Baked Autumnal Oatmeal

I modified this recipe.

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup sugar (minus a tablespoon)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sweet potato mash (or pumpkin puree like the original recipe says)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup milk of choice (I used sesame.)
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Spread mixture into a 9" round silicone pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

"meat"

This is my latest experiment. It is sandwich filler seasoned to taste vaguely of turkey and corned beef. Whatever. They taste good to me. I am sure Bret will not care much for them. 

Upcycling

I am totally impressed with myself. I made this cover yesterday afternoon after seeing directions on the internet. I looked in my pile of sewing supplies and found enough of this pink and white fabric to work. Convenient for me the stripes made it easy to measure and cut and it was the perfect exact width. Then when i couldn't find any batting i used old socks instead. Ones beyond repair. I had just enough! Then for elastic i found some old waist bands on underwear i was disposing of. I know - call me classy!

Bret is less than thrilled with the color. He thinks i am tying to make sure this car is all mine and not "ours." it is not my fault that was the only fabric i had on hand that worked. Now that i practiced on scraps maybe i can make a nicer one he approves of. 

Adoption walk

A couple weeks ago, the weekend when it snowed for nearly 3 days straight, we attended an adoption walk at our very own liberty park. We made new friends and bonded with old ones. We also won free passes to the zoo. It was a fun day. We only wish more people would have been out and about to see our pro-adoption message. 

Christmas!

Okay so my "tree" has been up a couple weeks already but today the music is on and i have some gifts to wrap. Hooray for holidays!

Nut spread

So good! Better than PB.
1 1/2 c white beans (or a can) rinsed and drained
1/2 c PB
2 tablespoons sweetener
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
Mix it all up until smooth.

Sweet Potato Stew

 Sweet Potato Black-Eyed Pea Soup
1 pound of greens
4 cups vegetarian broth
3 cups black-eyed peas (cooked)
2 cloves minced garlic
2 cups cooked sweet potatoes
dash or two of liquid smoke

Mix together and bring to boil, simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Plewe's New home

I spent Monday afternoon helping Plewe paint a big wall in her new home. I am a bit jealous. Everything is so new! But then when i came home i remembered how much i love the charm of my 95 year old home. 

New Orleans Red Beans

I pinned this recipe last week and was happy I didn't wait to make it. We inhaled it. Miraculously Bret loved it too. Here's a link to it: http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/02/real-louisiana-red-beans-and-rice.html#

I did change a bit. Here's my version:

• 1 pound dry red kidney beans
• 4 tsp minced garlic
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 4 pieces celery
• 1 large bell pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Liquid Smoke (instead of one of these she recommends 1-2 teaspoons chopped chipotle pepper, in adobo)
• 1 tablespoon salt or to taste
• cooked rice, to serve

Instructions

1. Cover the beans with water 2 inches over beans and soak overnight. Drain and rinse.
2. Put the beans back in the pot and cover them with water 2 inches above level of beans. Put over high heat to begin cooking while you prepare the other ingredients.
3. Chop the garlic, onion, celery, and bell pepper very finely, and the fastest and best way to do this is in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add this to the pot on the stove. Add the remaining ingredients, except the salt and the rice.
4. When the beans reach a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring every now and then, until they are completely tender and falling apart. This can take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours, depending upon the age of your beans. (Add more water as necessary to keep them hydrated.) When they are completely tender, add the salt to taste, and check the seasonings. Add any additional spices you want, and cook for at least 10 more minutes, until sauce is thick and beans are disintegrating. Remove the bay leaves, and serve over rice.

Notes

If your beans are old, they may never disintegrate, or at least not in time for dinner. What you have to do is take out a bunch of them, mash them up well, and add them back into the pot (or use a hand blender right in the pot). Then proceed as though they had fallen apart on their own.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s) | Cooking time: 2 hour(s) 10 minute(s)

Ready for Winter

Bret and I spent some time outside today. We cleaned gutters and filled our compost can to the brim. I was sad to see a couple leaf piles later in the afternoon. We only have one tree left with leaves and it is trying hard to catch up. Chores like cleaning gutters and washing windows makes me happy we have such a small house.