Neapolitan/7-Layer/Italian Rainbow Cookies.

I rarely -if ever- say this, but I'm about to toot my own horn. This is a personal accomplishment to me. This is something I never fathomed being able to do, but I decided to do it and I actually could! I never challenge myself to do something I'm unsure I'm capable of (case in point: croissants), but this was one I did. And, I am so proud to say I made these. I did it! 

I didn't mess with the photos like I typically do (there's a lot of them!), and yes I do take my photos with my iPhone...because it's always accessible and I don't have an extra memory card for the good(better/real) camera.

I was surprised how easy it actually was, it's just extremely time consuming. So, if you don't have an afternoon free, don't attempt it until you do- I started this at approximately 11am.

edit: I just realized I skipped the flour. Are you kidding me? I actually skipped the flour because when I was reading the recipe off the computer screen while making them, I must have accidentally overlooked it- and now I'm kind of irritated with myself for forgetting this, but it explains the spreading, and thin-ness and not making as much as I thought it would-ness. However, they still came out really well (as you can see) and taste good, too they're just dense and stickier than they probably should be. Sorry guys, I shouldn't be so impressed with myself!

Here we go!

Cream of Mushroom Soup

I want to do a really quick post today, because I'm trying to get a lot of prep done before Sunday/Christmas. We go to my husbands parents house for actual Christmas, so we are doing a "friends-mas" on Sunday. I meant to post this around Thanksgiving, but as I said in a previous post, I didn't have enough time, pictures, or left overs (which is kind of a good thing!).

This is loosely adapted from The Joy of Cooking. I use it for green bean casserole, so I will have that recipe after Sunday, or Tuesday. Not sure exactly when, but later in the week.

Pico De Gallo

We absolutely love cilantro and lime in my house. Paired together with some tomatoes and onions, and that's my idea of the perfect dip, or salsa!

I don't know if this is traditional Pico de Gallo, or if it's just my take- but this is how I make my salsa for tacos, nachos, as a dip for chips when people come over, etc., etc. I made this many times after having it at Mexican restaurants, but never thought to use lime juice rather than a red wine vinegar or white vinegar for a while (which is kind of embarrassing!).

Here's how I make it- I'll do it step by step rather than a written out recipe at the end, because it's super easy.

Raisin Bran Muffins

In my last post, I was very optimistic thinking I would have leftovers from Thanksgiving to take pictures of for this little blog. 


As it turned out, I didn't, and I really couldn't bring myself to make more of the same stuff.
SO.
Since it's been forever, again, I decided I would show you some pictures of muffins I make pretty often. I make them as a quick grab-and-go breakfast so my husband has something on his rushed way out the door, and I'm usually too tired to get up with him. This is an unoriginal recipe,  I found it on the side of a raisin bran box!

They're pretty delicious, I couldn't hold back from having about 3 myself.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everyone out there has a safe, happy, fun, and DELICIOUS Thanksgiving!

I will have recipes to post later on, but I wanted to get a quick post up in the frenzy of morning cooking.

Recipes I plan on sharing:

• pecan pie + pie crust
• whole berry cranberry sauce
• green bean casserole + cream of mushroom soup
• "candied" yams

Stay tuned!

Spinach Bake

Last night I was feeling particularly lazy and had remembered seeing a recipe somewhere for a spinach bake. I was feeling like I really didn't want to do too much prep or clean up and not have to worry about defrosting anything for 6-8 hours. I was also thinking, "if I'm going to laze this out- it should at least have some nutritional value". I found the original recipe here but I did modify a few ingredients.

Salami Bread

I know I have neglected posting here for some time, and I apologize to any and all readers I have (which I sort of assumed was approximately 0). I have been preoccupied lately, with nothing important, but just haven't been into making original recipes lately. Someone gave me a copy of "The Joy of Cooking" and I've kind of been raiding it. I figured I shouldn't be blogging about recipes that I didn't create myself, but I suppose I could be at least reviewing the recipes I do make from it.

Anyway, out of nostalgia and a generally morose mood and missing my mom, I decided I was going to make something that reminded me of her and my childhood and all the wonderful memories I have with her and my immediate family. I almost made some cheesecake because that was her favorite dessert, (that's a secret recipe I wouldn't have shared anyway) but then I thought about how she only made it for holidays and special occasions. She didn't make it when she wanted to make something for us or when she wanted to give us a home-cooked, from scratch recipe. My mom didn't like to cook, or bake really except for holidays. So, this is something we didn't get very often and mostly on a Sunday afternoon when she had some time. And she always made it when we were all together, so it was kind of like a bonding thing. It sounds really lame, but this is something that was a real treat and I always remember her putting it in the oven, like time stopped in those memories. I'm trying to describe something immaterial, and I can't do it very well so I'm just going to get to it.

My mom always called this "salami bread", but it's basically Stromboli. It's not very good for you, but it IS delicious--and today I really don't care whether it's healthy or not!

Grilled Eggplant

Yikers, I know it' been quite a while, and I was kind of running around like crazy the last 2 weeks or so trying to get ready for our Cape Cod trip! I am back now, with some fresh groceries, so I should be back on a regular basis!
Tonight we decided to do some grilled chicken with grilled eggplant, which I topped with marinara. This isn't really a recipe as much as a method. Hope everyone enjoys!

Grilled Eggplant Marinara

Leftovers and things

Sorry I haven't been updating lately! We are prepping to leave for our summer vacation on Saturday so I've mostly been making things to get rid if leftovers and they're mostly not recipes

Like this is leftover penne ala vodka and a cut up zucchini that I sautéed until slightly browned. I don't want a bunch if stuff in the fridge while we are gone!

I am going to try and make something dessert ish tomorrow!

Maple-Cranberry String Beans

I usually make this in the fall and especially around Thanksgiving. I got some string beans from someone's garden and decided to make it!

Roasted Eggplant Hummus

I buy hummus often because it makes for a great dip and sandwich spread and I don't always feel like lugging the food processor out, making it, cleaning it and then putting it away. When I just wrote that, I realize how lazy that makes me sound.... but really, it's stowed away in an annoying spot that I have to move things around to get to it because I have no counter space. This is my relationship with most of my kitchen. So anyway, in yet another box of fresh vegetables given to us(I love summer-and friends with gardens!) was a lone eggplant. Previously, I had seen eggplant hummus at the store. Then, the light bulb went off in my head: "I can make that!"

Beef & Broccoli

A fairly simple Chinese favorite, I decided to try my hand at it without deep frying and MSG and all that nonsense. It's probably not like it is at the restaurants(honestly, I've never ordered it), but it's tasty and it's simple. And mild, not like yesterday's recipe!

Extra Spicy Zucchini and Pasta Casserole

I know I said I couldn't eat anymore Zucchini until next year, but I got another box full today so I had to come up with something! I will warn you this is incredibly spicy and not for the faint of heart... Zucchini Casserole: A Cautionary Tale! I'd also like to give a shout out to a friend named Steve Fuscowned (not his real name) who recently expressed his love of Zucchini to me. Hope you like spicy food, too. This one's for you!

Black Bean Brownies

I have to admit this is not a totally original recipe, as I've seen a number of them circulating for some time now- and this concept has been on so many daytime talk shows in the last few years. I finally decided to try it because it seemed like something that might either be delicious or really "health food". Considering I am not a big fan of black beans, I admit I was skeptical. BUT! They came out really fudgy, and very chocolaty (and they actually tasted like brownies)! 

Pan-Roasted Spicy Corn Salad

We are quite busy this weekend! I threw this together really quick, and figured I would share it!

No food!

I don't have anything to post today(or yesterday) because I tried my hand at baked beans yesterday when my cousin visited me. Not only were they under cooked (after soaking them for 14 hours might I add), they just didn't taste good. I added Beef broth thinking it would flavor them nicely,  but it really just made it soupy and diluted the molasses/ maple flavors. 

Oh well, no one is perfect...but one day I will get these beans right!

Anyway, here's a really cute picture of my dog and my man.

And here's my dog thinking he is a tiny little thing when really, he is about 80 lbs or so.

And yes he is on top of ME after lovingly conning his daddy upstairs!

Have a good Thursday!

©The Village Farmhouse | Amy Heck 2012. Please do not steal my images.

The Easiest Quiche Ever (Seriously!)

I made this for my sister in law and very good friend one afternoon for lunch- as something really quick and super easy for company, and I was asked for the recipe a few times. I never got around to writing it up, but as my friend requested I post it, I figured it into my meals this week. So here you have a tasty Quiche per request!

The beauty of this recipe is that you can put anything you want in it, and there's no crust-the dry ingredients will settle to the bottom and form one!

Zucchini & Quinoa "Lasagna"

I promise this will be the last Zucchini recipe for a while as I am going to bake some more Zucchini bread to freeze because I really cannot eat anymore or it might start growing from my ears!

I found a very similar recipe to this on the internet, and I know raw foodists tend to make "pasta" from Zucchini many times. Hungry Girl did a very similar eggplant tower.  This uses Quinoa as the protein and almost winds up like the ground beef in a meat sauce. I did mine differently by roasting(because I really love the way roasted veggies taste)and not using cream cheese or sour cream, I kind of stayed a little purist here. Not totally original, but if anyone ever gives you 10 pounds of Zucchini- rest assured, you will find plenty of recipes on my blog. 


Sorry I'm not as descriptive today...I'm tired tonight!

Shrimp Pasta

My husband is a big fan of Cioppino and Zuppa de Pesce, and he likes it 'Fra Diavolo'. So every few weeks I say "What are you in the mood for this week?" and he usually winds up saying "Let's do some sort of shrimp pasta...Fra Diavolo!" I make a few variations, but this is how I did it tonight.

Zucchini "Parm"

Quite a few years back now, I went to the county fair and there was a cooking expo thing going on and the Zucchini was the star of the show. They came up with a Zucchini "parm" but that called for breading and frying the vegetable, and I didn't want to get into that because the frying kind of ruins the fact that you're eating a vegetable as a main course. I tried to think of how I could make it at least similar, and still taste good without having a stroke in the same night. So I decided to roast the Zucchini in place of breading and frying. 

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

I am still swimming in Zucchini. I am literally, over my head in these squash! Ok, not literally because then I wouldn't have any room in here to even type :) I am trying desperately lately not to make sweet treats, but I was asked to bring a dessert last Sunday, and now I have got to do something with these things! Since our very, very good friends are moving into their first home this weekend (and we are helping!), I figure one of the loaves can go to them as a little housewarming present. The other loaf we can slowly eat over a few days. Right.

Garlic Scapes, Pasta, & Garlic Bread

I was so excited to do this recipe all day today, and this is the dish that inspired me to start writing here. Garlic scapes. These were something we got in a box of produce that John came home with one day, and I am so happy he did! At first I had no idea what to do with them and so I went to the internet to find a recipe but all I could find were pesto and stuff like that. Then, I thought to myself hmm..garlic, fresh tomatoes...let's marry these two things! I did them with some pasta and garlic bread tonight.

2-3 Recipes: My Version of "Fiesta-Lime" Seasoning; Chorizo, Rice, & Bean Stuffed Peppers; And, Leftover Rice & Vegetables.

Remember when I said yesterday that I had gotten a bunch of peppers? Well, today I've decided to stuff those suckers with rice and beans! Mine are kind of small, though, so I had to come up with something quick to do with the leftover rice & bean stuffing.  So, here are 2-3 recipes depending upon your opinion of quick-fix-leftover ideas!

(Click there ↓ for the recipes!)

2 Recipes for Monday: Fish Piccata & Veggie Stuffed Zucchini

One of the perks of my husband's job is that he works on a lot of people's cars, and a lot of people like to garden and show their gratitude in the form of fresh, free vegetables, or even fish!   The other day he came home with over a dozen small green bell peppers(that's tomorrow night!), and some giant--I mean, really, the most enormous I've ever seen-- Zucchini. The next night, another friend and customer said he had some fresh striped Bass for us, and I really couldn't let it sit around for long!

Kid Breakfast.

I get asked what kinds of things I give my little girl to eat because people know I not only made my own baby food purées, but also try really hard to make everything myself without using packets or shortcuts. I am a stay at home mom, so I have time for this, generally, but it's also important to me to give my family whole, pure foods and I feel the scratch method is the best way to do this. Anyway- one of the easiest, quickest things to do for a little kid is oatmeal. Mine loves it, and not only is it simple but it's full of fiber & whole grains. It keeps her fuller for a longer time and I like to just throw in her fruit choice of the day so it's not the same thing twice a week. The best part is that everything can be adjusted to different amounts depending on portion or tastes!

Cinnamon-Raisin Oatmeal

• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup Raisins
• 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. honey, agave, or maple syrup
• very small pinch of sea salt
• hot, or boiling water

Put everything in a cereal bowl and add hot or boiling water until desired consistency is achieved.

Kid approved!

Have a great day!

©The Village Farmhouse | Amy Heck 2012. Please do not steal my images.