a post about food (with recipes)

i am not a great cook, and i don't usually enjoy cooking. what to make for dinner is an extra tough dilemma around our house, since both mr. o and i are really picky eaters- and in opposite ways. between the two of us, we can eliminate 90% of the recipes in most cook books. it's not cool. being a picky eater as an adult is embarrassing and kind of crippling.
mr. o was out of town recently.
that's when the boys and i eat all the foods he doesn't like- fish, indian food, mexican food, etc.

i had to document my boys downing their fish, brown rice, and spinach. i am so glad they like the things i do (as well as the things their dad likes, that i don't!) and like eating healthy food.

we also like eating things that maybe aren't so healthy. i am a big fan of carbs, and i looove baked treats.
i want to share two recipes here- one that we make regularly and all love, and one new one that is becoming a fast favorite with the boys and i.

first up- dutch babies (aka german pancakes, or puff pancakes)
i got this recipe from my brother-in-law forrest. i'm sure this is a fairly well-known recipe, but if anyone reading this has not tried it, this one's for you. sooo yummy!
get out your electric mixer, and mix in a bowl: 1 1/2 cups of flour and 1 1/2 cups of milk. add the milk slowly so it doesn't get all lumpy. add six eggs! mix until well blended. somewhere in the middle of all that, remember to put some butter (any amount up to a half a cube, but i usually do closer to 1/4) in a 9 x 13 pan and put it in the oven. preheat the oven to 425 degrees. keep an eye on the butter- it should melt and turn brown, but don't let it burn!
pour the batter into the pan, and bake until it gets huge and puffy, and the edges are brown. serve with lemon or lime juice and powdered sugar. start buying more eggs when you're at the store, 'cause you'll want to eat these ALL THE TIME!!

this next recipe is channa masala. my sister kaarina gave this to me, but i'm not sure of her source. i also changed it a tiny bit.
let me start by saying i've tried making this dish with much more complicated recipes, and also from just a mix, and neither one turned out anywhere as good as this simple recipe did. i was so surprised and pleased!

open two cans of garbanzo beans/chick peas. spend a good hour getting the "skins" off the beans, one at a time, because they gross you out. chop up a medium onion and two cloves of garlic. try to keep your eyes open while you chop that onion (anyone have any tricks?). cook the onions and garlic in a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a biggish pot until they're soft. add about 30 ounces of tomato sauce- this is a pain because it's like one and one third of a can. good luck with that. add a cup of water, the garbanzo beans, one tablespoon of curry powder, and a tablespoon of cumin seeds. cook uncovered till it reduces to a thick sauce. find a heat where it will bubble at the edges but doesn't spit sauce all over your stove top.
while it's cooking, you should make some rice to serve it with, and also chop up a half a bunch of fresh cilantro to add before serving.
congratulate yourself on making such a delicious, healthy dinner, but wish you had some fresh warm naan bread to go with it.

i'm afraid that bombay house is going to lose a little of my business from this recipe, but not to worry, because theirs is still better, and i can't go long without their bread!
i'd love to hear your thoughts if you try these!

*i adopted my sister meg's style of recipe writing because i think she's so clever!