Waffle Iron Hash Browns

All I can say to this is,"yes please".

What a great way to use the waffle iron I had to have when I was pregnant with our daughter!

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/10/waffle-iron-hash-browns-potato-recipe.html

How to Peel, Cut, Core and Dice from The Kitchn

Here are some great tips from The Kitchn website. There are a couple that I definitely did not know!

How to Peel, Cut, Core and Dice

Gluten Free Banana Bread or Muffins

I have learned over the years that trying to make a healthier version of our favorite treats does not usually work. There is a reason dessert is called dessert. It is a treat to be eaten occasionally and should taste delicious (otherwise, why bother eating it?). As I avoid eating foods containing gluten, I have stopped making a lot of our favorite desserts. As I don't have a sweet tooth (too often) I don't feel the need to "paleofy" desserts either.

My daughter keeps asking for banana bread however. I will also admit that I have been missing it. So, I decided to make it using Namaste Foods Gluten Free Perfect Flour Blend. This flour is gluten free, and also free of other common allergens such as dairy, nuts and peanuts. A friend recommended this flour to me as an acceptable replacement for wheat flour. I have used it in a few other baked goods and found it to be pretty good. I will admit it does have a different mouth feel as you are eating it, but I am the only one that seems to notice that in our family. When you bake with it you replace traditional flour cup for cup, which is nice. Things baked with it also bake up and brown nicely. 

The recipe I used to use for banana bread comes from the red and white checked Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. I have modified it slightly. By all means, if you are not following a gluten free lifestyle and are now craving banana bread, make it with real flour. Though I do not care to bake usually, I do love this recipe! 

Banana Bread (or muffins or cake)

Makes (1) 9x5x3 loaf, or (12) regular sized muffins, or (24) mini-muffins

Ingredients:

2 Cups gluten free flour 

1-1/2 Teaspoons baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon baking soda

1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Beaten eggs

5 Medium mashed bananas (I love to freeze bananas in their peels when they are over ripe, then defrost them in a bowl and use the banana and liquid in banana bread, it tastes sweeter)

1 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup melted butter or ghee (equals one stick)

1/4 Teaspoon salt

Optional: 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or mini chocolate chips

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease chosen pans.

-Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

-In a separate bowl mix eggs, bananas, sugar, melted butter and vanilla.

-Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

-Mix until moistened, it will still be a bit lumpy.

-Fold in optional nuts and/or chocolate chips.

-Pour into pan(s).

-Bake until a toothpick or metal cake tester (seen below on plate by mini-muffins) comes out clean. Banana bread will take about 55-60 minutes, regular muffins about 30 minutes, mini-muffins about 20 minutes. I always like to check about 5 minutes before the suggested time as different ovens vary in true temperature. 

-Cool in the pan(s) for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove and cool completely on rack. 

-The original recipe suggests wrapping and storing overnight before eating. In our house that does not happen, however, I do suggest doubling the recipe and freezing some of the bread or muffins. They defrost nicely and are great to have around when you need to bring something to a get-together. 

One recipe also equals (1) pumpkin shaped cake, (15) mini-muffins and one happy daughter!

14 Absolutely Free Ways to Improve Your Cooking from The Kitchn Website

Here are some great tips from The Kitchn website (yes, I spelled that correctly). As a family on a budget (as most families are) these are good ideas to get the most out of your cooking experience.

14 Absolutely Free Ways to Improve Your Cooking 

Disaster Aster

Disaster Aster- this is what an old acquaintance of ours used to call the lovely purple Asters in the fall. Anyone who has them in their yard knows how they can get very tall and spread (hence the nickname). What many people probably don't know is that they are a very important pollinator in the fall. It is one of the few plants that flower at this time of the year. 

Below is a link to a nice article about this beautiful plant:

Great Design Plant: Symphyotrichum Novae-Angliae Ushers in Fall

Here are a couple of photos from my garden this fall:

Zinnias and Russian Sage provide a lovely spot for the pollinators in the fall.

Marigolds attract the pollinators to other plants. I have these planted in my vegetable garden and near my Zinnias.

I love seeing all the happy bees and butterflies in my garden all season long! 

How to Shop for High Quality Whole Foods

Below is a link to a great article written by the founders of the Whole9. Even if you do not follow a paleo lifestyle, it is a great resource on how to shop for high quality whole foods on a budget. 

How to Shop for High Quality Whole Foods

Bacon and Kale, Kale and Bacon (and Eggs)

Most people are either kale haters or lovers. I lean towards really liking it, but admittedly more for the health factor. This recipe tastes delicious if you have some bacon fat to cook the kale in, but your cooking fat of choice would also work. I call it bacon and kale, kale and bacon because I start with bacon fat to cook the onions and greens in, then add chopped up bacon after the greens have cooked down. I highly suggest the optional sprinkle of garlic salt and red pepper flakes! I like to make this for myself so that I have leftovers the next morning (it is great to make the day before a crazy day when you won't have time to make breakfast). It does serve 2 if you have another kale lover in your family!

Ingredients:

1 Small onion, chopped

1 Bunch kale, ribs removed and chopped

3-4 cooked bacon slices, chopped

4 Large eggs

2 Tablespoons cooking fat of choice(bacon fat is the tastiest!)

1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

Optional: garlic salt and pepper flakes

Directions:

Note: if you would prefer, you could cook the bacon right before making this dish, and use the bacon fat that is left in the pan. I always make a full package of bacon in the oven and save the grease and portion out the bacon for a few meals, like this one.

-Melt 1 tablespoon cooking fat over medium heat, then add onions.

-Cook onions for 5 minutes or until softened.

-Start adding the kale in bunches. Add some in, mix it around so that it gets coated in the fat and onions, keep adding more kale after each batch has cooked down. As you are cooking the kale down, this is the time to add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and optional garlic salt and red pepper flakes. 

-This process will take about 10 minutes.

- Cook for another 5-10 minutes (depending on how you like your kale cooked, I like mine to start browning), then push to one side and add chopped bacon to the pan.

-Once the cooked bacon has crisped up to your liking, mix it all together. 

-Push the kale mixture to the edges of the pan and melt the last tablespoon of cooking fat in the center.

-Crack the 4 eggs into the center. Cook the eggs to your liking. I like mine over hard, so I flip them and cook them until the yolks are no longer runny.

Freshly cracked eggs.

Eggs cooked over hard, just the way I like them!