Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Day 7 and a family recipe! $4

I probably should have given my objective when I started this blog. But because I did this on a whim, I forgot.

My Objective: To inspire people to make healthier food decisions, Eat at home more, and have fun making healthy food.

10 years ago if you would've asked me to make a healthy meal I would've made a salad.
Growing up we didn't exactly eat healthy. Everything had butter, or oil or was fried. Still to this day my family cooks that way. Our favorite meal growing up, and when we visit family is still Chicken wings and home made french fries. Oil, Oil, Oil!

Now that I have a family i try really hard to have the same values as my great grandparents did. They always ate at home, they even made their own bread! Who makes all of their bread at home anymore???

I opt out from fast food, and instead make something at home. My kids love starches. So pasta is a must! My favorite kids meal that i make is Home made Mac n cheese, with broccoli or cauliflower and chicken in it. It has your starch, veggie, dairy and meat in it. My kids love it! My husband doesn't but oh well.. He wasn't raised on American food so its understandable.

I have been borrowing close to 10 books a week so far. Last week I borrowed 3 zumba DVDs and like 7 books. Mostly on food, other ones are on potty training.. Sorry, you guys probably didn't want to know that lol.
At night when the kids are sleeping i like to visit stumble upon and check out food blogs. Food blogs inspire me.

My new favorite book is called "New Good Food" the essential ingredients for cooking and eating well. It is by the global vice president of Whole Foods market and she is a former member of the USDA National Organic Standards board! I found this book on a food blog and tried to check it out at my library. They didn't have it. So I decided to see if I could find it used. I bought it for 99cents! WOOHOO! I was super excited. Before I even opened the book I turned it over to check on what the back cover says... And I read a GREAT explanation of society and how we eat.... it says.......
"We used to shop based on what we eat, but now our eating habits are influenced by how we shop."
How true!  My biggest challenge this month has been going to the grocery store to ONLY buy what I need. Its impossible for me.  I haven't read the book yet, nor have i opened it. But the back cover makes me want to read it!

Tonight I made Chicken and Dumplings. Its pretty simple. I used homemade chicken stock, carrots, chicken breast and home made dumplings.These dumplings are the same ones my family has made for years! My great grandmother used to make these. Now my parents make them with pork roast, duck, stew... really anything! And you all are lucky enough to get the recipe... shhhh don't tell anyone I gave it to you!
These are not the fluffy like ones that people make from flour and they are all mushy and nasty. These are solid, hard dumplings. My mouth waters thinking about eating them... My favorite is a pork roast with caraway seeds and sauerkraut and these dumplings.

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Home made Dumplings
1 egg
2 potatoes
salt
pepper
flour
Boil a pot of water...
You will need a grater for this. Use the side that is used for zesting. This is the worst part but totally worth it. "zest" both potatoes into a bowl. Add the egg and salt and pepper. Stir this all around. If the potato starts to turn colors its OK. Totally normal! Then add your flour 1/4 cup at a time. You will not need more than a cup. Add the flour 1/4 c.. stir.. add another 1/4 c and stir. The mixture will start to thicken. Add 1/4 c more and try to form dumpling size balls with the dough. If it is too sticky add more flour.  Once you can form balls, drop into boiling water and after 30 seconds stir the pot. Once the dumplings rise to the top let boil for another minute.. Scoop the dumplings out and add to whatever dish you want.


Here is a picture of what my chicken and dumplings looks like (usually i cut the carrots into small pieces but i was lazy today.)





This is what the dumpling will look like.... (you know you love the plate!)


very chewy! The chewier the better!!!!




Instead of eating a second day of chicken and dumplings, i put it into a pie crust and made a big pot pie! This will go in my freezer and it will be another nights meal



Alright.. so you read through this whole post and your probably wondering where I spent the $4??
I bought the kids squirt guns that I promised I would. Today we went to the Spray park to run through the sprinklers and I decided it would be a good day to get the promised squirt guns! 

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