Bake-a-thon

Years ago, I attempted to make coconut macaroons and failed miserably. Of course, I used the recipe found on the package of shredded coconut. They came out looking like flat pancakes that were stuck to the baking sheet - yuck. I am now happy to report that I have redeemed myself! Using a legitimate recipe can produce light and crunchy pillows with a perfect amount of chewiness. Who knew? This small success has given me the courage to bake my first loaf of french bread. Let's hope it turns out edible! The best part of all of this is that the ingredients are cheap and readily available in my pantry. I am convinced that living on a tight budget can drive a person to be more creative with their resources and can even uncover hidden talents. If nothing else, I am getting my exercise by kneading and punching down the dough!

HoBO diet

As fall is falling so goes the bank account. So, we have been enjoying cheap, fiber packed, meals lately. Beans, Rice, Cabbage, Potatoes, Onions and Carrots. Oh, and lots of sunflower seeds.

This afternoon was spent baking a batch of giant oatmeal cookies. I left out the raisins, but added in walnuts with a sprinkle of raw sugar on top. Half of them were pretty flat from being on the lower rack. Next time, I will be more patient and bake only one sheet at a time. My sister requested that I bake up a loaf of beer bread too, since she had never had such a thing. We used a bottle of Bass Pale Ale in the recipe and topped it with pumpkin butter. This ended up being a great match! If that was not enough, I whipped up some teriyaki salmon on the grill. My sister looked at me strange for using pickled ginger in the glaze. She was also introduced to sesame oil for the first time. We needed some veggies, so I steamed some broccoli as well. Of course, by this time we were too stuffed to enjoy more than a few bites.

I have been on a cooking kick since becoming recently unemployed. This week has been full of new recipes. My soul is smiling!

Basil & Horseradish Egg Salad

Rustic Blackberry Tart

Rosemary & Grated Parmesan Potato Wedges with Creamy Mustard Dip

Caramelized Onion smothered Chicken Breast

Hearty 15 Bean Tomato Stew