Some Like it Hot

In my household DH (Dear Husband for those who were asking), makes pancakes. Swedish pancakes, buttermilk pancakes, bisquick pancakes, and all of their variations. I used to be the pancake maker in the family, until DH decided he would love to try making them himself. Well he is now the expert, and usually if the P word comes out of my mouth he beats me to the stove, and whips up a stack.

Yeah, well I haven’t made pancakes since the first year we got married what, 5 years ago (wow time just flies). But I decided to make some pancakes again. Well, let me just say they were a flop and like an idiot I added pineapple to the mixture without precooking. Yeah, we had to go out for breakfast.

So for dinner I determined that we would have pancakes. Yeah you er see that my um culinary rep was on the line…How about we forget it, and let me get back to the story. Anyways in Korea they have this small vegetable “patties” that they serve during special days or if you aren’t lazy you can make them whenever, but they were my inspiration. I mean why couldn’t you make a veggie pancake with pancake batter? Well normal pancake batter was a little heavy and dense, so what if I separated the eggs, and whipped up the egg whites.

Well, apparently someone already thought of this idea and well it can be found here WHOLE MEAL PANCAKE

This recipe works really well, or you can fiddle with your own mix. Remember that some of the veggies do give of some moisture, and make take a little longer to cook. I have only changed it only very little, but the recipe seems flexible.

Whole Meal Pancakes
(Adapted from King Arthur Flour website)

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup Unbleached A.P. Flour
1 1/2 Tbs. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
12 oz Can Evaporated Milk
3 Eggs Separated at room temp

Mix all the dry ingredients, and whisk the egg yolks into the milk. Mix the dry and the wet ingredients except for the whites, and mix thoroughly.

Dice three cups of veggies, meat, tofu etc. All of it must equal to 3 cups total. I used red green yellow and peppers, Canadian bacon, spring onions, and zucchini.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Beat the batter again, and then fold in the veggies. Gently fold in the egg whites.

Heat your skillet or griddle, and pour 1/4 cup of batter cook until nicely brown on both sides.

Serve veggie hotcakes, with salsa, or sour cream, or whatever your heart desires.

Yeah, this made me feel a lot better knowing I still can make pancakes! But I think I will let DH make more for me, I just had to make sure I still knew how!

King Arthur, Flour, Veggies, Pancakes, Recipe

Today the clouds are back, and the weather is cold, but I want to be in a sunny place sipping on a cool “froofree” drink, digging my toes into the sand. Instead I am here doing laundry so I can have some socks to save me from cold toes. Just seems that everytime I have some time off we are doing something for the house, or some chore, and not enjoying the time off. My Korean language books are mocking me at every turn, and all I can think about is a small vacation in the Bahamas somewhere.

Yeah, yeah I know the world smallest violin is playing and you want to ask me if I want some cheese with that whine. But I need some time to just enjoy the down time!

One of the good things though, my spearmint as risen from the dead, and now my mind drifts off to making a mojito. I would say mojitoes but it reminds me that my toes are freezing. Well any ways that was TMI for you, lets move on shall we?

Mojito

Lime wedges
Simple syrup or tablespoon of super fine sugar
Club soda
Your favourite rum
Mint sprigs

In a glass muddle lime wedges (not all of them), simple sugar or super fine, and mint. Then add a splash of rum or more…Add ice and shake or mix with a spoon violently, but not so hard that things go flying out or you break the glass. Strain the mixture, and add club soda (everything is to your taste!). Garnish with a mint sprig and a small lime wedge. Enjoy!

This makes approximately one drink(I think); so better make sure you have enough for more before you start. It gets considerably harder to make the more you imbibe. Also if you don’t like my semi recipe just look for mojito recipes on google and you will get a lot more recipes with exact measurements.

Hmmm. Better not drink too many of these puppies, or none of my laundry will get done!

Strange I don’t feel cold anymore.

Vacation, Mojito, Limes, Rum

Today I am so full of joy, and as I was running my errands my thoughts turned to the blessings I have in my life. I was thinking about my blessings mainly because everything my thoughts turned to made me smile. I mean I am really cheerful that I felt intoxicated. Not because I received some good news, or won the lottery, but I was just plain happy. I hope your day is going just as well or even better.

I am so very blessed…

That the sun is shining today.

The sky is blue with fluffly white clouds.

The smell of newly cut grass.

The sight of a vibrant green tree between two dark pines.

The wonderful drive as I went on my errands.

The funny conversation I had with the check out person at the Milk pail.

The small amount of dirt to plant something and watch them grow.

The wonderful family I have here and spread across the world.

The fact that my family consists of people who do and do not share my genetic background.

I was present when the acme truck delivered fresh warm bread!!!

I am glad for new friends and old, and yes I consider you apart of my family.

Growing things to eat, and share.

I am truly blessed by all these tangible intangible things and people. My list will surely grow, and for that I am truly blessed and truly thankful!

Blessing, Beautiful, Thanks, Trees

Here at the Milgwimper household we have been eating fresh biscuits for breakfast. If you have never made fresh biscuits for breakfast you should give it a try. (I am talking about American biscuits, none of the cookie like things ) It takes only about 20 minutes or so to make and bake, and what you get is a nice warm biscuits hopefully with some honey, and butter, or maybe some homemade blackberry jam or lemon curd. The biscuits make a nice treat to eat between meals.

You can make them savoury or sweet, bread like, or flakey they are so wonderful, but best of all they are transportable. I can go on and on about the biscuits but I think it is better for you to make them yourselves!

Sorry no paparazzi where there to take the pictures of the lovely biscuits, and if there was she had a brain fart (read the post previous to this one), and misplaced the card reader. So you will have to use your imagination.

Now when I made these biscuits I followed a recipe I had no experience with and it came from the Internet. Now that isn’t a bad thing, but the biscuits required 1/2 cup of butter, and the biscuits came out buttery and flakey. They tasted wonderful right of the oven. The bad was that it wasn’t the soft pillowy biscuit that I love so much, and they became harder and harder as time passed.

The second day I used the same recipe, mainly because I couldn’t find my grandmother’s recipe, but I added minced cheddar cheese, and garlic powder. You are wondering why minced cheddar cheese right? Usually recipes call for grated cheddar cheese for cheese biscuits, but I did not have a small wedge of cheese. I had only slices of cheddar cheese, and sorry um I did not need add a grating accident to my list of cooking scars (I have a lot of scars). Well anyways the cheese biscuits came out pretty good, although I would have added less salt to make up for the saltiness of the cheese.

I would usually give you the recipe now, but I will hold off, mainly because I am not as pleased with the recipe I used. If you are interested in the recipe then e-mail me, and/or leave me your interest in receiving the recipe, and leave your email in the field, and I will e-mail you back.

Now if you have an excellent recipe for biscuits, then I would bake up a batch and enjoy it for breakfast soon!

So, I have been busy, and not writing so much. Ok I stink at keeping to a schedule to post on this blog, but I have a really good excuse! Well no excuse and actually writing would be better, but hey I never said I was perfect.

You see I am afflicted with a disease. I am prone to brain farts. What are brain farts, its when a mental wind comes and cleans out your brain, and you lose whatever thoughts, brilliant ideas, and where in the world you just set something down. Well I have had a big mental brain fart, and I lost my keys.

Now, I have always been prone to losing my keys, homework, whatever was in my hand, but I had it beat for a long time now. I thought I had triumphed over the brain fart syndrome. Yeah, well it came and hit me with a vengeance. I misplaced my keys in my house.

I know you are thinking it isn’t so bad; you’ll find it soon enough. Well, lets see DH found my keys earlier this morning. They keys have been missing for two weeks. Yes! Two weeks, in which I retraced my steps, tore up and reorganized the house, and tried to forget I lost my keys so that they would pop up somewhere soon! Whew…Oh I forgot to tell you I always lose the keys inside the house.

Oh, but that is not all; do you know why DH found my keys? He was looking for my glasses that went missing this morning, because I had a brain fart and couldn’t remember where I placed them the night before. DH has threatened to look for a beeper for my keys. I think if he could he would add them to everything I own! You know it wouldn’t be a bad idea…

Can you imagine me looking for the little remotes so I could find my things?

So the day that my in laws came for a visit; the flight schedule was changed and instead of both parents coming on the same plane, they came separately. My father in law came at 7 pm, and my mother in law plane came in at 11:30pm. Luckily I had made spaghetti, and all I had to do is cook the noodles. For a side we had blanched asparagus, and buttered parmesan acme sweet batard.

Both parents were very tired and I don’t blame them. They ate their dinner and crashed. The next few days would be jam packed with events.

Here is the “recipe” for the spaghetti, for Jo Of Truly Thankful she has been asking for it since I made it for her before she left.

Sorry Jo you need to ask DH for the meatball recipe. Also everything is approximation, and you should taste the sauce.

Easy Spaghetti sauce

1…28oz /794g…….Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes
1……………………Can of tomato paste
1……………………Small can of tomato sauce to thin out the sauce
1 large…………….Onion chopped
3 cloves …………..Garlic minced
1.5 lb………………Fresh mushrooms sliced thinly
2 tsp……………….Basil dried (if using fresh double or triple the basil)
1 tsp……………….Oregano dried (double it triple if using fresh)
1-2…………………Bay leaves
1-3 Tbsp…………..Olive oil

Heat the oil in the pan and add the onions, mushrooms, and garlic. When the juices start to release and the onions are almost transparent add the herbs, and lightly stir fry until fragrant. Add this mixture to the saucepot. Add the diced tomatoes and the tomato paste. Add the tomato sauce slowly until the sauce is runny. Add the bay leaves, and cook on medium for at least half hour, or longer. Take out the bay leaves before serving.

Sometimes I will make a meat sauce with ground meat or we will add meatballs right before serving. My spaghetti sauce is usually never quite the same because I am always adding things from the refrigerator, the garden, and anything else I think would be tasty.

THE SUN IS SHINING, AND THERE IS NOT A DROP OF WATER FALLING FROM THE SKY! Sorry everyone for the “shouting”, but we have had so much rain for over a month that this one beautiful day is a miracle! So, I hate to say it, but I am out to play! The ground is still a bit soggy from weeks of rain, but the sky is blue, and the clouds are cotton puffs! Time to go splashing in the rain puddles! ::Can you hear the stampede of people enjoying the sun from where you are?:: I will post soon, but I need to catch some rays!

Bye!

P.s.

It is supposed to rain tomorrow, maybe I will post then!

Also, I made the most pretty cranberry muffins. They were slightly tinged with yellow, and red jewels dotted the surface. You would think they would taste good. Bleck! I dumped them out into the trash. I couldn’t decide if it was the olive oil, or the whole wheat flour that made it taste off, and bitter. The cranberries tasted fine, but the cake part was very bitter, and had an off taste I can’t seem to discribe. DH thinks it is because I followed the directions to the letter. He might be right, or wrong, but those muffins were a disaster! Back to the drawing board.

Hey everyone it has been a long and hard road I have travelled with all the exams that I have taken, but you really did not come here to read about that!

I will post the visit by the in-laws mixed in with some of the current things I am doing, or eating. Since I am a bit behind! Hmm, too bad my behind isn’t, erl whatever! You should thank Ron, at Hotel Waikiki for giving me a kick in the pants to post! Thanks Ron!

I just wanted to let you know I have been recovering, and enjoying my time! In that time I made some really good fudge cupcakes, from a culinary mystery series that I love to read when I want to escape my reality for a bit. The books are a fun read, and this is the book I got the recipe from, Joanne Fluke’s Fudge Cupcake Murder The recipe came out really well, but I had to make changes. Yeah, yeah I see you laughing at me there, Jo (from Truly Thankful.

After making the cupcakes, I wasn’t as pleased, and I need to make more changes. (Dh says I am a little too critical of my cooking and baking, but I know what I like and dislike!) For one, I did not strain out the jam when I made the cupcakes with blackberry jam, and well lets say we had a seedy problem. Next, was the icing on the cake; the frosting was way too sweet! I would suggest using dark unsweetened chocolate, and not the semisweets suggested in the original recipe, but that is just me! Oh, I am sorry there are no photographs, because even with the flaws they dissapeared so fast!

FUDGE CUPCAKES WITH FROSTING
(An adapted recipe from Joanne Fluke’s Fudge Cupcake Murder)

CUPCAKES:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, with the oven rack in center position.

4 oz………..Baking chocolate (unsweetened)
1/4 C………White Sugar (granulated)
1/2 C………Blackberry jam
1 2/3 C……Flour
1 1/2 tsp….Baking Powder
1/2 tsp……Salt
1/2 C……..Unsalted Butter at room temperature
1 1/2 C……White sugar
3…………..Eggs
1/3 C……..Manufacturing cream (original uses milk; no milk, and I did not dilute cream.)
18…………Cupcake paper liners

Line the cupcake pan with the liners and set aside. If the jam has seeds strain out the seeds! Melt 1/4 C of sugar and jam until the chocolate is smooth, and the sugar has dissolved. I did the melting in a double boiler, but you may microwave it, but keep your eye on the it, and stir it from time to time to keep it from burning. When they have melted and everything is incorporated, set aside and let cool to luke warm.

Place the flour, salt, baking powder, and mix thoroughly and set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Then add the eggs one at a time and make sure they are incorporated.

Then alternate 1/3 of the flour mixture and third of the milk. Making sure everything is incorporated each time until you are done and everything is mixed in thoroughly.
Check the temperature of the chocolate it should be warm and not hot! If the chocolate is still hot let it cool till you can touch it without burning yourself. Mix in the chocolate mixture with the rest of the batter, and mix till everything is smooth.

Let the batter rest for 5 minutes and then give it a quick stir. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Take out the cupcakes and let them rest for 5 minutes to cool, and then take them out of the cupcake pans and allow them to cool on the cooling racks.

FROSTING:

12 oz………Unsweetened dark chocolate
1 14oz……Can of Sweetened Condensed milk

18…………Cupcakes cooled

In the double boiler melt chocolate, and keep stirring. Add the sweetened condensed milk, and keep mixing until glossy and smooth.

Lay parchment paper under the area where you are frosting the cupcakes to catch drips and dribbles. Place about a tablespoon or more of the frosting on the cupcakes. You can add more for some height, and a thicker bite by waiting for the first layer to stiffen a little bit before adding more frosting. Wait til the frosting has hardened, and enjoy it with a nice tall glass of milk!

These cupcakes were a hit, and I kept getting requests for the recipe. So, there you have it. I hope you enjoy the recipe, and maybe even the books! I will be getting the pics for the vacation trip up soon!

I am going back to enjoying my free time, and rereading some old familiar books. I was lucky enough to grow up with a father who loved to read. I grew up with mainly science fiction and fantasy, sprinkled with the classics, westerns, memoirs of Vietnam, Korean, WWI and WWII wars, science and history. So, I had teachers look at me in disbelief as I read Frank Herbert’s Dune, Asimov’s Foundation series(and all his other books too! whew), and Heinlein’s books (Yes, Dad allowed me to read anything in his library of 2000 plus books!) for the summer reading program in 4th or 5th grade…LOL (Hmmm I wonder if they really did not believe I read the book, and thats why I did not win. Argh, oh well they were all good reads!)

At this point I am enjoying Spider Robinson’s Callahan’s series, again for the umpty ump time. If you like science fiction and like to laugh (and love puns) you should check them out! But I am not starting with the first books, but with Lady Slings the Booze! Catcha later! Oh, yeah don’t start me on books I can go on forever. I am slowly building my collection, and well we’ll see how large it can before I get admonished by DH, and the moving company! (NO! I am not leaving yet, but I am sure sometime in the future we will be moving.) Well my books are really calling my name!