Gourmet Food on a Budget — Ever Forward, Ever Flavorful
Mom! I’m done sweeping the bedroom. What other chores can I do? I want to earn more chore points!
Spane Boswell, Age 10
Does that sound like something out of a science fiction movie, or a bad novel? Well, it’s what my 10-year-old said to me just last night. Wouldn’t it be great if your kid said the same things? With Mommy Dollars, your child might.
Start your day with a taste of bliss by indulging in Peach Pancakes with Marsala Rose Butter Sauce. This mouthwatering breakfast treat combines the delicate sweetness of peaches, the fluffy goodness of pancakes, and the luxurious touch of Marsala rose butter sauce.
You know, sometimes you’re a day late and a dollar shy. I found silicon heart-shaped molds at a resale shop back in November and saved them to make something for Valentine’s day. Spane came home from school on Valentines Day with a box of chocolate he was selling as a school fundraiser. After dinner, we went to the market to buy milk, and sell candy to the store owner. While we were there I got a bottle of sour cherry syrup to put in my coffee. Spane did very nicely selling candy on the home to people who were getting last minute Valentine gifts.
It wasn’t until the next morning when I was sipping my sour cherry flavored coffee, which was excellent by the way, and happened to look up and see the valentine molds, that I remembered I hadn’t done anything for Valentines Day, but I could be a day late and a dollar shy if I made Sour Cherry Jellies.
If you’re trying to find sour cherry syrup, look in Mediterranean markets. Zergut makes the one I use. If you can’t find it at your local store, visit Indo-European, and order directly from them. They make all kinds of really good, minimally processed foods.
Did you know that sour cherries are really good for you? Medicinally, sour cherries may be useful in alleviating sleep problems due to its high melatonin content, a compound critical in regulating the sleep-wake cycle in humans. These jellies have intense flavor, and a low in sugar and calories, so they make a healthy treat.
Armenian Raisin bread makes the best French toast. This is not the same thing as traditional raisin bread you might find at the local supermarket. I highly recommend seeking this bread out.
I have been making these Enchiladas with Three Pepper Sauce for years. They are similar to Enchiladas Verde or Enchiladas Suizas. Even though there are three different types of peppers in the sauce, Pablano, Anaheim, and Jalapeño, the sauce is very mild. Because the peppers and tomatoes are charred, the flavor is really spectacular.
It was so cold and windy today that even with the windows closed I could still feel the wind! These are insulated windows, too. In Glendale, California, where we live, the wind sometimes whips up a storm as it comes across the valley. and then gets caught in our little bowl surrounded by Griffith Park in the west, Eaglerock in the south, the San Gabriels in the east, and the Verdugo Mountains in the north. As the wind squeezes itself out to Pasadena, it can start howling and really whirl itself into a frenzy.
That’s okay! It means that the oven can go on and have something to do. I know I’ve talked about this in the past, and I’ll say it again. I just don’t feel right lighting a heater on the wall when it does nothing but heat the room and dry out the air. At least an oven produces something for its efforts.
I wanted something a little healthy, and we have dried cranberries, organic chocolate and Blueberry Muesli from Trader Joe’s. I thought using that for cookies would a) make them better for you, and b) taste/feel similar to oatmeal cookies. I don’t like oatmeal, so I never have it on hand. I wouldn’t even have the little packets around, as those are GMO. Yes, you heard it right, Quaker Oats from General Mills are genetically modified. I think if that nice Quaker gentleman on the box knew about that he’d jump straight off the container.
I love living in Southern California. It’s not too cold, and it’s not too hot. It’s like somewhere that Goldilocks would like to live. We had a little bit of rain last night, and that gives me and excuse to make soup!
I wanted to make a healthy and hardy soup. It’s Friday, and in our house, we don’t eat meat on Fridays. We eat vegetarian or fish. Tonight, we’re going to have our Yoghurt Lentil Soup with Fish and Chips, so we’ll be a little British and a little Armenian. Why not? It’s good for you!
Chocolate-Dipped Peppermint Fudge is a great treat at any time of year. You may find yourself with extra candy canes at Christmas or be looking for a fun gift for Valentine’s Day. Look no further!
The other day, I had a hankering for chocolate chip cookies, but I wanted something a little different. Looking in my pantry, I spied a jar of Jiff Creamy Peanut Butter. Yes, I am a choosy mother, and I do choose Jiff. Believe it or not, with as much baking as I have done, I’ve never made peanut butter cookies, so I had to go to Big Oven and find a recipe. I found one that looked like what I wanted to make, got Spane, and got started.
Now that we have a Nook HD tablet, I take it into the kitchen with me so I can look at my recipe without having to lug the computer in there. All I do is put the Nook in a clear plastic bag, and set it up against the wall. I think this is much better than paying over $300.00 for a dedicated kitchen tablet, my Nook was under $200.00. I can swipe the Nook through the plastic, and when I was making Christmas dinner, and trying to inject a turkey, then liquid exploded and got all over Spane and the Nook. Neither Spane nor the Nook was injured in any way.
Szechuan Orange Pork Loin Roast is spicy, tender, and moist. It’s very easy to prepare and makes a great presentation. It will be the star of your Chinese-inspired meal.