Mom's Cookery

Delicious recipes, cooking tips, etc. from one mother to another.

[mothernaturenetwork]

What’s wrong with my cookies? A troubleshooting guide Are your homemade cookies flat and brown? Hard and round? Here’s what’s wrong and how to fix it.

[momscookery]

Mom’s Shepherd’s Pie

Growing up my mom made the best Shepherd’s pie. It has spoiled me to all other Shepherd’s Pie - I am always disappointed when I order it places because it never compares to her recipe. So delicious, I can’t keep it to myself. 

[momscookery]

These look delicious, I’ll have to try them this summer!

[momscookery]

Baked Mini Arancini

I found this recipe in Kim Laidlaw’s cookbook Baby & Toddler On the Go. I have made a couple small changes to the recipe, but nothing major. These are absolutely delicious- my 2 year old daughter who is fairly picky loves them and so do I. 

Ingredients:

Olive oil cooking spray

1/4 cup (1.5oz/45g) all-purpose flour

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup (1oz/30g) fine dried bread crumbs

1 cup (5oz/155g) cooled cooked brown rice, preferably short grain (here I use Texmati or Jasmine white rice to be honest)

1/3 cup (1.5oz/45g) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup (2oz/45g) finely chopped cooked spinach (to make this, take the stems off the spinach and then chop it. Then saute it in butter until it darkens and lets out some juices, about 1-2 minutes give or take. After it is done cooking chop it again. Remember that spinach shrinks down considerably when cooked!)

A bowl of water for rinsing hands (I find that this gets very messy very quickly, and it helps a lot to have a bowl of water to rinse my hands in and a cloth to wipe them off on - it just makes life a lot easier for me).

Optional: 

I add a pinch of salt to the recipe and I also salt them as soon as they come out of the oven. 

Kim Laidlaw suggests using tomato sauce to dip them in when eating, I do not do this.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 C). Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Put the flour in one bowl, the egg in a second bowl, and the bread crumbs in a third bowl. 

3. In another bowl, stir together the rice, mozzarella, salt, and spinach, mixing well. Roll about 1 heaping tablespoon of the rice mixture between your palms into a ball. Roll the ball in the flour, then the egg, and finally, in the bread crumbs, shaking off any excess with each step. Place the coated ball on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining rice mixture; you should get about 14 balls. Rinse your hands as you go so they don’t get too coated (this is where the bowl of water comes in handy - it is a lot easier than going to the sink over and over again). 

4. Bake the balls for 8 minutes, then turn them over. If some of the cheese leaks out, just tuck it back around the balls. Continue to bake until the balls are crisp and golden brown, about 8 minutes more. Sprinkle with salt and let cool before serving.

Store it: 

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or seal in a zippered plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, put in the oven at 350F for approximately 6 minutes. 

[momscookery]

18 Mason Jar Salads That Make Perfect Healthy Lunches

Delicious ideas ! I myself have never had a mason jar salad, but I think I am definitely adding it to my 'to do' list

[momscookery]

[momscookery]

[dandelionpunx]

[momscookery]

Want to try this! 

[momscookery]

Spinach and Squash Mac & Cheese Bites

My two year old, like so many others, has decided that she hates vegetables. My ex-husband can sometimes get her to eat broccoli by putting on an elaborate show about how it is the best thing that has ever happened, ever... but even then it's 50-50, and she will never eat it for me. This has made me resort those pouches where you can suck out the pureed stuff through a straw - you know what I am talking about. My daughter loves those when the vegetables are mixed with fruits. Now, these can be rather expensive (especially if you buy the organic ones, like I do)... and so I have started finding ways to sneak vegetables into her food. It does not always work, but when it does it feels victorious! This following recipe is one example of how I have tricked my toddler into eating vegetables. By the way, I found the recipe in one of my favorite cook books Baby & Toddler On The Go by Kim Laidlaw 

Note: you can add meats and really any other vegetables that you want to this, just keep in mind the taste. 

Ingredients:

Olive oil cooking spray

1/2 cup whole-wheat elbow macaroni 

1 & 1/2 tsp unsalted butter

1 & 1/2 tsp all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whole milk, warmed

1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese

1 tbspn grated parmesan cheese 

1 large egg, beaten

1/4 cup diced, mashed, or pureed roasted butternut squash (though I used 1/4 cup pureed squash) 

1/4 cup chopped cooked spinach - remember that spinach shrinks a lot when it is cooked. Also, cut it before you cook it, and then again afterwards to get it into nice, tiny bits. 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 24-cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray (note: I used mini silicone baking cups which don't need to be sprayed and work great!)

Cook the macaroni in a medium saucepan and then drain it. You should have about 1 cup after it is done cooking and put to the side

In the same saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Continuing to whisk, slowly add the cheeses until smooth. Add the macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir to combine. Add the egg to the pasta and mix well. Add the spinach and squash (note: I started with just the squash, and after I had put that into some of the baking cups I added the spinach - that way if my daughter didn't like the spinach she would still have some that were just squash, which I knew she wouldn't even notice).

Spoon the pasta mixture into the baking cups (it will probably take up approximately 12 of the baking cups). Bake until crisp and browned around the edges and bubbling, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing. 

Note: these can be stored in the fridge for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. 

[momscookery]

Spaetzle

** This is another recipe written out for me by my mother-in-law who grew up in Germany eating this. It is absolutely delicious! I personally always make it with browned panko bread crumbs. Also, if you don't have a spaetzle press you can apparently use a cheese grater - you can google how to make it without the press if you are interested. 

Makes ~4 Servings 

Ingredients: 

3 cups of flour

4 eggs ( as a rule of thumb, it is one egg per cup of flour and one egg "for the pot"

1/2 a teasp of salt or more to taste

a dash of turmeric to give the spatzle a nice yellow color (very optional, this is an addition I made, you will not find this in any cook book)

  In a big bowl mix the flour and eggs. Add cold water, a tablespoon at a time. The batter should be firm but smooth and not lumpy. When you lift the batter with you spatula, it should fall down heavily, not runny. 

While you prepare the dough, bring a huge pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a teasp. of salt.

Fill your spatzle press 2/4 full with batter and press into the boiling water. You can make long strands like spaghetti almost or short strands. When they surface in the water, give them a moment more to roll in it. With a sieve scoop them out and put them on a platter. I like to put the platter on a pot with softly simmering water in it to keep the spatzle piping hot.

You can drizzle breadcrumbs browned in butter over the spatzle. In Swabia people think it makes the spatzle "more festive".(Reserved for holidays, birthdays, weddings etc)

GUTEN APPETIT!

[momscookery]

German Potato Salad

** This recipe was written out for me by my mother-in-law who grew up in Germany eating this. It is absolutely delicious, her potato salad is by far the best I have ever eaten. When I make this recipe I use red wine vinegar and always use more than is called for and I leave out the mustard and pepper. 

Makes ~5 servings 

Ingredients:

6 medium (fist sized potatoes)

2/3 cup of olive oil

3/4 cup of red wine or apple cider vinegar

1/2 onion finely chopped or finely chopped chives or spring onions

1 1/2 teasp. of salt (more to taste)

black pepper if desired

1 cube of vegetable bouillon dissolved in 1/2 cup of hot water

1-2 teasp of dijon mustard (if desired)

1/4 cup of parsley if available

  As you can see from the list of ingredients, there are quite a few ingredients one can leave out if one does not like them.Before you serve the salad, taste it to see if you like it. Add more vinegar, salt or whatever you fill is missing. In some areas many cooks add a bit more olive oil, they say the salad has to "shine". An old lady told me that once.  In summer it is nice to add a finely sliced cucumber to the salad. It makes the salad fresh and summery. BUT, it has to be completely eaten on the same day it is made, you cannot save any for the next day.

  Boil the potatoes in a big pot full of water for about 30-35 minutes. The potatoes should be soft but not overcooked, the skins should not have burst yet.

Meanwhile, in a big bowl mix together the rest of the ingredients. When the potatoes are done, drain the water and let them cool so you will not burn your hands. Peel the potatoes, and slice them thinly.The thickness of the slices gives your salad its "character". Some like the slices somewhat thicker, some very thin.( I like them very thin Add to the oil/vinegar etc mixture and with two spatulas gently but thoroughly mix everything together. When you cook a full meal, the potato salad can be done first, it likes to rest in the refrigerator so the flavors can mingle. But it is also nice if the salad is a bit warm still, this goes well if it is eaten with sausages.

[flyteestudio]

IT’S ALWAYS TEA TIME!

[listoflifehacks]

If you like this list of life hacks, follow ListOfLifeHacks for more like it!

[sotfruits-deactivated20180429]

[jerryjamesstone]

10 Popsicles Made with More Than Just Fruit

http://cookingstoned.tv/blog/2014/05/10-popsicles-made-with-more-than-just-fruit/

[mothernaturenetwork]

Pretty and tasty … can’t beat that combination.

[theramblingsofalilliputian]

Veggie Filled Meatballs

So my 16 month old is currently going through an ‘I Fucking Hate Vegetables’ stage, and so I have been desperately trying to trick her into eating her veggies. I tried covering everything in cheese, and that worked for a while, but I think she discovered that the cheese was hiding something horrible and she now just throws it on the floor, creating a lovely cheese coating all over my kitchen. So, tonight I stepped up my game and tried something new - veggie filled meatballs. They were a hit - with both her and my husband! They were super easy to make as well, which is always a plus.

Ingredients

1 egg

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup chopped spinach

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 lb. ground beef or turkey 

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit 

2. Mix all ingredients together, then form into balls - 1 inch in diameter

3. Place on tray covered in foil and bail for 8-10 minutes (until all the pink is gone and they are 170 degrees fahrenheit)

[theramblingsofalilliputian]

Toddler Friendly Mini Quiches

Another attempt on my part to sneak vegetables into my veggie hating toddler’s diet. And, drum roll please, it was a success! Woohoo! Since I know I’m not the only parent who struggles with getting their little beast to eat their veggies, I thought I’d share the recipe.

Ingredients

2 sheets frozen puff pastry

4 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup mashed sweet potato

1/2 cup mashed or pureed carrot

1 cup grated cheese

Directions

Let the pastry sheets defrost a bit

Use either a 24 small hole cupcake pan (you can also use a 2x12 cupcake pan)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Cut each sheet into 12 squares that are a bit bigger than each hole in the pan. Push them into the pan (which there is no need to grease), bunching the top bits together.

Whisk eggs and milk together, then whisk in the mashed vegetables and cheese

Pour mixture into pastry cases, keep whisking the mixture as you do this to make sure it doesn’t separate.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Notes:

These freeze well, just pop them into the oven to warm them up to keep the pastry crisp. This is a slightly edited recipe that I found here