"What lies behind us, and what lies before us are small matters
compared to what lies within us."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thursday, August 23, 2012

The Cooking Virgin

I am sorry I haven't been around lately. With school just starting for Elliot and trying to get organized (or at least, kind of organized), I feel like I haven't had a minute to write. (Elliot was just overjoyed to pose for a picture, but in my house, if you want a ride to school, you pose!)


Getting up early has been wearing me out too, especially when I am staying up late at night, partying wildly with these two little night owls!
They do look rather rough in the morning, don't they?!




I have also leaped into a new project. I have decided to use my kitchen for more than just storage. Shocking!!!!


I have spent an unprecedented amount of time perusing the spice rack in the grocery store, trying to figure things out. I feel like I am learning a new language. 

Did you know my Betty Crocker cookbook can be used for more than just a step stool! (My mom will be so proud! She bought this for me years ago.)


Of course, the girls were thrilled to be involved. Our first adventure was to make baking soda biscuits. Unfortunately, I didn't have any Crisco, so we used coconut oil. We didn't have a roller either, so we used cups. They worked just fine!


Don't you love the heart shape! They didn't really rise all that well, but they were edible.


Anastasia was in charge of preparing the food in this giant pot for our special Sunday dinner.......


popcorn!!!! (it's healthier than McDonalds!)



Then I got a little too adventurous and tried to make homemade macaroni and cheese. The whole white sauce thing didn't quite work out. Things were bumpy and a little bit grainy.


We were quite proud of these cookies! I somehow over-estimated and we ended up with 10 dozen cookies. If anyone wants to have some, come on over!




Little Catherine requested meatballs and even helped make them.







They were a hit with everyone!


We're going to work on manners and the benefits of using a knife next week.







Our last project this week was fudge. My favorite!


Getting fudge on your nose is a requirement.



Hope everyone has had a great week! I promise to write more! I have some things on my heart that I want to talk to everyone about soon! 




14 comments:

  1. Yay you're back! The meatballs turned out great. :)

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  2. You are such an inspiration! I got up this morning wanting to make a batch of brownies before the house got hot. Wanting to try a home made brownie mix I saw posted on FB I thought it would be easy-until I realized I didn't have all the ingredients! Now I realize why I always get the 99 cent pillsbury boxes!
    PS: I have a mac and cheese recipe that's fool proof (almost!) came from Ritz crackers folks. We use half and half rather than milk due to lactose intolerance issues in the family.

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  3. You sound just like me....the sweets turn out great and the rest of the food is at least edible! Meatballs are Oksana's favorite. Beef in any form makes that girl happy but when it is in a ball...well there just isn't anything better than that in her book!

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  4. So happy to see your post! I missed hearing from you. I would be over for those cute cookies in a heartbeat if I were closer! And your meatballs look really good!
    Look forward to hearing whats on your heart!

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  5. I disbelieve that a cooking virgin has coconut oil in their kitchen! Just about my favorite cooking oil -- heat stable, high smoke point, doesn't turn into transfats in the pan, gives a great sear on meat. The only thing I don't cook with it is eggs. :) Your meatballs look terrific!

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  6. I uses coconut oil for everything BUT cooking! Diaper rash, hair defrizz, dry skin/chapped lips.....

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  7. meatballs looked tasty! post the recipe!

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  8. LOL.... Love Elliott's picture. :)
    The girls look like they had a great time whipping up all those recipes! :)

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  9. Oh my gosh I'm so hungry now!!! And you have the cutest little kitchen helpers!

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  10. It all looks so delish! Love the heart-shaped baking soda biscuits!

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  11. I think it's *very* important I share my homemade mac&cheese recipe here. And it's super easy! Boil your noodles, just a few minutes shy of being done. Rinse in some cold water. Heat up a can of Campbell's cheddar cheese soup and a can of milk. Find some cheese in the house. I have used everything from cheddar to Mexican mix, ricotta, cottage, parmesean, gruyere, I've even thrown in an egg, if I want it more like a souffle. My favorite is sharp cheddar, gruyere, and a sprinkle of parm. Oh, sometimes I add in chopped up hotdogs/kielbasa, I've hidden grated carrot in there, as well. Spray down a baking dish with some Pam (or rub coconut oil in it?), then layer in the noodles and cheese. You should see the cheese soup/milk mixture peeking up from underneath. If not, add some more milk to make it wetter. Otherwise it will turn out too dry. Put on one more layer of cheese and sprinkle on some breadcrumbs (Panko or Progresso Italian breadcrumbs are my fave). Bake at 350 until it's bubbly, 400 if you're in a hurry. If it's looking too brown towards the end, cover it in oiled-up foil. It's always a hit!

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  12. www.heavenlyhomemaker.com
    Christian SAHM blogger about cooking whole foods/preserving food/gardening.

    Her humor reminds me of yours :)

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  13. Your girls are beautiful. I still cannot get over how much v & F have changed since they have been home. :)

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  14. Very impressed with all of your culinary skills! Those cookies look amazing!!!

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