Making A Home And Family

Hello everyone!  I know it has been a long time, but my family has been in transition, it seems, since the little one arrived almost a year ago.  We are currently renting a house in AZ and flirting with the vegan and raw diets.  I’d like to start sharing some awesome recipes I come across, so please check back for more.This is the rustic pasta recipe from The Kind Diet.  It is so good that I must share.Ingredients

• 1/4 pound pasta - I use whole wheat spaghetti
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1/4 cup shoyu (I have also used tamari but any soy sauce would work)
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• 1 small head of cabbage, thinly sliced
• 5-6 T marinara sauce

Directions:Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.  Salt the water and add the pasta and cook until al dente.Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add the onions and cook for 7 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and saute for 3 minutes longer, until the onions are transparent and turning golden.Add the celery to the skillet and saute for 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the shoyu, salt, and garlic powder, then add the cabbage; saute for 4 more minutes.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes longer.Add the pasta to the skillet with the sauce and toss together.  Cook over medium-high heat for a minute or two and then serve.Enjoy!

I was asked for some smoothie recipes, and although they are not too exciting I thought I’d share anyway. (These both make enough for my DH and I.  Adjust accordingly.)

 Strawberry Banana Smoothie

2 bananas

1/2 box of strawberries

1/4 cup water

3-4 ice cubes

2 teaspoons omega 3 fish oil

2 teaspoons wheatgrass powder

I mostly try to do raw foods in the smoothies, but I like this one too.

Tropical Smoothie

2 bananas

1/3 fresh pineapple

1/4 cup orange juice

4 T organic yogurt

4 ice cubes

We’ll be trying this Raw Vegan Apple Smoothie this morning!!

Picture courtesy of ~ http://www.flickr.com/photos/hanan/104282165/

Watermelon is my favorite summer fruit!  It just screams summer to me!  On a hot day, there is nothing better than a cold slice from the fridge.  Except maybe a tall glass of…. watermelon lemonade.

I have not tried this recipe yet, but I know I’m going to love it.  Watermelon, lemonade, in a cold glass…. hello to the perfect summer recipe!

For more ideas, visit We are that Family.

I am sitting on my couch facing the big living room window and watching the snow fly.  As the weather is changing and the temps are dropping, I think I have picked an appropriate menu for the week since there are a lot of soup-type meals.

Monday ~ Corny chili with homemade bread

Tuesday ~ Pesto tortellini with garlic bread

Wednesday ~ Cheeseburger pie (recipe below)

Thursday ~ Fried rice

Friday ~  Minestrone soup with cheesy garlic biscuits

Saturday ~ Bobby’s gulash (Paula Deen’s son’s recipe) with homemade cheesy garlic toast

Sunday ~ Cheeseburger soup with garlic muffins or crackers

Cheeseburger Pie Recipe:

Grease a 9 or 10 inch pie plate. Lightly grease or spray with cooking spray. Then you brown a pound of ground beef mixed with some chopped onion over a low heat. Drain any fat that surfaces once the beef and onion mixture are browned. Sprinkle with a bit of seasonings, such as garlic, pepper, oregano, etc.

Mix 1 1/2 cups low fat or fat free milk, 3 eggs, and 3/4 cup bisquick together.

Put beef mixture into pie dish. Pour bisquick mixture on top. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

For more menu ideas, visit Org Junkie.

There is nothing better on a cold day, than a steaming cup of hot chocolate.  Here’s a recipe you can make yourself ~

1.  Warm one cup of milk on the stove.

2.  Add 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons of cocoa and 3-4 teaspoons of powdered sugar and mix.  Let heat through (don’t boil).

3.  Add whipped topping or mini marshmellows to the top and enjoy!

 Want to know what others are talking about this Tuesday?  Visit The Lazy Organizer!

Picture courtesy of ~ http://images.inmagine.com/168nwm/imagezoo/iz137/iz137028.jpg

As my DH and I were planning for hunting season (opening day is tomorrow), we decided to glance through our chest freezer in the basement to see what venison meat we have used in the last year.  We really have done a good job eating up the steaks and stew because there are only a few packs of each left.  But, we came across 2 bags of venison that had been marked for the grinder and never were introduced to the grinder.  Knowing that it should be used soon, we have decided to use it to make our own dog food and save us some money by not buying a big bag of dog food this month.

Here are some links to recipes to make your own dog food, and they seem easy enough to incorporate things that you have in your pantry or even better - leftovers from the fridge.

• Large list of dog food recipes 
• Homemade dog food
• Recipe for dog treats

For more Frugal Friday ideas, visit Biblical Womanhood.

This is an easy no bake cookie recipe that you usually don’t have to buy special ingredients for because they are all in your pantry!  Plus, the kids can help with the mixing and it’s good even if you can’t wait until they cool.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter/margarine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 3 cups quick oats

Directions:

• Put the sugar, cocoa, milk, and butter in a pot on the stove at medium heat.  Cook until boiling.
• Remove from heat and stir for one minute until mixture is smooth.
• Add vanilla, salt, peanut butter, and oatmeal.  Stir well.
• Place in a 9×13 pan and cut once cool for bars or place by the tablespoon full onto a pan or wax paper to make cookies.

Easy and quick recipes work for me.  For other WFMW posts, visit Rocks in my Dryer.

This is one of my favorite cold weather bread recipes.  It is sweet, it goes well with hot tea or coffee, and it’s just plain delicious!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c sugar
• 1/2 c butter or margarine, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c tea of choice
• 1/3 c milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 c flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 c powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 3-5 teaspoons milk
• ground cinnamon to taste

Directions:

• Heat oven to 350* and grease a loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy.  Beat in eggs, tea, 1/3 cup milk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla.  Stir in remaining ingredients until moist.  Spread in pan.
• Bake 50-60 minutes and cool in pan for 10 minutes on wire rack.  Remove and cool on wire rack for 30 more minutes.
• In a small bowl, make the icing with powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and 3 teaspoons of milk.  Add more milk if needed until spreadable.  Spread glaze over bread and sprinkle with more cinnamon.  Cool completely for 2 hours before cutting (good luck.. I never make it that long).

For more Tempt my Tummy, go here and Talk about Me Tuesday, visit the Lazy Organizer.

As I move toward a more simple life, my goal is start learning how to make my own things and especially starting in the kitchen.  As I made my grocery list this past week, I knew that others made their own tortillas.  Why can’t (shouldn’t) I do that too?!  I didn’t put tortillas on my list, and I made them two nights ago before I went to bed.  There was enough there for my pinto bean tacos, breakfast burritos for this morning, and pb&j “sandwiches” for lunch.

I used the recipe from Hillbilly Housewife.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups whole wheat flour or half wheat and half white

• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 to 1-1/4 cups water

Directions:

• Combine dry ingredients in a big bowl.
• Cut in shortening with a fork.
• Add water and make dough into a ball.  Knead about 20 times and then let sit for 10 minutes.
• Split dough into 12 equal balls and roll into tortillas.
• Heat skillet or pan - I put mine on medium heat (don’t add oil).
• Put in tortilla and cook about 30 seconds on each side.

For more WFMW posts, visit Rocks in my Dryer.

We love pizza around here, but my usual cheese pizza biscuits were getting a little old.  I ran across a garden pizza recipe, and I just had to try it.  It turned out really yummy, and we’ll be eating leftovers for lunch today.  I think next time I’ll add green peppers, or garlic, or crushed red pepper before eating because it was  missing the “zing.”

 Ingredients:

• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
• sliced mushrooms
• 1 c. marinara sauce
• 5-6 oz. of spinach
• 1 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
• pizza dough (I used the biscuits, but pressed them together to make a pizza pie)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450*.  Grease pan with oil.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in skillet.  Add carrots and cook 6 minutes.  Stir in marinara sauce, mushrooms, 1/4 t. salt, and 1/8 t. pepper, and cook 3 minutes.  Add spinach and cook covered for 1-2 minutes.
3. Pat dough into pan.  Spoon vegetable mixture on top, then add cheese to top.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and golden.

For more Talk About Tuesday, visit the Lazy Organizer.