Welcome to Bugs and Brooms!

I love these cookies and so does everyone else in my family!!  Just try the recipe for yourself (you might want to store some in a secret location so that you get a chance to enjoy them - they have a way of disappearing)!!!

Ingredients:

• Two 4 oz sticks of butter - melted but NOT hot
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 9oz package of chocolate chips

As usual, I recommend ALL organic ingredients!

Directions:

• Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small mixing bowl.  Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine sugars and butter.  Add eggs one at a time and vanilla.  Mix well.
• Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix well.
• Fold in the chocolate chips.

PUT entire bowl of dough in the FREEZER to cool - at LEAST 20 minutes but longer if necessary.  Dough should be FIRM!

Preheat oven 375.

Once dough is cool, use a teaspoon to round the dough into balls and place on greased cookie sheets (it is even better if your cookie sheets are also cooled).  If your dough is not cool enough, the cookies will run in the oven and make the edges crispy. 

Bake for around 10 minutes or until the edges are nicely brown and the centers look done.  Cool for at least 5 minutes before moving to wire racks to cool completely.

These are YUMMY, YUMMY, YUMMY!  I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator!

Enjoy!

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If you want an easy, frugal, and yummy salad dressing recipe, this is it!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!  And try to use all organic ingredients if you can:

• 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon juice - to taste
• Basil - to taste
• garlic powder - to taste
• ginger - to taste
• and anything else that suites your fancy

To taste means to add the ingredient until you get the flavor that you want.  Sometimes, I add more lemon juice for a tangy taste; sometimes more garlic or ginger.  It really just depends on my mood. 

Mix all ingredients well and then transfer to a glass storage container and refrigerate (remember there are no preservatives in this dressing).  When you want to use it, take it out of the fridge a little ahead of time to allow the ingredients to mix together - shake well, pour, and eat up!

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This is so yummy and you can freeze it in any size quantity!  This is my basic recipe but you can get more or less creative with it and definitely make it in batch sizes that suite your family needs!  Enjoy!!

NOTE:  I HIGHLY recommend using all-organic ingredients if possible.  If you cannot get all organic, try to get organic items that are high on the ‘dirty dozen’ list.  See http://www.foodnews.org/ for more details.

• 2 lb of meat (we prefer Italian sausage but you can use turkey, beef, etc. and the vegetarians/vegans can just skip the meat altogether or use tofu - use more or less depending on how thick you like your sauce).
• Chopped onion (we are not big onion fans so we only use about 3/4 cup but you can add as much or as little as your taste prefers)
• 3 cups of tomato paste (my recipe for homemade tomato paste coming soon or 1 12 oz can of store bought).
• 3 28 oz cans of tomatoes in puree (my recipe for homemade tomatoes in puree coming soon)
• 2 cups of water - less if you like it thicker (use filtered if you can - it really makes a difference in the taste especially if you are on city water that is full of chlorine)
• 4 -7 cloves of garlic - minced (we use at least 7 and you should use fresh - not out of a can)
• 2 tablespoons of sugar (I use turbinado)
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
• 4 teaspoons of dried basil
• 4 teaspoons pf rosemary
• 2 teaspoons of marjorem
• 2 tablespoons of thyme
• Chopped parsley (fresh if you can get it - I just throw in a handful)
• 2 teaspoons of salt

If you are using a meat or tufu, prepare it ahead of time by cooking with the onion).  I drain the meat and then rinse it with filtered water.

In a large pot, combine the meat with all of the remaining ingredients and bring to a soft boil.  Reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer for at least an hour but preferably 2 hours (you can use your crockpot for this if you prefer - you just want all of the ingredients to blend together with heat).

Let cool and then divide into serving sizes that fit your needs.  I just put equal volumns into freezer safe containers.  When I have spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, or calzones on the menu, I just pull out a container, let it thaw, and then heat it on the stove on low.  My family loves it and I am sure that your’s will too!  Enjoy!

Here are some recipes that you can use with this sauce:

• Homemade spaghetti pasta (yes, the actual pasta - not out of a box)!
• Homemade Italian bread

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This goes great with spaghetti but my DD loves to just eat it by itself.  She also loves to have some fresh Parmesan grated on it - she is really a mouse….

If you are worried about making your own pasta, don’t be - for me the biggest problem is the mess that I leave behind but that is true with whatever I am doing in the kitchen!  The flour is always flying!  My DD enjoys ‘helping’ mommy make pasta and I routinely have to ’share’ my dough with her so that she can ‘cook’ too!  We have so much fun and she isn’t even 3 yet!  Oh the joys of cooking and teaching my DD how to eat healthy!  Enough of that already!  Here is the recipe - again, get creative and make this your own and always use organic when you can or select items high of the ‘dirty dozen’ list:

• 2 cups of whole wheat flour (or all-purpose, unbleached white, etc.)
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt (I always use sea salt)

Combine these ingredients in a mixing bowl and then make a well in the center. 

In a separate bowl, mix:

• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon of soy milk (or any other type of milk that you prefer)
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil

Slowly add this mixture to the well in the flour/salt mixture.  Blend together to form a dough ball.

Lightly flour your work surface and then knead the dough for 5-10 minutes - add more flour if the dough is too sticky).  Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes while you prepare for the next step.

There are 2 ways to make your dough into pasta.  Separate your dough into small, workable balls.  You can use a rolling pin or floured glass to roll the dough out to the thickness that you desire.  Then, using a regular knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into long, thin, strips.  You can make any type of pasta that you want but you might want to start with something relatively simple.  But don’t worry, you will get the hang of it and it will be a lot of fun - a great family activity!  You can also use a pasta maker to roll and cut the dough.  Follow the directions of your specific equipment.

Once the dough is cut, it needs to dry for a few minutes.  If you are going to eat the pasta right away, just get your pot of water on (with a little salt).  You can hang the dough on a pasta drying rack or use wooden spoons balanced on glass rims, or use a broom handle wrapped in plastic and balanced between 2 chairs, or just lay it to dry on a clean, floured surface.  Either method works well.

You can store the dried pasta in an airtight container.  When you are ready to use it, just add it to boiling water and test after a few minutes of boiling!  Enjoy with your homemade spaghetti sauce and Italian bread!

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