Vicky Learns to Cook

 After studying what I need for VGF (Vegan, Gluten Free) Sugar cookies, I realized I don't have what I need for Vegan, since I forgot to get butter replacement. I decided I should break up into Gluten free only, Vegan only, and Vegan Gluten free over the next few weeks. Today would be Gluten Free.   The recipe can be rolled out but it can also be made into drop cookies. Going for something simplistic and at the same time trying out various Valentine's Day sprinkles, I decided I would do a half sprinkled cookie and try various ideas until I came up with something I liked.  First was a set of pink, red, white, and purple hearts. This was cute but I had to be sure to include a good mix of every color or it changed the cookie. Hm...  Kind of a disturbing bleeding heart kind of look, straight out of the oven. And the cookies look like brains.  Maybe these sprinkles were not meant to be cooked? Next was a set of red hearts with gold arrows. Somehow I ended up with a LOT of arrows and

You know how it goes, you have the best of intentions, and maybe even have added flossing and walking the dog to your daily habits. But the food, man, that's a hard habit to break. And the last two days I've let myself snack at night again, probably negating the progress I've made.  Not to let that get me down, I decided that if I blog what I ate all day knowing my faithful readers (both of you!) will see it, it may break me out of this bad habit, at least for today! So, here it is. You're welcome.  BREAKFAST 830am:  Adding herbs to my eggs looks a bit more finished, don't you think? Parsley doesn't add a ton of flavor, but if the egg is good, and the toast is rye, you're probably not going to care. And it's pretty.  Plus it hides the fact that I broke the yolk again. Luckily I cooked it fast and still had some drippy yolk to the dish.  Healthier: used olive oil instead of butter, and less salt.  Not giving up my coffee. I did switch out the cream for 2%

 What makes someone take the time to create a space to play? Sometimes it's inspiration by looking at what other's have done, and seeing the possibilities. I was digging around on the internet and found some focaccia art. It looked interesting and I remember liking focaccia but am trying to eat healthier. I found a whole wheat recipe and decided why not give it a try? So on Sunday I made the dough and let it rise, then slathered it in oil, as one does. The classic dimpled look comes from poking your fingers in the dough and then letting it rise again.  Then you get to play! What you're looking at here is from left to right, top to bottom:  cherry tomato sun,  red onion clouds and mountains, yellow bell pepper and black olive black eyed susans, parsley and dill trees, mini pepper flowers and black olive and black sesame seed rocks and gravel.  I wanted something blue for water ,but there are no naturally blue vegetables.  I may have to go sweet instead of savory for a beach

 Jan 9, 2022 What can you do with one chicken? This week my hubby went to the local store. He asked that question that brings the deer in the headlights for me - do I need anything? I can never remember when he asks. I typically do have something but its gone out of my head when he is about to get whatever it is. Dumb brain.   I'd ordered chicken in my Kroger Click list, but for some reason they were out of chicken! This rarely happens. I remembered as he was about to leave that I needed chicken breast, but would take any form.  He came back with a whole chicken.  I grabbed my boning knife and began cutting down the breast bone.  The breast comes off in what we consider boneless chicken breast with a layer called the chicken tender, smaller piece.  With both sides breasts removed, I flipped over the bird and looked at the leg quarters I cut along the thigh, bending the leg and thigh to find the right place.  The leg quarter then bends back and pops the hip joint, You can easily cut