David's Wonderful Waffles

David often makes pancakes and waffles and sometimes they turn out and sometimes they don't.  One day, he made the best waffles, and I quickly wrote down his recipe.
6 eggs
3 cups milk
3/4 cup oil
1/4 scant cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda

Enchilada Sauce

Some of our dear friends own a local taqueria.  They graciously taught me now to make this enchilada sauce that my family loves.  It's so quick and easy.

dried California Chilies
water
chicken bouillon(optional)
salt- to taste

Choose 2 or 3 dried chiles, break them open and discard the seeds and stems.  Then, put them in some water to soak for a few minutes(warmer water if you want them to soak faster).  Finally, throw them in a blender and add some salt to taste, and some "Better than Bouillon" chicken bouillon, if you have it.  Pour over your burritos or your enchilada casserole.

No egg no milk muffins

This is a good recipe to use for muffins if you are out of milk and eggs because it requires none, and they are still tasty.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 cups water

Mix and cook for 35-40 minutes, less for smaller muffins.

Sour Cream Muffins

This recipe is one of our favorite muffin recipes, maybe because of all the butter and sourcream.  (Although I have used buttermilk if I don't have enough sourcream on hand).  It is from our dear friend Kristy.

5 Tbsp.  butter
1/3- 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup blueberries or apples or...
Bake at 360degrees for 15-18 minutes or less time for smaller muffins

Jamie's Pasta

This recipe David's brother made for us.  It was so good that I had to ask him for the recipe.  He sort of made it up on his own, so there are not exact measurements.  Just make it to taste.

Boil pasta in a pan of salted water according to instructions on box.

Heat up a cast iron skillet and add a little olive oil.  (You can cook chicken in the oil or you can make it without the chicken).  Add:
diced up onions,
rosemary,
basil,
thyme,
garlic,
and salt and pepper to taste.  Then add a can of crushed tomatoes(sometimes I will blend them in a blender first because my kids like the texture better that way).  Add some heavy whipping cream, paremesan cheese, and mozzerella cheese.  When warm, pour over pasta and enjoy.

Roasted Chile Macaroni

(This recipe comes from my sister-in-law Gretel who makes the most wonderful dishes.  Anything she makes will be wonderful).

2 pablano chiles(Put them on some tinfoil on a pan and broil them, turning them every few minutes, until the skin is dark.  After taking them out of the oven, put them in a paper or plastic sack or wrap them up in the tinfoil and let them sit for 5-6 minutes.  This will allow the skin to soften and will be easier to peel off later).

In the meantime:
Boil a pan of water for your pasta and cook pasta according to instructions on box.  I also always add salt to the water while the pasta is cooking.
Then, put 1 cup of sourcream in the blender.  Add some salt and pepper.  Then, peel the skin off of the chilies and discard the skin and the seeds in the middle.  Put the peppers in the blender and blend with the sourcream.  Add more salt and pepper to taste.  After the pasta is done add the sauce to the pasta.  You can also serve this on brown rice.

Light Fuffy Pancakes

(I found this recipe in the Parade section of the newspaper, and we just love it).  The only changes we have made are that we use whole wheat flour instead of white flour, and we sometimes use less sugar.  The recipe listed here has been tripled!

3 cups flour
6 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
2 1/4 cup buttermilk(can make your own by adding 1Tbsp. lemon juice and enough milk to make 1 cup)
3/4 cup milk
3 large eggs
6 Tbsp. butter salted & melted
3 tsp. vanilla
Heat griddle on low while preparing ingredients.  Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.  Mix the rest of the ingredients and then combine them with the dry ingredients.  Turn griddle up to 350 degrees, and make pancakes.

Applesauce Cake

Applesauce Cake
(adapted from Marcelle S.)
I love the spices, nuts, and chocolate chips in this applesauce cake.  It reminds me of the Fall, but can be served anytime. 

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 2/3 cup applesauce
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
3 1/2 cups flour
chocolate chips (optional)
chopped nuts (optional)
raisins (optional)

Cream sugar and butter together in a large bowl.  Mix in eggs and applesauce.  Stir in the rest of dry ingredients.  On the last few strrkes, fold in the chocolate chips, nuts, and or raisins.  Pour in greased pans and bake at 325 F until cake bounces when touched in the middle and a toothpick comes out clean.  This can make a 9x13 cake or 2 8x4 inch loaves or lots of tiny loaves and muffins.
 *Great to make the fall when apples are in season.

Favorite Read Aloud Books

We love books!  Here is a list of some of the favorites my husband and I have read out loud to our children. (Our children are all under the age of 8, but I am listing the ones that might suit the younger audience first):

Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne 
The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne
Now We are Six  by A.A.Milne The
Raggedy Ann books (can find them online)

Uncle Wiggly Stories by Howard R. Garis (my younger kids loved these stories

Miss Piggle Wiggle books by Betty MacDonald

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The Cabin Faced West by Jean Fritz

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
The Chocolate Touch by  Patrick Skene Catling
My Father's Dragon  by Ruth Stiles Gannett
Elmer's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
*Little House on the Prairie Series
*Sarah, Plain, and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
*One of A Kind Family (this is a series and all of the books are great) by Sydney Taylor
Skylark by Patricia MacLachlan
Dolphin Adventure, A True Story by Wayne Grover
The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin by Marguerite Henry(based on a true story)
*Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
A Grain of Rice by Helena Clare Pittman
*Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates by Mary Mapes Dodge
The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois
Pinky Pye by Eleanor Estes  (fun, and light little mystery involved)
The Middle Moffat by Eleanor Estes (fun and light)
100 Dresses by Eleanor Estes (not my favorite)
Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes (not my favorite)
*Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
*Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls
*The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
*Anne of Green Gables by L.M Montgomery
*Island of the Blue Dolpins by Scott O'Dell

Mary on Horseback by Rosemary Wells
*The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
*The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter

Little Loyd Faunterloy by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (for an older audience)

*indicate my favorites