Pesto Artichoke Pasta

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We had friends over about two weeks ago for dinner and I’m just now posting this! What can I say, busy year already. Ugh. So anyhoo, this dish is the easiest meal ever but tastes amazing! Its all mostly can/jar items.

2 cans of cut tomatoes
1 jar Alfredo sauce
3 heaping tablespoons of pesto
Any noodles you like
2 jars cut/prewashed artichokes
1/2 cup of frozen spinach
* you can add shredded chicken. (already cooked rotisserie chicken from Safeway)

And there you have it. Amazing meal! Happy Monday everyone

Sugar Cookies

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With the latest current events still fresh in my mind, posting about something as silly as sugar cookies seems almost shallow. Yet, what I want to celebrate is the memory, quality time and smiles we shared while making them. I don’t want to take any moment for granted with her. So precious.

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Sugar Cookies

3 1/4C Flour

1 1/2t Baking Powder

1/2t Salt

1C Butter (softened)

1C Sugar

1 Egg

1T Milk

2 1/2T Vanilla

1.
In medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in egg, milk, vanilla, and lemon peel. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill 1 hour or until easy to handle.
 
2.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll half the dough at a time, between sheets of waxed paper, to 1/4-inch thickness, sprinkling bottom sheet of waxed paper with flour if cookie dough sticks. Cut with desired cutters (if dough becomes too soft, return to refrigerator). Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are barely light brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Makes about 2-1/2 dozen (2-1/2- to 3-1/2-inch) cookies

Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes

 

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I don’t make many things with pumpkin although it’s one of my favorite vegetables. I had two unopened huge cans of pure pumpkin puree with glorious plans of making yummy things until it ran out. They’ve been sitting and sitting…waiting to be used. I finally just thought, ‘what the heck, if I ruin a recipe then I ruin it. At least I would have tried it’ and so here is my own vegan pumpkin pancakes.

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They are not as fluffy as some recipes, the batter is on the thin side. But you could put in chocolate (dairy/nondairy) chips for a yummy creamy-ness. Mmmmm. Enjoy!

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Did I mention they are a snap to make?

Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes

1 1/2C  Nondairy milk

2T Oil

2T Pumpkin Puree

1 1/2 C Flour

2T Sugar

1t Baking Powder

1/2t Nutmeg

1/2t Ginger

1T Cinnamon

 

Grilled Cheese/Bacon/Tomato

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Pretty straight forward and simple. Pretty amazing and fresh on a warm day. You could use anything you’d like instead of the ranch spread I put on before grilling…OH! Chipotle sauce….Mmmmmm.

(and yes, for you detailed people who noticed my sandwich is a bit on the dark side- I love my grilled sandwiches a bit burned. Love the flavor)

We brought these with us on our picnic to a park. Along with sweet tea, apples and fruit cake.

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Hope you’re enjoying the last few days of summer!

Food Book

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Yep, I’m actually doing it- I’m making my food book. I’m calling it Quick and Simple because it’s what we need- Quick and simple recipes that are sure fire winners.

I’m up to my ears in pretty pictures and recipes. I’m doing it by myself and have a couple roads to look into for possible publishing (but that’s very ‘maybe’) . My main goal and dream is to create a book my family and friends would be able to have that has some of my favorite/famous recipes. Any special recipes I’ve done you want in the book? Let me know!

Ginger French Toast

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I usually feel a desire to make some kind of cool breakfast on the weekends. ‘Cool’ meaning something other than cereal. Why? Because I like sleeping in and quiet slow mornings. When you don’t have to wake up and rush somewhere. When it’s just me (which is never) I enjoy toast, tea and a book for the mornings. But more about this french toast…

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I am a huge lover of ginger. So when I was making french toast one morning a while back, I decided to add some ginger powder. What a good choice. Neither Travis or Emma has noticed a change of flavor but I definitely taste it and love it. It’s the norm’ now. Our french toast always includes ginger.

It’s not complicated, the most simple basic recipe really. And let’s be real, who wants to make a complicated recipe soon after they wake up?! Yeah. Nobody.

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Guessing on the measurements, I do it by feel. 

3 eggs, 2 T of Cinnamon and 1T of ginger and 3/4C milk. (really guessing on the milk)

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Whisk a bit then dip in bread and fry, this made 7 pieces. I also used EVOO instead of butter in the pan.

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Do you make special version of french toast? I’d love to hear about it!

I’ve seen many stuffed ones but can’t get myself to take all the extra effort.

Happy eating!

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Smiles in the rain

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Today’s post is really not that special. I just thought the colors were pretty and wanted to take a picture to remind myself to eat healthier. Like cucumbers and dill swimming in ranch. hahaha

Pretty food is healthy food…heard that somewhere.

And on that same note, I would like to remind myself that I like running in the rain. I was running in between stores getting things for my sickie hubby and daughter and it was pouring. But it was so refreshing! I loved it so much that I couldn’t hold back smiling. After random people started staring and smiling back I was also reminded the power of a smile. Unfortunately it’s not that common anymore.

A huge thing that really set the tone though, which happened before any of the smiling stuff, was me offering an old lady a drive home from the max station. She was bent over, wearing a fur coat, flimsy hat and no umbrella. She was walking uphill-slowly. Remember that it was pouring. I couldn’t ignore the screaming in my head about that woman and the act of kindness that I say I believe in but probably don’t show as much as I should. So I took a u turn, prayed I wouldn’t freak her out by offering her a ride to her house and smiled. She was so nice and told me she didn’t mind the rain! That she lived in northern Alaska for 20 yrs so this rain was nothing. 

It was amazing! What an attitude! I want to be like her when I’m older. That conversation changed my whole attitude for the day. And I wish I can go say thank you to her…but I know our exchange of smiles and my offer to drive her home touched her. Wish I had more experiences like this, but then again it’s really up to me. Risk, streeetch and risk some more. 🙂

Well, have a great day- I might take a run!

*The beautiful blue bowl is Polish pottery and was bought last month in Nowy Targ, Poland. Thank you Weronika and Chris!

Lamingtons

A food post is long over due. My apologies. So without further stalling:

Lamingtons

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No. They tasted better than they looked. They were that good.

I didn’t make this, Weronika did so I was only able to document after she had cooled the cake. Enjoy the pictures and I hope it excites you to try this yourself.  

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THEY’RE FANTASTIC!!!

(but hey, it’s chocolate and coconut, who would expect anything less?!)

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then comes the fun part:

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…and there you go (in the best Greek accent I can muster, which isn’t really good at all)

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I prayed over them to be fat, sugar and calorie free. I think God honors creative slightly outlandish prayers. 🙂

Silly story

 ***These events have been overly dramatized for your enjoyment. It is lightly based on true events***

Muddy Buddies

Made a huge bag of these today (great picture huh!) and when Travis came home I proudly told him about it. (cause he likes chocolate treats)

He says, ‘oh…cool’ and turns away to do something.

What?! No smile or ‘Thank you love you’re the best because you have treats waiting for me when I come home?!’ I try again…

Voice raised a little bit, he mustn’t have heard me: ‘I made you a special treat today Trav….it has chocolate in it….don’t you like Muddy Buddies?!’ 

*half smile* ‘…..Uh, not really.’

voice raised a little more….‘Hahaha, wait, what?! You don’t like them?! But look, they have chocolate in them! See?!!!!

 

*shake, shake, shake, shake,shake*

He looks at me like I’m crazy, nods and turn to talk to Emma.

I stand in shock. Letting the truth of what he said settle deep down into my person. Allowing it to alter the very fabric of my homemaking DNA.

At times like these there is only one thing to do: Eat muddy buddies while typing this silly story and invite you to come over and eat some with me so I don’t explode from eating the whole bag.

(did I mention it’s 9 CUPS of muddy buddies?!)