Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Tofu and Red Onion Salad


I really wanted to name this salad Finnley's Favorite Salad in the Entire World but I think it might be a bit too long.  The girl loves red onions in rice vinegar.

We first had this salad a few weeks ago at our local Japanese restaurant.  I wasn't really sure what I was ordering but I knew that I liked tofu and red onions.  What could there be to not like? NOTHING!  It was delicious and Cory barely got any of it.

When we got home I knew that this needed to be added to our monthly menu line up.  To be honest the tofu freaked me out.  I had no idea what I was doing when it came to frying tofu and set out on a mission to dig a little deeper.  I own several cookbooks that helped me to figure it out.  


The method that I am using in this recipe is by far my favorite because its a simple process of heating up some oil, tossing the cubes of tofu in a starch and frying until golden brown.  I experimented with deep frying the pieces and it was messy and my tofu was a bit oily.  I think I am not set up to deep fry in my home kitchen and I will let the restaurants tend to that process.  I might need to invest in a Fry Daddy, but again, the pan fried method worked for us.  

The tofu was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside--perfect!


I fry up a whole block of extra firm tofu because it reheats well for other dishes. I also used it in the recipe coming out on Friday for my Asian Tofu Salad with cashews and toasted sesame seeds.

A few weeks ago we had company and I threw this together in a very short amount of time.  My brother-n-law and sister-n-law thought the salad was a success.

During the photo shoot, Finnley, could not hold back.  She sat right down and started helping herself to her salad.  She was too cute to say no and so I continued shooting and she continued to eat. I love the picture above with her cute feet straddling her salad.  She is growing up too fast and these little moments remind me of that.

Below I will show you step by step how I prepare the tofu to fry.  The salad starts with four simple ingredients: red onion, rice vinegar, salt and pepper.


Tofu and Red Onion Salad

1/2 red onion, sliced very thin
1-3 tablespoon rice vinegar, depends on amount of onion used
salt and pepper
1 block of extra firm tofu
oil for frying
starch for coating

1.  30 minutes before you make your salad prepare the tofu.  See the images below to help you with this step.  Also cut the red onion and add the salt, pepper and rice vinegar.

2.  After 30 minutes, cut tofu into slices and then small pieces.  Toss in starch of your choice (corn, arrowroot, potato).

3.  Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of  a skillet.  Add tofu pieces one at a time.  They might clump together if you toss them all in at once.

4.  Fry on each side until golden brown and remove to a cookie rack until ready to add to the red onion.

5.  Top red onion salad with warm tofu and serve.

TOFU Instructions
This is how I remove the excess water from my tofu.  I wrap it in a dish towel and add something heavy to the top of it.  The dish towel will absorb the extra water and create a more dense block of tofu for frying.


I slice the tofu into 1/2 widths.

I then take each slice and make it 6 pieces.

Heat my oil, and add each piece one at a time.  

Let get golden brown on each side. Remove to cookie rack.



Friday, December 4, 2015

Swiss Chard Salad with Lemon


I first had this salad in June of this past year.  We were leaving Maryland and our friends had invited us over for a goodbye luncheon.  Natasha served this salad with a few others.  THIS SALAD is amazing!

I have tweaked it a bit from her original recipe, but let me tell ya, I make this salad for every guest that comes to our home....AND?  They love it.  I think love may not be a strong enough word.  People are shocked to be eating Swiss Chard. Most of them have never had Swiss Chard and instantly fall in love with the texture and flavor.  It's hardier than a regular green salad.

I believe what makes this salad so beloved is its simplicity.  The combination of lemon, bread crumbs (Panko in the picture above) and olive oil riles up their taste buds.  The balanced dressing makes you notice how perfect a salad can with a few ingredients.

Everything we make doesn't have to be fancy to be good.


I find Swiss Chard year round where I live.  This particle variety is called Rainbow Swiss Chard.  The stems are different colors.  I personally don't include the stems in the salad. I use a small pairing knife and trim the stem out of each leaf.  I find the stem to be tough.

I toast the Panko crumbs in a dry cast iron skillet over medium high heat.  They turn a nice golden brown. I have also used croutons that I make up ahead of time from old bread.  I crush them in a bag and toast them like the Panko crumbs.  If you are gluten free either omit the bread crumbs all together or use a gluten free variety.

If you use cheese, then I would recommend a nice strong Parmesan to finish this salad.   I also have friends that add bacon.  We don't add bacon because we don't eat it but if you do....then go for it.  


This salad stores in the refrigerator well.  I have heated it up the next day for a few seconds in the microwave with excellent results.  The bread crumbs/Panko crumbs get a little soggy but this does not bother me.


I live across the street from a beautiful bay along the Oregon Coast.  We often see bald eagles flying and nesting in the area.  On the day that I shot the pictures for this piece I turned and looked out the window to see a bald eagle fishing right in front of me.  I had no time to get a stronger lens so I used what I had.  I captured this image below.  I tell you, the excitement and thrill that pulsed through my veins to watch this spectacular bird in its natural habit and so close to my house...was incredible.


Swiss Chard Salad with Lemon

1 bunch of Swiss Chard, with the stems removed
1 lemon, juice only
1/4 cup olive oil,  add more as needed
1 cup of Parmesan cheese, shredded finely
1 cup of toasted bread crumbs or Panko crumbs
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon minced red onion
Bacon--optional and use what you like

1.  Slice the swiss chard leaves into bite size pieces.  In a bowl add all of the ingredients and toss.

2.  Taste the salad and adjust to your taste buds.  We like ours tart so I add more lemon usually.


Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Salsa Verde



It's the holiday season and we are so excited in my house.  The tree is up and the decorations are out.  This is our first year in the beach house and we are settling in and starting new traditions.

I am sharing one of our favorite recipes this time of year.  In my mind I was under the assumption that Salsa Verde is a summer thing.  Well, in Oregon it's an all year round thing.

I can buy the ingredients at my local Fred Meyer and this brings a bit of freshness into our gray and winter months here at the beach.  We have seen so much rain.  One night we had 2.5 inches.  A LOT OF RAIN is in our forecast and this bright salsa is an easy way to add color to our plates and lives.


Each time I make Salsa Verde it disappears from the fridge.  My kids eat it as an after school or late night snack with chips.  My favorite is to drizzle it over my nachos with some fresh red salsa and cilantro.  I also make vegan burritos and use it as the sauce. 

I have noticed that if I use the smaller tomatillo's that it can be a bit tart.  We like this about the salsa but some people find it too strong.  I have used the tomatillos raw but I usually try to roast them or toss them in my cast iron pan for a few minutes.  This helps to round out the flavor and tartness.




You may have noticed that my recipes have become simpler.  We are still eating mostly vegetables, fruits, nuts and less meat.  It's been an easy transition and we love getting creative with the rainbow of fruits and vegetables at our local grocery store and Farmer Market.  I find I don't need long recipes to make delicious food for most of our meals.

I also notice that much of our cooking is using the "a little of this and a little of that" mentality.   If my recipes seem to not offer a lot of instruction its because they depend more on your taste buds and personal preferences than on following a recipe that is set in stone.  I want you to think about what you are cooking, taste your food, learn what you like, and learn about the ingredients you are working with.  

I hope you enjoy this bright, tart salsa this time of year.

Salsa Verde 
Makes about 2 cups

8-10 Tomatillos, raw or roasted
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1/4 cut onion
1 jalapeno--optional
salt to taste
lime juice to taste--optional
1 clove minced garlic

avocado--If you want a creamy version, this is a great way to use up a very ripe avocado.

1.  Roast the tomatillos on stove top with a little bit of oil or in a very hot oven for 10 minutes.

2.  Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor.

3.  Taste and adjust flavors: add more lime, jalapeno, cilantro, or salt as needed.

4. Store in refrigerator.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Oyster Mushroom Quesadilla #vegan



I have moved to a mushroom paradise.  I never fully appreciated how abundant Oregon is brimming with mushrooms: wild and locally grown.  We are over the moon to discover this in our backyards at the Oregon coast.

Our family enjoys all types of mushrooms and in almost every form: raw, cooked, steamed, in soups, deep fried, and pickled.  We just love mushrooms.

I remember camping in the mountains of Utah about 10 years ago and finding a Snowball mushroom.  It was huge.  My husband was afraid to eat it but another camper also recognized it for what it was.  We agreed to fry it up in some olive oil with salt and pepper.  Oh that was a treat!



I don't do that very often.  We don't eat any wild mushroom we find unless we get a second opinion.  It just isn't worth it and we are not experienced enough to put our family in that kind of danger.  Some mushrooms are lethal.  Always know what you are eating before you eat it.

I have used several sites for my own personal identification purposes.  When we go out hiking or frisbee disc golfing we will encounter a variety of mushrooms along the trails.  I like this site HERE.  He has a great picture and brief description that helps me to TRY and identify what we have found.

We are lucky enough to live close to a mushroom farm.  This family is at our local Farmer's Market each week with tons of brown bags.  Inside each bag you will find a selection of mushrooms. Each bag is labeled, she has samples and generously shares her knowledge with us.  Their site is HERE.  Their farm is located in Eddyville which is about 35 miles from Corvallis, Oregon.

We use our mushrooms in everything.  I usually buy two or three bags and this will last us a week.  Our new favorite way of eating them is in a quesadilla. 
I buy whole wheat organic tortillas from a local coop in town.  I like these because they have few ingredients and taste fresh.  

We don't include cheese in our quesadillas.  I have used a tofu like cream cheese before but usually I just toast the tortillas on my grill, add the mushrooms and then toss in some arugula at the last minute for a fresh element.  I fold it over and serve it with our homemade Salsa Verde.  That recipe is coming soon.

For this recipe I sautéed the mushrooms in a bit of olive oil with salt and pepper. I also added some red onions.  I cook them until they are tender and a bit wilted. 

I haven't included a step by step because these are pretty straight forward to make.

This is what you do:

-saute the mushrooms
-toast the tortilla
-add the mushrooms and anything else you desire
-fold in half and cut
-serve with a dipping sauce 
-eat



Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Pickled Radishes


Our family has fallen in love with pickled food.  We eat something pickled every day.  I often will have pickles, onions, asparagus, radishes or carrots pickling in our refrigerator on any given days.

I find that our friends and family that visit also enjoy these lovely side dishes.  Pickled food is great by its self, on a cracker, served with hummus or used as a topping in your favorite sandwich.

My two year old loves the red onions the best.  The red radishes are my husbands favorite.  Not only are they the right blend of sweet and tart, they are still firm enough to enjoy the bite that comes from eating a radish slice.  My favorite part?  The pink brine.  The pink comes from the red skin.  It just looks pretty.  I like pretty food.

Pickling is a great way to preserve food too.  It comes in handy for our family when I notice I have purchased too much of one thing.  Cucumbers come to my mind first.  I tend to buy one or two extra cucumbers that sit in the fridge for a bit too long.  I try really hard to not waste food.

I use a simple brine mixture for all of my pickling items.  I like the combination of rice wine, water, salt, and sugar.  To vary the flavorings I also add pickling spices, fresh herbs (my favorite is dill which is pictured in the photo above) and sometimes I will use a variety of vinegars.  I like rice wine because it is mild and has the right amount of "pucker" for our taste buds.  I can use it by itself or mixed with water and achieve great results.

Pickled Radishes

1 bunch of radishes, tops removed and sliced thin
1 cup of rice wine
1 cup of water
2 teaspoons of pickling spices
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 teaspoons of salt
***take note: the sugar and salt are just estimates.  Taste the brine and then decide if you want more salt or sugar or both.  Sometimes I will do this after it has sat for an hour too.

1.  Use a clean container.  I like glass.  Add the sliced radishes, sugar, and salt.   If you choose to add fresh herbs, do this now too.

2.  In a small pot add vinegar, pickling spices, and water.  Bring to a boil and remove from heat.  Add hot mixture to radishes.  Let cool on counter.

3.  Refrigerate when cool.  We eat our pickled products within two weeks.


Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Tomato Soup #dairyfree #vegan


If I have to pick one recipe that has quickly become our favorite for this year it is this tomato soup.  My entire family LOVES it.  I make it at least once a week.  

We have named this Isabella's Tomato Soup because she is the one that request it the most.  Last week I taught her how to make it as part of our Friday Cooking Class.  Isabella is becoming quite the culinary student.  I have enjoyed teaching her about the basics of cooking, the health benefits of cooking from scratch, and the time together in the kitchen.

This recipe is dairy free and I have made it with all types of dairy free milk: rice, almond, soy and coconut milk.  We really like the coconut milk the best.  I use the full fat and the soup is very creamy and dreamy.


We use a combination of fresh and canned tomatoes.  I think the texture and flavor from using the two benefits from having a variety of tomatoes.  

It is quick!  We whip this soup up in about 20 minutes.  I try to let it simmer for a few minutes but I usually have a handful of people asking me, "is it ready yet?" every few minutes.  The soup is great the next day too.

Tomato Soup #dairyfree #vegan
Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup red onion, diced small
1 tablespoon Italian Parsley, finely minced
2 teaspoons oil of your choice, to sauté onion
2 tablespoons flour
2 cans Organic Diced Tomatoes
2 cans Organic Coconut Milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic paste
salt and pepper to taste


 1.  Heat a small pot with oil.  Add onion and cook for 3 minutes.  Add garlic and parsley, salt and pepper.  Cook over heat for 1 minute.

2.  Add tomatoes and coconut milk.  Do not drain juice from tomatoes.

3.  Stir together.  Using a hand held blender stick, puree soup until smooth. See picture below.  It will be light pink and as it cooks, the color will change to a beautiful orange red.  If you don't have this, then add to a blender and puree and return to pot.


4.  Heat soup until thick.  I don't usually boil this soup.  Once the soup is thick, I turn the heat down and let it simmer for 15 minutes.  Taste and season according to your family's needs.

5.  We serve this with homemade croutons.  Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.














Friday, September 4, 2015

Portabella Mushroom Casserole



In my neck of the woods it is casserole season.  Living at the beach in Oregon brings a cooler climate, especially in the mornings and evenings, that makes each day seem like the perfect blend of summer and fall.

Portabella Mushrooms are a family favorite because they are meaty in texture and have a mild earthy flavor.   My kids like mushrooms and this is a fun variety to buy at the store because they come in different sizes.  I usually buy the large ones in a 4 pack.  The mushrooms can be grilled (love the flavor when grilled), diced up for casseroles or used in stir frys.  These are just a few ways I incorporate them into our menu.

This casserole was a combination of a few ingredients that I had in my refrigerator.  I have a tendency to buy the mushrooms and then forget to use them.  I could tell I was nearing the end of their "fresh" cycle.  I recently switched to turkey sausage and find that these two ingredients pair well together.

On a scale of 1 to 10 this is an easy dish to prepare.  The kids love it and the leftovers leave you wanting more.

ENJOY!


Portabella Mushroom Casserole
4 servings

4 large portabella mushrooms
2-3 turkey sausage links (I choose the Italian flavor)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced small
1 small zucchini, diced small
1 cup of ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup of mozzarella cheese
2 cups of prepared marinara (homemade or store bought)

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Oil a casserole dish.  Add the 4 portabella mushrooms and prebake them for 15 minutes.

2.  Saute red onion and zucchini in olive oil until tender.  Add turkey and cook until done.

3.  Combine the parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese together.

4.  Remove mushrooms from oven and layer the turkey sausage mixture with the ricotta cheese,  marinara sauce and mozzarella/parmesan cheese around the mushrooms in the casserole dish.  If you wish to slice or chop the prebaked mushrooms into smaller pieces you can before adding the sauce and cheese.

5.  Bake until bubbly--25-30 minutes for most ovens.

Recipe by Sherron Watson

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Pesto Mint Lamb Kabobs

This past summer we decided to eat less pork and beef.  The main reason is that we found that when we cut these two things out of our diets we felt better overall.  Pork especially had an impact for most members of our family.  I can't describe it exactly other than to say we felt blah after consuming bacon, pork chops or roast. Our kids still eat ham for sandwiches but I believe taking the dinner portions out of their diets has helped them digest the bit of pork they eat for lunch.  I have had the same reaction to beef.  I just feel better without too much of it in my diet. 

 In fact all meat makes me feel and react with a bright red nose, cheeks and chin.  I get small blisters around my face too.  I think meat may be a trigger for my GERD and Rosacea.  I have taken meat out of my diet completely for the last month and I feel great.  Honestly it has been easier than I thought because I can see and feel the difference this change has made in my life.  I will still continue to taste my recipes and, on rare occasions, eat a small amount of meat...but...it better taste dang good in order for me to put it into my body.

My family won't, nor should they, give up meat just because it triggers a bad reaction in me.  For this reason I still prepare meals for them that have lamb, chicken or turkey in some of the recipes.   We really like lamb.


I make a lot of pesto in the summer and sometimes I am down to the very tail end of the jar.  I decided to use it as a marinade with these lamb kabobs.  I know that lamb and mint go really well together.  I buy little bundles of mint but never manage to use the whole bunch.  This time I did because I added the rest to the pesto.

To bring out the flavor of the mint I also served the kabobs with mint jelly.  You can make this or buy it from most grocery stores.

Kabobs just scream summer to me.  Cooking on the grill on our back porch or at the park adds so much flavor to meat.  I love grilling.  I used metal kabobs but you can use the bamboo ones too, just soak them for 30 minutes so they don't catch on fire.

Enjoy!

Pesto Mint Lamb Kabobs

2 pounds leg of lamb roast cut into cubes
1/2 cup pesto (homemade or store bought)
handful of mint leaves, washed and minced
olive oil to brush on grill

1.  Preheat grill or prepare coals.  I like mine hot so the kabobs take less time to cook.

2. Add the cubed lamb to a large bowl and add the pesto and minced mint leaves. If the marinade seems dry then add some olive oil.

3.  Thread the meat on the kabobs and grill.  Lamb does not need to be well done. In fact, we like ours to be pink on the inside.  The kabobs don't take long to grill.

If using metal skewers please be careful because they can get very hot on the grill.  Use a mitt to help rotate them or tongs.

Written by Sherron Watson


Friday, May 1, 2015

Hawaiian Meatballs



There was a time that Cory and I thought about moving to Hawaii.  We spent 6 weeks there during the summer of 2010.  I fell in love with the islands but there were a few things we were worried about and the longer we stayed the more diverse the islands became to us.   If it was just Cory and I we would have considered it but with 4 kids and the cost of living the reality of the move was not going to happen.  We still return for visits and have chosen to enjoy them as tourist instead of as home owners.



I was born on Midway Island which is not too far away....only 1500 miles...Okay so it's a bit far.  My dad was in the Navy and this is why we were stationed there. The sound of waves crashing against the shoreline sends a ripple of emotion through me.  I feel connected to the lifestyle.  My dad always reminded me of Jimmy Buffet because he had a very laid back approach to life and loved the water.  I remember being on the water at an early age wearing my life jacket and being dumped into the San Diego Bay more than I like to think about.  His catamaran was his toy and he wanted to share it with his kids.  I am not sure my Mom completely liked the idea but she went along on most escapes.

Living in Maryland and being so close to water has felt great.  I can see why the sea was a place that my Dad found his happy place.   While garage shopping last summer I found a box full of old cookbooks.  I quickly glanced through the titles and spotted a book on Hawaiian cooking.  The date on the inside cover read: 1973.  My heart pounded a bit with excitement as it often does when I find a cookbook that is not in my collection.  I thumbed through the pages and found several recipes that I knew my family would LOVE.

These Hawaiian Meatballs were located smack in the middle of the book. I soon discovered that the book was a compilation of recipes from a local newspaper. In my mind that read, "the best of the best" for that year. I took the liberty to alter the recipe a bit to accommodate my family's taste and used what I had on hand.

Oh did these taste amazing! They have been added to our rotation of recipes that I use when I have run out of ideas....it happens.  I made the meatballs from scratch but you can use frozen meatballs too.
I served the meatballs with rice and fresh fruit.  Let me know what you think!


Hawaiian Meatballs
Makes about 25--depends on size of scoop you use

Meatball:

1 package of meat with three kinds:  beef, veal and pork
1 egg
1/4 cup  diced bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4-1/2 cup BBQ sauce

Sauce:

1 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 cup of crushed pineapple with juice
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup red onion, diced small
1/4 cup bell pepper, diced small
salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, add more to taste

1.  Prepare sauce by including all ingredients into a medium sauce pan and bringing to a gentle boil.  Let simmer until thick.

2.  Make meatballs by adding all the ingredients to a medium bowl and blending well.  Shape meatballs by using a cookie scoop.  Line them in rows on a cookie sheet.

3.  Bake meatballs at 375 degrees until done, about 20 minutes.

4.  Transfer meatballs to a baking dish and pour sauce over the top.  Bake an additional 15 minutes.  Remove and serve with rice.

Written by Sherron Watson






Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Steak Pinwheels


Have you heard there is a football game right around the corner?  I hear it's kind of a big deal to football fans.  Okay, it's the game of all games if you are a football fan, especially if your team is on the game roster to play.

Our team is not this year.  The Ravens surprised us though by making it to the playoffs and then they really surprised us when they won the first game over the Wild Card weekend.

Win or lose we are still fans.  We knew that they would need a few years to rebuild after losing so many key players after winning the Super Bowl.  Our family channels all of our team spirit into the teams that are left.

Hey, we are Raven fans but at the end of the day we are football fans too.  We just love a good game.  We love cheering for a team.  Our hopes were dashed when Denver was chased out of town a few weekends ago but now we have moved onto Seattle.

We lived in Seattle for a few years and our families are deeply rooted in the Northwest area.  If it didn't rain so much we might still live there.

Here is a simple appetizer that can be made the day before any event.  It doesn't have to be a football game.  I recommend they sit in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours before being served.  They hold together much better this way.  The pinwheels can be filled with any type of meat, any type of cheese, and you can use any type of wrapper.  These are flour. Honestly they wrap the easiest with flour tortilla but if you have food restrictions then use what falls into your dietary needs.

Horseradish Cream is easy to make too.  I love this cream served on these pinwheels but I also like it on red meat, baked potatoes and sweet potato fries. Horseradish is one of my all time favorite condiments.

Steak Pinwheels

4 large tortilla wraps (flour, rice flour, Paleo, etc...will work)
8 slices of roast beef or turkey
8 slices of thin swiss cheese
4-6 spears of asparagus, steamed until tender
1 bunch of chives, cut into inch pieces (garnish)
horseradish cream
mayonnaise

1.  The night before, lay out tortillas and layer the cheese and meat.  Place an asparagus spear on one end and start to roll the tortilla until a tube is formed. Wrap the tortilla tube in plastic wrap and let sit for 4-6 hours. Overnight is best.

2.  When ready to serve, remove from fridge and cut into 1 inch thick slices. Spread out on a plate.

3.  In a small bowl combine the horseradish cream and mayonnaise.  This is a taste as you go condiment.  Add more or less of what you want.  In a plastic baggie or piping bag add the sauce.  Snip the corner of the baggie and zigzag the cream across the tops of the pinwheels.  Lay a chive piece across the top. See picture above.

NOTE:  If you wish to add the cream sauce to the inside of the tortilla wrapper you may but the cream sauce will need to be made before the pinwheels.

Monday, January 12, 2015

Curry Chicken Salad



Here we are already, the middle of January.  Our year is already off to a start with time running a race that is still 11 months away until we see the finish line. We have had a chilling month so far.  I have felt a little house bound as the temperatures in Maryland are in the teens at night and the mid to low 30's in the afternoons.  We even had a few days with the  high temperatures struggling to reach 21 degrees.  OUCH--that is way too cold for me to be outside with the little kids.

We have spent our time indoors catching up on some reading.  I decided to read a few books that my daughter read for one of her college literature classes.  So far I am on book three of five.  I have read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner.   I just started reading And the Earth Did Not Devour Him. The books haven't been what I would call light reading.  I find joy in reading books that are not necessarily in my wheel house of what I would normally choose.  These books are challenging me to think from different perspectives and giving me a glimpse into the lives of those that are less fortunate, struggling to find their place in this world, and trying to be the best person that their circumstances have allowed them in their lifetime.  I believe this is a great way to spend my time indoors.  I have also found time to knit and work on a few quilts.


I am proud of Isabella.  Over Christmas break the whole "I want to read a book" ignited within her little soul.  She has struggled to consider herself a reader because she finds certain sound combinations hard to pronounce and has been wary of reading on her own.  The first time she picked up a book and decided to read it herself almost brought a tear to my eye. I was sitting in the living room reading my book and she walked to our school bookshelf and pulled out a Toad and Frog book.  She spent the entire day reading the whole thing!  It was over 100 pages.  From that day forward she has proclaimed to all of us that she LOVES TO READ.  As a parent this is music to my ears and as her teacher my heart melted.  I knew of her struggle to want to read and how hard we worked on her vocabulary, blends and sounds and her struggle to read each day.  To see her find joy in reading has been so inspiring to me.


There is not a day that goes by that she does not say how much she loves to learn and that she loves school.  

I hear her reading everything now.  I hear the pride in her voice as she finally understands that to read and write, though challenging to learn at first, will open doors for her future and allow her to see a broader picture of the world she lives in.  We had a talk the other day about how fortunate and lucky she is to live during a time when she can learn to read and how empowering knowledge is as she moves forward with her life.  

Well, that is how we have been spending our time during this cold January in our home.  I have managed to make a few things that I think are worthy to post on the blog.  One of which is this Curry Chicken Salad.  I love chicken salad and my family loves curry. Combining the two isn't anything new in the culinary field but for our family it has been a great addition to our lunch menu.   

Thanks for reading and following along.

Have a great day!


Curry Chicken Salad
3-4 cups of cooked chicken pieces (about 3 chicken breast)
2 ribs of celery, sliced thin
1/2 cup of dried cranberries
1/4 cup red onion, diced small
1-2 Tablespoons of yellow curry
1/2 cup whole cashews
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4-1/2 cup mayonnaise
squeeze of half a lemon

NOTE:  You really need to adjust the seasonings to what you and your family enjoy.  We like this salad to be made with lots of curry and creamy with extra mayonnaise.  Adjust the measurements accordingly.

1.  Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl.  Stir to combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

2.  Serve with crackers, on a sandwich, or with lettuce boats.  My kids also like this served with rice.  I personally like the salad warmed up a bit.


 Written by Sherron Watson

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Gingerbread Cake #grainfree



Bread and cake are two things I don't eat very often and yet here is a recipe that has both words used to describe a Paleo inspired or grain free dessert.   The cake is grain free but our whipped topping in the photo is not dairy free.  The Watson kids don't have dairy issues and so I saved myself a bit of work and used a quick homemade whipped topping I use for my chocolate roll.  The chocolate roll has a gluten free version too.  You can use a coconut based whipped topping to make it completely Paleo.  I also made the coconut caramel sauce from scratch but you can easily use a regular recipe or even a store bought caramel sauce.  It's a busy time of year--make the parts of the cake that you have time for.  I actually left out the Brandy sauce because after 4 pages of instructions, one full page of ingredients, I figured the kids could do without the Brandy.  (wink wink)

My kids start to dread the month of December because this usually means that I am thinking about making a gingerbread house.  I thought about it for about 2 seconds this year and decided I would pass for these two reasons:

A.  We don't need the sugar in the house from the store bought candy.

B.  My nerves might shatter with one more failed attempt at making a gingerbread house from scratch added to my already long resume dating back to 1986 without a single successfully constructed and decorated gingerbread house. I am pretty sure Martha Stewart had something to do with my drive to make one every year...LOL



If you are new to my blog then this recipe is not typical of what you will usually find here.  I try to keep the recipes simple BUT every once in a while I need to make something fabulous and this cake was a great place to start our holiday baking.  I guess this cake is the gourmet part of the blog.  Don't let the long list of ingredients deter you from making this absolutely delicious cake.  I didn't have to buy one thing at the store because I already had every thing in my kitchen. When I visited NYC in October I bought myself the Wilton 5 piece layered cake set. The cake pans are about 8 inches round and 1 inch thick.  This cake is small but very very tall.


I never make cakes anymore and my kids miss it.  I want to start making a few more cakes in 2015 using this cake pan set.  I like how small the cake rounds are. The tall cake just looks awesome for the kids.  We can eat this cake, a family of 6, a bit easier than if I use regular round cake pans. It seems I was always throwing cake away--can you believe that--but I really did.

I found the original recipe over at Wicked Good Kitchen.  She has all of the instructions for the Brandy Sauce and the Coconut Cream Whipped Topping.  Below you will find my interpretation and the three components I used to make this awesome cake.

It requires time, I won't lie.  I made this cake while I taught Isabella school. It worked out perfectly because I was already in the kitchen area and had time to bake and teach while Isabella did her work.  I might even suggest that making the caramel sauce the day before will save you some time.  It took almost an hour and a half for me to make it and to allow it to cool.  The total time for the cake, sauce, whipped topping and assembly was about 2.5 hours.  And you know what?  I plan on spending that amount of time this week making it again--it was delicious!

This cake is a show stopper and one that will knock your socks off when you take your first bite.  To cut the cake you might have to have Ninja Knife Skills but having a sharp knife and a spatula helps a lot. I used the spatula or another knife to hold up the cake and the second knife to cut the slice.  The cake fell onto the spatula and I was able to transfer it to a large plate.  If you have extra whipped topping or caramel sauce, you can drizzle more on the slices.  To be honest--I used it all on my cake below--so next time I may save a bit for presenting the slices to my family.

The gingerbread cake is rich in flavor with the molasses and maple syrup. I wouldn't say the cake is super sweet (and I like that) but the caramel sauce and whipped topping balance nicely because they are sweet.  Make adjustments according to your family's likes and sweet tooth.


AGAIN--don't panic by the size of the ingredient list or steps.  It is not a hard recipe and is much easier than it looks. I promise!  Also, read through the instructions SEVERAL times before you make the cake.  I am always here to answer any questions.  Send me an email or comment and I will get right back to you.  It is worth the work!

Please share this recipe on Twitter, Facebook, Stumbled Upon, Pinterest or Google +.  It helps to spread this recipe with friends and neighbors.  THANKS!

Gingerbread Cake  #grainfree
Makes enough batter for 5 small round cake pans

Ingredients for the cake: 
I used the weight (grams) measurements to make my cake in the pictures.
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (144 grams) arrowroot starch
1 cup (112 grams) blanched almond flour (I made my own in the Vitamix)
½ cup (56 grams) organic coconut flour
¾ teaspoon (3.6 grams) baking powder 
¾ teaspoon (3.6 grams) baking soda 
1 teaspoon (4.8 grams) kosher salt 
2½ teaspoons ground ginger 
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
½ teaspoon ground allspice 
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
6 large eggs, separate the whites and the yolks into two bowls
½ cup (168 grams) organic maple syrup (use the real stuff)
½ cup (144 grams) unsulphured molasses
 ¼ cup (56 grams) organic virgin coconut oil, melted, plus extra for pans 
¼ cup (60 grams) organic ghee or grass fed butter
2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
¼ cup (60 ml) full fat coconut milk (use the milk only--the rest will be used later)
½ teaspoon cream of tartar 
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (use more if you love nuts, the crunch is great)

Ingredients for the Coconut Caramel Sauce:

Use the remaining can of coconut milk from the cake recipe above-roughly 3/4 of the can should be left. (15 oz can was used)
6 oz of real maple syrup
2 tablespoons grass fed butter or ghee
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon flake salt (reduce if butter is salted)

Ingredients for whipped topping:

For coconut whipped cream see the original recipe HERE.
For dairy version use:
1 small carton of heavy whipped cream
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons maple syrup (this can be replaced with plain sugar but you may not get the deep caramel color as seen in the pictures).

I recommend making the caramel sauce first.  This allows the sauce to cook, cool and be ready to work with when the cake is done.

To prepare the coconut caramel sauce:

1.  Use a heavy bottom pan. I used my 10 inch cast iron frying pan.  It worked great!  Set heat to medium high.  In the frying pan, add all of the coconut caramel sauce ingredients and whisk together.  Heat caramel sauce until small bubbles appear--gentle boil.

2.  Use only a wooden spoon to stir for the first minute.  Reduce heat to medium low and try not to stir too often until the end. I set my stovetop to 3 and it was hot enough.  The caramel kept a slow boil going for 35 minutes.  Watch sauce so it does not burn.  The caramel sauce will start to turn from a creamy pale color to a caramel color.  The sauce will reduce and become very thick, coating the back of the wooden spoon nicely.  

3.  When caramel is thick and not too dark, remove from heat and transfer to a glass bowl.  Stir and let set to cool.  The color with cloud slightly once it is completely cool but when warmed again, it will return to a nice caramel color.

To prepare the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 325.  I sprayed each of my five pans with cooking spray or you can use coconut oil.  The pans are so shallow that the layers pop out quite nicely.  If you are using larger cake pans, then see Stacy's site for instructions.

2. In a medium bowl combine all of the dry ingredients.  Stir to combine.

3.  In a large table top mixer (I used my Kitchenaid) add egg whites and cream of tartar.  Whip until egg whites are stiff.

4.  In a separate bowl add wet ingredients: egg yolks, coconut milk, maple sugar, molasses, and vanilla.  Whisk to combine.

5.  I added the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mixed together until combined.  I then added the egg whites and gently folded them into the cake mix. This reminds me of when I make our chocolate roll cake--kind of the same texture and process. Let the cake batter sit for 5 minutes.

6.  Sprinkle the chopped pecans in the bottom of each cake pan.  Add batter to each of the five pans.   The batter came almost to top of each cake pan.  Hit cake pans on table to release any air bubbles.  Bake until firm to the touch--about 12 minutes.  These are small cake pans so the cook time is very short.

7.  When baked, let cool for a few minutes and then flip them out onto a cookie wire rack to cool completely.

To prepare the whipped topping:

1.  Pour ingredients into a bowl.  Whip until thick.

I used my Kitchenaid for this process but you can easily use a hand mixer too. The whipped topping comes out slightly brown because of the maple syrup.  I like the color of it on the cake.

To assemble the cake (finally, right?)

1.  Have the cooled cakes, the coconut caramel sauce and the whipped topping ready.  Drizzle the coconut caramel sauce over the 5 cake layers while on the cookie rack.

2.  I layered the cake like this:  cake layer, whipped topping, repeat until all 5 layers are used.  I topped the cake with the remaining whipped topping and drizzled more caramel over the top of the cake so that the sides were dripping with sauce.  

Store cake in the refrigerator.  I cover the cake with two huge pieces of saran wrap.  My cake was gone in about one day but I would say the cake is good for 3 days before the quality starts to fade--dry cake, etc...



Written by Sherron Watson

I have attached links to my amazon account so that you can see the products that I used in making this cake.  No purchase is necessary. I do make a small commission from all sales but that money is put back into the blog for recipe developing.  Thanks!



I use this brand of almonds to make my almond nut flour.  I know they have the skins on and honestly this has not made any difference in my baking when I process the flour in my Vitamix.   They are cheaper to buy in bulk too.

Donut Breakfast Casserole

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