Pumpkin pancakes

This recipe is a work in progress, but so far, so good. I will also be working on a gluten-free version, so stay tuned.

1 1/2C flour
2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
2tbsp honey
2tbsp oil
1/2C pumpkin puree
1tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2C water
1C coconut milk

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine wet ingredients and whisk lightly. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir well. And it's pancakes, you know how to cook those.

I only have the full-fat coconut milk in my cupboard, so I needed to add water to thin it. I'm not sure how the lesser fat stuff would work.

The kid loves these, she'll eat easily twice as many as she will normal pancakes.

If looks could kill.

You wouldn't be reading this post. He wanted out so badly, and then 2 minutes later wanted in again. And 10 minutes after that, he forgot why he wanted to come in.

Until 5 minutes after that, when he realized that it really is snowing hard.

I'm told that it always snows on Victoria Day weekend, thus ruining everyone's camping plans. Victoria Day weekend is this coming weekend. So maybe we're a bit early, but wow.

My grandparents keep asking if I've planted my garden yet. The answer to that is still no. Because, it's snowing outside. For what it's worth, I have planted asparagus rhizomes. And there are chives, strawberries, and rhubarb up already that survived from last year.

Yum

These are from the other night when I used my mixer for the first time. Kind of a small batch to be using a big mixer for, and I had to modify the recipe a bit, but it all worked out.

Pizza dough!

Which became yummy barbecue chicken pizza.
- Barbecue sauce brushed onto the dough (Bulls Eye sweet & sticky)
- Shredded chicken with enough barbecue sauce to moisten it
- Crumbled goat's milk feta
- Sliced black olives
- Chopped sweet red pepper

I got a new toy.

For a really great deal at Costco. I'm so excited.

Homemade ketchup

We ran out of ketchup the other day and I didn't want to go to the store for just one thing. So I decided to try making some myself. I started from this recipe. And tweaked it a bit.

• 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in purée - became 1 15oz can diced tomatoes and 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste - used the whole can
  
• 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar - used 1/2C because the reviews said it was too sweet, but I probably should've used more.
  
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Also added some garlic powder and paprika. Followed the rest of the directions.

It's not bad. I think I'll keep trying, if only because it's got to be healthier than buying it at the store. Next time though, I'll definitely use more sugar, and probably more spices as well, it's a bit bland. But, the kid doesn't notice the difference, and the husband only noticed that it's a different color than usual, so it can't be all bad. I'm just not that much of a ketchup person anyway.

Sesame Beef - my way

I have no idea what's actually in sesame beef, beyond beef and sesame seeds. This is what I made a couple of nights ago.

2 chuck steaks, sliced thin
1C hoisin sauce
1/2C soy sauce

1/4 red cabbage, shredded
1 (or 2 if you want) red peppers, seeded, membrane removed, and sliced thinly
1 zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise, then crosswise about 1/4" slices
2tsp olive oil
1/2tsp sesame oil
toasted sesame seeds

Coconut Rice
- prepare rice as usual, except leave out 1/2C water and add 1 can coconut milk

Combine hoisin sauce and soy sauce. use to marinate beef overnight.
Saute red peppers in olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven until they just start turning brown, then add cabbage and beef. Cover, reduce heat to med-low and cook about 6 minutes, until beef is no longer pink, but take care not to overcook the meat. Add zucchini about 3 minutes after beef. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, drizzle with sesame oil and stir. Serve over coconut rice.

The problem with this is

Everything I cook now is dairy-free. And most of the time I don't even think about it, so obviously I don't post. For instance, the soup I made the other day. Delicious, creamy, no milk, and I haven't said a word. The other people in my house did, mostly "yum!", but you know.

The story behind this soup, for me, starts back in Oregon at McMenamin's Pub and their African Peanut Soup. It's very good, and I've been playing around with making it for a long time, but never have gotten around to it. The other day I decided it was time, so I found a recipe. Not the same recipe, I know, because theirs has chunks in it and this doesn't, but still good. And, since we all know that I am incapable of actually following a recipe, it doesn't really matter.

Here's what that recipe calls for:
1 tablespoon extra virgin peanut oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 teaspoon chopped red chili
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cups chopped sweet potato
1 qt. chicken stock
2 cups tomato juice
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon sugar

Simple enough, right? Except that I spent 2 weeks looking for red chilies or red chili paste and came up empty. Also, used the last of my carrots for chicken and dumplings, don't have peanut oil, and only have tomato paste. No worries though! My sweet potato gave me 4 cups once I chopped it, so that covered the carrot, but did make it a bit sweeter, so I probably should've lessened the sugar. I added enough water to the tomato paste to make 2C of liquid and it was perfect. Grapeseed oil instead of the peanut, because my standard olive has too much flavor that wouldn't mesh with the soup. And I used tabasco sauce for the spice.

I did follow the directions in the recipe mostly, but I also diced and cooked a couple of chicken breasts to toss in there after blending, and that was a good addition for me, but not necessary as it's quite a hearty soup.

And, of course, last night I found some red chili paste at the store. And some curry paste, which I think is what I'll use next time. I'll probably also double the recipe (this one is a large recipe, but I like leftovers) and add a can of coconut milk as well, because I love the flavor that adds, especially combined with the curry.