Whole Wheat Oatmeal Waffles

This recipe is adapted from one that appeared in this month's Everyday Food, entitled "Yogurt Waffles." The recipe advised against using quick oats, but they worked fine for me. I substituted vanilla yogurt for plain and forgot the salt. I also didn't have enough eggs to do my mostly whites switch, so this was all fat. Nonetheless, they were great. As you can see, I used my Winnie the Pooh waffle maker, so they were tasty and cute!



3/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c uncooked oatmeal (I used quick oats)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 c packed light brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbs butter, melted
3 large eggs
1.5 c vanilla yogurt

Combine flours, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Separately, whisk together brown sugar, butter, eggs, and yogurt.

Combine wet and dry. Let batter sit for 15 minutes.

In a greased waffle iron, cook until golden brown.

Serves 4-6 (I got 8 pairs in my half-sized waffle maker)

Oven-Baked Seasoned Fries

I was on a burger kick last week week. I didn't really do much, just made cheeseburgers, sometimes with sauted onions. Thus, this post is on the oven-baked fries that I just threw together on a whim. Measurements are approximate, although the outcome was quite tasty. Next time, I would cut the potatoes a bit smaller and cook a few minutes longer for extra crispness but I was pleased with the result.



1 lb red potatoes, cut uniformly into shape of choice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine spices together with a whisk in a small dish. Toss potatoes well.

On a baking sheet covered in foil or a silicon mat, drizzle a couple tablespoons of oil oil. Place potatoes on pan and toss to coat. Spread potatoes in a single layer.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown, flipping after about 12 minutes.

Slow Cooker Lamb with Prunes

This recipe combines a recipe found at A Year of Slowcooking and another found FamilyFun.com. I added carrots for extra sweetness and mixed in onions. Basically a tagine--really yummy!



3-4 lb leg of lamb
4 small carrots, diced
3 med shallots, thinly sliced
2 med onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp cumin
1/2 c chicken stock, red or white wine, or apple juice
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups prunes (dried plums)


1) Place all veggies in the bottom of the slow cooker.

2) Rub meat generously with dry spices.

3) Place meat on top of veggies and pour over prunes and liquid.

4) Toss in a cinnamon stick and cook for 6-8 hrs on low until meat is tender.



(I didn't have a whole leg of lamb, only half from a prior dish. Sauce will accommodate a whole leg of lamb.)




Serve over your choice of starch (I used potatoes because I was out of couscous and quinoa) with a generous spoonful of fruit and veggies. I'd estimate 4-6 servings.

Caramelized Onion Mushroom Soup

Sorry for the delay in posting. I was out of town for a mere 4 days, but somehow I'm nearly two weeks behind in blogging. My only explanation is that we ate out so much while in Hawaii that I only cooked once and made a veggie pasta recipe that I had tried a little more than a month ago. I'm also working on emptying out my freezer here, so not too much cooking. Anyway, this recipe is adapted from one I found on the William Sonoma website. I simplified the recipe a bit based on what I had on hand. I also began preparing it in the morning and had to run to work. Thus, before pureeing, the soup was refrigerated for about 8 hrs. I don't recommend this step, although cooling the soup allowed me to use the blender which is a lot faster than an immersion blender. All in all, this recipe was most tasty and I will definitely try it again.



1 lb onions, about 3 medium, diced
2 med carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4 cloves garlic
2 lbs mushrooms, sliced
1/4 c Marsala
1 bay leaf
7 c chicken broth
salt, pepper, olive oil

Gruyere cheese and day-old French bread to serve


1) In a large dutch oven, saute onions over medium heat until softened and caramelized, about 30 minutes.

2) Add celery, garlic, and carrots and cook until softened, about 6 minutes.

3) Add Marsala wine and cook until mostly evaporated, 2 minutes

4) Add mushrooms and cook until softened and liquid has evaporated, about 10 more minutes.

5) Season mixture with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and bay leaf. Heat to an almost boil. Simmer on low for 25 minutes.

6) Using an immersion blender or carefully with a regular blender, puree soup until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.

7) To serve, top with toasted bread cubes and a generous sprinkle of cheese. Broil for a few minutes until golden brown.

Serves 6.