Walter really likes to eat hummus, which we can purchase at the grocery store for $7 for four cups. Or we can make it for probably less than a dollar's worth of ingredients. We've discovered you can purchase split chick peas at the grocery store, and they cook up faster than the whole ones, and probably blend to a smoother paste as well. Like it do with nearly everything, I cook the chickpeas in my rice cooker.
My rice cooker has also been giving me grief. It tends to pop to warm before the water even boils, however I've discovered I can put the tip of a plastic spoon in to prevent it from popping, which is much cheaper than purchasing a new rice cooker. It does mean that I have to keep an eye on it once I think it's boiled long enough though. I'm cataloguing this under casseroles, because I'm not going to do a new category just for dips.
Hummus
3 cups cooked chickpeas (drain but retain liquid)
½ cup liquid from chickpeas
¼ cup (or a little more) lemon juice
2 generous tablespoons minced garlic
2 TLB oil
1 tsp salt
Blend together in food processor until it’s a smooth paste.
Makes approximately 5 cups
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Another salad recipe
We tried this recipe for the first time last week and really liked it. It's kind of a variation on a Waldorf Salad - in that it has carrots in it. We were looking for a carrot salad recipe that would use up a lot of the vegetables we had in the fridge so that we wouldn't have to purchase ingredients, and this is what we came up with. While I liked it, Rachel didn't. We love her anyway.
Carrot, Celery, Craisin Salad (The 3 C's Salad)
3 cups carrots, scrubbed and grated
4 stalks of celery, chopped fairly small
¼ cup parsley, chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sesame seeds
Vinaigrette
3 TLB oil
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
Carrot, Celery, Craisin Salad (The 3 C's Salad)
3 cups carrots, scrubbed and grated
4 stalks of celery, chopped fairly small
¼ cup parsley, chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sesame seeds
Vinaigrette
3 TLB oil
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
Wheat Berry Dessert
We made this with the low-fat or diabetic option on everything, so it's way less guilt than it needed to be. It's also very easy and excellent!
1.5 cups uncooked wheat berries (cooked)
1 L container frozen dessert whip (the low fat variety)
1 cup light sour cream
2 pkgs instant vanilla pudding (or instant lemon pudding) (the diabetic variety)
1 -184 mL can pineapple chunks with the juice
1- 8 oz pkg light cream cheese
Cook the wheat berries I use my rice cooker for all of my grains and even to cook beans. It works very well and I never have to worry about things scorching. Dump everything into a bowl, adding the wheat berries last. Don't mix up the vanilla pudding, just add the dry powder. I didn't bother adding all the cream cheese because it's a pain to cut it up small enough to add with everything else, and it tasted really good without it - so I've still got about 1/3 a package of cream cheese to do something else with.
1.5 cups uncooked wheat berries (cooked)
1 L container frozen dessert whip (the low fat variety)
1 cup light sour cream
2 pkgs instant vanilla pudding (or instant lemon pudding) (the diabetic variety)
1 -184 mL can pineapple chunks with the juice
1- 8 oz pkg light cream cheese
Cook the wheat berries I use my rice cooker for all of my grains and even to cook beans. It works very well and I never have to worry about things scorching. Dump everything into a bowl, adding the wheat berries last. Don't mix up the vanilla pudding, just add the dry powder. I didn't bother adding all the cream cheese because it's a pain to cut it up small enough to add with everything else, and it tasted really good without it - so I've still got about 1/3 a package of cream cheese to do something else with.
Saturday - Salads and Casseroles
Ruth and I got started bright and early this morning; we had to wait for the grocery store to open at 7 am; but that gave us time to make up a list of what we were going to cook, and to make up a shopping list. So far this morning we've made:
Greek Salad
Lentil Rice Salad
Coleslaw Forever
Hummus (from scratch)
We're still planning to get casseroles ready for next week and for tomorrow. We're planning to make cabbage rolls, perogy casserole (for tomorrow), and chili, and two desserts (one made with wheat berries and we're trying a diabetic dessert as well. (Which reminds me, I need to put the beans on to cook.) Right now we're taking a quick break so I can read Ruth a short story, before we go back at it again.
OK, I didn't get it published, so I'll update. We also made the cabbage rolls (I'll make the perogy casserole tomorrow morning in the slow cooker) and the wheat berry dessert. It's excellent! The beans are almost cooked for the chili and we ran out and bought me a new over the range microwave because mine died this past week. I can't live very long without a microwave - I find it one of the essential kitchen tools. I spent $20 extra to get it stainless steel, to match my fridge and freezer, but didn't purchase the extended warranty for it. All in all, it's been a very productive day and it's only 2:30.
Greek Salad
Lentil Rice Salad
Coleslaw Forever
Hummus (from scratch)
We're still planning to get casseroles ready for next week and for tomorrow. We're planning to make cabbage rolls, perogy casserole (for tomorrow), and chili, and two desserts (one made with wheat berries and we're trying a diabetic dessert as well. (Which reminds me, I need to put the beans on to cook.) Right now we're taking a quick break so I can read Ruth a short story, before we go back at it again.
OK, I didn't get it published, so I'll update. We also made the cabbage rolls (I'll make the perogy casserole tomorrow morning in the slow cooker) and the wheat berry dessert. It's excellent! The beans are almost cooked for the chili and we ran out and bought me a new over the range microwave because mine died this past week. I can't live very long without a microwave - I find it one of the essential kitchen tools. I spent $20 extra to get it stainless steel, to match my fridge and freezer, but didn't purchase the extended warranty for it. All in all, it's been a very productive day and it's only 2:30.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
A new casserole recipe
Here`s the casserole I made tonight for supper. Very quick, and pretty good, I think - and it served 10!
1 lb. lean hamburger
2 onions, chopped
Fry hamburger and onions until nearly brown. Add
1 - 28 oz (540 mL) can of diced tomatoes with herbs and spices
2 cups brown rice (because Bram had started the rice earlier in the rice cooker, it was about half cooked; otherwise I would have needed to add some extra liquid)
1 tsp ground oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
Cook, covered, until rice is tender. Add
3 cups frozen mixed vegetables.
Continue to heat until vegetables are heated through.
1 lb. lean hamburger
2 onions, chopped
Fry hamburger and onions until nearly brown. Add
1 - 28 oz (540 mL) can of diced tomatoes with herbs and spices
2 cups brown rice (because Bram had started the rice earlier in the rice cooker, it was about half cooked; otherwise I would have needed to add some extra liquid)
1 tsp ground oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
Cook, covered, until rice is tender. Add
3 cups frozen mixed vegetables.
Continue to heat until vegetables are heated through.
Whew!
It's been a very hectic day. From when I got up at 5:30 am, to now, at nearly 10 pm, this is the first time all day I've had some down time. This is not particularly good - and I'm glad that a day like today is pretty rare.
It was "Farewell" today at school. However, before school started, I went with Ruth, as usual, to work out at Curves. Stopped to fill the van with gas on the way to Curves. Back home by 7:45 - stopped at Great Canadian on the way home to look for Sugar Snap Peas to take with us as part of the snack for Farewell. Couldn`t find any though. (I had tried three different grocery stores last night as well).
Made sure Bram was up, got my personal stuff packed to spend the day outside, put on sunscreen and left for school. Made sure the drinks, etc. were loaded. The entire school went for Farewell; we left shortly after 9 am. I drove my van - it seats eight, counting the driver, so we had eight people in it.
We arrived back at school, after a wonderful (but extremely windy) day shortly after 5 pm. (I`ll write about Farewell another time). Then I had to refill my van with gas, and head straight for home. I got home at about 5:30 - to find that my house guests had already beat me here. I had sent Bram home when we got back to school, and asked him to start some brown rice for supper. However, when I got home, I needed to make the rest of supper. Invented a new hamburger casserole. Very nice too; I got several complements on it. I was impressed that from the time I walked in the door, to when we sat down to supper was only 40 minutes! I couldn`t have done it without Bram, who cleaned off the table and set it for me while I was making supper. We had the entire Pradzynski family for supper; I think that was 10 adults plus two kids.
Immediately after supper, I barely had time to put the dishes in the dishwasher before I bid my guests goodbye (trusting that Bram would act as host for me), because I needed to pick up flooring for one of the suites in my four-plex and I wanted Walter to help me pick it out. We went to the Home Depot across town by Vic Square because Walter also wanted to go to Costco. However, while we picked out the flooring we wanted, they didn`t have enough at that Home Depot, so I had to drive to the other one on this side of town anyway. Got the flooring, plus underlay, plus ceiling paint, plus special ceiling roller, plus talked lino with the flooring guy at Home Depot because I need some for the kitchen in a different suite. Then I picked up a few groceries at Superstore, and came home - 9:50 pm. Finished clearing off the table and loading the dishwasher, started it - and I feel like I`m ready to collapse.
I think that it must be time for bed . Night Night.
It was "Farewell" today at school. However, before school started, I went with Ruth, as usual, to work out at Curves. Stopped to fill the van with gas on the way to Curves. Back home by 7:45 - stopped at Great Canadian on the way home to look for Sugar Snap Peas to take with us as part of the snack for Farewell. Couldn`t find any though. (I had tried three different grocery stores last night as well).
Made sure Bram was up, got my personal stuff packed to spend the day outside, put on sunscreen and left for school. Made sure the drinks, etc. were loaded. The entire school went for Farewell; we left shortly after 9 am. I drove my van - it seats eight, counting the driver, so we had eight people in it.
We arrived back at school, after a wonderful (but extremely windy) day shortly after 5 pm. (I`ll write about Farewell another time). Then I had to refill my van with gas, and head straight for home. I got home at about 5:30 - to find that my house guests had already beat me here. I had sent Bram home when we got back to school, and asked him to start some brown rice for supper. However, when I got home, I needed to make the rest of supper. Invented a new hamburger casserole. Very nice too; I got several complements on it. I was impressed that from the time I walked in the door, to when we sat down to supper was only 40 minutes! I couldn`t have done it without Bram, who cleaned off the table and set it for me while I was making supper. We had the entire Pradzynski family for supper; I think that was 10 adults plus two kids.
Immediately after supper, I barely had time to put the dishes in the dishwasher before I bid my guests goodbye (trusting that Bram would act as host for me), because I needed to pick up flooring for one of the suites in my four-plex and I wanted Walter to help me pick it out. We went to the Home Depot across town by Vic Square because Walter also wanted to go to Costco. However, while we picked out the flooring we wanted, they didn`t have enough at that Home Depot, so I had to drive to the other one on this side of town anyway. Got the flooring, plus underlay, plus ceiling paint, plus special ceiling roller, plus talked lino with the flooring guy at Home Depot because I need some for the kitchen in a different suite. Then I picked up a few groceries at Superstore, and came home - 9:50 pm. Finished clearing off the table and loading the dishwasher, started it - and I feel like I`m ready to collapse.
I think that it must be time for bed . Night Night.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Monday Evening
It`s a quiet evening after a hectic day. I woke up at 5, got up at 5:30, cleaned up the kitchen, started the dishwasher, made breakfast and ate it; then went and picked up Ruth so we could work out together at Curves. On the way back home, stopped at the Great Canadian Warehouse for boxes (my morning task) and dropped them off at school. I've calculated that for the approximately 650 shelves of books that need to be packed up, I'll need approximately 1000 boxes. That's a lot of boxes!
At school I`ve been busy finishing up the inventory on the library and I`ve started packing up books. Everyone asks me, ``So, what are the plans for the books?" and I reply, "I only know it's my job to inventory them and then to pack them up." It was 25 out today; a beautiful sunny day - and it was about that warm in the library as well. I've been fighting a throat infection and losing; so have been surviving off cough drops with benzocaine in them (which numbs my throat). I'm now out of them, which is unfortunate.
After work, I lay down for an hour, as I'm definitely not feeling as well as I could be. At 5 I got up and started making snack for The Party. Ruth and I had picked up six bags of mini buns for sliders; and I grated a can of ham, added mayonnaise and pickles, for filling. Looked at it - decided that there's no way that would be enough; phoned Ruth to pick up another can of ham; put Bram to work grating cheese. We ended up with two smaller containers of grated cheese with mayonnaise filling; and two larger containers of grated ham with mayonnaise and pickle filling. Half goes to The Party, while half goes to the teen group. It went over really well. By the time I had that ready, it was 5:30 - we have to be ready to leave by 5:45 and we still hadn't eaten supper! Bram thinly sliced some sweet potato and we fried it in oil with seasoned salt. Yum. (But could have eaten more - so could Ruth and Bram).
Went to pick up helpers for The Party at 5:45 (only one came - thanks Matt); then straight to the Rainbow Youth Centre, getting there just before 6. Had 24 kids for The Party; and I think a few less than that for the teen group. Our play activity tonight was outside in the park across the street, flying kites. The kite-shaped kites fly the worst (in case you were wondering). The Bible story was Daniel in the Lion's Den. (We've been doing the book of Daniel for the past 6 weeks or so). We only have two more weeks for The Party and then we'll be done until fall. The last week will be a feast; and then we'll have a 4-day VBS in the summer. We're already talking about how to do things so that it'll run more smoothly in the fall.
Dropped off a van-load of kids (had to arrange a different ride for Bram as had six kids to drop off plus Ruth and myself). Home shortly before 8:30. I've been feeling like I should really go out and pick up the last rent that I didn't get on the weekend, but have no energy - and... she came to the door and dropped it off! Thank you, Lord.
It's after 10 pm now so I can go gargle with salt water again and go to bed. I can't go to bed before 10 pm or I'll wake up before 4 am, and I don't like to do that. 5 am is early enough.
At school I`ve been busy finishing up the inventory on the library and I`ve started packing up books. Everyone asks me, ``So, what are the plans for the books?" and I reply, "I only know it's my job to inventory them and then to pack them up." It was 25 out today; a beautiful sunny day - and it was about that warm in the library as well. I've been fighting a throat infection and losing; so have been surviving off cough drops with benzocaine in them (which numbs my throat). I'm now out of them, which is unfortunate.
After work, I lay down for an hour, as I'm definitely not feeling as well as I could be. At 5 I got up and started making snack for The Party. Ruth and I had picked up six bags of mini buns for sliders; and I grated a can of ham, added mayonnaise and pickles, for filling. Looked at it - decided that there's no way that would be enough; phoned Ruth to pick up another can of ham; put Bram to work grating cheese. We ended up with two smaller containers of grated cheese with mayonnaise filling; and two larger containers of grated ham with mayonnaise and pickle filling. Half goes to The Party, while half goes to the teen group. It went over really well. By the time I had that ready, it was 5:30 - we have to be ready to leave by 5:45 and we still hadn't eaten supper! Bram thinly sliced some sweet potato and we fried it in oil with seasoned salt. Yum. (But could have eaten more - so could Ruth and Bram).
Went to pick up helpers for The Party at 5:45 (only one came - thanks Matt); then straight to the Rainbow Youth Centre, getting there just before 6. Had 24 kids for The Party; and I think a few less than that for the teen group. Our play activity tonight was outside in the park across the street, flying kites. The kite-shaped kites fly the worst (in case you were wondering). The Bible story was Daniel in the Lion's Den. (We've been doing the book of Daniel for the past 6 weeks or so). We only have two more weeks for The Party and then we'll be done until fall. The last week will be a feast; and then we'll have a 4-day VBS in the summer. We're already talking about how to do things so that it'll run more smoothly in the fall.
Dropped off a van-load of kids (had to arrange a different ride for Bram as had six kids to drop off plus Ruth and myself). Home shortly before 8:30. I've been feeling like I should really go out and pick up the last rent that I didn't get on the weekend, but have no energy - and... she came to the door and dropped it off! Thank you, Lord.
It's after 10 pm now so I can go gargle with salt water again and go to bed. I can't go to bed before 10 pm or I'll wake up before 4 am, and I don't like to do that. 5 am is early enough.
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