Plum Preserves

Plum (with a little peachiness) Preserves

This is easy as can be- fresh, light and summery. I can't wait until stone fruits are at their best because it really makes me feel like summer is here. We had some plums that were getting past their prime as well as 4 small white peaches. All you need is a good heavy bottom pot, fruit, water and sugar. It was just enough to fill a mason jar. I made some fabulous French sandwich bread to slather the preserves on and I had the happiest kid in town.

Enjoy!

2 lbs plums, (I had roughly 1 1/2 lbs of plums and 1/2 lb of white peaches)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup pure cane organic sugar
1 cinnamon stick or a generous pinch of cinnamon (I used the ground cinnamon)

Chop the fruit and dump everything into the pot. Simmer, uncovered while giving it a good stir every once in awhile. When it appears thick enough- you'll know, about 45 min an hour.
Remove from heat and cool. Transfer to jar and cool.

Roasted Vegetable Stromboli

Stromboli or as we call it, pizza bread is always an easy hit. Basically, its pizza dough folded up like an envelope and stuffed with meat, veggies, cheese- whatever you wish! Trying to get the kid to eat more veggies is always something I feel like I struggle, with as do most. Well, there are those fortunate parents, lucky you!

Roasting the veggies brings out their natural sweetness and earthiness. I used a combination of carrots, zucchini and broccoli. A little sea salt, garlic and olive oil and its hard to pass up. The recipe is easy. Make it even easier by using Trade Joe's refrigerated pizza dough.

Enjoy!

Pizza dough: (for the bread machine for 1 1/2 lbs)
1 cup warm water- about 80-90F
3/4 tsp honey or sugar (I use honey. I just like the taste.)
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tbl olive oil
2 2/3 unbleached white flour or bread flour (I never have bread flour!)
9 tbl whole wheat flour
1 3/4 tsp active dry yeast, instant or bread machine

Combine ingredients in order listed in bread machine. Follow the settings for pizza dough.

If you have your fav non bread machine recipe go ahead. I am always on the run and the bread machine has been a lifesaver. Haven't bought a loaf of bread in over 3 years!

Filling:
1/2 cup fav marinara, pasta, red sauce (I used leftover sauce that consisted of can of crushed tomatoes, garlic, finely chopped onion, salt and pepper.)
4 carrots, small diced
1/2 head of broccoli, small diced
1 large zucchini or 2 regular, whatever- small diced
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat over to 425 F. Combine veggies with salt and pepper and olive oil and roast about 25-30 minutes. Just check after 20 and stir around. They burn quick keep your eye on them.
Remove and set aside.

Grate about half a block of mozzarella. That is a loose measurement. I tried to go light on the cheese so as not to overpower the veggie goodness.

When the dough is done roll it out into a giant rectangle. So the dough is about 1/4 in thick. Layer half of cheese. Layer of all the veggies. Spread over the sauce and top with rest of cheese. Fold over the sides. One in and another folded over and pinched. Pinch the ends. Transfer to baking sheet and return to already heated oven.

Cook until dough is light brown- about 25 minutes. My calculations are not the most exact so be on the lookout.

Remove, cool for about 5-10 min and then slice and enjoy.

Next up- plum preserves!

Strawberry lemon bars

These were beautiful yellow and red gems that were almost impossible to stop eating. They are like little bites of strawberry lemonade- perfect tart and sweet combination and perfect for starting out the summer!

The recipe is from Nook and Pantry- the link is provided above! I'd type it out but the summer is calling me....

Temcula Berry Co. u-pick blueberries

Hello blog! Back again.....

If you are in the Southern California area and have a hankering for blueberries from say around the end of May until the beginning of July then I suggest picking your own sweet, yummy berries at the Temecula Berry Co. U-picks are so much fun for the kids (and adults!) and it is also a wonderful way for kids to see where their food comes from and the importance of eating local! Plus, all the recipes for those blueberries....

We came home and made lemon blueberry pancakes c/o The Pioneer Woman Cooks. Seriously though, those things were cakes and not something I would serve too much! They were heavenly. We grabbed some apple wood smoked bacon from the local butcher and some fresh pineapple and a happy dinner was served.

Lemon blueberry pancakes- http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/05/lemon-blueberry-pancakes/

Oh, Hi there....

Littlefoodies is back with a brand new edition......

It's been a long while but its time to get things rolling again. Happy 4th of July, Happy Birthday, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Halloween, Merry Christmas/Holidays, and everything else that I have missed in the last 7 months. Life is busy around here. We started home schooling the Littlefoodie, who turned 5 this past summer. The household picked up and moved. we have a beautiful new garden bursting with broccoli, pumpkins, cauliflower, bok choy. The littlefoodie lost another tooth 2 weeks ago and is working on 3 more- 6 total! I have been sewing and having fun with that. We started a new square foot garden and have been living the best way we can- clean, green and full of imagination.

Today is a rainy day here in the land of sunshine and plastic surgery and we've all been hit and recovering him the sickness that seems to be milling around. After littlefoodie made a mural out of cardboard- depicting the waters of ancient Egypt (there is that awesome imagination) we decided to pull out some frozen cranberries and bake us some muffins. For the last few months I have been receiving an organic fruit box from Farmer Steve in Ramona which is put on by our local CSA's moderator. Bi-monthly I get the juiciest and sweetest oranges around, apples, pears, pomegranates, fuyu persimmons, passion fruits, juju fruit, quince, avocados (they are amazing and creamy) and whatever happens to be in season in the farm. They have also begun offering organic eggs! We took the rind and juice of some tangerines and combined with the tartness of fresh cranberries threw them into our muffins along with a handful of chopped walnuts. I am almost smell them now (as much as my stuffy nose can breath).

Later today I plan on puree the persimmons, as I have a crazy amount and throw them in the freezer to make persimmon jam later next week. These persimmons are like none others I have had.

Cranberry, Tangerine and Walnut Muffins

1 1/2 cups fresh organic cranberries
2 tbl organic cane sugar
1 cup organic whole wheat flour
1 cup organic almond meal (can use regular flour, oat flour, barley flour, etc.)
1/3 cup organic cane sugar
4 tsp aluminum free baking powder
Zest of 2 tangerines or zest of 1 small orange and juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 organic egg
3/4 cup buttermilk (can sub regular milk, coconut milk, almond milk, etc.)
1/4 organic butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Line muffin tin with liners. Combine cranberries and 2 tbl sugar in a bowl.

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, orange peel and salt. Stir. Combine egg, milk, butter and juice in a small bowl. Make well in flour mixture and add wet ingredients including cranberries and walnuts to dry. Folding until just incorporated. Spoon into muffin tins and bake 15 min at 400 F.

Enjoy!

Portobello and black bean burgers

In an effort to reduce our waste, save money and eat even better I have seriously cut back on our intake of meat. I normally only purchase ground turkey, chicken breasts, the occasional pork loin and ever more rare- the elusive ground beef (the good kind of course!) As the kid is mostly vegetarian at this time (Yippee!) I found myself not cooking it. He likes to help me cook and pick things up at the farmers market each Wed. Each wed. morning we go and pick up our CSA box (go Tanaka Farms!) and with excitement go through and see what are prizes are this week. Veggies have become everything that surrounds us.

For the most part we have been eating beans and grains with our veggies. A lot of black beans, quinoa and couscous or wild rice. Cheese is a big one as well! So, while I am no vegetarian (uh, BLAT pizza anyone?) I have decidedly decreased the amount of meat we eat. Wouldn't you know that our grocery bill has been cut in half- not that meat took up that much at all but it really helped us focus on our waste or needs versus wants. Plus, those organic good for you meats and darned expensive and I will not feed my family anything less than that. We love burgers and on the rare occasion we eat one- Father's Office anyone?- we are happy folks but I don't make them in the home much anymore. I have been searching for a veggie burger that holds together and tastes delicious. I think I have found it this time. The portobello's- which the kid eats like an apple- really help the hearty factor. You can change out the black beans for pinto, kidney- whatevs. I liked topping them off with cheese and a little BBQ sauce. I served up some simple steamed green beans tossed with lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and mustard. I don't want to forget, the recipe came from Self magazine. Normally I twist and turn a lot of recipes but I kept this one to the original- mostly and it came out perfect. Next time I plan on making some variations on it- maybe some soyrizo mixed in with cilantro? Yum!

Enjoy!

2 medium portobellos, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce or Worcestershire
6 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook mushrooms, onion and bell pepper, stirring occasionally, until pepper begins to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add beans, paprika, garlic powder and black pepper. Cook, smashing beans with the back of a spoon, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer mixture to a bowl and mix in eggs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and breadcrumbs. Form into 4 patties. Wipe out skillet; heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat and cook burgers until brown and firm, 6 to 7 minutes per side.

broccoli and three cheese calzones

Different take on pizza night- the calzone. Same dough, different fillings. The kid and I spent all day making garden decorations out of various items. Dinner time came fast and the same ol pizza didn't seem like enough. The dad is always asking for calzones and he was in for a lucky treat tonight. They came out beautiful. Creamy and veggie filled instead and brown and toasty on the outside. I poured a little marinara on top and what a meal!

Enjoy!

Pizza dough for bread machine- 2 pounds

1 1/2 cups Clean water- 80-90 F
1 teaspoon natural cane sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt or sea salt
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
3 1/4 cups organic unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 cup organic whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour
few dashes of dried basil and garlic, each
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

Place ingredients in order listed in bread pan with kneading paddle. Select dough/pizza dough setting. Press start. When done remove. Roll out how you wish and top!

1 head of broccoli, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
dried basil
salt & pepper
olive oil
3-4 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup blue cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
8 fresh spinach leaves

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add in broccoli, red peppers and tomato. Saute until soft. Add dried basil and salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add in cheese.

Divide pizza dough into 6 or 8 pieces depending on how big you want them. 6 will yield big calzones and 8 slightly smaller. Roll them out into 8 inch rounds. Top one half with 2 spinach leaves and scoop of veggie mixture on top. Fold dough over to make a half moon. Crimp edges. Place on baking sheet coated with cornmeal or semolina flour- I like semolina! Brush lightly with olive oil and make 3 small slashes to let steam out. Bake 25 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove and serve with marinara sauce.