Ready, Set, Go!

I just wanted to say that I posted my first recipe for my 2011 Kitchen Challenge... this is where I am going to challenge myself to learn 12 recipes that maybe I never would have tried. I would love to have you along for all or part of the ride, so join me! This month, break out that frying pan and make some tortillas! The recipe is found under the Challenge link at the top of the page. We have fajitas on our menu this week, so I will let you know how it goes!

Tasty Playdough

Jacob and I usually play with playdough every morning while Daniel is napping. I usually get annoyed because Jacob likes to eat the playdough, though it is supposedly non-toxic, and since he hasn't gotten sick yet maybe I shouldn't worry so much about it.

Jacob with a huge ball of playdough in his mouth.

Usually Jacob asks me to make things for him with the playdough. He asks for balls a lot, and even asks for different sizes- baby, big, little, bigger...

Jacob squishing the playdough balls I made.

He also likes it when I make us matching bracelets or when I make his favourite letters of the alphabet (B, W, O, P) I have also been known to make a snowman and a puppy. But yesterday he asked for Rex and "Hammy Pig" from Toy Story.

Rex and Hamm

I was fairly impressed with my results. Rex could have used some teeth and Hamm looks like he's been dieting, but I only had so much playdough to work with since Jacob wouldn't let me have any of the balls I had already made him.  Jacob did get upset when he tried to move them and Hamm's tail and Rex's head fell off. I squished them when he wasn't looking and made a wish that he would got back to balls and bracelets....

Today he asked for Buzz Lightyear. Instead I brought out the cookie cutters and made him a camel.

Is it Soup Yet?

Jeff and I were once doing a crossword puzzle together and the clue was "Is is ____ yet?" We had no idea what the answer could be but it turned out the answer was soup. Trust me. We even cheated and looked on the answer page at the back of the book. Does anyone out there know what this means or where it is from? Anyways, we now ask each other this whenever there is soup simmering on the stove.

"Is it soup yet?"
"Not quite! It is still just a can of condensed yuck mixed with a can of water."
"Is it soup yet?"
"Almost, it just needs to come to a boil."
"Is it soup yet?"
"Ugh. Yes."

I hate soup. Or I should say I mostly hate soup. Whenever we have soup in our house it comes from a can. I look at those little cubes of veggies and meat and question the validity of their claim to be "real food." I pick around the unknown chunks in my bowl and wish it was a bowl of Ichiban noodles... at least all they claim to be is flavoured noodles.
We usually have one night a week that is a simple dinner - usually soup or sandwiches - and this year we have instituted Meatless Mondays and thus I see more soup on my horizon. We have started experimenting by adding rice and corn to a can of tomato soup or peas, carrots, and lima beans to a package of Lipton's chicken noodle soup. These are both substantial improvements, but I want more from a soup. I have had several DELICIOUS homemade soups (made by other people) and I know that I should be able to succeed at soup. Back in September I attempted corn chowder and it was mediocre at best. Twice in December I made veggie noodle soup with my frozen turkey stock from thanksgiving and it was good, but not great. So last night (it was our first monday of the year) I made Minestrone. Here's the recipe from the internet. I had to make some serious edits because I didn't have everything I needed and I made it in the slow cooker and it was delicious. Jacob even ate two bowls! (He loves kidney beans) I used beef bouillon powder to make the broth because that was what was in my cupboard. We even had just enough left over for lunch today.
Here's my recipe:

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Easy Minestrone
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Ingredients:

1 small onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

1/2 yellow pepper, diced

1 large tomato, diced

1/4 cup dried kidney beans (prepare in advance)

4 cups broth

1/2 tsp parsley flakes

1/2 tsp thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup pasta

Directions:

Saute onions and carrots in olive oil.

When done, add pepper and tomatoes. (And optional zucchini)

Put broth (veggie or beef) in slowcooker. Add spices. Add cooked veggies. Add beans.

Simmer 4 hours.

Add pasta when almost ready to eat.

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You Say Goodbye, and I Say Hello

Goodbye 2010... the year I really discovered how much I like experimenting in my Blue Kitchen. The year I decided to make more of my own food and buy less pre-made food. The year I discovered the joy of baking and eating home-made bread. The year I realized how much I love a clean kitchen floor. The year I made jam for the first time. The year I quit composting and then started again. The year I welcomed one more person to feed into my family!

Hello 2011... the year I will hopefully get all of you to try a few new recipes with me through my 12 month cooking challenge. The year I hope to become more of a Locavore. The year I plan to succeed at making hamburger buns. The year we are going to try growing some of our own food!

I ended this year with a very successful new bread recipe. I made caramelized onion bread! It made a huge loaf (much bigger than I was expecting), and the whole entire thing got eaten for lunch. I served it with homemade soup made with homemade turkey stock. I wish I had taken a picture for you before it all got eaten, because it was beautiful.

I still have a lot of goodies in my house left-over from Christmas, so I am putting a moratorium  on baking for awhile. I ate WAY too much over the last couple of weeks. But it was all delicious. Though as I write this, I realize that I made a cheesecake today. I meant to weeks and weeks ago so I had bought all the ingredients for it. The cream cheese sitting in the fridge has been taunting me, and the raspberries were just begging to be used up. The huge bag of unopened graham crumbs was wanting to be turned into Reese's Pieces, and I have eaten a lot of chocolate lately. So here's the recipe:

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mOm's No-Bake Cheesecake

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Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups graham crumbs

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup icing sugar

1 pkg cream cheese, softened

1 pkg whipped topping, plus milk and vanilla according to package directions

Directions:

Mix first three ingredients in bowl and spread evenly in large baking dish.

Make whipped topping.

Mix remaining ingredients with whipped topping until smooth. 

Pour on top of crust.

Top with any fruit you like.

Notes:

I like a little cinnamon in the crust. 

Mom would sometimes use oreo cookie crumbs instead of graham crumbs and chocolate milk instead of white for a tasty chocolate cheesecake.

I mix everything in the blender because it takes forever to get it smooth with a spoon. 

I sometimes throw the fruit in the blender too, for a fruity cheesecake.

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AND... January's recipe should be up shortly! It won't be anything too complicated or fancy this month, so I hope you try it out.