Recipes from a Kansas Cook

Hearty Potato Soup

2011-01-21T18:25:00.000-08:00

I found our favorite potato soup recipe!!! It's been missing for months and I wasn't quite able to duplicate it without the recipe. But what was lost is now found!!

Wow. I think I just likened soup to the biblical prodigal son. ouch.

Anywho, here is the World Famous Hearty Potato Soup Recipe

6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 carrots, diced
6 celery ribs, diced
2 quarts water
1 onion, chopped
6 Tablespoons butter or margarine
6 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups milk

Cook potatoes, carrots, and celery in water until tender, about 20 minutes.
Reserving the liquid, drain the vegetables and set them aside. (I set my strainer on top of my Pampered Chef super-sized measuring cup to catch the liquid.)
In the same pot, saute onions in butter until soft.
Stir in flour, salt, and pepper.
Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thickened.
Gently stir in cooked vegetables.
Add reserved cooking liquid, 1 cup at a time, until soup is the desired consistency.
Serve as is, or make it a loaded hearty potato soup by sprinkling crisp bacon and shredded cheese on top.

Waffle cones

2011-01-20T18:23:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the circumstances that drive me to try a new recipe are beyone strange. For example, today Jay treated three of the girls to Call Hall for ice cream, Maggie snuck sugar multiple times today (tomorrow's going to U.G.L.Y.) and I'm hungry for a snack and too broke to go out for ice cream.

Thus, waffle cones. Because I don't have to share (they are full from the sweet snack) and it doesn't have to be sugar/cinnamon free (because Maggie is in trouble) and I have all the ingredients (so no run to town.)

And if you're going to do waffle cones, who better to mimic than Miss Butter Herself, Paula Deen.

1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 stick butter, melted (see, Paula Deen at her best!)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
Nonstick cooking spray

Beat sugar, vanilla, and eggs until cream.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, and salt.
Whisk the dry ingredients into the sugar/egg mixture.
Spray waffle iron (or even better, a pizzelle iron, but since I don't have one of those, a waffle iron)
Pour 3/4 Tablespoons batter onto iron and cook until baked and brown.
While still hot, I pushed them into a cupcake pan to make little waffle bowls. They'll come out squishy but will harden to a crisp as they sit.
Once cooled, serve with a scoop of ice cream.

Consolidation

2010-12-26T21:07:00.000-08:00

I hate not finishing anything, and that includes not posting regularly. So, to make 2011 a less failing year, I'm consolidating my blogs. Recipes, including a 2011 menu, will be posted over at shadowmama.blogspot.com. This blog will be eliminated in January.

Roberta's Sloppy Joes

2010-12-07T18:33:00.000-08:00

Since I got to do homage to my Grandma Pete in the last post, I thought I'd honor someone else's mom in this one. No, it's not my grandmother-in-law, Roberta, although she's sent me some fabulous recipes. This recipe comes from my August-Mom friend Sue, straight from her mom's recipe cards. And every time I make it, someone asks for the recipe. Super easy, super yummy, super sloppy. :)

Roberta's Sloppy Joes

1 1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup ketchup
4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons dry yellow mustard
1 bag frozen corn (that's my mom's addition...gotta have corn in sloppy joes)
Hamburger buns

Brown the beef and drain off any grease.
Add all other ingredients and bring to a simmer.
Simmer for 20 minutes and serve -- OR -- spoon the meat mixture into a crockpot and cook on low for 2-4 hours.
Serve on hamburger buns.

Broccoli Soup

2010-12-05T18:17:00.000-08:00

Well, after that last post, there was a fight in our fridge. Seems that broccoli felt a bit bent out of shape and cauliflower getting all the attention. And so, to make peace within the cruciferous family, here is my absolutely favorite broccoli recipe, via my never-forgotten Grandma Pete:

Grandma Pete's Broccoli Cheese Soup
(makes enough for 8-10 people)

3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons onion, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
12-oz package frozen broccoli OR 1 head fresh broccoli, chopped and steamed (I use the Ziploc steam bags)
8-oz package wavy wide egg noodles
6 cup milk
pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound Velveeta, chopped

Melt butter in a large saucepan.
Add onions and saute until translucent.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Add the noodles and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the broccoli:

If using frozen broccoli, add it and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
If using fresh broccoli, steam it in the microwave. Add it to the saucepan and immediately go to the next step.

Add the milk, pepper, and garlic powder. Reduce heat to low.
Add the Velveeta and cook until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally.

Cauliflower Soup

2010-12-03T18:07:00.000-08:00

I'm borrowing this from Pioneer Woman. I haven't tried many of her recipes, but if all are as good as this one, then I'm game!

FYI, if you want some fresh, locally grown cauliflower, carrots and bok choy, you can order it through our CSA at http://www.rvp.locallygrown.net/

Cauliflower Soup

1-2 heads cauliflower, chunked
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 stalks bok choy or celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablepoons dried or fresh parsley
2 quarts chicken broth
4 (more) tablespoons butter
2 cups whole milk
6 tablespoons flour
1 cup half-and-half

In a large saucepan, melt the butter or margarine.
Add the onion and stir until translucent.
Add the carrots and bok choy. Stir for 2-3 minutes, until they start to soften.
Add the cauliflower and stir together.
Add the parsley and (again) stir.
Cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Add 2 quarts of chicken broth. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to simmer.
In a separate saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter.
While that is melting, in a separate bowl, whisk together milk and flour. (I used my salad dressing mixer and it worked great! Just don't forget to relieve the pressure after mixing it; otherwise the lid pops off the top and across the room. It was pretty cool, but... back to the recipe)
Add the milk/flour mixture to the melted butter, making a white sauce. Stir constantly while it thickens.
Add half-and-half to the white sauce.
Pour the white sauce into the cauliflower pan and stir until well combined.
Let simmer for 15-20 minutes and enjoy!

Three meals in one

2010-12-01T17:55:00.000-08:00

With our crazy schedule and limited income, we are all about re-using leftovers in some creative way. Some of them don't work and end up being dumped. Others, like these three recipes, are definite repeats.

Day 1: Pork and Beans

1 pound ham hocks
1 16-oz bag pinto beans
6 cups water

Add all three ingredients to a very large crock pot. (Keep in mind the beans will more than double in size while they cook.)
Turn on high for 8-10 hours, until beans are soft.
Serve with warm cornbread... at least that's how we do it in our house.

Simple, right? Now, expect leftovers and use them in this recipe:

Day 2: Taco Soup

1-2 cup leftover pinto beans with ham pieces (be sure to remove any bone)
1 pound ground beef
1 package Taco Bell taco seasoning
1 bag frozen corn
1 cup chopped bell pepper
2 cups shredded cheese
sour cream
tortilla chips, optional

Cook the ground beef thoroughly.
Mix together, in a large saucepan, the beef, beans/ham, taco seasoning, corn, and bell pepper. Cook on medium heat until the corn in cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Serve topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

Egg Drop Soup

2010-11-29T17:55:00.000-08:00

Hey, did I mention I'm in school full-time this year? Ya... doesn't leave much time for posting. But, I've found so many new recipes in the past month that I really want to share them. First on the list, Egg Drop Soup. If you've only ever had Egg Drop Soup at a buffet restaurant, then give this a try. It's the real deal and SO much better.

Egg Drop Soup

4 cups water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 green onions, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Boil the water in a medium saucepan. Add the bouillon cubes and boil until dissolved.
Remove 2 tablespoons of the chicken bouillon broth and put in a small bowl.
Add ginger and soy sauce to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
To the 2 tablespoons broth, add 1 tablespoon corn starch. Stir until dissolved.
Slowly add the corn starch mixture to the saucepan, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
In a separate bowl, slightly beat the two eggs.
Reduce the heat on the saucepan to simmer. Gently pour in the eggs, stirring constantly in one direction for two minutes.
Add the green onions. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Serve warm with wonton strips.

Baked Pigs in a Blanket

2010-08-31T18:54:00.000-07:00

I have a confession. Hotdogs are my go-to meal with the kids. They are easy, ready quickly, and cheap. Nutritious? eh... probably not so much.

Still, even hotdogs need spruced up every once in a while. This recipe takes about 25 minutes, start to finish, and the end result is yummy enough for even the adults to enjoy.

Baked Pigs In A Blanket

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted cold butter cut into small pieces
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup buttermilk
8 long hot dogs

Preheat the oven to 400 degree F and grease a large baking sheet.
Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl.
Add the butter and and rub it in until the dough becomes crumbly.
Stir the cheese in the dough and make sure it is evenly distributed.
Create a crater in the dough and add the buttermilk. Using a wooden spoon, stir well and let it stay for around 3 minutes.
Turn the dough on floured surface.
Pat the dough in a rectangle that is about 15 inches by 7 inches.
Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough into 8 rectangles.
Roll the rectangles around the hotdogs and seal edges. Place seam-side down on baking sheet.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

2010-08-29T18:53:00.000-07:00

For years, I have looked for a breakfast that I could put in the crock pot the night before. It had to be something the kids would eat but not too loaded with sugar. And, I didn't want bread pudding. After many failed attempts, I found this one. It's simple and tasty.

Breakfast Casserole

12 eggs, beaten
14 slices bread
2 1/4 cups milk
2 1/2 cups Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 pound sausage, cooked and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard

Grease the sides of the crock pot with butter.
Spread mustard on one side of the bread and cut bread into fourths.
Make layers in the crock pot of bread, followed by sausage, followed by cheese, ending with a cheese layer.
Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper together. Pour over crock pot mixture.
Cover and cook on LOW heat setting for 8 to 12 hours.

Tortilla Roll-Ups

2010-08-11T16:10:00.000-07:00

Easy Roll-Ups

The girls wanted roll-ups for supper tonight, so I made my usual pickle roll-ups. Knowing Natalie doesn’t like things too spicy, I made a second kind of roll-up with turkey meat. While I love the pickle ones, the turkey roll-ups were delicious!

Corned beef lunchmeat
Deli turkey, extra thin
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup miracle whip
2 tablespoons Ranch dip mix
shredded cheddar cheese
7 tortilla wraps

Mix together the cream cheese, miracle whip, and ranch dressing.
Spread cream cheese mix over tortillas.
For pickle roll-ups, place corned beef on cream cheese mix and spread pickle relish on corned beef.
For turkey roll-ups, place turkey on cream cheese mix and sprinkle shredded cheese on turkey.
Roll tortillas, jelly-roll style.
Place in refrigerator for at least one hour.
After an hour, cut tortilla roll-ups into 1-inch pieces. Serve cold.

Celebrating with food

2010-07-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

I love the Fourth of July! Not only do you get to make things explode and spend as much time outside as possible, but you get the celebrate with friends, family, and food!

Our holiday menu includes Stuffed Hamburgers, red and blue potato chips, lots of cherry tomatoes, and frozen bananas with chocolate shell over them.

How about you?

Cheese-Stuffed Zucchini Squash

2010-06-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year, when zucchini is almost as plentiful as mosquitoes... almost. I try to find as many creative uses for zucchini as possible, for ourselves and for those who are buying the produce at our farmers markets. This one was DEEE-licious!

Stuffed Zucchini Squash

4 large-ish zucchini, about 3 inches in diameter
1 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon parsley
1/2-3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
3 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup mozerella cheese

Boil zucchini, whole, for 10 minutes. Remove from water and let cool to the touch.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut zucchini lengthwise and scoop out all the pulp. Save the pulp for later! Place zucchini in a casserole dish. (I needed to use two because I had such large zucchini halves.)
Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add onions and carrot and cook until onions are translucent.
Meanwhile, mush the zucchini pulp with a potato masher or fork.
Stir the zucchini pulp into the skillet with the onions and carrots. Add the bread crumbs, sour cream, cream cheese, 1/2 cup cheese, parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir over low heat until cheeses are melted.
Spoon the cheese-zucchini stuffing into the zucchini halves.
Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup mozerella cheese on top of the zucchini. Broil for 3-4 minutes, until cheese is melted and stuffing starts to golden.

Summer Garden Casserole

2010-06-29T15:04:00.000-07:00

We picked a Napa cabbage this week and, it was so huge, I stretched it out into three meals. The first meal, we made a Napa cabbage salad. The second, we had cole slaw. And the third, I intended to make cabbage rolls. But, the leaves remaining weren't big enough to roll around the meat. So, I put together this summer garden casserole from a few different recipes.

Summer Garden Casserole
2-3 cups of cabbage leaves
4-5 carrots, cut matchstick-style
4-5 small onions, diced
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cup cooked steamed rice
10-12 small new potatoes, cut in half
1 pound ground beef, thawed
1-2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce
1 can pureed tomatoes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar

Sauted diced onion in olive oil until translucent. Set aside to cool.
Mix together ground beef, onion, minced garlic, rice, salt, and pepper.
Place cabbage leaves in a microwave-safe bowl with 3-4 tablespoons of water.
Microwave cabbage leaves in covered dish for two minutes.
Make sauce by combining tomatoes, garlic powder, white vinegar and sugar in a saucepan. Heat to a simmer.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a dutch pan, place carrot matchsticks.
Layer steamed cabbage leaves on top of carrots.
Place new potatoes on top of cabbage leaves.
Mix meat mixture with 1/4 cup (or so) of tomato sauce. Mix well and form into 1-inch balls. Place meat balls on top of cabbage leaves.
Pour remaining sauce over meat balls.
Cover the casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Sprinkle with cheddar cheese for the last 5 minutes, if desired. And we desire it, because we are a cheese kind of family.

Weekly menu, June 13-19

2010-06-11T06:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been posting many recipes. We've been on rerun mode, as far as cooking. Most of what I've made lately are things I've already posted or are old standbys. But, I do still have our menu to share, and this week has some new items on it. I'm just hoping Sunday night is a bit cooler, so I won't mind heating up the oven for baked potatoes and yummy chicken! The good news is that, despite our go-go-going and K&M home from school, our grocery bill has dropped considerably. That is due in large part to our garden veggies.

Sunday, June13
Chef salad
Twice baked potatoes, parmesean chicken

Monday, June14
Dipping lunch
Tacos

Tuesday, June 15
Taco salad
Vegetable stir-fry

Wednesday, June 16
Hot dogs, Mac-N-Cheese salad
Picnic supper

Thursday, June 17
Sandwiches
Fish sticks, mac-n-cheese

Friday, June 18
Cheesy tacos
Tater tot casserole

Saturday, June 19
Leftovers
Stuffed pasta shells

French Toast Casserole, aka Hot Dog Bun Breakfast

2010-06-01T05:54:00.000-07:00

Hot dog buns were on sale for 68 cents for a pack of 8. At that price, I had to pick up a bag, even if we don't eat buns with our hot dogs. Since we are big breakfast eaters around here, I decided to make it into a breakfast.

6 hot dog buns, cubed
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon alspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/3 cup Splenda or sugar
1/2 cup raisins
2-3 Tablespoons butter or margarine
Syrup or powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x9 dish with Pam.
Beat together eggs, milk, sugar and spices.
Add the buns (cubed) and raisins until the bread is covered.
Pour egg/bread mixture into the dish.
Bake 40 minutes.
Add butter and about 3 tablespoons of syrup to the casserole. Bake 5-10 more minutes.
Serve with syrup or powdered sugar.

Katie added, "If you don't have a sugar allergy in your family, you could top it with a dusting of confectioner's sugar to make it fancy." I think she's watched too much Food Network.

Weekly menu, May 30-June 5

2010-05-30T13:02:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 30
Ham sandwiches
Pasta and grilled chicken

Monday, May 31
Hot dogs, chips
Leftovers

Tuesday, June 1
Cheesy tacos
BBQ ribs

Wednesday, June 2
Grilled cheese
Homemade pizza

Thursday, June 3
Chef salad
Zucchini lasagne

Friday, June 4
Hot dogs
Kabobs

Saturday, June 5
Ham
Kid kabobs

Squash Blossoms

2010-05-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

Some meals are just sustenance. Others are good, repeatable, respectable. Then there are the 'Oh-my-goodness-I-get-the-last-one-can-we-make-it-again-tomorrow" meals. These fried squash blossoms fall into the third category. YUM! Trust me...they are delicious. This recipe is a combination of three different recipes and makes a creamy filling with an Italian flare.

Fried Squash Blossoms
12 squash blossoms
Oil for frying

Filling:
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 Tablespoon sour cream
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Batter:
1/2 cup flour
4 Tablespoons corn starch
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare the filling by mixing all the filling ingredients until well blended. Put it in the fridge to set up, while you prepare the batter and squash blossoms.
Mix together the flour, corn starch, and salt. Whisk in the water until smooth. Place it in the fridge while you prepare the squash blossoms.
Prepare squash blossoms by gently washing them to remove any dirt or bugs. Remove the stamen from the inside of each petal. Spin gently, one at a time, to remove any excess water. Set on a paper towel while you prepare the remaining blossoms.
Pour 1-inch of vegetable oil into a pan. Heat on medium-high heat until the oil sizzles if you add water to it.
While the oil heats, construct the blossoms. Pick up one blossom and add about 2 teaspoons of filling to it. Gently twist the pedals to close. Dredge the blossom through the batter until coated on both side. Set on a plate while you prepare the remaining blossoms.
Turn off the preheated oven and place a cookie sheet in it.
Once the oil is heated, gently place the filled blossoms in the oil and fry for 3-4 minutes, turning halfway through, until the batter turns golden. Once the blossoms are fried, place them on the cookie sheet in the oven to stay warm while you fry the remaining blossoms.

How to construct the blossoms

Best Hamburger Ever!

2010-05-25T04:30:00.000-07:00

My menu, which I made back in December, said "inside out hamburgers." And so, I bought some hamburger buns, thawed some ground beef, and got creative.

The Best Burgers EVER

1 pound hamburger, thawed
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 cup cream cheese
5 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
5 teaspoons bacon bits
1/3 cup shredded cheese
5 hamburger buns
miracle whip

Preheat the grill.
Mix the hamburger, barbecue sauce, salt and pepper. Divide the hamburger in half.
Using half the hamburger, make five very thin patties and place on a plate.
On each patty, add a cube of cream cheese, a teaspoon of relish, teaspoon of bacon bits, and a sprinkle of cheese.
Make 5 thin patties with the remaining hamburger. Place the patties on top of the cream-cheesed patties. Seal the edges.
Grill the hamburgers. (Here's a how-to for the novice grillers.)
For extra pizzazz, toast the hamburger buns lightly on the grill.
Put a litte miracle whip on each top bun. Place the cooked hamburgers on the buns and serve.

Weekly menu: May 23-29

2010-05-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 23
Fajitas
Inside out hamburgers

Monday, May 24
Ham sandwiches
Stuffed peppers

Tuesday, May 25
Chef salad
Leftovers

Wednesday, May 26
Frozen lunch/cheese quesadillas
Crockpot round steak

Thursday, May 27
Leftovers
Dipping supper

Friday, May 28
PBandJ, fruit salad
Meatballs and fried rice

Saturday, May 29
Spinach-stuffed squash
Round steak roll-ups

Snack mixes

2010-05-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine introduced me to the greatness of snack mix, especially when you have little kids in the house and lots of activities to run to. We have a few favorite mixes, but I'd love to hear what other ideas you have.

Chocolatey
Cheerios (honey nut or chocolate)
Teddy grahams
M&Ms
Raisins
Pretzels

Cheesy
Shredded wheat cereal
Goldfish crackers
Cheese nips or Cheez-its
Cheesy popcorn
Pretzel sticks

Fruity
Fruit loops
Raisins
Craisin
Banana chips
Teddy grahams
White chocolate chips

Weekly Menu: May 16-22

2010-05-15T20:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 16
Waffles
Hot dogs/Brats and salad
Chicken nuggets

Monday, May 17
Spinach salad and leftover chicken
Grilled chops and salad

Tuesday, May 18
Cheese quesadillas
Out

Wednesday, May 19
Frozen lunch
Peach jalapeno ham and potatoes

Thursday, May 20
Picnic lunch
Leftovers

Friday, May 21
Ham sandwich
Taco Salad

Saturday, May 22
Grilled kabobs and orange spinach salad
Grilled steak and potatoes

Pork Meatballs

2010-05-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

It's 4:30 p.m. The kids are starting to ask what's for supper, even though we all had a big lunch. I have very little in the fridge (need to go grocery shopping) but plenty of meat to chose from. The answer: Meatballs and Rice

2-3 Tablespoons oil
1 pound ground pork
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 cup Stove Top
1 egg
2/3 cup Kraft Asian Sesame Dressing

Heat oil in a skillet at medium-high heat.
Combine first four ingredients and form into 1-inch meatballs.
Place sausage in skillet. Cook on medium-high heat with the cover on.
Turn after 3-5 minutes, once they start to brown. Cook 3-5 minutes more, until cooked through.
Add Asian Sesame dressing. Bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, let it boil for 3-5 minutes, until thickened.

Serve over rice.

Hello, again!

2010-05-12T07:32:00.000-07:00

Let's just say, something had to give, and this blog was it. Now that the insanity has passed, it's time for me to get back on the wagon of eating at home, saving money, and finding creative new recipes...just in time for the garden to start producing in bulk.

We had some lettuce volunteer very early this year and let it grow, just to see if it would taste good. Lettuce wraps seemed the ideal recipe to try, with leaves that look like this:

My sister-in-law had mentioned making Lettuce Chicken Wraps from PF Chang's recipe, but after looking at it, I didn't have most of the key ingredients. A little more searching found this recipe, but again, I didn't have all the essentials. So, I improvised. I substituted white radish and turnip for the water chestnut -- YUM! And, the sauce wasn't exactly how they said to make it but it was delicious. From start to eating, including picking the veggies from outside, this meal took about 35 minutes.

Ingredients:

8 large lettuce leaves

2-3 Tablespoons canola oil

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed

3-4 white radishes

1 small turnip

1 small onion

6 baby carrots, or one big carrot

1/4 cup almond slivers

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 Tablespoon soy sauce

4 Tablespoons white vinegar

3 teaspoons EVOO

1. Wash the lettuce and lay flat.

2. Prep work: Cut thawed boneless skinless chicken breasts into thin strips. Dice carrots into matchsticks. Dice 1 small onion. Peel and slice 3 white radishes and 1 small turnip.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Stir fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes until cooked through. Drain.

4. Return skillet to heat. Add garlic, turnip, radishes, onions, carrots, almonds, pepper and ginger to the chicken. Stir fry for about 5 minutes, until radishes and onions soften and almonds start to turn golden brown.

5. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the garlic powder, red pepper flakes, vinegar, olive oil and soy sauce.

6. To serve, lay a lettuce leaf on each plate. Top with a spoon full of the chicken mixture. Spoon the sauce over the chicken mixture. Roll up, burrito style.

My girls don't like anything spicy, so their lettuce wraps had Western dressing on them instead of the red pepper sauce. Also for the girls' sake, they had asked for oven-baked french fries. That's not what I would normally serve with this, but a peaceful dinner is a beautiful thing.

The only bad part about this meal: no leftovers for lunch today.

Ways to improve: Add 2 tablespoons teryaki sauce to the sauce mixture. Add fresh ginger instead of ginger "powder". Add more almonds.

April Menu, better late than never

2010-04-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

April 2010
Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
				1 Green eggs and toast Ham sandwiches April Fools meal: faux chicken nuggets, potato cupcakes	2 Donut day Frozen meal Tuna hoagies	3 Toast and jam Leftovers Pork lo mein and egg rolls
4-Easter Sunday Pancakes Ham and sweet potatoes Deviled eggs, leftovers	5 Egg burrito Frozen lunch Leftovers	6 Cereal PBJ sandwiches, chips Bierocks casserole	7 PB toast Leftovers Crockpot chicken	8 Toast and fruit Leftovers Grilled kabobs and rice	9 Donut day Leftovers Cheese quesadillas and nachos	10 Scrambled eggs Tacos Chicken pasta, breadsticks
11 Waffles Baked pigs-in-a-blanket Crockpot Roast	12 Toast and jam Frozen meal BBQ beef, cole slaw	13 Waffles Fajitas Grilled pork chops, pasta salad	14 Waffles Leftovers Fried Chicken meal	15 Cereal Leftovers Fried chicken salad	16 Donut day Leftovers Kid kabobs	17-5-Star Pig Sale Cereal Picnic lunch OUT
18 Cereal Sloppy joes and chips Breakfast supper	19 Egg sandwich Frozen lunch Crockpot lasagne	20 Toast and jam Leftovers Enchiladas	21 PB toast Leftovers Hot dogs and mac-n-cheese	22 Cereal French fries and baked nuggets Orange chicken rice bowl	23 Donut day Leftover lunch Homemade pizza	24 Cereal and fruit Grilled burgers, baked beans Grilled pork chops, salad
25 Waffles Leftovers Fajitas	26-Lainie’s birthday PB toast Leftovers Lainie’s choice	27 Cereal Leftovers Stuffed pasta	28 Egg sandwich Leftovers Pork stir fry	29 Toast and fruit Leftovers Grilled kabobs	30 PBJ Leftovers Quesadillas, super nachos

Orange-Chicken Rice Bowl

2010-03-30T15:32:00.000-07:00

These days, my priorities in the kitchen are:

easy
cheap
nutritious
yummy

This Orange-Chicken Rice Bowl recipe from Kraft Foods fits all those priorities. It takes about 30 minutes, including prep. The flavor is sweet enough that my girls love it, yet flavorful for the adult tastes. To make it seem more like take-out, we cheat and pick up a few egg rolls from Ray's (local grocery store).

Mexican Corn-Chicken Chowder

2010-03-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

My favorite type of cooking is piecing together three or four different recipes and creating something new, hoping the result is tasty enough for everyone in our family to enjoy it. This weekend's invention was a definite hit.

Mexican Corn-Chicken Chowder

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 Tablespoon cumin
1/2 Tablespoon southwest seasoning or chili powder
10-12 splashes of hot sauce
1 can cream-style corn
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
2 cups Monterey jack/cheddar cheese mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
1 diced bell pepper (or Anaheim, jalapeno, or banana pepper for added heat)
1 diced tomato

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, chicken, cumin, and southwest seasoning. Cook until chicken is cooked thoroughly, about 6 minutes.
Add corn, creamed corn, cheese, sour cream, diced pepper, and milk. Stir until mixed thoroughly. Reduce heat to medium.
Add hot sauce and additional cumin or southwest seasoning to achieve desired spiciness.
Continue cooking until heated thoroughly, about 10-15 minutes.
Just before serving, stir in chopped tomato, if desired.
Serve topped with tortilla chips and extra cheese.

Blogger Borrowing

2010-03-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

Borrowing a recipe from a friend tonight. Yummy breakfast casserole, via Anne. Check it out and try it!

Sloppy Joes, slow-cooker style

2010-03-07T15:08:00.000-08:00

From my friend, Sue, who got it from her mom, Roberta, who got it from a co-worker back in 1962. A good recipe will spread faster and last longer than ANY gossip! And like gossip, it changes a bit as it passes from one person to another. I added corn to sneak in some vegetables, and Sue adjusted it for crockpot.

1 - 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 to 3/4 cup ketchup
4 Tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
1/2 cup water
1 can corn, drained
1/8 to 1/4 cup white vinegar
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
Chopped onion and green pepper, optional
salt and pepper, to taste

Brown meat and drain. Add all other ingredients and pour into crockpot. Cook on low for 4 hours, or until warm throughout. Serve on hamburger buns.

March Menu

2010-03-01T08:03:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to figure out the best way to publish the monthly menu. I have it in a Microsoft Word calendar, so I can print out a month at a time. Here, it is in a jpg file or, below, as a text list. I'm still not sure which format is most useful. Suggestions?

March 2010 Menu

Egg burrito

Leftovers

Crockpot tacos

Waffles

Sandwiches

Ham

PB toast

Frozen meal

Super nachos

Cereal

Ham pockets

Leftovers

Oatmeal

Frozen meal

Grilled tilapia and cheesy broccoli

Scrambled eggs

Sandwiches, chips

Pizza roll

Waffles

Pizza roll

Salad, baked pork steak

Waffles

Leftovers

Fajitas

Oatmeal

Grilled cheese

Vegetable soup

Toast and fruit

Leftovers

Crockpot meatballs

Cereal

Leftovers

Broccoli cheese soup

Donut day

Leftovers

Fish sticks and mac-n-cheese

Pancakes

Sandwiches

Pork roast, potatoes

Biscuits and gravy

BBQ pork

Chili and rolls

PB Toast

Leftovers

Frito pie

Cereal

Apple-spinach salad

Tomato soup and grilled cheese

Egg sandwich

Leftovers

Frozen pizza

Oatmeal

Cheesy tacos

Meat balls and rice

Donut Day

Frozen meal

Tuna cakes

Omelets

Leftovers

Glazed ham, salad

Waffles

Hot dogs and beans

Cheesy potatoes and ham casserole

Egg burrito

Leftovers

Poptarts

Sandwiches

Spanish rice

Poptart

Leftovers

Pork stir fry

Poptarts

Leftovers

Potato soup

Donut Day

Leftover

Creole shrimp and rice

Pancakes

Leftovers

Beef roast

Scrambled eggs

BBQ beef, chips

Lasagne

Toaster strudel

Leftovers

Toast and jam

Sandwiches

Orange-chicken rice bowl

Cereal

Leftovers

Fried rice, egg rolls

Creamy Tomato-Basil Soup

2010-02-21T10:14:00.000-08:00

I love this soup! It's so yummy and easy, and the kids don't fight us eating it. The recipe calls for canned tomatoes, but we have substituted fresh tomatoes in the summer or frozen tomatoes in the winter. Did you know that if you core and freeze whole tomatoes, the skin falls right off when you are ready to use them?

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
EVOO
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 Tablespoon flour
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
14 oz can diced tomatoes
14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil

In a large stock pot, saute onion over medium heat in oil until soft and translucent.
Add salt, pepper, dried basil, and flour. Cook for a few minutes.
Whisk in chicken broth to flour mixture until mixed thoroughly.
Add tomatoes and stir. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in baking soda and sugar. (The baking soda (base) will react with the tomatoes (acid) and foam up like a elementary school science experiment. The kids LOVE watching this part, and it's a great opportunity for an impromptu science lesson.)
Reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Add half-and-half and fresh basil.
Stir and simmer for at least 5 minutes. Turn heat to low until ready to serve.

My family likes to add Goldfish crackers for the kids, or shredded cheese for the adults.

Sausage-Broccoli Puff

2010-02-15T13:50:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from a cookbook handed down to me by my grandmother-in-law. My grandmothers have both passed away, but Grandma Pete's memory lives on in my kitchen, thanks to her Broccoli-Cheese Soup. Not having my grandmas makes me that more appreciative of my grandmothers-in-law and their recipes!

Back to the recipe. It's super-easy, looks fancy, and makes a light, fluffy crust that the kids (and Jay) fight over.

Sausage-Broccoli Puff

1/4 cup butter, cubed
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms, or 1 small can of mushroom stems and pieces (optiona)
1 small onion, sliced into rings
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound bulk pork sausage
3 cups frozen chopped broccoli
1/3 cup uncooked instant rice, or 1 cup cooked white rice
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Place butter in a glass 9-in. pie plate; place in a 400° oven for 2-3 minutes or until butter is melted. Remove from the oven.
In a bowl, whisk milk, flour, eggs and salt until smooth; pour into hot pie plate.
Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until puffed and golden.
Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in butter until tender; remove and set aside.
In the same skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
Stir in broccoli and rice. Cook until tender. (If using cooked rice, cook the broccoli tender before adding the rice.)
Stir in mushroom mixture and cheese. Cover and keep warm.
When pancake is removed from oven, immediately spoon filling into center and serve.

Parmesan Chicken for Valentine's Da

2010-02-14T14:41:00.000-08:00

For our Valentine's Day lunch, we had Parmesan Chicken, garlic green beans, and lemon-butter fried potatoes. YUM! The chicken recipe comes from my good friend, Cydnee:

Baked Parmesan Chicken
4-6 chicken tenders, boneless and skinless
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

Mix together mayo, cheese and garlic powder.
Spread mayo mixture over each chicken tender. Then coat with bread crumbs.
Place on a greased baking sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

To make it an extra special day for Katie, we let her have full rein on decorating the dining room table. I gave her a book that showed the "proper" way to set a table and off she went. It was complete with a white tablecloth, red ribbon, roses, and candles, a chocolate heart for each of us and small Valentine's gift from the girls' V-day stash. It was lovely and, more importantly, made my HGTV-girl so proud of herself! I'll try to post pictures later.

Pink Pancakes for Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T14:33:00.001-08:00

I love making Valentine's Day special for my girls. Jay and I aren't the romantic-type but we do appreciate good food and the time it takes to make a really good meal. So, instead of heading out to a restaurant and throwing down $30, I had planned some nice meals today, starting with Pink Pancakes.

One of the purchases that stopped this year, in my attempt to cut down our grocery bill, was Bisquik. That stuff is expensive, especially when you have as many big pancake eaters as we do! We have three pancake recipes we use, but the one below is the easiest and probably my favorite. The strawberries are a special-occasion-only addition.

Pink Pancakes

2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar (brown or white)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tub frozen strawberries, thawed

Beat eggs in medium bowl until fluffy.
Add in remaining ingredients, except strawberries. Mix until smooth.
Pour in the juice from the strawberries. Don't worry if one or two strawberries falls in. Mix until just blended.
Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat.
Pour about 1/2 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook until it is fluffy, bubbles appear in the batter, and the edges just start to turn golden. Then flip and cook until edges are just turning golden brown.
Serve with remaining strawberries and optional syrup and whipped cream.

Chili

2010-02-08T13:57:00.000-08:00

Most of the time, I cherish the time we have with our kids. I listen to all the sweet old ladies who tell me to enjoy my beautiful family, because they grow up too fast. I know the time will pass quicker than I want it to...most of the time. But there are a few insignificant things that I will enjoy when the girls are older. One of those things: 4-alarm chili. Of course, by then, I probably won't be able to hand the hot stuff like I do know. Such is the irony of life!

Anywho, below is my chili recipe. If you have small kids or a wimpy tongue, skip the ingredients in red. If you are adventurous and think Hot Sauce adds flavor, not heat, then go for it!

Chili

1 pound ground beef
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 jalapeno peppers, cored and seeded (unless you like it hot; then keep the seeds)
1 Anaheim pepper, cored and seeded
3 cayenne peppers, whole (stem and all, just throw it in)
6-8 shakes of Louisiana Hot Sauce
2 cans chili beans
1 can red beans
1 can diced tomatoes or Ro-Tel

Add the onions and ground beef to a skillet. Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, and half the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook on medium-high heat until meat in brown and onion is translucent.
To a crockpot, add all other ingredients, including remaining spices. Stir in the beef-onion mixture.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Remove cayenne peppers, or give them to the guy who claims there is nothing too hot for him. :)
Serve with saltines, cheddar cheese, and hot sauce. (Jay adds ketchup to his, but I consider that a major party-foul!)

Don't worry if it seems like this makes too much for your family. You can turn the leftovers into chili dogs or Frito Pie...two meals, 1 day of cooking!

Super Bowl Spread

2010-02-06T20:19:00.000-08:00

I am anxiously awaiting tomorrow night's Super Bowl. Not only is my boy Peyton in THE game with his fellow Colts, but we get to watch it at our friends' house, where the kids will have space to freely run about and we'll enjoy the company as much as the game and commercials. It's a potluck, and our contributions will be:

Cheese-stuffed crescent rolls, which are just cubed cheese cooked inside refrigerator crescent rolls;
Spinach-artichoke dip, made by mixing cream cheese with a jar mix from Clay Gourmet. (I'm feeling too lazy to make the from-scratch version, as yummy as it may be;
Homemade salsa and chips. With all the tomatoes and peppers growing around this place, I only got one batch of salsa put away this year. I saved a jar just for Super Bowl.
Cream-cheese covered with jalapeno jelly, served with Triscuits. I think we're actually required to bring this to every potluck. It's probably in the Jay's Jellies by laws, or something.

So, what are YOU serving up for Super Bowl? And, do you have any great, easy chicken hot wing recipes? Preferably one that doesn't require deep-frying?

Beef Stew

2010-02-01T10:53:00.001-08:00

Thank you, Paula Dean, for the fabulous stew that is even better as leftovers!

February menu

2010-01-30T21:16:00.000-08:00

This month will be crazy. Every Monday and Wednesday, I'll be at class while Jay stuffs food in the girls' mouths and shuffles them to dance/4-H or religious education. Despite that crazy schedule, we are determined as ever to minimize our eating out and see how-low-can-we-go with our food budget. I need food to take with me for lunch and supper on MWs, and we need to cook things that are either crockpot or are fast and easy. The nice balance is there are three big events this month that require some food fun: Valentine's Day, Natalie's birthday, and the start of Lent. With that in mind, here is our very simplistic, cheap, and quick February 2010 menu:

Scrambled eggs and bacon

Fried rice and Beef-n-broccoli stir fry

Leftovers

Oatmeal

Mac-N-Cheese

Pizza Rolls

Toaster strudel

Frozen lunch

Chicken and pasta

Toast and cereal

Leftovers

Confetti ham and potatoes

Toaster strudel

Frozen lunch

Au gratin ham

Pancakes

Cheese crescent rolls

Leftovers

Waffles (make extra and freeze)

OUT

S&S meatballs and rice

Egg sandwich

Frozen meal

Tacos

Cereal

Cheesy tacos and fruit

Breakfast supper

Waffles

Frozen lunch

Chili and cinnamon rolls

Waffles

Mac-n-cheese and hot dogs

Meat loaf and baked potatoes

Donut Day

Leftover meatloaf and potatoes

Frito pie

Biscuits and gravy

Grilled cheese and soup

Heart-shaped homemade pizza

Pink pancakes

Parmesean chicken

Leftovers

Egg burrito

Frozen meal

Pork stir fry

Cereal/oatmeal

Leftovers

Broccoli-sausage puff

17-Lent starts

PB sandwiches

Leftovers

Tuna casserole

Cereal

Frozen meal

Tacos

Donut Day

Frozen meal

Fetuccine alfredo and French bread

Waffles

Natalie’s first

birthday party

Pancakes

Tomato-basil soup

Meatballs and rice

Toast and apple pie jam

Leftovers

23-Natalie Bday!

Oatmeal/cereal

Mac-n-Cheese and hot dogs

Chicken nuggets and baked fries

Egg sandwich

Frozen lunch

Crockpot roast

Waffles

Roast beef sandwiches

Enchiladas

Donut Day

Leftovers

Potato soup

Omelets

Fried rice

Meatloaf and butternut squash

28
Waffles
Leftovers
Hawaiian pork patties

W is for White Chili

2010-01-21T15:40:00.000-08:00

Lunch today rocked, simply stated. We've been trying our best to not eat out, with Chinese food being the biggest temptation. We all love Chinese buffets, but it costs us about $30 to go, now that there are 5 paying to eat. So, today, Jay watched the girls and I prepared some good, fried, authentic-ish, homemade Chicken Lo Mein, Fried Wontons, and Crab Rangoon. YUM!

Here's hoping supper's White Chili (adapted from here) will meet or exceed lunch's yummy-ness!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 boneless chicken breasts, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
2 anaheim peppers, chopped
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
1 can red beans, undrained (just because I didn't have two cans of white beans)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook chicken until cooked through. Remove from saucepan.
Add another tablespoon of olive oil Add the onions and garlic and saute for 4-5 minutes, or until onions are tender.
Add the chicken, chicken broth, green chile peppers, cilntro, oregano and cayenne pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and add the beans. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until heated thoroughly.
Add sour cream and stir until mixed thoroughly.
Ladle into individual bowls and top with the cheese. Serve with tortilla chips.

(Post supper report: Not too spicy for the girls, good flavor for us adults. Definite repeat.)

Upside Down Pizza

2010-01-21T15:23:00.000-08:00

Continuing with our Alphabet January, we've made it to 'U'. Upside-down something...and since it's girls only tonight, Upside Down Pizza it is! I like this recipe because it uses pantry items and doesn't require Bisquik (that stuff is expensive!) I set aside some spaghetti sauce from earlier in the week, which saved me a dollar on a can of tomato sauce.

1 pound pork sausage
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, or tomato sauce
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded mozerrella cheese

Brown pork sausage in a saucepan.
In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons flour, basil and oregano. Stir into cooked sausage.
Pour spaghetti sauce (or tomato sauce or pizza sauce) into sausage mixture. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix together 1 cup flour, eggs, milk, oil, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
Spread sausage mixture into a sprayed 13x9 casserole dish.
Sprinkle cheese on top of meat.
Pour flour mixture over cheese.
Bake at 425 for 20-30 minutes, until top is golden.

Chicken picado

2010-01-18T13:16:00.000-08:00

Delicious! Easy! And the kids even ate it!

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
salt & pepper
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
4 ounces sour cream
1 diced tomato
5 green onions, chopped
8 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed in 1 teaspoon water
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a saucepan, melt 1/2 stick butter. Add to that, milk, salt, pepper, garlic, and sour cream. Stir until smooth.
Add cornstarch/water mixture and juice from diced tomato to the saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile in a skillet, melt 2 T butter. Cook the chicken and green onions, until chicken is cooked through.
Pour chicken into a pie plate.
Pour sauce over chicken.
Sprinkle diced tomato and green onion over chicken.
Sprinkle cheese over chicken mixture.
Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Serve with warm tortillas.

Nacho Soup

2010-01-09T18:30:00.000-08:00

Nacho Soup, in honor of our N-day. I plan to make extra taco meat on Wednesday's M-day and use it in Thursday's soup, for an extra easy meal night.

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 can condensed nacho cheese soup (10 3/4 oz.)
1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained (10 oz)
1 1/2 cups milk
shredded Cheddar cheese
tortilla chips
sour cream

Brown ground beef in a medium saucepan. Drain. -OR- Reheat leftover taco meat in a saucepan.
Over medium heat, stir in remaining ingredients except shredded cheese and tortilla chips.
Cook 8 to 12 minutes or until heated through.
Ladle into bowls and serve with cheddar cheese, chips, and sour cream.

Italian Meatballs

2010-01-09T18:21:00.000-08:00

We tried goat meat for the first time this month. In my meal-prep-research, I read that goat meat does well with lots of strong spice. I wanted to make something the girls would eat, and I know they like meatballs. So, goat meatballs it was!

1 pound ground goat meat, thawed
2 tablespoons italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1-2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg
1 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 can pizza sauce (I use Best Choice brand)

Mix together all ingredients, except pizza sauce. Form into 1-inch meatballs and place in a 9x9 microwave safe dish. Pour pizza sauce over meatballs. Place dish in microwave; cover with wax paper. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Stir to flip meatballs. Microwave 5 more minutes.

I served this egg noodles cooked with a little butter, parsley, and mozzarella cheese, and toasted french bread.

Alphabet January

2010-01-02T08:58:00.000-08:00

A little creativity makes building a monthly menu a lot easier, and gives the kids an incentive to eat whatever is put in front of them. So, for this month, we're going to eat a letter each day. New Years Day was pretty basic, since I had no motivation to do much of anything: Apple Pie Jam toast. Today, it's Breakfast Lunch: bacon and cheese omelets. I'm only planning out one meal for each of the days, since we'll have plenty of leftovers for lunches. Do you have any better suggestions, especially for the difficult V, U, and X days? If so, please share them!

January 2010

1
Apple Pie Jam & toast

2
Breakfast lunch

3
Cereal
Cheese Pizza
Chinese food

4
Deviled eggs
Dijon (honey) stir fry

5
Eggs, scrambled

6
Fettuccine and French bread

7
Goat meat pockets

8
Ham and cheesy potatoes

9
Italian meatballs

10
Jam-glazed pork chops

11
Kid-kebobs

12
Lime-marinated fajita

13
Mexican food: tacos

14
Nachos, super-style

15
Oven-baked fries and nuggets

16
Pork chops

17
Quiche Lorraine

18
Roast (beef, that is)

19
Spaghetti and spinach salad

20
Tomato-basil soup

21
Upside down pizza

22
Vegetable Soup

23
White chili
Wontons soup

24
X-tra Cheesy Potatoes

25
Yellow squash

26
Zucchini Stir-fry

27
Cheesy tacos and steamed veggies

28
Homemade pizza

29
Breadsticks and Spaghettis

30
Shrimp creole

31
Fried rice and egg rolls

Weekly menu: December 27-January 2

2009-12-26T20:06:00.000-08:00

Sunday, December 27
Oatmeal & raisins
Sandwiches
Turkey enchiladas

Monday, December 28
Cereal
Leftover enchiladas
Pork fajitas

Tuesday, December 29
Pancakes
Cheese quesadillas
Chili & cinnamon rolls

Wednesday, December 30
Cinnamon rolls
Leftovers
Frito pie

Thursday, December 31
Scrambled eggs & bacon
Leftovers
Appetizers and party!

Friday, January 1, 2011 HAPPY NEW YEAR
Cereal
Leftovers
Leftovers, or frozen pizza

Saturday, January 2
Chocolate pancakes
Ham sandwiches and chips
Pork roast and potatoes

Easy desserts

2009-12-20T19:30:00.000-08:00

My mom loves holiday baking. Growing up, Christmas memories always include heaping stacks of goodies filling the countertop. Cookies, divinity, peanut brittle, peanut clusters, 7-layer bars, melted circle candies, hard candy, oyster crackers, chocolate covered everything...Yum! And that's just the desserts! Even for someone who doesn't like chocolate or peanut butter, my mom's kitchen was and still is the place to be for Christmas.

Well, now I have my own kitchen and my own brood to pass on the Christmas baking traditions. I prefer to make things that the girls can help me make, and it's a little more challenging, what with Maggie's sucrose and lactose intolerance. But, my countertop is getting more and more loaded. Here are two of the favorites from tonight:

Thin Mints

1 cup Nestle dark chocolate and mint chips
1 sleeve Ritz crackers

Melt the mint chocolate chips in the microwave, following the directions on the bag.
Drop a cracker into the melted chocolate, completely coating the cracker.
Place the coated cracker on a sheet of waxed paper. Let cool and set up completely.

Forgotten Cookies (Thanks, Alison, for the recipe)

1 egg white
1 pinch of salt
1/3 cup Splenda or sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites and salt until foamy.
Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until whites form stiff peaks.
Fold in the vanilla and chocolate chips.
Spoon onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Place the cookies into the preheated oven, shut the door and turn off the oven immediately.
Let cookies sit in the turned off oven for 5 to 6 hours or overnight.

Weekly menu: December 20-26

2009-12-19T19:54:00.000-08:00

Sunday, December 20
Pancakes and eggs
Leftovers
Pizza rolls

Monday, December 21
Breakfast burritos
Cranberry salad
Sweet and sour meatballs

Tuesday, December 22
Cereal
Leftovers
Leftovers

Wednesday, December 23
Oven puff pancakes with apple pie jam
Leftovers aka clear out the fridge
Fast food

Thursday, December 24 CHRISTMAS EVE
Donuts
Appetizers
Broccoli cheese soup and chili

Friday, December 25 CHRISTMAS DAY
Happy Face Pancakes
Potluck lunch
Leftover supper

Saturday, December 26 JAY'S BIRTHDAY
Waffles
OUT
whatever Jay wants to eat :)

Apple Pie Oatmeal Bars

2009-12-17T20:08:00.001-08:00

One word: delicious! Jay found this recipe on one of his garden forums and adapted it to use his own jam.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oatmeal
3/4 cup butter
2 cups Jay's Apple Pie Jam

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Mix together flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and quick cooking oatmeal in a medium bowl. Cut in 3/4 cup butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Pat two-thirds into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
Spoon apple pie jam evenly on top.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining crumb mixture.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until crispy brown on top. Cool before cutting into bars.

Homemade Chinese Food: Jay's Broccoli and Beef

2009-12-16T20:59:00.000-08:00

I give up. Round steak and I don't get along. No matter how I make it, it chews like beef jerky. Then, Jay decided to try a new recipe, just for kicks. And, WOWZA. Yum. Tender, and fast.

Beef and Broccoli

3 Tablespoons corn starch, divided
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons water
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 pound boneless round steak, cut into 3-inch strips
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cups broccoli florets
1 small onion, cut into wedges
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
hot cooked rice

In a bowl, combine 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 2 Tablespoons water, and garlic powder until smooth.
Add beef and toss.
In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, stir-fry beef in 1 Tablespoon oil until beef reaches desired doneness. Remove and keep warm.
Add remaining Tablespoon of oil to the skillet or wok. Stir-fry broccoli and onion in oil for 4-5 minutes.
Return beef to pan.
Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and remaining cornstarch and water until smooth. Add to the pan.
Cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Weekly menu: December 13-19

2009-12-12T19:49:00.000-08:00

Sunday, December 13
Waffles
Ham & sweet potatoes
Ham fried rice

Monday, December 14
Scrambled eggs
Leftover rice
Ham pockets

Tuesday, December 15
Cereal
Apple-Almond Salad
Spaghetti

Wednesday, December 16
Toast & fruit
Leftover spaghetti
Pork Stir Fry & rice

Thursday, December 17
Cereal
Leftover stir fry
Pizza Roll

Friday, December 18
Waffles
Pizza rolls
Beef enchiladas

Saturday, December 19
Pancakes
Pork burgers & chips & salad
Leftovers

Breakfast with some love

2009-12-12T05:41:00.000-08:00

I love this recipe. It's easy, it gets oohs and aahs from the girls, and it gives them protein. This recipe can be down-sized, or up-sized, for any family. For us, it means 6 servings.

6 pieces of sandwich bread
6 eggs
Aluminum foil
Cooking spray
Shredded cheese, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a baking sheet with foil.
Using a cookie cutter, cut a shape out of each slice of bread. We use hearts, but then again, we are a house full of little girls.
Spray the aluminum foil with cooking spray.
Place the bread on the foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
Crack an egg into each slice of bread.
Bake at 350 for 12 minutes, or until egg is set.
If desired, sprinkle cheese on hot egg-in-toast and let melt.

Weekly menu: December 6-12

2009-12-05T19:44:00.000-08:00

Sunday, December 6
Sausage gravy & biscuits
Leftover soup
Homemade pizza & salad

Monday, December 7
Cereal
Leftover pizza
Tacos

Tuesday, December 8
Cereal
Cheese quesadillas
Broccoli Cheese Soup

Wednesday, December 9
Breakfast burritos
Leftover soup
Lasagne

Thursday, December 10
Oatmeal
Sandwiches
Tuna casserole

Friday, December 11
Waffles
Tortilla roll-ups
Leftovers

Saturday, December 12
Donuts from Tasty Pastry
Hot dogs and Mac-N-cheese
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Chocolate popcorn, mixed reviews

2009-12-01T21:45:00.000-08:00

I came up with a new snack; the girls love it, but Jay says eh. :) Since Maggie can't handle table sugar but still has a sweet tooth, this is way to let her have chocolate flavor with very little sugar. Let me know what you think of it, or ways to improve it:

Chocolate popcorn

1 bag microwave popcorn
1 individual packet instant hot cocoa mix

Pop one bag of microwave popcorn. Carefully open it at one end. While it's still hot, pour one packet of hot cocoa mix. Shake well for about a minute, to make sure the chocolate mix is evenly distributed. Enjoy!

Lasagne

2009-11-30T21:29:00.000-08:00

My lasagne is also not anything fancy. It's based on the recipe on any lasagne pasta box, but I embellish it here and there.

Linda's Lasagne

1 pound ground beef
1 jar Best Choice spaghetti sauce, any flavor
1 large container of cottage cheese, small curd, low fat
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic
1 box lasagne noodles

Brown the ground beef until cooked through. Drain.
Stir spaghetti sauce into ground beef. Let simmer for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the lasagne noodles as directed on the box.
In a separate bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, mozzarella, and spices.
Spray a 13x9 casserole dish.
Scoop 2-3 large spoonfuls of the meat mixture into the casserole dish. Spread evenly.
Scoop 2-3 large spoonfuls of the cheese mixture onto the meat mixture in the dish. Spread evenly.
Lay lasagne noodles over the cheese mixture.
Repeat layers two more times.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Lasagne hints I've recently learned:
Let the lasagne set a few minutes before serving.
Substitute Italian sausage for the beef, for extra flavor
Skip boiling the noodles and put the casserole in the fridge for at least 8 hours before baking.

How do you spice up your lasagne?

Mom's Meatloaf

2009-11-30T11:59:00.000-08:00

A high school classmate of mine just posted that she made her first meatloaf. I was amazed; we eat it probably twice a month. The comments that followed were mostly listing how gross meatloaf is...I was stunned. Apparently, the rest of the world was not as fortunate as my family is, growing up with my mom's amazing meatloaf. Not only does it taste awesome, it's so very fool-proof to make. I've tried to list quantities for the ketchup, mustard, cheese, and sauce, but it is truly an estimation. A couple squirts of this, a dash or two of that, and a handful of this...ta da!

Mom's Meatloaf
1 pound ground beef
1 pound pork sausage
1/3 cup crushed saltine crackers
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped onion
3-4 tablespoons of mustard (or 3 big squirts)
2/3 cup ketchup, divided
2 tablespoons A1 sauce (or two big dollups)
salt
pepper

With cooking spray, spray either 2 loaf pans or 1 9X9 pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the meat, egg, saltines, cheese, mustard, A1 sauce, salt, pepper, and about 4-5 big squirts of ketchup.
Roll up your sleeves, and mix it all together with your hands.
Form two equal-sized loaves with the meat mixture, either one in each loaf pan or two side-by-side in the 9x9 dish. *Hint from Alton Brown: don't pound down the meat to make evenly shaped loaves. By just plopping the meat into the pan, the meatloaf will be juicier and less dense.
Cover both loaves with ketchup, about 3 squirts per loaf. Again, use your hands to smear it so that the loaves are completely covered.
Cover with foil.
Bake at 375 for 1 hour 25 minutes, removing the foil for the last 20 minutes.
Let the meatloaf set for 5 minutes before cutting into it.

And, to make it an extra-easy meal, throw a few baked potatoes in with the meat loaf. They'll be ready about the same time.

Weekly menu: November 29 - December 5

2009-11-28T19:40:00.000-08:00

Sunday, November 29
Waffles (make extra and freeze)
BLTs and broccoli salad
Omelets & toast with apple pie jam

Monday, November 30
Waffles in the toaster
Ham sandwiches and chips
Meatloaf and baked potatoes

Tuesday, December 1
Cereal
Grilled cheese & ham
Turkey casserole

Wednesday, December 2
Waffles
Leftover casserole
BBQ Roast Beef

Thursday, December 3
Oatmeal & raisins
BBQ Beef Sandwiches
Leftovers (clear the fridge)

Friday, December 4
Waffles
Sandwiches
Baked corn dogs & french fries

Saturday, December 5
Pancakes & bacon
Leftovers, or sandwiches
Vegetable soup and french bread

Plans, schplans

2009-11-28T14:54:00.000-08:00

Oh, I had big plans for last week. I had a list of 12 recipes to post, great uses for leftover turkey and my mom's best thanksgiving dishes. And then, well, life got in the way.

But, I made up for that today. I have a menu planned out for December, the grocery list for making all the meals, and recipes on how to make them ahead of time and put in the freezer. In fact, I spent 45 minutes shopping and 3 hours preparing food today, and now have 6 meals in the freezer.

I'll split the meals by weeks, but for now, here's the meal list:

Sandwiches
Tuna salad
Tuna casserole
Pizza roll
Pork stir fry
Meatballs
Meatloaf
Pizza
Omelets
Tacos
Turkey casserole
Turkey enchiladas
Beef enchiladas
Fajitas
Tomato soup
Broccoli cheese soup
Chili
Potato soup
BBQ beef
Baked corn dogs
Ham and beans

And here's the shopping list for the month:

Milk
Cereal
Bread
Tuna (3 cans)
Beans
Enchilada sauce
Frozen bread dough
Pepperoni, 4 oz
Deli ham, 1 pound
Saltines
Egg noodles
Lasagne noodles
Mozzarella (2)
Cottage cheese
Cheddar (6)
Corn tortillas (2)
Flour tortillas (4)
Hot dogs (2)
Eggs
Olive oil
Foil containers (6 square)
Fritos
Spaghetti sauce
ground beef (2)
ground sausage (1)
pork steak (pkg of 3)
ham hocks (1 or 2)
Bell peppers (3-4)
Frozen broccoli
Carrots

I know it seems like a lot, but this will feed your family of 5 for a month! Hopefully, life will allow me to post recipes and weekly menus tonight or tomorrow. Until then, I'm off to help wrap presents!

Weekly menu for November 15

2009-11-17T21:07:00.000-08:00

Sunday, November 15
Pancakes and bacon
Pizza
Church potluck

Monday, November 16
Breakfast pizza
Ham & Swiss Pita
Hot dogs & MacNCheese

Tuesday, November 17
Blueberry muffins
Leftover pizza
Smothered steak & mashed potatoes

Wednesday, November 18
Cereal
Leftovers
Crock pot roast pork

Thursday, November 19
Granola
Pork sandwiches
Chicken-spinach casserole

Friday, November 20
Cereal
Leftovers
Leftovers, or frozen pizza

Saturday, November 21
Breakfast burritos
Cheese quesadillas and chips
Broccoli, pasta & white sauce

TV Dinner

2009-11-09T18:57:00.000-08:00

Sometimes my cooking is Chopped meets Macgyver. "Your ingredients are: ground beef or pork, tortilla chips, fresh tomatoes, and eggs, and maybe some old Velveeta cheese. Invent something that five will eat." In fact, I'd like Dinner: Impossible to try to succeed at this challenge: "You have 30 minutes to prepare a meal for six while simultaneously caring for a 3-year-old and 8-month-old, finishing homework with an 6-year-old and 8-year-old, setting the table, and make it nutrition, delicious, and safe. GO!"

At least, that's how tomorrow's challenge feels. We used up (nearly) all our cheddar cheese tonight, and just about all the taco meat. What can I say? The tacos were delicious! So, now I'm improvising. I have two bags of tortilla chips and if I serve chips with dinner, the battle-of-clean-plates is non-existent, so I really want to use chips. I have lots of ground beef, pork, and sausage. So, I think I'll make a sausage con queso with velveeta and serve it with fresh chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, lettuce, sour cream, the remaining fresh cheddar, and (for the adults) jalapenos.

Take THAT, Chef Robert!

p.s. Gotta give credit where credit is due. Jay the Man made tacos tonight, serving the chopped vegetables he's growing in his high tunnels. He's a good man. He even threw together an apple dessert...mostly because he wanted to use his new apple peeler.

Bierocks Casserole

2009-11-09T06:25:00.000-08:00

Growing up, I had the best lunch ladies EVER. They were four seemingly-old German ladies in our very German community. VERY German. In the middle of Kansas, probably 90 percent of my community was German and many had grandparents who still spoke German in the home. My high school offered Spanish and German as your language choices, and I'm just now realizing how odd that was. Anyway, back to lunch ladies. These fabulous women would make homemade bierocks for my school of 100 or so students. We are talking about fresh, made-from-scratch dough with beef, cabbage and cheese inside. YUM!

This is no where near as good, but is also thousands of times faster.

2 cans crescent roll dough
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 bag cole slaw mix
2 cups shredded cheese, cheddar or mozzarella

Brown the beef and pork in a large skillet. Drain.
Stir in the cole slaw mix. Cover and let steam until cabbage is softened.
Line a 13x9 dish with one of the crescent roll dough, pinching the seams to make a crust.
Spoon in the cabbage and meat mixture.
Sprinkle the cheese on top of the meat.
Top with the second crescent roll dough, again pinching the seams to make one big rectangle.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until dough turns golden brown.

Other variations of this recipe include adding a cream-of soup, but I stick to the basics, in honor of those great St. Mark's lunch ladies.

Tuna cakes

2009-11-08T11:02:00.000-08:00

... YUM!

Once each week, I try out a new recipe. It keeps me from being bored in the kitchen and, hopefully, exposes my kids to new tastes. This week's new recipe was a hit:

Tuna Cakes
Even if you don't like tuna, it tastes good. At least, that's what my husband claims.

2 cans (6 oz. each) light tuna in water, drained, flaked

1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

1 cup KRAFT Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese

3/4 cup water

1 carrot, shredded

1/3 cup KRAFT Real Mayo Mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. CLAUSSEN Sweet Pickle Relish

Mix all the ingredients.
Put in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Heat a skillet to medium.
Put a 1/3 cup ball of the mixture on the skillet. Flatten with a spatula.
Heat the tuna cake for 3 minutes. Flip them over, and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Super easy. super yummy.

Favorite appetizers

2009-11-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

Nothing is better than appetizers and football. Our three favorites are:

Cheesy Triscuits
2 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped onion
Triscuits

Mix bacon, cheese, mayo, and onion together. Top each triscuit with about a teaspoon of the mixture. Broil on low for about 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and triscuits start to turn golden brown.

Little Smokies

1 package little smokies (we prefer Farmland brand)
1 jar Heinz chili sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar

Mix chili sauce and brown sugar. Pour over little smokies and either warm in a crock pot for 3-4 hours, or warm in a microwave about 3-4 minutes on medium heat.

Cream-cheese and jelly

1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 jar jalapeno jelly, any flavor
Triscuits

Place the cream cheese block on a plate. Pour the jalapeno jelly over the cream cheese. Serve with Triscuits.

Weekly menu: Nov 8-14

2009-11-07T10:14:00.000-08:00

Sunday:
Scrambled eggs and toast
Tuna cakes and Mac-n-cheese
Reuben casserole

Monday:
Breakfast burrito
Leftover casserole
Tacos (make extra taco meat)

Tuesday:
Cereal
Leftovers
Super-nachos

Wednesday:
PB Toast, banana
Clam chowder (yes, from a can!)
Ravioli and Salad

Thursday:
Toast with Apple Pie Jam
Leftover ravioli and salad
Beef Enchiladas

Friday:
Cereal
Leftover enchiladas
Empty-the-fridge OR, if you don't have many leftovers, frozen pizza
(Come on! It's Friday! Take the night off!)

Saturday:
Pancakes and fruit
Apple Walnut Salad
Pork ribs & baked sweet potatoes

In case there was every any doubt about my spoiled-ness, to cook all the food on this menu, here are the ingredients I need to buy from the store:
walnuts
cereal
milk
enchilada sauce
tortillas
sour cream
ravioli
canned soup
crescent rolls
cole slaw mix

Everything else we have stocked, in our deep freeze, or still growing in the high tunnels. Not bad, eh?

Loaded Rice

2009-11-06T19:02:00.000-08:00

My menu called for spanish rice, but I ended up improvising and created a pretty tasty meal.

3 cups cooked rice (I used the bag rice; it's much cheaper!)
1 small onion, diced
4 tomatoes, diced (keep the juices) or 1 can Ro-Tel
2 bell peppers, diced
1 pound ground sausage
3-4 tablespoons taco seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine the sausage, onion, and pepper in a large skillet. Cook until the sausage in browned and the onion is translucent. Add the tomatoes and seasonings. Stir, and cook until warmed through. Add the rice. Stir, and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

My husband and I added Tabasco sauce to our servings, but kept the dish mild so the kids would eat it.

Beef Pot Pie

2009-11-06T05:19:00.000-08:00

I love it when I come across a recipe that uses all my leftovers and allows me to create a completely different meal. This week's find is pot pie. I will modify it, though, because the crust is the best part. I plan on making a crust for the bottom and top of the pie. Enjoy!

Beef Pot Pie

1/2 cup chopped onion
4 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups beef broth
3 cups cubed leftover beef
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas and carrots, cooked and drained
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
pie pastry for 1-crust pie
evaporated milk or regular milk

In a medium saucepan, cook onion in butter until onion is tender.
Stir in flour and salt until smooth and bubbly.
Stir in beef broth. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly.
Add leftover beef, peas and carrots, and parsley; heat through.
Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if necessary.
Pour beef mixture into a 2-quart casserole.
Prepare pastry; roll out to about 1/2-inch larger than casserole top.
Place over hot beef mixture. Cut several slits in the top for steam escape, turn edge under and crimp all around.
Brush lightly with milk.
Bake beef pot pie at 450° for 20 to 25 minutes.

This beef pot pie with leftover beef serves 6.

Pikes Peak Roast

2009-11-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

Pikes Peak Roast is not a very tender cut of meat, unless you cook it long and low. It's perfect for a crock-pot meal, especially if you are like me and are gone from the house for 10 hours on workdays.

I make up the roast recipes every time, changing it up a little bit here and there based on what I have on hand. This week's roast turned out yummy, so if you'd like to replicate it, here's the info:

1 pike's peak roast (3-4 pounds), thawed
1 can golden mushroom soup
1 can mushroom stems and pieces
1 cup beef broth (or boiling water and beef bouillon cube)
about 2 tablespoons salt
about 2 teaspoons dry mustard
about 2 teaspoons dried sage
1 garlic clove

Mix the salt, mustard, and sage together. Rub it over the roast.
Place the roast in the crock pot.
Mix in a separate bowl the beef broth, mushroom soup, mushrooms, and garlic. Beat until smooth.
Pour soup mixture over roast.
Cover and cook on low for 10 hours.
Remove from the crock pot and let set for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Weekly menu

2009-11-05T10:01:00.000-08:00

What did we eat this past week?

Sunday:
Cereal
Chef Salad
Waffles and Bacon (make a double-batch of waffles and freeze leftovers)

Monday:
Waffles (leftovers, in the toaster)
Sandwiches
Tacos

Tuesday:
Cereal
Leftovers
Crock pot beef roast

Wednesday:
Muffins
Super-salad
Roast beef sandwiches, new potatoes, salad

Thursday:
Waffles (from frozen leftovers)
BLTs
Beef pot pie (using leftover beef and potatoes, and frozen veggie mix)

Friday:
Cereal
Leftovers
Spanish rice and quesadillas

Saturday:
Sausage gravy & biscuits (brown extra sausage and set aside)
Appetizer lunch (K-State vs KU football!)
Homemade pizza

Roasted pumpkin seeds

2009-10-27T07:04:00.000-07:00

A traditional favorite, and great low-sugar Halloween snack

Scoop the seeds and pulp out of a pumpkin.
Separate the seeds from the pulp.
Rinse out the seeds at least twice.
Put the seeds in a large bowl and add enough water to make the seeds float.
Add 2-3 tablespoons of salt.
Let soak overnight or longer.
Drain the water from the seeds.
Line a baking sheet with foil.
Pour the drained seeds on the baking sheet.
Thoroughly sprinkle with salt.
Bake at 350 degrees, checking every 10 minutes for doneness.
Seeds are done when they just start to turn golden brown and are crisp when you bite into them.

Happy Halloween! Popcorn Balls with a twist

2009-10-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

Best popcorn balls I've had

INGREDIENTS
12 cups popped popcorn
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Brand Gelatin, any flavor
1 1/2 cups PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS

Place popcorn in large bowl.
Mix syrup and sugar in saucepan; bring to boil.
Remove from heat. Add gelatin; stir until dissolved.
Add peanuts.
Pour over popcorn; mix well.
Cool about 5 minutes.
Shape into 18 balls, each about 3 inches in diameter.

Happy Halloween! Witches Hats

2009-10-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

This is my girls' favorite treat for school parties this time of year.

Witches Hat

Ingredients

Self-sealing plastic bag

1 can chocolate frosting

20 chocolate ice cream cones

Candy corn or assorted small candies

20 2- to 3-inch chocolate cookies

Directions

Fill plastic bag with some chocolate frosting. Seal bag and cut a very small end off one corner of the bag and set aside.
For each hat, invert one ice cream cone and fill with about 2 tablespoons candy corn or small candies.
Pipe some frosting from bag along bottom edge of cone.
Press a cookie against frosting. Carefully invert right side up onto waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Decorate outside of cone with small candies, using additional frosting as necessary.

Sad sad recipe

2009-10-23T03:52:00.000-07:00

I have a fridge full of fresh, home-grown peppers, spinach, and lettuce. I have a shelf full of fresh, home-grown tomatoes.

And tonight we're eating frozen pizza and breadsticks.

Next week will be better.

Cherry ham and butternut squash

2009-10-14T14:36:00.000-07:00

That whole menu thing? Totally out the window this week. I'm trying to make due with ingredients in our house and avoid going to the grocery store. So, tonight's supper is cherry ham and butternut squash.

For the cherry ham, just pour a can of cherry pie filling on top of a 1-2 pound cured ham. Bake at 325 until ham reaches 140 degrees, about an hour for a 2 pound ham, 90 minutes for a 3-4 pound ham.

For the butternut squash, wash the outside of the squash and cut it in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and fibers from the middle of the squash. Place the halves, cut sides up, in a baking dish. Salt and pepper, if desired. Dot with margarine or butter; I use about 3 tablespoons for each half. Pour 1/4 inch of water into the baking dish. Cover and bake for about 45 minutes at 325 degrees.

So, if I manage to get the squash in the oven 45 minutes after the ham goes in, it should all be ready at about the same time. Here's hoping!

Taco Soup, improvised and improved

2009-10-13T19:33:00.001-07:00

There are thousands of variations of taco soup out there, but the one we made tonight was fantabulous. It's a thicker soup, with a chili consistency but without the spice.

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
2 cups (or 1 can) cooked beans (We used a combination of pinto and black beans. Kidney beans would work too.)
1 can kernel corn, UNdrained
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 bell peppers, diced
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 packet Taco Bell taco seasoning
2 tomatoes, diced

toppings:
sour cream
cheddar cheese, shredded
tortilla chips

Cook the ground beef in a large skillet or saucepan. Drain. Add corn, canned tomatoes, peppers, dressing mix, taco seasoning, and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low to medium-low (4 on a scale to 9). Let simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and tortilla chips. Enjoy!

That was GREAT!

2009-10-08T18:57:00.000-07:00

I think I underestimated the yumminess of tonight's menu.

Acorn squash

Bacon-spinach quiche, made with our own eggs, bacon, and spinach

Fresh spinach salad with boiled egg, cheese, and bacon bits

YUM!

What to cook...

2009-10-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy keeping my head above water that I haven't had a chance to sit down and post anything. It's been difficult enough just to make and keep the weekly menu with our family, much less take the 5 minutes to share it with cyberspace.

I was proud last night. Wendy's called with a vengeance, but instead I made mashed potatoes, corn, and chicken nuggets at home.

Tonight I think I'm going to make a bacon-spinach quiche, with fresh spinach from our garden and bacon from my in-laws. Jay also picked up an acorn squash from Wednesday's market, so I'm going to make that. I found an easy Paula Deen recipe and since she and I share a passion for butter, her recipes always suit our family.

Friday breakfast, banana muffins or breakfast burrito
Friday lunch, hopefully leftovers from Thursday's supper
Friday night, I'm going to reheat a pizza roll from the freezer. After working all day, I doubt I'll have the gumption or desire to cook.

Saturday morning, oatmeal. That will warm us up before we head out to watch my nephew's football game.
Saturday lunch, tomato-basil soup and homemade french bread.
Saturday night, bruschetta and something else. I've never made bruschetta, so I'm on a recipe hunt between now and then.

Sunday morning, waffles
Sunday lunch, leftovers or chili.

and Sunday morning, reset the menu for the coming week.

If you're out there listening and know any good bruschetta recipes, please post them!

Weekly menu

2009-09-05T07:39:00.000-07:00

This week I'm trying out a few money-savers but not necessarily time-savers. I'm going to see how hard it is to make rice that isn't minute rice, and baked beans that aren't from a can. Beans and rice in a bag are really cheap, so if we can substitute some of the canned stuff with the bagged stuff, that should save some moola. I'll let you know how it goes.

Sunday
Waffles
Ham and cheesy potatoes
Fried rice

Monday (Labor Day)
Scrambled eggs
Ham sandwiches, chips
Grilled steaks, potatoes, corn on the cob

Tuesday
Blueberry muffins
Out
Beef stroganoff

Wednesday
Oatmeal
Leftovers
Grilled cheese with ham

Thursday
Cereal
Cheesy quesadillas
Baked corndogs

Friday
Breakfast burritos
Out (I'm required; it's a work lunch!)
Hamburgers and fries

Saturday
PBJ toast
Sandwiches

No fork allowed

2009-09-04T07:48:00.000-07:00

Ah, my secret tool, the trick to get kids to eat anything you want...make it crazy. For us, "crazy" can be as easy as no forks allowed. They get a kick out of it when I tell them, "whatever you do, do NOT use a fork. NO, NO FORKS! You MUST eat with your hands! You MUST, I say!"

Our No-Fork-Fridays usually consist of cherry tomatoes, cut up broccoli and cauliflower, sliced apples or peaches, grapes, crackers, cubed cheese, homemade fries and oven-baked chicken nuggets. I put it all on fancy serving trays in the middle of the table and let the kids make their own plates, with the requirement that they take at least one of each item. Then add salad dressing, ketchup, and barbecue sauce for dipping.

The other part of this secret: I like it as much as they do!

Beef Stew

2009-09-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

I feel like a slacker, or out of the loop, either one. This week was the first time I made beef stew that wasn't in a crockpot...and it was delicious! Give it a try; it's perfect for a cool fall day. I think mine was even better because I used our home-raised beef, our homegrown potatoes, carrots, and onions, and Jay's mom's homemade ketchup.

1-2 tablespoon oil
1 pound beef stew meat, chopped (or get a cheap cut of beef and cut into pieces)
3/4 cup flour
salt, pepper to taste
2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
2 beef bouillon cubes
5 medium potatoes, diced
3 carrots, chopped
1 tablespoon A1 sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup water

Heat the oil in a large pot. Meanwhile, mix flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Roll the beef in the flour mixture. Add the onions, garlic, and beef to the pot and cook until the beef is just browned, stirring often. Add the water, bouillon cubes, A1 sauce, and ketchup. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then reduce heat to simmer.

Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours. Add the potatoes and carrots. Simmer for another 30 minutes, or until potatoes and carrots are tender.

Increase heat to boiling. Mix 2 tablespoons flour in cold water. Stir flour mixture into the boiling stew, and boil for 2 minutes.

Serve and enjoy. (Makes FABULOUS leftovers!)

Taco potatoes

2009-08-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

It's starting to look like we eat a lot of mexican-style dishes around here. It's gotten to the point that, when I make taco meat, I make a double-batch to carry over a few meals. Here's one of my 2nd-meal uses.

Bake 4-5 potatoes. (I just use the microwave setting, but make sure you stab the potatoes first.)
Warm up the taco meat.
Split the baked potatoes, spoon taco meat over it, then sprinkle cheddar cheese, tomatoes, olives, sour cream, and whatever other toppings your family enjoys.

Easy, huh? Because some nights, who has time for complicated?

Tamale casserole

2009-08-24T11:12:00.001-07:00

Sometimes it's fun to just throw things together and see what you come up with. Last night's invention was tamale casserole

5 sweet banana peppers (or hot, if you like things spicy)
1 pound sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can cream-style corn
salt and pepper, to taste
1 box Jiffy mix cornbread (and the stuff to mix it)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cut tops off of peppers and remove seeds. Cut in half lengthwise and boil in water for 5 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, brown sausage and onions together, until cooked through. Drain off any grease.
Add cream-style corn, salt, pepper, and stir. Pour into a casserole dish.
Sprinkle with half of the cheese.
Place banana peppers on top of sausage mixture.
Sprinkle remaining cheese.
Prepare cornbread mix according the instructions on the box. Spoon over the peppers.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until cornbread is baked through.

Weekly menu: August 23-29

2009-08-22T19:53:00.001-07:00

Sorry about last week -- I needed a week off to handle the rest of my world. First day of school, kindergarten started, DH's is at work day and night now, soccer began...food was whatever we scraped together. And it showed...hotdogs, cheesy tacos, Wendy's, more hotdogs, sandwiches. Ick. Time to get back to real meals.

Sunday, August 23
Waffles
BLTs
Stuffed bell peppers

Monday, August 24 – Katie b-Day
Toast&jelly
Leftovers
Sonic

Tuesday, August 25
Cereal
Grilled cheese
@ Lincoln back-to-school BBQ

Wednesday, August 26
Muffins
Frozen meal
Taco potatoes

Thursday, August 27
Breakfast burrito
PBJ
No Forks Allowed

Friday, August 28 – Katie Party
Doughnut Day
Sandwiches
Homemade Pizzas

Saturday, August 29
Pancakes
Leftovers
Baked corndogs

Cream of Tomato-Basil Soup

2009-08-10T08:00:00.001-07:00

Soup in August? Absolutely! This soup is even better when you use fresh tomatoes.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
EVOO
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 Tablespoon flour
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
4 cups finely chopped tomatoes*
1 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil

In a large stock pot, saute onion over medium heat in oil until soft and translucent.
Add salt, pepper, dried basil, and flour. Cook for a few minutes.
Whisk in chicken broth to flour mixture until mixed thoroughly.
Add tomatoes and stir. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
(The kids LOVE watching this part, and it's a great opportunity for an impromptu science lesson.) Stir in baking soda and sugar.
Reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Add half-and-half and fresh basil.
Stir and simmer for at least 5 minutes. Turn heat to low until ready to serve.

My family likes to add Goldfish crackers for the kids, or shredded mozerella for the adults.

*If you don't have access to fresh tomatoes, substitute 14 oz can diced tomatoes and 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes

Sloppy Joes, Crock-Pot style

2009-08-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

From a dear friend, Sue...

Roberta's Sloppy Joes

1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2-3/4 cup ketchup
4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/8 to 1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp yellow dry mustard
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 green pepper, chopped
1 can whole corn*
salt and papper, to taste

In a skillet, brown the meat and drain. Add all other ingredients and pour into a crock pot. Heat on low for 3-4 hours, or until heated through. Serve on hamburger buns for sloppy joes.

*The corn is definitely optional. Sloppy joes must have corn in them, in my mind, but not in everyone's. Think of it as a way to sneak more veggies in your family.

Weely Menu, August 9-15

2009-08-09T13:01:00.000-07:00

Sunday, August 9

French Toast

Quesadillas

Tomato soup

Monday, August 10

Cereal

PBJ sandwiches

Grilled chops

Tuesday, August 11

Cantaloupe

Mac-N-Cheese, hot dogs

Pork Stir Fry

Wednesday, August 12

Cereal

Leftovers

Crock-pot pizza

Thursday, August 13

Scrambled eggs

Lunch out

Veggie pasta

Friday, August 14

Doughnut Day

Salad

Smothered steak

Saturday, August 15

Cereal

Sandwiches, chips

Leftovers

National Sneak Squash Night

2009-08-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

August 8 is National Sneak Zucchini on your Neighbor's Porch Day. Truly.

In honor of that, here are my top five zucchini recipes. Try one! You might be surprised by how good it will taste and how versatile the little green veggies really are.

Breakfast: Zucchini Quiche

Lunch: Grilled Zucchini Strips
Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with Italian seasoning, and grill until tender, turning once.

Supper: Zucchini Lasagne
(see below)

Snack: Zucchini Bread

Dessert: Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Zucchini Lasagne

3-4 medium sized zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 cups Italian cheese, shredded
1 cup half-and-half
2-3 Tablespoons EVOO
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Pour the EVOO in the bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish.
Place 3-4 strips of zucchini in the dish, forming a layer.
Sprinkle 1/3 of half-and-half over the zucchini.
Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over the zucchini,
Pour 1/3 cup of the bread crumbs over the cheese.
Repeat zucchini, crumbs, cheese, and half-and-half layers twice more.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Place the casserole dish on the foil, and put in the oven.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until zucchini is cooked tender and cheese is melted.

Oven Nuggets and Fries

2009-08-07T13:49:00.000-07:00

I hate McDonalds.

No, I don't mean in a corporate-you-kill-small-businesses sort of way. I just can't stand their food. And thankfully, neither can my girls.

But, we still love the occasional chicken nuggets and fries meal. This is the easiest and healthiest way I've found to make this kids-favorite. NOTE: If you want the meal to be done at the same time, make the fries first, because they take longer to cook.

Chicken nuggets

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasted, cut into 3-inch pieces
2 cups flour
2-3 tablespoons of seasoning salt
4 Tablespoons of butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the butter into tablespoon sized pieces and place in a 13x9 casserole dish. Place the dish in the oven until the butter melts, about 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the flour and seasoning salt (or seasonings of your chosing) in a gallon sized ziploc bag.
Put the chicken in the bag.
Seal it.
Check to make sure it's sealed.
Check again.
Hand the chicken bag to your child and let them shake it until the chicken is thoroughly coated. (Or shake it yourself, but then you lose super-mom points.)
Take the dish out of the oven and place the chicken in the butter. Turn the chicken once, so all pieces are coated.
Put the dish back in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees internal temp).

And, while you're heating the house up for chicken nuggets, why not make some ...

French Fries

5-6 potatoes, washed and cut into strips
2-3 Tablespoons EVOO
1 ranch dressing packet, optional

Pour the EVOO into a gallon-sized ziploc bag.
Add the potatoes.
Seal the bag. Make sure. Check a third time.
Shake the bag until the potatoes are evenly coated with the EVOO.
Open the bag, add the ranch dressing mix.
Seal the bag and shake again, until potatoes are coated.
Spread the potatoes on a baking sheet
Bake for 45 minutes at 400 degrees, turning halfway through.

Not Hansel-and-Gretal-ish

2009-08-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

There was/is a cooking show called Kids-a-Cookin' and I always thought it sounded like a tribute to the Hansel and Gretal story. But, I think it's no less harmless than today's recipe, referred to in our house as "Kid Kabobs". *no children were hurt in the making of this meal.

Kid Kabobs

3 cups (more or less) fully cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups (more or less) cheese*, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups (more or less) fresh pineapple**, cut into (you guessed it) 1/2 cubes
a box of toothpicks***

When I serve this, I give each child 5-6 toothpicks, and an equal amount of ham, cheese, and pineapple. The girls love "making" their own supper, and we never have a battle about this meal.

*about the cheese: cheddar, monterrey jack, colby, any kind you like
**about the pineapple: you could use the canned slices of pineapple, but fresh is just SO much better, even in the middle of Kansas
***about the toothpicks: you can use bamboo skewers for older kids or forgo the stabbing utensils all together for toddlers

Ham, Sweet Ham

2009-08-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

Growing up, I never liked ham. I thought ham just meant the lunchmeat you put on sandwiches and got in plastic, sealed bags.

Then I married into a pork-raising family.

Now, my favorite ham comes from the meat we have processed in Herrington, KS. Something you may not realize: every meat processor has a different recipe for their ham cure, and it does make a difference. The ham from Herrington doesn't need dressed up.

But, because I can, we dress it up anyway.

My husband makes and sells jams and jellies through Farmers Markets. Two of my favorites are his Peach Jalapeno Jelly and Confetti Jelly. To make ham in our house, I place a strip of aluminum foil in a dutch oven. Then, I place a thawed cured ham on the foil. Pour the peach jalapeno or confetti jelly on top of the ham. Tent the aluminum foil.

Bake the ham at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes per pound of meat, or until the internal temperature reads 160 degrees. If you like the ham edges a little crispy, remove the foil the last 20 minutes or so.

Then, let the ham set at least 10 minutes before carving it. That will allow the juices to soak back into the meat and make for a better tasting ham.

Enjoy!

Weekly menu for August 2- 8

2009-08-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

Sunday, August 2
Toast & Jelly
Super Salad
Ham and fried potatoes

Monday, August 3
Breakfast burritos
PBJ Sandwiches
Kid Kabobs

Tuesday, August 4
Cereal
Leftover ham, fruit
Frozen pizza, salad

Wednesday, August 5
Toast and fruit
Frozen lunch
Chicken nuggets, fries

Thursday, August 6
Scrambled eggs
Lunch OUT
Tortilla pinwheels

Friday, August 7
Cereal
Fried chicken salad
Sloppy joes

Saturday, August 8
Cereal
Tater-tot casserole
Tomato soup, rolls

Burritos

2009-07-29T20:41:00.001-07:00

Ah, burritos. So good in so many ways!

Our family's version of it is pretty simple. You can spice it up or down to your tastes.

Burritos
1 pound ground beef
1 can refried beans
about 2 cups cheddar cheese
about 12 large to medium flour tortillas
1 cup of your favorite salsa

Preheat oven to 350.
Ground beef in a large skillet. Drain.
Stir salsa and refried beans into beef. Stir and cook on medium-low until combined.
Place a spoonful of the meat/bean mixture on each tortilla, evenly distributing among them all.
Sprinkle cheese on top of meat/bean mixture.
Add anything else you want in the burritos. (Onions, peppers, cumin, cilantro, lettuce, tomato)
Roll tortilla and put seam-side down in a 13x9 casserole.
Bake 15 minutes or until cheese is melted completely.
Serve with sour cream.

Chicken quesadillas

2009-07-29T08:00:00.001-07:00

The Menu says chinese food tonight. Translation: I'm making the fried rice posted last week.

But if that doesn't suit your tastebuds, try this.

Preheat the oven to broil.
Dice up some of that leftover chicken from the beer-butt chicken.
Saute some diced onions in butter, then add the chicken until warm.
Place flour tortillas on a baking sheet.
Spoon the chicken and onion mixture on the tortillas and spread evenly.
Top with cheddar cheese or colby-jack.
Place a second tortilla on top.
Broil on low until cheese is just melted or until tortillas start to turn golden brown.
Put a dollop of sour cream on each quesadilla and enjoy!

Tip: use a pizza cutter to cut the quesadillas into wedges, to make it easier for the kiddos to eat.

Beer Butt Chicken

2009-07-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

I love making beer-butt chicken. Not only does it make delicious meat and enough for multiple meals, it also does all the cooking outside. It does use a significant amount of propane (yes, we'd make Mr. Hill proud!) but it is SO worth it.

I am a cheater. I bought the can holder to make it easier to grill the chicken, and I just use the instructions that came with it. If you don't have any beer available or don't want to use it, I've heard you can substitute a can of soda.

Me? I like it the original way. And so, here is the original beer-butt chicken recipe, thanks to This Site:

THE ORIGINAL BEER BUTT CHICKEN Recipe

Beer Butt Chicken Recipe courtesy of Grilling America, by Rick Brown (2003 ReganBooks).
(Rick Browne is also host of public television’s “Barbecue America”)

DRY RUB 1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. savory or oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 TBS. sea salt –ground
1 tsp. dry yellow mustard

BASTING SPRAY
1 cup apple cider
2 TBS. olive oil
2 TBS. balsamic vinegar
6 oz. warm beer

To cook a large 4-5 pound chicken with indirect heat on a charcoal or gas grill.
Cooking time 1 1/4 – 2 hours.
Use a grill with lid large enough to cook a chicken standing upright.

Mix the rub in a small bowl until it’s well incorporated. Wash, dry and season the chicken generously inside and out with the rub. Work the mixture well into the skin and under the skin wherever possible. Place in medium bowl, cover and set aside at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.

Using a 12-oz. an of your favorite beer, pour out half the contents into a spray bottle, add the cider, olive oil, vinegar and set aside. Take the beer can in one hand and insert it into the ChickCAN™

(The beverage can may be used alone, with the bird’s legs creating a pedestal)

OPTIONAL: You may add Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, minced garlic, onions, etc. to liquid. You can also use fruit juices, colas, or wine instead of beer.

Place the chicken over the ChickCANTM rack and beer can and place on the grill over indirect heat. To prevent flare ups on the grill place the rack into a disposable aluminum pie pan and add 1/4 cup of water

CAUTION: “Cook with indirect heat”! This method of cooking chicken does two things: first, it helps drain off the fat as the chicken cooks, second, the beverage steams the inside of the chicken, while the outside is cooked by the BBQ heat, making it the most moist bird you’ve ever laid yer eyes, or gums, on. Some people put a small potato or carrot in the neck opening of the chicken to keep the steam inside.

For Charcoal Grills: Place coals on one side of barbecue grill, cook chicken over the other side. Add 6-8 coals every 30 min.

For Multiple Burner Gas Grills: Turn gas to medium on one burner, place chicken over an unheated burner.

For oven use: Place in a disposable pie pan and add 1/4 cup of water. Cook at 350°.

Cook for 1 1/4- to 2 hours. During the cooking time spray the chicken all around with the basting spray several times. The chicken is done when it is dark golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 180o in the thigh. Carefully remove the bird on the ChickCAN rack, and place it on heatproof counter top to rest for 5-10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the beer can with tongs while holding the rack with an oven mitt.

WARNING That aluminum can, and the liquid in it, is very hot and can burn you.

Give the chicken one more spritz of the basting spray and then carve. Serve and enjoy!

Grilled steak

2009-07-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

I wasn't going to post this as a recipe, because I assume everyone knows how to grill a steak. But then again, does everyone know how to grill a good steak?

First step: get a good steak. The more marbling (white specks of fat throughout the meat) the steak has, the more tender it will be.
H ere's a great publication on meat quality and preparation.
Don't get in a hurry. I tend to screw up steaks by essential flash-burning them. I love the crunch of the fat (I know; that's just gross) but it's not the correct way to cook the steak.
Make sure you get the safe internal temperature for the meat: minimum of 145 degrees F.
Add whatever spices or seasonings you want. If I'm eating it as a grilled steak, I'll just add a little worchestershire sauce to it. If I'm going to use the steak in fajitas, I'll just add some southwest seasoning as a rub. A tender, top quality steak won't need anything at all. For the more tough the meat (usually also the cheaper cuts), a marinade can help break down the "tough" part of it and improve the flavor and tenderness.
Consider adding an extra steak or two to the grill, while you've got it fired up. Leftover steak makes excellent fajitas!

When in doubt, go to the NCBA or your state beef organization. They KNOW beef like no others. Another great source: the K-State meat science department. Dr. Hunter KNOWS his stuff.

Weekly Recipe, July 26-August 1

2009-07-25T21:18:00.000-07:00

Sunday, July 26
Waffles
Grilled steak
Beer-butt chicken

Monday, July 27
Cereal
Leftovers
Chicken quesadillas

Tuesday, July 28
Muffins
PBJ
Chinese food

Wednesday, July 29
Scrambled Eggs
Leftovers
Burritos, pico de gallo

Thursday, July 30
Oatmeal and fresh fruit
Out for lunch
Taco salad

Friday, July 31
Doughnut Day
Sandwiches
Appetizers only: stuffed jalapenos, stacked Ritz

Saturday, August 1
Cereal
Bacon quiche
Pizza

BBQ Pork

2009-07-25T08:15:00.000-07:00

You know that pork roast you made last night? Time to repackage it. After all, it IS the weekend and time to relax!

Shred the pork into chunks with a fork.
Pour your favorite barbeque sauce over it.
Either microwave for 2-3 minutes until warmed through, or put in a crock pot for about 4 hours on high or until warmed through. The meat is already cooked, so I don't worry as much about 160 degrees. (Feel free to correct me, food safety experts!)
Put on your favorite hamburger bun and serve with salad and/or chips.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Pork Roast

2009-07-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

Pork Roast

I am spoiled; this I know. I have a side of beef and entire pork in my deep freeze. Not only does this save my grocery bills, it also allows me to test out more recipes with beef and pork in them.

Pork roast is by far my favorite cut of pork. No matter how you make it, I think it’ll taste delicious. Of the methods I’ve tried, this is my favorite.

Pork Roast
3-4 pound pork roast, thawed
Seasoning salt (I use about 3 tablespoons)
Pepper (about a teaspoon)
Olive oil
1 cup water
Aluminum foil

Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil, making the strips of foil about 3 times longer than the pan is wide.
Set the roast on a plate and pour about a tablespoon of olive oil over it. Use your hands to rub the olive oil all over the roast.
Sprinkle seasoning salt and pepper on the roast and use your hands to rub it into the meat.
Place the roast in the pan on the foil.
Pour the water around the roast.
Tent the foil over the roast.
Bake at 350 degrees for (here’s the tricky part) 18-20 minutes per pound of roast. So, a 3 pound roast would be 54-60 minutes; a 4 pound roast would be 72-80 minutes. I always use my meat thermometer and cook to an internal temperature of 160 degrees, so I know exactly when it’s done.
When the time is up, take the roast out of the oven and let it rest at least 10 minutes before cutting it.

Add baked potatoes at the same time you put the roast in, and your meal can be done at the same time. The rule on baked potatoes: 45 minutes at 400 degrees F.; 60 minutes at 350 degrees F.; or 90 minutes at 325 degrees F.

Fried Rice Recipe

2009-07-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

In case you didn’t get a chance to make the pizza rolls on Tuesday and are wondering what to eat tonight, here’s another “ol’ reliable” that we use. The peanut oil gives it an authentic, restaurant flavor, and the flexibility of the recipe means I usually have the ingredients on hand.

Fried Rice for 6
3 cups minute rice, cooked
2 eggs, beaten
1 small onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 carrot (or 3 baby carrots), diced
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon peanut oil (can substitute vegetable oil)
1 chicken breast OR 1 cup diced ham, optional

Prepare the minute rice as instructed on the box. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet to medium-high heat.
If you are using meat, add the chicken or ham to the skillet and saute until cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside
Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the skillet. Stir fry until just tender.
Add the meat and cooked rice to the skillet. Stir and let cook for 1-2 minutes over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, beat the eggs.
Pour the eggs over the rice mixture and stir until cooked through.

Bonus the meal by stopping by your local Chinese food restaurant or grocery store for a few egg rolls. Or, if you are really ambitious, you can make your own.

Tacos as backup

2009-07-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

Tacos are a constant back-up meal in our house. Not only is it quick and a hit with everyone, but it usually turns into two meals. Tacos can be made in so many ways; you just need to play around with it to find what fits for your household.

Tacos, Our Style

1 pound ground beef
1 Taco Bell taco seasoning
Soft tortillas for the girls and taco shells for adults
Shredded cheddar
Sour cream
Additional optional toppings, including wedged tomatoes, diced bell pepper, jalapenos, bread-and-butter jalapenos, salsa, lettuce, onion, carrots and any other veggie that sounds good

Cook the ground beef and prepare according to the directions on the Taco Bell seasoning packet.
Spread sour cream on a tortilla or taco shell.
Spoon beef on top of that, then cheddar cheese and any other toppings you want to add.

MEAL TWO: Mexi-cornbread

Save any leftover taco meat and toppings.
Prepare a boxed cornbread mix and add a can of cream corn.
Stir taco leftovers into cornbread mixture.
Pour into an 8x8 casserole.
Combine 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup cheddar cheese, and drop the sour cream/cheese mix onto the cornbread mix.
Bake according to the cornbread mix directions.

Fair Week: Pizza Roll

2009-07-21T20:41:00.000-07:00

This week is our county fair, so I needed to make something that 1) would last for a couple meals and 2) reheated well and 3) packed easily. So, pizza rolls it is! I'm not talking about the frozen little saucers you can get at the grocery store (although some days, those can suffice.) I'm talking about a bread loaf stuffed with pizza flavor. It's easy to make and a hit with everyone I know who has tried it.

Save money tip: price check the mozzarella. I might be cheaper to buy a chunk of cheese and shred it at home. Also, you can buy shredded mozzarella when it's on super-sale and freeze it until you need it.

3 loaves frozen bread dough, thawed
2 eggs
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 cup EVOO aka olive oil
4 oz pepperoni
1/2 pound ham, shredded
1 pound sausage, browned and drained
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded

Combine the meats and cheese in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat olive oil and spices into the eggs. Pour 3/4 of the egg mixture into the meats and cheese.
On parchment paper or a floured surface, roll out the bread dough into rectangles. Spread the meat/cheese mixture onto the bread dough.
Roll the dough into a jelly roll, pinching the edges and ends to seal.
Place on a cookie or baking sheet. Brush the remaining egg mixture on top. (I like to let my girls smear it on, being sure their hands are washed thoroughly before and after.)
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

You can freeze one or two of the loaves for later use. Just be sure to let it cool completely before you freeze it, to minimize ice crystals and maximize taste.

Menu for the week: July 19-25

2009-07-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday, July 19
Breakfast: Pancakes
Lunch: hamburgers and chips
Supper: Chef salad and yogurt smoothies

Monday, July 20
Breakfast: Cereal
Lunch: Hot dogs, Mac-n-cheese
Supper: Meatballs and spaghetti

Tuesday, July 21
Breakfast: Blueberry muffins
Lunch: Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Supper: Pizza Roll

Wednesday, July 22
Breakfast: Cereal
Lunch: Leftover pizza roll
Supper: Leftover pizza roll with tomatoes and cucumbers

Thursday, July 23
Breakfast: Cereal
Lunch: OUT (every Thursday lunch is OUT.)
Supper: Leftover pizza roll (really. you'll have that much left and it's THAT good.)

Friday, July 24
Breakfast: Doughnut Day
Lunch: Ham sandwiches
Supper: Pork roast, microwave potatoes

Saturday, July 25 (My dad's birthday!)
Breakfast: Waffles
Lunch: Cheesy tacos
Supper: BBQ pork, corn on the cob