Epicurean Style

Chocolate Waffles

A friend of mine made these great Chocolate Waffles for Jackson when we left for a vacation.  They were yummy, easy, and entertaining.  It helps to have new things for a trip, so I thought I would share the idea and recipe.

Chocolate Waffles

One box mix of Chocolate cake, make it as the directions on the box tell you (you might have to add a little extra oil if it sticks to your waffle maker.  Then let them cool pack them into a ziploc bag and pull out when you need them most!  :)

Orka Ice Trays

I love these things! As far as Ice cube trays run, these are the Cadillac of Ice trays.  

You will have no more ice avalanches, no more twisting or bending, or broken ice trays.  

I love... the Silicone bottoms, so you can press just one cube out at a time.  They have a lid to keep the ice clean and uncontaminated from the rest of the freezer.  And they easily stack with each other--the lids have little grooves, to make stacking a breeze.  

They would be great for freezing baby food in (since you can pop just one out at a time and get the amounts that you need), or other small amounts of liquid.

The few downsides...

-Ice cube slot's are a little small (not to me, but if you compare them to regular ice tray's definitely smaller)

-The lid doesn't lock on, but if doesn't bother me, I've never had issue's with spillage, but still something that might bother others.

-The price...they are about $10 a tray, but I hear they last a LONG time.  I haven't had to replace mine and I got them as hand-me-down's from someone (so they have been in use for a good 3-4 years).    

BBQ Turkey Sandwiches

These Sandwiches are delicious!  My only complaint would be they are a last minute meal, you have to build and grill them right before dinner, but if you only have to make a few this isn't such a big deal, especially since they taste so good.

BBQ Turkey Sandwiches

2 medium onions, sliced

4 t. butter (divided)

4 t. barbecue sauce

8 slices monterey jack cheese

8 slices of ham

8 slices of turkey

Dill pickle slices

Sourdough bread

In a large skillet , saute onions in 1 tsp. of butter until tender, remove and set aside.  Spread barbecue sauce on four slices of of bread.  Layer each with one slice of cheese, ham, turkey, pickles, onions, and another slice of cheese.  Cover with remaining bread slices.  In the same skillet over medium-low heat, melt remaining butter.  Cook Sandwiches on both sides until golden brown and cheese is melted (The sandwiches can be covered the last few minutes to help melt the cheese).

(Serves 4)

  

Felted Wool

I have an addiction...okay, I know I have more than one (just wait until I talk about Chocolate), but seriously, I have been totally loving felted wool lately. It's cheaper than wool, but richer looking than regular craft store felt. I love the colors and feel of the felt.  It makes me happy just to hold and look at it.  I thought I would introduce you to this loveliness if you had never used it before.  I have never attempted to make it myself, but I am planning on trying it and will definitely let you know how it goes.

      (Image courtesy of Colonial Crafts)

Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Bundt Cake

Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Bundt Cake

Blend:

2 C. Flour
1 1/2 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

Mix, then blend with dry ingredients:

1 1/2 C. Buttermilk
1 C. Mayonnaise
1 tsp. Vanilla
11 oz Bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Pour into a greased and floured Bundt pan.  Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.  Cool and serve.

It can be a little rich so serve with Vanilla Ice Cream (Adding a little Ice Cream never hurt anything).

Jell-O Jigglers

Jackson loved this project!  I've never actually done Jell-O Jigglers _{(trademark of Jell-o),} so I decided to give them a whirl.  Jackson LOVED it!  He was busy for a full hour!  I made a 9x13 inch pyrex dish of jello and handed him, what few cookie cutters I own, and he had a blast.  They are super easy and very exciting.  We had fun preparing them the day before, we wanted to use them (about 10 minutes of prep, but still something to break up our day and give him something to look forward to the next day).  

The directions are on the back of a Jell-o package, but I will type them here too...

--You will need to packages of the 6 oz size Jell-o package to fill a 9x13 inch pyrex dish.

1.Stir 2 1/2 cups boiling water (Do not add cold water) into two packages of two (6 oz) gelatin into bowl 3 minutes until dissolved.

2. Pour into a 9x13 pyrex dish

3. Refrigerate 3 hours until firm

3 Dip bottom of the pan in warm water about 15 seconds.  Then begin cutting into them

*I didn't dip the bottom of my pan in water and it still worked.  I thought it might get a little runny for playing with, so I didn't....so take that for what it is worth.       

Phineas and Ferb: Our latest Addiction

Probably, the greatest cartoon ever...of course this is my opinion, but it has it all--music, snappy-laugh-out-loud one liners, great story line, and fun characters.   It is Disney Channel's best cross generation cartoon (and seriously might be the best cross generation cartoon ever written).  

It was originally aired as a preview August 17, 2007, following the release of High School Musical 2, on Disney Channel.  It is created by Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, who met as layout artists on The Simpson's (but where Simpson's would have parents squirming a little from the humor or topics, Phineas and Ferb will never).   

It follows the life of two stepbrothers, Phineas and Ferb, who live in the small suburban town of Danville.  The boys are constantly trying to beat summer boredom and help others by creating outlandish and crazy contraptions or situations.  While their sister, Candice, knowing what they are doing is dangerous and completely out of this world, tries desperately, each episode, to "Bust" her brothers, by calling her mom to report their actions.  The boys have a pet platypus, Perry, who moonlights as a secret agent for an all animal government organization, fighting evil Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz.  

Each episode is fresh and fun and full of adventure, but you also grow to love and anticipate the running gags and catchphrases that are found in each episode.  A few examples of this:

Each episode an adult will ask Phineas if he is too young to be building whatever crazy contraption they are putting together that day, to which Phineas responds, "Yes, yes I am"  The one episode where he didn't have to say that, we all remember.  :)

Another, example is when Perry the Platypus has defeated Dr. Doofenshmirtz he always says, "Curse you Perry the Platypus".

A a giant baby doll head that can be found in many of their adventures.

And Phineas', "Ferb, I know what we are going to do today!" 

These are just a small sampling of the running gags and catchphrases found within the show.

One thing I love about each episode is that the crazy "evil" contraptions that Dr. Doofenshmirtz comes up with are never violent or gruesome. rather they usually involve some funny back story about his life and why he is bitter about something as silly as dancing, lawn gnomes, or a baking soda volcano.  Then the way he solves the problem is by using some sort of contraption to stop whatever it is from happening in a harmless manner.  Perry of course always "saves the day" by stopping him.

But my most favorite part of each episode has got to be the music.  Their is always an original song in each episode, ever since the, episode where Phineas and Ferb, stared as "Flop Starz" and sang "Gitchee, Gitchee, Goo" 

 *As a side note Jackson knows almost every word to this song and sings it quite often during the day.

Character Line-up  

Phineas Flynn

Ferb Fletcher

Candace Flynn (Sister)

Perry the Platypus/Agent P (Pet)

Dr. Doofensnmirtz (Agent P's Nemesis)

Major Monogram (Agent P's Boss)

Isabella Garcia-Shapiro (Friend of Phineas and Ferb)

Linda Flynn (Mom)

Lawrence Fletcher (Dad)

Jeremy Johnson (Candace's Friend)

Baljeet Patel (Friend of Phineas and Ferb)

Buford Van Storm (Neighborhood Bully/Friend of Phineas and Ferb)

The Fireside Girls (Isabella's Sidekicks)

Stacy Hirano (Candace's Best Friend)

Vanessa Doofenshmirtz (Dr. Doofenshmirtz's daughter)

Carl the Intern (Works for Major Monogram)

Personal favorite Episodes:

Dude We're Getting the Band Back Together 

(This episode have several original catchy songs..this is just one)

FlopStarz(Link to part of the episode)

Backyard Beach

(Link to part of the episode)