Once A Month Mom » Uncategorized http://onceamonthmom.com Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 http://onceamonthmom.com/feed/podcast/ A quick overview of the Once A Month Cooking menu, this podcast introduces you to the recipes we've selected and describes a few ingredient substitutes. Check out OnceAMonthMom.com for all the details. Tricia Callahan clean Tricia Callahan info@onceamonthmom.com info@onceamonthmom.com (Tricia Callahan) Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike Once A Month Cooking Menu and Recipe Review Once A Month Mom, Once A Month Cooking, Freezer Cooking Once A Month Mom » Uncategorized http://onceamonthmom.com/wp-content/uploads/podcast-rss-144.jpg http://onceamonthmom.com/category/uncategorized/ TV-Y January 2012 Facebook Fan Page Recap http://onceamonthmom.com/january-2012-facebook-fan-page-recap/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=january-2012-facebook-fan-page-recap http://onceamonthmom.com/january-2012-facebook-fan-page-recap/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000 Tricia http://onceamonthmom.com/?p=23888 If you missed the Once A Month Mom Facebook Fan Page Night – SHAME ON  YOU! Well, it could be our fault since we had to move it from Sunday to Thursday but we missed you! If you have never joined in for one it is a way for me to chat with you and answer your questions about freezer cooking and Once A Month Mom menus. Thanks to you who were able to join us.

If you missed out but wanted to join, you are in luck, we recorded it! Here are some items that we covered so you can gauge whether you want to watch or not.

]]> http://onceamonthmom.com/january-2012-facebook-fan-page-recap/feed/ 0 Welcome NEW Baby/Toddler Food Writer – Melissa! http://onceamonthmom.com/welcome-new-babytoddler-food-writer-%e2%80%93-melissa/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=welcome-new-babytoddler-food-writer-%25e2%2580%2593-melissa http://onceamonthmom.com/welcome-new-babytoddler-food-writer-%e2%80%93-melissa/#comments Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:00:08 +0000 melissa http://onceamonthmom.com/?p=18888 **I’m excited to introduce to you our new Baby/Toddler Food Contributing Writer, Melissa! We have not had a regular Baby/Toddler Food writer here for quite some time so I am excited to be able to offer you kid-friendly recipes and menus regularly. Her first recipe, Cheesy Potato Soup debuted yesterday. Make sure you say hi and welcome Melissa!

Hello!  I’m Melissa and I’m excited to be joining the Once a Month Mom team.  Currently I’m living in Grand Rapids, Michigan with my husband Jason and our two children, Jaden and Hannah.  I became interested in freezer cooking when I was pregnant with Jaden.  I knew that having a baby in the house would make it very difficult to get dinner on the table every night.  Actually, the evening that my water broke, I was in the middle of finishing up some last minute meals to put in the freezer!  Those meals made dinner preparations after Jaden and I came home from the hospital so much easier.  We were even able to provide meals for my family when they came to visit and meet the new baby.  As Jaden grew, I began to make and freeze baby food for him as well.

Jaden helping Mommy make chocolate pudding.

Now Jaden is almost 3 and Hannah is 18 months and we’ve transitioned to more toddler foods.  I try to give my kids lots of whole grains and fruits and vegetables and my recipes now reflect that.  Slowly I’ve been adjusting our favorite recipes to include more whole foods and whole grains.  I’m excited to start sharing my recipes you.   In particular I like to keep breakfast and lunch items in the freezer to make these meals a little easier to prepare.  Most of the time for dinner the kids can eat whatever I’m serving.  And actually Hannah gets quite upset if she

Hannah hamming it up in her apron and chef's hat.

Another thing that I love to do in the kitchen is involve the kids.  As soon as I pull out a recipe book, Jaden has a chair pulled up to the counter so he can “help”.  Lately he’s also been picking up which kitchen tools I use to make various of his favorite foods.  So for example when I’m making pancakes, he knows I need the whisk and he gets it out for me.  Hannah is following her brother’s lead and I often have two kiddos “helping” in the kitchen.  Right now helping usually means taste testing everything and stealing my measuring spoons, but I know that soon enough I’ll be able to teach them more about cooking.  Jaden is already learning the names of various kitchen tools.  My goal is that both of them will know their way around the kitchen and be able to cook good foods for their own families (one day).  I also hope to instill an understanding of basic nutrition.  I want my children to know what is good for their bodies and to know how to make smart food choices. But most importantly, I want them to see cooking as fun!  The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home, and I think that it is in this heart that so much learning and bonding takes place.

]]> http://onceamonthmom.com/welcome-new-babytoddler-food-writer-%e2%80%93-melissa/feed/ 3 Do You Pinterest? http://onceamonthmom.com/do-you-pinterest/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=do-you-pinterest http://onceamonthmom.com/do-you-pinterest/#comments Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:00:30 +0000 Tricia http://onceamonthmom.com/?p=16362 Have you succumbed to the new craze that is Pinterest? It seems that in my life that Pinterest seems to be taking my friends by storm. I know a lot of my friends are involved in social media but I have to say that I have seen many, many more that aren’t social media fanatics jumping on board. And in an effort to not be left in their dust, I caved to the ways of Pinterest myself.

If you are already familiar with Pinterest, skip to the next paragraph. If you aren’t familiar, it is a way to “pin” internet posts you like and share them with friends and family. It is a great way to organize your thoughts and those great ideas, recipes and more that you see when surfing the web.

Why is it such a rage right now? My best guess is that it is due to the fact that when you “pin” a post it shows up on a one page organization “board” with a key picture. You can write a blurb about the post so that you remember why you pinned it or simply to share the idea with others. For me the selling point is the PICTURES! I am so visual. Seeing all my potential ideas or recipes in one place with a picture is such an amazing experience. It really helps me to organize myself and my plans.

And for Once A Month Mom? I had the idea of creating a “board” of each of a months recipes by menu type. Curious what I mean? Check out these boards for the month of July 2011:

I am experimenting at this point BUT I think that there is a high likelihood that we might start doing this each month for each of the menus. Wouldn’t that be awesome? You could see what you were cooking organized in one space so you can see if you think your family will like those recipes/menu. I would LOVE your feedback about this.

Not a member of Pinterest? Check around (Facebook is a good place to scour) to see if your friends are members and ask them to send you an invite. Are you on Pinterest already? Start following some of the OAMM authors who are already there. . .

(*please note that these are personal Pinterest pages for the authors and may not reflect all of the OAMM ideals, it is up to you whether you choose to follow them or not.) :)

]]> http://onceamonthmom.com/do-you-pinterest/feed/ 14 Going egg-free? How to Substitute Eggs in Recipes http://onceamonthmom.com/going-egg-free-how-to-substitute-eggs-in-recipes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=going-egg-free-how-to-substitute-eggs-in-recipes http://onceamonthmom.com/going-egg-free-how-to-substitute-eggs-in-recipes/#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 11:00:14 +0000 angela http://onceamonthmom.com/?p=14924

There are a lot of reasons you may need to replace egg in your recipes.  You or your child may have an egg allergy or sensitivity, maybe you’re baking for a friend who is vegan, or you want to mix up your menu a bit. Or maybe it is a day you simply ran out.  Avoiding eggs doesn’t mean sacrificing your favorite foods or good flavor.

photo credit: John Tann

The most important thing to remember when replacing eggs is to think about what the egg is being used for in the recipe.  Eggs supply moisture, act as a binder or are used to provide leavening so the recipe is fluffier. Do you need to replace a whole egg, or just a yolk or the egg white?  This will help you decide what egg replacer to use.  Some recipes that only require 1 to 2 eggs and make a flat product (such as pancakes) may not need a replacement at all, just 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of liquid to make up for the missing liquid from the egg.

The egg replacer I most often use in my baking is 1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons hot water. Set this aside for a couple of minutes until the flax seed mixture thickens.  This mixture should be as thick and sticky as an egg white.  If it isn’t, heat the mixture until it thickens.  Allow to cool slightly before adding to your recipe.  This mixture equals one egg. Flax mixture only replaces the binding property of an egg.  If you are using it in a cookie, cake or quick bread recipe also add 1/4 teaspoon extra baking powder to provide the leavening needed.

There are many other things besides flax to replace eggs. I have them grouped by use.  Some egg replacements, due to their flavor, may alter the taste or texture of your recipe, so use an egg replacer that will compliment the other ingredients.  Have fun experimenting and find one that works for your family. Each substitution below equals one egg.

When eggs are used as moisture it is the easiest substitution and used most often in baked goods such as cookies, muffins and quick breads.

  • 1/4 cup mashed banana, pumpkin puree or sweet potato
  • 3 tablespoons applesauce, pear sauce, apple butter, apricot puree or pureed prunes.  Add one more tablespoon liquid to the recipe.

    Going clock-wise starting at the top: flax seed, ground golden flax seed and ground flax seed.

If eggs are used as a binder:

  • use the flax seed mix above.  If you want to make a larger batch ahead of time, mix 1/4 cup ground flax seed with 3/4 cup water.  Cook until thickened.  Allow to cool.  Store in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 2 weeks.  Use 3 1/2 Tablespoons flax mix for each egg.
  • Chia seed can be used the same as flax seed.  If you can find chia seed online and at health food stores.
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons water, and 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • Gelatin (unless you are vegetarian- gelatin is NOT a vegetarian product).  Sprinkle the contents of a packet of unflavored gelatin over 1 cup of cold water.  When the gelatin absorbs water, heat over medium heat until the gelatin completely dissolves.  Allow mixture to cool.  Use 3 tablespoons to replace one egg.

Replacing eggs used as leavening. Eggs give texture providing lift.  Egg-free baking has a tendency to be a bit heavier without the egg white, but there are several things you can do to lighten the texture of your baked good.

  • add 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons canned coconut milk (NOT light) and 1 teaspoon baking powder to your recipe
  • use Ener-G egg replacer powder 1 packed tablespoon of powder mixed with 2 tablespoon warm water, whisking until frothy.
  • replace part or all of the liquid with carbonated water.  Do not over mix after adding in order to retain the carbonation’s effect.
  • And don’t forget the old WWII trick of subbing 1 tablespoon cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon baking soda for eggs in cakes, cupcakes and quick breads.

Hopefully these egg replacers will help out the next time you need to replace an egg.  Enjoy!

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