spice chart update

A few weeks ago I posted a spice chart. I found the third page that I didn't know was missing. It includes spices for mediterranean and Indian foods. Here is the updated version of that post

Spice it up.

I have been on a journey to eat real food. Going from already spiced prepared foods to real food was a challenge. One of the troubles I have had is spicing things up. I started noticing that all my food was tasting the same. I was using the same 5 or 6 flavors in all my food.   I needed help! 

How does one know what spices to use? I was given the advice to let your nose guide the way. Smell the spices together and see what your nose thinks, start experimenting. It was all good advice, but what came in helpful was the spice guide that I have put below.

A word of advice do not start with those spices that have been sitting for years and years, throw them out and start over. Many of the spices lose their flavor after a while. Some say to replace all the spices every six months. For many that is not practical advice. I would say pick a spice to replace every week or two until you get them all replaced.  It worked for me. I am using them more often now, so I am rotating through them.
© Vally | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos



HERE ARE SOME SPICE GUIDELINES TO USE IN YOUR COOKING

For spanish food try some things like
basil, bay leaf, garlic, onion, mild paprika, parsley, peppers (sweet and hot), saffron, lemon, wine, butter, olive oil, mild white cheese.

For French food try things like
basil, bay leaf, celery seed, cardomom, cloves, dill weed, garlic, horseradish, marjorom, mushrooms, mustard, nutmeg, nuts (almonds, walnuts), onion, paprika, parsley, pepper, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme, lemon, wine vinegar, wines, sherry, vermouth, butter, olive oil, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, swiss cheese

For Mexican food try
cumin, basil, chili powder, cilantro, lime, garlic, onion, oregano, peppers (sweet and hot), tamarind, tomato dry red wine, lemon, olive oil, cream cheese, mild white cheese, sour cream.

For East European food try
caraway, dill (seed and weed), horseradish, mushroom, onion, paprika hot, parsley, poppyseed, lemon, cider vinegar, dry red wine, sherry, butter, cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, yougurt

For Italian food you could try
basil, bay leaf, garlic, marjarom, mushroom, corriander, onion, oregano, parsley, peppers (sweet and hot), rosemary, saffron, thyme, tomato, wine vinegar, marsala wine, butter, olive oil, hard sharp cheeses, mozzarella, ricotta

For Chinese food try
Anise,cinnamon, cilantro, cloves, garlic, ginger, fennel, five spice powder, mushrooms, mustard, nuts (peanuts, almonds cachews), onion, peppers (hot), sesame seed, soy sauce, vinegar, rice wine vinegar, peanut or soy oil, sesame oil, tofu

For Mediterranean food try

Basil, cinnamon, cumin, dill weed, garlic, mint, onion, oregeno, parsley, peppers (sweet or hot), rosemary, sesame (tahini), lemon, vinegar (cider or wine), dry red wine, butter, olive oil, feta cheese, goats milk cheese, sour cream, yogurt

For Indian food try

cardomom, cinnamon, cloves, corriander seed, cumin seed, dill (seed and weed), fennel (seed and root), fenugreek, garlic, ginger, mustard seed, nuts, onions, peppers (hot or sweet), poppyseed, saffron, sesame seeds (tahini), tomato, tumeric, lemon, lime, butter (ghee), peanut oil, mild curd cheese, yogurt

Good luck and Happy cooking

Park Hopping

It was such a beautiful fall day, I just couldn't resist taking my girls to the park! It was so nice for them and me also. This time of year is a perfect time to take a break and enjoy a park hopping experience.

What is park hopping? Park hopping is the perfect way to spend a nice warm day jumping from one park or playground to the next. We live in an area where there are dozens of parks and playgrounds within a ten mile radius. We have two within easy walking distance from our home.

                           © Bobelias | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos


                           Park hopping in 3 easy steps


Step one: Gather your gear, appropriate clothing and shoes for the children, sunscreen, a good book etc.

Step two:  Pack a lunch

Step three: Find some parks or playgrounds. Play for a while and then find another, Enjoy as many as time an energy allows.


We had a great time today. My nearly four year old decided that she could swing high up to the sky when she pumps her legs back and forth. She was so proud of herself. That alone made our day.

easy green chile cheese puff

 

The other day when I found cottage cheese on sale I could not pass it up. It was dated that day and needed to be used.  I found a recipe that is a keeper

 

super easy green chile cheese puff

5 eggs beaten
2 cups cottage cheese (16 oz container)
1 cup jack cheese
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup melted butter
1  can diced green chile (4 oz)


Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 9x9 square baking pan. 
bake at 350 for about 40 minutes until set and no longer wet in the middle  Serves 6

I did make one change. The original recipe called for 1 cup cottage cheese and 2 cups jack cheese, but I switched the two. I wanted to use the entire container of cottage cheese and only had about a cup of jack cheese on hand.  The results were yummy.

We have made this recipe several times since. The entire family really enjoys it.

Is it an eating apple or a cooking apple?

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Fall is in the air. Time to pick the apples. What does one do with all those apples? Apple pie, cobblers, cakes, tarts, applesauce, apple crisp, baked apples, caramel apples. There are alot of posibilities; not to mention eating apples fresh from the tree.

 I have fond memories of Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. The campground there is sourounded by apple orchards. The deer come down into the orchards and graze.There are at least 5 years that I remember going there with my family during a fall break. You could pick all the apples to eat while you were there, and any you wanted to take home were sold at a minimal price. Those memories are very pleasant. 

Some apples are good for cooking and some are better for eating, but how does one tell the difference?

There are some lists and guides out there that are helpful. I have included a link to one below

link to a list of apple varieties and uses

What if you don't know what kind of apple it is? Take Grandma's orchard for instance. We do not know  the names of any of those apples growing there. One of the best tips I have heard. Look at the base of the apple. A dimpled bottom is more suited for eating fresh. A smooth bottom apple is one that is better suited for cooking.
Take the picture above. The red one on the left has a dimpled bottom. It would be better for eating. The one on the right seems to have a smoother bottom. It would be better suited for baking. The taste will also tell you alot about the the fruit. Eating apples will tend to be sweeter and have a light juicy texture. Cooking apples will be more tart with a heavier more dense texture that holds up better in cooking.

There is no real harm in using an eating apple to cook with; just as there is no real harm in eating a cooking apple. So what is the big deal? There can be some texture differences, for example; if an eating apple is used, apple pie may turn into an applesauce pie. (Still very yummy). A baked apple is another example. For a nice presentation you want an apple that will hold its shape,and look like a baked apple and not a baked apple mess.


All this apple talk has made me want to go out and pick a fresh apple from our tree.

leftovers with purpose

A few months ago I wrote a post about making three meals out of a couple of steaks. The link is below
making three meals from a couple of steaks here are some more thoughts for repurposing leftovers

© Bberry | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

I love to cook meat and then extend it into several meals. A budget freindly cut of beef is the london broil. It is good eats and usually large enough to make several meals.

Recently we cooked a London broil and then made two other meals out of that meat

Meal 1 We made a large london broil. It turned out fabulous. We ate our fill for dinner along with some side salads.

Meal 2  We used the sliced beef to make a wonderful sandwich. We sliced a loaf of french bread in half and filled it with the meat, and piled on the toppings (avacado. peppers, onion, lettuce, tomato, olives)

Meal 3 Fajitas. Grilled meat with spicy peppers and onions wrapped up in a warm tortilla, what could be better than that.


If you have never had london broil or flank steak you are missing out on a great opportunity. These two cuts of meat give you alot of bang for your buck. 

When cooking a london broil or flank steak there are three basic rules to remember

1. marinade
2. cook to a medium rare
3. slice thin against the grain

I wrote an earlier post about marinades I have included the link below

marinade 101


beef marinade

4 cloves of minced garlic
1/2 of a medium onion grated
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
juice of half a  lemon
1 Tablespoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon worchestershire sauce
11/2 Tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 teaspoons spanish paprika
mix all together and pour over 11/2-2 pounds of beef

I marinated this last london broil for about 3 hours, I then cooked it on the grill. You could also broil it. (hence the name london broil)

A good rule of thumb for cooking flank steak and london broil is to cook it about 10 minutes for each inch of thickness. Typically they will cut london broil about 2 inches thick. (cook for  about 20 minutes) Flank steaks are usually a bit thinner 1 1/2 inches thick (cook for about 15 minutes)  Once cooked let sit for several minutes for the juice to settle back into the meat.

Slice thin against the grain. What does that mean you may ask?  The link below explains it in great detail with pictures.
seroius food how to slice meat against the grain

In simple terms. Meat is a muscle of the animal. It can be hard work for our teeth to tear through that muscle. The goal of slicing against (or across) the grain is to cut the muscle into short strands that are easier for us to chew. Look at the meat and you can see the muscle fibers. This is expecially easy to see in a flank steak or in the picture above (it was cut the wrong way just so you know). If you slice this steak in the same direction as those lines, you'll have to chew through the fibers; whereas if you cut through them, the knife will have already done that work. Think of it similarly to slicing a stalk of celery. The strings are less likely to get caught in your teeth if you cut those strings into smaller lengths. You want to cut the meat fibers (strings) into short edible peices. if you cut alongside the fibers, you end up eating something more like a rubberband instead of nice tender meat. 

We love london broil and flank steaks. We love the versitility they provide for us. I love getting the most out of my food budget. 

BE YOUR OWN KIND OF SUPERMOM

Are you trying to keep up with that  "SUPERMOM"?  You know the one I am talking about. The woman who seems to have it all together.


At the start of the new school year, I see all the parents and kids off to school. I see the mother's on the PTA. Little girls in perfect dress. All over the internet I see the cute ideas for making the first day of school perfect. Parents going to extra lengths to make the day so special. We got up and had a regular breakfast. We got dressed and walked to school. It was mostly an ordinary day. Am I a bad parent because I do not do all these extra things?

Maybe I should have made a special breakfast? Maybe he needed a new backpack? Is he wearing the right clothes? Does he fit in with all the other children? I was taken away in thought, back to a time when I was working as a young adult. One of my coworkers was so disguisted with her son. She had been working many overtime hours to buy him the Jeans that were "the in thing".  She bought them for him, and of course he would not wear them. He did not care about it, but she did. All these things go through my mind and then... I am reminded of a talk by Dieter F Uchdorf about the forget me nots,expecially the part about wise sacrifices vs foolish sacrifices.  "Am I commiting my time and energies to the things that matter most?" 

Here is a link to that talk.

Dieter F Uchtdorf forget me not talk


As a society we put such demands on ourselves to keep up with others. I was reminded of a time just after my youngest was born. She was born early Sunday morning. By friday; I was ready to be out of the house just for a while. It was the neighborhood Halloween party that evening. They were having a chili cook-off dinner, and a carnival for the kids. It seemed like just the thing. My Husband and I  managed to pull together a pot of chili. We happened to win 2nd place. One of the ladies said "Oh now you have done it, you have really raised the bar for all the mothers in this neighborhood!" "what do you mean?", I asked. "Now everyone will think that they have to win a cookoff just after they have a new baby!"  I did not feel like a "supermom" at that time. I was just doing what I needed to survive, yet everyone was looking at me like I was superwoman.

We find this with bloggers. We see all the great things bloggers are doing. We revere some ot them as superwomen. We think that we have to be the same as them. We over run ourselves with all those things we could be doing, and we forget the little things. Tara at simply made home wrote a great post this week about when the realities of life and the blogging world collide. link to simply made home blog.  In this post she paints a real picture of her real weekend. I am grateful for bloggers who get real about life. I can laugh and cry with them also.

I am finding that in writing this blog, sometimes I forget the purpose of it which is; to help others slow down and live life. TO LOVE MY FAMILY WELL IS THE HEART OF WHO I AM!  It is the purpose of this blog to help others to love their families. WHEN YOU LOVE YOUR FAMILY WELL, YOU WILL BE YOUR OWN SUPERMOM. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO IT LIKE ANYONE ELSE DOES.

so now...... Go and create your own kind of wonderful life.

homemade granola clusters

 This recipe I have had for a long time. It is an easy recipe for beginers that are starting a healthier lifestyle. All the ingredients are easily accessible in your local grocery store, or you may have in your pantry.

Homemade granola clusters

preheat an oven to 350

in a very large mixing bowl  toss together the dry mix
8 cups rolled oats (or other rolled grains)
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups of nuts, seeds, and or coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt

wet mix
1/2 cup oil
2 cups water
2 Tablespoons vanilla
1 Tablespoon maple flavoring

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until blended
pour out onto two cookie sheets breaking the mix up into small clusters
bake in a 350 oven  for about 30 minutes stirring halfway through and breaking up any big bunches
This makes soft baked clusters. for a more crunchy cluster, bake about 15 more minutes.


This is a great starter recipe for those trying to go a little healthier. When we began we would add some granola clusters to our regular breakfast cereal. It is good mixed in with a flake cereal. It helps the children feel full longer. It is also really good mixed with fruit and yogurt.
I have included a link to our homemade yogurt adventures below

homemade yogurt