Nihao, Cupcake!

Camping & Cooking; Cooking & Camping

Over spring break our family went camping. Our boys missed it so much during the four years we lived in China. Although, we came home twice a year, there never was enough time to camp.

One of the things we discovered right before moving to China was cast iron Dutch oven cooking. A friend taught us how to do it before we moved. We were excited to try it again during this trip five years after the last time! 

We forgot how fun and easy it is! You can cook almost anything using a Dutch oven. We made french toast, biscuits, dinner rolls, chicken, potatoes, vegetables, curry, rice, & cake. Can you believe that?

If you like camping, cooking over a fire or even using briquettes, I strongly recommend giving a Dutch oven a try. You will not be disappointed. I won't go into the details since I am no expert and there are lots of great websites out there with wonderful information. Just google Dutch Oven cooking - you won't be disappointed. 

And the kids just couldn't believe we were cooking our own food over a real campfire.

We didn't cook everything in the dutch oven, however. I made my kids this fun & tasty Banana S'more using a sheet of aluminum foil and the heat from our fire (the last night) & the heat from our white hot briquettes (the first night).

It tastes much better than it looks!

To make a Banana S'more, all you need is a banana, knife, mini chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Of course if you forget your mini-marshmallows like I did, you can cut up your large marshmallows.

Simply slice your banana lengthwise with the skin still on. Gently squeeze the banana from the long ends to get the slit to open slightly.

Stuff the opening with a few mini chocolate chips. Add some mini marshmallows. 

Sprinkle in a few more mini chocolate chips.

Carefully wrap the entire banana in foil.

Then either set your foil-wrapped banana directly on top (or under) the camp fire or bury under white hot coals. Be sure to use a stoker or long tongs especially made for tending fires so you don't burn yourself. 

 

Banana set atop the burning embers under the active fire burning above

Wait 5 or 10 minutes. Remove the Banana S'more from the fire.

 

 

Banana totally buried under white hot charcoal

 

Let cool a few minutes. Carefully unwrap the foil. Your Banana S'more should be cooked through, chocolate and marshmallows melted.

Using a spoon - dig in! Scopping, the insides out and eating like a dessert.

ENJOY!

The next time you go camping, I hope you will give this easy, fun & tasty recipe a try.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

On Nihao, Cupcake! Blog this week:

**Project Life: Week 15 tomorrow.

**a new photography challenge coming up on Thursday (and the 25th of every month going forward)! The theme this month is 4 Self Portraits; 4 Ways. Feel like you want some photography inspiration & motivation? Join us! We will have a link where you can add your post too. The challenge is to take 4 self-portraits, 4 different ways, but even one is cause for celebration. So don't be shy! More details to be revealed on Thursday. We hope you'll stop by & join in.

Healthier Yet Still Delicious Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins with Oatmeal - YUM!

I have been making some version of these muffins for close to two decades! (WOW!) Originally I loved making ordinary banana chocolate chip muffins until I discovered that adding oatmeal, could make these tasty morsels even yummier.

Oatmeal adds texture, depth and even a little nutrition.

Over the years I have perfected my recipe. I've made it healthier & tastier as well as more satisfying.

It is one of my kids' all time favorites.

These banana chocolate chip muffins make a great snack and can even be a quick breakfast on the go with some cottage cheese or a greek yogurt for a bit of protein.

Combine oil, dark brown sugar & eggs.

Blend together with a hand mixer.

Mash bananas.

Add oatmeal.

Add milk.

Stir to combine. 

Add banana, oatmeal & milk mixture to brown sugar mixture.

Combine dry ingredients & whisk together.

Add dry ingredients to wet. Mix until moist.

Add a cup of dark chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 min.

ENJOY!

 

HEALTHIER YET STILL DELICIOUS BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS WITH OATMEAL

1/2 to 1 cup packed dark brown sugar

7 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large egg whites & 1 egg OR 2 large eggs

 1 1/3 cups mashed ripe banana (about 2-3 large)

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup skim milk with vinegar (before filling the measuring cup with milk, pour 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in the bottom to sour the milk)

1 tablespoon real vanilla extract

2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2/3 cups whole wheat flour

2/3 cups oat bran or wheat bran (I prefer oat bran)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cooking spray

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

 Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine brown sugar, oil & eggs in a large bowl; beat well with a hand mixer at medium speed. Combine banana, oats, milk & vanilla; add to sugar mixture, beating well. Lightly spoon flours & oat bran into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, bran, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir. Add to brown sugar mixture; combine until moist. Spoon batter into a muffin tins coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 15-20 mins or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes. Remove from pan. Cool on wire rack.

 

This recipe also works great as a quick bread. Just lengthen your cooking time accordingly.

Let me know if you try them out. They are very good. I doubled the recipe and they are still gone in 3 days!

Are you on PINTEREST?

Follow my RECIPES I WANT TO TRY BOARD. If you have a good recipe board on PINTEREST, leave me a link in the comments. I'd love to follow it.

And if you love to make desserts - Follow my DESSERT board. Lots of delicious looking recipes. YUM!

My Green Smoothie Recipe

 

Excuse the sloppy, messy photo. The day I planned to take this pic, we had a little "smoothie mishap" and I was in a rush (of course), so rather than clean it up and reset everything, I decided to take the pic "as is" and "keep it real." I am far from a perfectionist in many aspects of my life - as much as I'd like to be (sometimes). 

In my Goals & Intentions post early last month, I said that I wanted to give green smoothies a try for at least several days in a row. It took me until about week 3 of January to finally remember to look up a few recipes, buy ingredients and then finally make a batch in the mornings before I left for the day. I'm so glad I did!

After a little experimentation, I came up with a recipe that I really like.

 

MARGIE'S GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE (EDITED on 3/6/2013)

1/2 of medium to large cucumber peeled & sliced into 1-2 inch pieces

3 cups loosely packed kale leaves (I like to use Trader Joe's ready to use bag) - spinach would work as well

1 small apple peeled, cored & sliced into 1 inch pieces

1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch pieces

1/2 cup of blueberries

1 cup water

1 medium banana

juice of 1/2 or 1 fresh lemon (you could add lemon zest as well)

NOTE: Currently I am borrowing a blender and a food processor neither which are high powered, so I will give instructions as I make my GREEN SMOOTHIE each morning.

In food processor add cucumber, kale, apple, carrot, blueberries & water, Pulse until it reaches a grainy texture. I pulse until my bits won't get any smaller. My food processor (on loan) has its limits!

Transfer cucumber mixture into blender with banana & juice of one lemon (juice of 1/2 lemon works fine too), blend until smooth.

 

 

There is nothing like starting off your morning with a tall glass of water and one of these green smoothies. My husband and I have really grown to look forward to them every morning. Since I first made them mid to late January, we have only missed a few days when we've ran out of a key ingredient. They are much more palatable than we thought they would be and go down very easily.

We have been making smoothies for breakfast for years. As our awarness of different nutrition facts have grown, our smoothie recipes have evolved. Before trying green smoothies, we were making mixed berry, banana (optional), non-fat Greek yogurt smoothies (no sugar or juice).

How about you? Do you have a favorite GREEN SMOOTHIE recipe to share? I'd love to hear about it and what you like about it.

Now, I'm off to make my morning smoothie!

2013 New Recipe #2: Healthier Yet Still Delicious French Toast and PB & Chocolate Chip French Toast

Today we decided to try a new breakfast recipe. Something simple. A new recipe for french toast. In the end I made up my own recipe, combining a few different ones.

9 whole eggs

2 cups non-fat milk

1/2 cup 2% milk

2 T real vanilla

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 shakes (pinches) of nutmeg

1 loaf of whole grain bread

Whisk all the ingredients in a 9.5 x 13 baking dish. Soak bread individually and cook over low to medium low heat until golden brown and cooked through. Keep warm in 250 degree (low heat) oven until ready to serve.

FUN VARIETY on this recipe: PEANUT BUTTER & CHOCOLATE CHIP FRENCH TOAST

Spread one slice of bread with peanut butter. Sprinkle with semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips. Top with another slice of bread. Soak both sides in egg mixture for 30 seconds or so. Cook as above. It also helps to press the sandwich flat with your spatula.

YUM!! Kids love this one.

TIP: Try taking the lid of a large dutch oven or frying pan (if it has a dome shape), and cover your french toast. This helps hold the heat in and cook it through the middle. Therefore, you can use a lower heat and still cook the middle without burning or over cooking the outsides.

This fun version was inspired by a dish served at one of our favorite Western breakfast places in Beijing, ELEMENT FRESH. The dish, called The ELVIS PRESLEY, was a Peanut Butter and Banana French Toast sandwich. Apparently, Elvis Presley loved Peanut Butter & Jelly French Toast sandwiches. Not sure why Element Fresh changed it. Perhaps the banana fit their clientele better? 

At any rate, any of these versions (PB & Choc Chip, PB & Jelly or PB & Banana) make for a fun variation of this breakfast favorite.

The Ultimate Cheesecake Recipe : Tyler Florence : Recipes : Food Network

via www.foodnetwork.com

I made this today except without the topping. I kept it "on the side" since not everyone in the family likes fruit on their cheesecake!

The lengths I go through to make sure everyone in this family is happy and eats! I hope they all get children as equally as difficult to feed as I did. Ha!

We're having it for dessert so I'll let you know how everyone liked it soon.

And did you see??

This was realeased today! I am saving up my pennies so I can buy it and start working it into my current PL album. 

HealthIER {Yet Still Delicious} Chili

I made up my own chili recipe last night. I used a few different recipes as inspiration, but in the end, it is my creation. It turned out pretty tasty, if I do say so myself and it was fast and painless - just my kind of dinner to prepare.

 

CHILI

1 to 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 pounds of lean ground beef (the leaner, the less fat, of course)

2-14 ounce cans of tomatoes (I used whole, but diced is probably better)

1-14 ounce jar of tomato sauce (we used basil spaghetti sauce, but you could use the equivalent of canned sauce or spaghetti sauce with sausage - any flavor that you think will go well with chili spices)

1 medium to large onion, finely chopped

3 to 4 cloves of garlic minced

1-14 ounce can of black beans

1-14 ounce can of red beans (kidney)

1 Tablespoon of cumin

1/2 Tablespoon of coriander

1 teaspoon of oregano

1 teaspoon of salt

1 Tablespoon of chili powder (optional)

1 to 2 whole carrots (chopped to a texture that will please your family - we grate or blend in the food processor) (optional)

 

Add the oil, over medium to high heat, brown the beef in the bottom of a dutch oven, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the diced onion & garlic until onions are translucent and fragrant. Add the tomatoes & tomato sauce while stirring. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse the beans and add them to the dutch oven (consider blending the beans and onions in a food processor if your children don't like vegetables or beans). Add the rest of the ingredients cumin through chili powder mixing well. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes or so. Or until tomatoes soften and chili thickens and flavors are integrated.

ENJOY!

31 DAYS of CREATIVE INSPIRATION:: Day 19 {Oatmeal Scones} - A HealthIER But Still Delicious Recipe

This is the 19th post in a 31 Day series: Creative Inspiration. Check out all the posts here.

You may have noticed that I didn't end up publishing a blog post yesterday. My goal of 31 days of posts isn't coming true! However, I will still meet my goal of 31 posts in 31 days since I have already posted more than once on some days. That is the way to put a positive spin on the whole thing.

I have had my crash days. I was on my own for 8 days - meaning my husband was out of the country. It wears me out having the kids to myself not only during the school week but on the weekend as well. A large reason I get so tired is because I like to stay up late into the night. And when my husband is gone, I tend to stay up far later than I should yet still have to get up at the crack of dawn to get all the boys ready on time.

Tomorrow the boys' school has parent/teacher conferences. My husband is out of town again (but just for the day - thank goodness), but that means I not only have to take care of three boys but I also have to be at school to see 19 teachers! YES, 19 teachers!!! Can you believe that? I am not going to be seeing them all. I had to prioritize with that many within a ten hour period.

A friend offered to help me out by having my youngest son over in the morning to play with her daughter who is also his friend. The older boys are supposed to come with me any way as the older grades have parent/teacher/student conferences.

So, to thank her for her generosity, I whipped up a few batches of HealtIER But Still Delicous Oatmeal Scones. It was also my middle son's 4000 days of life celebration (he discovered this over a year ago and marked it on the calendar), and since these are some of his favorites, I had two reasons to make them.

And it is a great CREATIVE thing to share with you!

These are not traditional British scones. They are more an American twist on the British creation (which I LOVE and miss since I no longer live there). American scones don't do British scones justice. They are like a completely different animal with the same name. That being said, these are still quite tasty in their own right. Here is my kids' favorite recipe:

HEALTHIER YET STILL DELICOUS OATMEAL SCONES

3 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup oat bran

1 cup unbleached white flour

1 tsp salt

4 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup sugar + 1 tbsp.

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup non-fat milk

2 sticks of cold butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

 

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread oatmeal on baking sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes until oats become fragrant. Remove from heat and cool. Reserve 4 tbsp to sprinkle over work surface. Set the rest of the oats aside. Reduce oven heat to 450 degrees (F).

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla. Reserve 2 tbsp in a small bowl. Set aside.

In bowl of a food processor, combine dry ingredients (reserving 1 tbsp of sugar). Pulse a few times until well combined. Sprinkle 1/2 inch pieces of butter over dry ingredients and pulse 12-15 times at one second intervals until the consistency of cornmeal.

Pour the flour and butter mixture into a medium bowl. Add toasted and cooled oats, stir to combine. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold together using a silocone or rubber spatula.

Sprinkle 2 tbsp of reserved oats over your work surface. Take half of your dough out of the bowl and place on work surface. Shape into a 7 inch circle. Flip over and make sure both sides are sprinkled evenly with oats on work surface. Using a sharp cleaver or other sharp knife, cut the circle into 8 wedges. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg mixture over the top of each scone. Then sprinkle each scone with the reserved sugar.

Using a metal spatula place the scones approximately an inch apart on a non-stick baking sheet (you may also use parchment paper). Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

Repeat with the remaining dough. Makes 16 scones.

ENJOY!

I'll be back tomorrow (hopefully) with the paper folding fun you can use for scrapbook pages.

31 DAYS OF CREATIVE INSPIRATION: Day 7 {Healthier (But Still Delicious) Cottage Pie}

This is the 7th post in a 31 Day series: Creative Inspiration. Check out all the posts here.

Creativity doesn't only happen through the arts, but can easily happen in the kitchen. Today I want to share with you my version of one of our family's favorite dinnertime recipes. 

I am forever trying to find healthy dinners for my kids. It is especially challenging to get my oldest son to eat healthy because he refuses to eat any kind of fruit or vegetable except apples. Every kid has a battle they are going to fight until the death and fruits and vegetables are are his. He has wore me down in that battle of wills and I admit defeat!

But I have a trojan horse! I got creative in the kitchen! 

So, what is my trick to get him to eat like an herbivore? My trusty food processor. Every vegetable gets mutilated in that machine. He knows I do it now. He watches me. But if it tastes good, he'll eat it enthusiastically.

Here is one of his favorite dishes packed full of veggies! My friend from Ireland first turned me on to the idea and I found a recipe for shepherd's pie and ran with it altering it quite a bit to fit our family's taste.

Healthier (But Still Delicious) Cottage Pie (same as Shepherd's Pie, but with beef).

This is not your traditional recipe for cottage pie.

The potato topping:

• 5-6 medium to large russet potatoes
• 1/4 cup non fat milk
• 2 ounces unsalted butter
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg

The filling (cottage pie is traditionally made with peas & corn but we replace it with broccoli & zucchini):

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion cut in 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 bunch of broccoli
• 1-2 small or medium zucchini peeled and cut in 1/2 inch pieces
• 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped coursely
• optional: 1 14 oz can of cannelini beans, drained (I'm always looking for ways to add in extra fiber)
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste (in a pinch I use catsup)
• 1 cup chicken broth (if I used canned broth, I often pour in all 14 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

While potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan or wok and set over medium high heat. (OPTIONAL: Place all the vegetables [except garlic] & beans into a food processor. Pulse in 1 second bursts until desired consistency.) Once the oil shimmers, add the vegetable (except the garlic) & bean blend and saute approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, stir to combine and cook a few minutes longer. Remove from heat and place the vegetable blend in a bowl. Set aside. Place the beef, salt and pepper in the saute pan and cook until browned and cooked through. Drain of any excess fat. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.

Once the potatoes are boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with potato masher, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the milk and butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 20-30 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and add the milk, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the egg until combined. Fluff the potatoes with a wooden spoon.

Add the vegetable blend to the beef mixture, stir until well combined. Spread into an 11 by 7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the potatoes. For best restults, start spreading them around the edges to create a seal and smooth with a rubber or silicone spatula. The seal prevents the meat filling from bubbling out during baking. Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove and let sit at least 20 minutes before serving.

I hope by sharing this recipe I've INSPIRED you to get CREATIVE with recipes you want to try to make them healthier as well as fit your families needs. I'm changing recipes all of the time. To see other RECIPES I've made healthier, click here.

 

31 Days of Creative INSPIRATION Series (Links to all posts in the series up until today.)

Introduction

Day 1: Design Your Own Cupcake

Day 2: Storytelling Sunday

Day 3: Scrapbooking (Week in the Life Album)

Day 4: Everyday Photojournalism (Project 365/Project Life)

Day 5: Family Photo Fun - FAMILY x 12 BLOG HOP

Day 6: Links to Creatively Inspiring People (all writing a 31 Day series)

Day 7: Healthier (But Still Delicious) Cottage Pie

Other topics in the works for my 31 Days of Creative Inspiration Series: 

Photography - I answer the question, 'How do I know if I should buy a DSLR camera?', Find out who INSPIRES me; Photography Pet Peeves, Family Photo Fun ideas from around the web.

Recipes - my husband's delicious salsa, HealthIER (Yet Still Delicious) Recipes

Scrapbooking - My favorite mini album, 30 minute scrapbook challenge

more Cupcake Ideas, craft ideas...

AND LOTS, LOTS MORE (I'm posting for 31 Days straight, remember?!)

And to find more than 700 other blogs participating in the 31 Days series, go here. There is a huge variety of topics to choose from.

 

Vernell's Frosting Recipe for Cupcakes

On Saturday of this week, Vernell of Ole Talk was my guest blogger. We had many requests for her frosting recipe that she uses on her cupcakes. It sounds delicious! I've made a lot of frosting from scratch but I have never used marshmallow fluff. I can't wait to try it:

 

1 cup butter

2 cups icing sugar

1 cup marshmallow fluff

vanilla essence

milk (optional - add a little milk if the frosting is too thick)

Whisk butter until light and fluffy. Mix in icing sugar, then add the essence and marshmallow fluff and whisk until light and fluffy. This is my base recipe and I usually just add different extracts or spices to this for variety. For example I have added cinnamon and nutmeg to make a spice frosting, a couple tablespoons of Baileys Irish to make frosting for Irish cupcakes and say you wanted to make peanut butter frosting you would use 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff and 1/2 cup peanut butter. I should also note that I usually just wing it when it comes to frosting so adjust as needed.

If you give it a try, please let us know how it turned out.

Monday at the Blog (Menu Plan & Week in Photos)

MENU PLANNING MONDAY

This is my first attempt to plan my dinner menus for the week. It had been on my mind a lot over the past couple of weeks, but I hadn't done anything about it. I figured it would probably make my life a lot easier since food shopping here in Beijing makes menu planning on the fly very difficult.

So often I open up my cookbooks or food magazines and decide to cook a healthy, easy and quick recipe only to find:

*I can't get one or more key ingredient,

*I have to comb the 4 or 5 import stores to find a desired ingredient (and cross my fingers its in stock),

* or worse yet, one of the ingredients is a premade convenience items that doesn't exist here in China (i.e., spice mix packets, dip mix, pre-cooked chicken strips, sauces & salad dressings, etc, etc.).

More than once I've decided what to make for dinner only to put it off more than a day or two until I can gather all of the needed ingredients.

Anyway, you can see why weekly menu planning might just be a life saver for me! So when I saw the link up at orgjunkie.com, that was the push I needed to give it a try. So here it goes:

Mon: Ginger Pork (from WW Pantry to Plate cookbook)
Tues: Slow Cooker Japanese Curry (recipe from box - I just throw it in the slow cooker)
Wed: Diner Meatloaf Muffins Topped with Potatoes (Thanks to orgjunkie.com for this idea.)
Thurs: Waffles (recipe from The Best Recipe Cookbook & altered by me to be HealthIER - but still delicious) or Leftovers
Fri: Order Pizza or Leftovers (boys choose)
Sat: Leftovers
Sun: Homemade Pizza (recipe for dough from Allrecipes.com)

I was thinking I might even try to menu plan two weeks in advance so that I have one week to gather all needed ingredients. But, I'll see how this first week goes and adjust if I need to.

If you want to give menu planning a try, go here and link up too!

And as a thank you for stopping by my blog, I thought I would share with you a healthIER carrot cake recipe I concocted Sunday afternoon:
 

 Healthier (yet still delicious) Carrot Cake  

(I altered this recipe quite a bit, making it healthier, using a recipe passed on from a friend supposedly from the J. Paul Getty museum - not sure that is true, but that is what the unprofessional looking paper says. I hope to make this recipe even healthier, but still delicious, in the future. This was my first go with it.)

1 Cup (8 oz.) canola oil

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

 1 1/2 Cups light brown sugar

3 eggs

2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2/3 cup oat bran

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda

4 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 tsp salt

3 cups shredded carrots

1 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)

1/2 cup crushed pineapple (drained)

Cream Cheese Icing (see below for recipe)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (approx 180 degrees Celsius - google it for exact conversion). Combine all wet ingredients in a bowl and whisk. In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients and whisk together well. Combine dry & wet ingredients and fold together until well blended and smooth. Never over mix or whisk or cake will become tough. Pour into greased 9x13 inch baking pan.

Bake 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. If you want to make cupcakes, reduce baking time to 30-35 minutes. Cool completely, then frost with Cream Cheese Icing.

(Not healthier) Cream Cheese Icing

1- 8 ounce packages (250g) cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons (1.5 oz) unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (icing sugar)

Beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy, add vanilla & icing sugar a little at a time until fully blended. The longer you mix, the creamier the icing will be. Mix until desired consistency.

 

OUR WEEK IN PHOTOS

Sunday, April 3

We took a cooking class this day that taught us how to make traditional bread for the Qing Ming Festival. We are posing here with our works of art and the family who joined us.

#2At work. My husband, usually a very good cook, was having so much trouble with this dough. Somehow, despite carefully weighing all of the ingredients, he ended up with a very dry mixture. The rest of us were starting to shape our breads and he still had a powdery mess. I had to laugh! But eventually, (with some help from me!) it came together (literally & figureatively) and he made a lovely turtle!

Monday, April 4I see this electrical mess right outside our apartment complex driveway everyday. If you can put the potential danger of an electrical fire out of your mind, it is really quite hysterical that this capital city hasn't figured out how to 'straighten' this problem out. And it is right next to a busy bus stop. Luckily there is a small suface street between our sidewalk and this parkway. My husband and I joked that this might be how they are blocking the internet. We think it is some sophisticated technology, but really they are going around tangling up all of the wires.

Tuesday, April 5 On the way home from dinner in Ritan park to enjoy the blossoms, Paul found this lady on the street selling phone cards and convinced her to exchange the international phone card, our oldest son bought on accident, for a domestic phone card so we could go home and pay our internet bill!

Wednesday, April 6Nicholas loves to make funny Power Point presentations to amuse his friends. This night he came up with the idea to use his Ed Emberly drawing book to create more characters for his presentations because they are all made from simple shapes using simple instructions. (If you have children that like drawing or want to learn, I highly recommend Ed Emberly's books - so simple & so creative.)

#2

The first picture he made using the instructions from the drawing book.

Thursday, April 7 I got to observe Nicholas' class all day on Thursday. This was during the afternoon free work time. He and his friend were doing research for an upcoming paper.

Friday, April 7 Recent finger-print artwork Braden brought home from school. Last month they were studying Africa and these are the animals he made. I hung these up on my wall behind my desk.

Saturday, April 8 Braden & Reece took a seat on the wall while they were waiting for Dad & I to lock up the bikes. Then we crossed the street to check out the new bookstore from Singapore (Page One) in the new China World mall. We are so excited to have this bookstore! It has the largest selection of 'normal' books I have seen any where in Beijing! It is a wonderful new addition to our lives here in Beijing. I will go back soon without the kids so I can get lost amongst the shelves. They even have a hobby section and a HUGE cookbook section. And so many books in English!

 

COMING UP ON THE BLOG

*Sunday, April 17 - Alphanumeric Blog Hop for fun! This one is hosted by blog friend, Mel from her blog, I Speak Melsh. Stay tuned for more details. This one sounds very, very interesting...

ONE LITTLE WORD Blog Hop

*May 1 - OLW Monthly Blog Hop (One on 1) - I host this blog hop every month on the 1st. It is a blog hop for students of Ali Edwards' One Little Word class at Big Picure Classes. You can still sign up for the class as well as the blog hop (if you are a student). For the class, go to BigPictureClasses.com and for the blog hop, go to the OLW classroom message boards and there is information on how to sign-up in the Chit Chat section.

FAMILY x 12 Mini Blog Hop

* May 5 I will have a mini blog-hop to showcase my monthly personal project FAMILY x 12. If you are taking a monthly family photo (or would like to start) and would like to join us for a little support, motivation and light accountability, leave me a comment or send me an email and I'll be in touch with the details. (A family photo can be whatever you define as family, even if that is just you and your spouse/partner or you and your cat [dogs count too]!)

Healthier (yet still delicious) Mac & Cheese Recipe

Ok, just so there aren't any misunderstandings, this recipe that I am about to share is NOT low in fat NOR is it low in calories. In fact, it is probably high in both. It is however, healthier than your typical homemade mac & cheese.

I, like every other mother on the planet, am constantly looking for meals that are easy to make and that my family enjoys. That is no easy feat, at least with my family. And of course I want to serve them meals that are as healthy as possible. I have done my fair share of reading on the topic of health and nutrition and I know about all the myths of the things that we grew up with thinking they were healthy but really are not - like white bread, white rice and pasta.

So, I realize mac & cheese is one dish that inherently is not healthy at all. Sure, there is some calcium in the cheese, but is it really enough to make up for all that fat and refined white flour in the pasta? I think not. What other redeeming healthy qualities does traditional mac & cheese have? I would argue - NONE!

But you still need your kids to eat, right? Or at least, I do, anyway!

So what do you feed them? Here in Beijing the choices of healthy convenient food is limited at best. There are as many healthy convenience foods here as there are chicken feet on a stick in California.

Anyway, I got sick of paying $5 for one box of Kraft mac & cheese that was completely void of any nutrition and thought surely I can make something better than whatever is in that box and make it healthier too - the focus being on the 'ier' at the end of the word.

So, I have made my own version of mac & cheese TWICE. And both times my eldest child, the pickiest kid on the planet (and likely the entire galaxy), as well as his younger brother, scarfed it down!

And then asked for more!

I got my base recipe from The New Best Recipe Cookbook by the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine. I highly recommend this cookbook, by the way. Next I did a little torquing here and there, and here is the genius recipe I came up with (ha!):

 

HEALTHIER (yet still delicious) MAC & CHEESE:

'Bread' Crumb Topping

6 ounces (1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp) of Oat Bran (Wheat Germ would likely work as well) - if your kids complain about the texture, consider using half bread crumbs and half bran)

3 Tbsp of Canola Spread (or other healthier spread), cold

 

Pasta & Cheese

1 pound macaroni (I used shells - you could also try whole wheat pasta if your kids don't mind the texture)

salt

5 Tbsp canola oil spread (or other healthier spread)

6 Tbsp of whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp dry mustard

5 cups of non-fat milk

8 ounces of shredded Monterey Jack cheese (today I had to use Edam cheese because my store did not have Monterey Jack)

8 0unces of shredded cheddar cheese

1 can of rinsed & drained canellini beans + 1 - 3 tsp of water blended together in a food processor until smooth (optional, but adds some good protein & fiber)

1. For the topping: pulse the oat bran and canola oil spread in a food processor until the bits are no larger than 1/8th inch, ten to 15 1-second pulses. Set aside in the refrigerator because most spreads are more delicate than butter.

2. For the pasta & cheese: adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the broiler. Bring 4 quarts water to a rolling boil in a Dutch oven over hight heat. Add the macroni and 1 tsp salt and stir to separate the noodles. Cook until the pasta is tender. Don't undercook. Drain in a colander and set aside.

3. In the empty Dutch oven, heat the canola oil spread over medium heat until foaming. Add the flour and mustard and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, gradually add the milk; bring mixture to a boil, continue whisking constantly (mixture must reach full boil to thicken), then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat, whisk in the cheeses until they are completely melted. Add in the pasta and cook over med-low heat, stirring constantly until its heated through.

5. Stir in 10 to 12 Tbsp of pureed cannelini beans (trust me on this one!)

4. Pour mixture into a broiler safe 13 by 9-inch baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the topping. Broil until topping is deep golden brown - 3 to 5 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, then serve.

Directions are paraphrased from The New Best Recipe Cookbook with my own additions and alterations based on making this recipe healthIER. My major changes were substituting bran for bread crumbs, whole wheat flour instead of white, canola oil spread in lieu of butter and the addition of cannellini beans. That idea came from another favorite cookbook - The Sneaky Chef.

I dare you to try it! If your kids like mac & cheese, they will love this. It's just the right creamy texture - not oily, not clumpy - perfection!

World's Best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

At my five-year-old's Kindergarten this month they are studying North America. Since he is the only child in the class from that part of the world, they asked me to come in and share something from our culture. 

The first week I brought in pumpkin muffins, this week I came for half a day and taught them how to make ice cream in a bag and hand turkeys and yesterday I brought in homemade Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies made from my very own recipe. YUM!

These are my favorite and I have been making them ever since I can remember. Maybe since I was in high school? 

My recipe has evolved over the years. First I started off combining the recipe from the back of the Quaker Oats box with the recipe on the back of Nestle chocolate morsels. Then I had kids and I started learning how to make my recipes healthier.

But I still had to make them delicious because that is one of the main reasons my husband married me. 

It has now been perfected! So, I thought I should share.

Margie’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

 1 ¾ C butter (not margarine, not Crisco) – try melting it (careful not to burn)

3 C  brown sugar (C&H Dark Brown sugar is my preferred)

3 eggs

6 tsp vanilla (that's not a typo!) This last time I put in 6 TBSP (accidentally!) half stirred it in then dumped out whatever hadn't gotten stirred in and they still were tasty (my family said my best batch ever!)

1/8 C water

1 1/4 C unbleached white flour

1  C whole wheat flour (can use whole grain pastry flour instead)

1 C oat bran (if you don't have oat bran, use 1/2 C whole wheat flour & 1/2 C unbleached flour instead)

1 1/3 tsp salt

1 ½ tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 to ¼ tsp nutmeg

sprinkle of ground cloves

sprinkle of ground ginger

4 C semi sweet chocolate morsels (I like Ghirardelli’s)

6 C old fashioned uncooked Oats

OPTIONAL: ¾ C almond meal

                        2 – 4 TBSP flax seed meal

Heat oven to 365 degrees F. In large bowl beat butter until creamy (if butter is melted, then until it is mixed well). Add egg, water and vanilla; beat well being very careful not to over mix. Set this mixture aside. In a separate bowl, combine white flour, whole-wheat flour, oat bran, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Mix until all spices and baking soda are evenly distributed. Mix in oats. Gradually mix flour & oats mixture into egg & sugar mixture beating slowly only until well mixed.

Stir in chocolate chips. At this time you can also stir in nuts of your choice, but then they can no longer officially be “Margie’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies” because I do not like nuts in cookies – sorry! I can accept almond meal which also adds some 'good oil' as well as protein.

Drop by rounded spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 – 10 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Do not over bake! Remove from cookie sheet and put on rack to cool. Makes about 5 dozen cookies. ENJOY!

If you make some, please let me know what you think. 

Oh, I almost forgot - this week I will bring in some corn bread. Anyone have a really good recipe they want to share?