Rainbow Jello

If you have 6 hours to spare, this is so pretty and strangely so fun to watch take shape.

6 - 3 oz boxes of jello, rainbow colors/flavors

1-16 oz sour cream

Mix 1 box at a time with 1 cup boiling water

Pour half cup of the liquid jello into an 8x10 pan and put into the fridge for 30 minutes

While that sets up, mix the remaining half cup of liquid jello with 1/3 cup sour cream.

Pour on set layer of jello.

Repeat a million times until you get 12 layers of ROYGBIV

Top with homemade whipping cream

 

Hulk Muffins

I think this recipe is originally from Mels.

In a bowl mix dry ingredients:
2 1/2 cups wheat flour (or I do 2 cups white flour, 1/2 cup of flax/chia super seed blend)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

In blender, blend wet ingredients:
1 egg
3/4 cup honey or syrup
3/4 cup buttermilk (or milk or greek yogurt)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
heaping cup or two of spinach
2 ripe bananas

Mix together. Put in muffin tins.
350 15-18 minutes.

My Favorite Play Doh

I got this recipe from my SIL. I really like it. It was freezing today so it kept the girls entertained for quite a while while they were cooped up indoors. For this picture I made two half batches because they really wanted two different colors.

2.5 cups flour (plus more)
1/2 cup salt
1 T Alum
1.75 cups boiling water
2 T. Oil
Food coloring


Mix flour and salt in a medium measuring bowl.

Boil water in microwave in a glass measuring cup. Add alum, oil, and color and mix.

Add the water mixture to the flour and salt. Stir with spatula until slightly cool.

Knead well, adding flour until it stops sticking to your hands.

Store in an airtight container. Sometimes I keep it in the fridge. If I'm feeling fancy, I add almond extract or something nice smelling to the dough as I mix it.

Pizza Rolls

I make these frequently.  I don't make my own dough, I just buy it from Trader Joe's (they have good pizza dough).  I make a double batch and freeze half.

Homemade Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

YIELD: MAKES 24-28 PIZZA ROLLS

I've made these pizza rolls (and our favorite pizza dough) with all types of flour. Bread flour, all-purpose unbleached flour, and white whole wheat flour. My favorite combo is probably half bread flour, half white whole wheat flour; the dough is extremely versatile!

INGREDIENTS

Pizza Dough:
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups flour (see note above)
Filling:
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups pizza sauce (homemade recipe here)
• 8 ounces (about 2 cups) freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
• 5 ounces pepperoni, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup (about 1 ounce) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet (about 12X18-inches) with parchment paper.
2. For the dough, in an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (you can also do this by hand in a large bowl with a spoon), stir together the water, honey, olive oil, yeast, salt and 1 cup of the flour. With the mixer on low speed, continue adding the flour until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and forms a soft, smooth ball. Knead for 3-4 minutes (add a few minutes if using whole wheat flour). Let the dough rest, covered, in the bowl for 10-15 minutes.
3. Separate the dough into two pieces. On a lightly greased countertop, press one portion of dough into a thin rectangle, about 14X10-inches.
4. Spread 1/2 to 3/4 cup pizza sauce evenly across the top. Sprinkle evenly with half the mozzarella cheese and then half the pepperoni. Starting with on long side, roll up cinnamon-roll style, pinching the seam together to seal.
5. Place the cornmeal in a bowl or shallow dish. Cut the dough into 1-inch sections. One by one, press the bottom of each pizza roll into the cornmeal and then place on the prepared baking sheet about an inch apart.
6. Repeat with the remaining half of dough.
7. Once all the pizza rolls are placed on the baking sheet, sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.
8. Warm the extra pizza sauce, and serve the pizza rolls immediately out of the oven with the pizza sauce for dipping.

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Skillet Creamy Mac and Cheese

From Mel. Rob loves this stuff because it's more flavorful than my old recipe--I used to just make a white sauce and add cheese, this is much better. It's super quick. If I have 15 minutes, I'll make this over Kraft any day. I make it in my lodge cast iron skillet.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 1/2 cups water, plus extra if needed
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 12 ounces (about 3 cups) elbow macaroni (I weigh it, 12 oz is  usually less than 3 cups. I like it creamier anyway)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (I've never added this, but I should...)
• 6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups) (when i weigh it, it's closer to 2 cups shredded)
• 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups) (when i weigh it, it's closer to 2 cups shredded)
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small chunks 
• Ground black pepper to taste

1. Bring 3 1/2 cups water, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, the macaroni, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the macaroni is tender and the liquid has thickened, 9 to 12 minutes. (I go less, we like it al dente)
2. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk, the cornstarch, mustard and hot sauce together in a small bowl, then stir into the skillet. Continue to simmer slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
3. Off the heat, stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack, one handful at a time, adding water as needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce (I didn’t need any additional water when I made it). Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Wing Night

buy the big bag of popcorn chicken from Costco.

Sauce 1: Sweet and Spicy
1/3 cup Franks Hot Sauce
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 T water
heat on the stove until saucy

Sauce 2: Garlic Parmesean
1 cube of butter
sauté 1ish clove of minced garlic (or garlic powder)
add 1/2 cup of parmesean
heat on the stove until saucy

Sauce 3: Ranch Dressing

serve with carrot and celery sticks

when dad's away...

...i make this kind of dinner a lot; or for lunch sometimes even when he is home. chop up whatever is around, put the platter in the middle of the table, serve it with dips, and everyone digs in. the kids stick mostly to the cheese and fruit, but will try a little of the veggies -- especially as a carrier for the dips.

Peanut butter with celery or apples. Poppyseed dressing with cucs. Hummus (or ranch) with celery or cucs. Cheese with the apples. Mix and match as you choose. Easy and healthy.

if I buy veggies at costco in bulk, we eat lots more than normal so they don't go bad and go to waste. 

but bananas from costco make me so mad. they are the fruit that is always good ... except from costco. blech.

Watermelon

I'm sure you've seen this on Pinterest, but it's kinda changed my life where watermelon is concerned. 

Cut it into cubes. Not triangles. Why does this matter? I don't know but suddenly everyone in the house is eating watermelon. It's less messy, more fun, and there's somehow less waste. 

I've also found the little watermelons work best for my family. Big ones usually result in 40% waste. We get sick of it and then it gets weird hanging around on the counter or in the fridge. 

So: baby watermelons, cut into cubes. 

Jim's Homemade Chicken Nuggets

3-4 chicken breasts

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup parmesean cheese

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

A few tsp of melted butter 

Cut your chicken into nugget size. 

Dip in melted butter, then dip in bread crumb mixture. 

Heat oven 400 degrees. Cook nuggets for at least 20 minutes until nuggets are crispy and browned.