Oaty Sandwich Bread

Oaty Sandwich Bread

• 2 c oats
• 6 c whey (from yogurt straining)
• 1 packet fast-rising flour
• 1/2 c honey (I never actually measure)
• 1 c coconut oil (or vegetable shortening)
• 2 c whole wheat flour
• Lots of wheat flour. Maybe 8 c? It will depend on your moisture levels and the flour itself.

Microwave the oats in 2-3 cups of the whey for three minutes, or at long enough to get them nice and soft. I use my 4c pyrex mixing cup, which doesn’t boil over like a narrower jar. Let the mixture cool down to 90F. This can take as long as an hour, but don’t skimp on this step. If the mixture is too hot, it will kill your yeast!

Mix in honey, coconut oil and yeast. Slowly, 1 c at a time, mix in flour 1 c at a time until dough holds together well. Let rise until doubled in size (depends on temperature).

Punch down. Divide into two bread pans, and you may have enough left over for a small baguette or two. Preheat oven to 450F while loaves rise for 45 minutes. Slash tops and bake for 45 minutes.

After cooling, I often slice one up and stick it i the freezer. It can be toasted straight from the freezer without going stale.

Instant Pot Quinoa

Instant Pot Quinoa

2c dry quinoa

3c water and bouillon or broth

3 bay leaves

7 minutes on manual. Adapted from Quessenberry and Merker’s Instant Pot. Made nice, fluffy quinoa!

Curried Sweet Potato Waffles

2 cooked sweet potatoes

2 eggs

1 tbs Montreal Steak Seasoning (or salt, pepper, and garlic)

1 tbs of Curry Powder

1/2 c chick pea flour

1/2 c coconut or almond milk

Cube the sweet potatoes. Beat together sweet potatoes and eggs until smooth. Mix in remaining ingredients and cook in waffle iron as per instructions. Mine’s a KitchenAid Griddler and they took 10 minutes on 425F. Makes 4 waffles.

Chicken breast meatballs and Instant pot sauce

Spaghetti and meatballs is a favorite in this house, just like in Bread and Jam for Frances. I've been on a low carbohydrate kick and also like to get in my omega fats, so I substituted flax meal for any binding agent. This especially helps for Middle Child, who hates salmon in all its forms.

#16 No-Grain Chicken Breast Meatballs

6 chicken breasts, ground (you can sub any kind of ground meat)

3 tbs Montreal Steak Seasoning

1 c flax meal

1 egg

Mix by hand. Shape into meatballs and roast at 400F for 35 minutes.

#17 instant pot tomato sauce

1 big ass can of tomatoes (#10 can)

1/2 c balsamic

Basil

Oregano

Salt, pepper, garlic to taste

Cook in instant pot on the soup setting. Eat on everything. Zoodles, noodles, toast. You can also cook for 4-6 hours in a slow cooker.

What are your favorite tomato sauce recipes? My grandma was from Tensleep, Wyoming and not Italy, so I'd love to hear any hand me downs!

Kicking off #365Recipes2018

A recipe for every day of the year. The goal has so many things I love - hard to achieve, maybe a little crazy. Lots of food, tons of time in the kitchen with the family. So many cookbooks. Getting out of my comfort zone.

The first installment isn't a fancy one, but it's a page straight out of my childhood. My very first exposure to Mexican food, which really wasn't Mexican at all. So, I'm calling it Alaskan Taco Salad. For true, childhood flavor you're going to need one of those taco meat spice packets and a bag of Doritos. Not a lot of fresh veggies or homemade salsa, either. This salad tastes like childhood to me, and we ate it twice over Christmas break. (The kids loved the Doritos, because they couldn't believe I actually bought them!)

#1 of #365Recipes2018
Alaskan Taco Salad

• 1 lb ground beef, turkey, or game meat
• 1 onion
• Cumin, ancho, garlic or other taco spice blend
• 1 head of lettuce
• Salsa, sour cream, Tillamook cheese
• Doritos or other tortilla chips
• Ranch dressing

Brown your onions and meat together, enjoying the fantastic smells. Hide all your lettuce in the fantastic meat, cheese, sour cream, and crumbled Doritos. 

Curried Veggie Soup

1 bag pearl onions
1 bag frozen cauliflower/broccoli blend
1 bag peppers and onions blend
1 tbs garlic powder
2 bay leaves
1 tbs dried Thai basil
2 tbs lime juice
1 can chicken stock
1 can coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste

Cook on low in slow cooker for 2-4 hours.
Great with leftover chicken or shrimp.  Or, you can dress is up with sauteed shrimp and scallops.

Versatile Vinaigrette

1/2 c apple cider vinegar
3 heaping tablespoons of dijon mustard
3 tbs garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 c olive oil
~1 c parmesan

Mix the vinegar, mustard, and garlic together.  Slowly whisk in the oil, then add the parmesan, salt and pepper.