Inside the Fishbowl

Baking Day

It seems that Wednesday is turning into baking day in our house.  I pump the kids up to help me bake bread on Tuesday night.  So far they love it.  And the best part is that they're blissfully unaware that it's really a ploy to get them eating whole wheat bread.  As soon as school starts and they're not around to help me I'm going to start sneaking whole wheat flour into the dough in ever increasing amounts until they're none the wiser.  It used to work when I was weaning them onto milk.  Do you think I'll have the same success?

Today was a good day.  We made four loaves of bread and banana muffins, courtesy of Michelle, whose recipes never disappoint.  Now we're set until Saturday when I'll make another batch of bread.  I need to keep ahead if my family's voracious appetite for bread in all it's forms--sandwich, toast, cold with butter, etc.

Later, after we go grocery shopping, I'm going to make a couple batches of rolls for the barbeque we're having tomorrow night for the crew of people that helped Jeremy off of Mt. Nebo after his accident. I'm going to be using this recipe from Everyday Food Storage (the source of the bread recipe I'm so fond of). I'll let you know how they turn out.  I'm also going to try my hand at making some grape freezer jelly while I'm waiting for the rolls to rise.  I really want to make cooked grape jelly, but you have to have a canner and I don't have one of those.  I'll wait to make that investment until we get a garden planted.  Maybe next year.

Uninspired

I'm feeling rather uninspired, blogwise, lately, so you have to endure another list post from me.

1.  Jeremy and I had a date night in last Thursday.  We were going to go out, but then we couldn't find anything we wanted to do more than eat dinner.  So I put the kids to bed before he got home, and he brought us takeout from our favorite Chinese restaurant, Fortune Cookie.

I first went to Fortune Cookie last year with my friend Jenn.  She'd been with her family and simply raved about it.  Not one to pass up a fantastic Chinese restaurant ever, we went.  Her raving was no exaggeration.  I've been back twice, and have never been disappointed.  The best part is that Fortune Cookie is always packed!  Last time, when Jeremy and I ate the restaurant, we had to sit at the sushi bar.  I know, a Chinese restaurant with a sushi bar. Who would have guessed?  Sadly, I have never had sushi, so this won't include a review of that aspect of the restaurant.

My two favorite dishes so far are the two that we tried last week.  They are from the Chef's Specialies section of the menu, which can be viewed online.  The first is Orange Beef.  Don't worry, this is nothing like the Orange dishes that you will find at pseudo Chinese restaurants like Panda Express, where the orange is so overpowering as to be unpleasant.  Fortune Cookie's Orange chicken is subtle.  It's a little sweet, and a little bitter, thanks to the peppers that tone down what could be a sickly orangey taste. Add to that that the beef is a crunchy from a very unique breading method they use, and you have perfection on a plate.  

The second dish was Crispy Prawn with Walnut. (or Crispy Prawn with Walnuts in the American vernacular).  Why this dish isn't included in the dessert menu is beyond me.  The menu description is "Delicately seasoned jumbo shrimp lightly fried to a golden brown in the white creamy sauce."  (I love the English on Chinese menus!) What they fail to mention is that the white sauce is rich and very sweet, good enough to eat aprés meal.

Finally, we had the pork fried rice.  Jeremy and I love fried rice.  Love.  It.  We can't get enough of it. Just a small word of warning.  They offer fried rice as a side instead of steamed rice.  Don't get it. Now, don't get me wrong, it's good.  But the pork fried rice will knock your socks off!  The difference is astonishing.  And when you taste it, you won't mind spending the extra money.

Conclusion, if you ever have a hankering for some great Chinese food, head up to Riverton to sate your craving at Fortune Cookie.  You won't be disappointed.

2.  My favorite shop for patterns for felt food/toys is Bugga Bugs.  If you have any interest in buying patterns for felt food, you're going to want to stop here first.  I just cut out all of the pieces for the Fun Fruit pattern.  I'll post pictures when it's all sewn up.  Today she posted several new patterns, the coolest of which is an I Know and Old Woman pattern, that contains the old woman who swallowed a fly and all of the other animals that she swallowed.  So funny!  I also love her new cash register pattern.  Seriouslly, check it out!  You'll love it.

3.  I've given in to reading food blogs.  I can't help it.  They're just so beautiful.  And, as I attempt to abstain from foods that will not help me lose weight, it helps to see all of those foods and make plans for someday.  So far, some of my favorites are David Lebovitz (the entry from 2006 where he reviews Choxie chocolate from Target is incredibly funny!), Dorie Greenspan (mmm. . .baking, plus she's friends with Pierre Hermé), Chez Pim (Bay Area food blogger--San Francisco!!!) and, a local food blogger, Stephanie's Kitchen.  If you have room for a few more, you might want to try these out.

4.  One of my favorite CDs right now is Dar Williams's Promised Land.  It's so fun to sing along to.  All of the songs are really good (I don't skip any on my iPod) and, bonus, the Genius mix iTunes came up with for it is my absolute favorite.  Don't get me wrong, the soundtrack from Once is still my absolute favorite right now, but when I want something a little more uptempo, Promised Land is what I go to first.

 

Good food and creativity

Last night I tried a new recipe.  It one of the only times I've actually cooked this year.  Sad, yes?  But this is not a lament at how terrible I am at feeding my family, it is a proclamation about a new recipe that I consider a keeper.

The recipe is for Vegetarian Chili from Eat Better America.  This recipe is really simple to make.  It requires about ten minutes of prep and 35 minutes to cook--great when you just aren't in the mood to cook.  I love recipes that basically take care of themselves.  Another great benefit of this recipe is that it uses several canned and frozen foods, as well as fresh staples like onion and garlic.  Even better is that for very little effort you have a delicious and very filling meal, that's healthy and low in calories.  Add a dollop of low fat sour cream, a tablespoon of grated cheese on top, and a roll with a bit of my favorite Brummel and Brown Spread and you're all set.

My blog friend Diane gave me a Kreativ Blogger award!  I love Diane's blog, and am pretty sure that if I ever met her in person I would love her, too!  First of all, she makes really cool books, and she does beautiful calligraphy. Second, she has a dog named Milo, and when she posted about him she had the most gorgeous photo of Milo Ventimiglia. In all seriousness, I really admire her for the way she embraces life and all of the opportunities that come her way, the way that she has such a fantastic-seeming circle of friends.  What wouldn't there be to like?  So, thanks Diane!

As part of the award, you have to:

--List 6 things that inspire you creatively

--Pass the award on the 6 more creative bloggers

--Link back to the person who gave you the award

--Link to the people you are awarding and then leave them a comment to let them know

So here goes.  Six things that inspire me creatively are:

1.  A nice clean work space.  I know this is pretty uninteresting, but it's so true.  My studio has been a mess since Christmas and I have been unable to do anything!  Ironically enough, my house gets to be really, really messy when I'm in a creative frame of mind, which also usually is a creativity killer. It's a terrible relationship, but one that could easily be solved if I could hire a full time housekeeper. ;)

2.  Any Somerset Studio publication.  They're gorgeous, and full of beautiful art that inspires me.

3.  Walking through the paper section at craft stores.  Seriously.  Have you seen all of the beautiful stuff out there lately?

4.  Creative blogs.  I am forever bookmarking blog entries that inspire me.  I have an overflowing folder of tutorials that I will probably never get to.  But when I have insomnia, I love to look through it for ideas.

5.  My kids.  Almost everything I make and do is for them.  It's so fun to make things for appreciative recipients.  The compliments I get don't hurt either.  There's nothing like some admiration to keep the wheels turning!

6.  Etsy.  I love looking at what other people are doing.  My favorite things to look at are handmade books (of course), paintings and collages, paper cuts and patterns.  I love to make other people's patterns because I always learn something from them.

I pass this award on to:

1.  Amy M  Her photography is amazing, and she's a fearless creator, she's tried all of the things that I have wanted to try, and she's not afraid to work at things until she masters them.  Thanks for inspiring me to stretch myself, Amy!

2.  Michelle  Michelle is one of the most creative people that I know, even though she is much too modest to post much of what she creates.  I wish she would!  Her creations are incredible.  She has a gorgeous house, a beautiful family, and an inner serenity that I find very soothing.  She's also a wiz in the kitchen, turning out some of the best recipes that I have ever tasted!  Michelle--break out your camera and do a little bragging once in a while!  You deserve some major praise!

3.  Kaija from Paperiaare.  Kaija and I are mutual lurkers, I think.  She is a bookbinder, and her work is amazing!  I would love to learn how she does her coptic stitch books.  They are so beautiful in their simplicity!  She also creates beautiful leather bound books, another of my bookbinding dreams.  Best of all, Kaija has an Etsy shop where you can purchase her work, most of which is hand stenciled with her own creations.

4.  Hannah Hannah is one of the most creative people I am privileged to know.  In my opinion her creative strength is is being creative with her kids.  I am always amazed at the projects that she does with her daughter Mya.  I anticipate greatly seeing what she will do when Mya goes to school and she has Kaylee all to herself during the day.  Hannah and I currently share the desire to learn how to knit. I know she will create many beautiful things.  I can't wait to see whatever she has to show!

5.  Cecilia  Cecilia is a cute, fun girl, with absolutely the happiest outlook on life.  She also is a creative mommy.  I love all of the fun things she does with and for her children.

6.  For my last award, I want to give honorable mentions to two people who have fallen off the blogging map of late.  First is Jenn, who always manages to wow me with the ideas that come from her head.  (I know you claim to copy everything, Jenn, but nobody is fooled by your false modesty! You're a genius!)  If only she would start blogging again and just post her projects.  She would be famous instantly!  Second is my cousin Beckie.  She has a very sparsely updated blog, but she is a jewelry designer who ought to post her work more often! Her work has been featured on Studio 5, a local morning show to rave reviews.  She's incredibly talented!  You can check out her designs at Sweet Shoppe Jewelry.

Well, there you have it!  Thanks to Diane, and thanks to all of you creative ladies who inspire me whenever I read your blogs!

Cream Puff Odyssey

I noticed that it's been almost a week since my last post.  I was busy last week taking care of Alex, tending my sweet nephews, and finally cleaning out the playroom.  But the last three days?  I have been obsessed with making the perfect cream puff.

When we were planning our activities for the year with the Young Women at church, we decided that we would make the 4th Tuesday of the month "skill night."  Each quarter of the year we would focus on a different skill.  The first skill we're working on is baking.  Instantly I had this vision of teaching the girls how to make cream puffs.  I'd made them years ago with no incident when I wasn't even interested in baking or cooking of any sort.  And, I reasoned, they are the perfect fancy little thing for these teens to learn, because they're so versatile.  They can be savory or sweet.  Finally, everyone has had a cream puff, so it's easy to tell when you've make them correctly.  So I piped up and offered my "experience" making these adorable little French pastries.

Sunday afternoon I thought I'd make some cream puffs to refresh my memory as to the process.  Also, I'd been really good all week on my diet, so I had a little room for some indulgence after the kids went to bed that evening.  I pulled out my Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme cookbook to whip up a batch. Everything went well, until I pulled them out of the oven.  This was the result--

They fell the instant I took them out of the oven!  Although I'd followed the recipe to the T, I knew something was wrong.  They should have been more golden. 

After that failed attempt I went online (what would I ever do without the Internet--that fountain of all knowledge that is good and useful?) to see if I could find the proper diagnosis for my flat cream puffs.  Ah, just what I'd expected--they were undercooked!  But, like I said, I'd followed the directions, so, what was the deal?  I found another recipe, this time online, whose recipe called for cooking the cream puffs for 30 minutes, rather than the 20 minutes called for in the Pierre Herme recipe.  It also used water rather than milk, which is better for my purposes, because water is always available, whereas many families don't always have whole milk on hand.  Yesterday, using this recipe I made my second attempt.  This time I followed all of the directions, and I used my Silpat.  I also tried out both of my ovens--my convection oven and my non-convection oven--to see which gave better results.  (FYI--the convection with Silpat was best for this attempt)  Here is the result--

These ones were decidedly better, but still not perfect.  They didn't puff up the way I thought they would.  And, they sort of reminded me of my snickerdoodles without the cinnamon sugar.  But, they would do.  Unfortunately I tried to make eclaires out of this batch, too (hugely unsuccessful!) so I didn't have enough left to take to my class.  This left me needing to make another batch today.  Which I did.  I followed the directions, cooked the cream puffs just slightly shorter than the time called for in the recipe--I thought attempt #2 was a little too brown--and ended up with little bowls of cream puff dough.  They were flatter than day one's attempt.  Sadly, I didn't take any photos of this failure.  I just couldn't stand the thought of photographically documenting my lost hour today.  I simply threw them in the garbage, still warm.  And then I got down to work.

First, I went back online to find any other tips that I could.  I found some good ones!  

1.  For high altitude, use less water.  Instead of the 3/4 cup called for in the recipe, I only used 2/3 cup.  I also stirred the mixture in the pan for an extra minute, just to make sure they were dry enough.

2.  When adding the eggs one by one, mix for 3-4 minutes between each egg.  Ok, ok, so I didn't do this when I made the second recipe the first two times.  I thought the eggs looked fully incorporated. My advice:  dont' rely on sight with this one.  Use the clock!

Next, I put my new tips into action.  I measured and stirred with determination.  And then, with an uncharacteristic burst of energy, I stirred a little more.  But then my enthusiasm died.  It was the moment of truth and somewhat dejectedly, I piped the batter onto the Silpat-lined cookie sheet.  I placed it in the oven, set the timer and started to pray.  I prayed and prayed and prayed that these ones would come out as good as my second batch.  See, I wasn't even asking for perfection.  I just wanted good enough.  Something that I wouldn't be humiliated to present to this group of Young Women and all of our leaders.  I think God must have had mercy on me for my dedication to these girls because my fourth batch was perfection itself!

Look at this batch of cream puffs! They are round and poofy! They are golden brown and flaky!  They are moist and custardy on the inside!  They say that third time's the charm.  But in the case of cream puffs, four is definitely the magic number.  

Couscous with Chicken, Almonds and Squash

I have this little quirk--I don't like to repeat recipes.  There are a few standards around our house--very simple dinners that I can make in a pinch, but for the most part I almost always cook something new.

 

Last night was my first new recipe of the year. I found it here while searching for couscous recipes. This is a huge batch of food!  The yield on the recipe says that it will feed 4, but I think I would comfortably feed twice that many, especially if you serve it with a side vegetable and some bread. Flat bread would be really good with this dish.  

I think it's funny that the recipe is called Couscous with Chicken, Almonds and Squash.  For me the chicken is the main dish and the rest just compliment the chicken.  Despite the funny name, couscous is one of my favorite things to eat, so decided to give it a try.  I was not disappointed.  My entire family liked elements of this dish. Kaitlin loved the chicken.  Alex, who shuns all meat, loved the couscous. Jeremy and I liked all of the components.  I served broccoli on the side to round out the meal. It went well, but, then, I think broccoli goes with just about anything.  

This recipe is one that I will keep tucked away for another try.  Next time I'll add the cilantro (since Jeremy does like it after all), and I'll make a half batch.  Like I said before, it's a lot of food!

Oh, and in case there's something wrong with my link, here's the recipe.  Warning--it looks long and involved, but it's not.  I left out the saffron--I don't want to spend a fortune to feed my family!  I also just used boneless skinless chicken breasts.  About 2 pounds worth.  If you're using the big ones from Costco, thaw them out and cut them in half.  Also, if you love butternut squash, add more.  There's plenty of liquid to cook it!  Finally, sorry for the funny spacing.  I cut and pasted the recipe into Typepad and it turned out this way.  

1-1/2 cups sliced almonds 


1/4 cup olive oil 


1 chicken (3 pounds), cut into 8 serving pieces 


2 medium onions, diced 


2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 
1/2-inch cubes (about 3-1/2 cups) 


1 Tbsp turmeric 


Pinch of saffron 


1 Tbsp cinnamon 


1/2 cup canned chick peas, rinsed and drained 


8 cups chicken stock 


4 cups instant couscous (about 1-1/2 pounds) 


1/4 cup chopped cilantro 


salt 


freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Put the almonds on a small sheet pan or pie plate and toast for 8 to 9 minutes, or until browned but not too dark. Set aside. Put 2 Tbsp of the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Work in batches to avoid crowding the pan, which will make it harder to brown the chicken. Remove the chicken to a platter. Add the onions and squash and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the onions soften. Return the chicken to the pot and add the turmeric, saffron, and cinnamon. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring well.

Add the chickpeas and stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, uncovered, or until the chicken is tender and the squash is cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

Put the couscous in a steamer lined with cheesecloth and place over the simmering stew. Cover and cook for 16 minutes, or until the couscous is cooked and looks swollen. Transfer the couscous to a decorative shallow bowl and season with 1/2 cup of the stew liquid, the remaining olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Add the almonds and cilantro to the stew. Check the seasoning again, place the chicken pieces and vegetables in the middle of the couscous, and pour the broth around the edges. Serve immediately.

Serves 8

Off my memory card

I cleared off my camera's memory card yesterday, and thought I'd post a few of the pictures I found there.

These are the booties that I made for my friend Alisha's new baby this week. These are not you grandmother's booties, are they?  I bought the pattern for them on Etsy, from Sylver Designs.  She has children's and adult sizes in girls' styles.  I just might have to make myself a pair of slippers for the winter--when I've finished all of the other crochet projects I've planned!

A rare happy picture of Alex where he isn't doing his cheesy smile.  Although I'd describe Alex as a happy child, he sure seems to be unhappy every time I decide to take a picture of him.  Also, at about 2 1/2 both of my children have adopted a cheesy smile that they employ only when the camera comes out.  Is this normal?  Or am I just too in your face with the camera?

Last weekend Alex got his new big boy bed.  All he wanted to do is help put it together.  Until we bought his bed, he'd been sleeping on a mattress on the floor until I could take pictures of his furniture that we want to sell.  I haven't taken any pictures of the bed finished because I have a few things to do to it before it's all the way done.  But it's a really cool bed that we got at Ikea.  More pictures later.

Kaitlin had the treat bucket at school for Friday.  Every time she has to bring treats she wants to bring cupcakes.  I almost never let her.  Her teacher would prefer healthier snacks and so would I.  But since it's the month of Halloween, I decided to let her have her way.  This month is all about sweets, right?  Inspired by The Gentle Art of Domesticity I provided lots of toppings to add to the cupcakes and let Kaitlin loose.  She decorated with candy corn (the traditional and pumpkin shaped ones), sprinkles, Reeses Pieces and mini marshmallows.  She had so much fun creating a specific cupcake for each of the kids on her class.  Unfortunately she woke up sick the next morning and didn't get to hand them out at school that day.  In addition to the cupcakes, I also made slightly healthier crunchy spiders, which were a big hit with the kids.  (Link is to the instructions--a fun snack for kids to help make)  The only thing I did differently from this recipe is that I used whole stick pretzels instead of breaking them up.  These kids get hungry!

This coming week is a busy one for me.  Wednesday, Alex is having eye surgery in both eyes to try to correct his strabismus.  I'm not too nervous about it--yet.  I know his doctor is a talented surgeon.  I think the thing that's freaking me out the most is to see him under anasthesia.  He's such an active little guy, even in his sleep, that utter stillness will seem unreal.  That and the fact that he'll probably have to have the surgery again.  Children generally have to have the procedure done more than once. I'm also slightly terrified of the recovery period.  I know from experience that Alex is a trooper.  His broken arm didn't slow him down for a minute.  But eyes are a different matter altogether.  Fortunately my mom's coming to help me through the insanity.  So, I'll be checking in from time to time, but since I can forsee a week of sitting on the couch watching Monster Sink (Monsters Inc.--that's how Alex says it!) and BuzzBuzz (Toy Story) I don't think I'll have much of interest to say.
 

Homemade Nutella?

Yeah, I found this recipe today while searching for healthy Halloween snacks to make for Kaitlin's treat assignment at preschool on Friday.  We are huge Nutella fans here at our house.  I hardly ever indulge, but Kaitlin, with that perfect 4 year old body and metabolism, eats it on her toast every day.  Usually accompanied by a big dollop of the stuff on her plate.  I'm going to try this recipe!  I'll let you know how it turns out.

Oh, and on the cooking front, I also picked up the book, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.  I read it last night.  I must say, I am really excited to start making some bread.  More on that later.

Finally, my new paper storage is almost ready to show.  I have some more paper to put away and then I'll post some photos.  Let me just say, I'm loving it, even though Jeremy is very unhappy with how it looks.  (He ended up installing it--not me.  I would have made a total mess of it!)

Hopefully you're not all getting totally sick of these short, fluffy little posts.  My wrist is really acting up right now and I'm wearing my brace full time. Typing is hard with a brace!

Chicken, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Burritos

At the end of March, when we Celebrated Collette's birthday I told the book club girls about a recipe for chicken burritos that was very easy, very healthy and very, very good. I told them that I'd email it, but the tide of life seemed to rise at that very moment, and I never did. So, here you are, girls, and anyone else who would like a fast dinner for the weekend.

Chicken, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Burritos
From Martha Stewart's Every Day Food, March 2007

*****Note*****
If you aren't a big goat cheese fan like me, substitute goat cheese with feta. See below for additional notes.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno chile (ribs and seeds removed for less heat), minced
coarse salt and ground pepper
10 ounces white button mushrooms, trimmed, thinly sliced*
1 rotisserie chicken (about 2 1/2 pounds), skin removed, and meat shredded (about 4 cups)*
1 package (10 ounces) corn kernels
1 cup prepared green salsa, plus more for serving
6 burrito size (10 inch) tortillas*
1 bunch flat leaf spinach, thick stems removed (about 3 cups)*
1 log (5 ounces) soft goat cheese, crumbled

1. In a large skillett with a lid, heat oil over medium. Add onion and jalapeno; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add mushrooms; cover, and cook until they begin to release their liquid, 3 to 5 minutes. Uncover; cook stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to brown and skillet is dry, about 5 minutes more.

3. Add chicken, corn, and salsa. Cook, stirring, until heated through and mixture is saucy, 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat the torillas according to package instructions. In center of each tortilla, layer spinach, chicken mixture and goat cheese.

5. Wrap burritos one at a time; Fold tortilla side closest to you over filling. Fold right and left sides toward center, and roll up. Halve if desired; serve with additional salsa.

* Additional Notes

For quicker prep, use pre-sliced mushrooms.

The grocery store was all out of rotisserie chickens, so I just cooked my own. Cook in the microwave in a casserole dish with a shallow layer of chicken broth until chicken is cooked through. This is much tastier than using water

I used the Carb Balance Whole Wheat Tortillas by Mission. They have fewer calories than white flour tortillas and tons (I mean tons) of fiber. Plus, they are not your average dry whole wheat tortillas. They're really good.

If you're not a spinach fan, use a leafy lettuce instead.