Feeding My Family

Soup Month -- Day 8

2011-11-08T16:30:00.000-08:00

Found my camera -- can you tell?
Dinner was so awesome, I decided to post an actual recipe!

Meatball Stew
1 bell pepper, chopped big
1 onion, chopped big
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
4 carrots, chopped big
4 potatoes, same size as your carrots
1 can beef broth
1 lb. frozen meatballs

I boiled the carrots and potatoes in the broth until they were almost done, and sauteed the first three veggies in another pan, though I don't think it's necessary, I just love the smell of hot onions in oil. Put the mushroom mix in the potato pot and turn to low. If it's covered it will steam them more so they won't be crunchy, it's up to you. I microwaved the meatballs and then sauteed them, too! The browned effect is more appetizing... I added about a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with water to thicken the broth, and threw in some worcestershire sauce and montreal steak seasoning per Sheridy's suggestion. It was awesome!! Serve on rice if you wanna, but it's good without, too.

Soup Month -- Days 7 & 8

2011-11-08T14:10:00.001-08:00

Last night we had Christmas Eve Clam chowder (found here), only better. Yep, Better! We used this stuff:

Clamless clam chowder, and it was good. No chewy chewy chewy chewy. Clam juice is found at the same place as clams and costs the same as two cans of chewy chewy, so what are you waiting for? Finally, we can completely enjoy one of my favorite soups without my least favorite component!

Tonight is going to be a good memory. When my second daughter was born, the best neighbors on Earth brought us dinner. They are angels in the flesh and not just because of the good stew! Sherrie told me to put a bunch of veggies in a pot (which I remember to be bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, potatoes, carrots and maybe green beans), then cook them with a can of beef broth. Heat up some frozen meatballs and toss them in. Then we ate it on rice. Not an actual soup, but a lot like beef stew, and SOOOO good!

Soup Week -- Days 5 & 6

2011-11-07T15:13:00.000-08:00

Saturday we had chili, our favorite version with lots of brown sugar, 'cause hubby likes it sweet. Sunday was leftovers! We had a pint or so of four different soups, so it was a buffet. Okay, it wasn't a buffet, Mom and Dad claimed the ones they wanted and the kids settled for leftover chicken and dumpling soup. We have the power of parenthood on our side. It may be that every Sunday becomes "buffet" day.

Soup week -- Day 4

2011-11-04T15:48:00.000-07:00

Six C's and Peas Soup
or Cauliflower Carrot Coconut Curry Cilantro Chowder (with peas!)

16 oz. bag frozen Cauliflower
4 Carrots, sliced
4 cups Chicken broth
1 can Coconut milk
1-2 Tbs. Curry powder
2 c. frozen peas
handful Cilantro, chopped
Cooked rice, opt.

Place carrots and cauliflower in pot and add broth. Add more water if needed to just cover vegetables and bring to a boil, then simmer until almost tender. Add milk, peas and curry and heat through, then sprinkle with cilantro.

This one is meatless, but so good. We serve it with a scoop of basmati rice in the bowl. I wanted to call it "Seven Seas" Soup, but try as I might, I could not come up with a name for peas that started with C. Can you?

Soup Month -- Day 3

2011-11-03T16:51:00.000-07:00

This one's quick and easy!

Chicken and Dumpling Soup

Half a pot of water
Chicken bouillon to taste
16 oz. bag frozen mixed veggies
2 c. chopped, cooked chicken (I use a bottle of home-canned)
pepper or Mrs. Dash if you want it

Combine and bring to a boil. Top with dumpling dough and boil uncovered 10 min, then covered 10 more.

This is my comfort food. Usually my husband makes it. It's not so comforting when I have to make it myself...just kidding! The dumplings puff up nicely and thicken the broth until it's creamy and Mmmm. Mmmm.

Dumpling Dough

2 c. bisquick (I use homemade)
2/3 c. milk

Mix ingredients and drop walnut-sized balls on boiling soup.

Soup Month -- Day 2

2011-11-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

This is one of our family's favorites:

Italian Wedding Soup

1 lb. sausage (I use a roll, like Jimmy Dean)
4-6 carrots, sliced
6 c. chicken broth
2 T. dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley, or 1 1/2 T. dried
1/4 c. acini de pepe
6 oz. spinach leaves
parmesan cheese

Using a teaspoon, roll the sausage into tiny balls (there are easier ways to do this, but it is not so pretty--you could brown it, too) and bake on a cookie sheet for 10 min. at 350*. Meanwhile, combine carrots, broth, onions and spices in a pot and bring to a boil for about 5 min. Add pasta and cook until done (according to package). Drop in the spinach and stir until wilted. This can get pretty salty and you may need to water it down. I use boullion granules and make my broth weak. YUM! Now, do not forget this part: 2 T. parmesan cheese PER bowl. Shredded is best, but grated is still pretty awesome.

Soup Month -- Day 1

2011-11-01T15:45:00.000-07:00

We like soup at our house, so just for fun and because I like a good challenge, and for the sake of getting those pickles off the front page (see below), I shall attempt one month of soup for dinner. We'll be skipping Thanksgiving Day because it is my favorite of all holidays (don't tell Christmas) and I couldn't bear to miss all the goodies I get once a year!

First off Cream of Broccoli! It is a tradition in our home to have this soup the first time it snows in fall and although I didn't see it, two of my family members swear it was snowing this morning. Lucky for me, I've already blogged this one--click here. It is my mother-in-law's recipe and I am deeply in love with it.

So, a month of soup. Anybody with me?

Homemade Claussens

2010-10-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

Claussen (a brand name) pickles are my favorite. They're super crunchy and garlicky and dillish. MMMMMmmmmm. I have never bought a jar, because they are expensive. I steal them. From my mom, people. Now I've got a recipe.

Also known as "Half-Sours" or "Kosher", these pickles are awesome! They aren't canned, because there isn't enough vinegar to prevent bacteria from growing if they sit on the shelf, however, they last for a year in your fridge! So do Claussens, which are bought in the refrigerated section of your grocery (they aren't shelf-stable, either). So try some, they won't last long. My cukes came from my mother in law, and the garlic, onion and dill from my garden!

Half-Sour Pickles

5 lbs. pickling cucumbers

1 c. onion, chopped fine

6-8 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. mustard seeds

2 Tbs. dill seed (fresh weed & seeds if you've got them)

1 1/2 qts. water

2 c. cider vinegar

1/2 c. canning salt

Dissolve the salt in the water, warming it up if you must, and combine the last seven ingredients. After scrubbing cukes, slice lengthwise, or leave whole if small. Place in jars or an ice cream bucket and pour liquid over them. I get four quart jars. Let sit on your counter three days and then refrigerate before consuming. You're gonna love 'em!

Ham Steak in Five

2010-09-12T10:53:00.001-07:00

This is what I've learned to do during the last eighteen months: Get dinner on the table as quickly as possible, get dinner off the table as quickly as possible, get the baby off the table as quickly as possible as often as possible. Did you miss me? I did.

Ham Steak in Five Minutes

One Ham Steak, boneless or not
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. vinegar
2 t. dry mustard powder

Mix last three ingredients in a bowl. Place ham steak on a baking sheet and baste with half of mixture. Broil until sugar bubbles. Flip the steak and repeat the basting, broiling again until bubbly. This may in reality take longer than five minutes.

We like it with green beans and mashed potatoes, which for the past year and a half have come from cans. I know, shame on me. Seriously, people, you don't know this baby.

Blessing Dress

2009-05-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

Being a woman, I claim the privilege to change my mind at any point in time, for any reason I deem worthy. Therefore, I am blogging again. This didn't fit into the category for either my garden blog or my recipes, but for the sake of those who missed out on my baby's blessing day, here is her dress:
The bunny detail on the skirt:

And the bodice:

Now for the story:

When my oldest child, now five and three quarters of a year old, was just having her first birthday, I decided to learn a little hand embroidery. So, of course, I sought out something extremely difficult-looking to start with. (Wasn't that a grand idea?)

After reading up on all the different stitches, and purchasing needed items and materials, I began. Seven months later, and an estimated total of twenty hours of tedious needlework, I had two embroidered pieces of cloth. I placed them in a ziploc bag where they would be clean until I could finish them into a dress. Then I was pregnant again. Now, I am the last person to use pregnancy as any kind of an excuse, so I'll just say I was waiting...

When my second daughter was just having her first birthday, I was unpacking from a move and found my hard work in a ziploc bag. I decided it was time. I bought a pattern and cut around the embroidery, size two, in case it took me a while. (Then I was pregnant again.)

We'll skip the part where I had a little boy and move on to a week before we blessed our third daughter.

I want to be lazy and let her wear one of her sister's dresses, and then am convinced that this will cause fighting at some point in someone's life and decide I'd better get a move on and make her a dress, and the only white material in the house is...embroidered!

Now we'll skip the part where my mom's old serger was broken and she had to buy me a new one because there were only four days left.

So, I readjust the fabric pieces, cutting them out in 0-3 months and sew like mad to get it done. Wasn't that a lovely story? I knew you'd like it. The big girls got new dresses, too, but they were done months ago after Aunt Sara donated patterns and leftover wedding materials from one of her sisters...Thanks Aunt Sara!

The End (I felt like it needed that.)

Signing off

2009-03-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry friends...this is it. It was fun while it lasted and now I think I have more exciting things to take my time on than blogging. Don't worry, I'll be stopping by regularly to visit your sites and if I do come across an incredible recipe, I'll be sure and save it for the time when I start my cooking adventures again!

Country Style Pork Ribs

2009-02-20T15:15:00.000-08:00

I hadn't ever made ribs before. I know, cry for my husband. But there was this terrific sale and I thought I should pick some up just to have in my freezer in case the need to make ribs arose. Then, I got so excited, I googled some recipes and decided to try the one for which I had all three ingredients on hand. Oh, and it didn't call for a grill, which was helpful as I don't like to stand in the cold.

Ingredients:
Boneless country style pork ribs
Pineapple juice
Barbeque sauce

Mmmm. Okay, so you boil the ribs in the juice for 45 minutes. Enough to cover should be good, but I added about twice the amount of water because all I had was the (frozen) juice from a can of pineapple chunks. Pineapple juice is a natural tenderizer and therefore works well in marinades and basting sauces and for boiling ribs... Drain ribs, baste on barbeque sauce and broil 2-3 minutes. Then turn them over, baste and broil again and you're done! Very good, and pretty, too. Wish I would've snapped a picture.

This will now be a staple and probably a freezer meal. And if you make them better, I'd love to hear about it...

Christmas Eve Clam Chowder

2009-01-16T15:07:00.000-08:00

For my mama...
If you'd like a picture of the cookie trees we made, I have plenty. I didn't get one of the chowder.
This recipe originally came from my old backyard neighbor, Norma Nichols, who designed the CTR shield (yes, the very one) and whose house my sister now resides in.

Christmas Eve Clam Chowder
2 Stalks celery, sliced
1 onion, diced
2 large potatoes, cubed
2 cans chopped clams
3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. flour
1 qt. half and half
1 1/2 t. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
dash pepper
1 T. lemon juice (opt.)

Place onion, celery and potatoes in a large pot. Add the juice from the clams and enough water to barely cover. Cook until potatoes are just tender. In a mixing bowl, melt butter and stir in flour to make a roux. Add spices and enough half and half to make it smooth. Slowly stir into veggies and cook on medium until thick. Add clams and lemon juice, heat through.

Suggestions are as follows: I can't stand how clams chew and chew and never go away, so I use one can of minced and one can of chopped. Lemon juice is optional, but makes all the difference, so not really.

Shame on Me!

2008-12-11T19:25:00.000-08:00

I know it! Thanksgiving came and went without so much as a recipe posted on my blog. So here it is, for all future generations, the must-haves, the tradition of traditions, our Thanksgiving Menu:

Turkey
Mashed Potatoes (some chunks and some skin)
Gravy (from the drippings)
Mary's Cranberry Relish (I love this so much, I make myself enough to last six months and freeze it. Husband tells the kids not to eat it alone, only on turkey, or ham, or chicken, or whatever is on your plate. Are you kidding? I spoon it up like applesauce.)
Cauliflower Piquant (Mmm, mouth is watering...)
Sweet Potatoes (WITH marshmallows)
Stuffing (Stovetop--hey, it's tradition!)
Rolls (usually purchased, these don't matter much until the next day when it's time for sandwiches)
Pumpkin Pie (not my favorite, but necessary)
Apple Pie (in the brown paper bag--MY favorite--makes me want to sing)
Lemon Meringue Pie (one of my assignments this year and I should have taken a picture, it was right purty!)
Barb's Raspberry Jello with Pretzel Crust dessert (actually a must have at every family get together, she struck gold on that one)

I know this probably sounds exactly like everyone else's, but certain parts of it are ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for furthering the happiness of mankind (here at our house).

Hmmm, did I miss anything? Okay, now I'm wondering why we've never done a pecan pie, that is one of Husband's favorites...leave it to me. I will fix everything.

Your turn. Let's hear what it is you can't do without on Thanksgiving or Christmas or for that matter your birthday ( I love how traditions revolve around food in my head--they do in yours also, right?)

On a roll...

2008-11-13T18:43:00.000-08:00

I've been missing for a few weeks. My children have come to think of Grandma's as their second home and wonder why we come to our own some days after kindergarten. We have been on a canning kick. No, I wasn't much of a canner before, but she wanted to try some things and so did I and we ended up doing much more than planned, but the good thing is, it all goes faster with more than one person.
Our first endeavors all had to do with the abundance of tomatoes in our garden. Here we have two different salsas, diced tomatoes, tomato juice, and spaghetti sauce (my pressure canner is AWESOME!). Our latest was enchilada sauce, which is better than anything storebought, makes 60 pints with one recipe and requires a pot taller than my son, which Mother-in-Law happened to come upon just days before we planned our excursion. Oh, and don't forget a two-and-a-half foot wooden spoon...

We did peaches and pears for the fun of it and pear sauce because the way Sara described it, I just had to have some...

Joni's family gave us a box of apples which I didn't can because I found myself alone and not able to embark on an all-day project without help, so I made dehydrated cinnamon apple chips (nice and crunchy like potato chips, the thinner the better) and cinnamon applesauce for the freezer in my crockpot, thank you, Joni...

Two different recipes for dill relish. I like the sweet stuff, I just prefer it sour...

And last, but not least, chicken. It ain't pretty, but it tastes just fine and I bought a forty pound box of boneless skinless for $1.19 a pound. Can you get it cheaper?

Next week: beef chunks.

Purely for the Punch Line

2008-10-22T07:44:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, you all don't really read my blog because, let's face it, what can you say about a recipe? Well, this one's for you and I promise, there is no recipe to be had. Yes, I did it purely for the punch line.

Mmmm, see these? Don't they look yummy? This is the way to start your day, one big boost of sugar (not for children).

Rhodes' Sticky Buns, and they are easy as can be. Simply pull off the wrapping and place the whole pan in your oven, then turn it on. No preheating necessary! When your timer is up, enjoy them warm and smothered in yummy caramelly goo. If prefered, you may turn them onto a plate for a beautiful presentation. Isn't your mouth watering? Good. Here it comes...

Speaking of buns in my oven, I have one. (I think Dad got the joke this time.) :)

Cream of Broccoli Soup!

2008-10-13T14:15:00.001-07:00

We officially had our first snow and as tradition has it in Husband's family, Cream of Broccoli soup was served. It's hard to get the full effect when your house isn't filled with the wonderful aroma of this creamy bowlful. Believe me, it's just what you need when the snow starts falling...

32 oz. frozen chopped broccoli (florets are prettier, but expensiver too)

1/4 c. dried minced onion (1/2 cup fresh will work as well)

1/4 c. chicken bouillon

1 qt. half and half

1/4 c. butter, melted

1/4 c. flour

red wine vinegar (opt.)

Place broccoli in a pot and barely cover with water, add onion flakes and bouillon and bring to a boil. Turn down and cook 5-8 minutes until broccoli is almost tender. Stir in half and half. Mix melted butter and flour together into a roux and slowly stir into soup. Keep on low and do not boil. Stir until thickened and add more milk if you prefer it thinner. Salt and pepper to taste. MIL Mary adds a tablespoon of the vinegar for a final touch (I do two, I love it, but it can be overdone!) She has also been known to throw in a small bottle of Cheez Whiz, so if you like it Cheesy, there you go. Enjoy it hot.

Two Easy Recipes

2008-10-01T19:52:00.000-07:00

...that look like nothing at all...

This one is curry popcorn. I know you can't see the curry, but believe me, it is there and it is awesome. I don't even eat plain buttered popcorn anymore. I was always the one who made popcorn in a pot with the oil and the shaking, until the lady who sold us our last house and left most of her unwanteds in it kindly "donated" a hot-air popper. Mmmm, this is yummy.
Okay, so for all you curry fans, here is the recipe: Popcorn, butter and a mix of curry powder and salt. Make sure you have at least two parts curry to one part salt or you will be sorry. Then do it nice and slow, sprinkle here, sprinkle there, tasting as you go. I like lots of curry.
If you'd like a recipe for real actual curry, you'll have to see my brother-in-law. He's a good Scottish boy who prefers not to "go for an Indian", but to make his own. (They talk funny over there.)

Next we have broiled grapefruit. Yes, broiled, and I must say, it is also tasteworthy. There is a bit of conflict within the families, some eat grapefruit with salt and some with sugar. I don't think I ever put anything on it, but once in a while you get those sourish ones that need some help, so this is what you do: Cut grapefruit in half and along all those little lines so it's ready to go. Sprinkle nicely with brown sugar and broil it close until the sugar is bubbly. This will improve even those old dried grapefruits you haven't eaten yet. Oh, but if they are my Grammie's grapefruit, don't you dare, they are perfect the way they are. (Why don't they sell those yellow ones in Utah?)

In the words of my Husband...

2008-09-15T07:43:00.000-07:00

"French fries are just a means of getting the ketchup to your mouth."

In the words of my five year old (3 years ago): "More kappitch please."

In the words of my two year old: "Dip, dip, diiiiiippp!"

That's right folks, my family loves ketchup--except for me. Oh, it's not bad, it just isn't what I prefer. They eat it on chicken nuggets and in beef stew, on eggs and potatoes. It leaves red rashes on my little one's faces and still they dip on. I must say in high school, ranch dressing was my condiment of choice for fries and nuggets, but it is shunned in our current household (who doesn't like ranch??), also except for me, although I can't stand the stuff out of a bottle, but I could drink my homemade version. So I now go for plain fries--or even fry sauce is better than ketchup--and equal parts dijon mustard and apricot jam for my nuggets, honey mustard at McDonald's. I take a good amount of hot pepper sauce on my eggs and sour cream on my potatoes.

Now I want to know what you like. I don't mind if you are closed-minded ketchup freaks. Crazy or not, tell me your favorite dips, sauces and condiments and what you eat them on. Come on, people. I need a laugh.

Warning

2008-09-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

You know those cute little light sticks you give your kids on Halloween? You bend them and they light up and they say NON-TOXIC on their packages. I would show you a picture of one only I immediately rid my house of the pests after this incident (which unfortunately has nothing to do with cooking only that it went in my kid's mouth and then ruined the kitchen table).

So, apparently the outer plastic coating is the non-toxic part they refer to, because if you bite one open and leave it on your table, it will melt your varnish. Yes, completely dissolved away and stained forever. If you do not want this to happen to your child's esophagus, I suggest you disregard the NON-TOXIC part and get yourself a flashlight.

No soup for you!

2008-09-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sheesh, you'd think I was the soup Nazi! Are there no soup recipes to be had, you ask? Well, I'd better get a move on. SOUP RECIPE #1:

White Chicken Chili:

1 Tb. olive oil

2 lb. boneless skinless chicken

1 onion, chopped

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

4 oz. can diced green chiles

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried cilantro
15 oz. can white beans, rinsed

small can green enchilada sauce (opt.)

Cube chicken and cook with onion in oil 5 min. I skipped this step and used cooked, shredded from the freezer. Add broth, chiles & spices. Simmer 15 min. Add beans and enchilada sauce if you choose. Heat through. Top with Monterey Jack or crushed tortilla chips.

By the way, the enchilada sauce is my friend Georgia's "secret ingredient" and I only put the "optional" part for your benefit. At our house it is mandatory.

Wait for the first snow! I will post my mother-in-law's traditional Cream of Broccoli Soup, which is unbelievable.

My New Refrigerator Magnets

2008-09-10T14:43:00.001-07:00

And you thought My Little Ponies were only good for one thing...(Can anyone tell me why these horsies have magnets on their hooves and how my daughters discovered it?)

Canning Season

2008-09-08T08:10:00.001-07:00

There is something completely satisfying about putting bottled food on your shelves. It may be the "I just saved $2.50 a jar on that apricot jam!" or the "I only eat my mom's pickles, so you should learn how to make them," from my husband, but I absolutely adore looking at jars of food I have canned myself. So here they are: apricot jam from my tree--next year I will pick them underripe (before the birds get the lot of them) and ripen in brown bags; Heather's zucchini relish--my first batch, (zucchini from my garden, most else from the store) and rather tasty if I do say so; Husband's mom's pickles--they really are the best and her 4 cucumber plants have produced some 26? quarts so far; and beets from MIL's garden and mine--mine are the one inchers, though I planted a month earlier than she did click here for my excuse (if you haven't noticed, even I don't visit my garden blog anymore).

Aunt Laurel's "Uncle Ben's" Rice

2008-08-15T15:01:00.000-07:00

I had a little trouble deciding where to put my quotes. This is my version of store-bought Uncle Ben's long & wild rice. I made His, smelled it and looked at the ingredients, then came up with my own cheaper-but-similar rice for a Relief Society Dinner (they cut our budget this year).
So here it is:

Long Grain & Wild Rice
12 oz. pkg. long grain & wild rice
2 c. beef broth
2 c. chicken broth
1 Tb. oil
1 Tb. parsley (dried)
1 ts. marjoram
1 ts. garlic powder
1/2 t. each paprika, salt
4 oz. can mushrooms (opt.)

Combine all in pot and follow directions on rice package OR press COOK on your rice cooker.
Add 1/2 c. almonds if you like, and 1/4 c. water/broth to unstick it. Stir and serve. Freezes well, makes mouths happy.

What can I say?

2008-07-21T22:51:00.000-07:00

I love Chinese food. So do Husband and Kids. I don't like paying for it, or wondering what is really in it or the tons of sugar and cornstarch and MSG. So, I ask myself, "Can I possibly make Chinese as good as they do?" And I try. And miracles happen.

Beef and Broccoli:
1 lb. beef steak, sliced thin (I used chunks from the freezer)
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. brown sugar
3 T. vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
2 t. grated fresh ginger
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. oil
1 large onion, sliced thin
2 heads broccoli, cut up into florets

Combine beef, water, soy, sugar, vinegar, garlic, ginger and cornstarch in a bag or bowl and marinate 10 minutes or more. Drain well, reserving marinade. Place broccoli and a bit of water in a microwave bowl covered in plastic wrap and microwave it 4 minutes until tender-crisp (or, hey, you could steam it "the real way"). Heat oil in a wok or skillet and brown beef and onion together about 3 minutes. Add marinade and bring to a boil at least 5 minutes and until beef is done and sauce is bubbly. Stir in drained, hot broccoli and serve on rice. It's good. REALLY good.
Don't forget my Cashew Chicken when you set up your buffet. I have been promised an egg roll recipe to die for (Joni--that's your cue) or you can try this one. Have yourself an asian night.

Speaking of, Toni, do you remember eating cream cheese wontons on the floor with no shoes? That's a good memory.

Your freezer is your friend

2008-07-12T14:12:00.000-07:00

Did I ever mention that I freeze everything? Yes, that extra half a can of mushroom soup or coconut milk. Half & half and chopped jalapenos from my garden. So, I'll let you in on a few secrets so you'll stop crying over what you can't buy because the rest will go bad before you get to it.

1. Tomato Paste. You know you never use the whole can. It's okay to buy it now, it won't go to waste. Scoop it out in tablespoons and place between two layers of plastic wrap. Freeze and plop in a bag. Mine were lovely plump mounds until a two-year-old decided to poke them. Oh well, at least it made her laugh.

2. Cilantro. And other herbs. But mostly cilantro. Pull leaves off of stems. Soak stems in red wine vinegar and eat as a meal-preparatory snack. Place leaves in bowl.

Chop leaves with kitchen shears. Chop, chop, chop, chop, chop. Chop.

Pack 2 tablespoons of cilantro into one ice cubicle. Add 1 tsp. of lime juice and pat with finger (important). Freeze. Place cilantro cubes into a bag.

3. Limes. This one does not warrant a picture because the one I took looks like a dirty green freezer bag. Zest limes carefully into a bowl. Place zest in freezer bag. Juice lime and pour into ice cubicles. Lick your fingers.

4. Ginger root. I won't show mine. I put up three cilantro pictures to make up for what you won't be able to recognize, so let it go. Using a vegetable peeler, peel off all skin. Place in a freezer bag. It will last forever and take it from me, it grates much better when frozen. You may have to hold it with a rag or the bag. It is cold and let's not grate our knuckles.

S'mores

2008-07-12T14:10:00.000-07:00

Who you callin' desperate?

One salad two ways

2008-06-28T15:10:00.000-07:00

No, no. Two salads with one dressing. That's better.

Cilantro Lime Salad:
2 c. frozen soybeans (edamame)
15 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. thinly sliced red onion
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. lime zest
1/4 c. lime juice

Prepare soybeans according to package. Drain. In a large bowl combine beans, onion, and cilantro. Whisk together all other ingredients, adding up to 1/2 tsp. salt to taste. Pour over bean mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate covered. Serve cold.

Version two: Replace soybeans, kidney and garbanzo beans with a can each of drained kernel corn, black beans and a chopped tomato or avacado. Also very good. We choose the first recipe while on phase 1 (South Beach Diet) and the second after we have given up.

Standard Breakfast Procedure

2008-06-17T08:38:00.000-07:00

Here is the story: I had a phase. A Cracklin' Oat Bran phase. I ate it every day for breakfast and then one day, it was not on sale anymore and I couldn't justify $4 a box. So, I wrote down the ingredient list from the back of the box and googled it on the internet. Like this: "Oats, oat bran, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, almonds, coconut, recipe". Yes, it was a shot in the dark. Something similar to this recipe popped up. I have improved it several times and my kids beg for it in the mornings, so I have no complaints.

Granola for Me!

7 c. rolled oats
1 c. wheat germ
1 c. wheat or oat bran
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1.2 c. honey
1/2 c. water
1 T. vanilla
1 t. each cinnamon, nutmeg, salt
1 c. each sliced almonds, coconut

Preheat oven to 275. Stir up oats, wheat germ and bran. Mix sugar, oil, honey, water, vanilla and spices and pour over. Mix well. Spread onto 2 cookie sheets and bake 45 min. stirring every 15 min. Add almonds and coconut and bake 15 min. more. Let cool. Makes about 13 c. (gallon ziploc)Tips: I forgot it once (after mixing, before baking) and let it "soak" for about 3 hours. It turned out much crunchier than usual and now I soak for a standard 1 hour before baking. You can food-process the rolled oats a little, and the almonds and coconut too. The texture turns out like grape nuts. Eat with milk or yogurt. If you want it more clumpy, before the last baking, with the nuts and coconut, add 2-3 T. honey mixed with the same amount of water. Gives it a nice shiny look. You could also add other things like dates, pecan, craisins, raisins, whatever you like.

Cashew Chicken

2008-06-04T18:48:00.000-07:00

I was recently inspired to have a Chinese night for dinner. Okay, so Husband has been begging for a long time. Anyway, I got this recipe so long ago and never tried it because back then I thought I was too poor to afford cashews. Too bad, this one could have saved many a dinner from being Teriyaki again. It is super good and mostly easy/healthy. No MSG, plenty of flavor. So have yourself a night at the Golden Tree (our local chinese) and enjoy! This is also a freezer recipe.

Cashew Chicken:
1/2 c. ketchup
2 T. soy sauce
1/2 t. salt
1 T. worcestershire sauce
3 T. sugar
1 1/2 t. sesame oil
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 c. chicken broth

2 T. cornstarch
1/2 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
3 whole chicken breasts (as in 6 halves) cut to bite size pieces
1/4 c. cooking oil (peanut works good)
2 T. grated or minced gingerroot
1 T. minced garlic
1 onion, chopped

1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped a bit
1 can bamboo shoots, drained and sliced

1 1/2 c. cashews

Combine ketchup, soy sauce, salt, worcestershire, sugar, sesame oil, cayenne, and broth in a bowl. In another bowl, combine cornstarch, sugar and salt and toss chicken pieces in this. Heat cooking oil in a wok or frying pan to a high heat and add chicken mixture, ginger, garlic and onion. When chicken is cooked through, add chestnuts and bamboo shoots, and ketchup mixture and cook until it comes to a boil. Cool, bag and freeze. Freeze cashews separately. Thaw in fridge overnight, heat on medium until boiling and add cashews. Serve on rice.

Dried Herbs

2008-05-22T15:01:00.001-07:00

Maybe this deserves to be posted on my garden blog, being as I did grow these myself. But that is the one I'm keeping up with better at the moment, so enjoy a little herb know-how for your kitchen.

Snip a bunch or a couple of bunches of parsley--not too thick, maybe a half an inch each. Rinse well and shake dry. Wrap a thread around them and hang them in a window. They go limp for a few days and then they dry right up. If you are impatient like me, pull them down once they start to get crisp and finish the job up in your toaster oven. Then, strip the leaves off the stems and crush gently with a mortar and pestle (or fingers).

Basil is easier. After washing, lay out the leaves on a cookie sheet. Preheat your oven as low as it will go (200 or less) and then turn it off. Place the cookie sheet inside and wait. Check on them once in a while. Then crush when crisp. There is probably a more perfected way to go about drying your own herbs, but I have not looked into it. This way works well for me and tastes ten times better than store-bought dried herbs, so I don't mind if I did burn or overcrisp them a bit. Also, the little bunches of parsley look so pretty dangling from the ceiling.

Three Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits

2008-05-22T14:22:00.000-07:00

Yep, three. These are the best, too. I would have taken a picture if I hadn't eaten them all before I made it to the camera.

3 c. self-rising flour*
6 Tb. butter
1 c. buttermilk (8 oz. carton)

Cut butter into half the flour, add remaining flour and stir. Add milk, stir and knead until smooth. Roll to 1/2 inch and cut biscuits. Freeze if you like. Bake at 425* 12-15 min.

*can substitute 1 c. all purpose flour, 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder and a pinch of salt per cup of self-rising flour. I make up a container of it.

If you freeze them, thaw under wrap before baking. They don't rise as much if they're still frozen. Also, I stacked two on top of each other, so I'd have those nice biscuits that pull right apart. They didn't turn out that way. They turned out like two biscuits stacked on top of each other and I was sad because I'd missed out on half of the crusty bottoms I could have enjoyed.

Rainbow Bean Soup

2008-05-02T15:15:00.000-07:00

This is a gift from my friend Georgia. I thought it was very pretty and very tasty, so it is getting posted because my kitchen has been boring lately. I made it for dinner last night and don't have a picture, because after the soaking everything took on a bit of a purple-gray tint from the black beans. This cleared up after rinsing and adding tomatoes, but still...it's so much nicer looking in the jar. Here is the recipe.

Beans!

2008-04-14T08:12:00.000-07:00

So, my bean class was lots of fun...for me at least. I think I talked too fast and too quiet, but I sure learned a lot! This was one of my experiments: pressure canning dried beans. They turned out quite delicious and sodium free! I also enjoy making homemade refried beans that are fat-free. Have you taken a look at the back of your canned beans? Yikes! We learned about soaking, cooking, freezing, and eating; using bean flour and mashed beans--did you know mashed white beans can replace shortening in baked goods? We had a cake made with this substitution and it was delicious! (I also tried this with Snickerdoodles that called for one cup of shortening--they poofed up instead of getting crisp, but were still edible. No, you cannot use beans to butter your pans.) I made black bean fudge and there was a sandwich spread with garbanzo beans from another lady. I have an entire packet of information and recipes put together with the help of some ladies in the ward. It is too much to retype it, but I can scan-and-email, so if anyone is interested in how to use your bean storage, let me know and I'll send it to you.

As requested...

2008-03-31T19:45:00.000-07:00

For all you Winger's fans, here it is. Our version of the Freakin' Amazing sauce. Too good to taste the difference (unless you work there--apologies to my brothers-in-law if you experience decrease in tips). Now you can stay home and drizzle it all over your...everything! Hope you enjoy Fakin' Amazing sauce.

Fun with Eggs

2008-03-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

This is late. Hey, I have three kids. Okay, so here are our Easter festivities. First, the eggs in a nest. One bag of butterscotch chips, melted. Maybe melt in the microwave. I did it on the stove and they smelled very peculiar. Tasted fine, though. Stir in half a bag or so of chow mein noodles (the crunchy kind) and press into a Texas-sized muffin tin. Cool until set. Fill with candy eggs. Next year.

This is Eggs A La Goldenrod. Right, Mom? I think that's what it's called. Anyway, when I first made it as a married woman, I didn't remember it tasting as yummy as it does, I only remembered how pretty the sieve-pressed yolks looked up on top--like goldenrods! So, here it is: make up a white sauce by melting 2 T. butter and stirring in 2 T. flour, then 2 c. milk, heat and stir until thick. Salt and pepper it and add in 5 chopped, hard-boiled egg whites. Press the hard-boiled egg yolks through a strainer on top and serve on toast. A lovely way to use up those blue and orange eggs your kids made yesterday (in this case, last week). That's it for now!

Some foods are more photogenic...

2008-03-14T10:15:00.000-07:00

Ever notice how some foods are so beautiful that it's almost a shame to put them in your mouth? And how some are so mouth watering you'd eat them no matter what they looked like? On that note, I only have one picture to post. I'd never tried hominy before, but it was good. Like little corn tortilla pieces all boiled fluffy. So here is Pork Pozole.

I tried, but I just couldn't take a pretty picture of this Jambalaya. Not that it wasn't absolutely delicious, though. I have been trying jambalaya recipes for quite a while, searching for the perfect mix of tasty, easy, quick and cheap. Most of them were in fact cheap. Easy and tasty were harder to find. This one showed up in the newspaper two weeks ago and we've had it twice. It's super.

Put the lime in the coconut, shake it all up!

2008-02-22T11:30:00.000-08:00

The name says it all, honey. I tore this one out of the newspaper a few years ago because the words made my mouth water. It may not be the prettiest bird in the flock, but dress it up with a little lime zest or fresh fruit and you're in for a sublime experience!

Lime in the Coconut Custard Pie

13.5 oz. can coconut milk (not lite)

1 c. sweetened coconut flakes

4 eggs
1/2 c. frozen limeade concentrate

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. coconut extract

1/4 tsp. salt

9 inch deep-dish pic shell, frozen or homemade
Preheat oven to 400*, and set rack at lowest position. Combine all ingredients but pie shell in a blender and give it a good whirl. Pour into pie shell and bake 15 min. Reduce oven to 350* and bake 40 more min. Cool on rack for 30 min. Refrigerate until cold before slicing.

P.S. I use frozen pie shells and end up with an extra cup of batter. This cooks nicely in buttered ramekins for 10 min. less than the pie. It should be slightly jiggly when you pull it out, this is a custard, not a cheesecake! And whatever you do, don't taste it until it is cold.

Chicken Barley Stew

2008-02-20T07:21:00.000-08:00

I know, it's been while, but I finally got my pictures from husband's computer. I guess if I expect to keep my visitors, I must entertain them, so I'll be posting a few times this week. First, here is dinner last night. This one is a quicky and but for the barley, you probably have all ingredients on hand. Oh, and if you think you don't like barley, you are probably wrong.

Chicken Barley Stew

1 tsp. oil

1 c. chopped onion

2 c. (or 1 can) chicken broth

2 c. water

1/2 c. quick-cook barley

2 tsp. chili powder

2-3 c. frozen corn, green beans, peas

2 c. shredded chicken

1 can diced tomatoes

1 Tb. dried parsley or cilantro

Saute onion in oil 5 min. Add broth and water, bring to a boil. Stir in barley and chili powder. Simmer 5 min. and add veggies. Anything is really fine here. I use some frozen, some canned (never canned peas--they are icky). Cover and simmer 5 min. until barley is tender. Stir in chicken (or beef or turkey, cooked) and tomatoes (spicy ones are good). Add parsley now. Heat through and serve.

Calling All Bean Enthusiasts!

2008-01-30T09:37:00.000-08:00

You heard me right. I'm preparing an Enrichment class on how to use the 75-100 lbs. of dry beans in your storage room. I readily welcome any and all suggestions and am awaiting your responses.
By the way, the picture has nothing to do with beans, it is Apple Pork & Sweet Potatoes in my crock pot and it looked so pretty I just had to take a picture.

Menu 3

2008-01-17T10:52:00.000-08:00

The pictures of my Christmas treats were taken to work on husband's computer. When they make it back home, I'll post them. For now, I'll do another menu. Oh, and Santa was listening. I got my menu software and am learning to work it. Let's see if it's as helpful as I imagine...
I am leaving out the grocery list this time. If someone wants it, I'll email it. The chili and hamburgers throw things off...

Kahlua Pork & Sweet Potatoes- Yes, pork and sweet potatoes is a theme for me. This one is the yummiest. It tastes like a luau.

Chicken Divine- A casserole spiffed up with lemon and curry.

Hamburgers- You know the drill.

Chicken Teriyaki- I double the sauce recipe and keep it in a jar in the fridge. Homemade is best!

Chili- Pick your Fave!

Omelets in a Bag

2008-01-17T09:23:00.000-08:00

For all you inept omelet flippers out there (I include myself), here are some easy and attractive little fellas to try. Get yourself some ziploc bags and away we go. Simply crack an egg or two (but not more) into a ziploc. Add your milk, cheese, S & P, green onions, tomatoes...whatever floats your boat. Squish it around for a minute--the kids love this one. Then drop into a pot of rolling, boiling water for 13 minutes. If you have a big pot, you can fit 5-6. This works well if you have breakfast company. Write names on the bags with a sharpie and everyone picks their own fillings. After boiling, they roll right out onto your plate. Top with salsa or sour cream and you're done. No one-at-a-time nonsense. You're welcome.

Enrichment Night Refreshments

2008-01-12T09:25:00.000-08:00

First of all, may I say how thankful I am for this calling? I am thankful. I feel like a real life caterer and for reasons you may not understand, I love to serve food! Don't take that wrong--I would never want to work in fast food. Having been in primary for the last 9 years (since the day I graduated), I sometimes feel left out of Relief Society. In fact, I can count the times I've been to an RS lesson on my fingers and maybe a toe. But we all know how important food is for social events! If this is all in my head, don't tell me.
For my own sake, I am blogging the last few refreshments/meals we've had for RS. That way, I won't end up with more or less the same thing we had last time...

January 2007--Potato Bar, Pineapple Orange Cake

March 2007--Lasagna Rollups Dinner

October 2007--Hawaiian Haystacks

December 2007--Libby's Pumpkin Roll

January 2008--Navajo Tacos, Chocolate Cherry Cake

Chocolate Cherry Cake

2008-01-10T17:51:00.000-08:00

So the RS dinner is done. I went with Navajo Tacos and Chocolate Cherry Cake. I bought the scones from a bakery (50 was too many for from-scratch) and the chili was canned...nothing exciting. But this cake--I should have taken a picture before there were no leftovers. It took 3 minutes to stir it up and 5 minutes for the frosting, which was very fudge-like. It was so moist and decadent. The lady across from me even called it "luscious"!

Chocolate Cherry Cake:
18 oz. box chocolate cake mix (I used devil's food)
21 oz. can cherry pie filling
1 tsp. almond extract (I ran out of this last week and therefore left it out. I am sure it would enhance the maraschino-ness...)
2 eggs
Stir carefully by hand just until moist. I mixed wet first, then added the box mix. Spread evenly into a greased 9x13. Bake at 350* about 35 min.
frosting:
1 c. white sugar
6 T. butter (no subs)
1/3 c. milk
1 c. chocolate chips
Bring sugar, butter and milk to a boil for one minute. Stir in chips until smooth and pour immediately over hot cake. Cool and serve.

RS Birthday Dinner Menu

2007-12-17T08:32:00.000-08:00

Last March, I was put in charge of planning the Relief Society Birthday Dinner. Because of the program, it was to be a four-course meal for sixty people. I was given a budget of $100. Did I stay under my limit? The answer is no. I spent 52 cents more. I will admit, though, that it was meatless. But with these pretty babies, no one noticed.

Course one--Fruit Kabobs
You know, skewers and fresh fruit. Grapes and apples in two colors, pineapple and melons.

Course two--Dinner Salad
Lettuce, shredded carrot, grape tomatoes & cucumber slices. Oh, and my famous "Rancher Bob" dressing.

Course three--Lasagna Rollups
Super-impressive and very easy. Rhodes' roll on the side brushed with olive oil & garlic salt.

Course four--Strawberry Shortcake
Purchased angel food or pound cake, topped with strawberry sauce and whip cream.

Now here comes January. That means another RS dinner to plan (and again in March). Spaghetti is off limits because the boy scouts do that in February. If you have any super ideas, leave them in my comments box, otherwise, we may have a repeat potato bar...

The Frills

2007-12-17T08:31:00.000-08:00

The "Icing on My Cakes"! Most of these will not actually be icing and also not preferable as accompaniment for cakes.

Fakin' Amazing Sauce:
1 c. hot pepper sauce (like Frank's)
2 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbs. corn syrup
2 Tbs. water
1 Tbs. corn starch

Mix hot pepper sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and corn syrup together in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Mix corn starch and water to make a slurry and slowly pour into sauce pan while stirring constantly to your desired thickness. Stores in the fridge for hmmm...let's say a month? We actually have used it older than that. Pretty much everything in it is a preservative.

I named this one when I was 15, so it's a bit corny, but so good and worth the effort. It's best for crowds as it probably isn't good after 2 weeks and it makes 2 quarts.
Rancher Bob Dressing (Buttermilk Ranch)
1 qt. mayonnaise
2 1/2 c. buttermilk
1 Tbs. each black pepper, MSG, onion flakes
1 tsp. each salt, garlic powder, parsley flakes
Mix in a pitcher and chill overnight. It's best to mix a little buttermilk at a time into the whole quart of mayo. It makes it smoother. Also I put in a lot more parsley that I dried myself. Watch for my garden blog coming this spring!

Teriyaki Sauce:
1 c. soy sauce
1 c. sugar (or splenda)
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
2 Tb. olive or sesame oil
1 Tb. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground ginger
Mix & keep in the fridge. Use to marinate, baste or cook chicken in. Add a bag of frozen stir-fry veggies, stir-fried, and you're done!

Save room for the best part!

2007-12-17T08:30:00.000-08:00

And here I stash my favorite desserts!

Dole's Strawberry Sauce:
1/2 c. orange juice
1 T. cornstarch
2 c. frozen strawberries, quartered
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. marmalade (opt.)
Mix in a large sauce pan. Heat all to boiling & thickened. Cool and serve chilled. Fresh berries work also, don't leave out the OJ and I have never used marmalade (but I did use apricot jam once and that was fine).

Another RS dessert--super moist and a little bit lite, too!
Pineapple Orange Cake:
18 oz. box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
11 oz. can mandarin oranges
1/2 c. oil
Blend with a handheld mixer for 3-5 minutes. Bake in a greased 9x13 dish at 325* for 45 min. Cool completely.
Frosting:
20 oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 oz. box sugar-free instant vanilla pudding
12 oz. lite whipped topping, thawed
First, scoop off 1/2 c. of the pineapple. I know that sounds odd. The original recipe called for a 16 oz. can of crushed, which I have never found or maybe it was that I didn't want to pay for two 8 oz. cans...Now blend all ingredients on low for 3 min. Frost cake and store overnight in the fridge. Fruit in cake is kind of a thing for me, huh?

Menu 2

2007-12-01T14:57:00.000-08:00

Listed is Curry Chicken and I don't really use a recipe, just whatever is on hand and some curry paste. Use your favorite recipe or click the link to see about how I do it.

Apple Pork & Sweet Potatoes

Peanut Butter Satay Chicken

Stuffed Meatballs

Cabbage & Kielbasa

Curry Chicken

Grocery List:
DAIRY& FROZEN
Apple juice concentrate (1 qt.)
Bag frozen green beans
Bag brussel sprouts
Bag frozen cauliflower

CANNED GOODS
2 cans tomato sauce
Curry paste
Coconut milk

PRODUCE
3 lg. sweet potatoes
2 yellow onion
1 red onion
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 c. green onions
bag cabbage

MEATS
2 lb. pork roast
4 lb. chicken breasts
1 lb. gr. Beef raw
1 lb. kielbasa

DRY GOODS
Instant rice

EXTRAS
NSA creamy peanut butter
Italian seasoning

What the heck is Kielbasa?

2007-12-01T14:26:00.000-08:00

I sent this recipe to several friends for a recipe exchange and every one of them came back with, "What on Earth...?" So here it is: Kielbasa. Found by bacon and packaged meats. $2.44 at Walmart. We pick turkey, but they're all good.

Cabbage & Kielbasa:
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
2 T. olive oil
1 lb. kielbasa, in 1/2" pieces
16 oz. bag coleslaw
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 t. each garlic powder, cumin
hot pepper sauce (I use EXACTLY 12 dashes...)
Saute peppers and onion in oil. Add all else and turn until cabbage is wilted & hot throughout. About 10 min? I also like to brown the kielbasa first. I have these ingredients on hand at all times (fresh or frozen), it is my favorite 15 minute meal and my children ask for it every night anyway.

Eat your veggies

2007-11-30T09:34:00.000-08:00

We love veggies! Really! Those greens are good for you. Here are some of our favorite side dishes.

Roasted Broccoli: Broccoli Crowns cut into 1/2" florets, stem and all
Olive oil, salt, pepper
Preheat oven to 425*. Toss broccoli with Olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Place on a cookie sheet. Roast away. At least 25 minutes should do the trick. The point is for the little bobbled ends to burn a little (or a lot!) so they get crunchy. Seriously, this is a treat, and the kids love it.

Italian Green Beans: Saute 8 oz. frozen green beans (half a bag) in a tablespoon of butter until heated through. Sprinkle on a tablespoon of Italian dressing mix powder. Stir & Serve.

Spinach Salad: Saute one chopped yellow onion until caramelized (at some point they taste sweet) Add 3 Tb. balsamic vinegar and boil it a minute. Watch out, it fumes! Take off heat and stir in 2 Tb. dijon mustard and enough olive oil to make it fluid. It does separate, that is fine. This is your dressing and too good to overlook. Salad as follows: baby spinach leaves, toasted pecans, shredded parmesan cheese and onion dressing. A tomato slice for color and you'll be addicted.

Where Have I Been?

2007-11-29T16:01:00.000-08:00

I think I've been living in the Dark Ages. The other day, I woke up with the most wonderful idea. I would make a menu planning program for computers. I was going to be a millionaire! Then I checked the internet. Apparently someone else already did and is. I take back the genius comment. So, there is one software (I don't know if that is grammatically correct) that looks super-cool. I think it literally does everything as far as food planning, shopping, estimating...I went directly to the website and it looks like my needs could all be met for only $99.99! I'll be darned if I am going to make someone else a millionaire on my own idea! Okay, so one click to ebay and I can get it shrink-wrapped and new for ten bucks. Hmmm...Santa? Are you paying attention?
Here is one for those of you who don't menu plan but still do the shopping: www.homeplansoftware.com/shoplist.htm
It is completely free, you won't even have to give them your address, just click and download. You can add all the things you like to buy and how much they cost. Click and drag and print out a list. You are wondering how this is better than handwriting? Well, if you care, it adds up an estimate and you can save your list. Also, it prints out your list in categories, so you pick up everything you need from the baking aisle while you are standing there and don't have to go back because flour was written tiny at the end of your list. Did everyone else already know about this?

Awfuls!

2007-11-26T08:25:00.000-08:00

I know, bad first impression. When I started making these, my 18 month old couldn't quite say "waffles". We thought it was so cute that it stuck. For your family's sake, I suggest you present them as "French Toast Waffles", and if you are a fan of either, you will love these.

French Toast Waffles:

4 eggs

1/2 c. milk

8 slices bread

Beat eggs and milk in a shallow dish. Dip bread into mixture, coating both sides. Place on preheated waffle iron. Yeah! My iron takes about 4 minutes. If you use very square-shaped bread, you can fit four slices. There you go, ten minutes to breakfast.

P.S. A dash of cinnamon and a blip of vanilla into the egg mix are a nice addition, too.

In Honor of Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T07:33:00.000-08:00

Eggless Eggnog: One package (the big one) instant french vanilla pudding mix. We use sugar-free and it is fine. Two quarts milk (1 % in our family). First blend or stir the pudding mix and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg into 2 cups milk and 2 tsp. vanilla til there are no more lumps. Before it thickens, pour into a large pitcher and add the rest of the milk, stirring well. Refrigerate for an hour or until nice and thick. Presto!

We like to water regular eggnog down with milk anyway, but if you like it on the sweet side, I suggest you add 1/2 c. sugar in with the pudding mix and as REAL eggnog is an alcoholic drink, a few drops rum extract would be fine.

If you and your apple pie recipe are in a committed relationship, break it off now. You will never use it again! Although there are three steps to this one, they are all quick and easy and there is no rolling of the crusts. Trust me, you won't be the same.

Brown Bag Apple Pie!
Crust: 1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. oil
2 Tbs. cold milk
Combine and press onto bottom and sides of a 9" or 10" pie plate.
Filling: 4 c. peeled, sliced apples (heaping)
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbs. flour
1/2 tsp. each cinnamon and nutmeg
Combine and toss. Mound into pie crust.
Topping: 1/2 c. each flour and sugar
1/2 c. cold margarine
Combine flour and sugar, cut in margarine until crumbly. Sprinkle over pie. Preheat oven to 350*. Now for the fun part! Take a brown paper bag and set it open on the floor. Carefully lower the pie into it until it rests on the floor. Now place the bag on the counter and fold the top down once or twice until it will sit and fit on the lowest rack in your oven. Staple closed. Place bag into your preheated oven and bake for 1 hour and 45 min. Do not open the bag until it is baked and has cooled 5 min. I know what you are thinking, but I have done this in gas and electric ovens and it does not catch fire. I do recommend, however, that you don't leave the house while baking. You will suddenly say to yourself, "What is that smell?" and race into the kitchen. Rest assured, it is the smell of hot brown bag. Nothing is burning. The smell is quickly replaced by the heavenly aroma of apples and you will not be sorry. Don't forget vanilla ice cream.

I use 5 or 6 large granny smiths or a combo with braeburn or fuji, but it's so good, you could use red d's and get away with it.

How I Feed My Family

2007-11-19T09:30:00.000-08:00

I like to eat. Don't we all? I must admit that my favorite foods are the ones I make myself. I like to know that my family is eating the foods that I think are healthy. I created this blog to share the recipes and ideas that make my family happy and help me function as a mother of 3. If they help your family, I'm glad. Happy cooking!

Menu Planning

2007-11-19T09:29:00.000-08:00

I am of the opinion that the hardest part of dinner is deciding what to make and what I have the ingredients for at 5:00. This is why I have pre-scheduled my dinners. I have a monthly meal schedule, and a grocery list on my computer and I just print it off and go. It is impressively easy, and I never have to decide what is for dinner or wonder if I have all the ingredients. For this I think I am a genius. I have one crockpot meal per week for the sake of 1:00 church on Sunday, and also a freezer meal each week. Anything that is not a casserole or served on rice has ingredients for a side dish on the list.

Menu 1

2007-11-19T09:28:00.000-08:00

My menus consist of recipes for 5 days. This makes room for going to Grandma's, out to eat, or trying a new recipe.

Crockpot chicken & gravy, mixed veggies

Tilapia, candied carrots, asian salad

Pork dijon, zucchini

Taco salad

Steak & mushrooms, spinach salad

Grocery List:
I have left off basics that you probably have anyway: eggs, milk, salt, pepper, flour...besides those, I'm pretty sure this is complete. It is organized into aisles at Wal-Mart.

DAIRY & FROZEN
bag Mixed veggies
Yellow cheese
Sour cream
Grated Parmesan cheese

CANNED GOODS
Evap. milk

PRODUCE
bag Baby carrots
1 Yellow onion
bag Green onions
1 lb. zucchini
Head lettuce
3 roma tomatoes
1 red onion
16 oz. mushrooms
bag baby spinach
bag coleslaw

MEATS
4 lb. roaster chicken
4 tilapia fillets
1 ½ lb. pork steaks
1 lb. Gr. Beef
3 beef steaks (loin)

DRY GOODS
White beans
Taco Season
Italian powder

BAKING
Lemon pepper
Pecans
Almonds
Sunflower Seeds

EXTRAS
Dijon mustard
Hot sauce
Balsamic vinegar

Pork

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I buy pork loins from Sam's Club. Yes, I have to buy 6 lbs. at a time, but I feel it is worth it. They are boneless, and a good, tender meat and are usually much cheaper than pork loin at Wal-Mart or elsewhere which makes it justifiable that I cut my own pork steaks. Actually, also at Sam's they sometimes have pork loins steaks pre-cut for about 10 cents more per lb. Kitchen shears will do the job quite nicely, though. I cut off 2 lb. portions for nice roasts and slice the rest about an inch thick. Then I wrap with freezer paper and mark the weight right on the paper. Bag them in ziplocs and mark the date, then freeze.

Pork Pozole:
15 oz. can hominy, drained
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
10 oz. can green enchilada sauce
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 lbs. pork loin
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
1 Tbs. lime juice
Combine hominy, tomatoes, sauce, onion, garlic and cumin in a crock pot. Top with pork and spoon hominy mix on top of it. Cover and ook on high 2 1/2 hrs. or until pork is done. Place pork on cutting board and chop coarsely. Return to crock pot with lime juice and cilantro (dried parsley works in emergencies) and stir well. Serve with tortilla chips, lime wedges, or avacado. My kiddos like tomatoey stuff with sour cream stirred in.

Pork Dijon:
4 pork steaks, 1" thick, fat removed if you please (shears)
1 Tbs. oil (I always use olive oil for health, but you will get a smoky kitchen as it has a very low smoking point temperature-wise)
6 to 8 green onions, sliced and separated into green and white parts
1/4 c. chicken broth (I sometimes use water and granules)
3/4 c. evaporated milk (freeze the other half-a-can in a ziploc!)
1/4 c. dijon mustard
I learned on Rachael Ray that cold meat seizes up when it hits a hot pan and becomes tough. Therefore, I advise you to let your meat sit at room temperature for 30 min. prior to cooking, if you can stand it and keep little ones away. Set the pork on paper towels to dry (moisture causes spitting oil) and pepper them a bit. In a skillet, heat oil at md. high. Lay in your steaks and give them a few minutes (4-5) on each side until nice and brown and crispy! (or done through). Remove to a plate and cover loosely with foil. They say this keeps in heat and helps redistribute the juices. Next, saute the white part of the onions in the same pan for 1 min. Remember to scrape up those flavorful brown bits! Add the broth and cook about 3 min. until it has boiled down to about half. Add the milk and mustard and boil for a minute until it thickens. I also add the juices that have settled on the pork plate. Top pork with sauce and sprinkle with green onions. Beautiful! And my kids eat it. Serve with zucchini slices sauteed in olive oil.We love zucchini sprinkled with parmesan and pepper. My 2 year old literally can't get enough. I am secretly proud when she asks for more...

Apple Pork & Sweet Potatoes:
1 pork roast (2-3 lbs.)
1 lg. yellow onion, sliced
3 sweet potatoes, sliced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 quart apple juice
Place roast in crockpot, salt and pepper it. Place onions around the sides and top with potatoes. Sprinkle on thyme and pour in apple juice, as much as fits in your crockpot. Cook on high 4-5 hours, or low 6-7, until pork is done. Serve. I have been know to thicken some of the juices with bean flour to make a nice gravy.

Kahlua Pork & Sweet Potatoes:
2 lb. Pork Roast
1 Tbs. Coarse salt
2 Tbs. liquid smoke
Poke or slash roast nicely and place in crock pot. Sprinkle with salt and liquid smoke. Cook on high 4 hrs, low 6 hrs, until done. Serve with sweet potatoes, canned or not. I like to make a bean gravy from the can syrup (or apple juice), pork drippings and bean flour. This is like a trip to Hawaii, I'm sure of it.

Ground Beef

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My ground beef also comes from Sam's. I can get 90% lean for $2.05/lb. That is of course after the 10 cents off per lb. for buying 10 lb. chubs. I know, that is a lot of beef, right? Well, this was my first great freezer idea: Buy lots of beef, separate into 1 lb. ziplocs and freeze. I won't have to thaw the entire thing when I want some. That was several years ago. Then one day, I realized that if I browned all 10 lbs., I could still freeze it in 1 lb. portions. TA-DA! It takes 3 min to thaw in the microwave and how long to brown? No time at all! Here's how: 3-4 lbs. at a time will fit in your big soup pot. Stir til brown. You may want to start with a tsp. oil on the bottom of your pot. You can also do it in the oven, 5 lbs. per cookie sheet, 350*, breakup and stir every few minutes til done. I haven't tried this way because the other works fine for me. Strain it (90% is nearly fatless) and bag it in 2 1/2 c. portions. Make sure to mark with a good sharpie that it is browned beef and not just ground beef and also date of freezing. Squash the air out and press the bag flat like a book. Now your bag is stackable.
If you want to make half of it into taco meat, go ahead, that freezes too.

Taco Salad:
1 lb. taco meat from freezer
most of a head of lettuce, torn to bite size pieces
1 cup grated yellow cheese
2 roma tomatoes, chopped (seeded if you like)
1/2 red onion, diced (when eating raw onions, I find red ones to be less bitter)
Let taco meat thaw the night before or heat it if you like (this may wilt your lettuce more than is pleasant). Toss all together. We used to add crunched up fritos, which is good, but not too healthy. Husband and I top our salad with a mix of fake brown sugar and hot sauce (like Frank's) heated together until the sugar dissolves, then a bit of sour cream stirred in to make it thick. My children, who will not eat ranch dressing (your guess is as good as mine) prefer Italian dressing on theirs.

Stuffed Meatballs:
1 1/2 c. uncooked instant rice
1 onion, chopped fine
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 lbs. ground beef
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt, pepper
10 oz. pkg. frozen brussel sprouts
2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 c. water
1 tsp. dried thyme
Combine first 6 ingredients. Shape scant 1/4 cupful around each frozen brussel sprout to form a meatball. Place meatballs in 9 x 13. Combine tomato sauce, water, & thyme. Pour over meatballs. Bake covered at 350* for 1 hr. 15 min. Serve on cooked rice. If you like prepared horseradish, mix some into your rice! This secret ingredient makes it super-fantastic, except to a four year old.
This is one of my freezer meals. When I buy my huge chubs of beef, I double the recipe and freeze in ziplocs, 12-15 meatballs per dinner. One recipe will make two dinners for us (2 adults, 2 eating children).

Main Dish Recipes

2007-11-19T08:58:00.000-08:00

Jambalaya:
1 Tb. oil
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, bite sized
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. kielbasa, sliced
1 tsp. thyme
2 Tbs. parsley
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 c. rice
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 c. chicken broth
Brown chicken in 2 tsp. oil. Remove and set aside. Add the rest of the oil to the pan and saute the onion, pepper and garlic 5 min. Add kielbasa, herbs and rice and stir for 1 min. Return chicken to the pan, add tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 20-25 min, when rice is done.
Most recipes I tried had chicken, smoked sausage, and shrimp, so if you want to add frozen, cooked shrimp at the end, that tastes good, too. Also, I was under the impression that the "holy trinity" of soul food includes onions, peppers and celery, so I threw in a 1/2 cup of the latter.
Very Yummy!

Crockpot chicken & gravy, mixed veggies: I get a roasting chicken (whole, 4-5 lbs.) and using kitchen shears remove the skin except on the wings. This is fairly easy to do and takes about 5 minutes. I place it in a crock pot, breast side up and sprinkle with 1 or 2 Tbs. lemon pepper or herb mix and pour about 1/2 cup water around the bottom. Turn it on high 4 hours, low 6. I do high because it is perfect for church. When it is done (pop-up timers are helpful, or 180* inside the thigh), I suck out all juices with a baster, strain & measure. I use 2 Tb. white bean flour (yes, I put white beans into my wheat grinder--very lovely flavor for gravies--but regular white flour works fine) per cup liquid. Add a little salt and boil a minute. Steam some frozen mixed veggies. If you add some biscuits, you have chicken pot pie minus the pie part. When dinner is over, pick extra meat off the bones. You can freeze this to add to soups, enchiladas, you name it. Or you can throw it into asian salad below.

Tilapia, candied carrots & asian salad: I buy the frozen portion pieces of tilapia (or salmon), place on a foil lined cookie sheet (foil is important) and rub with olive oil. Then cover with blackened or Alaskan salmon seasoning. Follow the directions, mine say 375* 15 min. I like them DRY so I give it an extra 3 min. Make up a packet of italian dressing in a jar, add 2 Tb. soy sauce, 1/4 c. splenda/sugar. Pour half on a bag of coleslaw (the other half will last til next time or makes a nice dressing for green salad), add 6 to 8 sliced green onions and 1/4 c. each shelled sunflower seeds and sliced almonds. Toss well. Steam the carrots and add 1 Tb. each butter & brown sugar, dash salt.

I took this next one from Rachael Ray and modified it to fit our non-alcoholic, cheap dinner lifestyle. I realize that most alcohol cooks out, I just don't want to go there. When it comes to beef steaks, there are few that I find worthy of eating and cheap enough to pay for. I buy top loin/sirloin boneless steaks, but never for full price. I watch the ads. As far as I can tell (here in my particular state) $2.99/lb. is about the cheapest it comes.
Steak and mushrooms:
3-4 beef steaks, 1 1/2" thick
2 Tb. oil (again with the olive oil and the smoking...)
pepper, cracked if you've got it
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
salt
Remember to let your steaks sit at room temp. for 30 min. Pepper them and heat your oil on md. high. Give them a few minutes on each side (5-6) until they are as done as you like them. If you bought good meat, they won't get too tough, so don't worry if you want them done all the way through, like me. Remove to a plate, cover loosely with foil.In same pan, sautee mushrooms about 5 min. You may have to add more oil. Lots more. Mushrooms soak the stuff up. If you sprinkle with salt, though, they will let out a little moisture and make it more likely not to burn to the pan. Add juices from beef plate and stir. Serve mushrooms on steaks with Spinach Salad.

This one is adapted from South Beach Diet online.
Peanut Butter Satay Chicken:
4 chicken breasts, flattened to 1/4" (or cut them in half horizontally with shears)
3 T. Peanut Butter (we use no sugar)
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. soy sauce
1/4 c. water
dash cayenne pepper
Brown or grill your chicken, I use my George Forman grill, and sprinkle the chicken with a little soy sauce to give it a glaze. Combine all other ingredients in a bowl and microwave 30 seconds. Stir. At first it will look a little clumpy and separated. Keep stirring. It all of a sudden turns creamy. Cut chicken into strips and serve with sauce. Yum. Italian Green Beans is a good side.

Curry Chicken:
Chicken, cooked & diced
Green onions
Some curry paste
1/2 can coconut milk (freeze the other half in a ziploc)
Grated ginger root
lemon zest
Combine all. Heat through. Serve on rice or steamed cauliflower. This is a toss together recipe. I just use what's on hand. Some good ideas, though: whenever I use a citrus fruit, I zest it first and freeze the zest in a ziploc. Also, I peel a ginger root, grate it and drop by tablespoons onto wax paper. Freeze, then ziploc it. Same with that can of tomato paste that you only used half of. Yes, I am a freezer fanatic.

Lasagna Roll-ups:
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1 ½ c. shredded mozzarella
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed & squeezed dry
½ c. sour cream
¼ c. bread crumbs
1 T. Italian seasoning
1 t. garlic powder
12 lasagna noodles
15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 ½ c. salsa
½ c. shredded mozzarella
Cook lasagna noodles according to package and lay on cookie sheet to dry a bit. Combine 1st seven ingredients to make filling. Spread 1/3 cupful down each noodle, leaving a little tab at the end to make it stick. Roll up and place in a 9x13 dish. Original recipe says to let it sit overnight covered, but if your noodles are dry enough, they will stick to themselves and you won’t need to. Combine tomatoes & salsa, and spread over rollups. Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Immediately sprinkle with ½ c. mozzarella and serve. The filling is freezable as well as the sauce, but I recommend you do not freeze the rollups themselves. As soon as you close the freezer door, they attack each other and end up shredded to pieces. Serves 12 adults or 6 teenage boys.

Chicken Divine:
2 c. chicken, cooked & cubed
16 oz. frozen broccoli, thawed
1 onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 Tbs. milk
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. curry powder
yellow cheese, french fried onions
Saute onion if you like, then stir it up with the chicken and broccoli. Mix together the soup, milk, lemon juice, curry powder and salt and pepper to taste (1/2 tsp. or so). Pour over chicken/broccoli. Top with cheese and bake at 350* for 30 min. or until bubbly. Top with french fried onions and return to oven for 5 min.