"Cookies! I want COOKIES!" That's how I was greeted when the Wifester arrived from work on Monday... apparently she's having sympathetic cravings for her sister-in-law. You may remember my last post about my attempts at baking... Since then, I've found some variations of oatmeal cookies that I am quite comfortable with and have found to be particularly satisfying. I had some apples that I wanted to use up, so this time I made Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies! I've never had them before, but you can bet your sweet cookie I'll be having them again! Here's how I made them:

• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cup quick oats
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup diced and peeled apples (your choice, I used red delicious)

(you may want to add nutmeg, and walnuts or pecans I don't, for The Wifester's safety) While the oven was still hot, and it was time to begin dinner...I thought hmmmm...I really am tired of the "dog food" we've eaten so often lately. What to make for dinner that does not resemble the Sunny-dog's meal, does not contain meat, and is sure to please the finicky Wifester? As I've told you before, I could really do without meat all together, but the Wifester, she loves her meat and potatoes. I came up with an ultra satisfying compromise. Oh she questioned it when I told her what I was making. But upon first bite, she was sold. Never question my culinary genius, I told her. Never. She even asked for more tonight! This experiment was a tofu-veggie loaf. Or as I named it for her sake, meatless meatloaf. The Wifester luvs some meatloaf. We usually make it with ground turkey, but even that is just too much meat for me to sink my teeth into at one time. If I make meatloaf for her, I usually have something else for myself. And I was just not up to making two meals last night. After all, I had played Cindarella all day long, scrubbing baseboards, washing walls, cleaning carpets, and organizing the house. Plus I did accomplish some heavy duty studying and baked cookies...A one dish dinner it would be, no doubt. Meatless meatloaf was surprisingly delish and relatively easy. It smelled wonderful and baked up beautifully. I know a few of you who will be wanting this recipe... Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium low heat. Add onions, carrots, garlic and parsley and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile firmly press tofu between layers of paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible. While tofu is pressing, cook brown rice until tender, but still somewhat firm. Add peas, carrots, green beans, and onins. Crumble tofu into the bowl of a food processor, then add bread crumbs, flour, egg, ketchup, tamari and Worcestershire sauce and blend until completely smooth. Transfer tofu mixture to a bowl, then stir in the rice mixture. Add bread crumbs or flour to make loaf more firm if necessary. Add any additional seasonings that you desire. *optional add mushrooms or any veggie of your choice to the mixture. Spray a 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray, then spoon the tofu mixture into the loaf pan, patting it down evenly over the top. Sprinkle top with Rosemary and Oregano. (Optional topping 1/4 cup ketsup, 2 tbsp Rosemary, 2 tbsp orgeano, 2 tbsp garlic, 1tsp soy sauce, mix well, brush over top of loaf with pastry brush) Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until deep golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool the loaf for easier slicing before serving.<< MORE >>

Ok, so I found out about this 5 minute chocolate cake recipe, tried it, was a bit disappointed by the flat taste, experimented a tad bit, adjusted it and here we go, viola'! 5 minutes till you have fabulous Chocolate Cake!

The 5 Minute Cake

4 tablespoons Flour
4 tablespoons sugar (I've even used splenda)
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
1 splash vanilla extract
1 Large coffee cup

Spray inside of coffee cup with butter flavor Pam. Add all dry ingredients in a bowl, mixing well. Add egg, mix well. Pour in milk and butter, again- mix well. Pour batter in coffee mug and microwave for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (High). The cake will rise over the top of the mug, it will fall once it cools some. When done, turn mug upside down on plate, EAT! You can frost it, or eat it as is. Great with cool whip or ice cream! I'll try to remember to take photos before they get eaten up next time I make them! ENJOY!

        

I've almost always loved my veggies. I mean, sure, when I was a young one, I put up a fuss over certain ones, like those evil green pebbles that call themselves peas. But broccoli, and cauliflower, okra, and brussel sprouts, collard greens, squash... zucchini? All good in my book. In my late twenties I developed a love affair with eggplant. I had to get grown and move from my parents to even experience such a fabulous vegetable, but once I did, I knew what it meant to live off the land, for I could surely sustain my every cell's nutritional requirement with eggplant. I even spent a few years avoiding anything that once had a face and blood all together. Opting for plants only. I felt much healthier then. Aside from all the chemicals that I was pumping into my body at a feverish pace, as though I was in a race to some junkie-only finish line, and only Keith Richards could lap me to take the lead. But I digress... One of my other all time favorite sustainable, succulent sustenances are brussel sprouts. I love them. They may reek to high heaven when you're cooking them, but it's an aroma that makes my mouth water and gets me all a tither. Until, that is, a few months ago...when I got soooooo sick. Then just after I got over it, like a week later, it all happened again, in exactly the same way. symptoms and all, identical. The only thing I could attribute it to was the meal I had eaten the night of becoming so viloently ill each time. I had brussel sprouts. From the same store, from the same batch. They were frozen, steam in the pouch brussel sprouts, and honestly, I believe that they were tainted. Oh, they tasted fine, and if they smelled bad, well, how the hell would anyone have known? But a short time after eating...I was violently ill. We'll leave it at that. I didn't even relate it to the seemingly innocuous morsel nestled upon my plate, or else I'd have never seen fit to eat them again, as my symptoms subsided and I was able to move from clear liquids and on to solid foods again. I just thought vegetables always give me stregnth, I'll make some brussel sprouts! Bad, bad, bad idea. So needles to say, I've been less than gung ho over the sight of those tiny cabbages ever since then. Wifester and I were at the store last weekend, and I saw the lovely brussel sprouts, bobbing their heads from behind the mist and beckoning me ..." come back into the light...just a try, this time will be different, we promise", And I, with all the strength I could muster, turned and walked away from them. Tempting as they may be, so was cocaine and every other chemical substance that I could snort and smoke and....well, let's just say I've learned that when something is no good for you, you just gotta leave it alone. Likewise, my love of okra has been, er-um, squashed, due to the unfortunate "Memorial Day Experience", which is always said, now, with the quotation marks gesture, just for added emphasis. I went how many weeks without tomatoes because of the salmonella scare, only to find out they were safe all along! Meanwhile, I was chopping up jalapeños, who were responsible, left and right! I don't know how much more of this I can take. Please, stop ruining my veggies! I love my veggies. I don't want them taken away from me. When, where, for the love of all that's green and organic will this crazy madness end?

        

Each time I cook, be it Thai, Mexican, Italian, or purely southern-comfort foods, I draw on those early years. I use those experiences to help me be the woman I am today, not just in the kitchen, but in my life in general.  ...<< MORE >>

I heart zucchini! I heart zucchini grilled, I heart zucchini baked, I heart zucchini fries, I heart zucchini bread! Oh, but keep that away from Wifester if you add walnuts to it, I almost killed her once that way. (Sorry, love!) ...<< MORE >>

Here's one I like to take to work for potlucks and such. It's always a big hit. I especially enjoy it in the summer, but who am I  kidding, I won't turn my nose up at it any time of year! ...<< MORE >>

this is a good time to pour your self a glass of that wine... ...<< MORE >>

• 1 pound extra firm tofu ( firm will work too I'm sure) drained
• 2/3 cup finely chopped veggies ( your choice, I used carrots, celery, onion, garlic, chives)
• 1 packet of Goya chicken bouillon(I used Goya brand, but to keep it meatless use vegetatian "chicken" bouillon)
• tarragon, garlic powder, rosemary, and almost every other "chickeny" spice from my cabinet (use any spice you like on chicken)
• 2 large seeded & chopped jalapeños (Thanks Gary!)
• 2 handfuls of flour so maybe 1/2 - 3/4 cup? until mixture is firm and holds form
• 1 1/2 handful of Italian bread crumbs
• olive oil
• a large mixing bowl

Mash tofu with in the mixing bowl with hands or potato masher until crumbly. Add all ingredients except oil and some of the bread crumbs. Let the mixture sit in bowl, covered, for a couple of hours in the fridge(the longer it sits the more it absorbs the flavors) The mixture should be firm and you should be able to form patties easily without it being slimy or too gooey. If it is, add more flour until it is the right texture. Roll the patties in remaining bread crumbs. Heat olive oil over med heat and fry until golden brown on each side (about 5 min) let stand for a few min(5-10) to let the flavors set in and patties to firm up. * Alternate cooking method, pictured here, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle your favorite seasoning over each patty, and cook on George Foreman Grill 6 - 9 min. until golden brown.