Barley and Lentil Soup

This recipe was so delicious! Loretta made it this weekend while she was here. It was a snowy Saturday and we warmed up quickly with this delicious soup. Enjoy!

Veggie Patties

I love this veggie burger recipe so much! I do tweak it a bit, omitting the cheese and adding shredded zucchini. These are great to freeze as well.

Ingredients:
2 portobello mushrooms (8 ounces), stems removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small zucchini
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1/4 cup minced shallot (1 large shallot)
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions (2 cups cooked)
2 teaspoons coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs
6 whole-wheat buns, split

Directions
Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped, and transfer to a bowl. Shred zucchini, place on paper towels, and squeeze to remove excess moisture. Add to mushrooms.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add shallot and red-pepper flakes, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and zucchini, and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and add Parmesan, quinoa, and salt. Season with pepper. Let cool completely, then stir in egg and breadcrumbs. Cover, and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 1 hour.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Shape mixture into six 1/2-inch-thick patties, pressing firmly. Cook in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
Wipe pan clean, and return to medium heat. Brush cut sides of buns with oil, and heat buns, cut sides down, until toasted, about 1 minute. Spread yogurt-garlic sauce on cut sides of bun halves. Divide burgers, sprouts, and cucumber among bottom halves. Sandwich with top halves. Read more at Marthastewart.com: Veggie Burgers - Martha Stewart Recipes

Happy Waffles

We really love waffles around here, as you can tell by the photos I posted. This waffle recipe is amazing if you want light and fluffy Belgian waffles with a slightly crunchy exterior. Enjoy!

Vanilla Begian Waffles

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 Tbsp sugar

pinch of salt

3 large eggs

8 Tbsp melted butter

1.5 cups milk (or rice milk)

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

* Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

* In a large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer until thick (2 minutes).

* Add butter, milk and vanilla.

* Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Do not overmix!

* Pour into waffle maker and enjoy!

No joke-these are the BEST cookies!

My friend Kara made up a recipe for whole-wheat chocolate chip cookies that is AWESOME. So, I have tweaked it a bit and am pleased to introduce the most amazing cookie I have ever had. I was thinking it kind of reminded me of Mike- designed just for me and has everything I want in a cookie. Is that sick? They are somewhat nutritious, which makes it easy to justify eating half a dozen in one day. Watch out!

* Note: the cookie jar is almost empty!

Whole-Wheat and Flax seed Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 c. whole wheat flour (sifted)

2 c. quick-cooking oats

2 Tbsp. milled flax seed

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. Kosher salt

(in a medium bowl, mix these dry ingredients)

1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. butter

1.5 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

*chocolate chips and for extra fun: Williams Sonoma Hot Chocolate Mix (it's really a bunch of amazing shaved semi-sweet chocolate pieces)

* In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar by hand, with a FORK (this is Mark Searcy's secret technique- and it works!).

* Add eggs and vanilla until mixed in well.

* Add previously-combined dry ingredients and mix until blended STILL with the fork.

* Incorporate the chocolate. Don't over-mix!

Scoop by tablespoons onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (the parchment is crucial) and bake in a preheated oven 350 degrees for 5 minutes, rotate and bake 5-6 more minutes. Cool on a cooling rack. As soon as they are cool, and you've already sampled a few, store them immediately in a container so as not to dry out.

Gone Fishin'

Mike went ice fishing yesterday and brought home the bacon- I mean fish!
He showed the kids how to clean and filet the trout, then I dredged them in some seasoned cornmeal and friend in a shallow pan of oil. They were delicious!!!

Birthday Dinner "Cake"

I made a delicious birthday "cake" for Max's dinner out of mashed potatoes and meatloaf. It was so delicious and fun! I used the ketchup sauce to frost his name on top.

Recipe for turkey meatloaf cake:

1 lb. ground turkey

1/4 cup dried bread crumbs

1/2 cup oats

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

salt and pepper

* I usually add 1 shredded zucchini or carrot

mashed potatoes

ketchup sauce:

1 cup ketchup

3 Tbsp mustard

3 Tbsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (I like to put on latex gloves and mash it all up by hand, it seems to mix better). Meanwhile, line two 8-inch cake pans with foil (spray with oil). Divide meat mixture evenly into the two pans and bake for 20 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees.

Remove from foil and place on "cake" on a plate. Top with mashed potatoes, then place the other "cake" on top. Cover entire thing with mashed potatoes. Decorate as you like!

Tamales!

I was so excited about making a huge batch of tamales for Christmas Eve dinner, and even MORE excited to have help! Amberly, McKinley and Izzy assisted in making the BEST tamales ever! Thanks, ladies!!

Here's a link to the recipe if anyone is interested!

We made some refried bean tamales and pork-potato tamales.

Mike started off the holiday with some egg nog (which I find repulsive. the nog, not Mike! Don't worry, even though it's produced by a whiskey distiller it is non-alcoholic)

Oh yeah, my tamales are THAT good!

The finished product:

Tamales with Salsa Verde and Tortilla Soup