Recipe: OMG Donut Muffins with SCIENCE!

Guys, these are really, really good. But I have plans to make them better. They reminded me of.... dare I invoke the name.... cider donuts. Cider donuts that were missing the cider. SO -- next time, I'm going to use cider instead of milk and possibly add in apple chunks or bits or slices. What do you think?

But in the meantime - these are mighty tasty. And I learned a thing or two while making them to boot! Here's the educational part of your post:

Recipe: Very Easy Baked Chicken and Rice

This was modeled after that can of soup recipe. But since cream of whatever soup is out (and kinda gross), it's wine to the rescue!

Well, wine, seasonings, and good chicken broth. It was simple and not a bonanza of flavor, but we liked it. I'd do it again, and maybe with chicken breasts next time. Variety, right?

Variations on a theme: Pumpkin Pasta Another Way

I love Pumpkin Pasta. But I wanted to try punching the flavor up a little. What do you think of fresh ginger?

GUYS! My camera has a food setting. Get ready.

I actually added the baby spinach in by mistake because I thought I was making this pasta dish but whatever. The more nutrition, the merrier!

Recipe: A Chicken Stew of Sorts

Ok this wasn't a hit with everyone (meaning John), but I liked it! This was our belated St. Paddy's Day supper - an alternative to the much loathed boiled dinner that most people eat, but not quite as good as bangers and colcannon. Mmm, colcannon. 

Inspired by Dublin Coddle, this stew has bacon! But no sausages or onions, sadly. But it's got potatoes and chicken and other delights. It could also go in the slow cooker - just toss everything in the crock after browning the chicken.

Recipe: Everything-Free Soda Bread!

Guys, I love soda bread. I used to make it any time of year, pre-allergies. Not to brag or anything, but I actually have the world's best recipe (ok, I guess I do want to brag a little here; message me for the recipe!). But it has wheat and dairy and eggs in it.

BEHOLD! Rice has never tasted so good.

So the muffin and I held an experiment using Gluten-Free Bisquick. Just look at that lovely bread. Fellow Eliminationeers, it was fantastic. Make it.

Recipe: Kale Chips!

This one deserves a big ol' DUH. How could I have forgotten about kale chips!

All that was left. Almost forgot to save a few for a picture!

I only remembered because kale was on sale this week. Good a reason as any to make them.

I turned down a vaccine

Let me explain. Usually, I consider a person's belief for or against vaccines as a kind of crazy litmus test. Yep, I will judge you big time if you tell me your kid's better off without vaccinations. 

  

And my husband and I turned one of these down. Willingly. Here's what happened...

Recipe: Risotto Cakes

So remember that not-so-hot red wine risotto from the other night? We needed a way to use up the last of the lackluster leftovers, and when I noticed that we had eggs in the fridge, well, I knew it was time to make risotto cakes.

Traditionally, a chunk of mozzarella is stuffed inside; the patties are then dipped in eggs and breadcrumbs, and then all fried up til lovely. So why not without the cheese! The verdict: we destroyed them.

Everything-Free Banana Ice Cream: You're Welcome.

Friend to the muffin and supporter of eating Emily pointed me to a recipe for One-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream. It's actual banana alchemy. Anyone reading this owes her a big ol' THANK YOU!

You have to make this. Today. If I didn't know otherwise, I'd have sworn there was dairy in it because it is that creamy and rich. The texture even made me think there were whipped egg whites in it too.

Like Water for Chocolate, because that's all we'll be having

Guys, I have some bad news.

Yesterday I tested chocolate. It did not go well.

I bought everything-free Enjoy Life chocolate chips and just stared at the package for two weeks. Two weeks of fantasizing. These chocolate chips are lovingly and thoughtfully made without dairy, soy, corn, wheat, eggs...all of that nonsense. Isn't that awesome?

But none of that mattered to Julia. I controlled my urge to devour handful after handful of chocolatey goodness and ate five or six chips. And then I waited.

Recipe: Red Wine Risotto

Learned an important lesson today - if the baby wakes up from a nap while you've got a mouth full of raw carrots, you probably won't be able to soothe her back to sleep. Just a little tip from me to you.

This one was just ok. I'll admit though - we were starving and it was late, so I cut a few corners. The leftovers tasted better, and Julia approved of everything to boot. But no, I will not be trying this one again anytime soon.

mmm, beige

The sauteed celery was weird. I think it reminded me of licorice. (is that weird? Maybe it wasn't licorice) Really, I just wanted a caramelized onion. Celery is totally the same thing, right?

Lost in Translation

I used to teach ESL at a large university in a nearby city. It was a lot of fun, but it did not get the bills paid. Here's another pre-baby teaching story.

One semester, I taught Reading 1. Reading 1 is the “fresh off the boat” class for students who can barely put full sentences together. I don't know how they ever expected to survive the next semester or even the next year in actual college classes, but I always did my best to help them muddle through paragraphs and strengthen their practical skills for surviving their new lives in this foreign, English-speaking country.

Restaurants and food was always a great unit to cover. One thing I have learned as a teacher of international students is that everyone loves to talk about food; it doesn't matter where you're from. So one day, I started class off with a question. I always like to compare their home cultures to American culture, so I ask away and we discuss what you can and can't do here. I began by asking the class, “Do you ever go to a restaurant by yourself?”

They were totally silent, and visibly uncomfortable. Maybe they didn't quite catch what I said. I restated the question: “Have you ever gone to a restaurant alone?”

Recipe: Blueberry Quinoa Smoothie

It broke freezing today! Did you get to go outside? Sure, there's still well over a foot of snow on the ground and more due next week, but that doesn't matter because daylight savings is this weekend, which means more sunshine! You know it's been a long winter when 34°F and sunny feels gorgeous. 

 

In honor of both the warm weather and the sun staying out past 5pm, I made a smoothie today. Really though, there was just a long period between lunch and dinner - too many errands and appointments, too much teething and feisting. Mommy needed a little pick me up.

Dairy-, Tomato-, Soy-, and Gluten-Free Turkey Meatloaf

This was one delicious meatloaf. However, it bothered Julia. Urgh. My husband was crazy about it, which is good because he's got a lot of leftovers to work through on his own now!

That's a maple apricot glaze on top. Oh yeah.

Recipe: Addictive Potato Wedges

There was some chicken and a vegetable of some kind... blah blah let's get to the important part -- the roasted potatoes.

Yep, this one's a keeper.

Cookies and Milk, or Rice and Rice

Is there a better way to end the day than by tucking in your little one and then tearing into some rice cookies and rice milk with your spouse?

Pull up a chair! Guys, I need to work on my backgrounds.

Bathtime as Meditation

Inhale. Breathe in the humid air. Fill your lungs with that delicious baby scent. 

Exhale. Breathe out a sweet song, a silly lullaby while she chews her toy. Wash away the kisses, giggles and raspberries. Make room for more.

Splash, kick, laugh, rinse and repeat.

Bathtime is our meditation. No matter how cranky, fussy or feisty either of us is, bathtime is the cure. It's our special time of just parent and child. It calms us both.

Review: Gluten-Free Bisquick Pancake and Baking Mix

This morning, we needed pancakes. And Julia said, "Yes, I will behave and quietly play with my toys while you cook." Or at least that's what I thought I heard.

I like the way the light is shining down from heaven on these lovely pancakes.

I  usually don't go for mixes because I like to control the ingredients and because they're expensive. I've tried Pamela's mix and loved it -- except it has dairy and we can't do that anymore. Bob's Red Mill had a nice one for bread or something, but it's made with bean flours and they taste funny. And then I saw GF Bisquik. It's made with rice flour, sugar, salt, gum, and leavening. Safe for Julia, and a lot more reliable/quicker for me to throw together!