinegar) ...I could eat that everyday.  However, even after all that, I had literally hundreds and hundreds of tomatoes both large and small needing to be preserved or eaten.  I’m new to canning, but with the twins being so young, I still don’t have the time to tackle canning “all the way.”  Plus, we had to have time to go to the beach.

Solution?  Make and freeze spaghetti sauce.  Recipe?  I asked my friend, Ginni, whose husband had mentioned how good and easy her recipe was.  I eventually got a system down and did two pans each day.  I used all the different types of tomatoes to make the sauce.  I used oregano, onions and garlic from my garden as well.  Here's how:  cut tomatoes in half, chop up garlic, onions and oregano.  Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper.  That's the prep.  Now, roast in a hot oven.  400 degrees for the first 10-15 minutes and then broil for 10 minutes till it's a little charred.  It will look like this when it comes out of the oven:

Then, pour that into a bowl and with one of my favorite tools, the Cuisinart Smart Stick, blend it.

That's it.  I then, poured this sauce into quart sized freezer bags and froze it.  I have stacks and stacks of sauce ready to be used when I need it.

I didn't can these jars.  I just used these that week or gave them to friends  (yes, I explained that they weren't actually "canned" and to use them right away).  I love that I could use the garlic and onions from the garden as well.

And, that's what I did in my spare time this summer.  Was it worth it?  Absolutely!