Oven Potatoes or Hash Browns?

Really the 'hash browns' I am talking about are the kind you get at chick-fil-a. Round and flatter than a tator-tot these hash browns complete a breakfast plate we offer for lunch at VFCA. The picture is an elementary grade plate of scrambled eggs, hash browns, biscuit, and sausage gravy!

Today I decided to use real potatoes to do some oven 'fried' potatoes to go with breakfast for lunch. I have some tough critics! They wanted the processed hash browns more than the potatoes! I said, 'Look, these are REAL potatoes!'. Unfortunately they were not impressed...Sigh.

It reminds me of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution where the kids could not identify a real potato but they knew a crinkle cut fry was a 'potato'.

Marshmallow Crispy Rice Treats

I wanted to make crispy rice treats using up some odd and end pantry supplies but I had things to do! So I was thinking...how can I get these treats made without having to keep a steady eye on them?

Why not use the chafing dish warmer on high? Melt a little butter, add the marshmallows, slowly stir into a smooth creamy mess of melted marshmallow and then add the crispies...since the warmer works like a double boiler or baine-marie the temperature is around  boiling or 212* Fahrenheit.  I even put a lid on the pan and when I got busy an came back to it later. 

I used a standard recipe x2 which yielded a half-sheet pan of crispy treats. 

6Tb of butter (3oz)

20oz of small marshmallows (two 10oz bags from grocery store - about 4 cups)

12 Cups of crispy rice cereal (3 quarts)

Melt the butter down, add marshmallows, melt/stir till smooth (you can take your time on this part), fold in crispy rice cereal, use non-stick food spray to cover half-sheet pan and then smash down mixture to fill in the shape of the pan. Probably will also need to spray hands to keep mixture from sticking to them. If needed, spray the bottom of another pan and put on top to smash down evenly. 

Tytus 1st movie @ theater!

I took Tytus to see the movie "Planes" by Disney. Along the same lines as "Cars" which he loved!

I was still surprised at how many previews ran before the movie! (5 or 6) Next time I think I would show up about 10 or 15 minutes past starting time and it would be about right.

Tytus is 3 and he did well! There was a point in the movie where I thought he was not going to make it but then the excitement of the race towards the finish captured his attention once more and reeled him in till the end!

Bring something to drink and plenty of snacks if your child eats like mine! And a small jacket or long sleeve shirt, the theater gets cold for small kids and old people! (Yes, I brought a hoodie) LOL I brought a small backpack to store all the 'possibilities'. Coats, snacks, pull-up, water...

Oh, by the way, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and had an excellent time just father and son!

* Tip - sit far enough back so your child can see everything on the screen without hurting his neck or making him dizzy trying to keep up with the action. 

Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil?

Now available at our local Sam's Club! Hmmm, it's interesting the things they decide to carry. This is used as a substitute to butter, a moisturizer, and it makes an incredible soap (mixed with Extra Virgin Olive Oil)!

Strawberries & Peanut Butter Granola

Found a new flavor combo I like! Yeah, yeah, I know some of you out there will probably say "that ain't new!". LOL!

Those of you who may not know, my wife can hold her own when it comes to cooking. And her specialties are usually along the dessert line. She also makes a chewy peanut butter granola that's pretty brilliant! She toasts the oats In the oven then uses honey (local is probably best), natural peanut butter (and perhaps a smidgen of butter) pinch of salt, and brings it to boil on the stove top then mixes in the toasted oats...ah yeah, that's delicious. I may have left out an ingredient or step, but you get the gist. 

Tonight after dinner I was thinking about something sweet and knew we had strawberries because the boys eat them like candy. I put a little bit of that peanut butter granola on top and right away after tasting it I knew it was going to be a favorite of mine. 

Now I am just thinking about how to incorporate them together like a one bite dessert/snack. Maybe chocolate dipped?

Watermelon Fun!

Super Cool presentation idea! ~ I'll use this one!

Cute Cars

Good idea. Teddy Graham cars made with small candy bars, M&Ms, Teddy Graham's, and a little melted chocolate.

Chafing Dishes

I need about four of these for both school and church events. My electric ones keep blowing the circuit everywhere, EXCEPT in kitchen. 

Pros- indoor/outdoor. Position anywhere. 

Cons- storing them. Fuel/sterno use...potential hazard because of 'fire'. 

Pros outweigh the Cons. Budget for them. Cost saving purchase.

Back 2 Work...

It's that time again...school is cranking back up for everyone! After a hot and sweaty summer working for a former employer in the beverage industry I am now back in the kitchen!

This will be our second year with a school lunch program and I am pretty excited that we started the year with a kitchen that is already open! In honor of a 'return to business as usual' I had my chef jackets sealed with the schools emblem. Its time to make things permanent, settle in, and get ready for the coming year!

Probably not the best picture, but you see it...our school colors are green and gold...and yes, that is an "old school" thermometer. Feel free to purchase and/or donate a Thermapen or TWO for the kitchen (or even some mini's ~ they travel better in the pockets), I will not turn it down!

Easy Bread and Pizza Dough

I put this recipe together for my own use a long time ago.  A yeast dough (and different kinds of dough in general) get a certain 'feel' to them and you start noticing this...Then you make better judgments on when to add a little more water, more flour, or a pinch more salt.  From this same dough, I can alter the sugar and other ingredients to produce cinnamon rolls, pizza crust, pita bread, naan...sometimes it's just the kneading, rise time, technique, or cooking method with the same recipe that makes it another dough 'product'.  It can even be multiplied successfully for bulk preparation in commercial kitchens. (I know, I was doing it for years!)

Easy "Bread" Dough (use whole wheat flour for wheat dough) for Bread or Rolls

• 4 Cups High Gluten Flour - or - 5 Cups of All-Purpose Flour


• 1 Tablespoon Yeast


• 1 Tablespoon Sugar


• 1 Tablespoon Salt (scant)


• 1 Tablespoon Oil


• 2 cups warm/hot water (not above 110F)

Put dry ingredients and oil in a mixer. Use mixer set on 2 or 3 (not fast, but not real slow) and use the dough hook. Add up to 2 cups of warm/hot water from the faucet. Pour in the mixer while the dough hook is working. Watch for the dough to start to come together then let the mixer run for about 5 to 8 minutes…you can also need the dough by hand for about the same amount of time instead of using the mixer.

You are looking for a soft smooth texture to the dough, oil dough ball, put in a bowl and cover…let rise for about 40-60 minutes (adjust rise time to your humidity/heat) dough may double in size quicker in more warm and humid conditions or slower in cold conditions.

** If you're making pizza, it's up to you about the rise time or if you want to store it overnight in the fridge to develop more flavor. But you can start working with the dough as quick as 30 minutes if you're rolling out pizza.

Smash or punch down, then shape into rolls or 2 loaves in bread pans and wait the same amount of time for the second rise (or longer if needed) bake in an oven at 160C or 350F for about 30-40 minutes.

Let cool slightly, eat fresh and warm.

*Later on when you feel pretty confident about your skills as a basic bread dough maker you can try mixing the sugar, water, and yeast together and waiting till it starts to bubble. Then you can add it to the flour and salt that is mixing in the bowl. And don't forget the oil!

Comments welcome or contact me for further questions...this recipe was developed as a beginner's understanding of dough.

Waffles & Pancakes!

Classic Waffles Mix

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 tablespoons white sugar (or honey/other sweetener)

2 eggs

1-1/2 cups warm milk

1/3 cup butter, melted (or oil)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Pancakes, add another 1/2 cup of liquid.

This mix is extremely customizable! I used wheat flour, fresh blueberries, and some coconut milk as part of the liquid to make silver dollar pancakes for my boys the other morning.  I use an old GE Belgian waffle maker for waffles and a Cuisenart  griddle for the small pancakes. 

Favorites This Week!

Kenji, over at SeriousEats.com, posted an excellent article for grilling steaks this summer. Actually it's more about: The Food Lab: 7 Old Wives' Tales About Cooking Steak That Need To Go Away.  Let me give you three myths that I hear the most to interest you in reading the article:

1.  "Sear your meat over high heat to lock in juices."
2.  "Use the "poke test" to check if your steak is done."
3.  "You should let a thick steak rest at room temperature before you cook it."

And there are four other myths with the science to debunk them. Great job Kenji!

While out today i found the following in a local Walmart on sale for $1.50! Yes, hotdogs bragging to have been made with Bacon! But as the WEBstarauntstore.com tweeted me today "...apparently every other meat as well!". LOL!!! I think I would try them once in the name of research!

Next up I found that the 12 pack bottles of Landshark beer have an iron-on transferrable that you can put on a tee-shirt. Wow! What will they think of next? You get an iron-on and they get free advertising. 

I am not a beer drinker at all. But the concept was interesting. 

Just another day at work!

What Summer Brings...

My wife's parents called in May to say "We are coming to see the boys and we want you to leave." What? What! Uh, ok! We then started to plan a few days at the beach, just the two of us...Let me say that again for all you parents out there, A FEW DAYS AT THE BEACH JUST THE TWO OF US! Yes!

Moving on...Our itinerary went a little something like this: get up stretch, open door smell ocean, off to coffee and breakfast, beach, lunch, beach, dinner, cool ocean breeze while on balcony looking at beach. Repeat. 

Now back to my current reality, Sigh! Since my job at the academy is only 10 months (a school year) I am working at a prior job but only for the summer. In these days of high unemployment numbers it's best to have a good work ethic, integrity, and NOT burning those bridges behind you when you leave one job for another! I still work for the academy but I am off during June and July. People in the school system will immediately understand.

Posting may slow down because of the hours I work and my summer job is at a beverage company, so not much cooking going on for me. But fortunately for the rest of our family my wife can really "THROW-DOWN" when it comes to cooking. She is no beginner!