Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Cream of Corn

This recipe was inspired by the recipe found here:
http://vitamix.ahoy.com/recipe/recipe.cgi/0/287/

I made a few changes because I didn't have all of the ingredients on hand. Here is what we used:

1 1/2 cups whole kernel corn (that's what came in the can)
7-8 baby carrots (it was a few too many, I would do half)
1/2 white onion (too much for the kids, I would do 1/4 next time)
1 1/2 cups whole milk (organic and hot)
3/4 tsp dry mustard
3/4 tsp paprika
2 tsp chicken bullion (I use Better Than Bullion)
White pepper to taste (accidentally dumped in like 2 tsp...don't do that)
2 squirts of Braggs liquid aminos

Put all ingredients in blender (I have a Vita-Mix) and blend on high for 3-4 minutes.

This was okay. My kids ate it, but wished it wasn't so strongly flavored with onion. My daughter was convinced it needed more sweetener, however I don't think so, I thought it was PLENTY sweet in fact wished it was a little less sweet. I think that the carrot flavor was too much for me. It was still good and I had a second helping on which I heaped on some shredded cheese and that made it ALL better :)

Enjoy!
Miss Melanie

Monday, January 18, 2010

Oatmeal cookies

I like this recipe because it has lots of oats in it. I have another one I love that is gluten free, but this isn't that one. I also don't know where this recipe came from (has been passed around the family) but we sure enjoy it! I will just post what I use as opposed to what the original recipe uses, because I haven't ever made the original recipe

1 cup butter/coconut oil (both are great!)
1 1/2 cups honey
4 eggs (I have been known to use up to 6)
2 TBS molasses
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
1-2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
5 cups oatmeal
raisins/nuts/chocolate or carob chips (optional)

Cream butter/coconut oil and honey together and add the eggs. Then add all the ingredients up to and including the molasses. Then add the vanilla and cinnamon. Add the oatmeal and then other additions you choose. I use up to 2 cups combination of any of them. We love chopped almonds and carob/chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. You don't need to oil it if you use non-stick pans.

Enjoy! Miss Melanie

Oatmeal Cake

Hey there! Okay, this is the promised oatmeal cake recipe. Let's see if I can get it typed in right. I can't really give credit for this recipe. My sister is the one who gave it to me, but really it's almost not like her recipe. However, I will put down what I use and what the original ingredient is and you can make your own choices

1 cup oatmeal in 1 1/2 cups hot water (I use regular oats)
1/2 cup butter (I have also used coconut oil, the recipe calls for margerine)
1 1/2 cups honey (the recipe calls for 1 cup sugar and 1 cup brown sugar)
1-2 TBS blackstrap molasses (for the brown sugar part)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour (1 1/2 if not using honey)
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (recipe calls for white)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

Cream honey, oil (butter) and eggs. Add oatmeal and other dry ingredients into mixture. Bake for 35 minutes at 325 (recipe calls for 350, but I find that scorches it just a tad)

We eat this without frosting, but there is a wonderful caramel frosting you can make for it that my sister makes. I haven't "healthified" it at all and I have only made it once, since my kids are pretty happy to eat it frosting-less. Here is that recipe:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1-2 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla

Cook over medium heat 12 minutes and add 1 cup coconut and 1 cup nuts.

When I made it, I didn't have coconut and only used nuts. I would guess you could use honey and molasses as the sugar and coconut oil as the buter. It is truly delicious, if I try the substitutions, I will update you!

Enjoy, let me know what you think!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Welcome!

Hi there everyone! After years of benefitting from other people's blogs and never having one--in fact being slightly opposed to having one, I have decided to start one. I have had several people ask me to start a blog about recipes and how we feed our family, so, here I am...this will be a place that I will post (and they won't be fancy like some people's) what we have done and I will post my successes and failures. I try to cook with whole foods and starting from scratch. We avoid artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. We also try to avoid eating white foods (white sugar, white flour etc) however, we do have the times that we indulge in those things, only to be reminded why we didn't want to! (smile)

My name is Melanie and I love to cook. I cook with my children and I talk about recipes with my friends. When asked by the dentist if my daughter ate a lot of candy, she replied "Are you not aware that my mom is a total health nut?" and with that he laughed and so did she. But it couldn't be closer to many of my friends' definitions of me. I homeschool my children, I love natural health, I love the birthing scene, I love to sing and play the piano, I love to dance, roller skate and be silly. I am blessed to be married to a wonderful man and have many wonderful friends.

When I get a chance, I will begin blogging a couple of recipes, but my time tonight is up!

Huggles! Miss Melanie