Savory Baked Limas

So as I was looking at the recipe tonite, I realized I used the wrong beans! I used baby soybeans instead of limas... AND I forgot the molasses!!! Opps.. Oh well... It was still good! ;)

This was pretty easy to make as well! Takes time, that's about it! ;)

I didn't soak the beans overnite, so I did a "quick" soak. I put the beans in a big pot and put enough water in to cover about 2 inches over the top. Bring it to a boil, steady, rolling boil for 3 minutes, turn off the heat and put the lid on and let it sit for 2 to 3 hours. Then you drain them and ready to use! :)



Beans and apples together in a pot

Add the chopped onion


then the brown sugar


dry mustard and Worcestershire sauce here (this is where I SHOULD'VE added the molasses!!! LOL)


All mixed up!


About 3 to 4 slices of ham cut in half


Put the ham in


Cover with the beans Cover and cook!!! :)





The finished product!! :) (yes that is a kids plate yet again!! LOL)


Savory Baked Limas

Wash and soak overnight:
1 pound baby lima beans
6 cups water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drain beans, reserve liquid from soaking beans plus water to make 2 cups
2 cups diced tart apples, peeling still on
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup molasses
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Stir well and score or slice up
1/4 pound bacon or ham
Bury bacon or ham deep in the center of beans. Cover and bake for about 5 hours. Stir once of twice and add water if needed.

*Ok, so we already know I used baby soybeans
AND I forgot the molasses, but it was still good! :)
Also, the recipe says dark brown sugar, I used light, the only kind I have. You could probably use the brown sugar Splenda version...?
Also, I forgot to soak the beans the nite before, so I did the quick soak, which I put the "recipe" up there.
Also, it says to use the bean water, I don't, I rinse my beans after I've soaked them. You could rinse them before soaking and after if you want. Usually my beans are in dirty water even after rinsing them before soaking, so I am safe and rinse them again after soaking... If you are still with me after all this, then good, if not, sorry! ;)
I used ham for this, but bacon would be just as good. The recipe calls for salt pork, but I went ahead with a few ham slices... I know, processed ham, shame on me... ;)
Let me know what you think if you try it!! :)
Enjoy!!! :D
(P.S. this recipe was taken from More-with-Less)

"Snack Lunch"

We did very easy for lunch today! My kids always love getting the lunchables, but we don't buy those anymore! For a few reasons:
1) Way to expensive
2) Not enough food in them for my kids, so I always have to find more to add to it...
3) Processed meat

Yep, trying to stay away from anything that is processed. Although we do have a bit of ham in our supper tonite, that is if it turns out! ;) The beans aren't getting soft, grr.... Will have to be patient and see what happens...

Now that I TOTALLY steered away from our lunch.... ;)

I've been making the kiddos "snack lunches" for a while now. I used to put in the processed meat with cracker, cheese, and then just add a whole bunch of other things. My kids are kinda pigs, they eat, a LOT... Is this normal? Most kids I know don't eat this much til they are teenagers!

Now I am not saying to not buy the processed meat for lunches, ya gotta do what you gotta do. But for me and my family, we are staying away from those things for now!

So, this is what their lunch was today, and let me tell you, it doesn't have to be just like this, it can be WHATEVER!!! Do you do this for your kids, and if so, what do you put in their "snack lunch"?

These are GREAT for kids who go to school for their lunch as well! They sell those individual containers that look like the lunchable containers! Or you could just put them all in baggies in their lunch bag! I am not sure if it is GLAD or ZIPLOC that sells those containers, but I do know I just saw them last week at Target!

Ok, back to their lunch today, man am I getting sidetracked right now!!! Can I blame it on a rough morning? ;) Or the fact that I need to keep going upstairs to tell me little princess that she needs to stay in bed for her nap.....?

My kiddos had 2 types of crackers, wheat and poppy seed.
I found a big box at BJ's that have 6 different types of crackers! YAH!!!!
Then I gave them a slice of 2 different cheeses, Monterrey jack and co-jack
1/4 of an Asian pear
1/4 of an apple (JAZZ, have you had those? YUMMO!!!!!!!! Nice and crisp, sweet and juicy!!!)
a few carrots, depending on whose plate it was, they got more or less...
a few dried pea pods (found those awesome yummy things at Mom's Organic! MUST get more!!)
a few turkey mini pepperonis (I know, how can you call them pepperoni if they are turkey? Hmm...)
I know what you are thinking, hmm, no more processed meats, um, isn't that what pepperoni is? Yeah I guess, so let me re-state that. We haven't had any processed meat in FOREVER, so I figured I could treat them to these fake pepperoni's. Right? Like I say, ya gotta do what ya gotta do! This is their "treat" for today! ;)


So there ya go! You can mix it up, do little or more... Like I said, depending on whose plate it was, they got more or less... I have one that is allergic to milk products, but she LOVES cheese, so I gave her skinny slices of cheese! For my oldest, she got more because she can pack it in!

Try them and let me know what you think! It's WAY cheaper and you get to be in charge of what they eat!!!


Their "snack lunch"


All of them outside enjoying it!!


Hmm, this is good mom!!!


She wanted to smile, but she was chewing... Notice both hands have something in it? ;)


She had to get low for her pic... This is my stubborn princess.... ;)


My stubborn princess' way to eat her cracker!


My oldest that eats like a teenagers way for her cracker! ;)


My oldest boy, does it like his older sissy!


My youngest trying to figure out why they call it mini turkey pepperoni? ;)


Deep in thought, wondering if he should eat it, or play with it! :D

P.S.
I find that my kids like to eat lots of little servings of different things! It keeps it different for them so they aren't eating the same thing everyday! So you could make these everyday, but mix it up differently every time! Keeps them happy!! :D When the kiddos are happy, so it momma!!! :D

Monterey Beans and Cheese

So for the next 2 weeks we are doing simple, and healthy here. (We are talking hardly any cheese and meat food items! More beans and I guess there are quite a few that has bacon in it...) Ok, so they may not all be super simple, because I do have some gluten free things planned.... ;)

I also planned out breakfast, lunch AND dinner! Typical when making out menus, breakfast and lunch were more of a "go - with - flow", but I decided I want them all planned out, that way I know I have enough bread for their pb and j and not making these extra trips to the store! I am not gonna lie, buying for 2 weeks kinda stinks! Now, I will have to go to get more milk, but I know for a fact that I am covered with the rest of the ingredients, minus milk and bananas! :)
Not gonna lie, planning all 3 meals, whew... But then again using this cookbook I found a few really good looking breakfast ones! Lunch will be pb and j and then leftovers, or more like cracker, cheese and fruit and veggies... Will see how it goes!! :D

My mom had gotten me an AWESOME cookbook and will be taking many recipes from that. It's called More-with-Less.

Tonite I went with a bean recipe again, go figure! Last nite I made tostado's, will put that recipe up once I get the green sauce figured out! :)

Anyways.... This was super easy to make! I just put the beans in a pot and let it come to a slow boil and boiled them for about 3 hours.



Place your bacon in the frying pan...

While bacon is frying, cut up your pepper and onion....


Bacon nice and crispy, yummy!!!


Place your pepper and onion in the bacon fat and saute... Make sure the heat isn't up too high or you will burn those puppies! You want them soft, but not brown.... ;)


While the onions and peppers are frying, cut up the tomato(s)


Ok, so mine got a little brown, but they were nice and soft and now burnt... ;)


Add all the other ingredients next! The beans, bacon, cheese, tomatoes, chili powder...


Stir it up til the cheese is melted


Place your rice on a plate (sorry for the kid-monkey plate... We used kids plates tonite for din-din!)


Place some of your Moneterey Bean and cheese on top...


Mix it all up and ENJOY!!!! Loved it! Such GREAT flavors!!!!


Monterey Beans and Cheese

Fry drain and break into pieces, 2 - 3 slices bacon
Set that aside and saute in bacon fat until tender:
1/2 medium onion
1/2 green pepper
Add:
bacon bits
2 cups cooked kidney beans
1/4-1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 ripe tomatoes, diced (or 3/4 cup tomato sauce)
1/4 cup beef broth or tomato juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
Cook slowly, stirring constantly, until ingredients are blended and cheese is smooth- about 5 minutes. Serve with rice.

*I didn't have any beef broth or tomato juice, so I just used water.
I also used 1 tomato instead of 2. My kiddos aren't too big on tomatoes, well, I take that back, 2 of them are fans, then other 2, not so much, so I was trying to please them all and just used 1! :)
I didn't add any salt or pepper.
I also used 3 slices of bacon, recipe calls for one, but we like bacon in this family!!! :)
You could use no cheese, or they have some milk free cheese that you could use instead!
Also, I used Jasmine rice, it is THE best rice out there! I won't every go back to bland, boring white rice! My friend got me HOOKED on this stuff!!!! Not as healthy as brown rice, but hey, baby steps right? ;)


Enjoy, let me know what you think! ;)

Grandmother's Russian Pancakes (Pflinzen)

Strawberry and Banana Filling


I just now see that my last post was pancakes as well, oh well.... This is more like a crepe. The kiddos LOVED these, especially the ones that I put cinnamon and sugar in! ;)

These are really easy to make, it does take a bit of time because you have to do one at a time... But totally worth it!

I made some that had cinnamon and sugar in it and then I got some strawberries out of the freezer that the kids and I had picked earlier this year, chopped those up and added a banana.

Please be careful rolling them up, they are hot! ;)


Mix flour, milk, eggs and salt together


All whisked up


Pour 1/4 cup batter in pan






Pick the pan up a bit and roll it around a bit so the batter is thin and close to the edges of the pan

Nice and golden brown on one side


Sorry this pic is pretty dark, but this one has the cinnamon and sugar all over it, yummy!!!


Roll it up (again sorry it's so dark)


What it looks like all rolled up!!!


Here it is with the strawberries and banana's on it!


The two kinds that I made rolled up


Cinnamon and sugar all cut up


Strawberry and banana ones all cut up



Grandmother's Russian Pancakes (Pflinzen)
Combine in a mixing bowl:
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Beat with a whisk, or blender, or hand held mixer

Heat 10 inch skillet and add a bit of oil to bottom of skillet.
Pour in about 1/4 cup of pancake batter, tilt pan so it goes all the way to the sides. Turn in a minute or two until underside is nice and brown, a nice light brown, not dark burnt brown! ;)
Remove when other side is done and looks like the top.
Repeat with remaining batter.
Finished pancakes should be thin and slightly crispy on the edges. Serve with honey, or cinnamon and sugar, or applesauce, or any other fruit you like.


*You can put the filling in them and roll up or have the person eating them put whatever they like in it, then they roll it up. For the kids, I made one cinnamon and sugar one, and then put strawberries and banana's in the other.
REALLY easy to make and the kiddos LOVED it!!! Try it and let me know what you think! :)
(I got this recipe from my More-with-Less cookbook that my mom got me! More to come from this AWESOME cookbook!!! :D)

Oatmeal Pancakes

(Whoa, 3 days/recipes in a row, I am on a roll!!! :))


Again, we had brinner!! Ya know, breakfast for dinner?!?! ;)

I found this recipe in my Amish cookbook that I just got a few weeks ago at the Amish Farmer's Market! I just added a few things to it! I put cinnamon and apples in one batch and then added cinnamon and chocolate chips in another, and then had some regular ones with a bit of cinnamon. The last time I made pancakes that had apples in them, my littlest man decided to pick out all the apples! :) Crazy, silly boy!! SOOOO, I made some regular ones for him! ;)

This is one is really easy to make! You could also omit the while flour and add wheat instead!

Pour the milk over the uncooked oats

I put the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and sugar in a bowl


Mix it all together



Beat the eggs and coconut oil in a separate cup, then added it to the milk and oats

Stirring it...

All mixed up, ready for the flour...


Now it's ready! You can either start cooking them, or start adding more yummy stuff to this!


Yummy, they smelled soooooo good!!!!!!!!!


Oh yummo!! Look at those pancakes! nice and brown and perfect!!! :oP


Here's the chocolate chip ones...


These were a bit more runny, I may not have had enough flour, or oats, I dunno...


But they were still REALLY good!!!!!!! :D


Here are all 3 of them! The plain with just a bit of cinnamon, cinnamon/apples, and then the cinnamon chocolate chips... Notice a pattern here? I am not fully ready for cooler weather or fall, but maybe if I start cooking with the yummy things from fall, I will be ready? ;)


My little one trying to stuff HALF of a pancake in his mouth


This one LOVED the chocolate chips one! It was a bit worse!


It looks like it's really hard to cut, but he was sooo into cutting his pancake, determined he was gonna do it by HIMSELF!!! ;)


Yummy mom, thank you! :)




Oatmeal Pancakes

2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups uncooked oats
1 cup flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup coconut oil (or olive oil, vegetable oil...)

Pour milk over the uncooked oats and let sit while you get the other ingredients together. In another bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and sugar. (I also added 2 teaspoons cinnamon too)
Beat the eggs and add the oil, mix then add that mixture to the milk and oats. Stir. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined. (if you want other things in your pancakes, add them now.)
Bake on lightly oil/greased griddle or electric skillet until golden brown on both sides.

*I added cinnamon to one batch, apples and cinnamon to another, then yet one more I added cinnamon and chocolate chips.
I put in about 2 teaspoons cinnamon, made about 4, then added 1 whole chopped, peeled Granny Smith apple to the batter. Cooked the rest. Then I made half a batch for the chocolate chip ones. I put in about 1 teaspoon cinnamon and added a couple handfuls of chocolate chips.
These are really good and super easy to make!
You could easily use whole wheat flour instead of the white flour...
Let me know what you think! :)

I was thinking you could even add some raisin and cinnamon... yummy....