Raw Ranch Dressing

I found the recipe for Ranch Dressing at Frugal Granola. Considering we use nothing but raw dairy I thought I'd give it a try for Stefan's 30 Days RAW experience.

And it was good!

Here's the recipe:

Ranch Dressing

1/3 Cup Buttermilk (or Whole Milk + 1/4 tsp. Vinegar; White Wine or Apple Cider Vinegars are good)
1/2 Cup Plain Yogurt
2 cloves crushed or minced Garlic or approx. 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Lemon Juice (more or less, to taste)
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. ground Celery Seed
1/2 tsp. organic Evaporated Cane Juice Sugar or Maple Syrup (or warmed Honey, thinned enough to stir in)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground Pepper
1/2 tsp. dried Parsley
Dash of Paprika
Combine all ingredients well with a small French whisk or in a blender. Taste, and adjust seasonings as desired. Refrigerate. Best if made an hour or two before serving, so that flavors can meld, but can be served immediately if you’re running short on time! 

Okay, I don't have buttermilk (or vinegar!) so I used regular milk.
I also don't have lemon juice...or celery seed...or parsley. So I used dill in place of the celery seed and a squirt of lime instead of lemon juice (for the acid not the taste) and went without the parsley.
I also added more garlic powder than it calls for and a few shakes of onion powder.

It wasn't perfect Hidden Valley Ranch or anything...but it was good enough that Stefan ate it as a snack! (I also don't mind it so much) Next time I'll definitely try it with buttermilk and lemon juice (both of which are now on my shopping list!)

Do you have a homemade ranch recipe?

Dinner Tonight 1/15

Before I get into what *I* ate for dinner I want to tell you that my husband has bravely started 30 Days RAW again. This time we worked out finances so he can afford to do it the entire 30 days. He's really excited (and I am too...I'm just not going to attempt it this round) Please check out his blog by clicking on this link: http://stefan30days.blogspot.com/2011/01/im-back-baby-second-day-1.html
Be sure and comment as well!!!

Okay, all of the recipes I'll be doing for the next month will be simple things. It's only me and Franklin eating cooked food. Tonight I had chicken quarters (leg and thigh) that needed to be eaten. So, I experimented. I tried an easy "Southwest" Chicken.

You need:
- Chicken (Whatever cut you prefer)
- 1 Can of Tomatoes with Green Chile (RO*TEL style)
- 1 Can of Ranch Style Beans
- 1/2-1 cup Corn (frozen or canned)
- Cheese for topping
- optional: sour cream, olives, etc...

Instructions:
- Heat oven to 400F
- Lay chicken in pan
- Cover with other ingredients BUT NOT CHEESE (drain cans before adding)
- Bake, covered, until chicken is cooked through (time depends on your cut of chicken)
- Top with cheese (and optional ingredients if you choose) and serve

Easy!

Excuse the horrible photo...I had a hungry baby screaming for me! You get the idea, though.

Got a great recipe to share? Tell us about it in the comments!

Simply Homemade: Chicken Stock

I don't know why I didn't start doing this sooner. I wish I had pictures...but not this time!

First, start saving your chicken bones/skin and any extras from veggies (peelings, ends, etc...). Just start shoving things in a plastic container/bag and freeze until you have the equivalent of a whole chicken. (Bonus if you roast a chicken and then strip it when you're done)

Put it all in a large pot and cover with water. Add some black pepper and salt. Get it boiling. When it hits a rolling boil turn it down to a LOW simmer. Cover it so you don't lose a lot of liquid. Keep it this way for 24 hours. (Yes, 24 hours) If you're not comfortable leaving the stove on when you're away from home or overnight you can turn it off briefly. Just make sure and bring it to a rolling boil again when you turn it back on and make sure it simmers for 24 hours (even if they aren't consecutive). 

Fast forward 24 hours...

I usually grab another large pot and put a pasta strainer over it. Pour the liquid into it. This will strain out the large chunks of chicken and vegetable. Now grab your glass jars (I save all of the ones we buy. Jelly jars, salsa, etc...just run them through the dishwasher first). I take a glass measuring cup (because it's easy to pour) and pour it into the jars. If you want to strain it further you can put some cheesecloth or papertowel over the mouth of the jar. It's your choice. Pop them in the fridge and celebrate!

Benefits:

- Saves money! One chicken usually gets me over 2 quarts of stock. That's 2 quarts that I don't have to buy in the store.
- It's Healthy! When made this way you get the immune boost (bone marrow) and calcium (bone) that you don't get from the boxed stuff. Plus, low sodium because it's not packed with preservatives!
- And it just tastes better when you make it yourself.

Ghost Cookies!!!

This is one of the easiest cute cookie recipes.

You need:
- Nutter Butter Cookies
- White Chocolate or White Almond Bark (melted)
- Mini M&Ms

Dip the top half of each cookie in the white chocolate. Place it on a sheet of wax paper. Pu the M&Ms down for eyes. Repeat. Leave until set.

See? EASY!