Bites Around the Blogosphere

This is something I really enjoy doing: Sharing with you some of the best of what I've read in blogs in the last seven days. Here are some post I think you should check out:

Breakfast Burritos at Simply Scratch

Chocolate Beet Bundt Cake w/ Truffle Ganache Glaze at Always Order Dessert



Roasted Corn, Potato, and Chipotle Chowder at Andrea the Kitchen Witch -- I'm definitely making this soon!

Adorable Lemon Wedge Sugar Cookies at From Glitter to Gumdrops

Mocha Streusel Coffee Cake at Food Floozie -- If only I had all the ingredients NOW!

Lemongrass Soap at From My Motorhome to Yours

Grilled Apple Pie at Indigo's Sugar Spectrum

Cinnamon Swirl Bread at Out of the Box Into the Kitchen

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. See you bright & early for menu planning!

Simple Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

I wanted a wholesome snack that my kids would eat. I knew I wanted to use some dried fruits: dates, figs, raisins, and prunes are all in my pantry. I decided to try some thumbprints, without nuts, and with the dried fruit puree in place of the usual jam filling.


Thumbprints

 What You Need:

• 1 cup butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• if the dough is too dry, add 1 Tbsp milk

for the filling:

• two handfuls (sorry, I didn't measure) of dried fruits. I used a combination of prunes, dates, and figs.
• 1/4 cup of honey or maple syrup

How it's Done:

1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees. I used parchment on my cookie sheets. These are buttery cookies, so using nothing is definitely an option. Use parchment, Silpat, or ungreased cookie sheets.
2. Cream butter and sugars together. Add the flour, and the milk if needed.
3. Form into 1" round balls. Place the balls 3" apart on the cookie sheets. Using your thumb, create an indentation deep in the center of each ball.
4. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until cookies are just beginning to brown on the bottoms and sides.
5. While the cookies bake, prepare the filling. Put the dried fruits in your food processor and process until they're well chopped. With the processor running, drizzle in the honey. You want the filling to form a ball. Once it's reached that stage, remove from processor.
6. When the cookies come out, let them cool briefly, and then fill them with a couple teaspoons of filling, pushing the filling into the cookies.
7. Let cool completely at room temperature. Store covered.

These came out tasting like a combination of Fig Newtons and Shortbread. They were wonderful.

Guest Post: Feeding a Family with Allergies

The wonderfully adaptable Kim from Something Worth Sharing is going to talk to us about living with food allergies today.


Allergies & Me



I had so much to learn. Little did I know when my third son was diagnosed with a severe and life-threatening allergy to eggs in 2007 that it was only the start of an ongoing journey with allergies. Fast forward to 2010 and we have added many more food and non-food allergies, had several anaphylactic reactions (one where I used the EpiPen and had a ride with my second son in the ambulance to our Children’s Hospital) and done lots of my own learning as well as educating family and friends about food allergies! Three of my 4 children have food allergies that now include: eggs, dairy, peanut/nuts, sesame, kiwi, barley and rice. And so, our journey began and where are we today? Well, today we’ve learned how to shop and read labels (every time) to ensure safety for our children. Who would have thought that dairy proteins can lurk in deli meat, in most baking and even in hand soaps?


I have also learned how to cook and bake safely. Sometimes things don’t turn out (like the time I made Alfredo sauce with Vanilla Soy milk...it was OK, just a little sweet!) but for the most part my kids gobble up what I make and tell me it’s the best. That makes it all so worth it. I do all my own baking – bread, hot dog buns, cinnamon buns, cakes, muffins, granola, cookies and more!

And I ALWAYS make is safe for ALL my kids. I’ve learned to use soy milk in place of regular milk, egg replacer or egg substitutes for eggs and alternatives for butter. I LOVE THE CHALLENGE of creating safe food for my children. Not only do I strive to make it safe, but I try and make it nutritious, economical and fun (I always secretly hope that other children are jealous of the food my kids are eating!).


Well, this is a food blog, so I’m sure you waiting with held breath for a recipe...breathe now! Here are some yummy “Cream Cookies” that my mom made me as I was growing up. Mine are adapted (see substitutions in brackets) to be safe...and yummy! These are the perfect cookie to make with the kids and are great made into fun shapes and iced with funky coloured icing. They freeze well...if they make it to the freezer. Enjoy!

CREAM COOKIES


Cream together:


2 cups sugar


1 cup softened butter (I use dairy free Fleishmann’s margarine)


Add:


1 cup milk (I use soy milk, you could also try with almond or rice milk)


2 eggs (I use Celimix Egg replacer)

Stir In:


2tsp baking soda


4 cups flour


**you will have to add more flour until a soft dough is formed.


Chill dough to make rolling out easier. Roll about ¼ inch thick and cut into shapes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes. Cool on rack, ice and eat!

About Me: I am a mom to 4 energetic and lovable children. We have food allergies, but try not to let it run our life. Life is do-able with allergies. It just takes planning. I also work part-time as a Pediatric Occupational Therapist. I love BOTH my jobs! I love the challenge of creating food for my family and friends.

Something Fresh is Coming...

I'm looking forward to sharing my thoughts on Rudi's Organic Bakery products with you early next week. At that time, you can enter to win one of five free Rudi's Organic products! That's right! Five winners! See you soon!

Meanwhile, check out my recipe for Fresh Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Icing. It's what Picky Eater chose for her birthday dinner dessert. Yep, today was Picky Eater's seventh birthday. She opted for bacon, sausage, eggs, and toast for dinner, with strawberry cake for dessert. Good choices all around. Here's the birthday girl this morning:

Cookies -- I Mean, Pancakes -- For Breakfast

My children are not always eager to eat breakfast when they wake up each morning. They prefer to sit around and spend some time waking up. Unfortunately, the time they spend is valuable time that we need them to use getting ready for school. I've learned that if they wake up to the smell of something pleasant cooking, it whets their appetites and they come downstairs practically drooling and asking what's for breakfast. These pancakes let off the aroma of baking cookies and taste just as good.

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

What You Need:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• butter and/or maple syrup for serving

How it's Done:

1. Combine flour, oats, cinnamon, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat eggs. Whisk in sour cream, then melted butter and milk. Stir in vanilla.
2. Add wet ingredients all at once to dry. Stir just until moistened.
3. Drop batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto griddle or skillet heated to medium to medium-high.
4. Sprinkle each pancake with a few raisins and a few chocolate chips. Let the pancake cook until bubbles break the surface, and then flip them and finish cooking, about 30 seconds longer.
5. Serve with butter and maple syrup, or just eat plain. They're really good that way, too.

Using up Leftovers

My mother came to visit last weekend, and while she was here, she bought us a cooked rotisserie chicken from my grocer's deli department. It was $3.99 for a whole, cooked chicken! I can't do much better on raw chicken! I created this recipe to use up the rest of the chicken leftover from her visit. Also, she takes 1/2 & 1/2 in her coffee, so I had leftovers of that as well. Feel free to use milk in its place in this recipe.

Chicken & Pepper Pasta

What You Need:

• 2 cups leftover, cooked chicken, skin and bones removed
• 2 cups pepper strips (I used sweet banana peppers, but bell peppers would add more flavor)
• 1 large onion, sliced into thin strips
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup 1/2 & 1/2
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 4 cups cooked pasta (I used torchiette)
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions for serving (optional)

How it's Done:

1. Heat oil over medium heat on stove top. Add peppers and onion and saute until the vegetables are soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and chicken. Salt and pepper to taste. Once heated through, stir in the 1/2 & 1/2 and shredded mozzarella. Cook and stir until melted and thickened.
2. Serve over pasta, topping with scallions if desired.

This post is linked to Tuesday Tag-Along and Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays.

Menu Plan Monday 8/16 - 8/22

Good morning! I hope this finds you off to a good start to your week. This is a big week for us, as our littlest family member rounds the corner into seven years old, and our oldest daughter attends her first ever school dance. She's even been asked by a boy. They're meeting outside before the dance.

Last week, I went hiking and biking, but also made some delicious foods. Here are a couple of highlights from the week:

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Patty Melt & Sweet Potato Fries

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

This week, here's what I have planned:

Breakfasts:

• 
  
  eggs, bacon, & toast
• 
  
  overnight oatmeal
• 
  
  breakfast casserole
• 
  
  pancakes
• 
  
  quiche
• 
  
  bagels; fruit
• 
  
  French Toast

Lunches are packed for everyone except me. I eat leftovers or whatever I whip up in the middle of the day.

Dinners (in no particular order):

• 
  
  Grilled steaks, home fries, and veggies
• 
  
  Coconut Black Beans & Rice
• 
  
  Spicy Pasta Bake
• 
  
  Birthday Girl's Choice: Bacon, Sausage, Eggs, and Toast with Strawberry Cake for dessert
• 
  
  5-layer burritos
• 
  
  Chicken & Pepper Pasta
• 
  
   Broccoli-Cheese Soup & Garlic Toast

For more menu plans, visit orgjunkie.com. And for lunch box inspiration, visit me at 360lunchboxes.blogspot.com

BUTTERFLIES IN MY TUMMY

My baby turns seven this week. She is the most amazing little human I've ever known: compassionate, helpful, caring, kind, conscientious, loyal, devoted, loving, smart, talented, beautiful, friendly, approachable, and loved by all. She has no foes, rivals, or enemies. She is just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.

She is a joy to parent. She has thrown one tantrum in her entire life. She's had to be scolded fewer times than I have fingers. She genuinely cares about everyone she meets, and always looks for ways to help. She has super self-esteem but is never boastful of herself. I am so honored to call her my daughter.

And she turns seven years old this week.

Birthdays are a bittersweet marking of time with my Little One. She professes that she's never moving out -- she always wants to stay with her parents. We struck a deal and offered to build a house on the back side of our property when we are ready to retire from the Army. She likes this idea. Such a sweet daughter.

Anyway, I'm daydreaming. On with this post.

Birthdays -- yes, they're bittersweet. Before I can blink my eyes, she'll be sixteen and asking for the keys to Daddy's car. And I'll be welling up with tears just as real as I am this week, as my sweet daughter, who has four wiggly teeth and has recently discovered modesty, turns seven years old.

There will be much celebration to mark this event. Aside from our intimate family acknowledgement of her actual birthday, there's her class party and a birthday party with friends to look forward to. We had a small party with Grandma Kathy yesterday. She was in town and we wanted to celebrate together, so I threw together this simply ice cream cake. It's not wholesome and pure. But it's a hit with all who taste it, so I'm going off the beaten path and sharing this simple recipe with you. Pull it out of your hat for your next cookout, church potluck, or friendly get-together.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
makes a 10" square cake

What You Need:

• 18 or so ice cream sandwiches, unwrapped
• 1 to 2 cups whipped topping
• hot fudge sauce (or caramel, or whatever you prefer)
• sprinkles, nuts, crushed cookies, or candy

How it's Done:

1. Lay the ice cream sandwiches side-by-side in one layer of a 10" square baking dish. You'll have to cut one or two of them up to fit in the remaining spots.
2. Cover with a thin layer of whipped cream.
3. Repeat another layer of ice cream sandwiches, and over with whipped cream again.
4. Drizzle sauce over whipped cream. Sprinkle with desired toppings.
5. Return to the freezer and let it freeze two hours. Remove from freezer and let the cake stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Diner Food

Diner food is comfort food. It's not health food. However, when you live your life in an "all things in moderation" way, diner food has its place. There's just something about the classic cheeseburger, fries, and a thick chocolate shake that soothes the soul.

Recently, my sister found a new diner in her area (Orlando) and decided to give it a try.

The diner couldn't make her a milkshake.

What kind of diner doesn't serve milkshakes? The waitress told her that they hadn't gotten their milkshake machine in yet.

Wait. What? Milkshake machine? You mean a blender, right?

Nope. They mean a milkshake machine, like those you see at fast food restaurants. C'mon now. Milkshakes are milk and ice cream. Period. Any diner worth it's Wait to be Seated sign can make a real milkshake.

Anyway, she planted the seed in my brain and I decided to serve up some real diner food last night, with a twist. I made patty melts, sweet potato fries, and chocolate shakes. A patty melt is basically a thick burger served with cheese and fried onions (sometimes mushrooms) on grilled bread. Basically, a grilled cheese burger. Very tasty.

Diner-Style Patty Melts

What You Need:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup melted butter plus a couple Tbsp more for pan
• 1 large onion
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 10 slices of buttered bread (rye or sourdough is best)
• 10 slices of American cheese
• mayonnaise if desired

How it's Done:

1. Combine ground beef, melted butter, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Form into five patties.
2. Heat skillet over medium heat and add some butter to the pan. Fry burgers until cooked to taste.
3. Meanwhile, fry onions in oil and toast buttered bread on a hot skillet.
4. Prepare burgers: Slather on side of bread with mayo. Top with cheese, burger, onions, cheese, and then top slice of bread. Cut in halves and serve.

To make the sweet potato fries, peel sweet potatoes (1 for every 2 people) and cut into matchstick strips. Toss with 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp melted butter per potato. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt before serving.

**CSN Stores Review Sneak Peek**

It's August -- Back to School month for the majority of kids in the USA, and back to the alarm clock for the majority of the moms! Back to school has me waking up before the sun and reaching for my coffee maker to get me going.

I love a good cuppa joe. But hitting the local coffee house can cost big bucks before you know it. A one-time investment in a home brewing system might be just what your budget needs. Soon, I'll be doing a review of something that will help improve in-home coffee experiences. Here are some of the items I'm looking at over at CSN Stores' Cookware.com:

Farberware Percolator

Bodum Chambord 3 Cup French Press Coffeemaker with Shatterproof Carafe

Cuisinart Automatic Burr Coffee Grinder

Alessi La Cupola Espresso Maker

How do you take your coffee? Do you brew it at home? Do you hit the coffee house? Do you take your coffee black? With cream and sugar? With whipped cream and little chocolate jimmies? Or maybe you prefer yours on ice. Whatever you like, the bottom line is this: fresh is best, right? Stay tuned for my review!

The Little Drummer Girl

Bayberry joined the middle school band. Her instrument? The snare drum. Tomorrow, I get to go to the music store and pick up her very own snare drum and drumsticks so that she can perfect her music at home. With a captive audience.

Where are my ear plugs?

I'm joking.

Sort of.

I'm totally supportive of her playing a musical instrument, even the snare drum. I hope that she finds out that she loves it and wants to continue it all through school. I was part of my high school's marching band and I absolutely loved it. I lived for band. I'm sure it kept me out of all sorts of trouble, too.

She's also joining Cross-Country. This kid isn't going to have any anxiety at all! Between beating it out on a drum and running for her life, all her worries are just going to melt away.

Ha! She's a middle school girl. It's going to take more than runnin' and drummin' to chase all of THOSE worries away.

As for me, I'll just keep her well-fed. Here's a start:

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Serves 10

What You Need:

• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup cereal (any kind will do. I used corn puffs, like Kix)
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup oil (I used safflower)
• 1/3 cup honey

How it's Done:

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Combine all the ingredients and press firmly into an 8- to 10" square baking dish.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Remove from the oven and let the granola cool completely. This allows it to set. Cut into bars. Store covered at room temperature.

Simple Refried Beans & Homemade Tortilla Chips

I love refried beans. Tasty, smooth, nutritious, and easy to make, they're a great food to have around when you're craving junk food. Nachos with homemade refried beans are much better for you than that can of bean dip or a run to Taco Bell. Just look at how simple it is to make your own batch.

Refried Beans

What You Need:

• 1/2 lb dry beans (or 2 to 3 cans of pinto beans, rinsed and drained)
• 1/2 an onion, diced
• 1/2 a jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• optional added nutrition: 2 to 3 small sweet peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

How it's Done:

1. If you're starting from dried beans (and please do. They're so easy, affordable, and much tastier than their canned counterparts), sort through the beans and dump them in your slow cooker. Cover with water almost up to the top of the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low overnight. After breakfast,  drain the beans and continue making your refried beans. If you're using canned beans, be sure to rinse them very well.
2. Let your machines do the work for you. Dump the beans, onion, peppers, garlic powder, oil, salt, and pepper into your food processor. Process until mostly smooth. I like to leave some chunks in mine, You can make yours as smooth or chunky as you like.
3. Store tightly covered in the fridge.

Refried Beans Before Processing...

And after...

Look at these cute tortilla chips I made! I simply followed my recipe for corn tortillas, adding food coloring, then I cut them into quarters and fried them in olive oil. How fun!

Menu Plan Monday -- First Full Week of School

I'm going to stop planning every meal, since the kids are in school and my husband is in school, too. They're both taking lunches each day, and I'm sharing lunch box details on my new blog, 360 Lunch Boxes. I hope you'll join me there.

Here is what I plan to make for dinner this week:

Monday: Kidney Beans Sofrito Americano; cornbread
Tuesday: Black Bean Tortilla Casserole
Wednesday: Vegetable-Stuffed Baked Onions with Salad and Bread sticks
Thursday: Homemade Spaghetti-Os & "Milk Shakes" (another smoothie, no ice cream involved)
Friday: Quiche & Toast & Fruit Smoothies
Saturday: Beef Burgundy with Egg Noodles & yeast rolls
Sunday: Steak Soft Tacos with salad

And here's my list of things I hope to get around to making this week:

• soft sandwich bread
• soft pretzels
• cream puffs
• danish
• croissants

For more menu plans, visit orgjunkie.com every Monday. See you throughout the week for some great recipes!

Where's YOUR Smoothie 'Stache?

We love smoothies around here. They offer an opportunity to get healthful foods into a squirming, picky eater in very little time, with great taste. This one, like all the smoothies I've posted so far, is Picky Eater approved. Okay, well, maybe there was one smoothie she didn't like. But she loves this one. Just check out her smoothie 'stache.

Chocolate-Covered Cherry Smoothie
Makes 2 servings

What You Need:

• 2 cups frozen sweet cherries
• 1 cup milk
• 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp honey, sugar, maple syrup, or agave nectar

How it's Done:

1. Whirl all the ingredients in your blender for a couple minutes, until smooth and thick. Pour into tall glasses and serve.

Bites Around the Blogosphere -- School Edition

I've decided to take this Sunday as an opportunity to share with you some great school ideas I've found, along with many of my own recipes. Please feel free to add to this list in the comment section if you know of a great lunchbox recipe, waste-free school lunch idea, or something else to make the school day go more smoothly.

Breakfast

Breakfast is so important. I hate to think that some children go to school with empty tummies. Here are some quick and easy breakfast ideas for busy school mornings. Some are make ahead and others are so quick that they can be whipped up at a moment's notice:

• Banana Pancakes
• Popovers Stuffed with Eggs and Cheese
• English Muffins
• Vanilla Scones
• Hand-Held Omelets
• Blueberry Banana Muffins
• Whole Wheat Strawberry Banana Pancakes at A Foodie Fairytale
• Slow Cooker Ultimate Breakfast Casserole at A Year of Slow Cooking
• Breakfast Taco at Andrea the Kitchen Witch
• Fruity Breakfast Burrito at Angel Foods Kitchen

Lunch

Is packing a school day lunch box boring you to tears? Are you running out of ideas? Here are some blogs with plenty of food for thought.

• First, my new blog, 360 Lunch Boxes! I'll chronicle lunch for my two kids (and sometimes my husband) for the entire school year -- and maybe beyond!)
• A Pocket Full of Buttons
• Adventures in Bento Making: Bento Lunches by Pikko
• another lunch
• Crouching Toddler, Hidden Mother -- LOL I mean -- Crouching Mother Hidden Toddler Sorry 'bout that!
• What's for lunch at our house

After School Snacks

• Mini Maple Cupcakes with Honey Butter Frosting
• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Honest Smoothies
• Healthier Double Chocolate-Banana Cookies
• Banana-Carrot Sandwich Cookies
• Wheat Crackers
• Triple Lemon Cookies
• Oatmeal Cream Pies (Just Like Little Debbie!)
• No Bake Peanut Butter & Jelly Snacks
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookie Bars at Simply Scratch
• Cheese Crackers at Andrea the Kitchen Witch
• Strawberry Banana Coconut Milkshakes at Angie's Healthy Living Blog
• S'Mores Whoopie Pies at what Megan's making

What are your favorite school day foods?

Make-Ahead Pizza Dough....and Pizza Sticks for Lunch

Now that school's in session, you'll find me every Saturday in my kitchen, cooking for the week ahead. I'm determined to stop relying on basic sandwiches this year and branch out into better lunches. Pizza's great, whether warm or cold, so this was a natural starting point for me. My oldest is in middle school and has a microwave at her disposal, so she'll likely eat her pizza sticks warm. My youngest doesn't have access to a microwave, so we've compared these pizza sticks to the Lunchables pizza lunch, which kids eat cold all the time. She approves.

This dough can be made ahead and frozen so that you have two pizza crusts ready to go for dinner one night when Papa John calls out to you. Instead of relying on delivery (which can cost a family of four as much as I spend per week in groceries), pull out your dough and you'll be ready to bake in no time. If you roll your dough into pizza crust shape before freezing, the thawing time will be minimal. The other option is to keep it in a ball and thaw it overnight in the fridge. Either way, pizza night just got a whole lot cheaper and less complicated.

This is not the first pizza dough I've shared with you, but it has a different texture and taste than this one. The one I shared a while back is great for cracker-thin crusts. This dough is softer, which makes it a natural choice for my kids' school lunches.

Make-Ahead Pizza Dough
Makes enough dough for 2 medium pizzas (thin crust)

What You Need:

• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (if desired. adds color and flavor. I used parsley, basil, and thyme)
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• 2 to 2 1/2 cups flour (white or whole wheat, or a combination)

How it's Done:

1. Stir together yeast, sugar, and water, and let it sit until bubbly. Stir in half the flour, the salt, herbs, and melted butter.
2. Knead in remaining flour until a stiff dough forms. Knead about 6 minutes.
3. Turn the dough out into an oiled bowl. Cover and place in a warm spot for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
4. Punch the dough down, divide it in half, and roll each half into desired shapes. In my case, rectangles, as I'm making pizza sticks. I want my sticks on the thick side, so I rolled my dough into rectangles that were about 1/2" thick. Place the dough on baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. You can freeze at this point if you want. Otherwise, proceed.
5. Let the dough rest 20 minutes. Then, top as desired and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

For my pizza sticks, here's what I did once the dough was rolled into rectangles:

1. I placed each rectangle onto a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
2. I used a pizza cutter to cut through (but not separate) the dough, making 1" wide strips.
3. I spread a bit of pizza sauce -- just a couple tablespoons per rectangle -- on the dough.
4. Then, I topped the sauce with sliced veggies. In this case, sweet banana peppers.
5. Next, I sprinkled about 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella and a bit of Parmesan cheese on each rectangle, and baked them for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. I let them cool slightly before recutting the strips.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies For the Best Kids

My great-grandmother was an imprecise, messy cook. She didn't measure things. She just made good food. One of the things she did very, very well was to bake chocolate chip cookies. I opt for measuring things, for my readers' benefit. I used to be a tosser just like my great-grandmother. Her chocolate chip cookies have been made for four generations now. Everyone loves them. They're not gourmet. They're not loaded with several types of chocolate. But when you want a great cookie, this is your go-to recipe.

My daughters started school today, so I'm baking these as a special after-school snack. They'll be thrilled. I hope they've had a great first day. All throughout my day, I've been thinking of them and wondering what they were doing, what they were feeling, and if they made any new friends. First days are tough sometimes, especially when you're starting middle school.

Here they are on their first day of school.

Bayberry started middle school this morning -- 6th grade.

Picky Eater started 2nd grade.

Want to follow my journey as I pack both kids' lunches all year? I have a blog for that. Want some yummy cookies? Read on!

Great-Grandmother's Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies

What You Need:

• 
  
  1 cup butter at room temperature
• 
  
  1 cup brown sugar
• 
  
  1 cup granulated sugar
• 
  
  2 tsp vanilla extract
• 
  
  3 large eggs
• 
  
  1 tsp sea salt
• 
  
  2 tsp baking soda
• 
  
  4 cups all-purpose flour
• 
  
  at least 12 oz but up to 18 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

How it's Done:

1. 
   
   Preheat your oven to 375 and have a few ungreased cookie sheets ready to go.
2. 
   
   Cream the butter at medium-high speed for 30 seconds or so, to make it fluffier. Add the sugars and beat until creamy and smooth. One at a time, add the eggs, beating well between additions. Then, add the vanilla extract.
3. 
   
   Stir together the salt, flour, and baking soda. Add it to the batter slowly. Your batter's going to be so thick that you'll doubt the listed amount at first. Keep going. Four cups is not a typo.Scrape the sides as needed.
4. 
   
   Stir in, by hand, the chocolate chips. You're going to need a solid wooden spoon or something of similar strength for this task.
5. 
   
   Roll the dough out into big, thick, 2 to 2 1/2" thick balls. Place them 3" apart on the cookie sheets. Don't flatten them.
6. 
   
   Bake for 15 minutes or so, until the cookies are lightly browned. Try your best not to burn your mouth on the freshly baked cookies. As if I'd try to tell you to let them cool. Ha!

Baking for the Freezer: Magic Wands and Mini Cupcakes

It's school week, which means I'm baking up a storm getting ready to pack some completely home-made, nutrient-rich lunchbox goodies for my girls. Yesterday, I made fairy princess bread. Today, I made magic wands and some magical cupcakes. The magic in the cupcakes is that they're full of green apples and orange carrots. They are still dessert -- I don't mistake them for anything else -- but if I'm going to serve dessert, I might as well get some green and orange in the girls' bellies, right?

Both of these goodies were taste-tested today by my girls and their friends, and both passed with high marks. The kids kept asking for more. Good thing the cupcake recipe turned out a whole bunch! I'm sticking these in the freezer. By freezing them on a cookie sheet until solid, then transferring to containers, I can preserve the shape of the cupcakes. A frozen cupcake packs wonderfully, thawing just in time for lunch at school when placed in an insulated lunchbox.

Magic Wands

What You Need:

• 1 packet of active dry yeast
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (or substitute whole wheat for half)
• colorful jimmies
• almond bark or white chocolate (1/4 lb was all I needed)
• colored sugar

How it's Done:

1. Combine yeast, sugar, and water in a mixing bowl. Stir and let this sit for ten minutes until doubled in volume and bubbly.
2. Mix in oil, salt, and flour. Knead 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
3. Cover and let dough rest at least 15 minutes. It's forgiving: If you need to let it rest an hour or two, just punch it down when you're ready to move on.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half.
5. Roll each half into a roughly 9x11" rectangle. Sprinkle colorful jimmies over dough and run the rolling pin over it to press them into the dough.
6. Cut the dough into strips, less than 1" wide.
7. Twist the ends of the dough until a tight spiral shape is achieved.
8. Place each spiral straight on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 14 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Let cool completely.
9. Melt almond bark. Dip the end of each wand into the melted candy, then sprinkle with colored sugar for a magical tip.
10. Let the candy harden. Store tightly covered.

Mini Apple-Carrot Cupcakes with Honey-Butter Frosting
makes about 56 mini cupcakes

I love honey-butter frosting. I first made it with maple cupcakes and everyone gobbled them up. This time I paired the frosting with a denser cupcake and it didn't disappoint. The batter is very thick and full of fruit and vegetables. If your eaters are fussy about this, I suggest you puree them instead of grating them.

What You Need:

for the cupcakes:

• 1/2 cup safflower or other light oil
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 carrots (peeled or not -- I peeled mine)
• 3 small apples (peeled or not -- I did not peel these, and I used Granny Smith)

for the frosting:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup honey
• 5 to 6 cups confectioner's sugar

How it's Done:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini cupcake tin with papers or spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Grate the carrots and apples and set them aside.
3. Beat butter, oil, and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions. Add vanilla extract.
4. Slowly stir in flour, cinnamon, and baking soda. Once all are incorporated, beat on medium-high 2 minutes.
5. Fold in apples and carrots.
6. Fill cupcake tins all the way to the top. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until top springs back when pressed gently. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
7. For the frosting, beat together the butter and honey. Slowly add the confectioner's sugar until the desired consistency is met. If you want to color the frosting, do so before adding the confectioner's sugar. Frost as desired.

How are you preparing for back to school? Have you ever cooked ahead and frozen portions for lunchboxes?

Fairy Princess Bread (aka Pink Egg Bread)

I'm spending this week getting ready for packing school lunches. Today, I made some Fairy Princess Bread. I've got a whole magical princess lunch theme planned in my head. It includes toad stools and magic wands and crowns and princesses and such. It should be fun. Changing the color of food is something easy and fun you can do to avoid the monotony of lunch box preparation. It's easy to add a few drops of food coloring here and there. Here's my egg bread recipe. It serves me well. Oh -- and, no, the addition of the red food dye didn't alter the taste at all.

Fairy Princess Bread
makes one loaf (16 or so slices)

What You Need:

• 1 packet yeast
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 3 Tbsp melted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• food coloring if desired (about a dozen drops of red for pink bread)
• egg wash if desired, though I skipped it -- 2 beaten eggs with 1/4 cup water

How it's Done:

1. Stir together the yeast, sugar, and water. Let it stand 10 minutes.
2. Slowly beat in eggs, milk, butter, and salt. Add half of the flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, then add the remaining flour, until a soft, cohesive dough has formed.
3. With your mixer running, add in food coloring, a few drops at a time, until desired color is reached.
4. Knead about 10 minutes. Turn dough into an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 90 minutes.
5. Punch down the dough. Cut off one-third of the dough. With the remaining dough, divide into 3 equal balls. Roll each ball into a 14" rope. Braid these three, starting at the center and braiding out on each side. Pinch ends closed.
6. With remaining 1/3 of the dough, divide into 3 equal portions and roll into 16" ropes. Braid these the same way. Place the thinner braid on top of the thicker braid. Pinch ends to seal.
7. Cover and let rise again, for about 30 minutes.
8. Brush with egg wash if desired.
9. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until loaf sounds hollow when you thump the bottom.
10. Let cool completely before slicing. This bread freezes nicely.

Menu Plan Monday

Good Monday Morning to you! What do you have planned this week? School starts this week for us. We're all done school shopping. My brand new middle schooler has her uniforms. My brand new second grader has her cute outfits. All the supplies are marked with names. Hair is freshly trimmed. Eyesight is checked (and Picky Eater is now in glasses). Lunch boxes are ready to go. You can check out our daily lunches at my new blog, 360 Lunch Boxes.

Here's what our week looks like:

Monday:

Breakfast: grits & orange juice

Lunch: husband - bacon, lettuce, and cheese wrap; cream cheese on celery; nuts; iced tea / kids & me - baked potatoes loaded with toppings

Dinner: Marinated Portobellos, Cheesy Orzo, and Glazed Roasted Vegetables

Tuesday:

Breakfast: pop tarts & orange juice

Lunch: Husband - Tuna Salad; Hard-Boiled Egg; Iced Tea / Kids & me - ?
Dinner: Soybean Burgers & Fries

Wednesday:

Breakfast: oatmeal & orange juice

Lunch: Husband - Tuna Salad; Hard-Boiled Egg; Iced Tea / Kids & Me - Grilled Cheese & Minestrone Soup

Dinner: Chili Bean Burritos

Thursday:

Breakfast: Egg & toast

Lunch: Husband - Egg Salad stuffed into peppers; Celery with Ranch to dip; Pickle; Iced Tea / Kids & Me - Leftovers

Dinner: Pizza

Friday:

Breakfast: apple pancakes

Lunch: Kids - ? / Me - Vegetable-Stuffed Baked Onion / Husband - Shrimp salad in a wrap; Pickle; Apple; Iced Tea

Dinner: Black Bean Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries, and Pickled Cukes with Onions

Dessert: Surprise for kids since it's the first day of school! Honey Cake

Saturday:

Breakfast: Danish pastry

Lunch: Hasselback Potatoes

Dinner: Sofrito Americano Pink Beans & Cornbread

Dessert: Cream Puffs

Sunday:

Breakfast: waffles

Lunch: Homemade Spaghetti-Os

Dinner: Beef Burgundy with Butter & Parsley Noodles


Other things I am making this week:

• Fairy Wands
• Taco Muffins
• Meatloaf Muffins
• Blueberry Cornbread
• Apple-Carrot Cupcakes with Honey-Butter Frosting
• Peanut Butter & Jelly Biscuits
• Pizza Shells
• English Muffins
• Egg Bread
• Amish Friendship Bread

For more menu plans, visit orgjunkie.com. See you throughout the week for recipes!