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Things I need to eat more of:

* Strawberries
* Pineapple
* Squash
* Berries
* Oats
* Green beans
* Asparagus
* Sweet Potatoes

I’m sure there are more, but this is a good start. I don’t want to overwhelm myself.

What foods do YOU need to more of this year?

I’ll be posting some additional thought, more recipes and lots of other things pretty soon.

I am a big fan of meal planning. Now, this wasn’t always true but as our family has grown and with everyone on different schedules, it really does make life in the Anderson household much smoother. I usually plan for the week on Saturday and do my major shopping either Sunday evening or Monday morning.

Since the only meal everyone is home for is dinner, breakfast is generally cereal, oatmeal, toast or waffles. And everyone but the Short Dude and I eat lunch at school. Since he and I like simple things, we often eat soup for lunch.

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So, here’s the plan for this week:

All week:
Breakfast – cereal, oatmeal, toast or frozen waffles (yes, I do cheat on this one! My waffle iron is a pain in the arse.)

Monday:
Lunch – peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and fruit cocktail
Snack – apple cake (very delicious! It went fast!)
Dinner – chicken stir fry with baby corn, carrots, water chestnuts, peppers and rice

Tuesday:
Lunch – summer sausage, carrot sticks
Snack – waffles
Dinner – chicken marinated in roasted red pepper vinaigrette with baby corn and green beans served over hot cooked noodles

Wednesday:
Lunch – black bean soup, sourdough bread
Snack – applesauce, celery sticks
Dinner – beef pot roast with baby potatoes, carrots, onions and celery

Thursday: (The Teenager’s Birthday!!)
Lunch – vegan split pea soup
Snack – cupcakes
Dinner – leftovers
Special treat – chocolate birthday cake with chocolate frosting, as requested

Friday:
Lunch – corn chowder
Snack – peaches
Dinner – out @ a Chinese restaurant to celebrate The Teenager’s 15th Birthday!!

Saturday -
Lunch – mac n cheese
Snack – pears or apples
Dinner – pork adobo

Sunday:
Lunch – ham and cheese sandwiches
Snack – bananas
Dinner – ’sour’ soup (Filipino dish called “Sinagong”)

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I think it’s a pretty good menu and with the rainy weather, the sops are always a welcome mid-day warm up. I’ll also be doing a bit of baking tomorrow – the cake for The Teenager’s birthday Thursday as well as some dinner rolls the kids love. If I have time, I’m going to post a bunch of these recipes very soon.

Right now, though, I am very tired and ready for bed. I’ve stayed up a little later than everyone else so I could have a nice, quiet house to myself to sit and think for a bit.

I hope your week is shaping up to be a good one and that your New Year is off to a wonderful beginning!

In the arena,

With an attitude of gratitude, I attract greater good into my life.

Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business – just as if it were her own.

While not on our Thanksgiving menu, this is a special treat I am planning to make for the kids sometime this weekend. They look absolutely delicious!

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cakes:

3 cups (390 grams) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups (410 grams) light brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 – 15 ounce (425 grams) can pumpkin puree

Vanilla Filling:

1/4 cup (55 grams) vegetable shortening

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) (55 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (115 grams) confectioners’ (powdered or icing) sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (120 ml) light corn syrup

Baking Instructions

For Pumpkin Cakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (can also use a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree. Beat in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Drop heaping tablespoons (can also use a small ice cream scoop) of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. With moistened fingers or with the back of a spoon, smooth the tops of the cakes.

Bake for about 10 – 12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies, when lightly pressed, spring back. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Filling: Beat the shortening and butter until soft and creamy. With the mixer on its lowest speed, gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar. Increase the speed to high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Then, with the mixer on low speed, beat in the vanilla extract and slowly drizzle in the corn syrup. Continue to beat until the filling looks like soft mayonnaise.

To Assemble: Take one cake and spread a heaping tablespoon of the filling on the flat side of the cake. Top with another cake. The assembled cookies can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for several days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes about 14 Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.

This recipe also came from the Joy of Baking website.

In the arena,

Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business – just as if it were her own.

Ingredients

Crust:

1 cup (100 grams) graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cups (50 grams) finely ground ginger cookies, homemade or store bought

1 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated white sugar

4 – 5 tablespoons (56 – 60 grams) unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake:

2/3 cup (145 grams) light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pound (454 grams) cream cheese, room temperature

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup pure pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)

Topping:

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

Baking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177degrees C) and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter (or spray with a non stick spray) an 8 inch (20 cm) spring form pan.

For Crust: In a medium sized bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, finely ground ginger snaps, sugar, and melted butter. Press the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared spring form pan. Cover and refrigerate while you make the cheesecake filling.

For Cheesecake: In a separate bowl, stir to combine the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), on low speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth (about 2 minutes). Gradually add the sugar mixture and beat until creamy and smooth (1 to 2 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (about 30 seconds) after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree.

Pour the filling over the chilled ginger crust and place the spring form pan on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Place a cake pan, filled halfway with hot water, on the bottom shelf of your oven to moisten the air. Bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees C (165 degrees C) and continue to bake the cheesecake for another 10 – 20 minutes, or until the edges of the cheesecake are puffed but the center is still wet and jiggles when you gently shake the pan.

Meanwhile whisk together the sour cream, vanilla extract and sugar. Pour the sour cream mixture over the top of the baked cheesecake and rotate the pan slightly to evenly distribute the topping. Return the cheesecake to the oven and bake about 8 minutes to set the topping. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Loosen the cake from the pan by running a sharp knife
around the inside edge (this will help prevent the cake from cracking). Then place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan so the cheesecake will cool slowly. When completely cooled, cover and refrigerate at least eight hours, preferably overnight, before serving.

Serves 10-12 people.

I should note that this recipe and picture are both from The Joy of Baking website.

In the arena,

Look for something coming up on “Black Friday”!

Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business – just as if it were her own.

On the menu today . . .

Cranberry Wassail
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Sweet Potatoes
Mashed Baby Red Potatoes
Fresh Green Beans
Sweet Baby Corn
Brussels Sprouts
Acorn Squash
Paprika Rubbed Turkey
Spiral Sliced Half Smoked Ham

Of course, we’ll have cranberries, olives, carrot sticks, chips, ice cream (peppermint and cookie dough), apple cider and probably a few other little things I’m forgetting.

What’s on your menu today?

I am looking forward to the Pumpkin Cheesecake! I’ll post a recipe a bit later, possibly, if there’s time.

In the arena,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business – just as if it were her own.

In the spirit of it’s almost Thanksgiving, here’s a recipe I found that I’m planning to work into our menu after the holidays when we have leftovers coming out our ears . . .

Curried Turkey on Rice
Yield: 4 servings

1 Apple, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
3 tb Margarine
1/4 c Flour
1/2 ts Salt
2 ts Curry powder (2-3 tsp taste)
1 c Lowfat milk
2 c Diced cooked turkey
Cooked brown rice

Saute the apple and onion in the margarine until the onion is tender. Stir in the flour, salt, and curry powder. Slowly add the milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in the turkey. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until hot and bubbly. Serve on the rice.

If you try it, let me know. I think it sounds very good.

In the arena,

Look for a new special deal on graphics and writing stuff coming shortly after Thanksgiving.

Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business – just as if it were her own.

This is a recipe of my own concoction. Can’t promise the flavor is good, but it’s not horribly bad either. One of those flavors I can live with.

Combine and mix in blender the following:

• 1-2 teaspoons Flax Oil (I suppose you could use ground flax seed as well)
• 1 scoop of HealthyGreens (or an equivalent product)
• 1-2 teaspoons Fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 2 tablespoons MLO Vegan Brown Rice Protein Powder
• 8-12 oz cold, purified water
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt (optional)

You can adjust to suit your taste but not much is going to make it great, I don’t think. Like I said, it’s certainly not delicious but it won’t make you puke, either. At least, I hope not. If you use yogurt, I would suggest not using a flavored one – it tastes worse! Plain or vanilla is best and will tone down the taste of the HealthyGreens which can be overpowering and although tastes a bit like licorice, is not that wonderful. I think it’s the texture more than anything that makes it that way.

In any case, enjoy! Let me know if you try and what you think.

~ Annie