Belgian Waffles Made by Dutch Lady

This morning we had a mini-crisis on our way to our regularly scheduled breakfast show.  While I was making waffles, I realized I had nothing that resembled cow's milk.  I often keep powdered milk or evaporated milk on hand for just such an emergency, but even those items had been used.  I got the idea of using coconut milk, which I normally only use when making curries.  The result? Fabulous waffles.  So fabulous, in fact, I just had to share the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 Cup brown sugar
• 1/4 Cup regular sugar
• 3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 1/2 Cups coconut milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 pkg vanilla sugar

Sliced fresh strawberries or bananas

Dipping Chocolate - melted in a double boiler.  PEOPLE: Splurge on a good quality bitter sweet chocolate.  Chocolate chips don't melt properly and end up grainy!!  16 oz quality chocolate and 2 Tbsp butter.  Melt these constantly stirring in a double boiler and keep warm for dipping.    

To start, separate the eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl, the whites in the other.  Combine the whites with the vanilla sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.  (Solid white).

In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder, and mix well with a whisk.  Beat the egg yolks, sugar, butter, oil, and coconut milk.  Next add the flour all the while mixing.  At the very end, add the egg whites by folding them in with a spatula, not with the mixer.

Heat up your waffle iron.  Place an adequate amount of batter in each of the spaces and cook until golden brown according to your appliance's directions.

When all the waffles are cooked, dip each in the melted dipping chocolate and place on waxed paper.  Some folks like to insert a popsicle stick prior to dipping.

If you really want to go all out, top with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Jarah's Pasta Salad

Good Morning everyone. This morning while at the grocery story, my son was drooling over the penne pasta salad.  I don't particularly like preservatives and additives, so I promised we would make it at home.  Here is our super duper secret recipe.

What a terrific way to connect with your children: cooking together, allowing them to mix, measure and talking about life in general. So much better than brain rot (AKA - video games!)

Jarah as was my sous-chef this morning.  Here is what we made:

Whole Wheat Penne Pasta Salad

2 Cups cooked penne pasta

1 Cup fresh baby spinach coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic through the press

1/4 C fresh flat leaf parsley finely chopped
1/2 C fresh mozzarella balls, cut into 1/4s.
1 plum tomato - ripe, deseeded and chopped 
2 Tbsp roasted pepper finely chopped

Dressing:
1 1/2 tsp dried minced onion
1 teaspoon Herbes Provencal
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon taragon
salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2 Tbsp Champagne vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp brown sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Sautee spinach and garlic in a sautee pan with a little olive oil until wilted. Make the dressing.  Mix in the spinach/garlic mixture.  Next add the pasta, tomato, peppers and cheese.  Mix well.  Place in fridge for a minimum of 2 hours to allow flavors to develop.  

Enjoy!

The Three Musketeers.  From L to R: Jarah, Collin and Mustafa

Excavating a More Accurate Picture of Yourself

My insecurities stem mainly from being afraid of being humiliated or being afraid of not belonging. These issues go back to very early childhood where I never fit in and because I was different I was often humiliated and bullied by those in authority when I asked for help. When you repeat this pattern from nearly 40 years, you start to believe that you are unworthy of belonging and unworthy of love and acceptance. As a result you allow other people to define who you are, you accept their image of you and you throw your own idea of who you are out the window.

When you finally come out of this coma, you are so lost because for so long people around you have been telling you you are nothing but dirt and to find the middle of the road where you are confident instead of arrogant is difficult because you already have a skewed view that confidence is always arrogance or cockiness. It takes time to come out of this emotional abuse. It takes nurturing of a wounded soul. It takes, at times experiencing extremes so you can appreciate the middle. But most of all it takes excavating who you really are and what you really like because for so long you have been overpowered by abusive people you don't even know whether you like something because it is something that they've always liked or whether you like something because you genuinely like it.

Sometimes, for a brief period of time, people get you in their grips and confuse you. Perhaps their remarks make you doubt your reality.  This might be because you are so susceptible to criticism and taking other people's word as gospel.  You are, in short, afraid of being wrong, and afraid that your newly found self is not really real. The more you practice doing things outside your comfort zone, the more you learn how to feel that authentic self the more you learn to rely on your own instincts, the easier it gets to shrug off other people's opinions and go about your business. I think catching yourself when you say things can't be done, and calling your self names like stupid, dumb, ugly, crazy, lazy, fat is a huge huge step in excavating who you are deep down inside.

Asking people you trust to be balanced and truthful  individuals how they view you may give you some insight on who you really are.  But you have to be open to receiving it as well. It is because of the dissonance between who you truly are and who you have been told you are and who you believe you are. It takes some sensitivity to understand how relentless abuse can affect someone and their personality.  To accept it with out judgment.

For example, my mother is terrified of driving anywhere outside her town and is scared to take a different route to someone's house because of it as well. To someone like me, who has lived in some of the nation's largest cities, this is something that I can't understand.  However, it is her reality, and I have to accept that her feelings are valid and that she may never be able to break out of this fear which in MY view is just ridiculous. Trying to understand that this fear is real to her is really difficult, but there has to be a reason that she can't do it.

While it is possible to change one's attitude and believes at age 65 it is not likely. What is important is to accept people where the are in their journey and to accept that their fears are real to them.  I know for myself that when I feel as if someone is about to lower the boom on me - specifically the significant males in my history - I shut down and I will never raise that subject again. It takes a great amount of sensitivity to understand where someone is coming from and that is  not always easy to do.

It is possible however, that the other party has some strength or talent that is blatantly obvious to others, yet does not ever occur to them as being special. This is why I think compliments are so important. But for the the giver and for the receiver. Because if you hear something once you don't really think it is true.  But if a person hears over and over that they are loved, accepted, they have a wonderful talent for something, it starts to neutralize the poison of the past.

The goes for positive messages.  The more you hear positive, kind and encouraging words, the more you start to believe them.  So, when you speak to yourself, make sure you are telling the jack ass that is hounding you with unkind words to zip his lips and let the person who accepts you for who you are receive you with open arms.

Ranch Dressing

Peppy and String Bean's Ranch Dressing

This morning, joining me in the laboratory that is also my kitchen, my little sous chef, String Bean and I made Ranch dressing.  It is so simple, I wonder why the heck we don't make more stuff from scratch?!?

Here is the recipe:

1 C Mayonaise (reduced fat works just fine)|
1/3 C Low Fat Yogurt
1/2 teaspoon each - dried parsley, dill, and chives
1/4 teaspoon each - onion and garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk briskly until well blended. Place in a covered container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop. (Overnight is best)

So when asked how did it taste?

String Bean: "Tasted delicious!"
Li'l Bear: "Taste just like real ranch dressing"

So there you go - mother recommended, kids approved!

Enjoy with your favorite fresh veggies.  String Bean's is celery and Li'l Bear's are cucumbers.  For me, there is no other than tomatoes!

Oven Barbecued Brisket

For the Sauce:
1 C tomato ketchup
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 cloves of garlic through the press
1 T prepared mustard
2 tsp liquid smoke (I prefer mesquite, but they also have hickory)
1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cumin
1 T olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
pinch of thyme
pinch of marjoram
pinch of oregano

• Preheat oven to 300 F (remember the secret to good brisket is low and slow.) 
• Rinse brisket under cold water and pat dry w/ paper towel.  
• Season generously with salt and pepper. 
• Sear on all sides in frying pan with a bit of oil to seal in the juices.  
• Place in casserole dish with fat side up. 
• Do not trim all the fat off, as this is a necessary ingredient to making good brisket.

Top with:

1/2 onion - thinly sliced red onion in rings

Combine ingredients for the sauce and whisk to blend.  Pour over the brisket.

• Seal the brisket with tin foil so that no steam can escape
• Place in oven and cook for about 3 hours.  
• Remove foil.  

2 cups small red potatoes, cut into quarters
1 cup baby carrots

• Add potatoes and carrots and continue to cook for an additional 1 1/2 hours until veggies are tender.  
• Check periodically to ensure there is enough liquid left in the pan, adding a little beef broth to the pan if necessary.

Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes before slicing.

Chicken and Leek Casserole

2 good size leek - sliced
1 large onion diced
4 cloves of garlic minced
1 can of chicken (or about 2 cups of cooked chicken, shredded)
1 Tbsp fresh parsley (1 tsp dry)
1 sprig of thyme (1/2 tsp dry)
1 sprig of marjoram (1/2 tsp dry)
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp curry
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp seasoning salt such as Adobe with cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
pepper from the mill to taste
1 C shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 C mayonaise or Miracle whip
2 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream (or milk - which I didn't have on hand)
8 oz wide egg noodles boiled and drained.
1 1/2 cups of crushed potato chips.
Olive Oil

Grease a casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C)

Heat skillet on stove adding enough olive oil to sautee onion, leek and garlic.  Simmer onions and leek until very tender, adding garlic at the very end. Add herbs.  Add mayo, cream cheese and cream, stirring all the while.  Add cheese.  Your sauce should be the consistency of clam chowder. Taste to see if any additional salt is needed.

Mix sauce with noodles and pour into casserole dish.  Top with crushed potato chips.  Bake at 350F/175 C for 25-30 minutes until bubbly.

This is what happens when you are forced to get creative with stuff you have on hand. :-)

Peppy's Pot Roast Recipe

Nothing is as delicious as a pot roast made in a slow cooker.  It is a bit of agony if you will be home while this cooks as the whole house will smell like a restaurant.  But the results are well worth it.  Any left overs can be reheated, or sliced and put on a sandwich!  Yum!!

To start, you will need one of these:

This is typically what a chuck roast will look like. Look for a piece that is well marbled, but with excess fat removed.

A slow cooker and about 8 hours to make an absolutely delicious roast.

The good news: Chuck Roast is pretty inexpensive to buy.  The bad news: it is very fatty.  The good news: it give the meat excellent flavor.

Ingredients:
1 chuck roast 2-3 pounds.
1 pkg of lipton onion soup mix
1 can of tomato paste
freshly ground pepper
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp rosemary
1-2 bay leaf
2 stalks of celery cut lenght wise (for flavoring); 2 stalks of celery cut in 1 inch pieces added in the last 1 1/2 of cooking
1 carrot, cut lenght wise (for flavoring); 2-3 carrots cut in bite sized pieces, added in the last 1 1/2 hr of cooking
3-4 red potatoes cut in bit sized pieces - added in the last 1 1/2 hrs of cooking.
3 cloves garlic cut in 4ths
1 large red or vidalia onion cut into quarters - 1 onion diced to add at the 1 1/2 hour mark
1 cup red wine
1 cup water

Turn the slow cooker on low.  Add liquid ingredients to the pot, mixing in the tomato paste and soup mix until smooth and uniform.  Add spices. Gently place the meat in the cooker and add the vegetables. (You will be removing these later on and replacing them with fresh ones so that they're not mooshy). Place the lid on your cooker and walk away.  Let the cooker do its thing.  Try to avoid lifting the lid unless a bit more liquid is needed.  Cook for about 6 1/2 hours. At the 6 1/2 hr mark, remove the vegetables you put in and replace them with fresh ones.  Cook for an additional 1 1/2 hours. Taste test to see if additional salt is needed.  This is delicious the next day when put on some crusty bread as a sandwich!

Pot Roast Sandwich with Steak Fries