Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Interesting links for the week







I've spent a lot of time the last few weeks researching home school curriculum and options. It seems like such a big decision with so many options. And, then, of course, reality hits, and I realize that this sweet little boy is only 5 years old, we have many years ahead of us, and if something isn't working, we can always change. Doesn't stop me from obsessing, but it does keep it in perspective.

As does my Dennis the Menace son. Yesterday morning, he pulled up freshly planted flowers in the backyard. Cause "Mac like it". Well, of course, he does. ~anyway~

Luckily for me, when I get tired of obsessing over curriculum or sticking to a two year old like white on rice, well, then I get to browse around the internets and find cool stuff. Like this.

My friend Dawn over at Dishing with Dawndi had a great post this week about bloggers she enjoys reading. (I love reading what Dawn has to say, too!) Head over there and check out what she is thinking about.




Emily at Chatting at the sky always speaks to my soul. I love what she has to say about when you feel behind and the expectations we put on ourselves.



My friend Chas at Heritage Acre Homestead posted this recipe that looks so good. And, amazingly, crescent rolls in a can are dairy free. I think these will be okay without the cheese. If they turn out, they just might solve my never-ending, I don't know what to serve a picky, no eggs, little boy in the morning, problem.





And, finally, Lynn at Lynn's Kitchen Adventures links to lots and lots of staycation ideas. Perfect for a long hot summer.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Potato kale enchiladas

I love enchiladas. So good! I especially like plain cheese enchiladas from our local Mexican place. The sauce is sooo good, the cheese melty, and they always hit the spot. But...with no dairy, it makes it a little harder to eat enchiladas! So, I remembered an old recipe from Veganomicon that I made once for a vegan relative. They were tasty, but a lot of trouble. The filling was what was great about them, though. Hearty and filling, even without the cheese. And, as kale season draws to a close, a perfect choice.



I topped these with an equally old recipe from Cooking Light, for tomato almond mole. It's a really great sauce that goes together quickly (win!).

And, my potato kale enchiladas were born. I was lazy and just layered these, casserole style. My homemade enchiladas always end up a big, tasty, mushy mess, so sometimes, I just go with it instead of doing the work of rolling them. But, rolling works, too. Whatever you have the patience for.





Potato Kale Enchiladas
adapted from Veganomicon
1 pound waxy potatoes
1 bunch kale washed, trimmed and chopped finely
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup toasted pepitas
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 – 14 corn tortillas
Enchilada Sauce (recipe follows)

Prepare the filling: Peel and dice the potatoes, then boil them until tender. Drain and set aside. Cook the oil and minced garlic over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally until the garlic is slightly browned. Add the kale, sprinke with salt and raise the heat to medium stirring constantly to cover the kale with oil and garlic.

Partially cover the pot to steam the kale until it has wilted – 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid and mix in the potatoes, vegetable stock, lime juice, pumpkin seeds and salt. Use the back of a wooden spoon to mash some of the potatoes. Cook for another 3 – 4 minutes.

To assemble, place a ladle full of sauce on bottom of 9x13 pan. Add a layer of torn corn tortillas, followed by a layer of potato kale filling. Top with another layer of corn tortillas, and top entire casserole with the enchilada sauce.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Garnish with cilantro and white onion rings.

Enchilada Sauce
adapted from Cooking Light, October 2002
1/2 c roasted almonds
1/2 tsp vegetable oil
2 dried Anaheim chiles -- stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 c chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1 chipotle chile canned in adobo -- chopped
1 1/2 c fire roasted crushed tomatoes -- such as Muir Glen
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cloves
2 6-inch corn tortillas -- torn into pieces
14 1/2 oz chicken or vegetable broth (I used better than bouillon chicken)
1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Place almonds in food processor and process until smooth (about 2 1/2 minutes) scraping side of bowl once. Set aside.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high. Add Anaheim chiles; saute 1 minute or until softened. Add onion and garlic and saute 4 minutes or until onion is lightly browned.

Add chipotle, tomatoes, sugar, spices, tortilla pieces, and broth to the pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Spoon the mixture into a food processor and process until smooth. Return mixture to pan; stir in almond butter and vinegar; cook 1 minute.

I'm linked to the summer link party at Rhoda's, as well as Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam today.



Beauty and Bedlam

Monday, May 23, 2011

Menu Plan Monday



This has been a Monday already! Luckily for me, the Tomato King has a four day weekend coming up, which means an extra set of hands, and (probably more importantly) an extra brain to stay one step ahead of three very curious little boys. Yay for holidays!

Friday--brunswick stew, bread
Saturday--hot dogs (lunch), burritos with chipotle pork, sweet potatoes, collards (supper)
Sunday--tacos with chorizo, potatoes, and eggs (lunch), taco salad (supper)
Monday--curried chickpeas, rice, Indian style eggplant
Tuesday--chicken and rice, salad, chard
Wednesday--fend for yourself! Mama has a shellfish cooking class.
Thursday--burritos with skirt steak, pintos, Mexican rice, and tomatillo chipotle salsa

As always, I'm linked to Orgjunkie's MealPlanMonday. Check it out for lots and lots of meal planning ideas.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Strawberry picking

We went strawberry picking for the second time this year last week. Will has never been fond of strawberries, but well, there aren't many foods that don't come in boxes and bags that get him excited. We carry on anyway. The other two boys LOVE strawberries. We picked two days ago, and I have less than a cup of berries left out of a gallon. No fancy desserts, no jam, nothing but straight strawberry snacking. I am amazed by how much food our family can put away! It's crazy and fun and a little bit awe-inspiring, too.














I forgot my camera for this trip (thank you for the pictures, Mom!), so I wasn't behind the lens. Which means that there is actual proof that I was along for the fun.