Friday's Favorite recipes

Here are a few of our tried and true, most frequently requested recipes.

First, what I made for dinner tonight, Chick Pea Patties.
Put 2 15 oz. cans of chickpeas in the food processor, after draining and rinsing lightly.
Transfer to mixing bowl.
Add 1/4 c. rice flour, 1 T. soy sauce, (I use Amino Braggs.) 1/4 t. garlic powder and 1 t. paprika.
Adjust the spices to your liking. I always add MORE garlic and a bit more paprika.
Depending on the brand of chickpeas you buy, you may need to add some water. Your goal is to have a moist mixture that will hold its shape when you form it. The most cooperative brand I've found so far is Trader Joe's.
Heat a non-stick pan with oil. (My favorite for this is sunflower. My least favorite is corn. When using a pan without a coating, you will need more oil, a lot more.)
From a small handful of chickpea mixture, make first a ball, then a patty.
Fry these in the oil.
They are ready to flip when they do not fall apart.
Add more oil after flipping.
They should come out golden brown.
We like salad dressing on ours, served with beets and a fresh salad.

Next, my ever popular Banana Muffins.
This recipe is a tad confusing, from my tweaking over the years. Good Luck! =)
Preheat oven to 400*. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
Mash 2 RIPE bananas in a mixing bowl.
Add 1/2 c. sugar (I always use demerara or turbonado.) and 1/2 c. oil plus almost 1/2 of 1/2 c. (That could also be read as "plus 3 T. oil", but then it wouldn't be what I do.)
Add 1/2 c. water plus a little bit. (My twist on 9 T.)
Sift in 2 c. rice flour and 1 T. baking powder.
Mix.
Spoon into muffin cups and bake for 25 minutes.
Make Banana Bread by putting it in a greased and floured 9x12" pan. Bake 45 minutes. A 1/2 c. of sunflower seeds is good in the Bread too.

Last, the most delicious, addictive, yummy, Pumpkin Cake.
Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly oil and flour 9x12" pan or 2 9" round pans. (With how baking powder reacts in gluten free baking, it is important to not mix anything too much and get it in the oven ASAP. Having the pan set to go helps.)
Mix the wet ingredients together. 2 c. honey or 1 1/2 c. maple syrup, (I LOVE using the latter.) 2 c. cooked, mashed pumpkin, 3/4 c. oil, 4 T. apricot baby food, 3 t. vanilla extract. If you use canned pumpkin, you'll have to add a bit of water at the end.
In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. 2 1/2 c. rice flour, 1/2 c. amaranth flour, 4 t. cinnamon, 5 t. baking powder, 3 t. arrowroot, 2 t. sea salt.
Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet and mix well.
Batter should be slightly thick, but pourable.
Fold in an optional 1 c. raisins.
Bake 45 min or until cake is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.
Hide half for yourself, because this one goes fast!

Baby Sister

Look who we cannot wait to meet!

We're 38 weeks today. That's the back of her hand up by her face. This was our reassurance ultrasound. Jesse is assured that we are indeed having a girl. I am assured that her placenta is high and all looks healthy.

In case you could not tell, she looks like this little one.

mermaid with rocks

So I'm sitting up, rocking, trying to decide what I'll teach on Tuesday. I get some mammals paired. I have a few ideas. Nothing is flowing. Then I think of an analogy.

My brain feels like it is bathed in hormones. Well, it is. I can see myself swimming about up there, a happy, calm mermaid. Then you ask me to have a logical thought, say - finish a sentence, make a simple decision, get my thoughts posted here, remember anything, plan a lesson - and it feels like my mermaid has rocks hanging from her tail. I struggle to the surface, trying to emerge from the hormones for a moment, but it ain't easy.

Thank you for bearing with me.

Friday's Favorite Valentine

There are hearts and cards and creations everywhere here.

Earlier in the week, Leah asked to play with our Little People. (They're in the bedroom closet.) Soon David and Sarah joined her. However, Leah wanted to play by herself. I explained to Sarah and David how Leah always had playmates i.e. siblings, and right now she really wanted some time to herself. This "rejection" prompted a Valentine.

Friday's Favorite moment from the week

David came over and gave my belly a hug.
"Watcha' doing bud?"
"Just giving baby sister a hug."

garbage

I am constantly amazed by what people throw out. On the way home tonight I saw a piano at the side of the road, next to the garbage cans. A piano! I did not stop to inspect it. Goodness! we already own two pianos. But I hope someone does.

My favorite garbage picks: large, solid wood art easel for the kids, hammock, wheelbarrow, push sweeper, living room table and all the materials for the kids' play house. Those are just my favorites. Do you re-use others' garbage? What are your favorite finds?

Super Sunday

Surprise! I like football. Most folks don't see this in me, but I'm known to yell at the players to run faster, "go, go, go" and get way too happy about the big plays. (Just try to imagine me leaping up with excitement. See? I even surprise myself.) Harrison's 100-yard interception return for a touchdown tonight? That made history. Holmes winning TD catch with only 35 seconds left? That got him MVP. Roethlisberger heading the 78-yard drive enabling the win? Ben was back.

For those who did not watch and have no idea what I am talking about, the Steelers won the Super Bowl, 27 to 23. They almost didn't make it and had to work for their win. It was an exciting game with a fabulous finish. They are the first team in history to hold the Lombardi Trophy six times.

So there you have it. Now you know how I spend my Sunday evenings, at least when the Steelers are playing. To save some face, I do knit or dust during commercials. I spend half-time organizing. Tonight I got to the laundry shelves. =)