Live ~ Laugh ~ Learn ~ Love

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

2011-12-02T17:26:00.001-07:00

These are a tradition for Christmas morning, served with quiche and fruit. We do make them other times...a rainy day always make me feel like a good, gooey cinnamon roll.

The Dough:
2/3 cup milk
4 Tablespoons butter
1 cup canned/fresh pumpkin puree
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast
2 cups bread flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
(I use all white whole wheat flour and add a couple tablespoons of gluten.)

I heat the milk and butter until the butter is almost melted. Beat the eggs. Adding all the ingredients to my bread machine. I place this in my bread machine on the dough setting. :) Easy.

If you don't have a bread machine: Heat the milk and butter until butter is mostly melted into the milk. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, butter, pumpkin, sugar, and salt until evenly combined. Add 2 cups of the flour along with the yeast to the bowl and mix until smooth. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour and knead/mix until a soft dough comes together. You may need to add a little extra flour to make the dough workable, but only add a bit at a time. This is supposed to be a very soft dough! Lightly flour your countertop and knead the dough for a couple turns until you have a smooth dough. Lightly grease another large bowl and turn dough into it. Rub the surface of the dough lightly with a neutral oil, such as canola, cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

The Filling:
This changes...
~3/4 c. butter
I add cinnamon until it is the color brown I want...maybe 2 Tablespoons.
~ 1/2 c. sugar

Sometimes I add other spices, or brown sugar. Mix this into a smooth mixture and spread over rolled out dough. Sprinkle with nuts, dried cranberries, raisins...whatever your heart desires.

Roll length wise and cut into a dozen 1 1/2" to 2" wide portions. Place in an oiled 13 x 9 pan.

Now you can let rise in a warm place for 40 min or so. Or you can cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. This makes Christmas morning much easier.

If you rise right away: After rising, place them in a 350 degree preheated over for 30 minutes. Remove and glaze/frost.

If you opt for overnight: About an hour before you want to serve the rolls, remove plastic wrap from the rolls and set in an oven with the light on. Place a pan of boiling water on the rack below the rolls, close the oven and allow to warm for about 30 minutes. When you can no longer feel a chill coming from the dough when your hand is lightly placed on top, remove pans from the oven and preheat to 350F. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove and glaze/frost.

Glaze/Frostings:

I oftentimes just use a basic glaze of powdered sugar mixed with orange juice/lemon juice to make it runny. You can use as much as you want.

The picture is a cream cheese based frosting with a bit of extra oj glaze. I had a tub of Trader Joe's Orange Cranberry Marscapone Cream Cheese leftover and decided to use it. You can easily make a cream cheese frosting with:

4 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 T. milk/orange juice

Mix until creamy and spread on top of warm rolls. You can add cinnamon, lemon juice (less sweet), marscapone, or cranberries.

Always good, but I like them warm with a good cup of coffee.

Crepes

2011-09-17T20:55:00.003-07:00

Sweet, savory, fruit, veggies, cheese, fresh herbs...fill them with whatever you want.

Tonight we had them filled with cheese and vegetables. I used sauteed red onion, mushroom, zucchini and garlic. The cheese was a mix of sharp cheddar and cottage cheese with lots of oregano and pepper.

Morning crepes are great filled with fruit, yogurt and cottage cheese. Top with whip cream and powdered sugar.

Crepe Batter
(This batter needs to sit for at least an hour or overnight.)

4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups of flour (I used WW Pastry)
1 - 2 cups of milk (any type or combination of types)

Blend together all crepe ingredients, using one cup of milk, to a smooth batter. Let rest 1 hour or overnight. Blend briefly before using. If the batter is still thick after a cup of milk add more until you have a runny mixture. I have in the past added up to a cup more depending on the flour. Heat an 8-inch skillet or crepe pan to med-low. Grease pan and pour in enough batter to lightly coat bottom of pan. Cook until just starting to brown. Flip gently and brown the other side. Remove from pan. Fill and roll up. Enjoy the versatility.

If you are doing a sweet crepe and want a sweeter batter, add a tablespoon of honey to the batter.

Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip

2011-08-09T22:53:00.003-07:00

1 lb. cream cheese, softened

1 c. yogurt/sour cream/mayo (any combination will do)

1 c. chopped artichoke hearts or any tapenade

1 c. chopped spinach

1/4 c. chopped basil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 c. grated Parmesan

salt/pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. Place into a casserole dish and bake at 375 degrees until the top is bubbly and starting to brown. Serve warm with bread, veggies and crackers.

This is quite versatile. I have used olives, bell pepper, eggplant or green chilies instead of artichokes. I've also mixed in other cheeses. It is always a hit at a party and you can easily scale the recipe to accommodate any size crowd.

Ginger Broth

2010-12-20T19:57:00.005-07:00

I made a simple ginger stock tonight and made a tray of raw sliced veggies to add to it. It was delicious and the kids ate theirs over rice. I love the way this broth makes my house smell!

Ginger Broth

2 T. ginger (more if you like it really ginger-y)
1.5 T. garlic
oil to sauté
2 T. cornstarch
1 c. cold water
7 c. water
3 T. veggie bouillon

Sauté the ginger and garlic until soft and starting to brown. Mix cornstarch and cold water. Add water and bouillon to cornstarch mixture, then add to garlic/ginger. Bring to a boil and serve with diced raw veggies. I recommend several of these: carrots, spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, green onion, snap or snow peas, bamboo, tofu

Vegan Chocolate Cake with a Vegan "Buttercream" Frosting

2010-07-05T11:12:00.006-07:00

I took this cake to a Fourth of July party last night and have been asked for the recipe. So since I am not great at measuring or remembering exactly what I did, I am quickly posting while it is still *mostly* in my head! Hope it works for everyone as well as it worked for me. I only had a small piece left, so not the best picture ever...

3 cups flour (I used a mix of whole wheat pastry and rice)
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons vinegar (I used cider)
1 cup water
1 cup milk (I used a mix of coconut and whole grain milks)

~ Oil, flour and line two round cake pans or one 13 X 9. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
~ Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the sugar and stir.
~ In a mixing bowl mix oil, applesauce, vanilla, vinegar, water and milk.
~ Add dry mixture to wet mixture in several parts and mix until smooth.
~ Bake for 30 t0 40 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean.

Elias asked for a sweet frosting like on a normal cake. I am a huge fan of cream cheese/whip cream frostings and don't care for buttercreams, but he prevailed. I think the frosting was too sweet, and would cut back on sugar next time. I did spread it thin and topped it with unsweetened coconut. I didn't want to distract from the coconut I put on top and didn't add a larger amount of lemon juice as I normally would have. So here is an estimate on what I did do....

1/2 cup vegan margarine
1/2 cup vegan shortening
~ 3 cups powdered sugar (I have no clue how much I just dump in until I get the right consistency)
1 - 2 Tablespoons of milk (I used coconut)
a teaspoon of vanilla
a dash of lemon juice

~ Beat the margarine and shortening until creamy.
~ Add powdered sugar until you have the consistency you like taking turns with a bit of milk, vanilla and lemon juice.

I topped this with coconut, but you could add any flavor you wanted including cocoa powder and top with nuts, seeds, fruit etc.

Energy Balls

2010-06-23T22:09:00.003-07:00

We make these as a good snack for those sweet tooth kind of days. They seem to go on lots of camping trips and travel well (you do need to keep them cool). Adaptable!

1/2 cup of a nut butter (we use almond mostly)
1/4 cup of molasses (I skimp here)
1/4 cup of honey (I skimp here too)
1 cup of almond meal or other dry item like milk powder, protein powders, ground flax
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup of dried fruit, nuts, coconut, seeds of your choice
more almond meal, sesame seeds, coconut, finely chopped nuts to coat

Stir together nut butter, molasses, honey, almond meal and vanilla. After it is well mixed stir in dried fruit/nuts. Roll into balls of whatever snack size you want. Coat with the meal/seeds to keep from sticking together. Keep in refrigerator and enjoy!

Zucchini Sandwich Filling

2010-05-31T16:06:00.006-07:00

Elias has shown himself to be dairy intolerant and we are all cutting out quite a bit of it in order to make his life easier. One of his favorite lunches is a sandwich, usually avocado cheese. Today we did a bit of experimenting and made a zucchini filling that he (and the rest of us) really enjoyed. I used to make something like this with shredded cheese and zucchini, adding sour cream or mayonnaise to the dressing.

Use all or a mixture of to compliment the zucchini:
1 zucchini, shredded (I used my mandoline and slice to 3 mm julienne)
black olives, quartered
tomatoes, diced
green onions, chopped
cucumber, shredded or diced
bell peppers, diced

Top and stir in dressing:

Blend until smooth adding enough olive oil to make it a dip like consistency.

2-3 green onions
handful basil
handful parsley
2-3 T lemon juice
1/2 avocado (I used this instead of the sour cream I used to use)
garlic
olive oil
salt and pepper

This is great as a sandwich filling or used as a salad you scoop with chips. I can find many of these ingredients in my summer garden and they all tend to be staple foods in our house. Easy and fresh tasting.

Dark Chocolate Brownies

2010-02-22T20:50:00.006-07:00

These brownies are incredibly dark in flavor. They are a bit on the bitter side, so if you like a sweeter brownie add a larger quantity of sugar. I think they are perfect for a scoop of ice cream. Let the brownies cool before removing them from the pan, as they will crumble when hot (still taste good though!)

1 cup butter
1.75 - 2.5 cups sugar
4 large eggs
scant 1.5 cups cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
1.5 cup flour
4 ounces of dark chocolate, chopped (or about 2 cups dark chocolate chips)
Nuts if you so desire!

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13″ x 9″ pan.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.

Add the sugar and melt just until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.

In another bowl, crack eggs and beat them with the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla until smooth.

Stir the butter mixture into the egg mixture until smooth.

Stir in the flour and chocolate. Pour into pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Cool before serving.

Cilantro Pesto Dip

2010-02-09T14:21:00.007-07:00

This is a raw food that we love to eat with crackers or blue corn chips (not raw!) Many of our friends who dislike cilantro have enjoyed this dip. You have to remember to soak the nuts/seeds the night before.

1/3 c. raw brazil nuts
1/3 c. raw sunflower seeds
1/3 c. raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

4 cloves garlic
2 c. packed cilantro/coriander
2/3 c. olive oil
4 T. lemon juice
2 t. dulse powder (optional)
Sea salt to taste

Soak the nuts and seeds overnight in a quart of water and rinse.
Process the garlic and nuts/seeds until sandy textured.
Add the cilantro, oil, lemon juice, dulse and salt and process until it is a smooth paste (although sometimes I don't do it too smooth).
Serve with veggies, chips, crackers or other favorite dippers.

This does freeze well, although we never have any left for freezing.

Lemon Lentil Soup

2010-01-28T20:46:00.006-07:00

Olive oil
1.5 c. onion, diced

1 c. carrot, diced
1.25 t. fresh oregano, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
.25 t. fresh rosemary, chopped
.25 t. chile flakes
1 bay leaf
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste

6 c. vegetable stock
1.5 c. red lentils

.5 c. lemon juice
1 t. lemon zest

Heat olive oil in large saucepan on medium-high. Add onion and cook until soft.
Add next 8 ingredients. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, until carrot
is slightly tender.
Add stock and lentils. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, partially covered for about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat discard bay leaf and stir in lemon juice and zest.
We usually top with lots of fresh parsley, yogurt and feta.

Lemon Butternut Quinoa

2010-01-05T19:43:00.005-07:00

We love quinoa dishes and usually use a mix of red and white quinoa. You can use just the white if that is what you have!

1 butternut squash peeled and diced 1/2" cubes
1 red onion wedged or diced
1 lemon juice and peel
olive oil
1.5 cups quinoa
4 cloves garlic
1-2 t. thyme
3 cups vegetable broth
1.5 cups greens (your choice; parsley, cress, spinach)
salt and pepper
Pinion nuts

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat butternut with a squeeze of lemon juice (save the rest of the juice and grated peel for later) and olive oil. You can either roast the wedged onions with this or dice them and saute later.
Cook for 15 minutes stirring once or twice.

Rinse quinoa and drain while squash is cooking. Saute onion and garlic (or just garlic) in oil until soft. Add quinoa and toast until dry and fragrant. Add squash, broth, thyme, the rest of the lemon juice and peel, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer covered for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in chopped greens and serve topped with pinion nuts!

Yogurt

2009-08-25T16:43:00.013-07:00

Mmmmmm...nothing like a good bowl of yogurt. I disliked yogurt until adulthood, then along came Greek food and I loved tzatziki! Along came Elias and I started making yogurt myself. Homemade yogurt that I could sweeten to my personal (not sweet) level was a definite improvement.

I have made it with no incubator a couple times, but we bought one just for ease. It makes a quart at a time and we tend to make two to three batches a week.

Heat milk for 10 minutes or to an almost boil. Cool for a bit over an hour (until under 90 degrees). Add some plain yogurt with acidophilus ~1/3 cup. Stir gently until mostly combined and then incubate at 110 degrees for 4 to 10 hours until set. The longer the incubation the more tart the yogurt. We usually leave ours overnight.

I love how simple of a process it is, how inexpensive it makes my yogurt budget$ and how good for our health it is. We use yogurt in place of buttermilk or milk in lots of recipes; pancakes, biscuits, quick breads, even cookies. Bowls topped with fruit and granola are great healthy snacks. Tzatziki with pilaf is a favorite. Lemon lentil soup with a dollop is wonderfully creamy. Dips, spreads, frozen or on a warm fruit compote....yogurt!

Prickly Pear Season

2009-08-07T09:12:00.011-07:00

I missed picking mesquite pods this year, again. We did decide to pick a couple of bags of prickly pears though. It is always a short (we are surrounded by prickly pear) and fun outing. Most people make syrup or jam out of them and then add them to tea or lemonade, pour over pancakes... I have done this in the past, but really don't need to have the sugar part of the syrup. I like the fruits just how they are!

This year we decided to just juice them using our juicer.

Always pick them with tongs (even if my teenager doesn't!) and paper bags work better than plastic. Wash them, again use tongs. Then we sliced them in half and sent them through the juicer, no peeling or anything.

After juicing I heated the juice up to a boil and then poured it into ice cube trays. We froze the juice and now use the ice cubes in tea or lemonade. I can also add them to hot cereals, marinades, dressings etc.

If you don't have a juicer, you can wash and then place them in a pot with water. Boil until mushy and run through cheesecloth. The juice isn't as strong, but is still wonderful!

Wellingtons

2009-08-06T10:10:00.020-07:00

If you ask Craig what his favorite type of dinner is he will invariably say something with puff pastry. Over the years I have made Wellingtons with a number of different fillings, but find that Portabello mushrooms are the main ingredient. Sometimes they are stuffed with other veggies or a nut pesto or cheese. They have all turned out delicious! (I think shoe leather would even taste good if wrapped in puff pastry.)

Start by making a vegetable based coulis....I tend to use Red Peppers
Red bell peppers (or kale, spinach, tomato, squash)
Onion
Garlic
Vegetable broth

Place all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer until soft. Puree into a smooth liquid. This can be done ahead and reheated later when you plate the wellingtons.

Portabella Mushrooms
Roasted or steamed veggies (zucchini, bell peppers, etc)
Cheese or pesto or sauce
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Garlic
Herbs (Basil, oregano, etc)
Salt and Pepper
Puff pastry, thawed
egg, beaten with a bit of water

Marinate the mushrooms with the vinegar, olive oil, garlic and herbs. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees until soft ~ 30-40 minutes.

Saute, roast or steam your other veggie. You can make a mix or pistachios with onion and mushrooms, steamed favorite veggie, simple marinara sauce. In this case I steamed zucchini.

Take a puff pastry sheet and cut it into squares ~ 5 inches. Place a mushroom cut in half on it. Add your cheese, sauces and veggies. Wrap pastry around trying to seal edges as much as possible. If your dough doesn't stretch it isn't thawed enough.

Using a knife take another piece of dough and cut slits in rows. This piece will provide a bit more structure and beautification. You can also cut a shape and place it on top...hearts, flowers.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place Wellingtons on cookie sheet and brush with the egg. Bake until nicely browned.

I usually make garlic mashed potatoes or a rice pilaf to go with this. I also serve it with some sort of green vegetable to compliment the red pepper sauce (asparagus is a favorite).

To serve: Place mashed potatoes/rice in the center of the plate. Add Wellington on top. Pour warm coulis around the Wellington structure and lay in a bit of your pretty vegetable. Enjoy!

2009-08-06T10:06:00.004-07:00

Going even more natural! I clean with vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice. Essential oils add a nice scent and I never really feel the need to use anything else. These products are inexpensive and keep things clean with just a bit of elbow grease. They have the added benefits of being eco-conscious and Kristin friendly.

I have always bought natural detergent for the laundry, but have recently discovered Soap Nuts. A more natural way to wash clothing. Soap nuts come off the Chinese Soapberry tree and contain saponin. They are very useful for laundry, but are gentle enough to make body soap, shampoo and other cleaning products with. We have now changed from the detergent to using soap nuts with a few drops of lavender oil. They seem to clean as well or better than the detergent. All in all I am happy with them and plan to keep using them. They are also relatively inexpensive and a good conversation piece!

Plethora of Peaches

2009-07-06T13:23:00.017-07:00

We purchased a case of peaches at the co-op. I thought it would give me an opportunity to freeze some for smoothies, oatmeal, etc later on. They were really good peaches and we ate the vast majority of them just sliced. Some of them made it into pancakes or oatmeal and the other day a number of them jumped into a pie.

My mom had a custard type of peach pie recipe that was wonderful. It has since been lost and I am now in a quest for a good recipe. This version was pretty good, but not as good as my memory of mom's (granted the memory tends to make everything taste much better!).

The recipe (which is approximate since I never measured):

1 pie crust
Mine was whole wheat (butter, flour, salt, water)
2 T. flour
2 eggs
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 - 4 T brown sugar (My peaches were sweet so I sprinkled in very little)
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. almond extract
6 - 7 peaches, diced

~ Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place prepared pie crust in pie plate.
~ Sprinkle in flour.
~ Whisk eggs, cream, yogurt, sugar, vanilla and almond together.
~ Add peaches and stir. Pour into pie pan.
~ Cook until center is set ~30 minutes. Cool before cutting.

Craving Experiments

2009-07-01T22:29:00.005-07:00

Rice krispy treats sounded really good today. Unfortunately I don't keep around rice krispies...I did have puffed millet! So in a "why not" mood we created these:

I have given up calling them "millet krispy treats" and we just call anything of this variety Krispies. A couple tablespoons of butter, bag of small marsh mellows melted together. I then added some peanut butter (~ 3/4 cup) and stirred in ~ 6 cups of puffed millet and a handful of cranberries. I was going to add sunflower seeds and saw them sitting on the counter all lonely after I had finished. Place in a greased 13 x 9 pan and press using wax paper. Cool and cut.

These turned out wonderfully and are so easily adjustable.

Eating Healthy this Week

2009-06-23T23:29:00.007-07:00

Here are a couple kid approved meals that are healthy. The last couple months have left me with little motivation or consideration towards our diet. As such we have had lots of quick and easy, not so health conscious meals. This week has started off better.

Garlic mashed potatoes with French lentil/spinach cakes surrounded by sautéed tomato and onion puree. The kids love things that are shaped hence the approval of the lentil cakes.

Cheesy polenta topped with mixed bean (black, pinto, adzuki, kidney)paste with spinach. Lots of greens in this...I put spinach in the polenta and the bean paste. There is also garlic and tomato in the bean paste. Elias did the decorating on these, so instead of the cool looking spiral of bean paste we wound up with piles of it...not so pretty. :)

Normally we would serve these with a big green salad, but I have yet to make it to the store for groceries.

Why Homeschool?

2009-06-22T22:42:00.002-07:00

Just a list of thoughts on why I would rather home school than public school. Midnight ramblings...

Testing: all kinds of studies that testing is superficial...yet they keep adding more.

Reality Based: most of the work done in a classroom setting is not connected to what you will use in life or at least the connection isn't readily apparent.

Age: kids are grouped by age...not skill level or comfort in a subject.

Development: schools under challenge...there is no push to do something interesting or important. You have to try things and make mistakes.

Choice: there is no chance for a student to choose what they want to learn. All the choices are meaningless and choosing is a motivation to learn.

8 hours!: sitting in a classroom environment for most a day is hard...for anyone!

Memorization: lots of the lessons in school are memorization. Some of that is needed, but otherwise you can Google it. I would rather there be discussion and understanding.

Busywork: who wants meaningless homework designed to keep you busy and frustrate parents who deal with cranky kids.

Focus: schools are required to hit all subject in a given day. At home you can focus on a subject without feeling obligated to move on to the next task.

Outdoors: spend more time doing in a home setting...not cooped up.

Social: instead of being with just one age group you can spend time with all groups and learn what the different views they offer.

Family: we can spend time with family and friends who care and love the kids.

Subjects: any subject can be explored...not just the basics.

Alright...off to bed. :)

Homeschooling Prep

2009-06-18T11:26:00.007-07:00

The question Elias seems to be asked frequently of late is "will you be starting kindergarten this year?" To which he has developed a couple of replies: "I'm not ever going to school...(long pause, sometimes a prompt) I'm homeschooled." Or "My mom is going to homeschool me." I love when he uses the first one, you can see the question in peoples eyes as they try and figure out if he is serious and then the dawn of understanding when he finishes.

He is very happy with the fact he will be staying home and not going to a public school. I don't think he really understands the difference, except that we have told him he is very lucky to have parents who are able to provide the home schooling opportunity. The question of when are we starting is always hard to answer or at least its a vague answer. We have started - years ago, and will just continue in the same vein without a real start date.

Being a mostly unschooled structure we are just providing materials and opportunities for Elias to take. We recently added a couple new resources to our already accumulated stash. Hands On Equations, The Adventures of Penrose - The Mathematical Cat, more origami books...we have lots of other books for math (Singapore, Miquon...), many good reading books, he loves to write and is picking that up by practice and we also have some history and science books. Mostly we just go with an interest and incorporate all we can into it. All in all the hardest part is finding time (Eva free time)to sit and work with him. He has a ton of interest in so many things and we have lots of resources, we just have Eva who isn't able to sit with us and work on something similar because she always wants what he has.

So this years *kindergarten* is really just finding time to sit and help him through what he is already working on. He is just fine, I am the one who needs to learn how to handle our time. :)

Growing things

2009-06-18T11:02:00.000-07:00

Our garden is doing better this summer, but still not as great as I would hope. We have sun screened the tomatoes since they were receiving too much heat off of the wall. The tomatoes taste good, at least the ones Eva lets me eat! The plants were a bit scorched looking, but are now starting to green up again.

We planted watermelon, cantaloupe, lemon and armenian cucumbers, yellow and zucchini squash, tomatoes (many types), sunflowers, peppers, eggplant, and lots of herbs. I have had an abundance of herbs and many of them volunteers from last year that seeded throughout the beds. We currently have one little watermelon started and have harvested several yellow squash and zucchini...hopefully more to come. Our cucumbers are fully flowered, but have yet to start any cucs. Overall, I am happy with this summers start, we have a bit more work to do to make all the beds productive. The kids are thrilled to watch bees pollinate, squash grow and tomatoes turn colors.

Blueberry Coffeecake

2009-06-18T10:36:00.006-07:00

Coffeecake has definitely always been more like a dessert than a breakfast. Whole Foods Market sent me a recipe link to one they had changed to be more health conscious. This morning I decided to try their recipe Blueberry Coffee Cake with very little change. It turned out wonderfully and now I am contemplating apricot, peach, mango, apple coffee cakes in our future. This is a much more breakfast friendly recipe!

Changes I made: Used only WW pastry flour, added some almond extract, slightly short on the sugar in the mix, a pinch more soda and extra almonds on top.

Wheat Berry Salad

2009-06-04T16:37:00.010-07:00

I recently had a friend who wanted recipes for wheat berries, this is a favorite around here. It can also be vegan (just don't sprinkle with cheese) and is good with other grains. A perfect summer dish... a great way to get rid of all that squash in your garden!

1 - 2 cups uncooked wheat berries, soaked overnight in cold water (I like a really grainy salad so I use the larger amount)
1 - 2 tsp salt
2 - 3 squash, sliced (both yellow and zucchini are good)
1 red onion, sliced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
6 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to saute
2-3 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 red pear, cored and sliced thinly
Parmesan or Romano cheese to top
Pepper to taste

Transfer soaked wheat berries to pot add more water and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 50-60 minutes. Drain and set aside. Toss the squash with salt. Allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Drain the liquid and pat squash dry.

Heat several tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and saute until almost caramelized. Add the squash and garlic and saute for about two minutes more, turn over and saute the other side for an additional two minutes, or until lightly brown. Dump over wheat berries in a large bowl.

Add up to 1/4 cup of olive oil to the pan and Balsamic vinegar. Stir to incoporate the brown bits into the warmed dressing. Pour over the sauteed vegetables. Add the pine nuts, spinach, sliced pear, and toss well. Sprinkle with cheese, fresh ground black pepper, and salt if desired.

Again, again

2009-06-04T16:10:00.003-07:00

I guess I seem "start blogging" once or twice a year...so here we go again. Since Sam received her own MacBook for graduation and Craig's now resides on the kitchen counter, I can stand here and *maybe* blog more often without sitting in the office.

I imagine this will still be a mostly food blog, especially since I am in an emotional numb zone at the moment. The kids can be followed in images at the www.postfamilydigital.net website.

Nut Butter

2009-04-29T20:42:00.006-07:00

Almost finished pressing and then I will freeze them so we can have cookies the first week this baby is here.

3/4 c. nut butter of your choice (almond, cashew, peanut...)
1/2 c. butter or oil
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. whole wheat pastry flour

Heat oven to 375. Cream nut butter, butter/oil, sugar together. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Stir together the dry ingredients and add in several parts to butter mixture. Beat well at each addition.

Roll the dough into one inch balls and press with fork in an x pattern...I cinnamon and sugar coat the fork. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Trail Mix Cookies

2009-04-29T15:42:00.003-07:00

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1 banana
1 egg
4 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup oats
1/2 cup cranberries
1/2 c. almonds
1/2 c. coconut

Heat oven to 375. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in one bowl. Mix the brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, margarine, and vanilla in another bowl. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture. Add oats the rest of the ingredients.

Drop rounded teaspoons of the dough onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Snickerdoodles

2009-04-29T15:39:00.003-07:00

1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2 eggs
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp organic sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, or lightly grease.
Combine cinnamon and 3 Tbsp sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
Sift together flour, baking soda, cream of tarter and salt then set aside.
In a large bowl beat sugar with softened butter for 2 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and then roll in cinnamon mixture to cover. Place cookies two inches apart on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the tops are light golden brown. Do not over bake.
Allow cookies to cool for two minutes before removing them from the baking sheet. Transfer to rack to cool completely.

2009-04-29T15:07:00.009-07:00

I figured since I have had several requests for the Chai cookie recipe and a couple of other requests, I would place all the cookie recipes I made this week up.

From Left to Right - (top) Chocolate Chip Walnut, Snickerdoodles,(bottom) Almond Butter, Chai, Trail Mix

Chai Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cupa whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter with granulated sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl until well blended. Stir in flour, spices and salt until just combined.

Scoop and roll dough into small teaspoon-sized balls and place about an inch apart on greased baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then cool completely on rack. If you want them sweeter you can sprinkle them in powdered sugar after baking.

Zucchini Abundance

2008-08-02T14:36:00.010-07:00

Even with only a couple of squash and zucchini plants the crop is almost too much to handle. On that note here are a few zucchini/squash uses we have done:

Chocolate chips, cranberries, walnuts and zucchini (of course!)

Zucchini cookies
Zucchini bread
Squash stuffed with grains or goat cheese/bread crumbs
Stuffed in manicotti
Shred into enchiladas
Mixed with seasonings and beans for tacos
Added to apple pancakes
Sauteed into omelets
Polenta squash towers...

Squash is fairly mild in flavor and can just be snuck into almost any recipe!

Saguaro Colors

2008-08-02T11:04:00.021-07:00

Saguaro National Monument

Spring Prickly Pear - Summer Green

Wind in my face - Burgeoning driver

This is a favorite location for us. It is an eight mile loop, traffic is 15 mph....lots of riders, walkers and hikers. Craig and Sam cycle it often, we do some of the smaller hikes with the kids and I have gone out to walk it.

Saguaro is gorgeous in March and April, being covered in cactus blossoms, brittle bush flowers and spring greenery. The spring colors are peach, yellow and purple. The temperature is perfect at that time of year too. Summer offers another view of Saguaro, the monsoons bring water and so there are lush green cactus, green grasses and brush. Vines are lush and crawl down the arroyos, the ocotillo are so covered in leaves they hide their thorns. All the vegetation is topped with seed pods and red juicy prickly pear fruit. The summer heat is a bit too much, but early morning rides and hikes provide a nice start to the day.

Part of Saguaro's charm for the kids is the chance to ride outside the car seat. Going 15 mph around the loop allows us to let Elias sit in a lap or look out the window at all the animals crossing the road or the cyclists zooming past. Elias even gets to try steering once in a while!

Morning Discovery

2008-08-02T10:57:00.012-07:00

We woke up early this morning and rather than hang around the house, head to the farmer's market or do chores we took off and went to Saguaro National Monument. We loaded up the car and grabbed easy breakfast snacks. It was before 7 am when we drove into Saguaro.

There are several favorite spots in Saguaro and today we decided to take the kids to Freeman Loop (a short 1 mile trail down into a wash where an old homestead used to be). The kids took off down the trail, Eva as anxious to be down and hike as the rest of us. Elias was hoping to see lots of lizards; Eva wanting to touch every plant, cactus and rock on the trail.

It rained last night, making this morning humid and buggy. The trail crosses a hill and gradually goes down into a wash. We saw numerous types of butterflies, lots of lizards, a king snake and spiders. The birds were singing and the flies were buzzing. Elias blew kisses at all his cactus friends and chased after lizards. Eva would walk a bit and then sit down to grab handfuls of rocks. Some of the barrel cactus were blooming and we looked at the fish hook shape of the needles. Elias skiped along talking about the desert and naming the plants. Eva walked about half the loop and then wanted to be carried. There is a plugged well down near the ravine and we stopped for a drink and some observation time, then it was up the hill to the car. Overall, it was a nice peaceful walk.

Where Are We?

2008-08-02T10:31:00.005-07:00

With all the traveling we have done this summer Elias is always asking "Am I on the east side of the car? Which way is north? Are we in the state of San Jose or California?" It is definitely time for some maps!

We found some foam core to protect the wall and placed a US map up. As we travel around we try to pick up a hat pin for National Parks, aquariums or cities we visit. Elias spent some time discussing where we picked up the pin, what we were doing there and how we got there. He then placed the pin in its location.

I think he made all kinds of connections doing this. He pointed out that we visited lots of places in San Diego (as such we had to put some pins to the side) and that he hadn't visited very far east of the US. He really wants to go to Canada and get a map for there and it would be nice to go to New York where Uncle Caleb is.

Because there are no roads on this map we copied some individual state road maps and taped them on his door. Highlighters were used to show the route we took to Colorado in June and our previous road trips to San Diego. We highlighted the San Jose area to show that we flew there. Elias traced out the route we would take to Albuquerque in September and we talked about different places we could go on that route. All in all a good fun way to learn geography!

Flipping for Flexibility

2008-08-01T14:04:00.004-07:00

Elias has been doing gymnastics the last few months. It is a preschool class where they walk balance beams, stretch, swing on the bars and in general try to gain some coordination. Elias loves this class and is gaining confidence with every lesson. You can now regularly find him upside down against the wall or couch, flipping over on the bar on the play set or somersaulting across the grass.

On several occasions his class has been small with just him and one other kid or on Thursday, just him. He spends these classes going from one piece of equipment to another practicing, jumping and never taking breaks. His teacher came out to talk to me after the 45 minutes of non-stop action and told me "he is such a dream to work with". That is SO nice to hear when you have spent the week feeling like he never listens! She has made comments before about how well he listens and understands what she is teaching and at this point said he has to move up. He has the skills and the behavior to move up to the 5-6 year old boys class. So next week we will have a new teacher, a new time and a longer more involved gymnastics lesson. He is thrilled!

Use and Re-use

2008-07-23T14:00:00.001-07:00

Reusing some items is easy to do and very cost effective. I am refining my kitchen re-useability. I have started composting again (having stopped when Elias was born) and instead of just throwing scraps and ends out I am saving them to juice with other veggie scraps. I combine the juice and the pulp, add seasonings, simmer and then strain off and freeze. This has cut down my broth cost and the leftover mash is perfect worm/compost food! My garden is producing lots of squash, so I think many pots of broth are in my near future!

Home for a Meal

2008-07-22T13:17:00.007-07:00

Wow! What a summer it has been. We have been traveling nonstop the last two months...starting with two trips to Cottonwood at the beginning of June. Followed by over a week in Colorado and then a good 10 days in Cupertino. We have been eating out for most meals and were ready to come home and go nowhere!

Unfortunately, with a 10 day absence comes an empty refrigerator. I really didn't want to go to the store yesterday, so it was oatmeal (oats, almond milk, applesauce in cupboard) for breakfast. Craig picked up bread for lunch (grilled cheese with tomatoes). Dinner was going to be a challenge, but my garden came through with tons of squash, zucchini, tomatoes, bell pepper and gobs of parsley, basil and green onions. I made some 7 (ish) grain pilaf with lentils, added the sauteed veg and mixed in some leftover feta and herbs. Some fresh sliced Armenian cucumber and some fresh made chapatis rounded out the meal. It is good to be home!

Garden Abundance

2008-07-22T10:00:00.007-07:00

Over the years we have put in small gardens. When Elias was born, the garden became even smaller with less attention put into it. In the past our winter garden has produced radishes, lettuces, beets, spinach and broccoli. The summer garden has never done well producing tomatoes and on occasion zucchini.

Elias loves to garden and as he is becoming more helpful and interested we have decided to scale up a bit. We built five more beds this summer and put in a late garden of tomatoes, watermelon, peppers, squash, eggplant, beans, cucumber and numerous herbs. Even with the late start and inattention due to my absence the last month and a half the garden is starting to flourish. We are working on watering issues (the beds are getting too much) and would like to add more plants.

Over all I doubt it is saving me much money (except in herbs!) It is still a small garden, but it gives the kids some experience with different types of plants and how they grow. We watch the critters that hang around, measure the veggies as they grow and the kids love to eat all the produce fresh picked!

Big Fat Juicy, Itty Bitty Teeny Worms!

2008-07-21T22:00:00.000-07:00

What kind of pet do you have!? Worms? Okay, maybe they aren't pets, but they are awfully fun to watch. Elias loves to pick them up, feed them compostables, talk about the microbes they are eating, count babies, shred paper and in the future mix the worm castings into the garden soil.

We have been working on keeping a good moistness, enough food and a bug free environment for our worms. We are still in the learning phase and there have been many adjustments. It is too dry and hot for the worms outside and the bin is easily flooded. I think I am getting the hang of it and might even order a few more worms. I look forward to all the wonderful worm castings that will enrich our garden soil.

Morning Independence

2008-03-25T13:15:00.000-07:00

Faces and shapes = taste better!

Elias loves to wake up early and he wakes up hungry. Eva loves to sleep in and nurse. This creates a problem...especially on those days Craig is up early and out the door cycling. The solution has come about with age. Elias is now old enough and big enough to open the refrigerator, pour pre-measured milk, and in general grab a snack for breakfast.

We have been trying to place some kind of morning snack in the refrigerator or on the table where he can immediately access it in the morning. He loves this! It is a surprise to see what we made and I think the feeling of independence is heady. So here are some of the morning ideas:

Sunshine fruit.

Hard boiled eggs (pre-peeled)
Cheese (cubed or cut into fun shapes)
Muffins/rolls
Fruits
Cereal with milk in a cup
Nuts/seeds
Yogurt with chopped fruit/seeds

The trick is to make them simple to eat; no heating or mixing. Just add milk or sprinkle fruit/seeds. Shapes and faces, colors and dips are always favorites. Sometimes these are his breakfast and at other times they are a start until I can get up and make something hot!

Change on the Horizon

2008-03-24T09:30:00.005-07:00

A few minutes of reading.

As most of you know Craig has decided to leave his current job and take a position working from home. This was a tough decision as Craig was not looking to change jobs; he likes his boss, his coworkers and has worked there for 7 years. He had lots of vacation time, a flexible schedule, coworkers to go to the gym with and all that comes with a good job. The move to a work at home position is exciting! It goes along with our desire to home school and eventually move out of town on a larger piece of land. It explores new areas of programming and he is looking forward to working on the new projects. He will be traveling once a month for a couple of days, but otherwise will be home.

It should be fascinating to discover how the kids, Craig and I deal with the challenges of this new situation. Craig does a remarkable job working from home on an occasional basis. Elias is thrilled to know he is here and will come out for a quick break once in a while. I hope that Elias' willingness to let him work will be maintained on a long term basis. Craig says he gets more done at home because no one comes in to take him away to another project. He also feels guilty not concentrating on work since we are around and the sooner he gets done the sooner he can be with us. This might wear off with time, but we can hope not!

We do spend a couple mornings in town which will allow Craig several hours of uninterrupted work. If things are too hectic or noisy around here he can also go get a cup of coffee at a cafe with wireless access. In preparation for this new job we have placed a wireless router in the house. This will hopefully allow him to get the quiet needed or be involved as he desires. He can work with Elias at the table, go watch us play outside on the porch or get away to the back bedroom.

There are some many benefits to working at home. Craig's bike rides will be more than commutes and a couple longer rides. He can now stay out of the middle of town and ride the more scenic, hilly routes. If it is cold, he can leave in the afternoon and on a hot day he can ride in the morning. He can play more of a role in homeschooling, reading or watching here and there. Starting work earlier in the morning and having more time in the afternoons for family time. He won't be commuting an hour and a half a day.

The few drawbacks are merely things we will have to work towards: Going to the gym will take planning since it is a drive into town. Socializing in general will have to be something we are proactive about. Craig will try and meet his old coworkers at the gym, continue to ride with those he rides with and we will have to try and have company over more often. The lower vacation amount will be balanced by not having to take time off for me being sick or appointments.

So here we go onward with this new endeavor!

Knead and Rise

2008-03-23T16:28:00.007-07:00

Finished rising, time to bake.

I have had numerous requests for this recipe and have finally decided to sit down, type it up and post. For those who have requested it, this is the loaf with apricots, cranberries, almonds and pumpkin seeds. Without these extra ingredients it is a perfect sandwich loaf or great for hamburger buns.

History: Around a year ago we discovered a lady at the farmers market who made whole grain (fresh ground flour) bread. We started picking this up every Saturday and enjoyed it. The loaves we bought at the store, even whole grain, never compared. I set out to develop a recipe comparable (and a bit cheaper than farmers market price). While I have yet to get a grain grinder, I have developed a fairly tasty loaf which we use for most our bread needs.

Multigrain Breadmachine Bread

3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons oil
2 Tablespoons honey or 1 1/2 Tablespoons agave nectar
1 egg

3 cups whole grain flour (I tend to use 1/2 Whole Wheat and 1/2 Whole Wheat Pastry)
1/2 cup 10 grain cereal like Bob's Red Mill (I use this and include my own flax, millet and amaranth)
1/4 cup of raw sunflower seeds
3 Tablespoons vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
Up to 3/4 cup extra ingredients (dried fruit, nuts) if desired

Using a bread machine, place liquids in the bottom and the dry on top. I always use a dough cycle since cooking it in the machine made it denser than I like. Check the dough after a couple minutes and add more flour if it is sticking to the sides of the bin. After the dough is done (approx. 120 minutes), pull out and knead a minute or two. Shape and place on or in a greased pan. Cover and place in a warm area until doubled in size. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. If using this for sandwiches let cool before slicing, otherwise it tends to crumble.

Everyone Needs One

2008-03-08T11:04:00.004-07:00

Sliding down snow on Mt Lemmon.

Sam has been dog sitting at a friend’s house this last week and boy have we noticed her absence! Having her home to talk to, tease, bounce ideas off or just smile takes up more of my time than I imagined. This is without even mentioning the help she provides. My showers were harder this week because she wasn't here to take Eva in the afternoon. Craig occupied the kids while dinner was prepared instead of taking turns helping me and watching them. Everyone thought we were nuts for taking in a teenager, but I am just wondering if we can live without her. She has definitely become my friend, helper and an integral member of this family.

Sam has grown so much in the last couple of years. She is now an avid cyclist, fluent in sign language, on the road to graduating in 3 years, taking college classes and in general becoming quite the confident, generous, loving woman. With all the clubs, classes and teenage events she has she still takes the time to help out, sit and talk and keep us in her life. I was told you look at a teenager’s life, but are not a part of it....she does do a good job of keeping us in (or at least making it seem like it!)

Spiced Up

2008-03-07T13:54:00.009-07:00

Five or six years ago Craig and I made a bet...no soda for him, no coffee for me. In that time period I rediscovered Chai as my coffee substitute. The problem with Chai is two fold; it is too sweet whether you buy it at the store or a coffee house and it is expensive. At a good $4 to $5 a quart (half gallon with milk) it felt like you should just have it once in a while. So that is what I did and although I never considered it a very good coffee substitute it had its moments.

After the bet and a couple years ago I went to visit my brother in Colorado. We went to a wonderful Indian food restaurant where the Chai was served in a coffee pot and like coffee with unlimited refills. It was wonderful although still fairly sweet. They obviously made theirs from scratch and inspiration hit. I went home and after several tries created a Chai recipe of my own.

I now make Chai by the gallon with no sugar and therefore you can decide on the type of sweetener, how much and as dark as you like. My spices are bought in bulk and I have even sold some here and there. It is also made with rooibos tea and therefore it is naturally caffeine free. This brings the cost down considerably! I drink coffee the majority of the time, but Sam and Elias (not to mention several of our friends) consume Chai on a regular basis.

An Excercise in Coordination

2008-02-28T21:21:00.008-07:00

Elias in his studiousness.

Elias has shown a new interest in writing lately. He will sit at the table with a page of traceable A's with such intensity he notices nothing around him. He has always had times where he concentrates on something to the exclusion of all else and it is amazing to watch in a four year old. Elias has written a few letters here and there in the last year and a half (his name, Eva's), but never with much desire to improve or go further. He does love dot-to-dots and with a new book of dot-to-dots his coordination and desire to count have increased. The coordination has led him to want to trace; pictures, stencils and as a progression his letters. Most of the books I have seen for preschool children are about writing the ABC's as you learn them. We have picked up several of these books to have around, but have never really given them to Elias.

I have always believed that you shouldn't link writing and reading. They are two different skills and where many young children show an interest in both; it seems that for some (my brothers included) the desire to read is there until the pressure of writing comes in. With the stress of learning both they lose the momentum for either. Writing should be a task you learn years after reading and when you have the desire to "write" something; a letter, lists, etc. The more you have read and seen writing the easier it will be to reproduce. I am a bit surprised that Elias is showing an interest in writing and wonder how much I should encourage it. It can be a frustrating endeavor and as he gets older and becomes more coordinated it will be easier to learn. As such I print the traceable letters and let him write his name on papers, drawings and other works of art, but as is my normal way let him lead the way and start the projects. The resources are there and it is his choice to pursue them.

As a side note, typing is yet another skill set and rests somewhere in the middle of reading and writing. Elias has been typing words since gaining the coordination to hunt and peck. He loves to reproduce words he knows, but rarely ventures to create new ones. His word count goes up all the time and he reinforces it by typing it on a word program his dad created for him. Favorite words are the names of family and friends, activities that we as a family enjoy, such as camp, bike, swing etc. and like most kids; animals.

Versatile Polenta!

2008-02-21T23:10:00.004-07:00

Polenta is such a wonderful substance! It is fantastic served in its mush state with sautéed veggies, cooled and shaped and then grilled for towers, layered for lasagna or baked in a tart pan for a pizza.

The other night I was looking for dinner inspiration and came across a polenta pizza. With a few changes to accommodate the items in my kitchen I came up with this flavorful pizza! I used goat cheese and spinach for the sauce with fresh tomato, kalamata olives, fresh basil and mozzarella to top it off. It was perfect served with a green salad. It was a definite hit with Craig and Sam.

Recipe:

1 1/2 cups polenta cornmeal
2 cups cold water
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
3.5 oz. goat cheese
1 c. packed spinach leaves
Toppings of your choice

Preheat oven to 375 deg. Oil 10 inch tart pan (I used one with a removable base). Combine polenta with water in sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then simmer, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Add grated parmesan cheese and cook a few more minutes. Add polenta to tart pan and spread evenly and up the edges. Bake until dry and crisp on the edges, about 30 minutes.

In a food processor puree the spinach and goat cheese. Spread this over the crust. Add your chosen toppings and bake until your cheese is melted. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with basil before serving.

Cooking the Kristin Way

2008-02-21T21:45:00.013-07:00

I love food...it is a motivator and a hobby. Craig often joked when we first met that my family never talked about anything else. He was right, and now does the same thing. My brothers are both chefs and we often trade ideas and recipes, call to exclaim over a dinner we are eating and plan all our visits around what or where we will be eating. It is very common to hear "Do you remember the camping trip that *this* happened?" "Oh yeah, we made *this*...it was delicious."

With that stated, I figure that food blogs will occur more often than others. Numerous friends and family ask me to share recipes, print off a cookbook or call me for ideas on a regular basis and I am hoping I can just post here and send them to it.

My style of cooking is very relaxed...I tend to measure loosely, if at all, and the world would collapse if I didn't change something in a recipe. While cooking I try and lower the salt and sugar content, substitute whole wheat and almost never use anything bleached(i.e. white rice, all purpose flour etc.) Cooking by feel is the norm in my kitchen. As such a food blog might not be a "recipe"; just an idea with loose amounts. I will try and put in recipes with measurements and procedures, but hope that people will be adventurous!

So much for inspiration!

2008-02-21T14:47:00.019-07:00

Quality sibling time!

Well, months later and no new posts! I have the best of intentions....Kristin "I meant to" Post. Thinking about this blog and what I would like to do with it was my midnight activity last night.

Previously, I had stated that I would copy over Craig's blog posts relevant to homeschooling or family matters. Instead, I am just providing a link in the side bar and plan on encouraging perusal of his site on occasion. Therefore, those of you who read both sides won't be duplicating and it will be unbearably obvious how little I post. On that note, my new goal is to post at least once a week.

In the past few months we have had two family birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and a couple of trips to the home town. It has been busy and fun with Elias and Eva both changing so much in that time span. Things have slowed down and we are attempting to organize, simplify and maintain some sort of routine around here. Craig and Sam are picking up the cycling. Elias wants to learn to ride the attachment tandem with his dad and do longer rides. Eva is crawling at super speeds and wishing her legs would just hold her up so she can walk.

Detailing, Recording

2007-10-26T02:04:00.005-07:00

Our burgeoning photographer.

This blog will be a review of what we have learned and done. It is always nice to look back and see that "yes indeed, progress has been made." There are too many days in my life when I think the only thing I have accomplished is making it through the day. This is never true....diapers are washed, food is prepared, we have nursed ? times, books have been read and many, many hours have been spent in play. My hope is that in our homeschooling careers we can see a bit of that progress over time. I also hope to do some natural living and food blogging.

In this blog we plan on copying over some of Craig's writings so that they are all in one place. For those of you who read both of our blogs there will be some repeats. For those of you who read this one, you will have the benefit of my husbands point of view. He is also the more prolific writer, so he will definitely add content to this site (while I seem to barely find the time to sit at the computer...it is 2:15 am!)

Hopefully with this blog and our thousands of photographs we will have a good view of our lives to hand down to the kids. I am notoriously bad at scrapbook/journal types of projects, so with luck this will prove easier.

Introduction to The Post Family

2007-07-20T12:39:00.002-07:00

I have been inspired! After reading several blogs of other homeschooling families I have decided that I do indeed need to keep some sort of a record of the accomplishments, hobbies and events in our lives. Hopefully by blogging we can look back and see where we have grown, what changes made a difference and in general provide another glimpse into our home for our friends and family members who we wish we could see more of. As an added bonus, I hope that I can provide the help and inspiration that some other bloggers have provided me! So introducing the Post Family in Tucson!

Post Family on Vacation - Look at the sun everyone! (September 2007)

We are currently a family of five:
Craig - Husband extraordinaire, cyclist, software engineer and an incredible father.
Kristin (Me) - Stay at home mom of an homeschooling family. Natural living, vegetarian chef and reader.
Samantha - Our teenager! We obtained guardianship of Sam in the summer of 2006. Cyclist, sign language expert and house helper.
Elias - Our son. Born February of 2004. Happy, obstinate and full of energy!
Eva - Our daughter. Born June of 2007. Happy and healthy!