In which I cultivate my culinary prowess

"Cookies! I want COOKIES!"
That's how I was greeted when the Wifester arrived from work on Monday...
apparently she's having sympathetic cravings for her sister-in-law.

You may remember my last post about my attempts at baking...
Since then, I've found some variations of oatmeal cookies that I am quite comfortable with and have found to be particularly satisfying.

I had some apples that I wanted to use up, so this time I made Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies! I've never had them before, but you can bet your sweet cookie I'll be having them again!
Here's how I made them:

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
  
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
  
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cup quick oats
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
  
• 1 cup diced and peeled apples (your choice, I used red delicious)
  

(you may want to add nutmeg, and walnuts or pecans I don't, for The Wifester's safety)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture until well blended. Fold in the oats and apples. (if adding nuts, do so when folding in the oats and apples) Drop dough by spoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. * I've found that using an ice cream scoop is perfect! * Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven.

While the oven was still hot, and it was time to begin dinner...I thought hmmmm...I really am tired of the "dog food" we've eaten so often lately. What to make for dinner that does not resemble the Sunny-dog's meal, does not contain meat, and is sure to please the finicky Wifester? As I've told you before, I could really do without meat all together, but the Wifester, she loves her meat and potatoes.
I came up with an ultra satisfying compromise. Oh she questioned it when I told her what I was making. But upon first bite, she was sold. Never question my culinary genius, I told her. Never. She even asked for more tonight!
This experiment was a tofu-veggie loaf. Or as I named it for her sake, meatless meatloaf.
The Wifester luvs some meatloaf. We usually make it with ground turkey, but even that is just too much meat for me to sink my teeth into at one time. If I make meatloaf for her, I usually have something else for myself. And I was just not up to making two meals last night. After all, I had played Cindarella all day long, scrubbing baseboards, washing walls, cleaning carpets, and organizing the house. Plus I did accomplish some heavy duty studying and baked cookies...A one dish dinner it would be, no doubt.
Meatless meatloaf was surprisingly delish and relatively easy. It smelled wonderful and baked up beautifully.
I know a few of you who will be wanting this recipe...

Meatless Meatloaf

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1 pound firm tofu (for a small loaf, feeds two to four people)
  
• 1 -2 cup dried bread crumbs, preferably whole wheat
• 1/1 cup whole wheat flour
  
• 1 egg, slightly beaten (optional)
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 to 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
• 1/2 to 1 tablespoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 cup brown rice
• green beans
• peas
  

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium low heat. Add onions, carrots, garlic and parsley and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile firmly press tofu between layers of paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible. While tofu is pressing, cook brown rice until tender, but still somewhat firm. Add peas, carrots, green beans, and onins. Crumble tofu into the bowl of a food processor, then add bread crumbs, flour, egg, ketchup, tamari and Worcestershire sauce and blend until completely smooth. Transfer tofu mixture to a bowl, then stir in the rice mixture. Add bread crumbs or flour to make loaf more firm if necessary. Add any additional seasonings that you desire. *optional add mushrooms or any veggie of your choice to the mixture. Spray a 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray, then spoon the tofu mixture into the loaf pan, patting it down evenly over the top.

Sprinkle top with Rosemary and Oregano. (Optional topping 1/4 cup ketsup, 2 tbsp Rosemary, 2 tbsp orgeano, 2 tbsp garlic, 1tsp soy sauce, mix well, brush over top of loaf with pastry brush) Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until deep golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool the loaf for easier slicing before serving.

Poetry and Cake

I have a new poem, check it out at my Poetry Blog...

and I posted a new recipe at my Cooking Blog

And did I tell you what I did last night? On Thanksgiving Eve-Eve? I bumped into the baker's rack and caused some random objects to crash to the floor, among them was one casualty, only one. BUT... it was my handy chopper! MY HANDY CHOPPER!
Two days before Thanksgiving, I kill my handy chopper! OY VEY!
Guess who'll be hand dicing a ton of celery, onions, carrots, and everything else?

What Dreams May Come

I've been terribly preoccupied lately. Well, there's school, that's always a big chunk of time, there's some side projects I've been working on, which I wouldn't trade for all the wealth on earth, there's work, ugh, work, work, work...and then of course there's just the day to day life of house work, cooking, keeping a dialouge open with the Wifester, you know, life. I started on a new painting, got some of the base colors down, then abandoned it and haven't returned, simply due to time constraints. I miss painting. I miss lounging around, laxidasically, as though I've not a thing in the world to do. Sometimes I miss being a drug-addicted, wasted youth. There was that aspect of it that allowed me to falter, to swim in apathy and neither I, nor anyone around me, cared to see me get out of the abyss of stupor and depravity that I called home.
Somehow I found my way to clarity and with it came obligation. Obligation to succeed. Obligation to persevere. Obligation to strive. Sometimes I feel as though I strive, to no avail, but then I look back, to where I've come from and realize that my efforts are not in vain. Regardless, when I'm feeling this way, weird things happen. Take for instance my dream the other night.
I had fish bowls. Many, many fish bowls. Full of fish. Tiny tiny fish that I couldn't really tell what species they were, but I just knew they were, in fact, quite expensive, and quite delicate. My mission was to juggle these bowls without killing the poor, unsuspecting fishies. I balanced and juggled those bowls all night long. Twisting and turning to catch them, holding my breath each time one almost hit the floor, and watching in amazement as I grew loooooooong arms, like Elasti-Girl, so as to reach the faltering tower of fish habitats that have been hovering overhead throughout the night.
I awoke so nervous, and anxious, instead of laughing at the sheer silliness of this dream. When I told Wifester about it, she asked me "So what do you feel you are juggling in your life right now?"
HA! School, work, blogs, web sites, school, a house that has constant repairs needed, flower beds that need weeded, art that needs finished, dinner that needs to be cooked. I'm not juggling a thing.
Speaking of dinners that need cooking, I've posted a new recipe and photos over at Fortune Cookies Cooks! It's what we had for dinner tonight. Go check it out!

Seven Weird, Random, or Inconsequential Facts

A Meme, yup, I got tagged, but no worries, I won't tag you.
I got tagged by No Polar Coordiantes, so, in the spirit of continuity, here goes.

Seven weird, random or inconsequential facts about me:

1) My early childhood was deeply influenced by the house full of hippie - musician - songwriters that lived next door to me. I babysat their children and learned about Buddhism from them while attending Catholic School.

2) I was eventually expelled from the above mentioned Catholic School.

3) I like to paint naked mermaids.

4) I almost always sneeze in 3's.

5) I was once a girl soccer champ in an all boy's league ( see, feminism starts early)

6) I can't carry a tune in a bucket, but I'll still do karaoke, with some liquid courage.

7) I love to cook and I love gardening, yet I will not claim domesticity.













That's it for my meme. Remember, if you want to do the meme thing, go see No Polar Coordinates. She'll hook you up. ;)