{lactation cookies+generally healthy for anyone cookies}

One of my favorite things about breastfeeding is that it gives me an excuse to eat these amazing oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! They are seriously SO good! This recipe makes a cookie similar to the brand Milk Makers. They have the cutest logo. It is an M, made to look like two boobs :) I have to say, I was skeptical that these wouldn't do anything, but I really am convinced they work!

1 cup butter                                    2 cups flour

1 cup packed brown sugar             1 tsp baking soda

1 cup sugar                                     4 tbsp brewers yeast

4 tbsp flax seed meal                      1 tsp salt

5 tbsp water                                    3 cups quick oats

2 eggs                                             as many mini chocolate chippies as you want :)

1 tsp vanilla

Here is the quick version:

oven @ 350

mix flax and water and let sit a few minutes

beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar together

add eggs and mix

add flax and vanilla and mix

combine flour, brewers yeast, baking soda and salt in a seperate bowl
gradually add to wet mixture

stir in oats and chocolate chippies

scoop onto cookie sheet in generous mounds, I like to use parchment paper underneath

bake for 12-15 mins

cool and enjoy a bounty of breastmilk :)

and if you arent a nursing Mom eat these anyway! Flax and brewers yeast are good for everyone!

*the hunt: perfect chicken pot pie*

{source}

I genuinely believe that there is nothing as delicious or comforting as a warm chicken pot pie. I recently have been reunited with this classic dish after having a piece with my friend Grace. It was sooo good! Poor hubs has been begging me to make said dish for just about our whole first year or marriage. I also have about 5 friends having babies in the next couple months and this is a great freeze and heat recipe. That brings me to my latest hunt...the best chicken pot pie recipe in all the land!

Here are a few I have found but I want to hear from you guys as well! 

{Send me your recipes guys! Pretty please!} 

 

 Super Easy Chicken Pot Pie

 

Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie

 

 

The Pioneer Woman in all her glory

Lastly, Grace recommended the recipe from Ad Hoc at Home, which I found done on this blog.

Well, we'll see which makes the cut! 

email me your recipe at ballpointandpen@gmail.com!

p.s. dear rachel.margaret, I am so sorry darling but I still never received your email! :( Try sending it to the above email and see if that works! Thanks!

{top secret cinnamon toast}

{As promised here is my top secret family recipe for cinnamon toast! It's hardly a recipe but there is a definite technique that I feel we have perfected. When I was little my Dad always used to make it for me, and it was never the same if anyone else made it...sorry Mom :) So, it's pretty basic.

Toast your bread. Growing up we always used that whole wheat Roman Meal bread in the orange bag, now I use a sprouted wheat toast...that way it redeems some amount of nutritional value to my breakfast! As soon as your toast pops you want to butter it immediately so all your butter melts into the bread, and don't be stingy, load that sucker up! Then plop down about a tablespoon...yes a tablespoon...of white sugar. Typically I use raw sugar but white is what we always used growing up and it just melts into the butter a lot easier. Then sprinkle your cinnamon onto the pile of sugar. This part is very important! When we were kids we always looked for the white polka dot in the middle of the toast, cuz that how Dad always did it! You can add as much cinnamon as you like but at least cover your sugar with a thin layer. Then start spreading the sugar around on your toast. You will end up with too much sugar, just shake it off in the sink and if it's really ridiculous scrap a little. Then eat your scrumptious creation!}

{Yum!}

.::the ten: things I hope to do this week::.

...10 things I hope to do this week...

1. cook the gigantic artichokes I bought at the produce stand!

2. make cinnamon sugar toast with my new diy shaker!..will share more soon :)

3. go out with Mom to play with our cameras

4. get back into a routine after being sick

5. take some of Kyla's advice and make my own list of spring to dos

6. post my summer reading list and start flippin pages!

7. on that note...I want to go to the library!

8. wear my new shirt Mom bought me! Stripes!

9. try a new recipe!

10. make a beautiful and easy new necklace!

{Happy Sunday!}

{guest post: diy raw sugar cubes}

{Come visit me over at Justine's blog today! We are making diy raw organic sugar cubes!}

{make do monday: vanilla extract}

{homemade vanilla extract}

 {This is actually pretty ridiculously easy. Directions are barely required. All you really need is vanilla beans (I used 3-4) vodka, and a bottle to mix in. I used a pop top bottle from Ikea.}

 {Simply make a small slice down the middle of the vanilla beans length wise to open them up. Don't cut all the way through. Place the beans in the bottle and fill with vodka to cover your beans.}

{Your concoction needs to sit for at least 2 weeks before you notice a significant difference. Every few days give it a good little shake to mix things up. You'll not the extract getting darker the longer it sits. Store your homemade vanilla extract in a cool dark place. It should last a long long time. As you use your extract you can top it off with vodka as you run low and use the same beans for awhile. if you notice it isn't as strong anymore just add a new vanilla bean or two. It's really that easy and it smells soooo good! Enjoy!}

.::ali::.

{A Load of Crock: Chelsea of Seablanket}

Vegetarian Pineapple + Barbecue Tofu

Hi everyone! It’s Chelsea from Seablanket.com. I’m excited to be wrapping up Allison’s crock pot series, it’s been so fun! This is one of my favorite Crock Pot recipes and is perfect for lettuce wraps or poured over stir-fry veggies and rice with sesame seeds! Not only is it easy and take less than 10 minutes to prepare, but it’s also my favorite way to marinate my tofu.

Ingredients:
-2 containers of Firm Tofu, pressed
-1 1/2 cups Ketchup
-3 Tbsp brown sugar
-2 Tbsp soy sauce
-1 Tbsp Apple Cider vinegar
-1 Tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
-1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
-Salt and Pepper to Taste
-1 can Diced Pineapple, Drained

 Cut up your tofu into 1” cubes. Combine tofu and all ingredients into your crock pot. Stir, cover and cook on low for 5-6 Hours. Stir and serve. Makes 8 Servings

{A Load of Crock: Savannah's spicy chicken curry}

{Hello Ballpoint + pen readers! I'm Savannah from over at Savannah Smiles! This is not your momma's crock pot creation, let me tell you what.  8 hours of simmering, slow cookin' spicy curry chicken. This is my own recipe I adapted from a generic curry chicken recipe to fit our taste more. I am a spicy girl, but the red pepper flakes and chili powder can be omitted if need be!}

{Ingredients}

1 lb. cubed chicken breast

3 gold yukon potatoes

2 1/2 cups water

1 can chicken broth concentrate

1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbs curry powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 Tbs flour

Cube chicken and cook on the stove until all sides are white, though not cooked all the way through.

Cube potatoes and throw them in the slow cooker with the chicken. 

Add all spices + the garlic, toss to spread spices. Add both the chicken broth and water.

Cook on low for 7 1/2 hours.

At 7 1/2 hours add peas. Take some of the broth and mix it with the flour before adding it back into the pot.

Cook an additional 1/2 hour. 

Enjoy!

.::love savannah + ali::.

{A Load of Crock: Justine's pulled pork}

 

{Meet Justine :)}

 Hello Ballpoint and Pen readers! Thank you Ali for having me here!
I was really excited to try out some crockpot recipes especially since I am out of my house for 12+ hours at a time, so time is not on my side. I love the fact that you can throw this stuff in and you have 5 or so hours before its done!  Here is the recipe I used :)

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast, well trimmed

1 package McCormick® Slow Cookers BBQ Pulled Pork Seasoning

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1. Place pork in slow cooker. Mix Seasoning, ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar until blended. Pour over pork. Cover.

2. Cook 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH. Remove pork from slow cooker.

3. Shred pork, using 2 forks. Return pork to slow cooker. Mix and heat with sauce before serving. Serve on sandwich rolls, if desired.

Thanks again guys! 

.::justine + ali::.

{Crock-a-doodle-doo: Breakfast in the pot!}

 {This is kind of an odd ball recipe that I fiddled with, so it turned out a little weird but with some tweaking it could be a winner!}

1/2  a package of shredded frozen hash browns
2 precooked sausages or leftover ham chopped up
1/2 of a onion diced
2 zucchini diced {I added this in}
1 cup shredded cheese
5-6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper

Spray your pot with non stick spray. Dump your hash browns into the crock pot. Spread evenly over the bottom of the pot. In a bowl, mix your eggs, milk, salt, pepper, cheese, sausage and veggies. Pour over your hash browns. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. I did it on low for about 7 hours. If you want to cook it over night and wake up to yummy breakfast, then the low setting is what you want to do. just make sure the eggs are fully cook (how could they not be after 7 hours :) Honestly mine was a bit over cooked, so I would keep an eye on it and shoot for maybe 5-6 hrs on low. Good Luck!

.::ali::.

{A Load of Crock: Steel cut oats with Corynne}

Hey every body! Meet Corynne :) This isn't Corynne's first visit to the blog! See her blog feature here!

I don't bust out the crock pot very often, but I do have a few favorites I like to make in it come winter time.  Cold, dark mornings are not really my thing, so the following recipe comes in handy during those dreary months when I don't want to get out of bed in the morning.  This is a recipe for steel cut oats.  As you may know, steel cut oats take a long time to cook, so the crock pot is the perfect match for them. Throw a few ingredients in your slow cooker before bed and in the morning, voila, breakfast is ready!  Its a different kind of take on your traditional stove top oatmeal.  This is a little more smooth and creamy.

I took a cue from The Kitchen's "Overnight Oatmeal" over at Apartment Therapy a few years ago and made a few tweaks of my own.  

Head over there to see a picture of the oatmeal and their take on overnight oatmeal...

Here's what you need:

1 cup steel cut oats (Make sure you buy steel cut oats! They will look like little hard round pieces.  They don't look like oats at all...)
1 to 2 Tbl brown sugar (You can always sweeten more when serving if needed)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped dried cherries (or other dried fruit)
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup milk or cream
1 tsp vanilla
Any extra fiber you want to add (wheat germ, wheat bran, etc)

Here's what to do:

This tends to stick a little at the bottom so either spray your crock pot with cooking spray, rub with butter, or use a disposable liner.  Add ingredients and stir.  Cover with lid and set your cooker on low.  Cook for 7-8 hours. Serve with milk or cream and sweeten if you like.  Enjoy!

{A Load of Crock: newspaper clipping}

{Load of Crock: lovely link+an exciting purchase!}

{I just bought this lovely little number from Miss. Chelsea over at Seablanket! She just updated her etsy, so you better hurry over before all the pretties are gone!}

{In other news my dear friend Savannah has started a "What the Crock?!" feature, so I thought I'd shared the link for her Apple Crisp recipe! It sounds delish for a raining cold night, which I am currently experiencing! While your over there check out my recent guest post for d.i.y. laundry detergent :)}

good night my friends :) 

.::ali::.

{A Load of Crock: Danielle of Sometimes Sweet}

Hi all! Danielle here, from Sometimes Sweet. When Allison asked me to contribute a crockpot recipe I was super excited- I LOVE my crockpot...and I love this recipe. I think crockpot cooking is awesome- what's better than throwing all of your ingredients into one place and be able to go about your day, all the while your dinner is cooking! Love it. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do and maybe find a new staple in the winter months. Have fun cooking!

Here's what you need:

1 bell pepper
1 onion
olive oil
1 can black beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can corn
1 can tomato paste
2 cans kidney beans
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup water
a liberal amount of your favorite spices- I used: about 1 tbsp of cumin, 1 tbsp of chili powder, 1 tsp of cayenne pepper, 1 tsp of red pepper flakes, sea salt/black pepper to taste.

Easiest directions ever:

1) In a skillet, heat olive oil. Add in chopped onions and peppers. Saute.

2) While the onion/pepper mixture is cooking, add everything else into the crock pot.

3) Add in onion/pepper. Stir.

4) Cover and cook in the crock pot on low for about 5-6 hours.

And wa-la! You have a totally healthy, hearty, filling pot of chili that will last for a few days. This chili is high in fiber, protein and good for your vitamins and minerals. Great stuff. And remember, you can omit or add any sort of ingredients you'd like. Some other things that would be super delicious: jalapenos, veggie "meat" crumbles, carrots, etc!

{Thanks Danielle! This sounds delish! Hope everyone had a love-ly Valentine's!}

.::love ali::.

{A Load of Crock: Clam Chowder}

{Clam chowder}

 {This one turned out pretty great guys! I think you'll want to try this one!}

 6 slices of bacon (I used apple cured bacon cuz its what I had)
2 onions, chopped
5 cans (6.5 oz each) clams, drained (keep the liquid)
6 red potatoes, cubed (I used russet potatoes since I already had some. I think red would be better)
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. black pepper
2 cans (12 oz each) evaporated milk
salt to taste

Chop up bacon and cook in a medium skillet, then saute onions with the bacon until tender. Throw those yummies in the crock pot. Take the reserved clam juice and add water to make 3 cups of liquid. Pour into crock pot. Add potatoes, garlic, and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 5-8 hrs or 1-3 hrs on high. After the initial cook time turn the pot to low if you were on high previously and add reserved clams and milk. Cover again and cook an additional 30-45 mins. You want to be careful when you cook seafood. Make sure not to overcook otherwise the clams can become tough and rubbery. Season to taste.

{It is pretty stinking good, not to mention the yummy smell. It didn't turn out like classic clam chowder, all white and creamy. Instead it turned out more carmel-ly looking. I added some half and half I had but it didn't really help. It didn't really matter though. Let me know if you try this one out!}

.::love ali::.

{A Load of Crock: candies spiced nuts}

 {I tried something a little unconventional in the pot! Candied nuts! It kinda worked..I'll be honest. I may have forgotten about them and they got a little burned. You definitely need to keep the cooker on low for this one! I need to play around with this one a little more to get it right, but it showed promise!}

 2 cups nuts {I used a mixture of pecans and almonds}
a couple tbsp butter..maybe 2-3
1/4 vanilla sugar
1/4 powdered sugar

Toss in your crock pot on high for as long as it takes to melt the butter and sugar. Stir occasionally. Give it a minute to warm up.  It kinda took awhile. I used what i had on hand, so I wouldn't have to spend a lot. You can kinda make this up as you go. Once melted cook on high for 10 min then low for 2 hrs. Keep a close eye on it, because it may not take this long. It depends on your pot. Add your spices of choice. I used a touch of salt and heap of cinnamon. They taste great served warm.

{Test it out! See what you think!}

.::love ali::.