Mushroom Bourguignon

I saw this recipe one of my favorite cooking blogs, http://www.smittenkitchen.com/. Once in a while I find a recipe that I absolutely HAVE to make and put it in my "favorites" and or, copy and paste it into a word document. This recipe made it to both. Tonight it was time to try Mushroom Bourguignon. My Mom used to make beef stroganoff as a child and that is what this dish reminds me of, minus the beef of course. It had a lot of flavor, was easy to make and filled us up. Not sure if this one is toddler friendly yet, as I got started late and Owen was in bed before it was done. I will keep you posted on if he liked it tomorrow when he eats it for lunch : )

Mushroom Bourguignon

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 pounds portobello mushrooms, in 1/4-inch slices (save the stems for another use) (you can use cremini instead, as well)
1/2 carrot, finely diced
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup full-bodied red wine
2 cups beef or vegetable broth (beef broth is traditional but vegetable to make it vegetarian; it works with either)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup pearl onions, peeled (thawed if frozen)
Egg noodles, for serving
Sour cream and chopped chives or parsley, for garnish (optional)

*The only thing I did differntly from this recipe was skip the pearl onions. Only because I didn't have any, and it turned out great!

Heat the one tablespoon of the olive oil and one tablespoon of butter in a medium Dutch oven or heavy sauce pan over high heat. Sear the mushrooms until they begin to darken, but not yet release any liquid — about three or four minutes. Remove them from pan.

Lower the flame to medium and add the second tablespoon of olive oil. Toss the carrots, onions, thyme, a few good pinches of salt and a several grinds of black pepper into the pan and cook for 10, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for just one more minute.

Add the wine to the pot, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom, then turn the heat all the way up and reduce it by half. Stir in the tomato paste and the broth. Add back the mushrooms with any juices that have collected and once the liquid has boiled, reduce the temperature so it simmers for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are very tender. Add the pearl onions and simmer for five minutes more.
Combine remaining butter and the flour with a fork until combined; stir it into the stew. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 more minutes. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to the right consistency. Season to taste.

To serve, spoon the stew over a bowl of egg noodles, dollop with sour cream (optional) and sprinkle with chives or parsley.

I know, it's on a T.V. tray. We felt like having dinner and a movie tonight...at home : )

Sweet Potato Pancakes

This is a great way to start the day with one vegetable in the tummy! Sweet potatoes are full of antioxidants, beta-carotene and vitamins B, C and E. Owen gobbled them up, and I smiled. When I am wanting to make a new recipe for breakfast, I usually go to my Moosewood cookbook, as it has a lot of different healthy ideas for breakfast. This recipe came from the New Classics Cookbook.

Sweet Potato Pancakes
1 cup peeled and grated raw sweet potato
1/2 tsp. freshly grated lemon peel
1 large egg
1 cup milk
2 TB. oil or melted butter
1 cup unbleached white flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 TB. sugar

In a bowl, combine the grated sweet potatoes, lemon peel, egg, milk and oil or butter. In a separate bowl, stir together the rest of the dry ingredients. Gently stir the dry into the wet ingredients just enough to combine. Do not over stir. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes.

Warm a lightly oiled skillet or griddle on medium heat. When batter is ready, pour 1/4 cupfuls onto the griddle and flip when you see bubbles popping on the top (about 2 mins). Flip the pancake and cook about 1 more minute until both sides are brown. Serve hot. You can top them with lemon juice (2 TB) and maple syrup (1/2 cup). Or if you want to make a dinner/ lunch out of it, top it with some sour cream and add a side of chunky salsa.

Terri's Baked Ziti

As usual, I needed a quick recipe for dinner tonight. I looked in my fridge for the veggies that needed using and pulled out the broccoli and zucchini. I had the idea of making baked ziti with lentils and veggies to add extra protein and nutrients. This was a super easy recipe and Owen loved it. I will definitely be making this again.

Terri's Baked Ziti
1/2 cup lentils
1 cup water or vegetable broth
1/2 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
3 cups whole wheat ziti, spirals or bowtie pasta
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 medium zucchini, grated
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 jar of chunky marinara sauce
1/3 cup pesto
1/2 log of thinly sliced fresh mozzarella, or 3/4 cup grated mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400.
In a medium sized pot, saute the onions in the oil on medium heat for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic to the onions and stir for another 2 minutes. Add the lentils to the same pot and stir. Add 1 cup of water or vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Bring down to a simmer and cover the pot for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large pot, boil pasta until al dente. While the pasta is boiling, throw the broccoli into the pasta water for the last 4-5 minutes. When the pasta is done, drain, and put back in the pot. Mix the marinara, pesto, cottage cheese and zucchini with the lentils and add to the drained pasta. Mix well and put in a glass baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese until it is covered and put in the oven for 15 minutes. Take out when brown and bubbly on top. Serve immediately.

Baked Falafels

I had falafels on the mind today. I used to eat them somewhat regularly when I lived in Brooklyn, NY in my early twenties. New York really opened my mind to the world of food. You could find a restaurant that had cuisines from anywhere on this planet. I had my first tastes of Indian, Greek, Moroccan, Thai, Spanish and Ethiopian amongst many others in that great city.

I grew up with the American basics; hot dogs, hamburgers, casseroles, pot roast and potatoes. We would go so far as to include some Italian, Mexican (which the East Coast will never be able to match) and occasionally Chinese, but Indian was unheard of and strange! Once I finally broadened my taste buds to the flavors of the world, there was no going back! Hold the hot dogs, and bring on more baba ganoush please : ) I want Owen to grow up trying as many different things as possible. Don't get me wrong, I still like my tuna casserole and mac and cheese, but a nice curry here and there keeps me happy.A place called The Falafel King on 7th Avenue and 4th Street was just around the corner from my brownstone. On those nights when I was too tired to cook and didn't have a ton of money, this is where you could find me. I am actually not a huge fan of fried foods (unless it's french fries of course : ) so I decided to try and make a healthier version and I think I did pretty good at matching the taste and texture. I searched online for some baked falafel recipes and took bits and pieces from different places and added my own adjustments to create this recipe. With the help of a food processor, this entire meal didn't take more than 30 minutes from start to finish.

Baked Falafels

1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans rinsed and drained

1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped

1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)

1 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup cooked quinoa and or couscous

Tahini Sauce

1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt

juice of 1 lemon

1 1/2 Tb. of tahini

1 small garlic clove

1 Tb of parsley

Extras

Pita Bread

1 small cucumber

2 medium tomatoes

crisp lettuce leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Unless you have left over quinoa or couscous in your refrigerator (like I did), then cook 1/4 of a cup of the grain according to the directions. While that is cooking, Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Put the beans, onion, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, baking powder and spices in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Form into balls and slightly flatten. Place onto a cast iron skillet that has 1 tsp cooking oil or is sprayed with cooking spray. Brown for about 2 minutes on each side. Then place skillet in the oven for 10 more minutes.

Meanwhile, puree the yogurt, lemon, tahini, garlic and parsley and set aside. When the falafels are ready, slice a pita in half and stuff each one with 2-3 falafel patties, diced or sliced cucumber, tomatoes and lettuce and as much sauce as you prefer. Enjoy!

Serves 3

*This was a last minute meal for me tonight, so I skipped the pita, and cucumber because I didn't have them on hand. Next time!

Artichoke and Lima Bean Ragout in Lemon-Garlic Sauce

I received lima beans on Saturday from my farmers market pick up. I have had them once in my life and liked them, but it's been years. My Mom never liked lima beans as a child, so I was not exposed to them growing up. They don't have the best reputation as being a well liked legume. I tried them again and don't see what all the fuss is about, I thought they were great! I ate them straight out of the shell, and Owen couldn't get enough of them raw. I wasn't sure what to do with them until I looked them up in the index of my Mother of all vegetarian cookbooks, Passionate Vegetarian, and found several recipes for them. I chose the one that I had all the ingredients for and got to cooking!I had my prep cook/ husband, Adam, shell the lima beans while I diced, minced and chopped the rest of the goods. There is a bit of prep with this recipe, but the flavors are well worth the time it takes to make! It's light, yet filling and the lemon and artichokes gives it a summery feel.

Artichoke and Lima Bean Ragout in Lemon-Garlic Sauce

1 tsp olive oil

1 onion

1 celery rib, minced

1 Tb. finely chopped garlic

3 3/4 cup vegetable stock

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 Tb. tomato paste

8 oz. baby carrots, (or 3 regular carrots scrubbed and cut into 1 in. pieces)

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch dice

salt and pepper to taste
2 lbs. of fresh lima beans shelled, or 1 16 oz frozen package

2 lemons

1 tsp. butter

1 Tb. unbleached flour

2 10 oz packages of frozen artichoke hearts quartered

1/2 cup minced Italian parsley

Heat 1/2 tsp. of oil in soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute just until it starts to soften, about 4 minutes. Lower the heat and add the celery and 2 tsp. of the garlic and continue sauteing for another 2 minutes.

Add two cups of vegetable stock along with the wine and tomato paste. Raise the heat to a boil and drop in the carrots and potatoes (I didn't have as many carrots or artichokes as called for, so I added diced zucchini and green beans with the carrots to make up for it). Lower the heat to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, half covered, until the potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Add the lima beans, stir well, and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Grate the rind of the lemons, then squeeze out their juices discarding the seeds.

Heat the remaining oil along with the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, then slowly whisk in the remaining 1 3/4 cup stock and 1 tsp. garlic along with the lemon juice and rind. Cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Scrape the sauce into the simmering vegetables.

Add the artichoke pieces, stir well and cook until just heated. Add half of the minced parsley.

Serve hot with the remaining parsley and grated Parmesan cheese (optional) sprinkled over the top. Feel free to serve with crusty bread, or on top of pasta, quinoa or rice.

4 B's Pancakes

I bought a quart of buttermilk just for this recipe yesterday. This is an easy and healthy (you know me) pancake recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks (thanks Lauren); Passionate Vegetarian, by Crescent Dragonwgon. Yes you read it right, the author's name is Crescent Dragonwagon, odd name, I know. This cookbook is 1068 pages long (NOT including the index) and does not contain one picture! I have made quite a few recipes from here, and have barely scratched the surface of the meals I will be attempting to make in the many years of cooking I have ahead of me. I have yet to make a meal I didn't like from this cookbook. If you have one lonely old banana that you need to find a use for, this is the recipe for you! One banana isn't quite enough to make banana bread (which I make often), but it's perfect for banana pancakes!

Banana Blueberry Buttermilk Buckwheat Pancakes

1/3 cup unbleached white all-purpose flour

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup buckwheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 large egg

2 Tb. vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

1 very ripe banana well mashed

3/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

In a medium bowl, combined all three flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, buttermilk and banana. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until blended.

Heat a cast iron griddle or heavy non stick skillet over medium heat. When it's hot give it a spritz of cooking spray. Drop the batter by 1/4 cupfuls leaving plenty of space between. Flip the cakes when bubbles appear and pop on the top surface. Allow half as much time for side two to cook. Turn the heat down slightly after the first batch is done.

Serves 3-4

Mediteranian Stuffed Peppers

I had two meals in mind for tonight and tomorrow night's dinner. However, both called for tomato paste. In my mind I had several cans of tomato paste in the pantry. In reality, I had zero. Instead of going back to the store, I created a new recipe with what I had in the fridge. With the produce I just picked up this weekend, I had a lot of options ahead of me (decision making is not one of my strong suits when it comes to dinner....too many options, too little time).

Adam took Owen for a bike ride while I opened up a bottle of wine, put on my apron and got cooking! Here is what I came up with from a few different recipes. I might add, this is super healthy, and SUPER delicious! Though on a plate it doesn't look like much, this meal is packed with protein and is very filling. You get 5 servings of vegetables, complete proteins, whole grains, cheese, and legumes in one little package! It's a winner in my book!


Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers

1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
5-6 Red Bell Peppers
1/2 of a red onion, chopped
1 medium to large zucchini, chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
3/4 cup drained diced canned tomatoes (or halved fresh cherry tomatoes)
1 15oz can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained.
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium pot, soak quinoa in warm water for 5 minutes, then drain. Bring vegetable broth and the quinoa to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on. Meanwhile, cut 1/2 inch off the tops of the washed peppers and take out the seeds and the white membranes. Place peppers upright in a lightly sprayed baking pan and bake for 15 minutes.

Spray a large non stick skillet with cooking spray and saute onions on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add zucchini and carrots and saute until soft. Add tomatoes, garbanzo beans, salt and oregano and stir a few more minutes. Turn off the heat, toss in the feta cheese and add the quinoa. Mix well and stuff the peppers with the mixture. Bake for 15 minutes on 350. Enjoy!

Oh and for dessert, we had "homemade" (Trader Joes Mix) brownies with peanut butter drizzled through the middle, served with coffe bean ice cream. I would have posted a picture if I had thought about taking a picture before it was all gone! Sorry.

Mamma's Veggie Chili

Santa Barbara FINALLY saw some rain today (well, they were big sprinkles, but water from the sky none the less). When it's cold and rainy out, my mind goes straight to chili! It only takes about 30-40 minutes total and it's filling. Though, I made it earlier so it can simmer for longer. The lentils provide a meaty texture that is full of nutrients, protein and fiber. I always add as many veggies as I can throw in the pot as well. It's a good way to get them in Owen's belly : )

Ingredients
1 15 oz can of kidney beans
1/2 cup lentils
1 cup water or vegetable broth
1/2 cup frozen corn
2 whole carrots finely chopped in the food processor
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
3-4 peeled and diced fresh tomatoes (or another 15 oz can)
1 package of organic chili seasoning (I could make this myself, but I had it in the cupboard and it's fast and good, with no additives).
1 finely diced or pureed red bell pepper
Grated cheddar cheese
Organic Plain yogurt or Sour cream
Diced avocado (optional)

Cook the lentils with one cup of water or vegetable broth in a small pot.
Place the beans, corn, red peppers and tomatoes in a larger pot. In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup of warm water with the chili seasoning mix, and add to the vegetable pot. Stir, bring to a boil and add the lentils when they are ready, about 20-30 minutes when the water has been absorbed (you don't want them too mushy). After it boils, bring it to a simmer for 15 minutes or longer.
Top with cheddar cheese, a dollop of yogurt or sour cream and diced avocado if they are available. Serve with whole grain bread.

Meatless Sloppy Joes

Since I am not a huge fan of meat in this house, I decided to try the ol' classic sloppy joes with ground meat substitute. It's made with vegetable protein and it's actually really good! I adapted this recipe from one of my vegetarian kid friendly cook books, Better than peanut butter and jelly . It literally took me less than 10 minutes to get a yummy protein packed meal on the table. This is a keeper!

Meatless Sloppy Joes

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 onion, chopped

2 C. ground meat substitute, crumbled

3/4 C. tomato sauce (I used canned diced fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies and pureed it)

1/4 C. water

1/2 C. frozen or fresh corn kernels

1/3 C. barbecue sauce

1 tsp. chili powder (I only used 1/2 because I think 1 tsp is a bit too spicy for toddler taste buds.)

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Dollop of yogurt or sour cream

Whole grain hamburger buns, or bread.

Directions

Spray a large skillet with vegetable cooking spray. Add garlic and onion. Saute over medium heat until onions are soft (add a little water to the skillet if 0onions start to stick). Add "meat", tomato sauce, water, barbecue sauce, corn kernels, chili powder and cumin. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Divide mixture evenly onto the buns. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream (helps mellow out the spices). Serve with a side of steamed veggies for a complete meal.

For those meat eaters out there who read this blog, feel free to use ground beef or turkey instead of the meat substitute.

Roasted Cauliflower and Potato Soup

Let me start off by saying the cauliflower is not one of my all time favorite vegetables.....until I discovered roasting it. Roasted cauliflower takes on a whole new flavor that is pretty tasty.

I had family coming to visit on Monday just in time for lunch. I had about 2 hours to figure out what I was going to do, AND go to the grocery store! I had a beautiful head cauliflower in the fridge that I had just bought at farmer's market the day before, and one potato that was just waiting to be used. So, cauliflower soup is now on the menu! I accompanied the soup with BLAT's (minus the bacon for moi) and some nice vino. Everyone loved this soup. It's one of my favorites : ) I must warn you, it is very filling. It could easily stand on it's own as a meal, so if you are serving more food with it, go easy on the serving size. I could only eat half of my sandwich.

You will be seeing many more thick soup recipes coming your way as the weather starts to get chilly. I LOVE SOUP!

Ingredients
2 Tb. olive oil
2 Tb butter
3 leeks cut into 1 inch pieces
1 head of cauliflower
1 scrubbed russet potato, cubed (you can peel them, but all the nutrients are in the skin and I like the texture and color you get from the skin. It all gets pureed anyway).
1/2 cup any white bean
3 cloves of garlic
6-7 cups of veggie broth depending on how thick you like your soup!
salt and pepper
1 Tb. chopped fresh herbs for garnish such as thyme, parsley, basil, chives or tarragon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400

Lightly coat cauliflower and potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 45 minutes.

Saute olive oil, butter, leeks and garlic on medium heat until soft (about 10 mins)

Add vegetables, beans and broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. (though I ran out of time and only boiled it for about 5-10 minutes before blending. It turned out fine, but I would have rather simmered the ingredients a bit longer.

When done, use a hand blender or transfer to a food processor or blender to puree the soup to desired consistency. I like mine just a little chunky to have some texture.

Garnish with your fresh herbs, and serve hot.

Healthy Mac and Cheese

This is one of Owen's favorite meals (and mine too). In fact he had two large helpings tonight and ate every last crumb until he said he was done. I found the recipe originally from some friends of mine in Santa Barbara http://www.yummymummyfood.blogspot.com/ and have have made it a little different each time. Today turned out to be perfect, so this is the amended recipe I will stick to (for now). What's great about this one, is that the left overs keep for a few days (unless you eat it all before then of course), and it's a nice dish to reheat and serve without having to think about what you are going to give your hungry little one when you are out of ideas of what to make!

Healthy Mac and Cheese

3/4 Cup pureed raw carrots

1/2 Cup pureed raw cauliflower

1/2 of a large sweet potato pureed in a food processor

1/3 cup orange juice

1/2 Cup white beans (cannelli)

3 Cups short whole wheat pasta (9 oz), (I used the corkscrew & alphabet pasta this time, but penne also works fine)

1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (sometimes I add smoked Gouda, but didn't have any on hand today).

1 15 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes drained 1/2 cup broccoli finely chopped (if you have a toddler anyway!)
1 Tb. chopped tarragon
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 350

In small sauce pan, combine the carrots, cauliflower, sweet potato, orange juice and 1/3 cup of water. Season with salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over moderate heat until the vegetables are soft (about 30 mins). Transfer the vegetables to a food processor and add the white beans. Puree until smooth

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 Cup of the cooking water and drain the rest of the pasta. Return the water and pasta back to the pot and add the vegetable puree. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is coated with a thickened sauce, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese and cook for 2-3 more minutes longer. Stir in the tarragon and season with salt and white pepper.

Transfer the pasta to a medium baking dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly. let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Whole Grain Waffles

I got the baking bug this morning. On top of the cinnamon rolls, I thought Owen was due for another batch of whole grain "wa wa's." He loves them and it's a good way to start his day. I usually top them with either peanut butter or plain organic yogurt and fruit instead of the traditional syrup. What's nice about this recipe is they make quite a few so you can freeze them and have them whenever you want, just pop them in the toaster when you are ready!

Also, I have to thank my mother in law Anna for the heart shaped waffle iron she sent us for Christmas after Adam and I got engaged 4 years ago. It makes each waffle come out looking like the love that was put into the batter!

The recipe was adapted from Moosewood New Classics Cookbook.

Whole Grain Waffles

dry ingredients

1 1/4 C unbleached white flour

1/2 c whole wheat flour

2 Tb sugar

1 Tb baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/4 C. ground flax seeds

*1/4 C. cornmeal

*I was out of cornmeal, so I substituted 1/8 cup buckwheat flour and 1/8 cup wheat germ to keep it healthy and still yummy.

wet ingredients

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 TB vegetable oil

In a large bowl, sift the first six dry ingredients together and then add the flax seeds and cornmeal and mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients and pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients. and stir just enough to combine. Let batter sit for 10 minutes before baking.

Preheat waffle iron.

Use 1/3 cup of batter for each waffle.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

The thought of making cinnamon rolls has been simmering in my head for months now. Today was the day to finally make them. I grabbed one of my favorite cookbooks; Moosewood Restaurant, New Classics, and in no time Owen had his first taste of a cinnamon roll. I must say, he will forever be a fan of this yummy treat! And I am a fan of this quick and easy recipe that requires no yeast, rising time or even a rolling pin!

Quick cinnamon biscuits

Cinnamon Sugar Mix

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 TB wheat germ or almond meal (this is my addition to make me feel less guilty when I eat more than I should!....and it's good for ya!)

Biscuit dough

2 1/2 C. unbleached white flour

2 Tb. brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 C. plus 1 TB. heavy cream

Icing

3 TB powdered sugar

2-3 tsp. milk or heavy cream

*I accidentally used 2-3 TB of milk instead of Teaspoons in the icing, so it was very watery. However, it soaked right in and made the rolls very sweet and moist. Not a bad mistake!

Preheat the oven to 400

Mix Cinnamon Sugar mix in a small bowl and set aside

In a large bowl, stir all the dry ingredients together until mixed, and then add 1 1/2 C. of cream and stir briskly until teh dough forms a ball. With your hands, fold the dough over a few times until all the loose bits are incorporated and the dough is smooth.

Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and pat it gently into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle about 9x13 inches. Brush the surface of the dough w/ the last Tb. of cream and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mix evenly over the dough.

Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a cylinder and slice into 9 equal rounds. Place them cut side down in an unoiled baking dish or pie plate. Bake for 30 minutes until the biscuits are lightly browned.

Prepare icing while they are baking and drizzle the biscuits with icing right out of the oven. Serve warm and enjoy.

California Summer Sandwich

We are reaching the end of summer, but have some incredible heirloom tomatoes left. I came home today starving for a yummy lunch pronto! I had no idea what I was going to have, Adam had just given Owen the rest of the left over stirfry I was hoping to finish off....hmmm, now what? I cut open this gorgeous yellow heirloom into two thick slices and put them on some toasted whole grain bread and then went to town with all the great stuff I had in my garden and the fridge already. 5 minutes later; Voila, one amazing healthy sandwich I will definetly make again!

What's so great about sandwiches, is that the options are limitless!

California Summer Sandwich

2 slices of toasted whole grain bread

3-4 slices of brie cheese

4 large fresh basil leaves

1/4 of a ripe avocado

2-3 slices of heirloom tomoato

1 handfull of sprouts

1 tsp. mayo

1 tsp. whole grain mustard

dash of salt

Put the mayo on one slice of toast and the mustard on the other.

Place the tomatoes on next, followed by the basil, sprouts, brie, and avocado

sprinkle with salt, put the sandwich together and enjoy!