Breakfast "Corn Dogs"

We love to have breakfast for dinner. And by we I mean the kids and myself. The Hubster doesn't get all that excited about breakfast (I don't understand it! Besides dessert, breakfast is my favorite meal of the day!)

Miss Ella requested breakfast for dinner this week. And since all of my other planned dinners were "yucky", I agreed to her request. But in order for it to work, I had to find a way to appeal to dad's tastes too. This could be tricky since my husband is a traditional carnivore and his favorite breakfast food is sausage... which was the worst pregnancy aversion I have ever had and has not been allowed in our house since.

My grand solution was to make the breakfast corn dogs I watched Ree make on an episode of Pioneer Woman on Food Network.

I can hear it now.... "wait- those have sausage in them, don't they?" Yes- but the pancake batter is rustic enough and I used sausage links that were skinny enough that it was actually okay! (and you do not even know how happy this made Mike!)

Ingredients

• 16 breakfast sausage links (we used a honey & brown sugar one)
• 3 cups pancake mix
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• Sprinkle of cinnamon
• 1 whole egg, slightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups water
• Canola oil, for frying
• Warm pancake syrup, for serving

The recipe calls for making these on a stick- but I cut the links in half and made them "nugget style"

My Sous Chef: Jack

Here is the process:

Cook the sausage

after THIS, I baked the rest in the oven!

Heat the oil.

Mix the dry stuffs 

Mix the wet stuffs

Mix the dry and wet stuffs together

Dip the precooked sausage into the batter

Drop into the hot oil

(I tested a bit of batter first. You want it to sizzle right away...if not, your batter will just soak up oil instead of getting crispy. Be mindful of the heat- you do not want your batter to brown too quickly because the insides will still be gooey. My stove knobs go from 1-10, 4 seemed to work well for me)

(sorry for the blurry picture... I was trying not to give myself 3rd degree burns. I am not the most careful cook out there! The important thing is being able to see the sizzle- can ya see it?!)

let them brown, taking care to move the nuggets around so the color is even

I only did 2 or 3 at a time since this is only my second time frying anything.

Remove (with tongs) and place on a paper towel. You can also put them on a wire rack and keep them in the warmed oven

Yum, right?!

RIGHT!!

This is a process...not a difficult one, but rather messy (but I am finding that the BEST meals are!), so I recommend making a bunch and freezing the extras for another day's breakfast. I thought I was doing this but ended up with only 12 left over nuggets. That is breakfast for three people.

We served with warm maple syrup, sliced kiwi fruit and home made cinnamon apples.

EVERYONE loved this meal. Dad, all five kids and even me... the worlds number one hater of breakfast sausage!

If you happen to have left over batter, you can make other tasty things too, like pancake fritters and fried oreos!

How to Cut a Watermelon

Finding watermelon at the grocery store tells me summer is here! It is a staple in our 'fridge and I have perfected a rather odd but simple way to cut our watermelon so I thought I would share!

First and foremost, WASH your melon. That's right. WASH YOUR WATERMELON with soap and water! There are more germs and bacteria on the rind of your fruit that you would want to know about. Running your clean knife through a "dirty" rind will only drag contaminates through the flesh. You don't want to end up on the evening news as a casualty of a freakish illness caused by some weird food borne bacteria do you? Trust me- wash your melons!

 You will need:

A towel

A serrated bread knife

A clean, whole watermelon

A large bowl

A small bowl

Something for waste (I use a grocery bag)

 Here is a neat trick I learned a long time ago from my mother-in-law: Place a smaller bowl, upside down, in your large bowl before putting your cut melon in. This puts a space at the bottom of the bowl for the juices to collect and keeps the fruit from getting soggy in that juice!

Cutting the Watermelon

STEP 1:

Cut the ends off of the fruit

 Doing so will give your watermelon a flat and stable surface while cutting.

Why not just cut a portion of the longer side instead than the short end?

Because my crazy method calls for standing the melon on the short ends!

 *I cut melons ON the towel. If you are worried about harming your counter you can put a cutting board under the towel. The reason I do it this is way because the towel soaks up all the juices which makes clean up a breeze! My counters (and myself) do not get soaked with juice and I don't have to mop afterwards! I have never damaged a towel- the knife really isn't pressing hard enough.

Step 2:

Starting at the top, saw with your bread knife towards the bottom of the fruit. After you have done this  a few times it becomes easier to cut along the curve of the watermelon

continue until all of the rind has been removed

Pretty neat, huh?!

At this point I shave off any remaining white flesh and I flip the melon over to trim the bottom up.

Step 3:

Cut the melon lengthwise, into halves

Step 4:

Cut the halves into thick slices

 Step 5:

Cut the slices into spears

(look familiar? Grocery stores charge the same price for less than half of a watermelon, prepared this way, as they do for a whole melon!)

Step 6:

Cut the spears into cubes

Step 7:

Toss 'em in the bowl (don't forget my tip about using the smaller bowl insert!)

 There you have it! How to cut watermelon for a herd!

As silly as it seems, it is very easy and works very well!

I hope you give it a try the next time you lug a whole watermelon home from the store!

Quinoa with Pork and Chives

This dish was born out of an attempt to finish off some grilled pork tenderloin. We discovered Quinoa while looking for alternatives to rice due to our son Jack being allergic to both rice and soy.

If you have never had Quinoa ('keen-wah') before- give it a try! It is very similar to couscous. Here are some quick facts on the grain that is rapidly growing in popularity:

• Protein in Quinoa:

One of the best reasons to enjoy quinoa is because it has a high-protein content, which makes it a great cholesterol-free and low-fatsource of protein for vegetarians and vegans. According to the USDA nutrient database, 1 cup of cooked quinoa (185 g) contains 8.14 grams of protein. To put that in reference, the recommended daily protein intake is about 56 grams for most men and 46 for most women.

• Fat in Quinoa:

Quinoa is naturally low in fat, but as a seed, it does have a small amount. One cup of cooked quinoa provides 3.4 grams of fat. But be mindful of what you add to your dish! Extra calories and fat can sneak in that way.

• Calories in Quinoa:

  Quinoa is relatively low in calories. One cup of cooked quinoa provides 222 calories. Again, watch what you add to the quinoa, as it's in the cooking process that most of the calories and fat will be added,depending on how you prepare it.

• Other Nutrients in Quinoa:

Quinoa is a great source of iron and fiber for vegetarians and omnivores alike. One cup of cooked quinoa (185 grams) provides 15% of the recommended daily intake of iron, and 5 grams of fiber, which is 21% the recommended amount. Quinoa is also an excellent source of magnesium, with 118 mg per cup, cooked. According to the USDA nutrient database, one cup of cooked quinoa provides:

39.41 mg carbohydrates

31 mg calcium

2.76 mg iron

318 mg potassium

13 mg sodium

2.02 mg zinc

So, now that your interests have been sparked just a little... lets tackle other questions.

• Where can I find this whole grain?

Most grocery stores have an organic section and that is a good place to start. You used to have to find Quinoa at a specialized market but gluten-free diets have become very mainstream now- you can even find Quinoa along side couscous and rice at your every day grocery store! My favorite brand is Bob's Red Mill

• What do I do with it?

All sorts of things!! cold salads, warm dishes, sides or a main dish! I find Quinoa to have a bland taste so be sure to flavor it up! Pretty punch anything you do with couscous, you can do with Quinoa. I have even seen recipes for rice pudding type dishes!

• Will Kids eat it?

I am not going to lie- this grain was a tough sell at first. But I have tailored it to my family's tastes and it is a widely accepted dish now! It has served as a great rice replacement for us and as a gluten free option for countless others.

I made the Quinoa with chicken broth instead of water and a pinch of salt, added the pork tenderloin and some leftover broccoli. The only seasoning I added was a little vinegar (apple cider) to help cut the saltiness. Delish! 100% weight loss friendly, filling, satisfying and QUICK! I used up the leftovers no one was interested and was healthful in the process

My Culinary Point Of View

We are foodies. We love to cook, we love to eat. The Food Network is my favorite channel. There are shows we watch religiously, shows we look to for inspiration and others that are just entertaining. I credit The Food Network for some of my cooking skills and all of The Hubsters. And I appreciate that they have created a 100% family friendly channel which has made culinary arts so "normal".

Right now a big show is "Next Food Network Star". The show has several seasons under its belt but we did not get on the boat until last year. Last night we watched the big premier show followed by the second episode. I make my pick for who I thought was going to win this year. (I called the winner on last years season premier!)  It got me thinking that I could totally be a contestant. It is one show where you don't necessarily have to be a trained chef or have years of experience in a restaurant kitchen. I looked at Mike and said, "I soooo should audition next year!" but then he asked me what my culinary point of view would be. This is something they really focus on through the season. It is really important and contestants have been cut because their vision was blurred or they swayed from their POV through their course on the show.

I was stumped a little. I mean- I am always saying "food is love" because in this house it IS! We cook with heart- even Jack. This two year old will whip up some beautifully confused plastic food meals at the play kitchen and offer it with everything he has. Once he serves it to you there is no turning him down. This little guy will persist until you "eat" it and tell him it was good. He especially likes to cook for Mike and it is typically when dad is the most busy. I usually have to back Jack up and encourage Mike to drop what he is doing and just eat the food... because food is love and Jack just served it up fiercely. And once you nibble on his lovingly prepared meal and tell him it was yummy, he tootles off with the cutest look of joy on his face! It is precious.

To Owen, cooking is serious business. Both in play and real life. I searched for a week for miniature kitchen utensils for him to use in the play kitchen because the play ones "don't work". When he stands on a chair along side me in the family kitchen he is steady and pays close attention. You can tell he is very proud of what he makes.

The younger girls are not as interested in cooking as much as they are interested in presentation. And that alone screams love. They realize that food is special and should be served in a special way. Each of them get it!

Our oldest is also extremely interested in food. So much so, that she is on the waiting list for a special culinary program offered in partnership with her school.

My food blogs are the most viewed of all of my posts. Food is a HUGE part of our life- it is a huge part of most people's lives. In this house, food is love. So... is that my culinary Point of View? Possibly. But if you read this blog regularly you  have learned that I like to cook from scratch as often as possible and feel that homemade is not as hard or time consuming as we all think it is. I am excited to share all sorts of tips and tricks that I have discovered that will help you bring good food to your table. Maybe that is my POV. Is that even a point of view? My mission is also to make wholesome meals that my family will love while having fun with food. I will spend some time fine tuning my POV, culminating these concepts into one fantastic concept that best captures my feelings about food being love and sharing as I go!

Would I love to end up on Food Network some day? Absolutely. Will I get there? I dono! I suppose it all depends on what is in my deck of cards. One thing is for sure- no matter what, I will always love to cook because food is love and cooking is something that has always been in me! Whether I share this love with my own family, the followers of my blog or people across America, lives are being touched and that makes me feel great!

A Tale of Two Bags of Potatoes

I love potatoes. Maybe it is the dominant Irish heritage in my DNA (which I estimate to be 80-90%). Maybe it is the carb lover in me.  When spuds are an option, they are my first choice! It is only natural that when 5 lb. bags of russet potatoes were buy one, get one free at our grocery store last week I put two bags in the cart with a grin on my face!

What to make?! I instantly had all sorts of ideas for these beautiful spuds. I knew I wanted to try making The Pioneer Woman's tater tots which would yeild enough for dinner and some to freeze for another time. 

By now The Hubster has figured out my game: I make things that are good. Sometimes making even better things requires new kitchen tools. In this case, that new tool was a food mill. I nearly fell out of my chair when an internet search showed that most mills cost about $120.00- I knew Mike would not go for that. Williams Sonoma carried the OXO mill for $50.00 which is far more reasonable. I know OXO stuff is pretty good (except for the can opener I bought. I should have returned that!) and if Williams Sonoma carries it, I thought it would be a safe purchase.

Even my "$70.00 savings" (by choosing OXO over other brands) didn't get the stamp of approval from the family finance guy so I headed to Bed Bath and Beyond with a 20% coupon. I scored the OXO food mill there! It was the same fifty dollars but I got it at 20% off. That made Mike happy, yay!

 

So... on to tater tots...

I washed and peeled one of the two bags of potatoes.

 Keep a bowl of water handy- I plunk a potato or two in while I peel the next few... this keeps them from turning brown.

See the muck at the bottom of the bowl? THAT is starch that seeps out of the potato and turns brown on the beautiful ivory surface of potatoes! THIS is why we soak taters!

Like my peel catcher? I cut the potato bag open and used it as a splat mat!

 

Now, before you groan and say you do not have the time to peel a bag of potatoes- I set the stop watch on my phone.

I peeled a bag of potatoes in under 4 minutes. While children were playing under my feet. And I am no master peeler either! Food made from scratch is not as time consuming as we have been raised to think it is!

 

After the potatoes are peeled, I cut them in quarters

Notice the moist towel from the potatoes under the cutting board? I do that to keep the board from sliding across the counter as I cut. Safety folks... lets not lose a finger!

 Boil until you can stick a fork into a chunk without pressing very hard.

 

*If this is your first time boiling potatoes, they do foam when boiled. Again, this is the starch

Drain

 

And now the fun part! Using my shiny new kitchen tool!

 So easy, a three year old can do it with ease!

Isn't that beautiful??

 I added salt, pepper and 1/4 cup flour as the recipe calls for. But almost all of the reviews online said that the recipe lacks a binder, like egg, and most people complained that their tots fell apart in the pan. So knowing this- I STILL proceed with the intention of making great tater tots. I added a smidge more flour, parsley, dried garlic and two eggs as suggested by the folks who wrote reviews.

Heat vegetable oil ( I used canola oil) and portion tot mix into tablespoon sized balls. Flatten and drop into the oil. Pan fry until golden.

You are totally curious about how mine turned out, right?

Well... they disintegrated in the pan! Just like everyone else's!! I don't know why I thought things would turn out differently for me!

So there I stood, with five pounds of potato that I couldn't bare to waste. By now you should know I am not one to be defeated by an obstacle- I could fix this!  The mix had egg in it, so I couldn't even make it into mashed potatoes- I needed to get creative!

I thought for a little while. I turned to the remaining bag of potatoes and was inspired! I would make twice baked potatoes!!

Feeling quite pleased with myself, I grabbed my cutting board, quickly washed the second bag of potatoes, halved them and got them into the oven

Crisis averted! While the potatoes were baking (400 degrees for about 25 minutes) and I was cleaning up, my thoughts turned to something I saw on Pinterest (the magical site that inspires me everyday!) Someone once posted a picture of fried potato peels.

I figured I would try it. I had already had my fail for the day and I already had a pan of oil sitting on the stove from the tater tot debacle. What is the worst that could have happened? Really... I should not tempt Murphy and his Laws. But I gave this idea a whirl.

I got the oil nice and hot and used a skimmer (or spider- what ever you happen to call it) to put a handful of peels into the oil

I had never done anything like this before so it was kind of a gamble. As is working with a pan full of hot oil. I am somewhat accident prone so this made me nervous!

These babies fry very quickly, so I had to work fast, keeping them moving around at all times!

 Once they were nearly golden, I took the skins out of the oil, drained them on paper towel and sprinkled lightly with popcorn salt (an ultrafine salt)

The Hubster LOVES potato chips and the crunchy little french fries that you find at the bottom of your fast food container- he was delighted to find these waiting for him when he got home from work! *Brownie points for me*

When the potato halves came out of the oven and cooled down, I scooped out the middle, added a little milk to the "tater tot mixture" and piped it into the potato shells.

I ate some of the scooped out middles for my lunch (dressed with fat free, plain greek yogurt and a little bit of cheddar cheese) It was good

The filled potato shells went back in the oven for 20 minutes

I have enough twice baked potato halves for two dinners. Half went in the fridge for later this week and the other half went into the freezer for a side dish in the future (probably later this month)

I am really bummed that the tater tots did not work out... I guess there is a reason we all buy them at the grocery store! But a few great things happened in the wake of my disappointment; I got to cook with Owen and expose him to something new, I gained a food mill, we have some great looking and smelling twice baked potatoes for two meals and I learned how to use the skins to make chips- which 1) my husband looooved, 2) reduced waste and 3) saved me money!

I will call the Tater Tot recipe a fail, but the process was a win!!