The Well Rounded Mama

My Mother's Macaroni & Cheese

 

My mother is a dump cook.  But she is a very, very good dump cook.  I am not actually sure I have ever seen her measure anything. She just throws stuff in a pot or a bowl and voila! Out comes perfection.  I LOVE my mom's food.  At college I spent many days dreaming of "mommy food."  There is something so wonderful and so comforting about foods made by mom...especially MY mom.  She cooked a lot. And when I say cooked, she really cooked.  Not like the preparing done by many people using prepackaged and frozen foods.  She did most things from scratch and although the food was basic (just the way we liked it) it was mouth-watering delicious.

So, I knew since I was in high school that the one thing I wanted from my mom for a wedding gift was a cookbook of all her recipes.  Now, I use that term lightly since she just throws in whatever is around.  But, in her love for me, she tried to watch herself and make some guesses and the result was a cookbook that she gave me on my wedding day.  I love it...it is in her handwriting and it contains my very favorite foods...spaghetti sauce, french toast, roast beef, and macaroni & cheese.  Oh that macaroni & cheese!  Heaven. On. Earth.

There is one problem though...my mom made the cookbook using a book that had reusable pages.  And over the last ten years the cookbook has been used and abused and I can barely see any of the recipes anymore.  Exhibit A:

Yea, that is no camera trick or spot focusing.  That IS my recipe for Mac & Cheese.  Kind of hard to see, huh?

And so, I have decided, to slowly start redoing these recipes (and our other family favorites) and start putting together a pictorial book for me and for my kids.  Each child will then be able to take their "mommy" food with them wherever they go.  I sure have appreciated it and I hope they will too!  And, since I will be writing them out anyway, I might as well share some of them!

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Now remember, my mom is a dump cook.  Everything is approximate and it tastes best that way!

My mom's recipe calls for 4 cups of pasta and 4 cups of cheese in a 8x10 pan.  I was only making an 8x8 pan so I went with 3 and 3. 

3 cups elbow macaroni

3 cups grated cheddar cheese

milk

flour

butter

salt & pepper

1.  Cook macaroni for half as long as directions on the box/bag call for.

2. Grease and 8x8 pan and add half the cooked macaroni.

 

3. Sift a little flour over the the macaroni (here is where her non-measurements get a little tricky.  I just do a light layer over all of it).

4.  Add salt.  Again, a little ambiguous, don't you think?  I just lightly salt at this point so that after it is cooked, people can add the salt they like. But definitely don't miss the salt...it totally brings out the flavor!

5. Add 1/3 of the cheese.

6. Add the rest of the macaroni on top.

7. Add some cut up margarine/butter (aren't her directions to die for??  I just do a few globs here and there)

8. Top with the rest of the cheese

9. If desired, sprinkle a little paprika over the top of the cheese.

10. Pour milk over the top of the cheese and macaroni until you can see it coming up the sides.   

11.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and is just beginning to brown.

12.  Serve and enjoy! (I am not sure what tastes better..the fresh out of the oven variety or the leftovers the next day!)

The Best...or the Craziest

So the other night we were declared "the best parents in the world."  Well, to be honest, Jason was declared "the best dad in the world" but I will do my best to ignore the apparent oversight and trust that my kids DO realize that I had something to do with the day. 

So, back to being the best.  Our kids think we are. I suspect some adults would think we are the craziest.  You decide...

It all started with a cupcake.

I saw some photos of a family movie night on another blog and I just ADORED the cupcakes she made for special treats.  And I LOVED that they looked really easy...as well as totally amazing. We're a huge spaghetti loving family and after seeing a few other people try the rockin' cupcakes, I knew I wanted to try.

I'm not a huge fan of family movie nights, though.  One, our kids are still just too little to sit through a movie and actually watch (Katie especially thinks that everyone is just waiting to be jumped on.)  Two, I understand that watching a movie could be relaxing, but I like our family nights to be DOING something together...interacting...playing...laughing.  

That said, I decided I would come up with some fun activities with the theme of spaghetti.  We would then eat a yummy spaghetti dinner and enjoy the special dessert.

First game up: find the buttons in the spaghetti bowl.

Miss Katelynn's turn

And after her mess, the kids decided to help clean up

And then in the next moment, all plans for other games and activities flew out the window.  Jason had an idea and was armed with a bowl of spaghetti.

 

Next up...Alaina

And then the Beaver

And then the little princess

 

And they loved eating the mess...and begging for more

 

More "cleaning"

And they were a mess.  And the room was a mess.  And we were declared the best parents in the world.  Oh wait, that was just Jason. I don't get any words of affirmation for doing my very best to not say a word about the mess or the length of time it would take me to clean it up or about the other games and activities I had planned. Doesn't matter...they had fun.

And then I got the joy of throwing spaghetti in his face.  He didn't dare return the gesture.  I can dish it out but I can't take it.

And then the hour and a half cleaning party began while the kids played in the bath and I worked on the spaghetti dinner. New noodles, of course.  And these yummy breadsticks.

So...are we the best or the craziest.

Perhaps a little of both.

Good thing we don't have carpet.   

Chocolate Chip Scones

CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES -- oh so yummy!

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup (or less, depending on taste) mini chocolate chips

lightly beaten egg

(I don't have buttermilk on hand so I usually just make my own.  1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice + 1 cup of milk = 1 cup buttermilk).

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Mix dry ingredients.  Cut in 6 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles course cornmeal.  Add chocolate chips.  Make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk.  Mix until dough clings together and is a bit sticky.  Do not overmix. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and shape into a 6-8 inch round about 1.5 inches thick.  Use a round biscuit cutter (or the mouth of a cup) to cut circles.  Do not handle the dough too much in order to keep them light and fluffy.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, making sure that the sides of the scones do not touch each other.  Brush each scone with the beaten egg.  Bake at 425 for 10 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

*Adapted from Basic Scone recipe from If Teacups Could Talk, by Emilie Barnes

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

 

Find three cute kids in aprons to help you

Make sure they all get a turn to stir

Convince them not to eat the dough or pick out the chocolate chips while you are rolling them out

Let one of the kids brush an egg over the top so they turn out nice and shiny

Since they look so yummy sitting there on a pretty plate, you might as well make it into a full-fledged affair...

complete with invitations...

and a pretty table and tea set.

Grab a plastic cup and spoon for the wee one

And watch the older ones have fun feeling all grown up with their tea and china

A Happy Plan B {Bagel French Toast}

The other morning Jason and the kids wanted french toast.  The only problem was that we had no bread and no one felt like running out to the store.  And then I spotted a bag of cinnamon-raisin bagels and an idea was born :)

I cooked up a big batch of bagel french toast and it was SO good and SO fun!  Yummy!

 

First I sliced up some bagels (these bagels are homemade but of course any bagel would do!)

So I started making my mom's yummy french toast batter "recipe".  I use quotes because she is a total dump cook and for this recipe I usually just dump, too.  But Alaina wants to cook with me and she is learning about measuring and so I created a recipe for her.  Four eggs...

Then a little bit of flour mixed with cold water -- this thickens the batter and gives a great coating to the bread.

Then I add in some brown sugar (I sometimes use white sugar...just depends on my mood)

 

Then some cinnamon...Alaina is learning the difference between TEASPOONS and TABLESPOONS...obviously she got a little mixed up here :)  No worries, just a little extra cinnamony...

Some vanilla...

Give it a good whirl...

Add in some milk....

Dip quickly and then fry up

Flip, cook, and serve.  Very happy people are waiting :)

And what did I do with these two lonely little guys once the family had eaten their fill?

I brushed liberally with maple syrup, cooked for 20 seconds, flipped and repeated.

And then I set them aside for the perfect late morning second third cup of coffee maple flavored treat.

If You Ever Crave Chocolate

** Note:  this is a crossover post from my other site, THE DAILY DIGI

I never used to have a sweet tooth.  I never really actually understood when other women would say that just needed to have some chocolate.  It wasn't that I didn't like it -- it was fine.  But I can't say I ever craved it, or needed it.  And then I got pregnant with baby number four and all things changed.  Chocolate was a NEED.  A real give-it-to-me-or-you-die kind of need.  I didn't worry about it because I knew that once I had the baby all would back to normal and all Twix and Reece's would be safe once again.  Boy, was I wrong.

My baby is now 16 months old and I still crave chocolate.  It is better than it was (starving the craving does, admittedly, help a little.  But shhh...I didn't tell you that) but I sill crave it at times.  It just meets some instinctual female need, I guess.  Me + chocolate = happiness.

So, if you are like me and have ever craved chocolate -- I have a treat for you.  A few weeks ago I was blog hopping and came across something -- and they warned me -- VERY dangerous.  Very, very, dangerous.  Over at the Everyday Celebrating blog they had a recipe for 5-minute chocolate cake.  Yes, you read that right.  You are just five minutes away from amazingly yummy homemade chocolate cake.  You are five minutes away from this:

Oh yea...that's what I am talking about.  A little bit of chocolate heaven in a cup.  And it is totally easy!  Here is the recipe:

4 tablespoons of flour
4 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons of milk
3 tablespoons of oil
3 tablespoons of chocolate chips (optional)
A splash of vanilla extract
A coffee mug

1. Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well.

2. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.

3. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.

4. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract and mix again. (Now I realize that the recipe says that chocolate chips are optional, but I am telling you, the are not optional! Well, not for me anyway).

5.  Place the mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.

Don't be alarmed if the cake rises over the top of the mug!

Now you can eat it as is (which is my 9 o'clock snack method) or you can wait for it to cool, slice in half, top with some whipped cream or ice cream and voila!, a perfect five-minute treat.  Won't your friends be impressed when they stop by unannounced and you serve them this!

Fresh Lemonade -- A Family First

I've never made homemade lemonade before...but I can assure you I will do it again.  Alaina and I had girls night part two last night (more on part one later) and we were at home.  We had already finished mommy/daughter mani and pedis, so we decided we wanted to get into the kitchen.  I had been dreaming about a really good glass of lemonade for a few days, so I figured, why not? 

I looked for a recipe online and found this one at elise.com/simplyrecipes.  Looked simple enough!

Fresh squeezed lemons (we used a hand juicer which is good for little ones to help with), a few ice cubes, a sprig of mint = a tiny bit of perfection on a Wednesday afternoon.

Throw in a gorgeous girl and that piece of perfection just got a whole lot bigger.

 

One of the easiest (and most delicious!) treats we make!

The problem is...they have no name.  I asked my six year old what she thought they should be named.  She said, "Um, why not 'chocolate covered Ritz peanut butter cracker cookies?'" 

Well, that would be a very descriptive name and make a recipe unnecessary, but it seems a bit long, doncha' think?  In any case, name or no name, we LOVE them and they have a way of disappearing within a few hours of making them.  At least they are super easy!

Some Ritz Crackers...

Some creamy peanut butter...

Eager little hands to help...

Spread the peanut butter between two crackers...

Melt some chocolate on a double boiler...

Beware of 16 month olds who swipe the peanut butter crackers...

Place chocolate dipped crackers on waxed paper...

After about 30 minutes in the fridge, decide on an appropriate amount of cookies for yourself and the kiddos (practice. self. control....)

See if they pass the taste test. And see how long they last at your house.