A Random Post Including Wild Flours, No Bake Chocolate Chews (3 points), and Elmo

I am so proud of myself for getting up extra early to make sure that I could get to the Farmer's Market and back before taking my nephew on a "date". Look at my great haul - bok choy, local honey, ground beefalo, two dozen farm fresh eggs, and a loaf of the best whole wheat bread money can buy. There were so many beautiful things at the market today - with more money and more time I could have really cleaned up.

There are some great vendors at the Farmer's Market, and one of my favorites is Wild Flours (click on the name to see their blog, with a mouth watering list of available products). We tried their cinnamon rolls two weeks ago and were blown away.

Look at that list of ingredients! Nothing I have to pronounce syllable by syllable. All good stuff. We were on a family jaunt that day and my nephew completely loved his Wild Flours (click to see their Facebook page) muffin.

The whole wheat bread was one of the reasons I got up so early this morning. I knew that I could not wait another week for a loaf. It is super-duper good. If you live in this area, this would be my top recommendation for Saturday morning breakfast, hands down: Wild Flours at the Farmer's Market on the square.

The "date" with my nephew was a I Am the Best Aunt Ever trip to see Elmo Live. Floor seats, baby. How cool am I?

We had lunch at Panera Bread (the closest place to eat that is not on insane-on-Saturday Broadway) and Simon was fascinated with the building across the street.

After dropping off Simon and taking a major power nap, I whipped up some no bake cookies for my overworked grad student hubby.

I have posted a healthy version of these superb, chewy, chocolatey, sinfully easy cookies before. This is the old-school, full on butter version that I grew up on. 


No Bake Chocolate Chews from In the Kitchen with the AWA
4 tbsp cocoa
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup lowfat milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
3 cups rolled oats

1. Combine first four ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly,  for one minute. Remove from the stove and then add the next three ingredients.
2. After the peanut butter is melted, add the oats. Beat until the mixture starts to set (just a few minutes). Spoon out on waxed paper by teaspoonful and let cool.
3. Yields 39, 3 point servings

These poor things never get cooled before Stone steals one.

Wow! That was a long post. I could go on because I really wanted to share my weekly menu. But, I had better stop it - you never know what Bob Newhart might do to me otherwise.

Lentil Soup - 3 points

Hearty, hot soup in the summer? Yes. I know that it isn't popular with some people, but to me soup is a year round food. I like this one because it uses so many great items that are available at the Farmers Market- not just the veggies and herbs but also the molasses. If you have not had molasses that was grown and pressed locally, you have not really had molasses. The taste difference is monumental.

Lentil Soup
1 lb dried lentils
1/2 cup brown rice
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup green pepper, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup tomato paste
1 cup celery, chopped
1 tbsp molasses
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced

1. Wash and sort lentils. Place in large pot; cover with water by 2 to 3 inches. Bring to a boil and cover. Turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Add brown rice and simmer for 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients save lemon juice and simmer for another 15 minutes. Add lemon juice just before serving.
3. Yields 12, 3 point servings

I have been taking my nephew with me to VBS this week. He has been singing part of a song in the car. It has been driving me nuts because it is a song that I know, but I just couldn't think if it. Finally, today, I Googled the phrase he kept repeating - "bam ba lam" and up popped a thousand links for "Black Betty". Of course! Shockingly, my husband, who reads Rolling Stone cover to cover and has seen just about everyone you can think of in concert- had never heard this song. The original was by Lead Belly, but I love the 70's fashion in this Ram Jam version.

Butterscotch Brownies - 3 points

I am sooooo tired tonight, I didn't even manage to get a worthy picture of this delicious dessert bar for you. Please do not judge this amazing, rich, buttery treat by its poor photo. I crave butterscotch brownies - or blondies, as they are sometimes called - and the addition of coconut and pecans is like adding gasoline to the fire of my butterscotch brownie passion. 

Butterscotch Brownies
1/2 cup flaked coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla

1. In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, cream the butter, eggs, and vanilla using an electric mixer on medium speed.
2. Add dry ingredients to the large blow, stirring until mixture is well blended.
3. Spread the batter into a lightly greased 9x11" cake pan. Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes.
4. Yields 24, 3 point servings

Why am I so tired, you may be thinking (if your mind has not gone off into the lovely land of daydreaming about baked goods)? I lost my mind and volunteered to teach Vacation Bible School this week. Even though I am tired, it is a good tired:) I love the VBS theme - Shake It Up Cafe - I mean, it's all about food. How could I not love that? And I love the dances that go with the songs - there is a whole lot of shaking going on.

Spicy Lentils - 3 points

Happy Father's Day! I hope that all of the great dads out there are enjoying a fantastic day and all of those lucky enough to have a great dad are celebrating him. I am one of the lucky ones who has an amazing father who came to every school event, read me stories, tried all of my experimental recipes, encouraged me to think for myself, and - when I was in high school - played cards with me almost every night before dinner. My dad loves Indian food - especially tandoori chicken - so here is a recipe is a spicy recipe in his honor.

Spicy Lentils - Betty Crocker's New Cookbook
3 cups water
3/4 dried split peas
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1 small onion, finely chopped

1. Heat water and peas to boiling in a large saucepan. Boil, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low; simmer 25 minutes or until peas are tender.
2. Spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Add onions and spices to the skillet, stirring occasionally until onions are tender. Stir in peas until evenly coated.
3. Yields 4, 3 point servings

There are many outstanding fathers, uncles, brothers, grandfathers, step-fathers, and friends I know who are working hard to be examples to the young people in their lives. I am very thankful for all of them and wish them a great day.

Shaum Torte - 3 points

For this month's Random Recipe Challenge, Dom challenged us to go through our cookbooks and randomly select a dessert recipe. I let my husband do the flipping open, and it took several books before he opened one to a page with a dessert.

The book was In the Kitchen with the AWA (American Women's Association). The recipe was shaum torte. I have to admit that I had never heard of shaum torte before, and I chose not to do an internet search for it because I wanted to rely solely on the recipe for instruction.

I was nervous about this challenge because we have been having wet, wet weather here. If it is not raining, it is humid. Since shaum torte looked like a meringue recipe to me, I was worried that it might not work in this weather. (Not only does our weather feel like a wet blanket, we are also suffering from a 13 year cicada infestation. If you do not live in an area "blessed" by cicadas, please click below. If you want the real sound, turn your volume up all the way.)

I can imagine that this is a lovely recipe, with a taste somewhere between a marshmallow (on the inside) and a meringue (on the outside). That would be on a dry day. Since we have no dry days here of late, it was a bit runny on the bottom. Even runny, though, it was good enough that I will try it again when we have a day with less humidity.



Shaum Torte
12 egg whites
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tbsp vinegar
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Fruit
Whipped Cream

1. Beat egg whites with salt, baking powder, and cream of tartar for about 10 minutes, until fluffy but not dry.
2. Add sugar and vinegar gradually while beating. Continue to beat 10-15 minutes, until sugar is dissolved. Beat in vanilla.
3. Spread into a 9x11 inch cake pan which has been greased only on the bottom. Preheat oven to 400F.
4. Place the pan in the oven. Turn the oven off. Do not open the oven for at least three hours, up to overnight. Before serving, top with fruit and whipped cream.
5. Yields 20, 3 point servings before whipped cream

One last thing, I wanted to give a little shout out to the Missouri Cattleman's Association. Today a friend in Missouri told me that the MCA has been serving hamburgers to the volunteers who are helping search, rescue, and clean up in Joplin, Missouri. Good on ya, MCA! Please continue to send love to this town where 125 are dead and 700 are still missing. 

Whole Grain Corn Bread - 3 points, Menu Plan Monday

Thank you for your comments on my Jazz Fest post yesterday. I will continue to include my travel/event/ restaurant posts as part of this blog. Again, I continually appreciate your support.

For some reason, one of the Google searches that seems to send people to my site is "What to eat with scallops". One of the reasons that this puzzles me is that I have no posts on what to eat with scallops (I do have recipes for scallops, which you can see here.)

If you are looking for a seafood sidedish, the Southern answers are usually cornbread, hushpuppies, and cole slaw. Here is a cornbread recipe that is light on fat and full of healthy whole grains.

Whole Grain Corn Bread

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup light butter

3/4 cup light soymilk

1. Sift white and wheat flours, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Stir in cornmeal. 

2. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is the consistency of coarse meal. 

3. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk. Stir together until dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. 

4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 10 -12 times. Roll out until 1/2" thick. Cut rounds with a biscuit cutter (I used a heart shaped cookie cutter this time). 

5. Sprinkle an ungreased cookie sheet lightly with cornmeal. Arrange biscuits on a cookie sheet 1" apart and sprinkle with cornmeal. Bake 10-12 minutes. 

6. Yields 10, 3 point servings

Menu Plan Monday

Sunday

grated egg masala

Monday

stewed collard greens and white beans

white cake with whipped milk chocolate frosting for birthday at work

Tuesday

cabbage and mushroom curry

shaum torte

chicken Ceasar pizza for party with mentor

Wednesday

barbeque pork chops

Thursday

spicy marsala chicken

Friday

night out at the park

Saturday

chili cookoff: Angela vs. Stone

I mentioned on my Resolution Round Up that I was going to start a to-do list to check off. You can now see it by clicking on the "List" tab at the top of this blog. 

Fini-Dini Chicken - 3 Points, Music Friday on Saturday

"Is it okay to eat tuna on Ash Wednesday?"

I don't purposefully try to get traffic from Google, but it is fun to see exactly what people Googled in order to find my blog. Would you believe that 10 people found me by Googling the above question? True.

Most of the hits I get through Google come from people searching for "fini dini" or "fini dini sauce". The fact that my little blog is getting so many hits for my post on fini dini pork  tells me that there are not a lot of people cooking fini dini. That challenges me to share another version - this time with chicken - because I think that most cooks would be thrilled with this easy, unique sauce.

Fini Dini Chicken
8 chicken thighs
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced

1. Combine vinegar, soy sauce, onion, and garlic to create a marinade. Place the marinade in a gallon size Ziploc bag. Add chicken thighs to bag. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least eight hours.
2. Removed chicken thighs from the bag. Place in an oven safe dish. Cook at 375 for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until chicken is ready to be removed from the oven. Serve chicken topped with sauce.
4. Yields 8, 3 point servings

I served my fini dini chicken with roasted Brussels sprouts and veggie rotini. The fini dini sauce on the pasta was a new dish for us; we usually have rice with fini dini. The rotini turned out to be the perfect shape to catch the sauce and the subtle veggie flavor of the pasta was an excellent compliment to the strong flavors of the fini dini.

It is not Friday, but I did forget to add my song for Music Friday last night. I am back to random for you tonight. I don't generally think of fini dini as romantic, but my DJ has chosen a very romantic song for you. Here is "You're the One" by The Carpenters.

Turkey Vegetable Soup - 3 Points

One of my favorite comfort foods is a delicious beef and vegetable soup made by one of my book club friends.  The first time I had it, I fell in love; I begged her for the recipe! A year later, when I was very ill and had to spend some time in the hospital, she brought me a big batch of soup and a photocopy of the recipe she used from Southern Living magazine. It was a fantastic get-well present. 

As much as I love the beef and vegetable soup, it has a few flaws in the realm of nutrition. For example, a 1/2 cup of butter. Not a Weight Watchers friendly ingredient. I was so happy to figure out how to modify the recipe and still come out with a soup I can have a deep and lasting relationship with, sans the heavy cholesterol of its predecessor.  This is flavorful soup, rich and fresh at the same time - packed full with vegetables and comfort. 

Turkey Vegetable Soup

2 lb ground turkey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup seasoned flour
5 cups water

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

4 cups frozen, mixed vegetables

1 cup canned tomato sauce

28 oz canned tomatoes, chopped and undrained

2 cubes chicken bouillon

salt

pepper

1. Brown turkey in a large pot, stirring to crumble. Drain well, set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in the same pot; add flour to make a roux. Cook over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth.

3. Gradually add water to the pot, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat until bubbly, stirring occasionally.

4. Add ground turkey and remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hr. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Yields 16, 3 point servings

Menu Plan Monday

Saturday

charity fish fry

Sunday

beef with beer

better than 0 point soup

Monday

frittata

Tuesday

Cedric's casserole

Wednesday

salmon selyanka

Thursday

chicken cacciatore

Friday

Sam's Club summer preview

Simple Cocoa Cake - 3 points

This is another adaptation of my Aunt's simple spice cake.

Simple Cocoa Cake

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1 3/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1. Sift flour and cocoa into a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and beat for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Bake in a greased 9x13" pan for 30 minutes at 350F.

3. Yeilds 24, 3 point servings

Alas, this is not the best photograph. I was just so, so hungry! And so, so desperate for chocolate! I took the cake piping hot from the pan, sprinkled on the powedered sugar, and stuffed my face. It was...bliss. 

I am a bit late for Menu Plan Monday, but here is my plan nonetheless.

Sunday

chicken country captian

Monday

crock pot hot Cornish game hen

Tuesday

tuna in chili oil

Wednesday

roasted eggplant soup

Thursday

book club

Friday

fini-dini shrimp

Saturday

dinner with friends

Teriyaki Chicken Thighs - 3 points

Okay, so this is not really teriyaki in the true sense of the word because it is not grilled. It is, however, delicious and easy. And, can I just take a moment to speak of my love for the chicken thigh? It is tender, juicy, soaks up flavor, and is just the right size for a cold chicken sandwich. If only I could love my own thighs with the same devotion.

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1 cube chicken bouillon

2 tsp ground ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp Splenda brown sugar blend

1. Place chicken in crock pot. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over chicken. Cover.

2. Cook on high for 5-6 hours.

3. Each thigh is a 3 point serving of yum

Fat Tuesday Angels - 3 points

 

I am joining Sweets for Saturday this week with my treats from Fat Tuesday! This year for, I decided to make some pink Rice Krispie treats dipped in white chocolate. After Christmas, I picked up bags of pink and green marshamallows on sale. It took me some time to separate out all of the pink ones, but I think it was worth it. 

Rice Krispie Angels

1/4 cup butter

5 cups marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispie cereal

3 blocks white chocolate bark 

1. Place marshamallows and butter in a large bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals (stirring each time) until melted. 

2. Add Rice Krispies to bowl. Stir until completely coated.

3. Spread cereal mixture into a greased 9x11 pan. Cover and refridgerate for at least 1 hour. 

4. Remove pan from fridge. Use a cookie cutter to cut out angel shapes.

5. Place bark in a shallow dish and microwave and 30 second intervals until completely melted (stir each time, being careful not to overcook). 

6. Dip or spread one side of each angel with white chocolate bark. 

7. Yields 10, 3 point servings

I hope you have had a lovely Pink Saturday. If you are in the part of the world moving our clocks forward, I hope you get plenty of sleep. I am generally disgruntled about the hour of sleep I lose in spring, but I heard a radio DJ pontificating on her happiness at this event - it means warmer weather and spring break are on the way. I am trying to share her positive outlook. We will see how I do in the the morning!

My Pink Saturday plug goes out to Mary at One Perfect Bite! She has never posted anything that failed to make me hungry. 

Simple Spice Cake - 3 Points

Growing up I had a fabulous "aunt" who decorated her entire house in zebra strips and royal purple. She frequently hosted tea parties with the who's who and once took me to the home of the French ambassador for a fashion show. You can imagine that her cookbook was full of delicacies that would please the most discerning palate. Her go-to cake, for drop in visitors, was this deceivingly simple spice cake, topped with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Simple Spice Cake
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves

1. Sift flour before measuring, then add remaining ingredients and beat for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Bake in a greased 9x13" pan for 30 minutes at 350F.
3. Yields 24, 3 point servings.

Here is the cake with a custard topping (I will give you that recipe later).

 

Now for menu planning! I read an interesting article in Self about being a flexitarian. I had never heard that word before. Apparently, it is someone who views beef as an occasional indulgence and eats vegetarian several times a week. I think that means that I am a flexitarian. I rarely eat beef. How often I eat vegetarian is up for debate. Going by a traditional definition, I guess I eat vegetarian 3-4 days a week. However, that includes fish. As far as I am concerned, if it died before I ate it - it's meat. That definition gets me down to 1 or 2 days a week. 

I am a member of a liturgical church, which means that I am about to celebrate my favorite holiday season - Lent. That means, you will be seeing even more meatless meals from me. Beans, eggs, and fish? Yum!

Sunday

spicy braised sweet potatoes

Monday

black bean soup

Fat Tuesday

mom's chicken

Ash Wednesday

scallops with tomatoes and mangos

Thursday

mom's pork chops

Fasting Friday

bean and cheese quesadillas

Saturday

"Rotisserie" chicken

If you are interested in your own Weight Watchers menu, here is one (click the menu item for the recipe):

Monday

egg in a hat

Tuesday

orange roughy with tropical salsa

Wednesday

scallops in red wine sauce

Thursday

toasted bobotee sandwhich

Friday

hummus and tomato pizza

Saturday

night out - local favorite: Ahart's, chain favorite, Logan's (they have a nice skinny section on the menu - excellent veggie skewers)

Now, since I have made you go so long without a picture (which, we learned was a no-no from David Lebovitz) here are some lovely pictures of some rocks.  I took this while visiting the Ozarks. My friend Alex loves rocks, and I was trying to get some nice photos for her. 

Piperade - 3 points, Pink Saturday, Music Friday

I have certainly had a crazy week! My computer crashed last night, just to make things interesting. I have managed to repair it for the moment but anticipate further problems since I am not a techie and don't know what I am doing.

First, here is a terribly delicious, very easy recipe for you! I have eaten a ridiculous number of egg whites since healthifying my diet. They are my new favorite protein.

Piperade from 1000 Vegetarian Recipes
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup green bell pepper, sliced
2 1/2 cups tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 tsp basil
salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs
8 egg whites

1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; saute until onions are transparent.
2. Stir in the peppers and continue to saute until peppers are soft.
3. Stir in tomato, basil, and pepper. Cook, uncovered, 15 minutes.
4. Beat eggs and egg whites with salt.
5.  Add eggs to skillet. Cook, stirring gently, until eggs are set.
6. Yields 4, 3 point servings

Here they are, accompanied by some roasted Brussels sprouts:

Second, Happy Pink Saturday! This week my pink picture is of the lamp on my bedside table. My mom bought this piece at a garage sale when I was in high school. I was completely enamored of roses at the time and wanted my whole room to be covered with them. I no longer have the rose comforter, curtains, or rug, but I still love this little lamp. The delicate crocheted doily you can see beneath it was purchased from a lovely lady in an art market in Zimbabwe.

I am so excited to do my resolution round up tomorrow! I have a lot to tell you. But, I have a husband who is about to finish his homework, so for now I will leave you with my Friday song. Up until now, I have let my Zen DJ pick the song. But, this week I felt like it had to be Amy Grant and it had to be romantic. So, here are Amy Grant and Keb' Mo' with, "Come Be with Me".



Easy Italian Shrimp - 3 points

Easy Italian Shrimp
1 lb medium shrimp
1/2 cup low fat Italian dressing (I used a sun dried tomato version)
3 cloves garlic

1. Place shrimp and dressing in a shallow dish. Cover, refrigerate and allow to marinate for 1-2 hours.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Spray with kitchen spritzer. Saute garlic for 1 min.
3. Add shrimp and dressing to skillet. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Yields 4, 3 point servings

I just finished teaching a great book - A Long Way from Chicago, by Richard Peck. It is a cute book about a cantancerous granny, set during the days of Al Capone. Reading it reminds me of one of my favorite restaurants, and purported Al Capone hide outs, High Point in Monteagle, Tennessee (follow the link and you will drool reading the menu). I look forward to making another trip there and telling you all about it.

I hope that everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day. Mine was quite nice (and I have recipes to share with you later this week from Simon's school and my dinner with Stone). Stone sent me a balloon that read, "I love you". It was quite commical as in each one of my classes a student would ask, "Hey, who loves you?" I of course said, "Lots of people. But only one of them sent me a balloon."

Fini Dini Pork - 3 points

I had a friend, in college, who spent a summer in Guam doing mission work. When she came back, she had this recipe she called fini dini sauce. She made fini dini everything. Fini dini chicken, fini dini shrimp, fini dini pork - you get the idea. No one complained about her obsession because whatever she decided to place in the fini dini sauce was delicious! I finally asked her how she made it and was pleased to find out that it is super easy!

You can use the sauce as a marinade for just about any meat, but pork chops were on sale, so that was the protein du jour. It was incredibly tender (thanks to the vinegar) and tasted deliciously savory. I made basmati rice to accompany it because that is my carb of choice when I have points left.

Fini Dini Pork
18 oz pork chops
For sauce:
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 onion, minced
1 large clove garlic, minced (I used three, because I really like garlic)

1. Place all ingredients into a large Ziploc bag or sealable container. Place in the fridge at least overnight, up to 24 hours.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pork with sauce. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until pork is cooked through.
3. Yields 6, 3 point servings

Yum! I wish I had some leftovers to nosh on.

Ann at Apples and Twinkies (a fabulous blog full of oh-so-yummy recipes) was generous enough to pass on a Stylish blogger award to me. She is so kind! I love being thought of as stylish and was tickled pink that Ann thought of my blog for this award! Here it is:

Now, the first requirement for accepting this award is that I am supposed to tell you 7 things about myself. This part intimidates me because I want to have fabulously interesting things to tell you and feel that I am rather unglamorous. I shall do my best.

1. One of my favorite flowers is the Tennessee State Flower, the bearded iris. Here are some that I planted in my front yard.

2. I love museums. I could spend the rest of my life going between the British Museum and the Smithsonian. I am a big dork, but it's okay. I have embraced it. Here is a pic from a trip to the Smithsonian.

3. I have an adorable nephew, Simon, with whom I love to spend time.

4. One of my favorite treats is an apple dipped in caramel, chocolate, nuts, and whatever else Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory can come up with.

5. Every Christmas, I make egg's Benedict.

6. I love really cool bathrooms in restaurants and businesses. I will wait until I am alone, and then take pictures.

7. I have always been interested in architecture. This past year, I stopped by this interesting house in Kentucky - one of the few brick, octagonal houses in the United States.

The second requirement is that I am to give you a list of 15 blogs which I enjoy. Here they are! All were chosen for one or more of the following reasons: 1)fabulous food, 2)great writing, and 3) being inspirational.

http://chubzilla.blogspot.com/

http://sizingdowndiva.com/

http://www.chowandchatter.com/

http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/ 

http://weightingfor50.wordpress.com/

http://food-hound.blogspot.com/

http://oneperfectbite.blogspot.com/

http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/

http://brownievillegirl.blogspot.com/

http://takinglessspace.blogspot.com/

http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/

http://indulginglife.blogspot.com/

http://kitchenswathi.blogspot.com/

http://alison-trials.blogspot.com/  

http://www.mykindofcooking.com/

Whew... I am ready for bed now! Ya'll have a great night:)

"Butter" Herb Baked Fish - 3 points

I mentioned that I made my sourdough cornbread to accompany some baked fish – but I left you hanging on the fish recipe. This is a recipe I have used for a long time, but with a major change. In my pre Weight Watchers days, I used to melt 1/3 cup butter in a cake pan and then place the fish in the butter to bake. I had serious doubts about making the fish without the real butter, but I bravely gave it a try. I was so pleased with the results! The flavor was rich and the fish was perfectly flaky. I didn’t miss the butter at all.

“Butter” Herb Baked Fish

16 oz tilapia

½ tsp oregano

¼ tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried basil

¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1 tsp parmesan cheese

spray butter

1. In a shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs, spices, and parmesan.
2. Coat fish with crumb mixture, on both sides, and fillets on a baking stone or nonstick baking sheet. Spray each fillet with 4-5 sprays of butter.
3. Bake 25 minutes at 350F.
4. Yields 4, 3 point servings

I am so excited that my Joe for Jack came today! I really wanted to go ahead and try some tonight, but I am forcing myself to wait until morning. After all, I do want to get a little bit of sleep!





Cooking with Simon, Soy Cream - 3 points, Chocolate Corn Pop Clusters- 3 points

Weight Watchers has been sending me challenges to try as part of the Points Plus system. The one for this week was to invite someone into the kitchen to cook with me. It was supposed to be someone who does not normally help me. I am surrounded by very helpful people, so it was difficult to think of someone who is often around but not often doing kitchen duty. Then it came to me - Simon!

My nephew is often under foot when I am cooking, but he has never helped much. He has mashed bananas a few times, but we have never walked step by step through a  recipe together. I was working on a cooking project for us and happened to come across a recipe for soy cream in his High Five magazine. It was lots of fun to make!

Chocolate Soy Cream
1/2 cup chocolate soy milk
1 tbsp sugar
lots of ice
7 tbsp salt

1. Place several cups of ice in a gallon sized Ziplock bag. Top with salt.
2. In a quart size Ziplock bag, combine soy milk and sugar. Seal the bag tightly and place it on top of the ice in the gallon bag.
3. Pour more ice in over the soy milk bag. Seal the gallon bag tightly.
4. Shake the gallon bag for 5-10 minutes, until the soy mixture has hardened. (This part was lots and lots of fun. We wore gloves to protect our hands and made up very complex songs like, "Shake it, Simon, shake it. Shake it, Auntie, shake it!")
5. Yields 1, 3 point serving

Stone is having a dessert party tomorrow (his kids picked the theme) but has lots and lots and lots of graduate work to do this week. Last night, Simon and I graciously volunteered to help him by making Stone's contribution to the party. I looked around my kitchen - which is looking very much like the larder of a teacher who has come to the last budget week of the month (in other words, poorly stocked). Hmmm...what do I have? Corn Pops. Chocolate chips.

So, I searched the blogusphere and found a recipe for chocolate Corn Pop clusters at Sunday Treats. We had a blast making them. Simon especially enjoyed melting the chocolate in the microwave. "It look like chocolate yogurt, Auntie!"

Chocolate Corn Pop Clusters from Sunday Treats where they were adapted from Kellog's
2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups butterscotch chips
4 tbsp peanut butter
8 cups Corn Pops

1. Combine chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter in a large, microwave safe bowl. To melt, microwave on high, stirring at 30 second intervals until smooth.
2. Add Corn Pops to bowl and stir to coat.
3. Drop by rounded tablespoons full onto waxed paper. Cool until firm.
4. Yields 50, 3 point servings

Please keep in mind that Simon is the one who spooned these out. I think he did an excellent job for a two year old!

Do you think he likes them?

Now, on a completely separate note. My friend Deborah took a trip to China to do volunteer work at an orphanage. While she was there, she fell in love with a beautiful little boy named Jack who has special needs. She and her husband (along with their four little girls) are in the process of adopting Jack. It is very expensive, and they need all the help they can get. If you are a coffee lover, please consider looking at this post. You can order some delicious, fair trade, organic coffee and help bring Jack home. In any case, I hope that you will send loving thoughts to this family as they work to complete the piles of paperwork that stand between Jack and the family who wants him to come home.  

Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes - 3 points

Today was...well, kind of Monday. Except, on Tuesday. I had to keep detention after school today. I realize that the kids are the ones being detained, but being trapped in the room full of teenagers who are all unhappy to be there feels sort of like I am the one being punished. When I got home, I needed some comfort food.

I usually make this recipe with regular potatoes, but I decided to try it with sweet potatoes this time. Oh. My. Gosh. Why on earth did I not do this ages ago? They were so very, very good.

Note of caution: I like spicy food. So, if you are a person who prefers your fare mild, you will probably want to cut the spices in half and add a little seasoning salt instead.

Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes - 3 points
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 clove garlic, halved
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp onion salt

1. Rub sweet potatoes all over with garlic, cut side down.
2. In a small bowl, combine spices. Sprinkle over both sides of each potato.
3. Place sweet potatoes cut side down on a non-stick oven safe dish or one sprayed with non-stick spray. (I used my large pizza stone, so no need for spray). Spritz potatoes very lightly with a kitchen spritzer full of olive oil.
4. Roast potatoes in 375F oven for 45 minutes.
5. Yields 4, 3 point servings

Sour Cream Pork Chops - 7 points, "Rotisserie" Chicken #2 - 3 + points

For dinner, I decided to try pork in a sour cream sauce. Now, this is a recipe I had to majorly overhaul to fit with my new Weight Watcher's lifestyle. I was not expecting great things. I was not even expecting good things. Imagine my surprise when this turned out to be better than the high fat version I was craving! Leaving out the breading and the butter seemed to allow the flavors of the pork and the paprika to come out even more beautifully.

Sour Cream Pork Chops
1/2 tbsp olive oil
2, 4 ounce pork chops
1 cube chicken bouillon
8 oz canned, sliced mushrooms, drained
1 tsp djon mustard
2 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp paprika
1 small onion, sliced into rings
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
1/4 cup water

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops, cooking just to brown on both sides.
2. Mix remaining ingredients, save sour cream and onions, in a small bowl.
3. Layer onion rings over pork; place remaining onions directly on the skillet. Pour the sauce over the chops.
4. Simmer for 1 hour, or until pork is very tender.
5. Add sour cream; reheat.
6. Yields 2, 7 point servings

I also made a "Rotisserie" chicken tonight. I will use the meat this week, and it is much easier to roast a chicken on a Sunday afternoon than to try and fix one after work. Instead of my usual seasonings, I used an incredible rub from A Year of Slow Cooking. I didn't skin my chicken. I rubbed the spices both under and over the skin as well as placing some on the cavity. I highly recommend it; it does taste just like the rotisserie chicken that I love from Sam's Club. Stone - former best friend and new boyfriend -  obviously approves as well, since I just caught him leaning over the stone with an empty fork and a full mouth.

"Rotisserie" Chicken - 3 points +

This is one of my favorite weight loss gadgets:

This is a Pampered Chef Stonewear Fluted Pan. At the last Pampered Chef party I hosted, this was on the top of my wish list. I was so happy when got it! Here is what is great about it - you can use it to make "Rotisserie" chicken in your oven. (BTW, if you are thinking that it looks dirty- it is supposed to look that way. The more you use stonewear, the more it browns a blackens from seasoning.) 

"Rotisserie" Chicken

1 roasting chicken

1/2 lemon

salt

pepper

1. After removing giblets, wash chicken thoroughly and pat dry. Rub chicken all over with 1/2 lemon (pulp side down). Salt and pepper the chicken liberally.

2. Place the cavity of the chicken over the center of the bundt pan (do not attempt this with just any bundt pan - most of them have open holes in the middle and will make a mess of your oven).

3. Roast the chicken in a 350F oven for 20 minutes for each pound of chicken.

4. Yields a variety of servings depending on the cut of chicken, for example, 3 points for skinless 1/2 breast

Here is what the chicken looks like on the pan. 

And here is what it looks like on the plate.

Yum!