I have searched the internet on how to pickle banana peppers and finally found something that seemed easy enough and did not require a canner.  It came from a discussion forum at .  Someone posted their recipe ‘Connie’s Pickled Banana Peppers’…so, thanks Connie!  I will not know if they actually turned out for 2 weeks, I’ll update then!  I only did 2 pints today, but plan on doing more when I get the time.  I also want to do pickled jalapenos!  I need to do it pretty soon, my plants are FULL of peppers!  As you can tell from the above pic, I used a variety of peppers…sweet banana peppers, hot banana peppers, and a few jalapenos.  I’m excited to see how these taste, b/c I love them on sandwiches!

What you need to pickle your peckers…oops, I mean peppers –

• 1/2 cup salt (I used pickling salt, b/c I read somewhere else that regular salt would turn your peppers a dark color)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 quart white vinegar
• 1/2 t. mustard seed
• 1 t. peppercorns
• 1 t. celery seed
• 1 t. turmeric **I omitted this
• 2-3 pods of garlic (I used 2 cloves – 1 in each pint jar)
• 2 sliced jalapeno peppers*
• 2 packed cups sliced sweet banana peppers, seeded*

*I used a variety of peppers and sliced enough to fill 2 pint jars

Bring first 6 ingredients to a boil, then let simmer for 30 minutes.  Pack banana pepper rings, jalapenos and garlic into jars.  Pour hot vinegar solution into filled jars.  Allow to cool, then store in refrigerator.  Let stand 2 weeks before opening.

This weekend was full of the kids favorites – pizza, french toast…(ok, my favs too – I’ve mentioned before that I have the palate of a 7 year old).  Just because I want my kids to eat healthier and make good choices does not mean they have to go without their favorite foods.  I have figured out that, as I’ve mentioned before, if you make things “from scratch”, and get away from pre-packaged & take-out food, then you can control the quality of ingredients used and make your un-healthy favorite dishes into something yummy, healthy and food you feel good about eating and serving your children.  I’ve already done a post or two (or three?) about the different pizzas I make, but wanted to share the pizza crust recipe I’ve used the past few times and it always turns out well.  And before you say “I don’t have time to make pizza crust” – check it out.  It’s very simple AND it can be made ahead….sometimes I’ll prepare the dough, cover it in a little olive oil, then wrap it in plastic wrap and throw it in the fridge.  Then a few days later, I’ll have the dough all ready to go.  Or, I’m sure you could prepare your crust, (go ahead and flatten it out) and then freeze it.  Which is what I should do…why haven’t I thought of that earlier?  See, blogging is good for the mommy brain…Anyway, before I digress….

Pizza Crust Ingredients (original recipe ) –

1 cup warm water (110 F/45 C) *I basically guess at temp and it’s never a problem, you just don’t want it so hot that it                                                                   kills your yeast)
1 T. sugar
2 1/4 t. active dry yeast (I use one “packet”)
2 T. olive oil
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour   * Sometimes I mix whole wheat and bread flour – it’s whatever you prefer – using all whole wheat is healthier
spices/herbs of choice (garlic powder, basil, italian seasoning are the ones I use)

Stir water, sugar and yeast together until dissolved.  Add olive oil and salt.  Stir in flour and seasonings until well blended – you can also wait and put your herbs/spices on top of your dough, which is usually what I do, that way, the kids have less seasonings and I have MORE!  Let dough rest for 10 minutes.  (I usually sit the bowl on top of the pre-heating stove with a dish towel over it).  Pat dough into pan or pizza stone (I spray a little Olive Oil Pam on my fingers and spray my pans). 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix together oats, yogurt, brown sugar, applesauce, molasses and eggs or egg replacement.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and baking powder. 
4. Stir dry mixture into wet mixture, just until moistened. Fold in peaches. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. While muffins are baking, combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. After 15 minutes of baking*, remove muffins from oven and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Return to oven and continue baking for 3 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

I was wary, but excited about trying my hand at making yogurt IN THE CROCKPOT! I first heard about this from and she used  which is what I followed.  It seemed simple enough….

• set the crock pot on low, add 1/2 gallon of milk – I used whole milk since this is my first time and that was the suggestion.
• Let it “cook” for 2&1/2 hours (I love things I don’t have to stand over and watch!) then turn it off and let it sit for 3 hours. 
• After 3 hours, take out 2 cups of milk and add 1/2 cup of plain, store-bought yogurt (any brand that has “live yogurt cultures”).  Whisk together then add back to slow cooker. 
• Wrap entire pot in heavy towel and let sit 8 hours or overnight. (mine sat for 14, b/c 8 hours was up at 1 AM, and I was not gettin’ out of bed for yogurt)

The next morning I was fully expecting a crock pot full of curdled, cottage cheese looking stuff.  But to my surprise –

This was WAY easier than I thought it would be, you just have to be available to turn your slow cooker on and off, add in the starter (initially store bought, but now I can reserve a half cup of what I made for my next starter – this can be done up to 5 times before you need to “refresh” your cultures) and wrap it up in a towel…then you just leave it to do it’s thang.  I don’t like to think too much about the bacteria growing and the fact that milk is sitting at room temperature.  But I ate it without getting sick…so we’re good to go.  Mama’s in the yogurt business!  I feel like I should go hug a tree.  My next “project” is either pickled banana peppers or healthy, lowfat, granola!  Maybe both….granola would go great with the yogurt!

Update 10/12/11 – I have made this several times with skim milk and it does fine! It’s a little thinner than store-bought, but not too thin.  I usually strain it anyway, b/c I LOVE greek style yogurt!


I’m linking this recipe up at (Ingredient Spotlight – Milk!)

Remember the giveaways I mentioned the other day?  Well, I WON one!!  YAY!!  I heart free stuff and this is something I can REALLY use, as in every day starting the end of August!  It was for the and I’m totally syked (can you tell I’m a product of the 80’s) about being able to pack lunches in these containers instead of baggies….hundreds and hundreds of baggies!  One small step for mankind…..The giveaway was hosted by Ashley at !  Check out her blog – Thanks Ashley!!!

This workout really….umm, well, worked me out!  I am so sore!  I know some people will look at this and laugh – and are probably just getting warmed up at this point.  But not me….I’m so not in shape.  And my cardio sucks needs improving!  AND I have a huge blister to contend with….yes, I’m whining.  But anyway, I’m still committed to seeing it through.  Since I was hot, tired and just didn’t feel like cooking, I fixed an awesome, super duper, fan-tabulous sandwich for dinner instead. 

Of course, it still involved turning on the oven…oh well.  I love a good sammy.  It had everything but the kitchen sink….I went light on the meat and cheese and loaded it up with fresh veggies.  All the peppers and the tomato were from my garden!!  Speaking of garden…today I “found” 3 more watermelons growing!!!!  If you are wondering how you can miss a watermelon, it’s because that one plant has gone insane.  It takes up 1/4 of the garden area and is growing everywhere, up the fence, through the fence – you get the picture – or you would, if I could remember to take one.  And there is grass growing under the plant, which I don’t want to mess with too much for fear of damaging the plant and destroying my melons!  My husband just loves when I start talkin’ about my “melons”! haha.  Anyway….back to dinner – the kids, of course, only want ham and cheese and lettuce.  My oldest will now add cucumbers.  They just don’t know what’s good! 

I loaded that baby down with turkey, a little cheese, lettuce, spinach, red onion, green, red and banana peppers, pickled jalapenos, Grey Poupon mustard, a little mayo, turkey bacon, tomato, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder…..did I forget anything?!  It took a while to assemble all that, but it was worth it!!  So good!  I put it all on wheat french bread and toasted it in the oven. 

Normally I would wrap it in aluminum foil, but did I have any? Of course not.  Ran out when I had to use it for the No Bake Chocolate cookies – b/c I was out of wax paper.  I’m seeing a pattern here…..  Anyway, we also had a fruit salad – that my girls made on their own today. (blueberries, strawberries, grapes and apples)  And I had a Michelob Ultra.  oops.

I also made an to take to mom and dad.  My dad likes spice cake and this one was super simple.  However, I forgot to take a picture! 

And look what my children made for me….

Sunday was spent hangin’ with the kiddies and working in the garden.  The grass was trying to take over my garden (and winning).  Also the sunflowers and some of the cucumber plants needed to be pulled up.  Needless to say, I am sore from using the tiller and pulling grass.  But the garden looks sooo much better.  And maybe it will help get rid of some of these stupid bugs!!  Not to mention it had to be a good workout.  Now, the only things I have producing in the garden are carrots, peppers (green, banana, jalapeno), basil, green beans, and the tomatoes are trying to do a little something, but they aren’t doing much.  AND we have a watermelon 🙂  My girls go out and check the melon everyday, they can’t wait to pick it!  At this point, it will be a while.  Thankfully we’ve had a little rain over the last couple of days, so that should help a bunch.

After working in the garden, I made chicken and pastry (sort of).  I used Anne’s Whole Wheat Pastry.

After dinner the girls wanted to make a dessert.  In looking through my recipes I came across   I have been wanting to make something substituting almond butter for the peanut butter, so this was my chance.  AND I didn’t have to turn the oven back on.  The original recipe is from Allrecipes.com, but I made several changes.

Ingredients –
2 cups 1&1/3 cups white sugar
1/2 cup (skim) milk
1/2 cup 1/4 cup margarine (I used Smart Balance 50/50)
3 cups rolled oats (I used 2 cups quick cooking oats and 1 cup Thick and Rough – that’s actually the name! Scary!)
1 t. vanilla extract
3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup flaked coconut almond butter (I used MaraNatha)

I then followed the cooking directions as listed in the original recipe.  They are so GOOD!!  The almond butter has a milder flavor in these than I remember the peanut butter having, but it’s been many years since I’ve eaten them.  They also have a good, rich chocolate flavor, and I love the hearty texture from the oats.  My girls and I enjoyed them, but my little Terrible Two doesn’t get any 🙁  Can’t have almonds.  Maybe next time I’ll try them with Sunflower Butter. (or you can omit the nut butters all together.  the original recipe calls for coconut instead). 

So that was my weekend.  I’m sore from gardening…and I have to get back to my PLAN.  I don’t know how many miles I have to do today, but I’m sure it’s more than I’d like!  I did workout Saturday evening – 3 miles (the minimum!), but I accidentally deleted the picture.  Really. I did do it.  It was about 9:00pm, and I was already tired, so it sucked.  Note to self – workout early in the day.  I also got new tennis shoes (yay!), but wore them immediately to do my walk/run and got a big blister (boo!)  I know, you’re thinking what a .  I should have broke them in a little before exercising in them.  What ev’ – too late now!!

Hope everyone had a good weekend.  Anyone make any Beer Margaritas?!  I never got around to it…maybe next weekend!  Or hell, maybe in the next few days depending on how the week goes…you never know when you may need a drinkipoo (or two)!  Holla –

Would you believe that cauliflower really can taste good?! Even like french fries?! Okay, not exactly like french fries….but definitely close to homemade baked fries. I saw this recipe over at – and my curiosity was piqued. I am always searching for new ways to fix veggies so my kids (okay, and me too) will eat more of them. So, I bought a head of cauliflower (which is kind of expensive, I’ll have to look into growing it!) and have had it sitting in the fridge, waiting for its big debut. And last night was the night. I chopped it up, tossed it in olive oil, salt and pepper and spread it out on a baking sheet. Very much thinking that the person who thought this was like a french fry was on crack at the time. But to my amazement….it was GOOD!! Not just okay, but GOOD! I had to get past the mental part of “ewww, it’s cauliflower” and I have to say that I ate almost the whole pan. (which may have caused a teensy bit of gas…oops) 

The kids tried a teeny, tiny little piece of my new “fries” – Number One said it was good, but didn’t eat anymore. Number 2 said this is gross. Leave it to her to put it out there. My husband’s first reaction was along the lines of Number 2….but then he went back and had a second piece. Progress. But, they are battling with the whole “ewww, it’s cauliflower”. They have not reached the level of maturity I have in my dedication to eating my vegetables. hahahahahaha – only the ones who know me will find this statement hilarious. If it’s not dipped in chocolate, or stuffed in a muffin, my dedication to eating it is….not so much. Anyway, I kid you not, this was pretty good, and something you should try. Even if you don’t like cauliflower!

• All you do is take 2 bottles of your favorite beer….(I used the above, but also good with Corona)
• add 1/2 cup limeade (from concentrate, in the freezer section, let thaw) and 1/2 cup chilled Tequila!!
• Mix in a pitcher and serve. 

 It’s super easy and REALLY good – if you like margaritas (and who doesn’t?!). It sounds a little odd, but trust me, they are mo’betta! I may have to make some very soon….like, tomorrow 🙂