Decadent Chocolate Cake (with a secret ingredient!)

We love chocolate.  And cake...and when you combine the two: whoa.  But I don't like the thought of feeding the kids things that have no nutritional value.  Their tummies are so small, and they need so many vitamins and minerals to make sure that they develop to the best of their ability.  Giving them empty calorie sweets just isn't a good idea.  So, when I heard that there was on old recipe for "Beet Cake" available from a friend at our veggie co-op a few years ago, I knew I needed to look into it a bit deeper.  Since then, I've tweaked the recipe a bit to contain not only beets but fresh whole grains, coconut oil, and molasses.  It's heavenly, high in fiber and high in iron (but when you eat iron in a food form, you don't have to worry about overdose like with vitamin pills).  I'm sure there are a great many antioxidants in this cake as well, from the dark cocoa, beets, and molasses.  Sadly, I still use a bit of white sugar, but if I don't I can't quite pass it off as tasty.  At least it's less than originally called for.

Chocolate Beet Cake

In a blender puree/mix:
2 Cups peeled, boiled beets. (it's actually easier to boil BEFORE peeling).
3 eggs
1 C coconut oil
1 C sugar
2 Tbsp molasses
2 tbsp vanilla

In a large bowl, whisk together:
1 C cocoa
2 C freshly milled whole wheat flour, or spelt flour
2 tsp. baking soda

Combine the two mixtures and mix well.  Bake in a 9x13 pan (greased) for about 40 minutes, at 375 *F.

Frost how you wish.  Sometimes we just dust with powdered sugar, sometimes we use a creamcheese frosting (shown), other times a chocolate frosting.  It's good all ways.  My family CAN taste the beets, so it might not hide them from someone who outright hates the taste of beets.  I've found, though, that most kids don't hate them because of their flavor, but the thought of eating this dark, scary veggie.  My kids grow them, so it's not too scary to them, and they like them plain.  I suppose if you didn't tell the person that the beets were there, they would only notice it tastes a little different than regular chocolate cake.

Busy garden time!

Grapes to be juiced.

Juicin' juicin'!

Plum sauce, simmering.

Pretty tomatoes.

Onions and garlic, ready for anything.

Plums from the tree, quartered and frozen on a tray.  Later, I'll bag them--ready for tarts...

Tarts like this one.  Mmmmm.

We've been a little busy. I'll post more later. 

Garden Preserves & 100th Post

What better way to celebrate my 100th post on Searching For Simple than with one of Stephen's Grandmother's canning recipes.  It's one of the first ones I tasted, and one that baby Zac was introduced to early in his life (I wish I had photos of his deliciously purple face!).  I put together a step-by-step so that you, too, can enjoy this wonderful dish.

Grandma Tueller's Pickled Beets

24 small beets (or the equivalent)
3 medium onions
2 C white vinegar
1 C water
1.25 C sugar
2 Tbsp salt
6 whole cloves
1 3 inch stick of cinnamon

Cook the beets.  Grandma liked to boil them, I prefer to roast them.  Either way, cook them in their skins.  When done and cool enough to hold, peel the beets with your hands, using a paring knife to cut away difficult spots.  Then slice them.

All roasted & ready to peel.

Peeling.  Yes, my hands are pink now. 

Peeled, ready to slice.

Bring vinegar, water, sugar, salt and spices (placed in a spice bag, you don't want these floating out on their own for this recipe) to a boil.  Stir in sliced onions and beets.  Boil for 5 minutes.

Bottle in clean bottles with hot lids.  Put in boiling water bath (or steam canner--NOT a pressure cooker!) for five minutes.*

Let cool and sit for 24 hours to ensure seal.  Then label and put on shelves for future storage. 
Makes 5 pints.

Ta-da!!

*Current Blue Book of Canning states that it should be processed for 40 minutes.  I think this is a little excessive, as grandma has never poisoned anyone (and we've already cooked the beets twice by now!).  However, to be safe, if you want to go for 15, I don't think it'd hurt anything, and if you really want to go for 40, that's fine.  I don't.

Beet It.

Yesterday found me with a large basket of beets (about a half bushel). My plan is to put together quite a few jars of pickled beets for our cupboards. 

I'm excited to get them, because our beets might not do as well as I hoped.  You see, I have a VERY helpful daughter, who wanted to pick lettuce for our tacos.  I thought I'd been thorough in teaching her which leaves were which, but she arrived to the table with a bowl of beet tops.

Photo from healthytastycheap.

We planted three types of beets in our garden this year: blood red, chioggia and golden.  I love the stripes in the chioggia beets, and overall love the colors of the beets combined.  It's fun to slice them with the children, and have them guess what color the beet will be inside.  They are getting better at noticing that the leaves veins are a give-away.  I'll take more photos of the canning process...and then we get to start waiting for tomatoes!  Unless my beans come in first, then I'll be busy while I wait.

Holiday Plan: Food Storage Week.

Huh.  Maybe I just rock (I'm sure in a moment I'll find something to humble me--please don't try to help...), but I went to the plan page http://christmas.organizedhome.com/houseworks-holiday-plan/2011/food-storage-week to see how far behind I was, given I was working on canning and getting baby clothes ready rather than what I deemed the usual getting ready for the holiday's fare.  And guess what?!?  It's food storage week!!  And last week was cooking space week, and I'd spent the week preparing to can, gathering spices and such.  Ha!! 

Green Tomato Pie

Whew!  Where have we been?!?  Here, there, and everywhere.  And I'm in the process of canning all the fruit I froze because I thought I was too busy to can it over the summer (ha!  what on earth made me think I'd get less busy with a baby on the way?).  To top it all off, I want to get done before the two little ones that have already entered the world (ages 6 & 3) get their tonsils taken out in a week and a half (yes, right before the other munchkin is supposed to come!). 

One of the projects I finished was turning all the green tomatoes from the yard into pie filling.  My friend, Carrie, told me she made these for Thanksgiving last year, and they were enjoyed.  We had a lot of green tomatoes.  I have to be honest...I wasn't a huge fan, nor were the kids...but, it's made, and it's not a horrible flavor...just not my favorite.

I used green cherry tomatoes...hard to slice thinly as the recipe suggests.  Perhaps that's why it wasn't as amazing as when my friend makes it.  She uses large tomatoes.

• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 5 green tomatoes, or enough to fill pie crust, thinly sliced

Mmmm, Apple/Beet Juice

Oh my!  The purple, the beautiful purple!  Our farmer friend, who sells wonderful, organic, heirloom produce by the basketful, provided us with a large sack of beets.  We love beets.  We were also blessed to receive two large bags of apples from my parents, as well as apples from someone who sent us the "Halloween Phantom" and we have an apple tree!!  So, I've been juicing the apples & beets together.  They have been so good, though I won't let the kids drink it in their school uniforms (have you ever tried to get beets out of clothing?!?!?).

This morning's breakfast was glorious, as I threw spinach, flax seed, my beet/apple blend, strawberries, and some frozen bananas into the blender.  It was a beautiful bright red, and the kids snarfed it down.  I loved knowing everything that went into them was raw, fresh, and jam-packed with vitamins--especially since it seems bug after bug is going around their school, and we already had to bring home strep for everyone!

Reminds Me...

Click for source!

This comic today on Home Spun Juggling reminded me of the time our family mummified chickens for a homeschool project.  Will we do it again now that the younger two are older?  I'm not sure...maybe.  They did learn a lot the first time.  Check it out at:  A Tale of Two Chickens

Strep

Hello!

We haven't fallen off the planet...well perhaps we have.  We have been hiding in our basement feeling a little yucky.  Both girls have had strep, and have been recovering.  The youngest's case included more vomiting than I'd like to remember, which caused lack of sleep for her parents.  The oldest was in so much pain, that she cried much of the night, and had a hard time sleeping.  I'm so grateful at this moment for medications that doctors can apply to relieve pain when ibuprofen just doesn't cut it. 

So, the Holiday Plan is a bit derailed, and might be for a little bit more, as I plan a baptism ceremony for my son (he turned 8 in September and has chosen a date in October to be baptized, that will include as many family members as we can, but also involves driving out of state so that it's easier for more grandparents to get there).  Once I'm back, and hopefully everyone is healthy, I'll get to start washing baby clothes & the cloth diapers to have them ready!!  I'm excited!!!

Green Bean Fries!

Photo from jennaseverythingblog.wordpress.com because my photo didn't work.  The beans kept being--well--eaten.

This recipe is very simple.

Toss green beans with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.  Roast in 350 degree oven until lightly crunchified.  Eat like french fries.  Yummy!!!  They don't last long in our house!

Decorating For Fall

Our fireplace this fall.

It's been so fun to get ready for autumn.  It really is my favorite season, and I love to celebrate the beautiful gourds and colorful corn that grows so abundantly.  Do you decorate your hearth for the holidays or different seasons? 

Holiday Plan: Week #5!!

Wahoo!  91 Days left until Christmas.  I'm excited.  Even better?  78 days until little munchkin #4 is supposed to arrive!! 

Week #5 is supposed to be to prepare a guest room.  I will definitely be doing that, as I will be having my mother and mother-in-law (separately) staying with us while I adjust to having another little one around.  Humorously, in my house that means cleaning up the office...again.  Because the futon that folds down into a full bed is in there.  But I'll have sheets ready, and pillows, and the bathroom stocked for them so that all they (and I) have to worry about when they come is spending time with munchkins #1, #2 & #3 while #4 arrives. 

I'm so excited!!

Bread, Glorious Bread

The bread, rising early in the morning.  What a wonderful smell.

So, I was asked to bake for the kids' Fall Festival Bake Sale.  It wasn't a huge task, but I also knew I didn't want to be making messy cupcakes!  So, I decided on whole grain breads.  I made 8 loaves for sale.  

Cooling off...

The house smelled sooo good when I was done.  They sold quickly, but I was happy to see them go to satisfied customers.  

All dolled up and ready to be sold!  

So Busy!

This week has been a blast and a half, I tell ya!

I've been prepping to teach my son's 3rd grade class's art appreciation segment, and I'm a little sad that I only get 15 minutes this week because we're supposed to study Raphael's School of Athens, which has so much technique and so many different known mathematicians and scientists and philosophers in it that we could study it for months and not be done!

I also teach reading in my daughter's 1st grade class once a week, one on one--not the whole group.  See?  In the time I took to teach these classes, my kids would be done with their work for the day!  Oh well...we're helping multiple little people this year. 

Our family is (OK, I'm) baking seeded loaves of bread for the bake sale that will take place at the school's Fall Festival.  The kids are excited because I let them buy the wristbands that make all the outdoor rides unlimited (we're talking about climbing walls, bouncy houses, sumo-wrestling, bungee racing, etc...very exciting for them).  And during all of this fun activity I had that wonderful glucose test that makes every pregnant woman everywhere sick. Why yes I'd love to drink nauseating sugar-syrup and then have you poke me with needles!  Thank you for offering!  Blech.

And pack meeting was last night--my boy came with me!  He'll be 8 next week, and is excited to jump in on the fun.  We did service for families in the neighborhood for the activity--fall yard work for those that can't.  And then came home and did ours.  We had a great time, and it was wonderful to see those little scouts do service for their neighbors and learn what it is like to take care of another human being.

Did I mention we also preserved 14 dozen ears of corn?  Nothing like putting things away for the winter!  Some of them were cross bred sweet corn with Indian corn, so it's very pretty.  We kept those on the cob and plan on serving the multi-colored corn on the cob for Thanksgiving.  I still haven't made the apricot jam.  I'm slacking, I know.

Then tonight, I get to go to a class on making your homeschool more exciting (not that ours was boring, in all actuality, I'm just uber-happy that there will be around 40 other homeschooling mothers there--you know, in case I uh, decide that we're going to homeschool again.)

Christmas Planning--Week 4!

Whoa...it's been FOUR WEEKS?!?

That means that the children have been in school for four weeks (and I'm learning to roll with it, but haven't started to love it yet...), my tot and I have been heading to story time for three weeks, and my house is...well, a bit more organized. 

Last week, my master bedroom didn't become a haven.  I did keep the laundry in there clean, and the clothes that I miss are in a box while I wear things that sort of flatter my motherly figure.  BUT, the bedframe I wanted was SOLD OUT on all of the websites I shopped on, and then I decided to go to a consignment sale and buy some baby things--which I stuck in the master bedroom because, ummm, well I don't have a nursery in this house (phew, a good excuse!).

This week is called Close to Home Week, where you work on things that matter close to home such as your children's bedrooms, playrooms, and messes that keep piling up.  In all my coolness, I plan to do my kids' laundry for them today (yes, I make my 8 & 6 year old do their own, under my supervision--of course!) while they are at school.  Giving them a bit of a break so we can do other things in the evenings together.  I wonder if they'll notice that it's done...

Yee-Haw!!

It's only Monday afternoon, and I've finished

• Two freezer lasagnas
• Two freezer enchiladas
• One package of frozen hot sausage dip for Christmas!

No, I didn't take pictures...I flew through my work, and now I'm going to go fill in in my daughter's 1st grade class.  Being MOM rocks.

Meal Plan Monday

So far, so good!  We've had a great week, and I think it'll get even better.

Sunday:  Peanut chicken over rice, yellow zucchini
Monday: Sausage, potato, kale soup.  Bread
Tuesday: Chicken enchiladas with green sauce
Wednesday: Fridge clean out!
Thursday: Squash bake
Friday: Pasta with left over veggies.

Week Three: Me & Mine Week

I'm quite excited about this week, due to the fact that I dislike the idea of having a messy bedroom, but yet, use my bedroom as the dumping ground for everything not organized as I clean up the rest of the house.  I love the premise of having a calm place to go, even when things are crazy--and we all know that things might be a bit crazy with the holidays over-lapping with new baby #4!!! Those of you following the Christmas plan know there are 104 days til Christmas as of this morning (yippee!), but hopefully, I've only got 92 days until the ball starts rolling! 

Some of my thoughts for the week:

Make a few make ahead meals: 
Chicken enchiladas
Lasagna

Turn part of the apricots into fruit leather rather than all jam--we made zucchini leather this week with cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg!  It was so good, and I felt great sending extra veggies to school rather than a candy in the lunchbox.

Actually follow the room clean-up plan.  There are some great coupons to the craft stores in our area out this week (50% off here, 40% off there), and so I hope to take the time to make our room better.  I might even invest in a bed frame!  See, we bought a great mattress, but it's still on the floor...
Perhaps like this one?

I really want to paint the bedroom set we bought at a thrift store ($190 for a high boy, vanity, and two night stands!) but I realize that we'll be moving within a year, and if I can hold off, I can prevent having to do touch-up paint.  So, I'm waiting...and that's OK.  Plus, sanding and paint fumes during pregnancy is supposedly a no-no... But maybe...nah, I really can wait.

Organized Christmas: Week 3!!

I must say that though I didn't follow the plan word for word, having it on my mind definitely is making a difference.  This week, in spite of a fender-bender & a holiday, I was still able to get a few things done, such as:

• Switch my older daughter's small dresser with the one we had in storage (that is larger), to give the small one to the baby.
• Take the non-maternity clothes out of my drawers.
   
• Go yard-saling with winter clothing in mind, rather than haphazardly.
   
• Plan my meals.
   
• Thank about the craft box.  No...I didn't actually get to it.
   
• Buy a snazzy, large, RECTANGULAR basket at a yard sale to put the cloth diapers in (for 75 CENTS!!)
   
• Took my munchkin to the library with extra reading in mind (for all the children, not just her pre-school stuff).  I brought home many fall-themed books, and will continue to try to make each week a reading theme.  It's gone really well.
   
• Gone house hunting!  

• Read a majority of the book  The Millionaire Next Door: Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy.  I've read it before, back when we were college students and were deciding whether to take out more loans or have me stay home with the children and be a cloth-diapering, gardening mama!  This book influenced me quite a bit (perhaps you can tell?), and now that we have graduated (one of us with a B.S. Bus, the other with a Ph.D (and all the other degrees that come along the way with that)), it was time to look at the book from a different point of view.
  I'm very glad I did, especially as we house hunt!  FYI:  I also enjoy Millionaire Women Next Door: The Many Journeys of Successful American Businesswomen.  I think if you read it, you'd be surprised!

Cucumbers have taken over my house...HELP!

Just a quick post to say I don't think we'll be sticking to our meal plan.  We have had a lot of produce given to us, and so my frozen ingredients are going to stay that way, and these fresh ones are going to fill our bellies.  However, I need some cucumber ideas that you have USED and your children have LIKED.  My kiddos are quickly becoming non-fans of the cucumber/onion/vinegar salad.

We're going to try cucumber lemonade tomorrow, as well as cucumber soup.  And I might dice one into our fresh salsa (oh, yeah, the tomatoes...and I'm not in the mood to can them right now...I've still got jam and jelly to make!).  Tomato sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches...Whew!

OK, people--start brainstorming...NOW!