Flying Solo

Some things you just can't convert the heathens to.

Today boys are having oatmeal again, and I am having what I had planned for all of us and what quickly got deep 6-ed by the boys: cottage cheese and canned pears.  I don't know......is this something like creamed chipped beef on toast?  Something that you have to have grown up during a certain era to even conceive eating?

When I was growing up, this used to be a frequent dish at dinner.  Sometimes my mom would have a small bowl next to the dinner plate with a leaf of lettuce lining it, a mound of cottage cheese, and half a pear perched on top.  That was our salad for the night.  I loved it.  It was a nice change from the usual tiny bowl of iceberg lettuce that we usually had, and I like pears.  And cottage cheese.  Something about the combination, the sweet pears with the slightly salty cottage cheese just hits the right note.

How is it, then, that the boys have not been won over to this great combo?  I keep putting it on the table, and they keep refusing to eat it.  Is it me?  Or them?

No matter.  I like it, and they like oatmeal day after day, so we're all happy.

No recipe needed for this one.  Combine cottage cheese and canned pear halves, and dig in.  You've got most of your nutrition bases covered.

Cornmeal Rye Waffles

There is something about waffles - the homemade variety - that just screams "fancy-schmancy" to me.  What is ironic about it is that they are so much easier to make than pancakes.

• You can walk away from them for a minute while they're cooking.
• There is no awful first waffle, like there's always an awful first pancake.
• Cleanup is minimal.

What I like especially about these Cornmeal-Rye Waffles is that they have a little crunch.  It's totally a texture thing although the taste is pretty fantastic, too - a little less sweet than usual - perfect for soaking up that good maple syrup.  And then there's the smell while they cook - kindof a sweet cornbread smell.

I also like that these have lots of whole grains, protein, and other good stuff in them.  And that I feel like SuperMom for having made them.  One waffle will give you

• 161 calories
• 6 grams fat
• 5 grams protein
• 3 grams fiber
• and other good things like potassium, iron, calcium, and Vitamin A
• 23 whole grains

When I make waffles (or pancakes), I usually go ahead and make the batter as soon as I wake up, and then just let it sit until the boys wake up.  Then all I have to do is heat up the waffle iron and cook those babies.

This picture shows things right before it's showtime.  I have my waffle iron heating, my batter mixed and waiting, the plates handy, and a measuring cup and paper towel to set it on between times so I don't have waffle crud to scrape off the counter.

I used a 1/2 cup to pour the batter, and that seems about the right size for us.  It takes about 3-5 minutes to get the waffle good a crispy, and then I just pick it up carefully with my fingers and put it on the plate.

This recipe makes my favorite waffles.  They are light and fluffy yet crunchy from the cornmeal.  They are not too sweet, so we can all sweeten as we like with the syrup.  I used the Healthy Version on the right and just used regular sugar.  I always forget that this batter makes a TON, and the boys and I each have one waffle, so I have TONS of batter left.  I refrigerated what was left and will make waffles with sausage tomorrow night for dinner and will freeze any remaining waffles to toast some other time (though my boys won't eat toasted frozed homemade waffles, only toasted frozed boughten waffles.  Whatever.)

Even though today ended up being a snow day and I had all the time in the world to make breakfast, I had the batter made, waffles cooked, breakfast eaten, and myself showered all before 7:30.  The point being waffles are not nearly as time-consuming as you think they are.  And cleanup is quick, quick.  Try them out some weekend, time yourself, and then when you want waffles during the week, go for it!

Today's waffle special was served with some applesauce  on the side.  That just sounded like a really good go-with for these.

Roughy

The name for my new fruit salad: Roughy.  It's like a Smoothie, but it's not smooth - get it? 

The point is that sometimes it takes clever marketing to make things appealing to the Younger Generation.  "Fruit Salad" just doesn't stir excitement in my boys' souls.  I guess I could have called it "Wookie yum-yums," or some such, but I've got a little dignity left.  After making this salad, I realized that what I put into the bowl was exactly what I would have put into the blender if we were having smoothies.

And under the guise of Roughy, this salad got eaten.  Not that is wasn't delicious on its own, but it looked suspicious, being an amalgamation of things all mixed up together.

I served this fruit salad with oatmeal (again) for the boys and with a leftover scone for me.  Here's how I made it.

Roughy

1. Take whatever fresh fruit you have on hand (I had oranges, apples, and bananas) and cut them into bite-sized chunks.  I didn't peel the apple, and no one protested.

2. Throw in some dried fruit.  I used a handful of dried cherries and a handful of dried cranberries.

3. Stir in enough vanilla yogurt to cover all the fruit well.

That's it!  And it got eaten and requested again.

If I had had some canned pineapple, I would have used it.  I only used one of each fruit, but this could be infinitely expanded.  Total time was minimal.  I started the salad while the oatmeal was cooking, and while the boys were putting on their oatmeal toppings, I finished up the salad.  It could also be made ahead, thus allowing the dried fruit to soften a little.

Now and Later

I love chocolate-covered cherries, and I love Black Forest chocolate cake, and I love the even easier take on it, a moist chocolate cake with a can of cherry pie filling mixed in.  I simply cannot think of any better combo than chocolate and cherries.

Another thing I love is scones.  Here's why:

• They're easier than biscuits
• They seem so much fancier
• I can make a whole batch and freeze half for later and it will be just as good.

When I found a recipe for chocolate-cherry scones, I thought "what's not to love?"  Even better, these are not terribly bad for you, being made with whole grains.  At least, while having the melty chocolate and dried cherries surrounded by a rich crumb, I know that I'm getting in some protein, fiber, antioxidants.

This recipe makes 16 scones, way more than we can or should eat in a morning. (Note: the recipe I linked to is not exactly the one I used, but very similar.  Mine came from King Arthur.  My batch of scones used barley flour instead of whole wheat, and I used almond extract instead of vanilla.  I was out of vanilla.  Almond worked just fine.)  What I do for scones and also biscuits is go ahead and roll out the dough and cut it, and then take what I'm not going to eat right away and put that on a baking sheet.  I put the baking sheet in the freezer until the dough is frozen and then I bag the scones up for the freezer.  Whenever I want them, I just pull out what I want and bake it just like normal, maybe adding a minute or two.

Scones are easier than biscuits mainly because you just pat out the dough rather than roll it, and you just cut wedges rather than use a biscuit cutter.  But easier isn't the same as easy.  They do take some time, and you've got to use a pastry cutter and get your hands dirty - unless you have a food processor, which I don't.  But the hour that I invested this weekend makes a pretty special breakfast treat for three breakfasts around here.  I'm definitely serving these on Valentine's Day.  My love letter to my family.

If this weren't my favorite combination, I think I'd find some version of scones that was irresistable to moi, and bake some/freeze some.  We have some dark winter mornings ahead, and this can be just sort of thing to make a day more special.

7 Quick Takes, Breakfast Edition

#1
When I post of 7 Quick Takes, I do so under my "family and spiritual life" blog.  But about a month ago, I really, really wanted to start another blog about a passion and adventure of mine, making breakfast.  It is a lot of fun for me, so I thought I would share this blog with Jennifer's readers this week.

#2
I have found it interesting that for over a year now, I have been pouring out my heart, my deepest thoughts and musings in my other blog, and then here I just whip out a little snippet every morning on the new one, and am contacted by people a lot!  It's neat, and I think it points to a truth: food in a uniter.  Sharing meals with others will bring us closer together than anything.

#3
We are having oatmeal again for breakfast this morning, per Cool Guy's request last night.  I think it is neat the way the boys always wondering about breakfast the night before.  They really do look forward to it, much more than they look forward to lunch or dinner.

#4
Since it is a snow day today, we will be having the steel-cut oats, which I prefer but which also take longer.  I am going to try my friend Jessi's idea of stirring in Nutella and sliced bananas in mine, rather than my usual topping.  I think it will be pretty good.  Boys, of course, will remain conservative.

#5
Before starting this breakfast blog, I had no idea I was such a lousy photographer.  I try, really.  I've even looked online on tips for better food photography.  I think part of the reason is my lack of expertise, and part of the reason is that I'm not a patient, detaily person.  So, there always seems to be a stray item, like a school lunch menu or a piece of junk mail, or the timer, intruding in the picture frame, and I JUST DIDN'T SEE IT WHEN I SNAPPED THE PHOTO.  So, you want to see beautiful food photos?  Go to some other blog.  You want to read about breakfast and know that this time yours can look better than the picture, you're at the right place.

#6
Why breakfast?  You can read The Story, but in brief, I have found that my boys and I are noticeably happier and healthier when we regularly have a good, complete breakfast.  After doing a loop of eggs, sausage, pancakes, oatmeal for about a year, I thought I'd explore a little, push my definition of breakfast food a little, explore other ideas of breakfast.  I found a whole world out there in breakfast food that is just itching to be discovered.  It keeps me from getting bored, and it keeps the boys on their toes.

#7
Favorite breakfast of all time (or at least for today)
Cool Guy: oatmeal
Encyclopedia: bacon
Me: Hopple Popple
Burt: breakfast meat-eggs-toast plate of any kind.

What is your favorite breakfast?  I'd love to know!

You can find more 7 Quick Takes at Jennifer's site, most probably of greater significance than my breakfast blog.  (But it's fun.)

A Bagel Story

We had bagels this morning, but not just any bagels.  No, these bagels come with a story, which I hope you will be patient with as I indulge in a little nostalgia.

In the mid-1980's, I was a pledge at a social sorority at Oklahoma State University.  Every Monday evening, while the members of the sorority had their chapter meeting, the pledges of all the houses participated in an institution known as "Coke Date."  All the pledges  in my house - and we were dressed in church clothes - lined up shortest to tallest, meaning that I was first in line.  Then the pledges from a fraternity (it rotated week by week) would be lined up the same way, shortest to tallest, at our front door.  We paired off, me with the first (shortest) boy in line, and so on.  I have no idea what happened if there were more girls than boys or vice versa.  That problem fell to the tall ones.  Then we would walk, two by two, on a Coke Date, to keep ourselves occupied while our elders took care of the important business of the house.

Many, many times, our Coke Date was a trip to a bagel place on the main drag in Stillwater.  At that time, bagels were not common fare in Oklahoma.  I cannot remember ever having one until the Coke Dates.  Monday at this bagel place was 2 for 1 night, a promotion ploy I imagine that was concocted with the Coke Dates in mind.  Anyway, we would line up, and proceed conveyer-line style through the place, getting a foil-wrapped bagel shoved at us, and then on to the Dr. Pepper station.  (Yes, it's called Coke Date, but Dr. Pepper reigned.)

Monday night, therefore, would find us, in a strict, formulaic ritual, partnered with a total stranger of the opposite sex, who paired well according to height,  munching our bagels, sipping our DP's, and being with Everyone at this bagel joint, having a memorable time of it.  It was fun, and I met some very nice, short, young men during that time, but it also seems so quaint, even foreign to me now.  Really, what a bizarre thing it was!

The bagels, though, were fantastic.  Remember, I had never had one before.  These were just your basic white (who at that time had even heard of an Everything Bagel?), with cream cheese and very thin slices of ham sandwiched in the middle.  They were wrapped in foil and kept warm, and the combination of the chewy bread, the melty, messy cheese, and the salty ham was just unforgettable.  And I've never forgotten, though I don't think I can remember one boy who provided me with these beauties.

When I make bagels for breakfast, I like to replicate my college treat and remember that very exciting, world-expanding, eye-opening period of my life.

Stillwater Bagels

1. For each bagel, spread both halves with cream cheese.  I like to use Neufchatel, as it's lower in fat.  And nowadays, I use whole wheat bagels.

2. Place 3 or so slices of thin, deli ham on one half and top with the other half.

3. Wrap in foil, and put in a 300 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

4. Have lots of napkins handy, unwrap, and enjoy!

You could get the bagels assembled the night before, wrap them and refrigerate, although assembly is very quick the morning of.  But if you're pressed for time, it works fine.  Then it's only a 10-minute breakfast.

Carpe Piem

(Note: no picture today, due to operator error.  I shot a movie of a pie sitting on the counter on accident, and then deleted it, again, on accident.)

Yes!  We had apple pie for breakfast, and I'd do it again.  Not that it happens much around here, but Monday was a holiday.  I ran the boys all over town getting errands done, had Cool Guy do some reading for me, sent the boys outside to have their Nerf Gun war outside, and finally, it was mid-afternoon, and each boy had settled in for some cave time: Encyclopedia to the computer for one of his empire-building computer games, and Cool Guy to watch some of the 20 or so Tom and Jerrys that he DVR-ed.  (The kid has a love-affair with the DVR button.)  We were having leftovers for dinner so no cooking to be done in that department, and there was no basketball practice or gymnastics as per usual on Monday afternoons and evenings.  In short, I had time.

Burt loves, loves pie.  He has pie for his birthday cake.  If we go to a fancy restaurant, he orders pie for dessert.  And he would get it more at home except that I rarely make dessert, and he asked me once if I could please, please make homemade crust when I make pie.  It's a lot of work, and there's rarely time.

But today, there was time.  I put on a podcast, heard just above the T & J on the TV, and started rolling crust.  These pies of mine are never pretty, always a bit lopsided with jagged edges.  But inside, a pile of diced apples mixed with spices, vanilla and a little cream, and the crust - oh, my, it was so perfect and crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth, if I do say so myself.  The filling recipe was much like this one, but I used a double crust.

I don't even want to think what the calories were or the fat in that crust.  So, we're livin' high.  But I can rationalize pie in the morning this way.

• It has fruit in it, so there's got to be a healthy element.
• The whole pie only had 1/2 cup of sugar.  Surely a slice has less than a bowl of Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs.
• Served with a slice of cheddar or some meat, it works for keeping us going in the morning.
• It's super-fast in the morning.  Slice and eat.

We'll only have it today because it will be gone by tomorrow.  Carpe Piem.