Epic FAIL or Happy Accident?

I am embarrassed to admit that I had an epic FAIL in my kitchen.

I don't think this has ever happened to me before when it comes to a dessert.

((head hung in shame))

I'll spare you the details, but it came out a sticky, gooey, underdone mess.

I was ready to throw the whole pan away but decided to start slicing instead.

My son came in and asked for a taste.

I obliged.

"Mmmmmmm.....," he said.

He went on to say, "Well mom, even though you made a mistake, your mistake might very well taste better than if you had never made the mistake in the first place."

What a sweetheart.


My son went on to ask me if I planned on serving these to my friends.  He said I should.

So be warned friends.....

if you taste anything from my kitchen in the near future....

it may be an epic FAIL....

or a happy accident.

Chunky Garden Style Marinara Sauce

I used to always keep a bottle of jarred pasta sauce in the pantry as a "instant" dinner for my family in case of an emergency.  This sauce, frozen and defrosted, quickly became my "instant" go-to emergency dinner. 

In fact, recently I found myself out of my homemade and went for the jarred. Even the good quality organic jarred  pasta sauce left little to be desired compared to this delicious sauce.

Chunky Garden Style Marinara Sauce
((Printable Recipe))

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced (or more)
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 small to medium zucchini, diced
*any other vegetable you like can be added
1 small can tomato paste
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and crushed through your hands
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil (optional)
fresh flat leaf parsley (optional)

Directions:
1. In a large stock pot, put a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in the pot and turn on the heat.

2. When the oil is hot, sauté the onion with a pinch of salt for about 3 minutes.  Add the diced peppers and zucchini with another pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add as much garlic as you like and cook for about 30 seconds.  Add the basil and oregano and cook for 1 minute.

3. Add the tomato paste and cook, coating all the vegetables, for about 3-4 minutes.

4. Add the cans of diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and whole tomatoes (crushed with your hands.) Add about 1/2 a can of water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

When ready to serve, add some fresh minced basil and parsley (optional).

Serve over whole wheat pasta.

(I like this sauce best the next day.)

This will make about 3 jars pasta sauce (more or less depending on how many *vegetables you use.)

Bulgur Wheat with Roasted Red Peppers, Spinach, and Chickpeas

Bulgur Wheat with Roasted Red Peppers, Spinach, and Chickpeas:
((Printable Version))

1 cup bulgur wheat
2 red peppers, roasted and chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
about 3 cups cooked, drained chickpeas
3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil and add the bulgur.  Remove from heat and soak until tender, about 30 minutes.  Drain the bulgur, squeezing out the extra liquid.  Place in a large bowl.  Set aside.

2. Heat the oil and sauté the chickpeas for about 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes.  Add a small splash of water to deglaze the pan if needed.  Turn off the heat and add the spinach and roasted chopped peppers.  Add to the bowl with the bulgur wheat.  Toss and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Adapted from: Martha Stewart

Featured on Recipe Lion

Dishwashing Helping Hands

My 7 year old daughter decided to surprise me by hand washing all the dinner dishes that didn't fit into the dish washer.

There were a lot of them.

There was water everywhere.

I think 1/4 of my liquid soap was gone.

"Clean" meant that there were still bits of food left on everything.

She even decided to start putting the "clean" dishes away.

That's when I walked in and caught her.

This is the moment where I had the choice..... good mom or bad mom.

(Stop.)

(Think.)

(Don't react too quickly.)

I went with 'good mom'.

"Thank you for doing the dishes sweetheart.  That was a great surprise."

Now off to sort all the "clean" dishes from the clean dishes.

3.14159.... Chocolate Chess Pie

I gave into temptation.  I knew it was Pi Day.  But unlike National Chocolate Cake Day, I told myself I would not succumb to the temptation of needing to bake a pie like I did a chocolate cake. That worked fine until 2PM. A Chocolate Chess Pie came through my newsfeed on Facebook.

Chess Pie, what's that? I didn't know and I did not care. I saw a picture. I had the ingredients. That settled it. I got to work.

Chocolate Chess Pie
(Recipe source: Apartment Therapy)
((Printable Version))

Ingredients:

Chocolate Graham Crust-
10-11 sheets graham crackers  (I prefer the "original", not the honey.)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder


Filling-
1 stick unsalted butter
1 (1 ounce) square unsweetened chocolate (or 3 tablespoons cocoa)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt


Directions:
1. For the crust: Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground.  Add the sugar and cocoa powder.  Give it another pulse.  Add the butter and combine until mixed. Press into a pie plate with the back of a spoon.

2. Chill for 20 minutes.  Bake in a preheated 325 degree F. oven for 15-20 minutes.  Cool for 20 minutes.

3. For the filling: Melt the butter and chocolate together.  Pour into a bowl and whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt.  When the crust has cooled for 20 minutes, poor the filling into the crust and bake in a 325 degrees F. oven for about 40 minutes, until the top is set.

4. Top with whip cream or a dusting of powdered sugar.  (optional)

So, the verdict is.....

I still don't know what "chess" pie is or how it got it's name, but I don't care, it is to die for.

Linked to: Mangia Mondays, Sweets for a Saturday, Weekend Potluck

Conversations in the mini van.... Lady Gaga

"Mom, who's Lady Gaga?"

"A singer."

"Mom, do you listen to Lady Gaga?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I don't care for her style of music."

"Is she that singer that dresses inappropriately and sings about inappropriate things?"

"Yes.  How did you know that?"

"You told me."

"Oh.  I'm a wise mom."

"Is she inappropriate because she shows her belly button?"  "Does she wear her pants on her head?"  "Does she wear her underwear on her face?"

(The conversation quickly was spinning out of control.)

"Mom, do any of your friends listen to Lady Gaga?"

(Silence.)

(Don't worry friends, your secret is safe with me.)

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

In the mood for cinnamon rolls?

Don't have time or the patience for dough to rise and be rolled out?

I've got your solution.....

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes:
((Printable Version))

Mama J's Basic Buttermilk Pancakes:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
3-4 tablespoons melted butter, slightly cooled

Mix the dry ingredients together and stir with a whisk.  In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and butter together.  Add the wet to the dry and stir just until incorporated.  Do not over mix.

Cinnamon Filling:
1 stick unsalted butter, very, very, soft
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Mix all with a hand mixer and with a rubber spatula, scrape into a large pastry bag or a heavy freezer bag that has the end snipped off.  (About a 1/4 inch of the corner cut off.)

Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 oz. cream cheese (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons milk

Mix all and add enough milk until it is a pourable consistency.  You can pour this into another zip lock bag or just drizzle it over the pancakes with a spoon.

Now for these pancakes you're going to want to use a nonstick skillet or a very well seasoned cast iron skillet.  I'm not a fan of nonstick for the potential health risks (blog post for another day) but here it's really necessary or the brown sugar will stick and burn.

Pour the pancake batter into the skillet and spiral the cinnamon mixture onto the pancake.  Allow to cook until the pancake is almost completely set on one side.  Flip and cook for another minute.

After each batch of pancakes, wipe out the skillet with a dry paper towel and remove any extra brown sugar mixture.

Drizzle with powdered sugar icing.

(adapted and inspired by Big Red Kitchen)

Link Ups: Mangia Mondays, Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Gooseberry Patch, Alli n' Son