suzy homemaker

I mentioned around New Year's Day that I cleaned my apartment from top to bottom.  I swear, when I do this I always feel like my apartment is huge!

I've also been cooking up a storm... not really.  But I have a few cooking adventures to share with you...

I love pretzels.  Like to an unhealthy amount.  For Christmas Mom & Dad gave me pretzel mix that I could make.

I was curious to see how difficult/involved it would be.

It wasn't bad at all.

A couple notes:

-Hey you, yeast, I'm not afraid of you anymore!  (think of our friend in Home Alone)

-Thanks for teaching me how to knead, grandma.  i don't kneed often.  I don't have a lot of counter space.  (don't worry, i recognize this is a poor excuse.)

my beautifully kneaded dough

yum

Sunday night some girls had a tea party I went to and took some cookies.  I took probably the easiest cookies you can make... cake box cookies.

You take any cake box you like add 2 eggs and 1/2 cup oil.  Done.  Cook at 375º for 8-10 minutes.

My favorites:  funfetti cake box or devils food cake box with peanut butter chips

Monday I made a delicious soup (for my lunches this week).

It was probably the least expensive soup I've ever made (seriously under $5) and it made A LOT of soup.

It was so good, I'm going to share this recipe with you from 1000 Vegan Recipes

Mexican Fideo Soup with Pinto Beans

makes 4 servings (unless you want some HUGE servings, it makes at least 6)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

8 ounces fideo, vermicelli, or angel hair pasta, broken into 2-inch pieces (fideo is very easy to find in your grocery store's ethnic section)

1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 (4-ounce) can chopped hot or mild green chiles

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

6 cups vegetable broth or water

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. In a large soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, cover, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute longer.  Remove the onion mixture with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2. In the same pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat, add the noodles, and cook until golden, stirring frequently, 5 to 7 minutes.  Be careful not to burn the noodles.

3. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, chiles, cumin, oregano, broth, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in the onion mixture and simmer until the vegetables and noodles are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.  Ladle into soup bowls, garnish with cilantro, and serve.

Now I'm ready to conquer pizza (including the dough).  I found an awesome recipe I'm excited to try.