Dee's Kitchen

Menu Plan Monday ~ February 13, 2012

2012-02-13T14:45:00.000-08:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

David is away on business the next couple of nights so I'll keep it simple Monday and Tuesday. And actually, since I have co-op pickup and choir on Wednesday and a meeting Thursday, I won't be doing anything time consuming those nights, either!

Monday:

butternut squash risotto (leftover - I'll be sharing the recipe tomorrow)
salad

Tuesday:

cream of cauliflower soup
homemade bread (yeah, I keep saying I'm going to bake bread...)
homemade cherry pie (a little Valentine's Day treat for David upon his return)

Wednesday:

vegetable soup/stew with a little ground bison
homemade bread

Thursday:

chili
corn bread

Friday:

I think this would be a good time for David to take me out for a belated Valentine's Day dinner, don't you?

Saturday:

salad
spaghetti
garlic bread

So what's on your menu this week? Any recipes you'd like to share?

Menu Plan Monday ~ February 6, 2012

2012-02-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

I've got something going on nearly every day this week so our meals will be fairly simple. I'll save new or more complicated recipes for a less hectic week.

Monday:

gumbo
potato salad
cooked apples

Tuesday:

homemade waffles
chicken and apple sausage links
fruit smoothies

Wednesday:

lasagna
salad
garlic bread

Thursday:

Lisa (daughter) and I are going to Norman (about an hour and 20 minutes away) to do some major food shopping at local, natural food stores. There's a good chance we won't be home for dinner so I'm telling the guys not to plan on me being there. I figure there should be plenty of leftover lasagna for them.

Friday:

risotto
salad
artichokes or asparagus (depends on what I find in Norman)

Saturday:

We are planning to go to a really cool movie theater in Moore (just past Norman) with several friends. We hope that Red Tails is still playing. At this point we are talking about seeing a matinee so I figure we'll probably go out for dinner afterwards.

So what's on your menu this week? Any favorite recipes you'd like to share?

Menu Monday ~ January 30, 2012

2012-01-30T11:23:00.000-08:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

Update: I've completed my final update on my January "Slow Month" challenge over on my Tea With Dee blog. Click here to read it.

My month of very limited grocery shopping is almost over. As the month wore on I bought more than I had intended to and the truth is I still have huge amounts of food around here. I think I'll continue a modified version of my January challenge for the month of February. I'll write a more detailed update of my January "Slow Month" on my other blog, Tea With Dee, hopefully this afternoon so take a look at it a little later. I'll also come back here and add a link to the update.

This week my menu uses just what I have on hand. The only thing I anticipate needing to purchase is organic milk to make yogurt - I finished the last jar this morning. Oh, and maybe some lettuce toward the end of the week. Next week, on Thursday, my daughter and I are planning to go to the nearest city (about an hour away) and hit up the local, natural foods stores up there. That's where she does almost all of her shopping. She and her husband go once a month and buy virtually everything they need for the month. Since I've been wanting to do a bit more of that myself, I asked if she'd like for us to do it together. My son-in-law was delighted to give up this monthly shopping trip. ;) Now I need to get busy and plan a month's worth of menus!

Monday:

enchiladas (had leftover sauce from a delicious new recipe I made Saturday - will share later)
rice
salad

Tuesday:

roasted chicken (I've got a whole chicken in the freezer.)
potatoes and carrots (roasted with chicken)
braised kale
homemade bread or rolls

Wednesday:

David will be out of town and I have choir rehearsal that evening so Chris and I will just eat leftovers.

Thursday:

various veggies cooked with andouille sausage (red potatoes, carrots, peppers, onions, green beans)
brown rice
cooked apples

Friday:

homemade pizza
salad

Guest Post Friday ~ Tortellini Alla Crema Rosa

2012-01-27T12:01:00.000-08:00

Tortellini Alla Crema Rosa

by Craig Claxton

Periodically one of my friends will post a picture on Facebook of something delicious that they cooked. Some will agree to write a guest post sharing their recipe. When I saw this on Craig's page I had to ask if he'd share. He graciously agreed. Here it is:

Ingredients:

1 lb. dry cheese tortellini
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/3 cup mushrooms, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups canned tomato sauce
2 teaspoons white sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream (35 % fat)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper

Directions:

Bring lightly salted water to a boil. Add tortellini and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add Italian seasoning and cook until onions are tender. Stir in mushrooms. Cook until liquid evaporates.
Add wine, boil for 30 seconds and stir in tomato sauce. When sauce is hot, stir in cream and parmesan cheese.

That was the original recipe. Here is Craig's explanation of his version:

I used a bag of cheese tortellini, a jar of Classico vodka sauce (I was going to make my own but I decided to use pre-made for my first time.), 1/4 of a small tub of ricotta cheese mixed with sauce, along with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning mixed in. Grilled chicken with marinade and seasoning...I used Worcestershire and Italian seasoning and Creole seasoning on mine. Then I sprinkled Italian and mozzarella cheese on top and a little more of each seasoning for the fancy look. I kinda went my own way and experimented with it...like adding ricotta cheese...but it was goood!

Doesn't that sound delicious? Thanks, Craig. I need to give this one a try soon.

Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish and Avocado Cream Sauce

2012-01-25T12:16:00.000-08:00

Oh, my goodness! You have to try this. I finally got around to making Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish and Avocado Cream Sauce last night. I'll admit that it was a little time consuming but oh, so worth it. Here is the recipe but do go to the link, see the pictures and leave a comment there if you try this.

Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish and Avocado Cream Sauce

Slightly adapted from: Pennies on a Platter

Ingredients:

Black Bean Patties

2 (14.5 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed, divided
2 roasted red bell peppers from a jar, divided
2 eggs
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cloves garlic
1/2 chipotle in adobo sauce, chopped
1 onion, finely diced
1/2 to 2/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive or coconut oil

Avocado Cream Sauce

1 avocado, pitted and cut into a few pieces
1/2 cup sour cream (you can use light)
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper, to taste

Corn Relish

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 jalapeno, minced
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade, process 1 can of black beans, 1 roasted red pepper, eggs, oregano, cumin, garlic, and the chipotle pepper until smooth. Add the onion and pulse a few times until combined. Add the second can of beans and the other roasted red pepper, then pulse a few more times until combined, but not completely smooth.

Pour the black bean mixture into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1/2 cup of Panko bread crumbs. Stir until combined, mixing in more as needed to form a firm mixture that is the consistency of ground meat and can be rolled into a ball. Shape into patties and refrigerate for half an hour or so.

To make the avocado cream sauce, puree all of the ingredients in (cleaned out) food processor until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary. Set aside until ready to use.

Remove the black bean patties from the fridge. Heat olive oil in a large skillet (I use cast iron). Cook the patties, in batches, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, flipping once. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

To make the corn relish, heat the olive oil in the same skillet. Add the corn and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook for another minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients.

To serve, top the cooked patties with the corn-relish and avocado cream sauce. Serve immediately.

Pennies on a Platter's source: Barely adapted from Sunny Side Up in San Diego, originally from Elly Says Opa!

*************************

My notes and comments:

I halved the bean patty recipe as I was only feeding three of us. Despite this, it still required the full amount of Panko breadcrumbs to get the proper consistency. Next time I will make the full recipe, cook and freeze half. These were delicious and I think would be good heated on the grill and served on a hamburger bun. I'm not a fan of "fake meat" products but these were good and contain nothing but healthy ingredients.

I went ahead and made the full recipes of both the corn relish and the avocado cream sauce, which I'm glad I did. While this dish would be perfectly delicious as is, I fried up some corn tortillas and made tacos. After cooking the patties, I cut them in half to place in each taco shell then topped with corn relish and cream sauce. I really cannot say enough about how good these were.

Now, as I said, this was a little time consuming, although not difficult at all. Still, if you have put in an 8 hour day and have kids clamoring for dinner, this probably isn't your best choice for that day. Save it for a weekend dinner when you have more time but do try it. You won't be sorry!

Menu Plan Monday ~ January 23, 2012

2012-01-23T08:32:00.000-08:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

Last week didn't exactly go according to plan. In fact, Monday was the only night we ate what was on my menu. Some weeks are just like that but I still find it helpful to plan a menu in advance. This week appears to be a little less busy. Of course, just writing that is like practically begging the universe to throw me a curve ball. I've got my catcher's mitt ready so bring it on!

Monday:

I baked extra potatoes Saturday night so I'll use them to make a potato leek soup.

potato leek soup
Super Easy Beer Bread
cooked apples

Tuesday:

I hope to do some baking this day. I need to bake the usual five loaves of wheat bread and restock the freezer. While I've got the kitchen in disarray, I plan to also bake homemade buns and apple muffins.

Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish and Avocado Cream sauce
on homemade buns
French fries
salad

Wednesday:

I'll be providing a casserole for the Thursday lunch at United Campus Ministry so I'll just go ahead and make one for us, too. I try to take them something vegetarian since I'm about the only one who does so, and I receive specific requests for this one.

macaroni and cheese with caramelized onions
salad
apple muffins with streusel topping

Thursday:

David's boss will be in town and will be taking us out to dinner.

Friday:

David likes to go out on Fridays but we are trying to cut back on eating out. Since we will have eaten out the night before, I'll cook a lighter dinner of veggies. Then we've been invited to a music show in Shawnee (about 45 minutes away) which I hope we can attend. If not, we will try to find some music locally.

Frosted cauliflower
braised kale (new-to-me recipe; I'll share later)
glazed carrots
mashed potatoes

Saturday:

Lentil Soup with Dumplings
salad

Menu Plan Monday ~ January 16, 2012

2012-01-16T13:19:00.000-08:00

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Monday:

hot dogs (I had a package of uncured, nitrate-free, all beef hot dogs in freezer and will make homemade buns.)
macaroni salad
baked beans (I realized just how many dried beans I have when I organized the pantry!)

Tuesday:

lentil soup with dumplings
apple muffins with streusel topping

Wednesday:

oven fried catfish (catfish in freezer)
coleslaw (I have half a head of cabbage in the fridge that I need to use.)
hush puppies

Thursday:

I need an easy meal tonight because I have a meeting at 5:30 and we are going to see "To Kill a Mockingbird" which is showing in a local theater at 7:00 p.m.

quesadillas
homemade tomato bisque soup

Friday:

I received the link to these burgers from my niece and they sound wonderful!

black bean burgers with corn salad (I may serve them on homemade buns if I get some made.)
French fries (I have part of a package of steak fries in the freezer, as well as some sweet potato fries. I'll do the steak fries for the guys and a a few sweet potato fries for me.)

Saturday:

waffles
eggs
fruit smoothies

I've got the beans cooked and in the fridge. I'll add the various ingredients to make them "baked beans" and put them in the oven about an hour before dinner-time. I've also made the dough for the hotdog buns and it's rising. Still need to make the macaroni salad but it is 70 degrees so I'm headed outdoors for a walk!

Vegetable Soup with Parmesan Dumplings

2012-01-14T18:36:00.000-08:00

I made this the other night and it was a hit. Click here for the original recipe and then read on for my version.

Vegetable Soup with Parmesan Dumplings

adapted by Deanna Piercy

Ingredients:

Soup:

olive or coconut oil
onion
bell pepper
carrots
celery
garlic
bag of frozen veggies (green beans, squash, zucchini, carrots)
1 can of cannellini beans
1 tablespoon tomato paste
several cups of water/broth/stock (I used water plus a veggie bullion cube)
parmesan cheese rind (optional but I had one)
seasonings (Creole, black pepper, Italian seasoning, Pickapeppa Sauce, basil)

Dumplings:

1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk + 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

In large soup pot, heat enough oil to cover bottom of pot. Add onions, carrots, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add tomato paste, cook a couple more minutes then add the water/broth/stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and add parmesan rind, beans and frozen vegetables. Season to taste, simmer about 20 minutes, tasting and adjusting seasonings as needed. Meanwhile, make the dumplings:

Dumpling directions:

In medium bowl whisk flour with baking powder, salt and generous sprinkling of black pepper (fresh ground, if you have it). Mix in parmesan cheese and some garlic powder if desired. In one cup measuring cup measure the half cup of milk and add one tablespoon more. Add the oil and stir. Mix and pour over the flour mixture. Stir until combined and then drop by teaspoonfuls into simmering soup. Cover and cook 15-20 minutes. Test one of the dumplings - may need a few more minutes. Serve in large soup bowls with a sprinkling of fresh parmesan or grated cheddar.

This was very, very good! The original recipe called for somewhat different veggies. I was out of potatoes and didn't include the sweet potatoes because David doesn't care for them. Feel free to use any veggies you like and have on hand. You could substitute a different type of bean, too.

Homemade nut-free granola

2012-01-13T07:50:00.000-08:00

In my quest to eliminate as many packaged/processed foods as possible I decided that we needed a breakfast cereal option. David eats a bowl of raisin bran nearly every morning and the organic version is very expensive. He will eat oatmeal occasionally when I remember to put it in the crockpot the night before but we also need a cold cereal option. He loves the granola I occasionally buy from the bulk bin at Native Roots in Norman but it is rather expensive.

Yesterday I decided to look for a recipe for homemade granola. While I don't plan to eat it regularly myself, I still needed a nut-free version. I'm allergic to at least a couple of types of nuts so I try to avoid contact with any of them. This was the first one I looked at and since I had all of the necessary ingredients, I decided to give it a try.

Here is the recipe, slightly altered:

Homemade Nut-free Granola

Slightly adapted from: Lynn's Recipe Adventures

Ingredients:

1/3 cup organic dark brown sugar
1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups old fashioned oats
4 cups quick oats or old fashioned oats briefly pulsed in the blender
a handful of organic, unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon cinnamon
a handful of organic raisins and/or dried cranberries

Directions:

Mix together brown sugar, oil and honey in small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and cinnamon.

Combine oats, coconut, dried fruit and sugar/oil mixture in a large bowl. Stir until well-mixed. Spread into 2 9x13 pans and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Stir, turn off heat and return to oven for 3-4 hours. Remove, let cool and store in air tight container.

This was amazingly easy to make and quite delicious. I plan to buy dried cherries and perhaps other dried fruits to vary it in the future. Or if I ever buy that dehydrator on my wish list, I'll dry my own fruits. I haven't figured the cost of this recipe but I'm sure it's less expensive than purchasing organic granola.

Now that I have this recipe in my arsenal, we can at least cut back on the number of boxes of raisin bran.

Next up: Make various muffins and freeze for breakfast. Or maybe some sausage and egg biscuits, for the occasional treat.

Be sure to check out the source of this recipe, Lynn's Recipe Adventures. Her recipes are wheat, nut and peanut-free.

Gumbo

2012-01-10T20:15:00.000-08:00

All gumbo begins with the instruction, "first you make a roux". Beyond that, the possibilities are endless. Since I'm currently using up what I have on hand, this is the "recipe" I used last night. Ordinarily I wouldn't have the frozen "gumbo vegetables" as this was the first time I'd bought them (they were cheap and I thought they might come in handy for a quick meal). You can make a totally vegetarian gumbo or substitute smoked sausage for the andouille. Chicken and/or shrimp are good additions. You do need the okra (frozen is fine) for thickening, although you could use filet powder instead. Use fresh tomatoes when they are in season. And yes, I know that canned tomatoes are bad. I have a few cans of organic tomatoes that I had bought a case of so I'm gradually using them up. I will then start buying Poms brand tomatoes instead.

As for seasoning, Tony's or some other Creole seasoning seems pretty necessary to me although you could use a pinch of cayenne plus a few of the other herbs and spices it contains to approximate it. Really though, do yourself a favor and buy one of those green cans of Tony's and keep it handy. It's good on everything but chocolate cake.

In addition to the Creole seasoning, I like Worchestershire sauce and soy sauce. Pickapeppa Sauce might be harder to find although it's available in our small, local grocery store. You're not likely to see it in most gumbo recipes but I love the addition. Kitchen Bouquet doesn't do much flavor-wise but it does give it a darker color. Skip it if you don't have it on hand. I can't really tell you exactly how much of any of these to add as it's a personal preference thing. Start with the amounts I suggest, simmer awhile and taste. Adjust the seasonings to your taste. Part of it will also depend on how spicy the sausage you use is.

So, after all those amazingly clear and concise suggestions, here we go!

Deanna's Gumbo of the Day

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or good oil (please do not use margarine...ever)
1/2 cup flour
1 andouille sausage, sliced in four pieces lengthwise and then sliced crosswise
1 small onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
a couple of cloves of garlic, minced
several cups of water and/or chicken broth (I used water plus a Not-Chick'n cube)
one can diced tomatoes
one bag frozen "gumbo vegetables" (okra, corn, onions, bell peppers, celery)
1 t. Kitchen Bouquet
1 t. soy sauce
1 t. Worchestershire sauce
dash of Pickapeppa sauce
Creole seasoning to taste
cooked rice

Directions:

First you make a roux. ;) In a heavy skillet over medium heat, melt a stick of butter (or heat 1/2 cup of oil) and add 1/2 cup of flour. Stir continuously until it is the color of caramel or peanut butter. This will take several minutes during which time do NOT leave it unattended. If for any reason you have to quit stirring, remove it from the heat first. But really, try not to do that. These few minutes of dedication are the key to good gumbo. If you let it burn, you have to start over. There is no salvaging it. If you really want to achieve the ultimate in flavor, cook it over low heat for a longer time. And if you don't have a cast iron skillet, that's probably better anyway as it will be less likely to burn. This all sounds like it might be difficult but it's really not. Just heat, stir and don't leave it.

Once your roux is done, add the chopped onion, bell peppers and garlic (chop these before you start the roux). Continue cooking over low to medium heat while stirring. Add the sausage. Cook and stir some more. If you've been doing this in a skillet, now is the time to transfer it to a big pot. Add the water/broth, canned tomatoes and bag of frozen vegetables. Add the seasonings. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until thickened - at least 30 minutes but a longer, slower simmer intensifies the flavors even more. Taste it periodically and add more seasoning if needed. It should be very rich and well-seasoned.

When done serve it in a large, shallow bowl with cooked rice. I like it with a scoop of homemade potato salad on the side of the bowl.

*I know my *recipes* might seem a little vague. Don't hesitate to ask if you need clarification.

Menu Plan Monday ~ January 9, 2012

2012-01-09T19:00:00.000-08:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

I wrote most of this earlier today but am just now getting time to finish it up. We did, indeed, have gumbo tonight and it was delicious, if I do say so myself. I've received some requests for the recipe which I'll share tomorrow.

Monday:
I'm attending a funeral at 2 p.m. today and David and I both have 6 p.m. meetings this evening. My plan is to make the potato salad this morning and then make the gumbo when I get home from the funeral. I'll then transfer it to the crockpot to keep warm and put rice in the rice maker just before I leave for my meeting. We can then have a hot meal waiting for us when we get home.

gumbo over rice
potato salad

*My crockpot plan didn't work quite the way I had hoped. When I got home from my meeting it was only barely simmering. I transferred it to a pot, brought it to a boil and then allowed to simmer about 20 minutes to thicken up. Not a big deal but it did leave me with extra dishes to wash.

Tuesday:
This is Chris' birthday so I'll make his favorite enchiladas. He prefers cherry pie over birthday cake. I still have enough homemade pie dough in the freezer for one one-crust pie so I'll probably make a crumb topping for it instead of the usual lattice crust. Or maybe I'll decide to make more pie crusts. We'll see how the day goes.

sour cream enchiladas
beans
chips and homemade guacamole/salsa
homemade cherry pie

Wednesday:
I saw a vegetable soup recipe with parmesan dumplings that I'd like to try. If it's good, I'll share the recipe.

homemade vegetable soup
corn bread

Thursday:
Currently our weather prediction for this day is only a high of 41 (after 60s on Wednesday) so a nice pot of chili sounds like a good idea. Perhaps we'll also have our first fire of the season. David has it all ready to light but it simply hasn't been cold enough to warrant one yet. Mind you, I'm not complaining!

chili
leftover cornbread

Maybe I'll bake some chocolate chip cookies if the mood strikes.

Friday:
I plan to make enough chili for plenty of leftovers. I'll mix it with cooked macaroni noodles, top with cheese and bake until hot and bubbly. With a dollop of sour cream and a salad on the side, this will be an easy end-of-the-week meal for me.

chili mac casserole
salad

Saturday:

homemade pizza with caramelized onions, bell peppers and pineapple
salad

I'm doing well with my "slow month" challenge. My last major grocery shopping trip was December 30th. I didn't buy anything else until Sunday after church when I bought a half gallon of milk, bell peppers and bananas. Today I picked up a few things for Chris' birthday dinner, plus some eggs and a bottle of organic apple cider vinegar which I happened to notice on sale for 99 cents and was on my co-op shopping list anyway. We still have oodles of food and I'm looking forward to more creative meals.

Guest Post Friday - "The Best Vegetarian Chili in the World"

2012-01-06T16:08:00.000-08:00

photo from allrecipes.com

Lacy has been trying some vegetarian recipes and recommends this one:

"The Best Vegetarian Chili in the World"

from allrecipes.com

shared by Lacy Lofton

~1 tablespoon olive oil
~1/2 medium onion, chopped
~2 bay leaves
~ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
~2 tablespoons dried oregano
~1 tablespoon salt
~2 stalks celery, chopped
~2 green bell peppers, chopped
~2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
~3 cloves garlic, chopped
~2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chile peppers, drained
~2 (12 ounce) packages vegetarian burger crumbles
~3 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
~1/4 cup chili powder
~1 tablespoon ground black pepper
~1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
~1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
~1 (15 ounce) can black bean
~1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is tender, then mix in the celery, green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and green chile peppers. When vegetables are heated through, mix in the vegetarian burger crumbles. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 5 minutes.
Mix the tomatoes into the pot. Season chili with chili powder and pepper. Stir in the kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the corn, and continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.

Lacy's comments: I got this recipe from allrecipes.com. It is the yummiest looking one I've found as far as a typical vegetarian chili. You can always use fresh, sweet kernel corn (approximately 3-4 whole) or add sweet potatoes, yellow potatoes or brown rice for fun.

My comments: I think this could easily be made without the vegetarian crumbles (maybe add more beans) and of course, with ground beef or bison if you aren't vegetarian. I'm going to try this next week along with some corn meal waffles and I'll let you know what I think. I've got LOTS of dried beans of various types so I'll use those rather than canned and also use frozen corn. I'm trying to get away from using canned foods but I do still use canned green chilis.

Creative cooking

2012-01-04T18:23:00.000-08:00

I mentioned in my Menu Monday post that I am embarking on a little challenge of sorts. You can read more about it here. In short, I will be purchasing very little this month and therefore will be challenging myself to create interesting meals from what I have on hand.

Last night I made homemade eggrolls and fried rice. I had the eggroll wrappers in the freezer and used about half of the package, returning the rest to the freezer for another meal. The day before, I had baked coconut and pineapple cream pies which left me with six egg whites and about half a can of crushed pineapple and the juice. I used the egg whites in the fried rice and the pineapple to make homemade sweet and sour sauce. It was a delicious meal, albeit a messy one, and there were enough leftovers for our lunches today.

Tonight I am making an Indian vegetable curry-type dish and serving it over brown rice. I had a couple of whole wheat pitas in the freezer which I'll toast to go alongside, although I'm planning to learn how to make naan bread sometime this month. I'll also serve yogurt, raisins and coconut as condiments for our curry.

I've got the vegetables simmering right now and it smells heavenly. I used:

red potatoes
onion
carrots
bell pepper
garlic
green beans
corn

...which I started cooking in a little coconut oil. I then mixed the following and added it to the veggies:

3/4 cup "chicken broth" (made with water and a "Not Chickn" cube)
1 tablespoon tomato paste (from freezer)
cinnamon
ginger
cumin
Creole seasoning
black pepper
paprika
curry powder
a little organic sugar

Okay, we've now eaten and it was quite delicious, if I do say so myself. We each had a "Cutie" with our dinner, too. We had enough leftovers for lunches tomorrow which makes the guys happy. They get tired of sandwiches and prefer leftovers.

Check back often this month as I share my adventures in "cooking without shopping".

Menu Plan Monday ~ January 2, 2012

2012-01-02T11:23:00.000-08:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

Monday:

Today is my dad's birthday so we are taking my parents out to dinner to celebrate.

Tuesday:

homemade egg rolls
fried rice
homemade sweet and sour sauce

Wednesday:

Curried vegetables over brown rice
homemade pita or naan bread

Thursday:

We are meeting up with some people to discuss a potential new venture for the Piercys. It's hush hush right now but as soon as things are settled, I'll let you know. We are going out for pizza with them.

Friday:

Creamy Artichoke Pasta
salad
garlic bread

Saturday:

Cheesy Broccoli Frittata
salad
cooked apples

I'm embarking on a challenge for the month of January which will affect my menu plans. I'll be writing about it on my Tea With Dee blog but may not get the post finished until tomorrow. I'll let you know when it's posted.

Menu Plan Monday ~ December 26, 2011

2011-12-26T18:55:00.000-08:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

One of the great things about the holidays is all the leftovers!

Monday:

turkey
mashed potatoes and gravy
salad
mixed vegetables
various desserts

Tuesday:

turkey noodle soup
rolls or biscuits

Wednesday:

David will be out of town overnight on business so I think I'll just have a salad. Or tea and toast.

Thursday:

A friend (whom we think of as family) will be in town and figured the best way to get to see everyone was to meet up at our favorite Italian restaurant/bar. We normally eat there once a week but we haven't been there since before our last trip to New Orleans.

Friday:

I got call earlier this afternoon from a friend who invited us to join them and a number of other friends at a local wine and dessert bar. It's from 8-10 and there will be hors d'oeuvres and such. I think we'll just have a nice salad before we go.

Saturday:

New Year's Eve! Our favorite local bartender is being deployed the first of February so this will be his last night to bartend at *our* Italian restaurant/bar. We plan to go see him and eat a little something there then we're going to the New Year's Eve party at the same wine and dessert bar we are going to on Friday. There will be champagne and live music. David has already booked a hotel room for us in town so we won't have to get out on the highway with those who may have over-indulged.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas (if you celebrate it)!

Menu Plan Monday ~December 19, 2011

2011-12-19T07:53:00.000-08:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

Monday:

green beans and new potatoes
whiskey-glazed carrots
salad
Lisa's cheese bread
cooked apples

Tuesday:

baked ziti
salad
toasted leftover cheese bread with garlic butter

Wednesday:

Gallo Pinto
avocado/tomato salad
tortilla chips and salsa

Thursday:

Creamy Artichoke Pasta
salad
cooked apples (I bought 20# of apples from the co-op so you'll probably see them in my menus a lot!)

Friday:

Sour Cream Enchiladas (Pioneer Woman's recipe)
salad
tortilla chips and salsa

Saturday:

We will be going to my cousin's house for our big annual Christmas Eve get-together. It will be the usual turkey/ham/all-the-fixings potluck meal. I'm bringing:

homemade cranberry sauce
oatmeal cake

Our traditional, post-Christmas Eve church service late-night supper:

grilled hot dogs (organic, no nitrates)
chips and dip
leftover cake

Sunday:

The kids will be here bright and early for our usual Christmas morning ritual of gifts, breakfast and board games.

homemade waffles
bacon or sausage
mimosas made with fresh-squeezed orange juice and champagne

I plan to have easy-on-the-cook food on hand for the rest of the day:

turkey breast in the crockpot
homemade cranberry sauce
potato casserole
layered salad
rolls

In addition, I hope to make some pumpkin bread for extra gifts. We shall see if that actually materializes!

New Orleans noshing

2011-12-05T09:27:00.000-08:00

Raw oysters at Oceana Grill in New Orleans

We are having a fantastic time here in New Orleans! I had been craving oysters ever since my last visit so of course I ordered some for our first meal upon arrival. David just looked the other way and kindly refrained from making comments like, "How can you eat those things?".

Menu Plan Monday ~ November 28, 2011

2011-11-28T08:21:00.000-08:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

I hope my American readers had a nice Thanksgiving. We certainly did. We had the big meal with extended family on Thursday and then I cooked for my kids and parents on Friday. I actually got the quantities right because we had plenty of leftovers for the weekend, ham sandwiches for the guys' lunches today and all I have left now is some ham, turkey broth and a bit of gravy which will all go in tonight's soup. Perfect!

We leave for New Orleans on Friday and I've got oodles to do this week. We won't return until the 12th so I really need to have a lot of Christmas preps done before we go. Because of that and since we ate plenty the past few days, our dinners will be quite simple this week. Oh, before I forget, I put my holiday recipes together in "Holiday Recipes" under the header. There will be more to come as soon as I have time.

Monday:

Potato leek soup with diced leftover ham, gravy and turkey broth

Tuesday:

grilled cheese sandwiches on homemade wheat bread
homemade tomato bisque soup

Wednesday:

loaded baked potatoes
salad

Thursday:

black bean burritos
salad

Friday:

We will be eating dinner in New Orleans!

There won't be a menu posted next week because I won't be cooking. Instead, I will be letting those fabulous New Orleans chefs/cooks prepare my meals for me. I will try to post the occasional photo of deliciousness.

Green Bean Casserole

2011-11-27T19:28:00.000-08:00

I'll bet most of us have had that green bean casserole with cream soup and French fried onions on top. It's usually made with cream of mushroom soup but since I'm allergic to mushrooms I always made it with cream of chicken soup. That is, until several years ago when I stopped using canned soups. I still wanted something similar for holiday meals so I did a little experimenting. At first I used a jar of alfredo sauce to replace the soup and found it to be quite tasty. Then I decided that I wanted something totally homemade so now I make a homemade alfredo-type sauce instead. I'm going to just give general directions here, assuming that you are familiar with the original version.

Green Bean Casserole

Steam or microwave frozen green beans (fresh, if you have them but they aren't generally in season during the holidays) until tender and drain well.
Make an alfredo-type sauce (butter, cream/milk) and add cream cheese to make it fairly thick. Season with garlic powder, cayenne (or Creole seasoning), basil, black pepper or lemon pepper.
Mix with cooked green beans in a casserole dish.
Top with sliced onions which you have caramelized in a little butter and brown sugar.
Sprinkle grated cheese on top.
Bake until hot and lightly browned.

You can also add cooked, crumbled bacon if desired.

My mom raved about this when I served it at our family Thanksgiving. She said that despite liking most vegetables she isn't all that excited about green beans but LOVED this and went back for seconds. My daughter makes hers this way and her father-in-law (not much of a vegetable eater) has been known to disappear with the pan of leftovers and finish it off himself. Really, it is that good!

Mashed potatoes

2011-11-23T07:59:00.000-08:00

Mashed potatoes - they are such a simple yet vital part of the holiday meal. I cannot imagine a turkey dinner without them. Okay, if you're low-carb-ing it then you'll have to substitute something like faux mashed potatoes made from cauliflower, but honestly? Mashed potatoes are ever so much better as long as you don't resort to instant. Gag.

Here is how I make them:

Homemade Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

russet potatoes
milk, cream, 1/2 and 1/2 or some combination thereof
lots of real butter (you know how I feel about that margarine crap)
salt and pepper - maybe a little garlic powder and/or Creole seasoning

Directions:

Wash and peel potatoes. Cut into roughly equal-size chunks of about an inch. They will cook faster and more evenly this way. Put in large pot and cover with cold water. Make sure water completely covers the potatoes and that there is still enough room for boiling without boiling over. Although to be honest, I don't think it would be Thanksgiving if I didn't end up cleaning the stove after I got distracted and the potatoes boiled over.

Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down just a bit so they are boiling gently. Or simmering violently? Somewhere just below the boil-all-over-the-stove point. Cook until fork tender. Depending on the size and quantity of potatoes in the pot this will generally take somewhere between 20-30 minutes but you just have to check them periodically. Don't overcook. As soon as they are tender, remove from heat and drain. You can balance the lid in such a way that there is just a little gap to drain out the water or pour them into a colander. I tend to use the lid so there is one less item for me to wash but it is a little trickier maneuver.

Now return the pan of drained potatoes to the stove. If you have an electric stove as I do, then the residual heat after turning it off is fine. If you have a gas stove, just have it barely turned on. Now take the pan of potatoes and shake them gently over the low heat and allow the extra moisture to evaporate. This extra step seems to make for fluffier potatoes, although it isn't strictly necessary if you've drained them well. Still, it's worth that extra effort. Just be careful not to let them burn. Do not, I repeat, do NOT set the pan on the burner "just for a second". You are almost guaranteed to be distracted and will end up peeling and cooking another batch of potatoes.

Okay, now you've got fluffy, tender, cooked potatoes. Sprinkle a little salt over them, add several pats of butter (do I need to remind you to use the real stuff?) and warm up some milk/cream/1/2 and1/2. Don't use fat-free milk. At the very least use 2% but come on, folks, it's Thanksgiving. You're going to be indulging in pie, for goodness sake. Go ahead and make some decent mashed potatoes and then promise yourself some extra time on the treadmill. It will be worth it. Milk with a splash of heavy cream is my preference, or 1/2 and 1/2.

Now here is where people disagree about mashed potatoes. Purists are going to tell you that you have to rice them by hand. I, on the other hand, don't own a ricer and have been making perfect mashed potatoes for over 30 years. I use a hand mixer. I pour some of the warm milk on the hot potatoes and use the beaters - not turned on yet - to mash them a bit. Then I turn on the mixer about medium speed and mix, adding more milk as needed. The key is to not over-mix. I'd rather have a few lumps than over-mixed, gluey potatoes. How much milk to use is up to you and your texture preference. I prefer mine fairly thick because you're going to be pouring gravy over them later and you want the potatoes sturdy enough to stand up to that. Or at least, that's my preference. If you happen to like yours thinner, add more milk but again, refrain from over-mixing.

Taste the potatoes during the mixing and add more salt, and other seasonings if you are using them, to taste. Season well but remember that while you can add more later, you can't take any away.

Now you've got a beautiful pot of delicious mashed potatoes. If the rest of the meal is ready and you are using serving dishes, put the potatoes in a warmed dish, top with a few more pats of butter and unless you have pepper haters in your family, sprinkle with pepper - freshly ground, if possible. If you need to keep the potatoes hot a little while, leave them in the pot you prepared them in and put the lid on. I have waterless cookware with very tight-fitting lids which do a good job keeping food hot. In fact, I don't put the potatoes in a serving dish but leave them in the pot on the stove. We serve ourselves from the pot and replace the lid so they stay warm for second servings. It's not fancy but it works for us.

So go forth and treat your family to delicious mashed potatoes, complete with that gravy I explained how to make the other day. And don't step on the scale until after a few days of extra treadmill time.

Menu Plan Monday ~ November 21, 2011

2011-11-21T07:05:00.000-08:00

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Yet another busy week! My daughter and I are making a quick trip to the nearest city this afternoon to pick up our organic turkeys we ordered, as well as a few last-minute ingredients for our Thanksgiving meals. We plan to be back in time to prepare dinners for our households so I'm going with something quick and easy tonight. In fact, I'll keep it simple through Wednesday because I'll be doing so much cooking for Thanksgiving. We will be celebrating Thanksgiving at my cousin's house along with our huge extended family. I've signed up to provide mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce and a pie or two. Then on Friday I will cook my own complete Thanksgiving meal for our immediate family. We should have LOTS of yummy leftovers.

Monday:

pasta with creamy vodka tomato sauce
salad
homemade garlic bread

Tuesday:

broccoli cheese soup
corn bread (will make extra for dressing later this week)

Wednesday:

quesadillas
homemade tomato soup

Thursday:

Traditional Thanksgiving meal with my large, extended family. I'll be taking mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce and a pie or two.

Friday:

turkey
mashed potatoes
dressing
sweet potato casserole
cranberry sauce
salad
rolls
green bean casserole
pies

Saturday:

delicious leftovers - the best part of Thanksgiving!

Oh, good gravy!

2011-11-19T18:44:00.000-08:00

It has come to my attention that there are people buying those little packages of gravy mix. Oh, please don't do that. There is absolutely no comparison between that nasty stuff and real, honest-to-goodness gravy. Gravy has a reputation for being difficult to make but it really isn't. Follow along and I'll tell you how to make the real stuff which will have your family falling at your feet in praise. Or at least smacking their lips before they polish off their food and leave you to clean up that monstrous mess in the kitchen. Sorry, but I don't have any advice about that part.

Gravy

Ingredients:

4 cups of turkey drippings (with fat removed) If you don't have quite that much, you can fill in with a good quality chicken broth or stock, preferably organic or all-natural in a carton, not can.
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter or fat you removed from the drippings or combination (Please don't even think about using margarine.)

Directions:

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute or two, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until golden brown. This is called a roux and is the only somewhat tricky part. Make sure you stay right with it and don't get distracted. If you burn the flour you'll need to start over.

When it is golden, slowly pour in the hot turkey drippings/broth, whisking as you do so. Continue whisking as you bring it back to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for a few minutes until it has reduced and thickened, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. You can add a splash of white wine along with the drippings/broth or a couple of tablespoons of cream after it is cooked and removed from heat. But it's perfectly delicious just "as is".

Now, you may be wondering, "What about lumps?". Most of the time when I make gravy it turns out lump-free but once in awhile it happens. Don't fret. Just get out a strainer and pour the gravy through it and -voila!- lump-free gravy. If the finished gravy is a little too thick, add more drippings or broth. If it's too thin, even after simmering and reducing for several minutes, mix equal amounts of flour and COLD water (start with a couple of teaspoons of each) in a cup, stirring vigorously with a fork until it's a smooth paste and add to the gravy. Bring it to a boil then simmer for a few minutes. Keep in mind that you must cook it for a few minutes or it will have a bit of a raw flour taste.

You see, there are easy fixes for anything that might go wrong so don't be afraid to make gravy. If this is your first time, keep one of those icky packaged mixes in the pantry and if something doesn't work out, you've still got that as a back-up. But I can just about guarantee that if you follow these directions you won't need it. Go on. Give it a try!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

2011-11-19T18:07:00.000-08:00

Homemade cranberry sauce is probably the simplest part of the traditional Thanksgiving meal. If you are still serving that stuff from a can - complete with High Fructose Corn Syrup - then allow me to share how easy it is to make the real stuff.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 bag of fresh cranberries (12 oz. package)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water or orange juice (or half water and half orange juice)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in saucepan. Bring to boil then simmer until the berries pop and it reaches your preferred texture, stirring occasionally. Chill until ready to serve.

Yep, that's all there is to it. You can also add about 1/2 cup of apricot preserves after it's cooked. Chill and then serve spooned over a block of cream cheese. Serve with crackers as a festive appetizer.

See? There's no reason to resort to the canned stuff. My daughter did a post about this a couple of years ago, including photos. You can see it here.

Guest Post Friday ~ Curried Vegetable Fried Rice With Poached Egg

2011-11-18T08:14:00.000-08:00

One of my blogging/Facebook friends graciously agreed to share the following recipe with you, my dear readers. Nicola lives in Glasgow so be sure to read this in a Scottish accent. Oh? You don't do that sort of thing? Well, never mind.

Curried Vegetable Fried Rice With Poached Egg

By Nicola Page

I don't really have a snazzy cool name for this meal. I usually call it "delicious meal of awesomeness" but I figured I'd go with something boring and descriptive. I could eat this loads. And loads.

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice
6 closed cup mushrooms, sliced
1 med. red onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, cut in long strips
broccoli (5-6 florets), chopped into small "trees"
cauliflower (5-6 florets), chopped like the broccoli
4 leaves savoy cabbage, roughly chopped
2 carrots, cut in long, thin strips

1 heaping teaspoon garlic paste
1 1/2 tablespoons madras paste (or any curry paste based on your taste)
1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
pinch of salt
vegetable oil
eggs, 1-2 per person

In a pot, boil up your rice. The technique we use is a cup and a half of water to every cup of rice, season with a little salt, and bring to the boil, lidded. Do not remove the lid, just reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Take off the heat and leave to sit lidded for an additional 10 minutes to steam. Always resist the urge to lift the lid; your rice will thank you.

While you are waiting, chop up the vegetables if you haven't already, then throw the mushrooms into the stir fry with some vegetable oil, a teaspoon of madras paste and some salt. Cook until most of the moisture is out of the mushrooms (which are great as a starter on their own!) and set aside.

Add more oil and the garlic to pan, bringing back up to heat and throw in the rest of the vegetables. Stir in the Chinese 5 spice, the celery salt and an extra pinch of salt and stir fry until vegetables are soft but still have a little bite. Feel free to steam the cabbage first if you like it softer though. Add mushrooms back in and heat through. Take all the stir fried vegetables out and set aside in a covered bowl. Adding a little more oil, add the remaining madras paste, bring to heat and add the finished boiled rice. Stir fry until the rice is evenly coated. At this point check your flavours and add more seasoning or curry paste to your tastes. Throw the vegetables back in, stir fry evenly and leave to simmer, stirring occasionally while you focus on the eggs.

Crack a (fresh!) egg into hot, not boiling unsalted water. If your eggs aren't exactly fresh place the unbroken egg into the hot water for a few seconds before cracking to start the binding process and enable the egg to hold its shape. Also, if the egg starts to "strand" in the water start swirling around it with a wooden spoon until it holds together. If you're confident in your poached egg making abilities, do up to 3 at one time. Bring the egg(s) out after the white has gone opaque but while the yolk is still soft.

Serve up the rice and place the poached egg on top. Now devour.

The quantities of vegetables can be adjusted or changed to suit your tastes. Maybe less cabbage, or add roasted pine nuts? The beauty of this dish is the adaptability. It may seem like a lot of faffing about but it is very much instinctive as meals go. We eat meat quite often in this house but I for one don't miss it with this, making it a great alternative to the usual meat and two veg. However, I can also see this doing well alongside a pork chop or even tossing in a few king prawns. For me, the creaminess of the egg really brings it up, but it's moist enough to eat anyway if eggs ain't your thing, potentially making it vegan too! It's a great way to finish off your leftover vegetables and I even enjoy it cold (for the record, Dear Love doesn't. Meh!)

Have fun experimenting and show me what you do!

**************

Nicola blogs at Delicious Tacky. Be sure to check out her blog and leave her a comment. Oh, and share this post, please.

How to cook a turkey

2011-11-16T09:56:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving will soon be here and I'm sure many of you are at least starting to plan your meal. I'm always surprised by the number of people who say they don't like turkey because it is probably my favorite meat. Even during the year that we ate virtually 100% vegetarian, we made an exception for Thanksgiving turkey. Now, I must say I've had some pretty dry, awful turkey and if that was my only experience, I wouldn't much care for it either. But a nice, juicy turkey? Yum!

Everyone seems to have their own method of cooking turkey and if you're happy with the way you do it, that's great. Do that. But if you're not satisfied with your previous attempts or if this is your first year to cook a turkey, why not give my method a try?

First of all, let's consider the turkey itself. If you have access to and can afford a fresh, not frozen, organic, pasture-raised, heritage turkey - go for it. It will set you back a pretty penny but will also be worth it. Last year and this one I've been able to get an organic, humanely-raised turkey breast. Frozen, however. Everyone's situation is different so just buy the best you can afford and then enjoy your meal. Until these past two years I've always just purchased a frozen turkey at the grocery store (Butterball or Honeysuckle) and they've tasted fine. No, I'm not going to lecture about meat-buying practices on Thanksgiving. We'll talk about that later. ;)

Next up is the thawing, assuming you've bought a frozen turkey. There are all these guides out there about how many days it takes to thaw in your refrigerator based on the number of pounds. Unless you just happen to enjoy seeing a massive bird taking up all your refrigerator space for several days, let's try something else. Go out to your garage and get that ice chest you use for summer outings. If you happen to have one of these, even better:

Put your frozen turkey in the ice chest and fill with cold water and some ice cubes. Make sure the turkey is fully submerged - you may have to place something heavy on top to hold it down. Close the lid tightly and put it somewhere out of your way but easily accessible. How long? Well, that depends on the size of the turkey. I wish I could give you an exact number of hours per pound but in my experience, a 5-10 pound bone-in turkey breast will thaw in about 10-14 hours. I put mine in overnight and it's usually pretty well thawed by the time I need to put it in the oven mid-morning. I'd suggest over-estimating the first time you try this but keep checking to make sure it stays icy cold. If the turkey is completely thawed but you aren't ready to cook it yet, just keep adding ice cubes to the water so it stays at a safe temperature (be very careful about this!). Or I suppose you could move it to the the refrigerator but that defeats the purpose of keeping your refrigerator space free for other items, not to mention avoiding any chance that raw turkey juices might leak in there.

Now what about brining? I've done it and it's wonderful. I've also cooked many a turkey without that step and they are just fine. There are many recipes out there for brining a turkey so I'm not going to get into that here. If you want to do it, find a recipe that sounds good to you. Thaw your turkey as described above but allow enough time following the thawing to do the brining. If you have the sort of ice chest I show above, that is absolutely perfect for this. After your turkey is thawed, set it aside, dump out the ice water, wash well and refill with iced brining solution. Put the turkey (minus innards) back inside, screw on the lid and wait 8-16 hours. Again, make sure it stays cold and fully submerged.

Okay, now we have a thawed, possibly brined turkey ready to cook. In both cases, rinse the turkey well, inside and out, with cold water. Do make sure you've removed all the "stuff" if you've got a whole turkey rather than just a turkey breast. Helpful hint: There's "stuff" in both ends of the turkey. My mom didn't realize this when she cooked her first turkey as a newlywed.

Now here's where my method differs from all those cozy scenes of Mom in an apron checking the turkey every little bit, basting it faithfully and generally doting on it like a newborn. Get yourself a box of these:

That's right. Me, the person who doesn't buy sandwich bags, plastic wrap, paper towels, paper napkins, or most other disposable items, is telling you to cook your turkey in a disposable oven bag. Come on, folks. It's ONE bag for ONE meal. Unless you are very nearly perfect about avoiding disposable stuff, I don't want to hear any complaints about this. I have cooked a turkey in these every year for 30 years and have yet to have anything less than a perfectly moist and delicious turkey. They take far less time to cook (saving energy!), don't require basting and fussing, and cleanup is much easier.

Follow the directions on the box regarding oven pre-heating, temperature and cooking time. As directed, put about a tablespoon of flour in the bag first (if you are gluten-intolerant you may use corn starch, any other flour such as rice or potato, or matzo meal), hold the open end closed with some air inside and shake well to coat the bag. This will allow the fats and juices to blend in the bag and prevent bursting. Now place your thawed, rinsed and dried turkey inside the bag. Okay, so I do have one roll of paper towels tucked away in the back of a cupboard and I use one or two sheets to dry the turkey.

Rub the outer surface of the turkey with some type of fat (NOT margarine, though). I generally use olive oil because it's handy - I have a dispenser bottle sitting out on the counter at all times - but melted butter or coconut oil would be good choices. If the turkey was not brined, I then season with garlic salt (or garlic powder and salt separately), pepper and a little Creole seasoning, rubbing into the oil to spread evenly over the surface and season the skin. You can also use whatever herbs you like. Rosemary, Herbs de Provence, parsley and/or thyme would be good choices. If you have fresh herbs, even better, and you can tuck them under the skin if you like. I personally don't think turkey needs too much extra seasoning but do whatever sounds good to you. Then put *something* inside. No, not stuffing. I cook that separately. But put something like a sliced apple or onion (or both) inside the cavity.

Following the directions for the oven bags, close the bag and puncture as directed. Insert meat thermometer through the bag and into the inner thigh, near the breast but not touching bone. The turkey is done when the temperature reaches 180 degrees and this will occur significantly sooner when using a bag so pay attention to the suggested times on the directions and begin checking before that. When the turkey is done, remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Use that time to make the gravy from those delicious juices in the bottom of the bag. Please, please don't use gravy mixes. Real gravy isn't hard to make and it tastes SO much better. I'll do a blog post on that later.

This method will yield a delicious, juicy turkey with nicely browned skin and is totally worth the effort. However, if you don't care about the skin and simply want the juiciest turkey breast ever, cook it in your crockpot. Yes, I'm serious. You won't have a nice presentation or crispy skin but the meat will be incredibly moist, even the next day for turkey sandwiches. And many of us think that's the best part. Just put the thawed turkey breast in your crockpot along with a stick of butter and whatever seasonings you want (don't overdo the salt - for some reason it seems to taste saltier in a crockpot). You can add a little white wine if you'd like. If the lid doesn't quite fit over the turkey, cover the crockpot tightly with foil and place the lid on top. You can remove the foil part way through the cooking as it cooks down in size. I can't tell you how long it will take because it will depend on the size of the turkey and the settings on your particular crockpot. You'll just have to cut into it and check or use an instant read thermometer if you have one. I can tell by the smell but that's a skill that comes from many years of cooking turkeys. ;) If you are cooking for a huge crowd and/or want lots of leftovers for sandwiches, why not use both of these methods? Cook a whole turkey in the oven and an additional turkey breast in the crockpot. Best of both worlds.

And now I'm hungry!

Update:
Click here for a link with some "turkey tips". While their cooking tips assume a different method than I use, it does give good information regarding how much turkey you need per person and how long you can safely keep the leftovers.

Menu Plan Monday ~ November 14, 2011

2011-11-14T11:28:00.000-08:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

Yet another crazy week. I have four...count 'em...FOUR meetings this week. Plus choir rehearsal, co-op pick-up, the Alternative Gift Market and decorating the church for Christmas (after church on Sunday). Somewhere in all that I need to start working on my annual Christmas letter, do some Christmas shopping (online - and let us all give thanks for Amazon...amen), bake bread, clean house, and probably other things I'm forgetting at the moment. Deep breath. David left on a short business trip yesterday and will be home late Tuesday. That actually gives me a little extra time in the evenings as I will do simpler dinners and can continue my projects later. Let's hope it's enough!

Monday:

cream of cauliflower soup
homemade bread if I get some baked this afternoon

Tuesday:

taco soup

Wednesday:

baked potatoes
salad

Thursday:

I have back-to-back meetings this night so everyone is on their own!

Friday:

artichokes
lemon pepper chicken
brown rice
glazed carrots

Saturday:

homemade egg rolls
fried rice

I will be sharing Thanksgiving recipes and cooking tips over the next few days. If you have a favorite holiday recipe, please share in the comments.

Molasses Cake with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-11-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

I tried a new recipe yesterday and have had numerous requests for the recipe. I found the recipe for "Simple Molasses Cake" here (scroll down the page to see it). And then the frosting recipe here. I had recently bought a bottle of organic molasses and have been looking for ways to use it. It is high in iron, which is something I need. I also had leftover pumpkin after making Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies. Since both of these recipes used the same spices I thought they'd be good together.

Simple Molasses Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup molasses
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 dashes ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square baking pan. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. In a separate bowl, combine the milk and molasses. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Add each of these alternately to the butter mixture, beating well between additions. Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese (do not use fat-free; regular or 1/3 fat are fine)
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin (canned is fine - that's what I used)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
5 tablespoons packed brown sugar

Combine and mix well until smooth. I used a hand mixer. I also didn't think the texture was exactly right so I added a few tablespoons of powdered sugar.

Now, for my thoughts on this recipe. If you love the taste of molasses, you will probably really like this cake. Personally, I thought it was a little much and if I make it again I would try replacing some of the molasses with honey for a little lighter taste. On the other hand, it is a very rich and moist cake. One plus is that you only need a small piece to satisfy a craving for a something sweet. The frosting is really quite good and would make a good dip for sliced apples. It made way more than I needed for that size cake so I'm going to give that a try with the leftovers.

Menu Plan Monday ~ November 7, 2011

2011-11-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

Monday:

homemade macaroni and cheese
green beans with caramelized onions
molasses cake with pumpkin cream cheese frosting (recipe tomorrow)

Tuesday:

broccoli/cauliflower soup
homemade bread
orange slices

Wednesday:

chili
corn bread
cooked apples with cinnamon and raisins

Thursday:

Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken (crockpot)
rice (cook extra for Friday)
salad
carrots

Friday:

egg rolls
fried rice
sweet and sour sauce with pineapple chunks

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2011-11-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

I didn't think to get a picture last night. It was pretty late and David was starving. Since this is one of my own recipes, the quantities will be vague but I'll give it my best shot. It's a rather forgiving recipe.

Dee's Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
crushed crackers or bread crumbs
1 egg
seasoning (I use garlic powder, ground ginger, Creole seasoning and pepper.)

Mix well and form into small meatballs, about 1 inch diameter. Fry in about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. When lightly browned but not quite cooked through, add:

1 small onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, large dice (can use any color pepper)

Continue cooking until meatballs are done and vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, make sweet and sour sauce.

Ingredients:

1 can pineapple chunks in juice (not heavy syrup)
about 1/3 cup brown sugar
splash of apple cider vinegar
about 2 teaspoons of soy sauce (although I forgot this last night and it was fine without)
about 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic powder
about 2 teaspoons of corn starch

Directions:

Mix cornstarch and pineapple juice, stirring well until cornstarch is dissolved. Add pineapple and other ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, reduce to simmer and cook until thickened. Taste. If too sweet, add a little more vinegar; if too sour, add more brown sugar.

When meatballs are done and sauce is ready, combine and serve over hot, cooked rice. You can top with a handful of those crunchy Chinese noodles, if desired.

Black Bean Enchiladas

2011-11-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

Black Bean Enchiladas

Ingredients:

one small onion, chopped
one bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon butter or oil
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can red enchilada sauce
1 jar salsa
1 package flour tortillas (or corn, if you prefer)
8 to 12 oz. cheese, grated (I used sharp cheddar)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning (or salt plus a pinch of cayenne)
1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sauté onion and bell pepper in oil or butter until onion is translucent. Add sugar and seasonings then cook a minute or two longer. Add drained black beans. Spread about half a cup of salsa on the bottom of baking dish. Fill each tortilla with a couple of tablespoons of bean mixture and a little cheese and roll up, placing seam side down in baking dish. If you warm the tortillas first in the microwave, they will roll easier.

Spread remaining salsa over enchiladas and pour can of enchilada sauce over all. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake until hot and bubbly. Serve with a dollop of sour cream. You can also add frozen corn to the bean mixture and top with black olives.

These were probably the best enchiladas we've ever had. I will definitely be making them again!

Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies

2011-11-01T08:33:00.000-07:00

A Facebook friend mentioned that she really likes the recipes on skinnytaste.com so I took a peek. The recipes are relatively low-fat and include nutrition information, including Weight Watchers points. Unlike many supposedly "healthy" recipes, most of these actually do contain real food ingredients. I'd rather use less of something real, like butter, than to substitute some chemical-ridden substance like "low fat margarine". For instance, this cookie recipe uses real butter but only two tablespoons worth in the whole recipe. Last week I made chocolate chip cookies and they used two STICKS of butter.

So, how do they taste? Pretty darn fantastic, actually.

Here is the link to the original recipe and I encourage you to take a look at it. Gina Homolka is the author, recipe developer and photographer at skinnytaste and she does a good job with the photos, something I don't even attempt.

Original recipe:
Pumpkin Spiced Oatmeal Pecan Cookies

Below is the recipe as I made it. I'm including it here for future easy access as I know I'll be making these often.

Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour (I used organic)
2 cups oats (calls for quick oats; I whirled regular, organic oats in the blender a couple of seconds)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice *
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature (called for unsalted, I only had salted and it was fine)
1/2 cup sugar (I used organic)
1/2 cup brown sugar, unpacked (I usually use organic but had some regular I wanted to use up.)
1 large egg (organic)
6 tablespoons canned pumpkin (not pie filling; I used organic)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I make my own)
3/4 raisins (organic)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. The original recipe calls for two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or a silpat. I just have one large, airbake cookie sheet so I used that. I did recently purchase some parchment paper so I put that on the cookie sheet. I did successive batches but the cookies came off the parchment so easily that I used the same sheet for the whole recipe.

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin spice and cinnamon.

In large bowl, with a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, followed by the pumpkin and vanilla extract. Working by hand, stir in the flour and oats mixture until just combined and no white streaks of flour remain. Stir in raisins (original recipe calls for pecans; chocolate chips or dried cranberries would be good, too).

Drop one tablespoon of dough at a time on prepared cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies become light brown at the edges. Allow to cool on cookie sheet a couple of minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

They are sweet and chewy and even have some nutritional value. In fact, with all those oats and raisins, I think you'd be justified in having them for breakfast.

*I didn't have pumpkin pie spice so I substituted:

1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

That equals 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice and is a handy thing to know if you are out of it.

Menu Plan Monday ~ October 31, 2011

2011-10-31T08:59:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

I don't want to say it too loudly but it looks as though this week will be a little less busy than recent weeks. I'm hoping to get some extra baking done, as well as a few more complicated meals than we've had lately. Next week is crammed with various activities and meetings and then the holiday season is upon us. Ready, set, go!

Monday:

Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole (crockpot) (didn't make it last week)
salad
oatmeal pumpkin cookies (new-to-me recipe -- If they're yummy, I'll share the link.)

I'll also be baking some banana bread since I have some very ripe bananas to use up.

Tuesday:

Sweet and Sour Meatballs (David's favorite and something I haven't made in a long time)
rice (will cook extra and save for fried rice and gumbo later this week)
salad

Wednesday:

Frosted Cauliflower
glazed carrots
green beans
homemade bread or rolls

Thursday:

homemade egg rolls
fried rice
fresh fruit

Friday:

gumbo
potato salad

Saturday:
It's supposed to be a beautiful day so I'm thinking one final use of the grill before we cover it up for the winter.

grilled chicken with homemade bbq sauce
leftover potato salad
green salad
baked beans

Anything special on your menu this week? Remember, if you have a recipe to share, I'm always open for guest posts.

Happy Halloween!

Menu Plan Monday ~ October 24, 2011

2011-10-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

I guess I need to reassess what I consider to be a busy week as they all seem to be that way these days. Tonight, David is helping load up chairs that were borrowed for a fire department fundraiser this weekend so he will be home late. Tomorrow evening he and I are helping serve dinner at Compassion Outreach, a local ecumenical ministry that provides free health care. Wednesday we will be going to Texas to attend a Soundgarden concert. I have a meeting Thursday night - two, actually, but I can only be in one place at a time. On Friday I have an organizational meeting and doctor's appointment during the afternoon. That night we are attending a Halloween party and then going to the city on Saturday for my aunt's 70th birthday party. Whew! Somewhere in all that I would really like to do some serious cleaning but I'm not getting my hopes up. I do however, have chocolate chip cookies baking right now. Gotta keep one's priorities straight, right?

Monday:

Cajun alfredo
salad
homemade cookies and hot tea for dessert

Tuesday:

making baked ziti for Compassion Outreach ministry

Wednesday:

will eat dinner out before the concert

Thursday:

Vegetarian enchilada casserole (crockpot)
salad

Friday:

homemade tomato soup
quesadillas
sliced apples

The Kitchen Witch

2011-10-20T21:18:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite little shops in the French Quarter of New Orleans is The Kitchen Witch. I'm a sucker for a bookstore, particularly one of those crowded, cozy types. Make it a bookstore specializing in cookbooks and I positively swoon.

I discovered this little gem on our first or second trip back to New Orleans after the storm. I don't recall whether I bought anything or not but I do remember chatting with Philipe LaMancusa, one of the owners. He shared with me the legend that says if you walk barefoot in New Orleans you will one day live there. Well, needless to say, I shed my shoes for a short walk every time we visit. Phil, if I pick up something requiring antibiotics, I'm blaming you.

The Kitchen Witch specializes in rare, pre-owned, and out-of-print books on food and cooking. It's truly an amazing collection and foodies like myself could easily spend an afternoon browsing. Especially with the jazz music of WWOZ which is always playing in the background and the friendly, helpful presence of the owners, Philipe and his partner, Debbie Lindsey. Oh, and their dogs, Rosie and Sophie.

As if all this weren't enough, they also sell some vinyl records and artwork - Philipe's and others. Food, music and art. Aren't those the main ingredients which make life sweet?

Even though this charming little place looks as though it's been there for decades, it's actually fairly new. Despite what many thought to be risky business, Debbie and Philipe took out one of the first business permits issued after Hurricane Katrina and opened The Kitchen Witch only three months after the storm. It was a risk worth taking, however, and the unique shop is thriving.

During my most recent trip to New Orleans, I stopped by to see if they might have a certain cookbook I was interested in. On previous visits I had met Philipe but this time Debbie was overseeing the store. She helped me locate the book I wanted and was very helpful. I asked if I could take some photos of the shop and she was happy to let me do so. Pictures can't quite capture the charm of The Kitchen Witch but you can perhaps get a taste of what it's like:

I asked Debbie if I could take her picture and she graciously agreed. "Let me put on some lipstick first, though!", she quipped. Her friendly, happy personality is evident in this photo, isn't it?:

So, what was that cookbook I was looking for? Well, a few years ago I had checked out one of Paul Prudhomme's cookbooks from our local library. It had some fantastic recipes in it, as well as numerous spice recipes. I recently went to check it out again and discovered that the library had gotten rid of it. I decided I needed to have my own copy. The Kitchen Witch had a new copy of it but Debbie mentioned that they also had a used one. It was missing the dust jacket:

But it was autographed:

I don't buy cookbooks for their appearance - I actually cook from them - so I was thrilled to purchase the copy signed by Chef Paul Prudhomme himself.

If you are ever in New Orleans I highly recommend a visit to The Kitchen Witch. Tell them I sent you and then go take a short, barefoot walk (but NOT on Bourbon Street!).

You can read Philipe LaMancusa's blog here. He and Debbie both write for Where Y'at magazine as well.

Menu Plan Monday ~ October 17, 2011

2011-10-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

This will be another of those weeks where I won't be cooking much. David leaves on a business trip early Tuesday morning and won't return until Friday. He would be home earlier but he got tickets to a World Series game in St. Louis Thursday night. Chris is going to fly up and meet him Wednesday and they will attend the game together then fly home on Friday. They are both so excited. It's rather cute. So I only need to plan meals for tonight and Friday. I'm going to take advantage of those other three nights to eat very lightly. I've got some sweet potatoes so one night I'll probably bake one and have it with a salad. Another night I may have a smoothie - need to use up some fruit in the freezer anyway. The third night might be a fruit/cheese/cracker plate. I've got some household projects underway so it will be nice to have that extra time that I would ordinarily spend cooking and cleaning the kitchen. At least that's what I'm telling myself. I really dislike having David gone and miss him terribly. But it's part of the job so I have learned to make the best of it. Besides, the homecomings are always nice. :)

Monday:

black bean burritos
salad with homemade salsa ranch dressing
homemade guacamole and tortilla chips

Friday:

gumbo
potato salad

So, what does your week look like? Any special recipes you'd like to share?

The vegetarian vs. the carnivore

2011-10-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

I've been participating in these Blog Action Day events ever since the first one in 2007. Each year there is a chosen topic on which all participants write. This year, Blog Action Day coincides with World Food Day so the 2011 theme is, naturally, food. The four previous Blog Action posts I've done have been on Tea With Dee or The Well-Groomed Hippie but since this is about food, it only makes sense to post it on Dee's Kitchen.

I must admit that I signed up and then sort of forgot about it. Well, not exactly. It was in the back of my mind, and on my blog calendar, but the past week has been busy and I kept putting off writing it. In fact, I really had no idea what my topic would be. I mean...food...that's a pretty broad subject, right? So I looked at the list of suggested topics and saw "Vegan, Vegetarian, Meat Eater...Which one are you and why?". Since we've been dabbling in vegetarianism the past couple of years, I thought that would be a good topic for me to address. As they say, write what you know. Right?

I'm often asked why we decided to "go vegetarian". Actually, we are only "mostly vegetarian". We did eat entirely vegetarian, with a couple of exceptions, for an entire year. It all started when our adult son who lives next door and often eats with us decided to go vegetarian. This wasn't the first time he'd done this. In fact, he was only five years old the first time he decided not to eat meat. We were living next door to my parents who raised cattle. These cows were almost like pets and one day Chris made the connection between these animals in his grandparents' pasture and the hamburger on his plate.

I've always tried to respect the sincerely-held views and preferences of my kids so for most of one summer I indulged him in this pursuit. Eventually he gave it up, only to revisit vegetarianism off and on throughout his teens and early adulthood. This latest attempt happened to begin just prior to a message David received from the wife of a dear friend. Ron had stage 4 cancer and his only reasonable hope was alternative medical care he was receiving in Mexico, including a strict, vegan diet. As a "meat and potatoes" sort of guy, he was really struggling with this. His wife asked David if he could help encourage Ron to stick to his diet. David called Ron and told him he would become vegetarian for a year in solidarity with him. Not vegan, however.

Since Chris was also eating vegetarian it just made sense for all three of us to go that route. I already included a number of meatless or low-meat meals in our diet so it really didn't seem like it would be a big deal. And it wasn't. So many of our favorites are easy to make meatless. Spaghetti or lasagna made with vegetables instead of meat. Mexican dishes which use beans and cheese for protein. And others that with a few changes can be made without meat.

I actually found it to be creatively stimulating as it forced me to look outside my standard recipes and search out new ones. I also experimented with old favorites such as chicken enchiladas and found that we like the new, meatless version better. I also asked some of my long-time vegetarian friends to share their favorites and some of their recipes are now part of our regular routine.

Additionally, we began eating a lot more fruits and vegetables, in greater variety. Better yet, because we weren't spending money on meat we could more easily afford organic produce and other high-quality foods. Also, with no meat wrappers in the trash (and by composting other scraps or feeding to chickens) there was nothing to produce odors. I can usually go 10-14 days with one tall kitchen trash bag.

After that year of being completely vegetarian, or to be more precise, pescetarian (some of us continued to eat fish and seafood occasionally), we have chosen to remain "mostly" vegetarian. That means that I might purchase one package of humanely-raised, organic chicken per month. Or maybe a pound of ground bison. I have an organic turkey breast reserved for Thanksgiving. Otherwise I continue to cook vegetarian meals. When we eat out, David chooses something with meat perhaps half of the time. I do once in awhile but if there is a good fish or seafood option, I usually choose that. All three of us have made the decision to eat what we are served in other people's homes. But we all agree that we tend to feel better after a meatless meal. Meat can be difficult to digest.

Different people have different reasons for eating a vegetarian diet. Concern for animals, health concerns and environmental impact are all valid reasons for this choice. All are important to me and contribute to my personal choice to remain mostly vegetarian. So why have I not embraced vegetarianism 100%? First of all, there are times I do like meat. I'm looking forward to that Thanksgiving turkey, for instance. Second, I have trouble with anemia and find it difficult to get enough iron without red meat a couple of times a month. Third, I live in Oklahoma where vegetarians are often looked upon with suspicion or even derision. I want to be able to attend the occasional church potluck or dinner at friends' homes without making special food arrangements. Basically, I've decided that since 90% is generally an "A", I'm satisfied with that. Most of the time I'm more like 98% vegetarian but I'm okay with less than a perfect score in this part of my life. In fact, that 90% thing is how I try to view most of my efforts to live a good life. We eat a very healthy diet at least 90% of the time so the occasional candy bar or hamburger won't hurt us. But that's just me. Others may want or need to set the bar higher and I have nothing but admiration for them. This is simply the choice we've made and feel we can live with.

If you've followed Dee's Kitchen for any length of time you've no doubt noticed that while my menus rarely contain meat, I have featured guest posts for recipes that aren't vegetarian. That's by design. There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian food blogs. There are LOTS that feature meat prominently. I figure there have got to be other people out there who, like us, choose to limit but not eliminate meat and perhaps this blog will help fill a void. And even if you have no issues with meat consumption, we can all use a few lower cost recipes these days. Meatless meals are generally less expensive so including one or two per week can help with the food budget. In our case, as mentioned above, it allows us to purchase more expensive organic products.

So that's my view on the vegetarian thing. I'd love to hear how you make your dietary choices. Are you a meat lover, vegan or something in between?

Please check out the Blog Action Day site for more blogs on various food topics and the World Food Day site for information on various actions to alleviate hunger around the world.

Previous Blog Action Day posts I've done:

2007 - The Environment
2008 - Poverty
2009 - Climate Change
2010 - Water

Menu Plan Monday ~ October 10, 2011

2011-10-10T06:47:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

I'm back! My friend and I had a fabulous trip to New Orleans last week. I will be sharing drool-worthy food pics and descriptions later, plus a blog post about a very special little shop in the French Quarter. But for now, here is what's on the menu for the Piercy family this week.

Monday:

red beans and rice
potato salad
corn bread

Yes, I'm missing New Orleans!

Tuesday:

catfish
coleslaw
French fries

We have a very nice little meat market here in town which gets some absolutely amazing catfish fillets. I'm hoping they have some this week.

Wednesday:

lentil soup
cheese biscuits

I still haven't made the lentil soup I've had on the menu the past couple of weeks. David will be out of town and I have choir rehearsal on Wednesdays so this is a good night for a simple soup that I can make early in the day and reheat.

Thursday:

out to dinner with David's boss

David will be back from his short business trip and his boss will be in town. We will go out to dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant.

Friday:

tacos
guacamole salsa and chips

There's a slight chance that David might have to take another short trip on Friday in which case I'll save the tacos for next week and just make myself a salad.

So what's on your menu this week? Anyone have a favorite recipe to share as a guest post?

How To Peel a Head of Garlic in Less Than 10 Seconds

2011-09-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

Isn't that awesome? Everyone go cook something with fresh garlic!

Menu Plan Monday ~ September 26, 2011

2011-09-26T06:37:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

Can anyone guess why I am using a picture of café au lait and beignets for this post? Yep, I'm going to New Orleans again. A friend of mine has a week in a time-share condo starting this Friday. She really didn't want to go alone so I'm making the supreme sacrifice and going with her. She will be spending Wednesday night at my house and we will leave Thursday morning, then returning the following Thursday. David has to leave for a business trip early Tuesday morning and won't be home until late Wednesday. That means there won't be much of a menu this week, and none next week. If you are looking for some inspiration, either check out past Menu Plan Monday posts here or click on the link under the picture. I will probably post some pictures of delicious New Orleans food while I'm away so keep an eye out for those.

Monday:

potato leek soup (didn't end up making it last week)
apple carrot flaxseed muffins (from local organic bakery)

Tuesday:

leftovers (David will be out of town)

Wednesday:

This will be a busy day getting ready for my trip so a crockpot meal is a good plan. Plus this will provide some leftovers for "the boys" after I leave.

roast with potatoes, onions and carrots in the crockpot
salad
green beans

We will spend the night in Shreveport and then drive the rest of the way to New Orleans on Friday. I can hardly wait!

Menu Plan Monday ~ September 19, 2011

2011-09-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

Our recent fall-like weather here in Oklahoma apparently put me in the mood for soup. Even though our temperatures are back up into the 80s, I'm going ahead with my soup plans. I've got three on the menu, plus a New Orleans Monday tradition to start off the week. Laissez le bon temps rouler!

Monday:

red beans and rice
salad
corn bread

Tuesday:

broccoli corn chowder
salad
corn bread (leftover from Monday)

Wednesday:

lentil soup (recipe later this week)
salad
biscuits

Thursday:

leftovers - I have a meeting

Friday:

potato leek soup
salad
beer bread

One thing you won't be seeing reflected in my meals are the "use it up from the freezer" items. That would be due to the fact that David turned off one of the breakers while working on some electrical outlets in our laundry room just prior to our trip to New Orleans. Unfortunately, the circuit he turned off (and didn't turn back on) was also the one our freezer was plugged into. He discovered this yesterday. Poor guy felt so badly. Hey, at least I hadn't ever gotten around to putting up a lot of fresh produce this summer like I usually do. And since we are almost vegetarian it wasn't full of meat. That means we didn't lose a lot of expensive food AND it means that despite being off for 10 days or so, the smell wasn't that bad. Plus, today is our trash day. He pulled the freezer out onto the patio, emptied everything into the trash and washed it out with bleach water a couple of times. We left it open in the sun for a couple of hours. It smelled fine but I dumped some old ground coffee inside just for good measure. Today I'll vacuum it out and it will be good as new! Hey, these things happen.

Pumpkin Bread

2011-09-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

After a very hot, dry summer, a cold front came through bringing cooler temperatures and much-needed rain. It has drizzled off and on all day. It seemed the perfect time to put out the fall decorations and bake some pumpkin bread. Fortunately I had ordered four cans of organic pumpkin from the Azure Standard food co-op and picked up my order on Wednesday. Sadly, we have no chickens at the moment but I was able to get a dozen eggs from our neighbor who keeps chickens. So, I was all set. This recipe makes three loaves and they freeze beautifully. You can add chopped pecans if you'd like. I don't like nuts and am also allergic to them but I did add some raisins to one of the loaves today. It makes a very nice afternoon snack with a cup of Earl Grey tea. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. salt
4 eggs
1 cup oil
2/3 cup water
2 cups (or one can) cooked pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 t. vanilla

Method:

Mix dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Mix eggs, pumpkin and other liquids in small bowl. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the liquid mixture. Mix well. Pour into three greased loaf pans and bake at 375 degrees for approximately 45 minutes or until done.

Menu Plan...Tuesday?

2011-09-13T19:46:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

Well, obviously I didn't get a menu out on Monday. I'm not even starting this until after 9 p.m. on Tuesday. But I have a good excuse. We were in New Orleans this past weekend and didn't get home until last night. And then my plans for dinner tonight fell apart when my washing machine discharged its contents and flooded the kitchen and part of the carpeting into the family room. Our darling kitties were the responsible parties for that little episode. While we were away they apparently got bored and dislodged the washing machine drain hose from the drain. Good thing they're cute! And good thing I have a sweet husband who offered to bring home dinner tonight when he found out I'd spent over an hour sucking up water from the kitchen floor and carpeting with our Rainbow vacuum.

I'm not sure whether it's even worth writing a menu post this week but it's a habit so here goes:

Monday (yesterday):

David and I ate dinner at Charleston's in Norman on our way home from the airport. We both had the potato soup and salad combo.

Tuesday:

My awesome husband picked up ribs, brisket, potato salad and coleslaw.

Wednesday:

I have a hair appointment at 1 p.m., co-op pick-up in a nearby town at 4:45 and choir rehearsal at 7 p.m. I won't be home until at least 8:30 so everyone will have to do their own thing for dinner.

Thursday:

I have a board meeting at 5:30 p.m. and I'm not sure how long it will run. I've got some ricotta I need to use so I think I'll make a veggie lasagna. I can prepare it early and have it in the oven before I leave. The guys can eat whenever they are ready and I'll eat when I get home.

veggie lasagna
tossed salad
garlic bread

Friday:

buttered Yukon Gold potatoes
spinach salad with fresh strawberries and balsamic dressing
sliced tomatoes
ice cream (Summer is drawing to a close and I don't think I've bought any ice cream yet!)

Beignets and cafe au lait

2011-09-11T00:47:00.000-07:00

Best sandwich

2011-09-09T15:16:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving on a croissant

Menu Plan Monday ~ September 5, 2011

2011-09-05T12:07:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas.

We are going to New Orleans for a few days this Thursday. That means only three dinners to plan but it also means trying to use up some perishables. Let's see what we come up with:

Monday:

twice-baked potatoes
whiskey-glazed carrots
green beans

Tuesday:

homemade pizza with bell peppers and crushed pineapple
salad

Wednesday:

quesadillas
guacamole salsa with tortilla chips
salad

Thursday - Sunday:

New Orleans!

Chinese Chicken Salad

2011-09-03T19:08:00.000-07:00

Chinese Chicken Salad

2 or 3 cooked chicken breasts, cut in chunks
1 large bell pepper, diced (you can use all green, or a mix of green and red for extra color)
several green onions, finely chopped
about a cup of diced celery
1 can of pineapple chunks or tidbits, well drained or equal quantity of fresh
1 tablespoon of chopped pimiento (I usually leave this out; mostly adds color)
1 or 2 tablespoons of chopped black olives
1 can mandarin oranges, drained (opt.)

Mix above in large bowl.

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise (not salad dressing)
1 tablespoon cream (this is to thin the dressing but a bit of milk will work, too)
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar

This is the original dressing recipe but I also add a little garlic powder and Creole seasoning.

Immediately before serving, toss salad with dressing until well coated (you can adjust the amount of dressing if you need to). Add one can of crunchy Chinese noodles and mix lightly. Serve immediately. I like to serve it with extra noodles to sprinkle on top.

This is my adaptation of a recipe that uses tuna instead of chicken. It is quite flexible and you can adjust it to taste. Sometimes I add other drained canned fruits or grapes. You could add things like drained water chestnuts, snow peas, raw carrot, broccoli or other crunchy veggies. It tastes best when made with chicken that has been cooked on a grill with barbeque sauce or sweet and sour sauce so whenever you are cooking chicken this way, cook extra and make this salad the next night.

I like to serve this with candied carrots and some type of roll or muffin.

If you think you might have leftovers, don't add the noodles directly to the salad. Just put them on top of each portion so they don't get soggy.

Menu Plan Monday ~ August 29, 2011

2011-08-29T16:09:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas!

I know I'm late getting this out today but my darling husband took me to the city for three nights to celebrate my birthday. We ate lunch at a restaurant on our way home this afternoon so we'll keep it light and simple tonight. Tuesday night we are drafting our Fantasy Football team at the local Italian restaurant so we'll go early and eat dinner there first. Otherwise I think we will actually be home for dinner the rest of the week!

Monday:

grilled cheese sandwiches
homemade tomato bisque soup
cherries and homemade chocolate chip cookies for dessert

Tuesday:

dinner out

Wednesday:

lentil rice casserole
flour tortillas, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato
guacamole and tortilla chips

Thursday:

lasagna roll-ups
tossed green salad
garlic bread

Friday:

Chinese chicken salad
candied carrots
blueberry muffins

Saturday:

homemade vegetable soup
beer bread

I'm looking for guest posts so if you have a recipe you'd like to share, please let me know.

Super Easy Beer Bread

2011-08-24T06:59:00.000-07:00

One of my guest posters shared a recipe for Beer Bread which I've yet to make (sorry, Caleb!), although I definitely plan to do so soon. His recipe sounds absolutely delicious, what with the fresh herbs and CHEESE, and all. However, sometimes one has need of a recipe with just a few ingredients -- stuff you already have on hand -- that can be thrown together in a couple of minutes. Enter "Super Easy Beer Bread". I saw this recipe a couple of days ago online and decided to make it last night. It truly couldn't have been easier and was quite delicious. David and Chris both loved it. I'm sure the addition of herbs and cheese in Caleb's recipe would take beer bread up at least a couple of notches but if you just need a quick, hot bread for dinner, give this one a try.

Super Easy Beer Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups self-rising flour *
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 12 oz. bottle of beer

Method:

preheat oven to 375 degrees
grease a standard bread loaf pan
mix all ingredients well in a mixing bowl
pour into prepared pan
bake for one hour

Isn't that easy? Give it a try and then let's all try Caleb's recipe on a night when we have a bit more time.

*I don't keep self-rising flour on hand but all you have to do is add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder per cup of flour to equal self-rising. For this recipe that means adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of each.

Menu Plan Monday ~ August 22, 2011

2011-08-22T07:22:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas.

Monday:

broccoli potato soup
biscuits
fresh fruit salad

Tuesday:

fettuccine with vodka/tomato/cream sauce
tossed green salad
garlic bread

Wednesday:

black bean taco salad
homemade guacamole and chips
homemade chocolate chip cookies

Thursday:

scrambled eggs
chicken and apple breakfast links
waffles
fresh fruit

Friday:

My birthday is Saturday so we are heading to Oklahoma City to spend a couple of nights at our favorite hotel, the Skirvin. I can hardly wait!.

Garlic Lime Chicken

2011-08-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

Turns out I didn't actually make this tonight. I had a little health scare and ended up in the E.R. for a few hours last night and David isn't letting me do anything today. However, I promised the recipe so here goes:

Garlic Lime Chicken

from "Saving Dinner" by Leanne Ely

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme

(* Go ahead and measure these ingredients into two or three little containers and label them. Then you'll have this part already done the next time you make this recipe. And trust me, you will.)

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions:

On a dinner plate, mix together the first seven ingredients. Sprinkle mixture on both sides of chicken breasts. In a skillet heat butter and olive oil together over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken until golden brown about 5 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and add lime juice and chicken broth to the pan, whisking up the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Keep cooking until sauce has reduced slightly. Add chicken back to the pan to thoroughly coat and serve.

Menu Plan Monday ~ August 15, 2011

2011-08-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas.

Another busy week ahead, which seems to be the norm these days. Tonight we are attending a city council meeting and I have a board meeting for the area homeless services organization on Thursday. I have a hair appointment and co-op pickup on Wednesday and a birthday party on Friday. Looks like Tuesday is my only reasonably *normal* day this week!

Monday:

We have to be at the city council meeting at 5:30 this evening and since the agenda is rather lengthy I'm anticipating a long meeting. I'll have a little snack of cheese and fruit ready for us before we go and then we'll go out to dinner afterwards.

Tuesday:

Since this will be the one night I actually have much time to cook this week, I'll make a somewhat more time-consuming meal.

garlic lime chicken (will share recipe tomorrow)
mashed potatoes
fresh green beans
salad
homemade biscuits or rolls

Wednesday:

This is the day I have a hair appointment and a co-op pickup in a nearby town. I'll be home by 5:30-ish but an easy meal will be appreciated.

red beans (already cooked and in the freezer)
rice (will cook extra for Thursday)
salad
fresh fruit

Thursday:

I have a 5:30 p.m. board meeting and won't be home until around 7 p.m. I'll get all the ingredients prepared before I leave so all I'll have to do is heat up the rice and taco filling, make the guacamole and cook the tortillas.

black bean tacos
Mexican rice (made from the Wednesday leftovers)
guacamole/salsa and tortilla chips

Friday:

I will be celebrating my birthday (which is August 27th) with two friends who also have August birthdays. We are all meeting at our favorite Italian restaurant for dinner and live music. So far at least 25 people have responded to our Facebook event invitation that they will be there. It should be a blast!

Saturday:

We've been invited to a cook-out Saturday evening with lots of friends - 34 so far. They are providing the sides and we are supposed to bring something to throw on the grill plus "something to sip on". I'll pick up some organic chicken breasts and marinate them in something delicious. And I think we'll bring a nice chilled Riesling as our "sipper", plus plenty of iced tea since the high on Saturday is supposed to be 104. Yikes.

Iced Coffee

2011-08-09T16:17:00.000-07:00

I've long been an iced tea drinker. In fact, family lore includes the story of my grandmother curing me at the age of 6 months of a bout of intestinal distress with her super-sweet iced tea in my bottles. As toddlers, she began giving all of her grandchildren something we called "tea milk". It would start as mostly milk with a splash of very sweet iced tea, with the ratio of tea to milk increasing as we got older. We all loved her tea which was nearly sweet enough to stand a spoon upright in it. I admit I did the same with my own kids. Lisa, in particular, refused to take a bottle so at about 11 months I tried regular milk with a little sweet tea. She loved it and yes, her pediatrician knew about it.

Grandma also passed along a love of hot tea to all her grandchildren. One of many fond childhood memories is of her fixing me a cup of hot tea in one of her bluish-green melamine cups and saucers and bringing it to me to sip in front of the furnace on chilly winter mornings. She always used Lipton tea and added plenty of sugar and milk. Again, I shared this habit with my kids although at some point we all became lovers of Earl Grey tea instead of Lipton.

And by now you're probably wondering why this post is titled "Iced Coffee" when all I've done is talk about tea. I'm getting there; I promise. So, for all my childhood and young adulthood, tea, both hot and cold, was a big part of my life. I didn't begin drinking coffee until my 30s when I developed severe asthma. Coffee contains a compound that can help asthmatics breathe a little easier so I taught myself to drink it. I'm still a big tea drinker but have also come to love a good cup of coffee. But it must be GOOD coffee. I buy whole beans, grind them fresh for each pot and make it in a French press. I'm pretty much a coffee snob - I admit it.

Now I have a new obsession. Can you guess? Yep. Iced Coffee. The Pioneer Woman recently shared her method for making iced coffee concentrate and I decided to give it a whirl. It's a fairly lengthy process although not difficult. And it is quite a treat to have a few bottles of this stuff in the fridge so I can have a glass of iced coffee whenever the mood strikes.

Take a look at PW's post and pictures of the process. She's the pro so I didn't think there was any point in reinventing the wheel. I did, however, snap a photo of the straining process in my kitchen:

It's hard to tell from the photo but that pan on the right is a large Dutch oven. That's a toaster oven behind it, for size reference. And since I don't happen to have any cheesecloth I've been using coffee filters. We haven't had a regular coffee maker for several years but I still have a couple of boxes of filters in the dark recesses of a cupboard and this works.

I will share a few helpful hints. First, make sure you have enough containers and enough room in your refrigerator for the quantity of concentrate you decide to make. PW's recipe makes two gallons. I cut that in half and was still scrambling for bottles to put it in. I ended up washing out a Ketel One vodka bottle for the last of it which could be confusing for guests who might open my refrigerator.

Second, the straining process takes a very. long. time. Like, most of the day if you don't plan to stand there continuously. Each time I'd walk into the kitchen I'd scoop more into the strainer and let it drip. A friend suggested a two-step straining process and that did seem to speed it up a little. The first time, simply use the strainer without cheesecloth or a coffee filter. That gets most of the grounds out. Then strain again with your filter of choice. Any way you look at it, it's going to take awhile but once it's done you are left with a delicious, very handy brew ready to turn into refreshing iced coffee.

Third, PW only fills her glass about half full of coffee and the rest with milk. I don't tolerate large amounts of milk very well so my iced coffee is mostly coffee with just a splash of whole milk, plus a couple of teaspoons of organic sugar. I've also been trying half sugar and half Stevia, which is still quite tasty and fewer calories.

Lastly, I would recommend purchasing a set of glass straws for your iced coffee. This eliminates the waste of disposable straws and really makes your drink feel like a special treat.

Menu Plan Monday ~ August 8, 2011

2011-08-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas.

I already know that I won't be cooking two nights this week. And I'm also going to try to avoid shopping for anything more than milk or maybe some fresh produce. I'm pretty well stocked so let's see what I can come up with from my pantry and freezer.

Monday:

I some fresh veggies in the fridge which I need to use so I'll be making a "vegetable medley" to serve over rice. I have carrots, red potatoes, yellow and red bell peppers, zucchini, onion and garlic. I'll brown these in a little butter/olive oil mixture, seasoning well with whatever herbs and spices sound good at the moment. I'll then add some water and white wine, cooking until tender and the liquid has reduced to a light sauce. This is one of my summer go-to meals.

vegetable medley
brown rice
green salad
organic strawberries for dessert

Tuesday:

David and I will be going out to dinner with a business associate. Since I won't have to cook, this might be a good day to make some grape jelly, which has been on my to-do list for quite awhile. And Lisa, if you're reading this, I'll give you a couple of jars. (It's my daughter's favorite.)

Wednesday:

I have a noon meeting for the local recycling coalition and will also run any errands while I'm already in town. In this heat, that wears me out so a simple meal will be appreciated.

turkey and noodles (from freezer)
Lisa's cheese bread (will make in the morning before the meeting)
fresh fruit for dessert

Thursday:

David and I will be going to the city for the day and will eat dinner up there.

Friday:

cheese enchiladas (I have corn tortillas and homemade enchilada sauce in the freezer)
beans (from freezer)
homemade guacamole and tortilla chips
fresh fruit

And that's it for this week. I'd love to hear what's on your menu this week!

Strawberry Freezer Jam

2011-08-03T15:06:00.000-07:00

This is what I did yesterday:

A few months ago I bought a 5 pound bag of frozen organic strawberries and just finally got around to turning them into jam. I've made various sorts of jams and jellies but freezer jam is so quick and easy.

I allowed the strawberries to partially thaw and then dumped them in a large pot, juice and all. I gently heated them until completely thawed, sort of mashing them with a wooden spoon while stirring. This time I used Pomona brand pectin. I had not used it before. It has two packets in the box, one is pectin and the other is a calcium powder. It is sugar free and preservative free. You can read more about it here. One nice thing about it is that you don't have to use a lot of sugar to make it work right. I used about two cups of organic sugar to five pounds of fruit which is a lot less than a regular recipe calls for. On the other hand, there is an additional step because you have to mix up the pectin in boiling water in a blender or food processor. Still, I think it's worth it to avoid all that extra sugar.

After adding the dissolved pectin and calcium water to the fruit and sugar mixture, I stirred until well mixed and starting to gel. I then ladled it into jars, wiped them off and screwed on the lids. You are supposed to allow them to sit out at room temperature for a little while. I then put them in the refrigerator overnight until I had time to make room for them in the freezer. I now have eleven beautiful jars of delicious, homemade, organic strawberry jam to enjoy over the next several months.

In my kitchen

2011-08-02T16:18:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a couple of quick pictures today. Last week David was on a business trip and had time to kill. He went to Mall of America and "checked in" on Facebook. I commented and asked what he was buying for me. When he asked what I wanted I told him that was a dangerous questions since I knew there was a Williams Sonoma there. Being a very nice, yet clueless-about-prices husband, he again asked what I wanted. This is what I told him is my dream purchase:

But I made it clear that I knew it was WAY expensive. Apparently he looked it up on his phone and realized I wasn't kidding about the price. He then asked if I'd like a new, small spatula. He knew that the handle had broken on my favorite Pampered Chef mini-spatula:

So this is what he brought me:

I love it! It is very well constructed and should last forever. Thank you, honey. :)

And here is a picture of the organic produce I bought today:

There is a locally owned and operated organic bakery not far from us and they are now carrying organic produce and some organic beef and chicken as well. The owner gets in a shipment bi-weekly and if you sign up for the buyers club, you can purchase these at a really reasonable price. Today I bought green beans, Yukon Gold potatoes, spinach, strawberries, peaches, tomatoes, zucchini, cherries and a loaf of whole wheat bread (because it's too hot for me to want to bake my own!).

Menu Plan Monday ~ August 1, 2011

2011-08-01T15:42:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas.

Monday:

oven baked red potatoes and onions topped with grated cheese
corn on the cob
salad

Tuesday:

gumbo (nope, still haven't made it yet!)
potato salad
French bread

Wednesday:

fettuccine carbonara
salad
French bread

Thursday:

I have a board meeting this night. It's our annual "back to school" meeting and we traditionally share a meal. This is what I'll be providing:

macaroni and cheese with caramelized onions
salad
green beans
cobbler

Friday:

sour cream enchiladas
Mexican rice and beans
guacamole and tortilla chips

It is SO hot here that I'm trying to avoid using the oven. Our house stays nice and cool but I'm trying to avoid things which contribute to heat, thus causing the air conditioner to work harder. Tonight I'm cooking the potatoes in the toaster oven, for instance. I will have to use the regular oven on Thursday because of the quantity I'm cooking but otherwise I'm avoiding it. I'm also trying to cut back on electricity usage during peak afternoon/evening hours. That means doing laundry and running the dishwasher in the mornings. I also replaced the burned out bulb in my desk lamp with a CFL (most of our lamps have now been changed over) and using that when I'm at the computer rather than the overhead light which has three bulbs. And right now, I don't have any light on in here. I know it may not sound like much but every little bit helps. If everyone made even a little effort it would add up to a huge savings in electricity use. Okay, off my soapbox!

Menu Monday ~ July 25, 2011

2011-07-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas.

Well, once again we didn't quite stick to our menu last week. Right now I can't even quite remember why. Oh, yes. Our meeting on Monday ran quite long so David wanted to go out for dinner afterwards. And then on Tuesday his salesman was in town so we took him out to dinner. Then David was out of town until late on Wednesday. Or was that Thursday? I do know that I fixed a nice dinner Friday, although it wasn't something from our menu. I bought a whole organic chicken which I cooked in the crockpot. I served it with baked potatoes, salad and corn on the cob. Wait. It was Friday that David got home so late - we ate dinner after 8 p.m. So what did we do Wednesday and Thursday? Hmm...I know I had a meeting Thursday night. Oh, I remember. David left on Thursday and got home Friday. See what our life is like around here? Ha!

Anyway, I have no illusions about this week going as planned but let's give it a whirl.

Monday:

I'm making broth from the leftover chicken carcass, a couple of carrots, celery and onion. I'll put these ingredient in the crockpot before I leave for a 2 p.m. meeting this afternoon. When I get home I'll strain and refrigerate it. That will allow me to remove the excess fat on top before using it to make the broccoli cheese soup.

tossed green salad as first course
broccoli cheese soup
fresh strawberries

Tuesday:

David leaves on Tuesday for a business trip and won't be home until Thursday afternoon. I like to eat a little lighter and have simpler meals while he's gone. Chris can join me or pick up something for himself these two nights.

organic green beans and red potatoes (cooked with onion and well seasoned)
fresh fruit

Wednesday:

a big salad with hard boiled eggs, fresh tomatoes and grated cheddar cheese
fresh fruit

Thursday:

gumbo (never did make it last week)
potato salad
French bread

Friday:

corn on the cob
whiskey-glazed carrots
squash casserole
salad
French bread

What's on your menu this week?

Menu Monday ~ July 18, 2011

2011-07-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas.

This is going to be another busy week but I'm determined to have good meals nonetheless!

Monday:

We are all attending a city council meeting this evening at 5:30 so dinner will probably be late. I have leftover penne pasta with a vegetable marinara sauce. I'll put it in a baking dish, grate some cheese on top, cover and put in the oven on low just before we leave. All I will have to do when we get home is heat the bread and toss the salad.

baked veggie pasta
tossed green salad
garlic bread

Tuesday:

I think I will be home all day and don't have any meetings scheduled yet. Although I'm still waiting for confirmation on one. I'll make the potato salad early in the day so it will be well chilled by dinner time. I have a smoked sausage, shrimp and okra in the freezer which I'll use along with fresh veggies to make the gumbo. For dessert I'll slice some fresh peaches, sprinkle a little brown sugar on them and drizzle with cream.

gumbo
potato salad
fresh peaches

Wednesday:

I will be picking up my co-op order this afternoon in a town about 30 minutes away. It happens to be the peach capital of Oklahoma so I plan to go early and hopefully buy a couple of baskets of peaches to make jam out of. I'll also make a quick trip to the grocery store for a few items. I don't think I've been to the real grocery store for over two weeks, just quick stops at the dairy store or organic bakery. I have beans which I cooked from scratch in the freezer and I'll put some rice in the rice cooker before I leave the house. The casserole is easy to put together and while it's heating up, I'll mix up some fresh guacamole and toss the salad.

rice and bean casserole
salad
tortilla chips and guacamole

Thursday:

I have a 5:30 meeting this night but should be home by 7 p.m. I will have all the ingredients prepped for the salad, the carrots cleaned and slice, and the muffins made before I leave. It won't take long to put the meal together when I get home.

Chinese chicken salad
glazed carrots
blueberry muffins

Friday:

I'm still trying to use up things in my freezers. I have a package of bacon and a bag of frozen peas so Fettuccine Carbonara seems like a logical use for those. This is an easy meal which I'll no doubt be grateful for at the end of a busy week.

Fettuccine Carbonara
salad
garlic bread

Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

2011-07-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

I wish I knew where I got this recipe so I could give proper credit but I've had it in my email recipe file for ages. I finally got around to trying it last night and it's a keeper. Slow cooker recipes are very helpful on hot summer days. And it's especially nice to not have to cook after being out of the home much of the day as I was yesterday. Here is the original recipe, along with my adaptations and comments:

Crock Pot Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

Ingredients:

one large chicken cut into serving pieces (I used organic boneless chicken breasts.)
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup of vinegar (I used organic apple cider vinegar.)
1/4 cup Sprite or 7-up (I made some lemon-lime soda in my soda maker.)
2-3 tablespoons minced garlic (I used about a tablespoon of dried, sliced garlic.)
2 tablespoons of soy sauce (I used organic Tamari sauce)
1 teaspoon of pepper - black or cayenne (I used a combination.)

Method:

Place chicken in crockpot.
Mix all remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Serve over rice or noodles. (I served over organic brown rice.)
You can thicken the juices after cooking with a little cornstarch. (I didn't find this to be necessary.)

This smelled wonderful and tasted good, too!

Peach or Blackberry Pudding/Cobbler

2011-07-12T08:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I made a peach cobbler from some overripe peaches I had. I used a very easy recipe given to me by a friend years ago. The original recipe calls for blackberries but most any fruit will do. I just cut up the peaches in small pieces -- didn't even peel them. If "cobbler" means a pie crust-type topping to you, I should explain that this is more of a cake-type dessert. Call it what you will, it is delicious! And it makes a darn good breakfast. ;)

Blackberry Pudding/Cobbler
by Mary Pitroff

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/3 cup butter
2 cups boiling water
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
2 cups blackberries (or any fruit)

Directions:

Cream 1 cup of sugar (the other cup will be used later) and butter.

Add flour, baking powder, salt, milk and mix well.

Spread in greased 9x13 pan.

Sprinkle blackberries on top.

Pour 1 cup sugar over it.

Pour 2 cups boiling water over all.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until done.

*Since I made this with peaches, I also added some cinnamon to the batter. I might try replacing some of the sugar with brown sugar next time.

Menu Plan Monday ~ July 11, 2011

2011-07-11T13:26:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas.

Last week was even busier than I anticipated and a couple of my planned meals didn't get prepared. That will explain the repeat this week. I *think* this week will be more normal but you never know! David's boss is in town today so we might be going out to dinner with him tonight. I won't know until late this afternoon so I have a backup plan. My easy, go-to meal for last minute dinners is homemade tomato soup and quesadillas. I generally have the necessary ingredients on hand all the time and it only takes a few minutes to prepare. Do you have a meal like that? I'd love to hear what it is.

Monday:

If we don't go out to dinner...

homemade tomato bisque soup
quesadillas
peach cobbler

Tuesday:

fettuccine with fresh vegetable marinara sauce
salad
garlic bread

Wednesday:

Garlic brown sugar crockpot chicken
rice
salad
carrots

Thursday:

I have a 5:30 meeting so dinner will be simple:

various leftovers
salad

Friday:

black bean and corn tacos
salad

Menu Plan...Tuesday?

2011-07-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas.

I'm sorry this is late. I meant to do this last night after dinner but David and I started watching old Golden Girls episodes and seven episodes later, it was almost midnight. We haven't seen it in quite awhile but it is still a really funny show. It was nice to just relax and laugh together. David had to work and didn't get home until almost 7:30 p.m. last night. We elected to stay home rather than battle crowds to watch fireworks in town.

Monday:

chopped brisket on homemade buns
homemade mashed potatoes
corn on the cob
homemade chocolate chip cookies and hot tea for dessert

David had picked up some barbecue on Saturday and we still had a lot of brisket leftover. I made homemade hamburger buns (recipe in the Better Homes and Garden cookbook) and we had yummy brisket sandwiches. I had fully intended to make potato salad and had even hard cooked the eggs earlier in the day. However, the day somehow got away from me and by the time I got the potatoes done, David was home. We elected to have mashed potatoes instead which was tasty, too. I had baked cookies Friday so that's what we had for dessert while watching Golden Girls together.

Tuesday:

macaroni and cheese with caramelized onion topping
glazed carrots
spinach salad with fresh strawberries

I have a (hopefully) brief meeting at 5 p.m. tonight so I wanted a meal that could be mostly prepared ahead. I'll cook the carrots sometime today and refrigerate. They can be reheated quickly in the microwave. I'll put the macaroni and cheese together, cover tightly and put in the oven on warm just before I leave for my meeting. When I get home I'll remove the foil, add some grated cheese and bread crumbs then broil until the cheese is hot and bubbly. The strawberries are already hulled and sliced so the salad can be prepared in a jiffy.

Wednesday:

tacos with bean/corn filling
sliced tomatoes
tortilla chips and salsa

I have corn tortillas in the freezer and a few ears of fresh corn which I'll cook and cut off the cob for the filling. My mom shared some fresh tomatoes that came from a friend's garden. There's nothing quite like home-grown tomatoes, is there?

Thursday:

baked beans with corn bread topping
potato salad
salad and/or fresh veggies from Farmers Market

I am attending and helping with a fundraising event this evening for the local homeless services organization. I recently joined the board. I need an easy meal that can be prepared early in the day.

Friday:

The fundraiser is a three-day event so I will most likely be helping again this evening. I'm planning to have enough leftovers from previous meals this week that the guys can just help themselves.

Saturday:

I'm not certain if I'll be helping with the fundraiser again this evening. If not, I think we are due for a date night. :)

I'd love to hear what's on your menu this week. Leave me a comment and if you have a blog you'd like me to check out, be sure to leave a link. I'm also looking for some guest posts. Do you have a favorite summer recipe to share?

Justin Wilson - Gumbo

2011-06-29T21:43:00.000-07:00

I used to love watching Justin Wilson on PBS on Saturday mornings.

Don't be surprised if you see gumbo on my menu soon. ;)

Menu Plan Monday ~ June 27, 2011

2011-06-27T11:18:00.000-07:00

Click here for more menu ideas.

Did you wonder where my menu was last week? It was one of those weeks where very little cooking took place around here. David and I had gone to Oklahoma City over the weekend to celebrate our anniversary. He then flew to Houston very early Monday morning for a business meeting while I met up with a friend in the city for lunch. I didn't get home until after 7 p.m. As I recall, I just scrambled some eggs and made egg burritos for Chris and myself. Since David was gone and Chris went out with friends, I just had a salad for dinner on Tuesday. Wednesday, I drove to the airport to pick up David and we ate dinner at a restaurant on our way home. I had a meeting on Thursday so we were all on our own that night and I think David brought home pizza on Friday. Anyway, this week will be an attempt to get back to *normal*, whatever that means.

Monday: Black bean enchilada casserole, salad, tortilla chips and salsa

I have a meeting tonight for the executive committee of the board I chair. It's a dinner meeting and I'm providing the main meal while another member will bring dessert. I plan to use the filling from Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas for the main dish. I'll put a couple of tablespoons of the filling in each flour tortilla along with some grated cheese, roll them up and place in a baking dish. I'll then spoon salsa over the top, cover with foil and bake. I'll bring sour cream to dollop on top of each serving. Since I won't be home for dinner, I'll make two pans of these, leaving one at home for David and Chris.

Tuesday: Pancakes, eggs, bacon and smoothies

It's time to use up some extra eggs so we'll have "breakfast for dinner". I bought a package of all natural, uncured, nitrate-free bacon the last time I went shopping in the city and stuck it in the freezer. We rarely eat meat at home so this will be a nice little treat. I'll use my homemade yogurt and frozen fruit for the smoothies.

Wednesday: Seasonal vegetables and homemade cheese bread

I'm going to the local Farmers Market this morning and will purchase several locally grown vegetables for our dinner. I've also signed up to bring a meal to a friend undergoing chemo so I will be cooking extra for her. I don't know for sure what I'll find at the market but I'm hoping there will be corn, green beans and squash. I have a big bag of organic carrots in the fridge and will cook some of those, too. Along with the veggies I will be making my daughter's cheese bread (one for us and one for my friend).

Thursday: Everyone for themselves

I'm meeting my cousin in the city for lunch. I'll probably do a bit of shopping on my way home so I may not be home in time for dinner. The guys can either forage in the fridge for leftovers or pick up something in town.

Friday: Grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, fresh veggies, salad

When I bought the bacon, I also picked up a package of organic, humanely-raised chicken breasts. I'll thaw those out, marinate in something tasty and then throw them on the grill. I'll serve the chicken with mashed potatoes, salad and whatever fresh veggies I have on hand.

Saturday: Date night!

I love making a meal out of freshly prepared vegetables from the Farmers Market. Who needs meat when you have corn on the cob, green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, vine-ripened tomatoes and such? What are your favorite summer meals?

Guest Post Friday ~ Quick Kale and White Bean Soup

2011-06-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Always on the lookout for new meatless recipes, I asked vegetarian friend Cherie of Renaissance Garden if she had any favorites. She actually sent me a long list of meatless meal ideas in addition to this soup recipe. I'm not all that experienced with kale but a couple of weeks ago I bought some and made this soup. I must admit I was a little skeptical but it was amazingly good! It was great for lunch and next week while David is away on a business trip, I think I'll make a pot of it to eat from for a few days.

Quick Kale and White Bean Soup
by Cherie Guerrant

Prep time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

1 bunch kale, stems removed

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus additional, for serving, optional

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 (15.5 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 quart chicken or vegetable stock

3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt

Pinch red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil, optional

Finely grated Parmesan cheese, for serving, optional

1. Lay some of the kale leaves one on top of the other to make a small stack. Roll them up into a cigar and slice crosswise into strips. Repeat with remaining kale.

2. In a large pot heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, kale, chicken or vegetable stock, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to taste. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the kale is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

3. Using a potato masher or wooden spoon, mash the beans slightly in the pot and serve. For a richer flavor, continue to simmer until the soup thickens and becomes more stew-like. Divide into serving bowls and top with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of grated cheese, if any.

Lisa's Cheese Bread

2011-06-15T06:19:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to try this for quite some time. Every time my daughter posts on Facebook that she's making cheese bread, I say to myself, "You need to try that." Well, last night I finally did. It was fantastic! And very easy. You owe it to yourself to give it a whirl.

Retro Housewife's Cheese Bread

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
garlic and parsley (I don't measure this, sorry. Maybe a couple of teaspoons of garlic and a teaspoon or so of parsley.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease loaf pan.
In large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cheese, garlic, and parsley. In another large bowl beat egg, milk and oil. Stir flour and cheese mixture into the egg mixture, stir until moistened. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for about 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

I'll tell you folks, this one will make your taste buds sing with joy. Oh, and if you have more than three people in your family, do yourself a favor and double the recipe. I'm planning to mix up the dry ingredients in canning jars and label with the rest of the recipes so I can whip this up even faster. I see a lot of cheese bread in my future.

*If haven't already, you should check out my daughter's blog, Retro Housewife Goes Green.

Menu Plan Monday ~ June 13, 2011

2011-06-13T08:50:00.000-07:00

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That does it. I cannot put one more thing in either of my freezers so I simply MUST use up some of my supply of food. I no longer even know what's in them and I really need to defrost the chest freezer. Other than some fresh produce and dairy products I am NOT doing anymore food shopping until I've used up a good portion of what is already on hand.

I just pulled out a container of squash apple soup I made a couple of months ago and put it in the fridge to thaw. It was a new-to-us recipe and only so-so. I froze it in two containers with the idea that I could add it to a regular vegetable soup. I also know I have several packages of frozen veggies in the freezer which I should use. This time of year I prefer to make use of all the wonderful fresh vegetables available so I tend to ignore the frozen stuff. I think I'll make a big pot of soup as a way of using those frozen vegetables.

I also noticed I have some organic corn tortillas in there so tacos would be a good addition to the menu this week. I don't have any organic ground beef (and I'm NOT shopping) so I'm thinking that a black bean filling would be a good alternative.

I also have a HUGE bag of organic frozen strawberries which I bought with the intention of making jam. I should put that on my to-do list this week, although that might not free up much space. I like to make freezer jam so it's just going to go back into the freezer! I do, however, have some frozen peaches which will make a nice dessert one or two nights plus be good in my morning smoothies.

So here's what I'm planning this week:

Monday: Vegetable medley over brown rice, green salad, mandarin orange segments

I'll cook up some brown rice in my rice cooker this afternoon and it will stay warm until I'm ready to cook dinner. I've got fresh onions, carrots, celery and garlic on hand so I'll start by cooking those in a little olive oil. When they are almost done I'll add various frozen veggies, season to taste and then add some leftover white wine from the fridge. This will be served over the cooked rice with a sprinkling of grated sharp cheddar cheese. The green salad will be a simple one of iceberg lettuce, organic spinach, wedges of tomato and some croutons. I have several mandarin oranges that need to be used so I'll peel and separate the segments, adding some color to the plate and an extra dose of vitamin C.

Tuesday: Vegetable soup, cheddar biscuits, frozen peaches

The squash/apple soup from the freezer will be combined with a variety of fresh and frozen vegetables and any stock I may still have in the freezer. I'll also check my fridge for anything that can be added to soup. It's a good way to use up the last little bit of various condiments (ketchup or some tomato-based salad dressings, for instance). I will have used the leftover white wine in the vegetable medley Monday night but if I have any leftover red wine, a hearty vegetable soup is a good way to use leftovers. The frozen peaches will be allowed to *almost* thaw, sprinkled with organic brown sugar and served with a little heavy cream drizzled on top. Or maybe a tiny scoop of the vanilla ice cream I have in the freezer.

Wednesday: Black bean tacos, Mexican rice, green salad

I'm planning to go help my mom with some cleaning on Wednesday so an easy dinner is a good plan. I will cook extra rice on Monday for today's Mexican rice. I'll cook some diced onion in a little olive oil, add the pre-cooked rice, a can of mild green chilies, diced tomatoes and seasonings (garlic powder, chili powder and cumin), then allow to simmer for 10 or 15 minutes. The taco filling will be made with canned black beans, drained and seasoned, heated with some frozen corn and salsa. The corn tortillas will cook quickly in a little hot oil (we like ours just starting to get crispy but not hard). We'll top them with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, hot sauce and sour cream.

Thursday: Bison steaks, baked potatoes, frozen vegetable, salad

I serve on the board of the area homeless services organization and we have a 5:30 p.m. meeting this Thursday. They usually don't last more than an hour but I need another easy meal. My sweet son-in-law bought a package of grass-fed bison steaks for me when he heard I was very anemic. They've been in my freezer the past few months where they aren't doing anything at all for my iron levels. I'll put them in the refrigerator to thaw on Tuesday so they'll be ready to cook Thursday. I'll ask David to put the potatoes in the oven and fire up the grill so that as soon as I get home we can throw the steaks on the grill while I make a salad and cook a vegetable.

Friday: Dinner out

Monday, June 20th is our 30th anniversary. Unfortunately David has to fly out early that morning for his annual managers meeting in Houston. In order to make it up to me, he made reservations for three nights at our favorite Oklahoma City hotel, the Skirvin (take a look at the link for some fun information about this "haunted hotel"). He's going to *try* to get off work early on Friday and then we'll head for the city. I'm really looking forward to a long weekend alone with my sweetheart enjoying room service breakfasts, nice meals out, naps, and evenings spent listening to live music at the Red Piano Lounge located in the hotel. I can hardly wait!

What's on your menu this week? Do you ever let your freezers get so packed that absolutely cannot squeeze in one more item? Please tell me I'm not the only one.

Menu Plan Monday ~ June 6, 2011

2011-06-06T19:28:00.000-07:00

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Finally, I think life is settling back into the usual "busy" instead of "crazy busy" that we've experienced the past several weeks. That means it's time to get back into a routine, including meals. I love this time of year because of all the great produce that is coming into season. We've already had some delicious sweet corn and strawberries. I'm really looking forward to peaches, my favorite fruit. I absolutely must use up some of my freezer stock in order to have room to freeze some of the produce soon to be at its peak. Because of that you might notice some unusual meals in the next few weeks. My pantry is well-stocked, too, so I'm looking forward to minimal grocery shopping.

Monday:

Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas

This was a new recipe for us and both of the guys said it was a keeper. It sounds so simple and not unlike things I've made before. However, the addition of brown sugar (I used organic dark brown sugar) adds a really special touch. Instead of red pepper flakes I just seasoned with Creole seasoning. I also added some garlic powder and cumin. It was amazingly good!

leftover mashed potatoes
green salad
fresh strawberries

Tuesday:

Out to dinner with friends. David's 50th birthday was Sunday but he had been out of town on business and didn't get home until mid-afternoon. He was not only exhausted but came home with a bad cold. He stayed home today resting and dosing up on what I refer to as "voodoo meds" (a health food store concoction that really does work). He feels a lot better so we will go out and celebrate Tuesday.

Wednesday:

broccoli and cauliflower soup
corn bread
fresh fruit

Thursday:

Friends have invited us over for dinner and drinks by their pool.

Friday:

broccoli frittata
salad
fresh fruit

Saturday:

We are attending an afternoon wedding. I'm not sure how much food will be served at the reception. If it's just cake and hors d'oeuvres then will either stop somewhere for a light dinner or I'll whip up something at home.

What are your favorite meals this time of year? Do you try to eat seasonally. I'd love to hear some of your favorite recipes using summer produce and am looking for some guest posts. Let me know if you would like to be featured on "Guest Post Fridays".

Menu Plan Monday ~ May 23, 2011

2011-05-23T11:40:00.000-07:00

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We are in the final countdown for our annual blow-out, Happyland Music Fest this coming weekend. David had to make an emergency trip to his Enid location today and won't be back until late tonight or tomorrow. I've got choir rehearsal Wednesday night and honestly this whole week is going to be hectic. I decided that instead of planning meals as usual, I would just cook or prep a number of items/dishes and let everyone fend for themselves. David and Chris will be doing yard work in the evenings until dark so a big meal that late isn't very appealing. And neither is the cleanup!

So far today I have diced several small red and yellow bell peppers which I have in glass jars in the fridge. I peeled and sliced some carrots, and cooked two packages of baby carrots which I had bought for another purpose and didn't use. I made a small batch of soup from kale and white beans (this recipe came from a friend and I will share it this Friday as a guest post). As I type, I've got brown rice in the rice cooker and a dozen eggs boiling.

I'll also prep and wash salad greens, cook some pasta, grate some cheddar cheese and thaw a loaf of homemade bread. I'll make a fresh batch of yogurt and make sure we have plenty of fresh fruit on hand. I might make a batch of coleslaw or potato salad. We have plenty of flour tortillas for a quick quesadilla and I might make some tomato bisque soup, too. Oh, and I also have about half of a large head of cauliflower which I cooked night before last. I plan to make a cream of cauliflower soup from the leftovers.

We are all adults here and I figure that if I have all these things cooked or prepped, we can make do this week without me having to do a lot of cooking and kitchen cleanup. What sorts of things do you like to keep on hand for quick, do-it-yourself meals?

Menu Plan Monday ~ May 16, 2011

2011-05-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

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Well, last week was pretty much a bust on meals around here. I contracted food poisoning (not at home!) and cooking was not on my to-do list. I feel much better now, thank goodness. These next two weeks are going to be very, very busy around here as we prepare for our annual Happyland Music Fest, a two-day extravaganza of fun and music which we host each year. I'm going to be cleaning, painting, planting my vegetable garden and getting our flowerbeds in order. The guys are mowing, trimming, weeding, setting up the stage area and bringing in port-a-potties. We will be working late in the evenings so dinners will need to be fast and easy with minimal clean-up. Fortunately lots of fresh vegetables are making their appearance this time of year so we'll be focusing on those and salads that I can prepare early in the day before I'm exhausted.

Monday:

corn on the cob
fresh broccoli with cheddar cheese melted on top
green salad
strawberries

Tuesday:

broccoli and corn chowder (will cook extra veggies on Monday)
corn bread
mandarin oranges

Wednesday:

David will be out of town until late in the evening and I have a hair appointment, doctor appointment, co-op pick-up and choir rehearsal which will keep me busy from noon until about 8:30 p.m. We will each just do our own thing this night.

Thursday:

asparagus and red pepper stir-fry over pasta
salad
deviled eggs
fresh fruit

Friday:

mashed potatoes
candied carrots
salad
deviled eggs

Saturday:

pizza from our favorite local Italian restaurant
salad
ice cream (we'll deserve it!)

Menu Plan Monday ~ May 9, 2011

2011-05-09T20:38:00.000-07:00

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Monday:

baked potatoes
corn on the cob
tossed green salad with tomatoes and red bell peppers

Our little local organic bakery got in a shipment of organic produce this afternoon so I bought corn, tomatoes, strawberries, sweet peppers, apples, pears, baby spinach, spring mix greens, broccoli and sweet potatoes. That fresh corn on the cob was a welcome taste of summer!

Tuesday:

I'm signed up to bring a casserole to Compassion Outreach, a local organization that provides free medical care and a meal twice a month to those in need. This is our church's turn to provide the meal. I have a HUGE disposable pan to fill so I figure that a rice-based dish will be relatively economical for me. I had a couple of smoked sausages in the freezer as well as bell peppers, onion and celery on hand. I'll make up a jambalaya-type casserole to take. As soon as I get through serving, I'm going to meet David and the new employees he's training this week at a restaurant for dinner.

Wednesday:

broccoli casserole
glazed carrots
steamed brown rice
salad

I'm bringing food to a friend who is undergoing chemo. She's not feeling great right now and prefers no meat. The broccoli casserole is a new-to-me recipe that includes eggs and cottage cheese for protein. Since she's eating smaller, more frequent meals right now, I figure these items are easily reheated. I'm also going to pick up some organic apples and pears for her to have on hand for snacks.

Thursday:

David will be out of town so I'll either eat leftovers or make a salad.

Friday:

tuna salad stuffed tomatoes
corn on the cob
cheddar biscuits
banana pudding

Saturday:

pasta with sweet peppers in a Creole cream sauce
salad
bread or leftover cheddar biscuits (if there are any!)

So what's for dinner at your house this week?

Menu Plan Monday ~ May 2, 2011

2011-05-02T19:40:00.000-07:00

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Monday:

David picked up Chinese food Saturday night - enough for a small army! We ate off it yesterday and I sent some with the guys for their lunches today. There is still a quart of egg drop soup and some garlic chicken which I will use to make chicken noodle soup tonight. I also need to get myself in gear and bake bread today so that will be a good accompaniment. It's cool and rainy today so soup and fresh bread will be perfect for dinner.

chicken noodle soup
homemade bread

Tuesday:

turkey and vegetable stir-fry (at least I *think* it's leftover turkey in those vacuum sealed bags in the freezer!)
rice
fruit

Wednesday:

beans
cornbread

Thursday:

pancakes
eggs
smoothies

Friday:

chef salads
cheese biscuits

Saturday:

bison steaks on the grill
baked potatoes
salad

Eat your heart out

2011-04-28T14:37:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about New Orleans is the food. I mean, honestly, everywhere you go someone is cooking something fabulous. Everything from haute cuisine to the best bar food imaginable, the city just oozes deliciousness.

Here is just a small sampling of the wonderful food we enjoyed during our recent vacation:

Crab cakes served on broiled orange slices, drizzled with a remoulade sauce

This is what I had at The Orleans Grapevine. It's actually an appetizer but I ordered it as my entree. One of the things I love about most New Orleans restaurants is that their appetizer menus often contain delicious choices such as BBQ shrimp or crab cakes instead of the usual cheese sticks or chicken wings (although you can often get those, too). I find that ordering a salad and an appetizer-as-entree is just the perfect quantity and even occasionally allows me to still have room for dessert. Like this:

Peach Cobbler with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

We got acquainted with Craig, one of cooks at the Grapevine, while hanging out at our usual haunt, The Tropical Isle. He told us that if we went there for dinner to be sure and tell our server to let him know we were there. We did and he came out of the kitchen to say hello. He also gave us each a free dessert. David had his favorite creme brulée while I enjoyed a luscious peach cobbler. It's good to make new friends. :)

As much as I love eating in restaurants, I think my favorite New Orleans food experiences are the ones we enjoy at the home of friends. Our very dear friends, Bryan and Debi, invited us to share in their traditional Good Friday crawfish boil at Debi's dad's house. Trust me, they didn't have to ask twice!

We don't normally eat dessert with our meals at home unless we have company. And most of the time when we eat out we are too full for dessert. However, on vacation we like to indulge a couple of times. In addition to the peach cobbler shown above, I enjoyed another fantastic dessert in New Orleans. We weren't terribly hungry so David and I each opted for small salads as our entrees at the Palace Cafe. I didn't get any pictures of those but mine had bleu cheese crumbles and deliciously sweet Ponchatoula strawberries sliced over mixed greens drizzled with a strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. David had a spinach salad with candied bacon pieces which looked delicious, too. The salads were fairly small and light which left plenty of room for this:

Dark Chocolate Crème Brûlée

Nothing I can say would do justice to this bowl of decadence. Rich, smooth, creamy dark chocolate topped with a crunchy layer of caramelized sugar - what's not to love?

Next up is probably the best sandwich I've ever eaten in my life. Stanley is new since Katrina and I have a hunch it will be here for the long haul. David had their Reuben sandwich which they bill as the best in the city - and they are correct. I don't even like sauerkraut but this sandwich is superb. I was just about to order that myself when I noticed the little menu card tucked between the salt shaker and the tiny vase of fresh flowers. It listed a couple of specials including a Thanksgiving Dinner Sandwich. Oh. My. Goodness. Served on a huge croissant, the sandwich featured layers of sliced turkey, crisp bacon, chunky cranberry sauce and a delicious turkey dressing/stuffing. It was dressed with a basil mayonnaise and topped with arugula. In a city which features some rather outstanding sandwiches, coming up with something new to write home about is no small feat. This sandwich will most definitely be on my list of must-eats on our next visit. That is, if they do the smart thing and make this a permanent menu item.

Most of the time I stick with vegetarian or seafood options but occasionally even I will indulge in beef. We stayed in the lovely Royal Orleans hotel for our final weekend in New Orleans and one evening decided to have dinner in the hotel restaurant, The Rib Room. It's an elegant, traditional sort of place which has a reputation for doing prime rib very well. David had the fillet but I opted for the prime rib. It was quite good and I'm hoping that indulgence (as well as the couple of burgers I ate on the trip) did good things for my low iron levels. One of my favorite things about The Rib Room is that their iced tea is made with Earl Grey. Very nice.

Prime Rib - medium rare

One necessity in this city which never sleeps and has a reputation for overindulgence is a good cup of coffee. Or even a mediocre cup under some circumstances. After a very late night and perhaps one too many drinks, I very nearly swiped a cup of coffee from a man who joined us on the elevator holding a steaming cup of the brew. It was nearly 3 p.m. and I was in desperate need of caffeine. The next day David made sure I wouldn't tackle strangers for coffee by making some before we left the room. While the Royal Orleans is a lovely, charming old hotel, the rooms are, like many in the French Quarter, quite small and not blessed with many electrical outlets. This was the best we could come up with:

Brewing coffee on the windowsill

Sometimes you just need something cold and sweet on a warm afternoon. Margaritaville is a good place to take a break while shopping and indulge in a little pick-me-up (they also have very clean bathrooms, a real plus in this city) while listening to some live music. This concoction contains Gold Rum, Irish cream, créme de banana and coconut mix.

"Havanas and Bananas"

Finally, no trip to New Orleans is complete without at least one visit to the famed Café Du Monde for beignets and café au lait.

The perfect late night snack

There were oh, so many more delicious food and drink experiences during our trip and perhaps I'll share more later. Stay tuned!

Menu Plan Monday ~ April 11, 2011

2011-04-11T15:39:00.000-07:00

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David and I are leaving Thursday for a much-needed vacation. We will be going to our "happy place", New Orleans. I'll try to post some pictures of the fabulous food we will be enjoying there. As for this week's menu, it will just be Monday through Wednesday and I'm trying to use up perishables so it's not terribly exciting.

Monday:

potato soup (from leftover mashed potatoes)
salad

Tuesday:

French toast
scrambled eggs
fruit smoothies

Wednesday:

asparagus stir fry over organic pasta
salad
deviled eggs (we have a LOT of eggs right now!)

I'm looking for a couple of guest posters. Do you have a favorite recipe you'd like to see featured here? If so, leave me a comment and I'll contact you. It can be anything you like as long as it contains real ingredients. In other words, no mixes, canned soups, margarine, shortening or highly processed stuff. If you have a photo to go with it that would be wonderful but it's not a requirement.

Guest post - Caramel Blended Iced Coffee

2011-04-09T14:25:00.000-07:00

Caramel Blended Iced Coffee

by Lisa Sharp of Retro Housewife Goes Green

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup cold strong coffee
1 cup milk
4 cups ice
4 tablespoons sugar
8 tablespoons caramel sauce (recipe below)
Whipped cream and extra caramel sauce for the top

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients in the blender until smooth.

Variation:

To make a chocolate drink use 6 tablespoons of sugar and 6 tablespoons of chocolate syrup (recipe below). Use same amounts of coffee, milk, and ice.

Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tablespoon butter

Directions:

Combine sugar, water, and butter in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat for around 6-10 minutes. Don't let it burn. Slowly add the milk and mix well. Keep cooking until it starts to thicken and looks like caramel. (It will thicken a bit more when it cools.)

Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
A tiny bit of salt (yes a tiny bit is a measurement)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Stir together. Boil 2-5 minutes, stirring rapidly, until sauce begins to thicken. (It will thicken more when it cools.)

#####

Lisa has been posting pictures of these coffee drinks on Facebook and making us all drool. Thank you for sharing the recipes - I can hardly wait to try them!

Menu Plan Monday ~ April 4, 2011

2011-04-04T21:17:00.000-07:00

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Monday:

veggies over rice
salad
cornbread

I cooked some organic brown rice in my rice cooker. In a cast iron skillet I heated some olive oil and then added diced onion and bell pepper. I cooked it a few minutes and then added a bag of frozen vegetables (two kinds of green beans and baby carrots) which I had steamed in the microwave plus a bag of frozen corn (still frozen). I seasoned with Creole seasoning, pepper, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and a little green taco sauce. I served this over a bed of brown rice and topped with grated sharp cheddar cheese.

Tuesday:

Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup (didn't make it last week)
fruit salad
leftover cornbread

Wednesday:

Pasta Carbonara with peas
salad
garlic bread

Thursday:

turkey
mashed potatoes and gravy
homemade cranberry sauce
candied yams
green beans

I bought a rather expensive humanely-raised, organic turkey breast for the holidays and then didn't end up cooking it (my mom was ill so we didn't all get together). I'm trying to clear room in my freezer, plus a friend was just diagnosed with breast cancer and begins chemo this week. I'm taking her a meal Friday night, and also to my parents so I figured this would be a good time to cook the turkey. I'll take sliced turkey, homemade cranberry sauce and homemade bread so they can make sandwiches. I haven't decided what else yet, probably a dessert.

Friday:

leftovers!

Saturday:

turkey noodle soup
rolls

Menu Plan Monday ~ March 28, 2011

2011-03-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

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Monday:

Cheesy broccoli frittata
salad
fresh fruit

Tuesday:

Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup (new recipe - will share later)
naan bread (hopefully homemade)

Wednesday:

macaroni and cheese topped with caramelized onions
tossed green salad
green beans

Thursday:

Easy Vegetarian Enchiladas
Mexican rice
salad
chips and salsa

Friday:

Date night! (We haven't gone out for a couple of weeks so we are due.)

Saturday:

Tomato bisque soup
quesadillas
I might bake something for dessert. Maybe.

So what's on your menu this week? Do you have any recipes to share? Would you like to be a guest poster?

Menu Plan Monday ~ March 21, 2011

2011-03-21T20:35:00.000-07:00

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Monday:

sour cream enchiladas
homemade refried beans
salad
chips and salsa

Tuesday:

homemade egg rolls
homemade sweet and sour sauce
fried rice
fresh pineapple

Wednesday:

asparagus stir-fry over pasta
salad
fresh fruit salad

Thursday:

broccoli/corn/potato chowder
homemade bread

Friday:

I have a dinner meeting and the guys will have leftovers.

Saturday:

I think a night out with friends is in order!

Menu Plan Monday ~ March 14, 2011

2011-03-14T06:43:00.000-07:00

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This is going to be another one of "those weeks". I'll spare you the details but as you'll see from the scanty menu, this will be a busy one.

Monday:

Corn Crab Bisque Soup
homemade rolls

Tuesday:

beans (I soaked pinto beans Sunday night and will cook in crockpot Monday)
homemade flour tortillas (unless I chicken out and buy some)
"fixings" ie. lettuce, tomato, green onion, cheese
salad

Wednesday:

do-it-yourself leftovers night

I have an afternoon hair appointment and then if all goes according to plan, I am going with David to Tulsa after he gets off work. He has to fly out of the the Tulsa airport early Thursday morning for a one day trip to St. Louis. I'll stay at the hotel in Tulsa and then Friday morning we will drive to Joplin, Missouri. We will return on Saturday. At least that's the plan for now!

Menu Plan Monday ~ March 7, 2011

2011-03-07T14:32:00.000-08:00

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I'm so glad last week is over and I'm determined that this one will be better. Among other *events*, last Thursday evening our son was riding bikes with friends and the front wheel came off. He chipped his two top front teeth and has numerous abrasions. Overall he was very lucky but when you hit concrete with your face, eating becomes a challenge for awhile. I've been making various soups and pureeing things he can sip through a straw. He can also eat (very slowly) things like mashed potatoes, cottage cheese and applesauce. It will be at least a couple of weeks before they can start the repair of his teeth so he'll be on soft foods for awhile. If you have any favorite soup recipes, please let me know. I'm thinking of spending a few hours making up several different types and freezing in individual portions so he can have some variety from day to day.

Now, on to our menu for this week!

Monday:

Cheesy rice and ham casserole
tossed green salad
French style green beans
glazed carrots

Last night I attended a going away party (David got called to a fire just as we were leaving) where the meat was provided and everyone brought a side dish. I made a large pan of organic brown rice topped with sharp cheddar cheese. About a fourth of it was left so I brought it home. The hostess, who knew that David was out fighting a fire, insisted on sending home some of the leftover ham for him. Even after he ate some last night and I made a ham and cheese sandwich for his lunch, there was a little left. I'm going to dice it and add it to the leftover rice, grate more cheese on top and heat it up for our main dish tonight. The green beans and carrots were leftovers from this weekend so this will be an easy meal. I'll be making a thin potato soup from leftover mashed potatoes for Chris' dinner. Poor guy...

Tuesday:

Pancake supper at St. Luke's Episcopal Church

Tuesday is Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday, depending on your perspective. In any case, pancakes are traditional on this day and we will be attending the annual Pancake Supper at a local church. It's a fund raiser for United Campus Ministry, for which I am the board president.

Wednesday:

homemade macaroni and cheese with caramelized onions
mixed vegetables
tossed green salad
homemade bread (hopefully!)

Thursday:

French toast
scrambled eggs
fruit and homemade yogurt smoothies

Chris should be able to eat the eggs and a smoothie.

Friday:

Date night!

Saturday:

tomato bisque soup
grilled quesadillas

Menu Plan Monday and the Week Ahead...

2011-02-28T08:16:00.000-08:00

This is going to be a different sort of week so I won't have much of a menu plan. David is out of town until late Tuesday, I have choir rehearsal Wednesday evening, and we are attending a Red Cross fund raising dinner on Thursday. I'm going to take advantage of a week in which I really don't need to cook in order to kick off my weight loss plans.

I have various vegetables on hand so I'm going to make up a big pot of soup today. I'll eat homemade yogurt and fruit for breakfast and the soup for lunches and dinners the next few days. I love soup so this won't be much of a deprivation. I won't know until I start making it exactly what it will be since I tend to cook by inspiration rather than recipes. I looked through my recipe file and found an old recipe from Weight Watchers for a vegetable soup that is worth zero points. I have everything but the zucchini on hand and I'm sure I can find something else in the freezer to substitute. In fact, this will be a good way to use up some of the veggies in my freezer. I know I have some leeks and celery that I froze a couple of months ago. And while it will add to the calorie/point value, I have two bags of organic potatoes so I'll probably add a few of those to the pot.

Here is the original recipe:

2/3 c. sliced carrots

1/2 c. diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 c. fat-free broth, (any kind)

1-1/2 c. diced green cabbage

1/2 c. green beans

1 T tomato paste

1/2 t. dried basil

1/4 t. dried oregano

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. diced zucchini

Saute onion, carrot, garlic, around 5 min. until soft over low heat. Add the rest of the ingredients except zucchini. Simmer 15 minutes over low heat or until green beans are tender. Stir in zucchini and heat 3-4 min. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings at 0 pt.

I will be making a much larger quantity and of course it will have to include Creole seasoning. ;)

Guest Post Friday - The Best Cupcakes Ever

2011-02-25T15:21:00.000-08:00

The Best Cupcakes Ever

by Kat Murray

Ingredients:
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 1/4 C. sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 C. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 C. unsweetened cocoa powder, best cocoa powder you can afford makes a huge difference
1/2 C. whole milk
1 t. vanilla

Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees, then turn it down to 350 just prior to baking.

1. Beat the butter with an electric mixer until it is soft, then add sugar. Beat about 3 minutes.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until they are well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk them incorporate them.
4. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar and beat it just to combine. Add 1/2 of the liquids (milk and vanilla), scrape down bowl and beat to combine. Continue adding the dry and wet ingredients alternately making sure you END WITH THE DRY.
5. Fill muffin tins 2/3's of the way and bake for about 20-22 minutes. Allow to cool, then frost.

For frosting I use one 8 oz. container of heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy.

Yield: 12-14 cupcakes

#####

This recipe and photo first appeared in Kat Murray's personal blog which she no longer maintains. She describes herself as "a long time reader/fan of Dee's Kitchen and Retro Housewife." Thank you for sharing this recipe, Kat. Now I'm craving some cupcakes. :)

Note: "Retro Housewife" refers to my daughter's blog, The Retro Housewife Goes Green.

National Margarita Day

2011-02-22T08:41:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to make your own Margarita, watch this:

David's salesman is in town today so we will probably go out to dinner with him tonight. I'll let Joe, one of our favorite bartenders, make my Margarita. No salt, please.

Menu Plan Monday ~ February 21, 2011

2011-02-21T12:39:00.000-08:00

Click here for more menu ideas.

My goal this week is to see if I can make all of our meals from what we already have on hand. I may need to pick up an ingredient or two, and probably some milk but I'm going to do my best to use up what we have.

Monday:

enchiladas
Mexican rice
homemade guacamole and chips

Tuesday:

broccoli/cauliflower/carrot soup (new recipe; will share how it turns out)
homemade cheese bread (my daughter's recipe; will share)

Wednesday:

spaghetti
leftover cheese bread
green beans

Thursday:

potato soup
homemade bread

Friday:

homemade egg rolls
fried rice
homemade sweet and sour sauce

Saturday:

homemade vegetable soup
quesadillas

Menu Plan Monday...on Tuesday

2011-02-15T11:01:00.000-08:00

Click here for more menu ideas.

Monday:

David took me out to dinner for Valentine's Day. I had blackened Mahi Mahi with dill sauce, sautéed vegetables and salad.

Tuesday:

broccoli cheese frittata
tossed green salad
cherry cake (I baked this for Valentine's Day but we were too full to have any.)

Wednesday:

Everyone on their own - I have a hair appointment, co-op pick-up and choir.

Thursday:

lasagna roll-ups
salad
garlic bread

Friday:

Dinner out with friends

Saturday:

chicken with "Beam Me Up BBQ Sauce"
mashed potatoes
whiskey-glazed carrots
green beans

Guest Post - Blueberry Sponge Cake

2011-02-11T16:15:00.000-08:00

Blueberry Sponge Cake

(Adapted from Better Homes and Garden's Cookbook)

by Lisa Sharp

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 package of thawed frozen blueberries

powdered sugar for dusting

Allow eggs to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes). While you have those out grease a 9x9x2 inch baking pan; set aside. Stir together flour and baking powder; set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl beat eggs with an electric mixer on high speed about 4 minutes or until thick. Gradually add sugar while beating eggs at medium speed for about 4 more minutes or light and fluffy. Add in the flour and mix until combined.
In a small sauce pan heat and stir milk and butter until butter melts. Add to batter and combine. Pour into your prepared pan.
Bake at 350' for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool.
Once the cake is cool dust with powdered sugar and top with blueberries.

This cake is low in fat and not overly sweet. The blueberries also add a bit of nutrition so you can feel a little less guilty about eating it. If you don't like blueberries you can use any berry you like.

#####

Lisa Sharp blogs at Retro Housewife Goes Green. She's also my lovely daughter.

Broccoli, Potato, Corn Chowder

2011-02-08T18:40:00.000-08:00

This is what I whipped up for dinner tonight and it was really quite good. The idea for it was inspired by the fact that I had some fresh broccoli in the refrigerator. That's often how I decide what I will cook - I look at what I have on hand, especially if it's something perishable, and figure out how to use it.

Broccoli, Potato, Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

2 stalks broccoli
4 or 5 medium potatoes
1/2 bag of frozen corn
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tbls. butter
about a cup of milk/half and half/cream (I used 1/2 & 1/2 and milk)
seasonings to taste (I used garlic powder, sea salt, pepper and Creole seasoning.)
8 oz. cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

Heat butter over med. high heat in Dutch oven. When sizzling add onion and cook a minute or two. Add peeled, diced raw potato and seasonings, stir for a minute and then add enough water to cover. Simmer until potatoes are fork tender.

Meanwhile, chop broccoli and lightly steam. I did this in the microwave. When potatoes are tender, add the steamed broccoli and 1/2 bag of frozen corn. Continue to simmer gently. Slowly add milk/cream/half and half while stirring constantly. Check seasonings and add more if necessary. It should be flavorful, not bland. Lower heat and add about half of the grated cheese, stirring gently until melted and incorporated into the chowder. Serve with more cheese sprinkled on top. I served it with a tossed green salad and cornbread.

Notes:
I think some chopped red bell pepper would be a tasty and colorful addition. Other toppings that would be tasty are crumbled bacon, sour cream and/or chopped green onions. You could decrease the calories by skipping the step of sautéing the onion in butter, using milk only and/or skipping the cheese - or leave it out of the soup and only put a little on top when serving it.

We have another winter storm bearing down on us right now with an expected accumulation of 6-10 inches of snow. Today was the first day I've been able to get out in my car since the storm last week. I hadn't been out of the house since a week ago Sunday. I went to the grocery store, returned a library book and dropped off the recycling. It was rather nice to be out of the house for a couple of hours, especially since it appears I will be housebound again for a couple of days. I don't mind staying home and I'm never bored but I'd sure like some warm sunshine for a change!

Menu Plan Monday ~ February 7, 2011

2011-02-07T19:38:00.000-08:00

Click here for more menu ideas

Monday:

Chinese chicken soup
salad

After a week of being snowed in I was a little bored food-wise and for some reason Chinese food sounded good. Saturday night my sweet husband drove to town (he could get out in his truck buy my car was still stuck) and bought enough Chinese food for a small army. The "dinner for five" included all of our favorites so he bought that and we ate off it the rest of the weekend. I still had enough this morning to pack lunches for the guys and I finished the last of the fried rice and the last egg roll for lunch myself. There were still a couple of cartons of egg drop soup we didn't eat and two last pieces of garlic chicken. I used those, along with a box of Pad Thai to make the Chinese chicken soup for dinner tonight. That means we got *twelve* meals out of that dinner and there's still some of tonight's soup left. I'd say that was a pretty good deal.

Tuesday:

broccoli, potato and corn chowder
homemade rolls

I have a bunch of fresh broccoli and several potatoes on hand, as well as a bag of frozen corn. I'll use these items to make a big pot of rich and creamy chowder with some grated sharp cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top. I'll make homemade rolls to go with it which will make a good meal as yet another winter storm descends upon us. Sigh...

Wednesday:

tacos made with bison
Mexican rice
refried beans
chips and salsa

The last time I was in the city, just before Christmas, I picked up a package of ground bison for the freezer. I also still have a few packages in the freezer of really good corn tortillas which my aunt sent me from California. I'll make some Mexican rice and open a can of refried beans to go with them.

Thursday:

homemade chili
baked potatoes
salad

I'll soak some dried beans overnight Wednesday and then use them to make chili in the crockpot. If there's any leftover taco meat I'll throw that in, too. I'll bake some large potatoes and we can either spoon some chili over them or eat it in a bowl separately. I might make some cornbread, too.

Friday:

Much-needed night out! (I haven't been out of the house since last Sunday and I miss our friends.)

Saturday:

baked chicken breasts with "Beam Me Up" bbq sauce
mashed potatoes
corn
salad

Guest Post Friday - Maple Candied Bacon Bread Pudding

2011-02-04T06:31:00.000-08:00

Under normal circumstances I might find the very thought of this recipe rather ridiculous. However, after several days of being snowed in I find myself wondering if I can talk David into picking up some French bread for me (I have everything else on hand). Hmm...better yet, perhaps I can talk Caleb into making it for me. I wonder if his vehicle can make it out here...

Maple Candied Bacon Bread Pudding

by Caleb Holton

Sooooooo. . . let’s be honest everyone. It’s February. Any remnants of those month-old New Year’s resolutions have long faded away into distant memory. After all those empty promises of “I’m going to eat healthy!” or “I’m going to go to the gym three times per week!” or “I’m never going to miss another choir practice again!” have gone out the window MISERABLY. So let’s make our failures drastically irreversible and simultaneously make ourselves feel better with the most decadent comfort food dessert ever: bread pudding. But not just any bread pudding. This is bread pudding that, as Ina would say, has the volume turned up.

Normal bread puddings are studded with raisins. Not mine. I don’t want anything that remotely resembles a “good source of vitamins.”

Mine has bacon.

Yes, you read that right.

Bacon.

Bask in the glow.

However I don’t just put plain cooked bacon in there. It needs some love and to be doctored up a bit. So, I play off the smokiness of the bacon by candy-ing it in maple syrup and brown sugar and the essential rum component of classic bread pudding is replaced by whiskey.

It’s decadent, it’s rich, it has no redeeming qualities as a food item, and you’re probably better off eating a Twinkie than you are this bread pudding. But I know I’ve tickled your fancy a little, right?

So here it is, the Maple Candied Bacon Bread Pudding recipe.

Bread pudding components:

1 large loaf of French bread (crustier = better, baguette +++++1)
5 large fresh eggs (best quality you can get since it’s such an important flavor)
2 cups heavy cream
...Either 2 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon extract and the seeds from one vanilla pod
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon of orange zest (the zest of about one orange)
2 tablespoons of whiskey
1 stick of room temperature unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Candied bacon components:

1 pound of slab bacon cut into lardons
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preparation:

Cut the bread into 1/2 inch cubes the day before you make this and let set out overnight to get stale and dry.

Brown the bacon in a large skillet. The best way to do this is to put the bacon into a cold pan and then turn the heat up to medium low to slowly render out all of the fat. This will allow the bacon to get crispy.
Drain the bacon on paper towels. Either discard the bacon fat or, if you're smart like me, strain it to remove any impurities and freeze it for future applications. ZOMFG.

In the same skillet, add the maple syrup and brown sugar and add the bacon back to the pan. Turn the heat as low as possible and allow the bacon to steep in the maple syrup mixture.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make your custard with the eggs, heavy cream, sugar, brown sugar, orange zest, whiskey, and salt by whisking vigorously until it’s one seamless, homogeneous mixture.

Grease a large baking dish with softened butter and layer the bread cubes and bacon. Pretend like you're making the most amazing lasagna ever. Go ahead and dot the bread with some of your softened butter too.

Pour custard over the bread cubes and bacon. Push the bread down to immerse it in the custard. Allow to soak for ten minutes.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. For a topping I would recommend a basic pastry cream that has been thinned with whiskey and vanilla extract. Serve piping hot with large spoons, shovels if you have them.

Caleb is a food enthusiast, aspiring gastronome, and Ina Garten fanboy. His dream in life is to open a specialty foods store and catering service.