Healthy Snacks for Kids

Kids are bouncing off the walls, all hyped up for summer!

What does that mean for us moms? Well, nothing for me really, as our son isn't in school yet. But for those of you with school-aged children, it means they'll be home most days. In addition to having a good time with activities, outings and at-home leisure, you'll have to step up the meal offerings. Not only will they want lunch, but probably snacks too. Summertime is hard work for our little monsters, I mean 'darlings'. They need to refuel.

While my Chef's Helper isn't in school, that only means I'm always preparing his food! I needed new ideas (help! if you have any that your kids love). I found this great list of healthy kid snacks, and decided to share it.

I hope it helps give you some ideas and quick go-to snacks for your family. Happy summertime!

NOTE: Some of the suggestions below include meat. Omit or adjust to your family's diet preferences.

From both Fun & Food Cafe and EatRight.org

1. A Banana by itself. Or dip it in yogurt, then coat with crushed cereal and freeze.
2. Stuff a whole-grain pita pocket with ricotta cheese and apple slices, and sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon.
3. A bag of ready-to-eat cereal, dried fruit and nuts, all tossed together (great for on-the-go).
4. A bowl of low-fat vanilla yogurt topped with crunchy granola and berries (blueberries would be excellent).
5. Microwave a small baked potato. Top with reduced-fat cheddar cheese and salsa.
6. Kebabs, made with fruit and cheese on toothpicks (or try grapes and cheese on pretzel sticks!).
7. A whole grain waffle topped with fruit and honey, or low-fat yogurt and peaches
8. Spread peanut butter on apple slices.
9. A sandwich on wholegrain bread with cilantro, cheese and tomatoes.
10. Sprinkle grated monterey jack cheese over a corn tortilla; fold in half and microwave for 20 seconds. Top with salsa.
11. Instant oatmeal topped with craisins and chopped walnuts.
12. A cup of tomato or vegetable soup with whole-grain or cheese crackers.
13. Fill a waffle cone with cut-up fruit and top with low-fat vanilla yogurt.
14. Toast an English muffin, drizzle with pizza sauce and sprinkle with low-fat mozzarella cheese.
15. Rocky Road - Break a graham cracker into bite-size pieces. Add
to low-fat chocolate pudding along with a few miniature marshmallows.
16. Banana Split - Top a banana with low-fat vanilla and strawberry
frozen yogurt, topped with your favorite whole-grain cereal or walnuts/pecans.
17. Spread mustard on a flour tortilla. Top with a slice of turkey or ham, low-fat cheese and lettuce. Then roll it up.
18. Homemade Granola Bars. Try these.
19. A simple cheese sandwich - cheese and bread, or cheese mustard and bread.
20. Celery sticks and cherry tomatoes with cheese cubes.
21. Smear a scoop of frozen yogurt on two graham crackers and sliced banana to make a yummy sandwich.
22. Blend low-fat milk, frozen strawberries and a banana for 30 seconds to make a smoothie.
23. Make a mini-sandwich of tuna or egg salad on a dinner roll.
24. Mix together corn flakes and peanut butter in a bowl. Shape into balls and roll in crushed graham crackers.
25. Spread mustard on a deli slice of turkey. Wrap around a sesame bread stick.
26. Parfait - Layer low-fat vanilla yogurt and mandarine orange slices or blueberrie, in a tall glass. Sprinkle the top with granola.
27. Make a sandwich on whole grain bread. Using a large cookie cutter, cut the sandwich into fun shapes.

Guten appetit!

Holy Toledo

A couple of things today...

There will be no recipe. I have news.

We're having another one of these, in September:

Yay, yay, yay! But - oh, goodness! What is going to happen to my cooking?! Having a baby is well worth my lax, barely lift a spoon (except to eat) attitude for the year following birth. But, I just got back into cooking, and posting and reading my favorite food blogs. Oh, dear.

I fear what this will do to the Vegetarian Hausfrau. I will try, I promise, to post. And maybe I can wrangle some of my fantastic foodie friends into a few guest posts.

Second, I WANT TO EAT THESE TACOS SOOOO BADLY, it's killing me:

Swiss Chard and Caramelized Onion Tacos
picture and recipe from Tasty Kitchen

I can't do it, though. I stick to the rule of no soft cheeses during pregnancy, even if it's 'probably' OK. These tacos would not taste nearly as good without the cheese, I just know it. Sigh. They will be mine. Oh yes, they will. Come end of September, you can bet your bottom dollar what I'll be eating.

Wishing happy (taco eating) days to you and your family.

xo,
The VH

Merry Christmas!

I'm taking a break for the holiday and enjoying time away from the computer with our little one...

Happy holidays to you and your family! Cook, eat and be merry.

See you again in 2010.

Guten appetit.

Oh my...

Is it November?! Was my last post on October 27?! Goodness. I have been a lump on a log. Whoops!

What's new? (I'll go ahead and answer my own question, since this is for the most part a one sided conversation) First, we were fully wrapped up in Halloween:

Someone turned 9 months old. Amazing how time flies.

Then took a vacation to Hawaii (where our chef's helper started crawling!):

And now I've been procrastinating in getting back to cooking because what I want to cook is not what I should be cooking. I still have a couple recipes to make for our family cookbook (coming up on the deadline here, but I guess I've always worked better under pressure anyway), and I simply don't want to. They don't excite me. Plus, I'm still in post vacation bliss, where I want to continue to be a beach bum. Nothing wrong with that, right?

However, for your extra special holiday pleasure, I have a couple new recipes to share with you for Thanksgiving. And if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, that's ok. You should make the pie anyway, it was de-licious! Perfect for a fall family treat. Celebrate the cold mornings, the first fall of snow, or a day off from school.

Pie post coming on Tuesday!

Guten appetit, my friends.

Fix, Freeze, Feast

Even before we had the little chef's helper, I had my lazy nights, where I did NOT want to cook. Or maybe I was just busy, and/or got home late. Cooking can be the last thing I want to do on certain days.

I've learned ways to get around cooking on those nights. I love to double our pasta casserole recipe and freeze half for later. Sometimes I'll make 'brinner' (breakfast for dinner - french toast is usually my favorite). Or we have (gasp) a frozen pizza at all times in the freezer.

But here's a cookbook devoted to making large portions of a dish, freezing it in smaller dinner portion amounts, and then feasting on your hard work at a later date! I love it. (Wish I'd thought of it, actually)

Fix Freeze Feast by Kati Neville and Lindsay Tkacsik

AND, they have sample recipes! Wish they had a vegetarian sample recipe, but that's ok. Most of the book looks to be meat related, but there's a whole section for vegetarian MAIN DISHES. That's key, as a lot of cookbooks have vegetarian meals, but they're pretty much side dishes. Um, that's not enough peeps. We like to eat a full meal, thanks.

If you don't want to buy the whole book though for one section of recipes, perhaps you can peruse the book at Barnes and Noble and take your iphone with you to copy a few of the veggie recipes. Shhh, did I say that?

Since my sister bought the book, I've already perused it (and plan to use it. ha, that rhymes!) Here are some of the recipes included that I'm excited about: Asparagus and Potato Frittata, Thai Red Curry with Vegetables, Teriyaki Sauce, Raspberry Vinaigrette, Cheese Biscuit Mix, Five-Spice Cookies, and Ginger Cookies. There were a number of portobello mushroom recipes, but as you may know, I'm not a fan. However, I do realize, you might be.

Aaaaand, get ready for another gasp... I might as well tell you now, we are going to feed our chef's helper meat (no, this wont change the blog to a meat blog!). However, we happen to think that he should make his own choice in being vegetarian, or not. So, in the meantime (as he's only able to drool and coo right now, and not hold a conversation about vegetarianism), we'll give him meat so that he gets acquainted with it and knows the taste. When he's old enough, we can talk to him about why mommy and daddy don't eat meat.

Have a great weekend, and guten appetit!

Vegetarian Times

I'm skimping out on you today... but, I'm offering something VERY exciting, in lieu of a recipe. A new recipe is coming on Friday though, I promise. Once I get my head on straight and a few more things put away after the move, I'll be back to my usual posting self.

In the meantime...

Here is an AWESOME deal for you! Get a 2 year subscription to Vegetarian Times for only $7.14. I signed up a couple months ago and got my first magazine this weekend. I love it.

As with any magazine, there are subscription renewals and offers inside, which say 1 year (9 issues) for $19.95. $7.14 is a scream of a deal.

You can also search through Magazine Deals Now to see if more of your favorite magazines are on super sale.

Happy reading!

Perfect Pie Crust (Savory or Sweet)

This crust truly lives up to it's name. Easy to make, and portions great into freezer friendly crusts for future. If you're going to make a pie crust, why not have some left over to make a future pie faster and easier to whip up? Make life easy on yourself.

I suppose, if it's a perfect crust, it also needs to taste great, right? It does. I've used it on both sweet (apple and pumpkin) pies, as well as savory pies (pot pie and quiche). They all tasted delicious!

The only trick I found, is giving yourself enough time to dethaw the crust, if you are using a frozen portion. Fresh is obviously no problem.

If using a frozen portion: Simply unwrap all but one of the saran wrap layers and lay it out on your counter to dethaw for approximately 20 minutes. If it's too hard, it will crack and be difficult to work with. It doesn't have to be completely thaw though, as it will still be malleable and small cracks can be pinched back together.

I got 3 crusts from the recipe, but should have been able to make 4. The crusts were a little thick. Tammy says you can get 6 (3 pies, with tops), but I don't see that. You'd have to roll really thin.

It's great if you are hosting a party where you need multiple crusts for your dishes. For example, you're hosting wedding shower and wanting to serve a couple quiches and a strawberry pie for dessert. Or you are making a quiche for Christmas morning, and an apple pie for Christmas dessert. Or, you're making a quiche, and want to make life easy on yourself down the road, next time you're making a pie or quiche. You wont regret using this crust.



Perfect Pie Crust
from Tammy's Recipes

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cup butter or shortening
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 egg
1/2 cup cold water


In a mixing bowl, mix flour, salt and sugar. Cut in butter until pea-sized lumps remain. In a separate bowl, beat vinegar, egg, and water. Add to flour/butter mixture and stir/mix just enough to make a dough. Mixture will be sticky still. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. (I usually refrigerate for an hour or more). Roll into shape (on floured surface) and use with fruit, pumpkin, or any pie requiring an unbaked crust. For pies requiring a pre-baked crust, bake at 425 degrees until slightly browned.

This recipe will make three medium-thickness 9-inch pie crusts (including tops). If you like a thicker crust, it will do 2 pies with tops. If you roll really thin, you can get 4!

Dough can be refrigerated up to three days or frozen until ready to use.

Delicious sweet pies you can make with this crust:
- Vegetable Pot Pie
- Blueberry Pie, from Andrea's Recipes
- Cindy Crawford's Strawberry Pie, from Not Quite Nigella
- Blackberry Pie, from Alpineberry

Guten appetit!

Pamper Mom

This is for the boys. Print and give this to the man in your life.

Some men are blessed with the interest and ability to whip up a fantastic meal. Others avoid the kitchen like the plague. Either way, this list gives any guy the opportunity to shine! I love these super easy, simple directions.

For the dads, make mom's day special, outside of the kitchen. Or maybe you know of a teenage boy, living with his mom. Hand him this list, and give him a nudge in the right direction - to stop and remind his mom how much he appreciates her.

I can't wait to celebrate my first Mother's Day! How very lucky I feel, to have my amazing husband and son in my life.

Make Mom breakfast:
adapted from WebMd

* Bake reduced-fat cinnamon rolls (in the pop-fresh can from Pillsbury, found in the refrigerated section).
* Use reduced-fat Bisquick and follow the directions on the box to make pancakes or waffles. If you are making pancakes, jazz them up by stirring in some frozen blueberries. If you are making waffles, top them with sliced strawberries and serve with a dollop of Light Cool Whip or light whipped cream (from the pressurized can, also in the refrigerated section of the grocery store).
* Blend up a strawberry smoothie: 5 large strawberries (frozen are OK), one container light or fat-free strawberry yogurt, and a banana. Put all ingredients into blender, and blend. Add milk as needed, to reach desired consistency. Serves 1.
* Layer up a beautiful yogurt parfait in a tall glass. Use flavored yogurt, top with berries or sliced fruit, then low-fat granola. Repeat the layers, if there's room in the glass.
* Start with multi-grain toaster waffles. Top with fresh fruit, a sprinkling of powdered sugar, and a dollop of Light Cool Whip or light whipped cream.
* Make an egg-and-cheese bagel open-faced in a toaster oven: Fry 1 egg in a pan coated with cooking spray (best to fry both sides, or be very careful not to break the yoke as you transfer it to the toaster oven). Place a whole-grain bagel half in the toaster for about 30 seconds (enough to get the top crispy, without toasting too much; you still need to leave it in longer and melt the cheese! Place the egg on top of the bagel half, and sprinkle with sliced or shredded cheese of your choice. Continue to broil or toast until cheese is nicely melted. If you're worried about the cheese melting and making a mess, place the bagel on a toaster safe tray or piece of aluminum foil.
* Serve any of the above breakfast items with a fresh fruit kabob (just line up fruit chunks on a skewer) or a melon slice topped with grapes or fresh berries.

MORE...

Make Mom lunch:

* Whip up a batch of albacore tuna salad with a can of water-packed solid white albacore tuna, drained; 1-2 tablespoons of light mayo; and some pickle relish (optional). Mix together in a bowl, with a dash of black pepper. Serve on her favorite bread with lettuce and tomato.
* Make a quick pasta salad by tossing cooked, cooled pasta; a handful of canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (also called Chickpeas); cubes of mozzarella or cheddar cheese; diced red pepper and/or broccoli florets; and bottled light Italian salad dressing.
* Bake up some nachos by layering reduced-fat tortilla chips; canned, vegetarian refried beans; shredded reduced-fat jack or cheddar cheese; and chopped green onions. Bake in 400-degree oven until cheese melts (10-15 minutes). Top with fat-free sour cream and salsa. You can add sliced ripe avocado, to be really fancy.
* Grill or pan-fry a Gardenburger (you'll find several flavors in the frozen food section) with a slice of cheese melted on top. Serve on a toasted multi-grain bun with grilled onions (Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat, and add a handful of sliced onions. Cook, stirring often, approximately 8-10 minutes, until the onions are starting to brown and look opaque) or sliced tomato and lettuce.

Make Mom dinner:

* Make a quesadilla by sandwiching shredded Jack or cheddar cheese inside two flour tortillas (use the higher-fiber ones if you can find them). Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a nonstick frying pan, and add the quesadilla. Fry on both sides, until the cheese melts; serve with sliced avocado, salsa, and fat-free sour cream.
* Grill some salmon teriyaki. Coat salmon filets with bottled teriyaki sauce, then broil or grill them until cooked throughout. Serve with cooked brown rice (follow the directions on the box or bag) and steamed veggies.
* Serve up soup in a bread bowl! Hollow out a small sourdough bread round (usually around 6 inches wide, and found in the bakery section) and fill with gourmet canned soup that you've heated in a saucepan over the stove (Wolfgang Puck has tasty soup options with 6 grams of fat or less per serving). Garnish with shredded Parmesan cheese.
* Shrimp cocktail can be quickly put together with defrosted pre-cooked shrimp (from the frozen fish section) served in a pretty glass or bowl with bottled cocktail sauce.
* For quickie pasta, boil fresh packaged tortellini or ravioli, drain, then serve with bottled marinara sauce or pesto. Serve with cooked veggies.
* Make designer pizza! Start with a Boboli pizza crust and top with bottled pizza sauce. Add shredded cheese of choice and whatever toppings you desire (sun-dried tomatoes, mushroom slices, artichoke hearts, black olives, green or red pepper slices, etc.).

Don't forget the wine.

Guten appetit, and a very happy Mother's Day!

Cajun Seasoning

A while back, I posted a recipe for Shrimp Etouffee. Shrimp Etouffee is a cajun/creole dish with a lot of flavor and delicious spices blended together.

However, one of the spices requested in the dish wasn't something I had. Cajun Seasoning.

Sometimes I will just omit an ingredient in a recipe, if I don't have it, don't think we'll like it, or I don't think it's necessary. This one seemed too crucial to the shrimp recipe, and I wasn't willing to omit it.

Luckily, cajun seasoning is just a mix of other spices, so you can easily make your own and keep it in a jar or ziploc sack for future. Below is the recipe I used and liked, with one change...

The original recipe was too salty for me, so I've cut back on the salt from 3/4 cup to 1/3 cup. If you make the original version, I recommend omitting any other salt requested in the main recipe you are using the seasoning for.


Cajun Seasoning
adapted slightly from Allrecipes

1/3 cup salt
1/4 cup ground cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons ground white pepper
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder

Mix everything together in a jar or ziploc sack. Seal tightly and shake to mix before using.

Guten appetit!

Product of the Month: Organize with free online tools

I need all the organizational help I can get. I do well with lists, but the lists are usually on random scraps of paper, on the back of receipts or possibly on a sticky note.

Enter, stage left, Mommy Track'd!

Mommy Track'd has generously put together and offered 6 different organizational tools, which we can download for FREE to help us mommies (and daddies) keep our heads on straight.

I especially love The Eat Sheet weekly meal planner/grocery shopping list. It's something you could do yourself on a wipe board, but if you don't have one of those, theirs is awfully cute and free (did I mention, free?!). The Party Planning Worksheet is my second favorite tool.

Check them out, I bet you'll find something you like and can use too!

New Food Blog

My sister, Christine, has started her own food blog: Chop, Mince & Dice


Oh, how fast these young'ins grow up!

Actually, my sister is a great cook. Has been for a while. She eagerly cooks for friends, her boyfriend, herself and family. When I find a new recipe I like, I usually send it to her. Especially if the recipe has meat - I live through her carnivorous ways, ha, ha.

If you have a chance, check out her blog and say 'hi'. She's got a great first recipe posted: Dark Chocolate Crackle cookies. Chocolate AND freezer friendly. Score.

Her recipes will mostly be coming from her 'girls night' dinners, so fyi - if she happens to spill any of the gossip discussed at dinner, would make for another great reason to read the blog. Those girls are hilarious, and lead quite the interesting lives. (wink, wink)

xoxo

100th post: Meet the Chef's Helper

No recipe today, just sublime cuteness...


Happy, happy to you and your loved ones.

Guten appetit!

Bloggy Carnival - Welcome!

Giveaway closed, Congratulations commenter #95: Victoria.
* Victoria has been emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Thank you to all the Bloggy Carnival participants for visiting The Vegetarian Hausfrau!
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Welcome to my vegetarian cooking blog. Today is a special, non-recipe post... why?

It's CARNIVAL time!!

If you are new to my blog, welcome. If you are a regular reader, you get an extra special treat today...

I'm having a GIVEAWAY.

As part of the Bloggy Carnival, hosted by Bloggy Giveaways, I will be giving away a $5 gift certificate to Starbucks.

Yes, it's a shout out to my hometown and something everyone loves (...or should love. If you don't like Starbucks, what's wrong with you?!).

This gift certificate was FREE for me. How?? (I know, it's nice to get free stuff)

I participate in Swagbucks.

Swagbucks is a search engine that rewards you with points for using them instead of yahoo, google, etc. Web searches are something we do everyday, multiple times a day. So, for no extra effort or changes to my daily routine, simply using the Swagbucks search engine (btw, swagbucks uses google as their search engine), I earn points that I use in their Swag store for FREE stuff. Gift certificates, electronics, video games, sports memorobelia, band/music swag, etc.


If you haven't tried Swagbucks before, I encourage you to check it out! They've been very reputable, fun to use, and are catching on like wildfire. After only a couple months, I had enough points for this gift certificate. Again, I'm doing nothing different, but getting free swag. Score!

To learn more about Swagbucks, and/or to start earning your own points towards free stuff, click here.

Now, now, I know what you want... INFO ON HOW TO WIN THE $5 STARBUCKS GIFT CERTIFICATE. Hold on to your Swagbucks, I'm getting there... (wink)

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Tell me: Whether you use Swagbucks, AND what your favorite drink is at Starbucks. That's it!
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you. If your email address is not in your blogger profile, or you are not a blogger, you MUST leave it in your comment.
  
• One comment per person.
  
• US entries only. I'm sorry, my international friends.
  
• Contest ends January 30th at midnight (PST).
• Winner will be drawn using Random.org.
  

After your done commenting, grab your favorite mocha, latte or hot chocolate, and (I hope) enjoy perusing all the yummy vegetarian recipes I have posted here, on my cooking blog. I love to cook, and love to share great recipes. If you're vegetarian, or have some picky eaters in the house, I have a lot of good food for you!

Special note: This post will stay at the top of the blog all week. New recipe posts on Tuesday and Friday, can be found as you scroll down. This week, I have some tasty treats lined up... Tuesday is Polenta Casserole, and Friday will be Baked Parmesan Dip (gearing up for the Super Bowl!).

Guten appetit, and enjoy the carnival!

Did you know...

...that January is:

* National Oatmeal Month
* National Slow Cooking Month
* National Soup Month
* National Wheat Bread Month

I'm going to look up an oatmeal cookie recipe, right now!

(I found this fantastic piece of miscellaneous information here)

Product of the Month: Crockpot

Do you use a crockpot?


I admit, I do not. I had my grandmothers hand-me-down for a while, but I never used it and Tim kept wondering why I kept it around. I believe I kept it in part for the sentimental value, but I also have dreams (yes, dreams) of using a crockpot one day... in the not too distant future... maybe. But the dreams are there!

I think it's just a fear of the unknown. I've never used a crockpot, so it's taking the first step. Making that first recipe. The idea of a slow-cooked recipe where the spices and flavors meld, and that you simply toss together in the morning and have a fully-done meal by evening... Quite impressive.

If you crockpot, do you have any favorite recipes? Maybe I'll make 2009 the 'year of the crockpot'. (Dont hold me to that, as it's very unlikely)

If you DO crockpot though, here is an interesting recipe site where the author committed to using her crockpot every day of the year in 2008. Now that's commitment.

I hope everyone has had a wonderful 2008, and is looking forward to an even greater 2009. We have many happy days and changes awaiting Tim and I this year, and I can't wait to experience them. With, or without, a crockpot.

Some recipes from A Year of CrockPotting:
- White Bean and Pesto Spread
- Sundried Tomato and Caper Pasta Sauce
- Moroccan Lentil Soup
- Indian Curry
- Sweet and Sour Tofu
- Brownies in a Mug
- Crockpot Chocolate Mousse

Guten appetit!

Cherry Topping (or pie filling)

For dessert, I would always choose a fruit option (pie, cobbler, etc) over cake (chocolate, cheesecake, etc). So, if I am going to have cheesecake (twist my arm. go ahead, twist it. oh, ok, I'll have a slice!), it most definitely will have a fruit topping. And if I'm baking said cheesecake, I'm going to whip up my own fruit topping, avoiding the overly gooey store bought kind.

Since Tammy had such a winning recipe for cheesecake, I wanted to try her cherry topping. Mine looked significantly different than hers (comparing pictures). Hers had more of the store bought look, with a thicker consistency and dark red color. Mine stayed light pink in color and fairly runny. I was using corn starch to thicken the sauce, and was worried about adding too much (see recipe notes below). Using jel would be easier, but cornstarch is more common to have in the house and was my preference to use.

No matter the color or consistency, the taste was delicious! Those who took a small amount of sauce to start, asked for more. And there's no mistaking, homemade is waaayyyyyy better than store bought.



Cherry Topping/Pie Filling
from Tammy's Recipes

3 cups pitted sour cherries
1 1/2 cups sugar
clear jel or cornstarch, for thickening (I used 2 teaspoons cornstarch, but will increase it to 3 next time)


Makes 3 cups.

Combine fruit and sugar in a pan and stir together. Bring to a boil.

Mix cornstarch or clear jel* with some cold water or reserved cherry juice (about 1/3 cup of each), whisking to remove lumps.

*Cornstarch thickens, and will continue to become thicker as your mixture cools. Do not make it as thick when hot as you would like it to be when it has cooled, or it will be too thick. Clear jel, however, is the same thickness hot as it is cold. We prefer clear jel for thickening pie filling, as it is easier to see the consistency, and the pies don't tend to run over in the oven as easily.

When cherries are boiling, add thickening while stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add enough thickening to make the consistency you desire. We like our pies fairly thick, but cheesecake topping thinner.

If you're making a pie: Pour into pie crusts (unbaked pastry). Bake pies at 425 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until browned.

Other fruit topping recipes for cheesecake:
- Blackberry Sauce, from Joy the Baker
- Blueberry Sauce, from Annie's Eats
- Mixed Berry Sauce, from Something Sweet
- Plum and Strawberry Sauce, from Wannabetvchef.blog

Guten appetit!

Goodbye Onion Tears!

I'm taking a break today from recipe posting, as we just returned from vacation and need to prepare for Thanksgiving! Yahoo.

Speaking of which, with Thanksgiving upon us, there are a lot of onions out there, ready to be chopped. I, for one, hate the sting of onion fumes. I tear up and look like a raccoon within seconds.

I was reading a post from another food blogger (And darn it, I can't remember where/who now! If you read this post too, please let me know, as I'd like to give credit and link back) about her remedy: have a candle lit very close to your cutting board, while chopping the onion. Supposedly, it burns away the sulphuric fumes of the onion. Interesting. Has anyone ever tried this?

My mom told me that by not cutting the root end, you can prevent tears. Never worked.

I got a little curious (ok, bored), and decided to look up a few other old wives tales for onion tear prevention. Here are a few of the ideas out there:

- Have running water next to your cutting board while chopping onions
- Before cutting, apply cooking oil to your knife
- Stick a toothpick in your mouth while you cut the onion (Seriously? Someone please try this!)
- Keep your mouth shut and don't talk (Remember to breath, please)
- Place onion in the freezer for an hour before cutting
- Wear contact lenses (Apparently, this is one of the few times people with good vision get screwed)
- Peel the onion first under cool running water
- Chew gum
- Hold a piece of bread in your mouth (The image alone made me laugh)

And drum roll... my favorite recommendation:

- Hold a match or incense stick in your mouth (red tip out) while you cut the onion and your eyes won't tear up at all. (Lit or unlit? Be sure to cut quickly!)

I'll be trying the gum chewing method, and perhaps the candle. Hey, can't hurt.

Previously posted, favorite recipes:
- Fried Rice with Tofu
- Chickpea and Corn Fritters with Chipotle Salsa
- Enchiladas

Guten appetit!

Seasonal Recipe Cooking

Currently, I am on vacation. I may be cooking, but we'll see if I have access to upload and blog while away!

In the meantime, I wanted to pass along a great website for Seasonal Cooking. In the US, we're somewhat spoiled with the availability of food. It's not so in other parts of the world.

And even if the food is available, the Slow Food movement and buying local is becoming ever more important... environmentally and economically.

You might already buy local and cook more seasonal recipes. If so, awesome! This may be another resource to add to your arsenal.

For those who want to edge their way into cooking more seasonally, Seasonal Recipes will be a handy resource for you. It's very easy to use, has reviewers ratings and feedback, and updates automatically by season.

So go check them out... you might find something to make for a fall family breakfast, or for the grand family Thanksgiving. They offer seasonal, as well as holiday, recipes.

SeasonalRecipes.com

Here are a couple recipes that looked good to me:
- Curried Squash Soup
- Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffing
- Pumpkin Waffles

Guten appetit!

Guests in Town, Menu Planned

We have guests in town for 10 days, although they may skip over to Prague for a couple days. I love it and am soooo excited!! Naturally they're here for Oktoberfest, but there's many other things to do and see and we'll be busy!

I plan to be out sightseeing and visiting with my friends, and not in the kitchen the whole time. 10 days makes for a lot of breakfasts, lunches and dinners. I expect we'll be out for many of the meals (especially lunch), but other times relaxing at home after touring all day and wanting a yummy dinner. So, in lieu of a recipe today, I'm giving you my guest menu with lots of yummy recipes previously posted.

I did as much prep work as I could and froze some foods to make life a bit easier. Do you have any great make-ahead guest recipes, or easy go-to recipes when entertaining house guests? Do share!

Here's what I pre-made/froze:
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Pasta Casserole
- Enchiladas
- Four Cheese Stuffed Shells

And here are some of the foods I'm making fresh:
- Pumpkin Muffins (recipe coming at the end of the month)
- Chickpeas with Spinach and Rice
- Garlicky Peppers with Shrimp

I also keep a handy supply of snacks around:
- Hummus
- Yogurt
- Fruit
- Bread and cheeses

Guten appetit!

Frushi!

I found this on The Little Window Shoppe's blog recently, and had to share... it looks so fun. Instead of sushi, it's frushi (fruit on sweet rice, served with yogurt).

Great and completely different dessert. I can see this being a fun hit for a casual, friend BBQ.

If you want the recipe and how-to, click here.

Stay tuned for an upcoming great recipe: summer asian noodle salad. A new favorite at our house.

Guten appetit!