The Commuting Cook

Maple BBQ Tofu

2011-02-23T18:54:00.004-05:00

(yes, those are the nastiest looking green beans you have ever seen. I should have checked the bag before purchase.)

A full scale Southern meal, soy-style.

Maple BBQ Tofu (Loosely adapted from VeganDad)

-1lb extra firm tofu, pressed (I place it between 2 cutting boards and weight the top board with cans) and drained

-2 tbsp oil

-2 tbsp mirin

-1/2 cup barbecue sauce (I used Trader Joe's Kansas City Style)

-1/4 cup real maple syrup

-Preheat oven to 350

-Slice tofu into quarters so that it makes 4 big sheets (i.e. don't cut from the top, slice across the side) and then in half into triangles

-In a medium dish mix oil and mirin; toss tofu in marinade on both sides

-Place in a single layer in a glass baking dish

-Bake 15 minutes on each side

-At this point, if you want crispier tofu: Turn the oven to broil (normal/medium setting, top rack) and broil briefly on the rack until desired level of crispitude is reached - about 3 minutes per side (but check frequently!) :) Otherwise continue to the next step.

-Meanwhile, back at the ranch, mix bbq sauce and maple syrup in a small bowl

-If you broiled the tofu, return it to the glass dish

-Pour bbq mixture over, spreading evenly

-Turn oven back to 350 (if not already there) and bake tofu 15 minutes more, until bbq sauce is bubbling

Serving notes: We served with refrigerator biscuits, green beans, and broccoli slaw (mix mayo, sugar, and white wine vinegar in a large bowl - I eyeball the measurements, ratio is about 3:1 mayo:sugar & vinegar - add 1 bag broccoli slaw mix, 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup chopped pecans and mix thoroughly.)

When Hyperbole are Worth It: OMG Chinese Beef with Broccoli

2011-02-21T22:35:00.006-05:00

Please take this post as a public service announcement.

You. Must. Make. This.

Backstory - Mishke's mom is a great budget grocery shopper, and her son has inherited her talents. His first instinct at the store is to pick up the flyer, which I never remember to do, and plan meals around it. (I'm trying to train myself, really I am.) A couple weeks ago we made a rare (one year old + 3 year old in tow - you get the picture?) family trip to the grocery and Mishke discovered flank steak on super sale.

If you know me in real life, it won't surprise you that I don't think I've ever had flank steak before. My English heritage is never more present than in my taste for only the dryest, crumbliest, most well- (over-) cooked pieces of beef. They had Mad Cow disease there, people. I'm just sayin'.

Anyway, I digress. We got the flank steak and I searched my google reader for a recipe for it. This was listed in the "OMG Recipes" section of a blog I enjoy: Sweetnicks.
I can't even begin to tell you how much it was worthy of that distinction.

Chinese Beef with Broccoli (Source: Sweetnicks)
Cooking note: I felt like the portions were generous in this, although I defy you to leave the leftovers alone.
We served this over microwave yaki soba noodles.

Usually I rewrite the recipe as we made it, but as we followed this one exactly and the blog is totally worth checking out, I'm just leaving you with the link above.

Cuban Black Beans and Rice

2011-02-21T11:53:00.005-05:00

The other day some lovely person commented on my blog! Perfect timing to encourage me to start posting again.

We're trying to be much better about our budget as we're currently living on one income. And I know we're certainly not alone. I hate that so many families share the battle with unemployment, and I know we are certainly one of the lucky ones. I'm hoping the recipes I cook can be healthy both for us and for our bank account :)

Today I really wanted to go to the bagel shop, but Mishke reminded me that we really didn't need to spend the extra money. And a pantry meal was born:

Cuban Black Beans and Rice (adapted from this Real Simple recipe)

-2 sweet bell peppers (I used orange and yellow for color - it's a really dreary day here in the Northeast!)

-1/3 onion, finely diced

-Garlic to taste

-2 cans black beans (we used Trader Joe's organic)

-1 cup water

-1 tbsp red wine vinegar

-4 servings of rice

The recipe also calls for cilantro, which we would have used but didn't have on hand. We used minute rice. If using regular rice, you should begin the rice first, as the beans are ready in about 20 minutes.

-Sautee peppers, onion, and garlic until caramelized and softened

-Drain and rinse beans and add to skillet

-Add a cup of water and simmer, covered, for ten minutes.

-During this time we made the instant rice

-Turn off the heat, drizzle with red wine vinegar, and mash some of the beans to thicken

-Serve over rice

Menu Plan - Week of January 10, 2011

2011-01-11T21:26:00.002-05:00

. . . anybody out there??
Wow, it's been a long time since I have posted. Trying to slowly get back into cooking and blogging from what has been a ridiculously long hiatus. I blame sleep deprivation :)
So here's to a New Year of making healthy food, sharing menus, and, hopefully, getting a little more sleep . . .

Dinners
-Italian chicken and mushrooms with wholewheat pasta and salad
-Apple chicken sausage, peppers, and chard with balsamic glaze and wholewheat pasta
-Swiss Steak Stew-
-Bean Soup
-Spicy Vegan Chili (adapted from a recipe handout at Whole Foods Market)
-Baked peanut tofu, spinach, and couscous
-Crunchy Honey Chicken and rice

Menu Planning Monday - March 1, 2010

2010-03-01T21:14:00.005-05:00

Back to trying to plan and make meals - with two little ones! Yikes.

No links this week, all recipes coming from magazines or recipes in regular rotation.

This gets us most of the way through next week too, along with some meal deliveries from good friends (thank you!!) and some freezer meals.

Dinners
-Chicken parmigiana, spaghetti, and asparagus
-Cozy Quinoa Casserole
-Tortellini Florentine Soup
-Hawaiian Chicken, rice, and green beans
-Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili
-Breakfast for Dinner - Waffle Casserole
-Mediterranean Stuffed Eggplant
-Zucchini, Sausage, and Feta Casserole and spinach
-Tuna Noodle Casserole and salad

Treats
-Peanut Butter Banana Bread
-Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
-Pumpkin Cream Cake

Menu Planning Monday - February 8, 2010

2010-02-09T07:19:00.004-05:00

Last pre-baby menu plan, so the goal here is quick, easy, and low mess!

Dinners
-College dinner (wholewheat pasta with lean ground beef, pasta sauce, and frozen mixed vegetables)
-Wholewheat pasta with white beans and sauteed spinach, tossed with olive oil, parmesan, and black pepper
-Refried bean, cream cheese, cilantro, and corn quesadillas
-Easy chicken parm (made with breaded chicken) and bag salad
-Buffalo chicken sandwiches with carrots and celery
-Shrove Tuesday pancakes (English tradition for Mardi Gras)
-Windy City Pie (from March/April issue of Clean Eating magazine) - I had to try one new thing this week :)

Lunches
-Leftovers

Breakfasts
-Pancakes and applesauce
-Baked oatmeal
-Fruit, yogurt, and granola
-Cinnamon rolls
-Egg in a hole

Treats
-Almond Butter Chocolate Chip cookies (for toddler birthday party)
-Pudding cookies (for hospital)

Snacks
-Cheese sticks
-Fresh fruit
-Trail mix
-Nuts
-Granola bars

Quick Lunch - Cheater's Salmon Chowder

2010-02-07T12:08:00.003-05:00

Bean and I wanted a quick hot lunch, and after eating some pretty fake food at the Aquarium yesterday, I wanted it to be homemade. I adapted an already quick chowder recipe to be even faster. This whips up in 15 minutes - great for sneaking in pre-naptime!

Is it scary that I went to the Aquarium yesterday and today am cooking fish? :)

Salmon Chowder (adapted from a Robin Miller Quick Fix Meals recipe)
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1/2 tbsp butter
-1/2 onion, finely shopped
-Tarragon
-1 container (4 cups) fish stock (this was a little more liquid than my preference - I would probably use half the stock next time)
-1 can diced potatoes
-1 can crisp sweet corn kernels
-1 can pink salmon
-1 can low fat evaporated milk

-In a medium soup pot, saute onion in olive oil and butter until softened and lightly browned
-Stir in tarragon and saute an additional minute
-Add drained and rinse cans of potatoes and corn and saute 30 seconds
-Add fish stock, bring to a boil, and simmer five minutes
-Lower heat to medium-low
-Add drained salmon and evaporated milk and cook an additional 2-5 minutes

Cherry Dump Cake

2010-02-06T22:24:00.003-05:00

I want to hate this, because it's so, so unhealthy. But it's so, so, SO good.

I had originally rethought my plan and was going to make a crisp with a topping from scratch, but after celebrating Bean's birthday today I just didn't have the energy. And yet . . . I still had the craving!

Back to the initial plan of a dump cake, and - one hour and 2 STICKS (yes, 2 sticks) of butter later - I'm in heaven.

Our friend Nate gave us a butter slicer. It may be the best food gift ever, especially for projects like this!

Cherry Dump Cake (Source: Cooking with Carrie)
-2 cans cherry pie filling (I did a little taste test between store brands from my local grocery stores, and, while they both tasted about the same, one had about twice as many cherries in it!)
-1 yellow cake mix
-2 sticks butter

-Preheat oven to 350
-Grease a 13x9 pan and spread pie filling across bottom of pan
-Sprinkle cake mix evenly over top
-Slice butter and lay it evenly over cake mix
-Bake 50 minutes until golden, crispy, and bubbly
-Enjoy with ice cream or cool whip

Cilantro Succotash Quesadillas

2010-02-03T22:18:00.005-05:00

This is one of my favorite dinners I've made in a while. It was super fast and convenient and yet totally fresh and healthy. Tasted like a summer meal, even though it certainly doesn't feel like summer out. Brrrrr!

We make quesadillas a lot and I usually do them in a pan. Baking them really helped to keep the loose filling from falling out.

We served these with guacamole and Mishke had black bean dip also.

Cilantro Succotash Quesadillas (inspired by Big Girls, Small Kitchen)
-One frozen bag Trader Joe's Soycutash (recipe suggests making your own using 5 ozs frozen edamame, 15 ozs can corn, and 1/2 small red onion, chopped)
-One 15 ozs can black eyed peas (recipe uses black beans)
-One lime, freshly squeezed
-1/4 cup chopped cilantro
-Few handfuls shredded cheddar jack
-8 wholewheat tortillas

-Preheat oven to 350
Cook soycutash as directed on package and drain in a colander
-To the colander, add can of beans and rinse thoroughly
-Squeeze lime over and mix in cilantro
-Lay tortillas on two cookie sheets without overlapping
-Divide filling mixture evenly among tortillas, spreading only on half of each tortilla
-Fold over and bake until browned and crispy

Hula Joes

2010-02-02T20:38:00.003-05:00

(Subtitle: This actually IS a 30 minute meal!)

I like Rachel Ray's recipes and her magazine, though I'm not a fan of her show. But it always seems to take me way longer than 30 minutes to whip up one of her 30 minute meals. (they also make the largest four servings I have ever seen.)

This one actually came together really fast.And it was SO, so good. Sweet and tangy and delicious! We served it on challah rolls with steamed baby carrots.

Hula Joes (Source: Rachel Ray, as found on Real Mom Kitchen)
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1/4 lb smoked ham
-1 1/2 lb ground pork (I only had a pound so used extra ham)
-Chopped sweet onion (recipe calls for 1, I used about 1/3)
-Minced garlic
-3 tbsp brown sugar
-3 tbsp red wine vinegar (I used rice vinegar)
-1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
-1 cup tomato sauce
-1 cup pineapple tidbits, halved, or fresh chopped pineapple

-Saute ham in olive oil in a large skillet until browned, then remove and set aside
-Add pork to pan and cook until browned and cooked through
-Add onion and garlic and cook until softened and translucent
-Return ham to pan
-In a medium bowl, mix vinegar, sugar, worcestershire, and tomato sauce
-Add to skillet and cook for one minute until bubbling
-Add pineapple and stir to thoroughly combine
-Serve on split rolls

Lemon Cookies

2010-02-01T21:58:00.000-05:00

These cookies remind me of my SIL Janie. She's the queen of the cake mix cookie. Her funfetti cookies are to die for.

These are light and squishy and zesty. It's kind of strange to me to make a baked good where the only "real" ingredient is an egg, which is added to two processed food products, but they are a great once-in-a-while treat.

Lemon Cookies (Not sure where I originally got these from; I think from a WW message board, but I just found them again on Cooks.com)
-One box lemon cake mix
-2 cups cool whip
-One large egg
-Powdered sugar for rolling

-Preheat oven to 350
Mix the cake mix, cool whip, and egg until it forms cookie dough consistency
-Drop by spoonfuls into powdered sugar and roll to coat
-Place on greased baking sheet, well spaced, and bake 13ish minutes
-Cookies will still be soft

Peachy Chicken

2010-02-01T21:40:00.000-05:00

Only I would look at a blog I like, see a recipe labeled "Recipe Flop" and decide to try it. What can I say? I'm a sucker for the fruit-meat combo (I can picture my friend CRAJ cringing at this . . . she abhors "hot fruit.")

The verdict? I didn't hate it, but it won't be a regular in our house. Mishke didn't dig the taste of the onion soup in it. My biggest issue was the sodium, especially after yesterday's dinner. But I liked the combination of peaches and chicken. It kind of reminded me of something I used to buy in a jar in college (anyone remember Chicken Tonight? "I feel like Chicken Tonight!" Man was that stuff good.)

I didn't get to make the au gratin potatoes, because I was planning on making this dish another night this week and was short an ingredient. Sadly, the other dish was sabotaged by a breadcrumb challenge. So I made it with plain rice, and was too busy making cookies to come up with a veggie. Good thing I had a massive salad for lunch . . .

Peachy Chicken (Found at Tried-and-True Cooking with Heidi, originally from Taste of Home)
-1 lb chicken breasts (I used tenders)
-1 tbsp oil
-1 tbsp butter
-1 15ozs can peached, undrained (mine were in syrup)
-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
-1/2 cup orange juice
-1 envelope onion soup mix (I used mushroom onion)

-Bown chicken in oil and butter a large skillet over medium heat
-Remove chicken and keep warm
-Add the peaches and their liquid, sugar, orange juice and soup mix to the skillet
-Bring to a boil for 2 minutes
-Reduce heat, return chicken to the pan and simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, ensuring that chicken is thoroughly cooked

Sunday Supper: Crockpot Italian Beef, Oven Browned Potatoes, & Green Beans

2010-01-31T20:09:00.000-05:00

I was kind of sad this weekend. I'd been saving the weekend for months as the weekend I was going to go to Chicago to see our close friends before the baby comes, and it was not meant to be. Whenever they come visit us, they bring Novi's roast beef. It's one of my absolute favorite things (and I am NOT typically a roast beef kind of girl.)

So in the spirit of my missed Chicago trip, Sunday dinner is Italian beef sandwiches (made in the crockpot), with green beans and oven browned potatoes.

If the green beans look a tad insipid in this picture, well . . . they were. Sometimes digging through the freezer yields things better left uncovered!

Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches (Source: Lisa's Cooking Spot)
-3-5lb beef roast (I used a 4.25lb chuck which was on sale - yay!)
-1 packet dry Italian dressing mix
-3 beef bouillon cubes
-3 cups water
-Seasoning (I used red pepper flakes and Mrs Dash table blend)

-Place roast in crockpot stoneware and turn on
-In a small saucepan heat Italian dressing mix, bouillon, water, and seasoning on high
-Boil for three minutes, then remove from heat and pour over roast
-Cook 5 hours on high
-Remove beef and shred, returning to slow cooker (at this point I mixed in 1/2 jar of banana peppers)
-Serve on hard rolls with as much juice as desired

Oven Browned Potatoes (Source: Cooks.com)
-2lbs new potatoes, quartered, skin on
-3 tbsp olive oil
-Seasoning (I used steak seasoning)

-Preheat oven to 45o
-In a medium bowl, mix potatoes, oil, and seasoning (I coated the bowl with oil first, then added half the potatoes and drizzled with oil, then the remainder, drizzled again, and tossed with tongs)
-Spread in a single layer in a 13x9 pan, and bake for 30 minutes
-Flip potatoes and cook an additional 20 minutes

Menu Planning Monday - February 1, 2010

2010-01-30T22:56:00.000-05:00

We're having a baby this month! YIKES! :)

Freezer cooking is officially done, although the freezer purging continues. I picked up a Groupon for a local meal prep service, so will be picking up four meals, a couple sides and some cookie dough next week, and that will fill the freezer to capacity. Yay! Mission (almost) accomplished!

I skipped a few things on last week's menu. Sadly, the commuting got in the way of the cooking this past week.

Dinners
-Hula joes and baby carrots
-Vegetable curry with injera
-Fiesta stuffed chicken, sour cream rice, and beans
-Maple-glazed chicken and zesty vegetable side dish
-Italian Roast Beef sandwiches with green beans and potatoes
-Cilantro succotash quesadillas
-Peachy chicken, au gratin potatoes, and broccoli

Lunches
-Leftovers

Breakfasts
-Strawberry Granola Bake
-Overnight Baked Oatmeal
-Instant Oatmeal
-Crumpets with butter and jelly
-Fruit, yogurt, and cereal

Treats
-Chocolate Silk Pie! For real this time! (this has been on the menu for 3 weeks now, and it's one of my favorites so I'd better make it.)
-Cherry Dump Cake
-Lemon Cookies (making a double batch to share with the L&D nurses)
-Bean's Birthday cake if we manage to pull off his celebration this weekend

Snacks
-Fruit
-Yogurt
-Cheese sticks
-Nuts

One for the Freezer: Kale and Pinto Enchiladas

2010-01-29T22:38:00.000-05:00

These were some seriously green enchiladas! They were also a great source of vegetarian protein and iron. Yumm.

We doubled the recipe and froze half.

Kale and Pinto Enchiladas (Source: Found on Cate's World Kitchen, originally sourced from Daily Unadventures in Cooking )
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-Diced green chiles
-1 tsp cumin
-2 small zucchini, grated
-1 bunch curly kale, chopped
-1 rinsed can pinto beans
-1/2 cup fresh cilantro
-1 can enchilada verde sauce (if you prefer red sauce there is a great recipe at the link)
-12 small corn tortillas
-Couple handfuls jack cheese

-Preheat oven to 350
-Saute garlic in a large skillet in a little olive oil
-Add jalapenos, cumin, and zucchini and saute a few minutes
-Add chopped kale and saute until slightly wilted
-Remove from heat and stir in pintos, cilantro, and a little enchilada sauce
-Place a layer of sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 pan
-Warm the tortillas in a single layer in the oven for 1 minute
-Fill each tortilla with a little filling before rolling and placing seam-side down in the prepared pan
-Top enchiladas with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese
-Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes

Recipe Save: Penne a la Betsey

2010-01-29T22:12:00.001-05:00

This recipe is famous around the cooking blogs. It's from the Pioneer Woman, who is very funny, and takes great photos, and now has a cookbook.

The recipe is delicious. Unfortunately, my usual "oops, forgot an ingredient here and there" nearly killed it.

Turned out I didn't have a can of tomato sauce so I subsituted well-drained diced tomatoes. At least, I thought they were well drained, until the sauce turned into pink liquid. I thought it was ruined until Mishke suggested using half a can of tomato paste. It thickened it up and made the sauce the perfect velvety texture I was hoping for.

Between this dish and shrimp cocktail the next day, the giant sack of shrimp is no more!

Penne a la Betsey (Source: The Pioneer Woman, the below reflects a couple changes from the additional recipe based on what we had/like, but sticks with the original tomato sauce plan, because it works way better than our method did!)
-3/4 lb penne pasta
-1 lb shrimp
--3 tbsp butter
-3 tbsp olive oil
-2 cloves minced garlic
-1/2 cup white wine (used Martini Bianco)
-1 can tomato sauce
-1 cup heavy cream
-Chopped fresh herbs - PW recommends parsley and basil, we had cilantro on hand
-Salt and pepper to taste

-Put water on to boil and cook pasta until al dente
-Meanwhile, cook the peeled shrimp in a 1 tbsp each butter and olive oil until opaque and pink.
-Remove from heat, and finely chop
-Heat the remaining oil and butter in the skillet, add garlic and saute
-Add white wine and allow to reduce
-Stir in tomato sauce and cream to warm through, then reduce the heat
-Add the herbs and return the chopped shrimp to the pan
-Drain the pasta and toss together with the sauce

Raspberry Granola Bake

2010-01-26T07:33:00.000-05:00

Excuse the sad, blurry cellphone picture.

I will be making this ALL the time from here on out.

It's maybe my ideal breakfast. It's fruit, it's granola, it's warm, it fills you up, it kind of tastes like dessert for breakfast. YUM! And it is so easy to throw together.

Raspberry Granola Breakfast Bake (Source: Lynn's Kitchen Adventures)
-6 cups granola (Side note: I bought 2 boxes of almond granola because the nutritional information said that it contained nine 2/3 cup servings and I thought I wouldn't have enough. It was only when I got home that I realized that IS, in fact, 6 cups. Math has never been my strong point.)
-1.5 cups milk
-Up to 1/2 cup brown sugar - I didn't add any because my granola was sweet already
-One bag frozen raspberries (three-ish cups frozen fruit - recipe suggests blueberries.)

-The night before you plan to eat this, mix granola, milk, and frozen fruit in a greased 13x9 pan
-Cover and refrigerate
-In the morning, turn on oven to 350
-Cover pan with foil and place into the oven as it is heating
-Bake for 30 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered

Crockpot Guinness Beef Stew

2010-01-24T22:21:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what it was about this stew - it's not particularly zesty or flavorful. It just has an amazing comfort food texture, and I can't stop eating it.

It uses 3lbs of beef, so I was relieved chuck stew was on sale at Whole Foods. I had to adapt the recipe a tad due to the usual "oops, I forgot a couple ingredients" drama. The below reflects how I made it.

Crockpot Guinness Beef Stew (Source: Mille Fiori Favoriti)
-3 lbs chuck stew meat
-1 cup flour
-3 cloves chopped garlic
-6 carrots, peeled and chopped
-4 potatoes, chopped
-2 tbsp tomato paste
-1 bottle Guinness Stout
-1 cup beef broth (I used 1 beef bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup of boiling water)

-Dredge the meat with flour until evenly coated
-In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the beef in a little oil until evenly browned
-While meat is cooking, add vegetables to crockpot stoneware and turn on low setting
-Place browned meat over vegetables
-Mis tomato paste, stout, and broth in a medium bowl, and pour over contents of crockpot
-Cook on low 8 hours

One for the Freezer: Veggie Pie

2010-01-24T22:06:00.000-05:00

This post should be subtitled "Bedrest Cooking." I sat down to make it so I don't feel like I cheated too badly . . .

No picture for this one, because the picture on the site where I found the recipe does it way more justice!

I used storebought wholewheat crusts rather than making my own, so I am just including the filling recipe below. The original posting includes a crust recipe that sounds like I could even get over my fear of making pastry from scratch! (I also removed onion and substituted cilantro - the recipe below reflects the way I made it.)

This recipe includes mayo. I can officially say I have never before now cooked with mayo twice in one week.

We made two and both went in the freezer.

Veggie Pie (Source: Eat at Home, adapted from the Whole Foods for the Whole Family cookbook)
-Wholewheat frozen pie crust
-2 cups chopped broccoli (I used frozen)
-2 sliced tomatoes
-1/4 cup-ish chopped cilantro
-1/3 cup mayonnaise
-1 cup shredded cheddar blend

-Preheat oven to 450
Steam broccoli until crisp tender
-Fill bottom of pie crust with broccoli
-Arrange tomato slices on top and sprinkle with cilantro
-Spread mayonnaise in thin layer across the filling
-Top with shredded cheddar
-Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for an additional 30 minutes

Menu Planning Monday - January 25, 2010

2010-01-24T21:05:00.000-05:00

Making extra for the freezer has been going well, and we've ramped up the urgency since getting the impression that we may have less time than we expected before baby arrives.

The problem is figuring out where to put everything, so the other meals this week need to use up some of the big things currently taking up room in the freezer. Ergo, this is not the healthiest menu ever created :)

We have quite a few things carried over from last week in this week's menu. Asterisks denote meals to be doubled and frozen

Dinners
-Funky Lime Pizza
-4 Cheese Baked Penne* and salad
-Pinto Kale Enchiladas*
-Curly Kale Hodgepodge
-Penne a la Betsey
-Duggars' Tater Tot Casserole* (yes, there are Tater Tots that need using up in our freezer . . .) and green beans
-Chicken Tetrazzini* and spinach salad

Lunches
-Leftovers

Breakfasts
-Raspberry Granola Breakfast Bake
-Overnight Baked Oatmeal*
-French Toast sticks and Clementines
-Cold cereal
-Peanut Butter Toast and Apples
-Banana nut pancakes*
-Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins*

Snacks
-Fruit
-Cheese sticks
-Peanut butter crackers
-Granola bars

Treats
-Birthday Cake
-Chocolate Silk Pie

Breads
-Peanut Butter Snack Bread
-Whole Wheat Pizza Dough*

Tot in the Kitchen: Buttermilk Blueberry Pancakes

2010-01-23T23:04:00.000-05:00

These pancakes are awesome.

I think buttermilk is the secret ingredient that makes pancakes work, and now that I have cake flour I was able to get a combo that easily made fluffy delicious pancakes.

Bean helped me stir and "dump" ingredients (and "chop" and "chunk," although I'm not thoroughly sure either action was required.) He really wanted to add his cereal to it for a special touch, but I decided that raisin bran might not be my favorite add-in.

He calls pancakes "penkens." So enjoy these penkens!

Buttermilk Blueberry Pancakes (Source: The Train to Crazy, originally from RecipeZaar)
-1 cup cake flour
-1 tsp sugar
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 beaten egg
-1 cup buttermilk
-1/4 stick melted butter
-We added fresh blueberries as they cooked

-Mix dry ingredients
-Add wet ingredients and mix until just combined
-Cook on greased griddle over medium/low heat
-Add blueberries before flipping

Note: This recipe is pretty small. We doubled it to get enough to freeze. If you have more than three people in your family I would plan to double it.

Tot in the Kitchen: Surprise Carrot Cake

2010-01-23T22:47:00.000-05:00

Mishke's birthday, and he loves carrot cake, so Bean and I decided to spend some time tonight making a mess/birthday surprise while he was at work. I found the recipe on the flour box! (after I bought cake flour for this recipe.)

It is a super-moist cake! I wound up using store bought frosting, because I was worried my cream cheese frosting would rip holes in the top of the cake. And because by the time I got to frosting it all I could think about was sleeeeeep.

Happy Birthday my Love!

I have a picture of the finished product but suddenly my computer will not let me upload the picture . . .

Surprise Carrot Cake (Source: Pilsbury Softasilk Cake Flour)
-2 1/4 cups Softasilk Cake Flour
-1 1/2 cups sugar
-2 tsp baking soda
-2 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp ground allspice or ginger (I used pumpkin pie spice)
-3/4 cup mayonnaise (I was short an egg so used an extra 3 tbsp mayo)
-3 large eggs
-1 8oxs can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
-2 cups finely shredded carrots
-3/4 cup chopped pecans

-Preheat oven to 350
-Grease and flour two 9" cake pans
-Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl (flour through allspice)
-Mix mayonnaise, eggs, and pineapple in a large bowl
-Gradually add dry mixture, beating until well combined
-Add carrots and pecans and mix well
-Pour into prepared pans and bake for 28 mins
-Remove and allow to cool fully on cooling rack before frosting

One for the Freezer: Chicken and Dumplings

2010-01-19T20:39:00.000-05:00

Today was a day calling out for comfort food, and this hit the spot bigtime (especially because Mishke made it and I didn't lift a finger!) We made it in a 6 quart slowcooker and it was pretty full, so we had enough for dinner, lunch tomorrow, and leftovers in the freezer.

This is the first time that we made the homemade cream-of substititute. I definitely intend to use that again. Way lower sodium, and great taste!

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings (Source: The Crockpot Lady - love her!)
-3lbs chicken thighs (recipe called for boneless. We used bone-in, and it was plenty of meat.)
-1 cup mushrooms
-1 16ozs bag frozen mixed vegetables
-1/2 stick butter
-6 tbsp flour
-1 cup milk
-1 cup chicken broth
-Seasoning salt and pepper
-1 tube biscuits (we used Immaculate Baking Company)

-Place chicken, mushrooms, and veggies in the bottom of the crockpot
-In a skillet, melt butter
-Add flour, stirring to make a roux, then add milk, chicken broth, and seasoning
-Pour sauce over contents of crockpot
-Cook on high 5 hours
-Remove chicken, shred, and mix back into sauce and veggies
-Lay biscuits over top
-Cook on high an additional hour until biscuits are puffy, cooked, and a little brown

Menu Planning Monday - January 18, 2010

2010-01-16T22:51:00.000-05:00

I learned last time that I can't plan longer than one week at a time. I find too many things in the meantime that I want to try, and I'm not good with delayed gratification :) It's slightly longer than normal, though, because I've tacked a weekend on at each end.

And so it begins . . . one month to go until baby, and starting to stock the freezer with this week's meal plan. (I meant to start this a month ago. Oops. Stay put, baby . . .)

Asterisk denotes recipes that will be doubled and frozen.

Dinners
-Funky Lime Pizza
-Chicken and Dumplings
-Veggie Pie*
-4 Cheese Baked Penne*
-Guiness Beef Stew
-Steak, Broccoli, and Cheddar Pasta Skillet
-Last Minute Lasagna*
-Pinto Kale Enchiladas*
-Twice Baked Potatoes with Broccoli and Cheddar*
-Curly Kale Hodgepodge

Lunches
-Leftovers

Treats
-Black Forest Bars
-Chocolate Silk Pie

Breads
-Amish Bread
-Oatmeal Applesauce Bread
-Wholewheat pizza dough*

Breakfasts
-Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins*
-Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins*
-Pineapple Carrot Bread*
-Strawberry Pancakes*
-Blueberry Pancakes*
-Cereal
-PB toast and apple
-French toast and yogurt

Amish Bread

2010-01-16T21:13:00.000-05:00

This will likely be the first of many bread posts. I got a breadmaker for Christmas - and I am in love! There's nothing like warm, fresh bread in the morning. Or in the afternoon. Or at night . . .

This recipe is my first foray into baking a loaf that was not from either the manual that came with my machine (Cuisinart CBK-100) or the Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Bread Machine Recipes. This meant that I had to actually read the manual to figure out what order to place ingredients and how to convert recipes.

Fingers crossed! It's rising as I type . . .

Amish Bread (Source: ShooseyQ on Allrecipes - the version noted below lists ingredients in the order in which I had to add them to my breadmaker)
-1/4 cup canola oil
-1 cup + 2 tbsp water
-2 3/4 cups bread flour
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 cup white sugar
-1 tsp active dry yeast

-Add ingredients to breadmaker in order listed above (or as specified by your breadmaker)
-Set to white bread setting, 1 1/2 lb loaf size, medium crust
-Press start, and let your machine do the work!

*Note: the original recipe suggests stopping the machine and resetting after the first rise to allow a full three rising cycles. It seems that many reviewers didn't find that necessary, so I have skipped it. Here's hoping it works.

Update: This bread is delicious! I love the texture and I think it would make a great sandwich bread. The one bummer - for some reason our dishwasher appears not to be rinsing things very well, and so the loaf is infused with a slight lemon soap taste - bleeh.

Chocolate Bottom Banana Bars

2010-01-12T22:30:00.000-05:00

Banana + Chocolate = YUMMMMM!!!

Black Bottom Banana Bars (Source: Bunny's Warm Oven)

-1/2 cup butter
-1 cup sugar
-1 egg
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 1/2 cups mashed banana (about 3 medium bananas)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 cup baking cocoa
-1 cup chocolate chips

-Preheat oven to 350

-Cream butter and sugar

-Add egg, vanilla, and bananas, beating thoroughly.

-Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and mix well

-Divide batter in half and add the cocoa to one portion of the batter

-Spread the chocolate portion in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish

-Spoon remaining batter on top and sprinkle with chocolate chips

-Bake 30 minutes

-Cool and cut into squares

Freezer Meal: Black Bean and Corn Chicken Taco Bake

2010-01-12T20:35:00.000-05:00

I made this as a test for a freezer meal. If we like it (I'm posting while it's in the oven instead of loading the dishwasher like I should be - but it smells delicious!), I can easily throw together a couple in foil pans, but I'll do it on the day of the week the rotisserie chickens are on sale!

This wasn't on our menu plan for this week. I am bad at planning more than one week at a time. The first week is fine, but by the time I'm into the second week a) I've found a million more recipes I want to make, and b) we seem to have cannibalized the groceries we need for the second week's worth of food. I think for now I should stick to planning a week at a time.

Black Bean and Corn Chicken Taco Bake (Source: Eat At Home Cooks - this awesome site includes weekly menu plans with grocery lists!)
-1 rotisserie chicken, deboned and cut/shredded into bite-sized pieces
-10 small flour tacos
-2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (I used Mexican Jack blend)
-24 ozs black bean and corn salsa (I used 1 16ozs container medium black bean and corn salsa and 1 16ozs container mild chunky salsa)

-Preheat oven to 350
-Mix all ingredients in a greased 13x9 pan (I mixed the mild salsa with the cheese, tacos, and chicken, and then poured the black bean and corn salsa over the top.)
-Bake 45 minutes until hot

I could use some advice - I never know the best way to freeze things. Can I freeze this before cooking (just mix all the ingredients and freeze?) Or should I cook it first?

I Fought the Freezer and the Freezer Won: Apple Cherry Crisp

2010-01-12T14:06:00.000-05:00

The lower freezer drawer and I had a little brawl. It won. My lovely friend Zay has been sending me chest freezer links from Craigslist. And I am VERY tempted given our space constraints in the current freezer and my desire to meal-prep pre-babe.

Anyway, the freezer drama resulted in me throwing out (uuuugh . . . money down the drain!!) a whole set of packs of old frozen meat, and finding several other things that I needed to use, stat. Like a half bag of frozen cherries, which I used for this crisp.

I usually eyeball topping ingredients, but this version is adapted from a real recipe. So I measured! Like a real baker!

The one thing I always do with crisps is to only sweeten and spice the topping. I love that the fruit still retains its taste but is sweetened by the topping ingredients. Also, if I just use apples, I always add nuts to the topping.

Apple Cherry Crisp (topping adapted from Tried-and-True Cooking with Heidi)
-3 apples (I used Pink Lady, which are much better for eating than cooking but were all that I had on hand
-1/2 lb frozen sweet dark cherries
-1 cup flour
-1 cup brown sugar
-1 cup oats
-1 stick melted butter
-Sprinkling of cinnamon

-Preheat overn to 350
Chop apples (I use a hand chopper and don't bother to peel) and mix with cherries in a 2 quart casserole.
-In a medium bowl, mix topping ingredients
-Sprinkle evenly over fruit
-Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, until golden and bubbly

Note: the original topping recipe called for baking soda and baking powder. I haven't made a crisp with any rising ingredients in the topping, but I'm interested to try to see if it makes a difference

Viva la Wooden Spoon! - The World's Best Blondies

2010-01-09T18:39:00.000-05:00

So first, the wooden spoons. Despite loving cooking I somehow have lived without a wooden spoon in my home for approximately three years. We got a few for our wedding, and over the first few years of our marriage they gradually got manky and we threw them out. And then somehow I never remembered to buy replacements. Finally, this year, I asked for them for Christmas and my awesome Father-in-Law got me a huge set of wooden implements.

And so to inaugurate them.

There is one recipe I would rather bake than anything else in the world. It has never failed me. I literally make it in the saucepan I melt the butter in. It takes five minutes to throw together. There are infinite variations.

May I present: Mark Bittman/Smitten Kitchen Blondies!

Blondies (Source: Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Mark Bittman - not sure what if anything was changed from the original recipe. Check out the link for some awesome variation ideas, and pretty pics! Her blog makes everything look so delicious!!)

-1 stick butter melted
-1 cup brown sugar
-1 egg
-1 tsp vanilla
-Pinch of salt
-1 cup all-purpose flour

-Preheat oven to 350
-Grease an 8×8 pan
-Mix melted butter with brown sugar (I melt the butter in a saucepan and just add the sugar directly) until smooth
-Beat in egg (it hasn't scrambled on me to date.) and vanilla
-Stir in salt and flour, then any additions (My favorite is 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup dried cherries - this time had to use pecans instead of cherries)
-Pour into prepared pan and bake about 20 minutes or until set in the middle. You want to leave them pretty gooey.

YUMMM!

I swear eventually I will post pictures again . . .

Feeding the Workers: Tuscan Lentil Soup

2010-01-09T18:15:00.001-05:00

I had planned lentil sloppy joes for tonight, but right around when our bathroom painting and floor-laying turned into ripping out walls and floors, and the temperature plunged below 20 degrees, the universe seemed to be crying out for soup- making.

I Google readered (can that be a verb, please?) a lentil soup recipe and found a slew that sounded delicious. Good thing I have plenty of lentils . . .

We were missing a few ingredients and had to subsititute. It made a vat! Great budget meal.

Tuscan Lentil Soup (Source: The Sisters' Cafe)

-1lb small French green lentils, rinsed

-7 cups vegetable broth

-2 tbsp olive oil

-1 onion, chopped

-1 red pepper, chopped

-1 small cup pasta (we used hoops)

-8 ozs spinach, chopped

-1 14ozs can diced tomatoes

-Salt and pepper

-In a large pot, combine the lentils and broth
-Bring to boil, then reduce heat to a simmer
-Cook, partially covered, for approximately 45 minutes, or until lentils are just tender (and then look in the pot and realize almost all the liquid is gone!!)

-In a small skillet, heat the oil.
-Add the onion and pepper and cook over low heat, stirring often, until vegetables are tender
-Set aside
-Bring a medium pan of water to the boil
-Add pasta and cook until al dente
-Stir in pasta, veggies, and spinach to soup and simmer 15 minutes or until warmed through

Mini Meatloaves

2010-01-09T18:02:00.000-05:00

This is something I found from a menu posted on Menu Planning Monday. While they weren't the quickest weeknight fix, once we had made a double batch we have TONS of them, and they are super easy to nuke and eat. These will definitely go in the Baby freezer menu.

Our currently veggie toddler even ate them. Sweet.

Next time I think I may add some veggie puree to them. I've been reading Deceptively Delicious and The Sneaky Chef and this would be a great recipe in which to hide extra nutrition.

One of the Allrecipes reviewers suggested making this in a muffin pan, which made this even easier.

Mini Meatloaves (Source: Allrecipes, found through My Grand Central Kitchen)
-1 egg
-3/4 cup milk
-1 cup shredded cheddar
-1/2 cup quick cooking oats
-1 lb ground beef
-2/3 cup ketchup
-1/4 cup brown sugar
-1 1/2 tsp prepared mustard

-Preheat oven to 350
-Mix egg, milk, cheddar, and oats until combined
-Add ground beef and mix
-Spray a muffin pan, and fill muffin cups with mixture
-In a small bowl, mix ketchup, sugar, and mustard
-Top meatloaf muffins with ketchup mixture
-Bake for 45 minutes until cooked through

Couscous with Chicken, Spinach, & Mushrooms

2010-01-06T21:07:00.000-05:00

We interviewed a doula tonight and were nearly hypoglycemic by the time she left. I had meant to bake something for our time with her but ran out of time, so we were bad hosts AND starving. Needed dinner to be healthy, wholsome (to counteract the mass amounts of sugar we consumed while waiting for it) and ready pronto.

This recipe was perfect and will go into regular rotation FOR SURE! 15 mins start to finish.

I just discovered the site this is from and I love it - great healthy ideas. I love group blogs!

Couscous with Chicken, Spinach, & Mushrooms (Source: Pass The Beans Please, barely modified but the below reflects how I made it)
-1 T olive oil
-1lb chicken tenderloins, cut into 1/2" pieces
-1 clove garlic, minced
-2 cups fresh spinach, packed
-1 1/4 cups water
-5 mushrooms, sliced
-2 tbsp lemon juice (can use white wine)
-1 package flavored couscous (we used tomato lentil)

-In a large skillet, saute chicken and garlic in oil until browned and cooked through
-Stir in spinach, water, mushrooms, wine and bring to a boil.
-Stir in couscous; cover and remove from heat
-Let stand 5 minutes and fluff with a fork

Makes 4 servings (300 calories per serving)

Picture to come

Lettuce Wraps (No pictures)

2010-01-06T12:20:00.000-05:00

I didn't even bother to take pictures of these when we made them last night because the pictures on the site I found them were beautiful and did them way more justice.

Having gone on a mid-afternoon candy rampage, I only needed a light dinner. Mishke was a tad bummed that there was no starch involved, but contented himself with a banana.

Lettuce Wraps (Source: Delish - with a little change based on the ingredients we had on hand, reflected below)
-1.25lbs ground white meat turkey
-2 red bell peppers, minced
-4 mushrooms, diced
-Minced garlic
-5 tbsp tamari
-1 tbsp or so of hoisin sauce (we didn't have any sriracha, which the recipe calls for, so ours were probably sweeter and less hot than the original. We decided we love the word Sriracha, btw.)
-One head Boston lettuce

-Brown the meat and garlic together
-Add veggies and saute until softened
-Add the sauce and warm through
-Serve wrapped in lettuce leaves

Menu Planning Monday - January 4, 2010

2010-01-04T22:09:00.000-05:00

2010! How did that happen?

Back to normal. Normal eating, normal cooking, normal schedules, at least until the baby comes . . .

YAY!

Starting next week there will be some extras thrown in to try and stock the freezer before baby.

(this is almost a two week plan to get us through to the long weekend)

Dinners
- Easy night - reubens and oven fries
- Pizza night - homemade dough (hooray for the new breadmaker!), artichokes, roasted red peppers, and feta
- Mini meatloaves and baby carrots
-Jill's Chicken, Spinach, and Mushroom Couscous and asparagus
-Vegetarian Curry and Naan
-Kung Pao Chicken and brown rice
-Turkey Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
-Indian Lentil Sloppy Joes
-Sweet potato pecan burgers
-Pumpkin black bean chili
-Russian-style mac and cheese
-Lettuce Wraps

Lunches
-Leftovers
-Fruit
-Yogurt

Breakfasts
-Homemade bread
-French toast and fruit
-Blueberry Scones
-Omelettes

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

2009-12-18T12:38:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday morning when I was leaving for work, I asked Mishke if he could throw a recipe in the crockpot if I left it on the computer screen for him. He agreed, no problem.

When I came home, the house did not smell like chili, and the crockpot was in the cabinet.

I had forgotten to verify that he was in fact awake when he answered me at 6am. He wasn't.

On Thursday morning I put the chili in the crockpot before work. Lesson learned.

Because we got home late-ish, I made a slight variation to the recipe and cooked it for longer before shredding the chicken, and then just warmed it through. Doing it that way was fine in a pinch, but I think cooking as the recipe suggested would reduce the liquid some, which I think i would prefer.

This is great: mild, flavorful, and super fast.

White Chicken Chili (source: Lemons & Love)

-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used tenders)

-4 cups chicken broth

-1 large jar (2 cups) salsa verde

-2 cans cannelini beans drained and rinsed

-1 small can chopped green chilis
-1 tsp cumin

-Salt and pepper

-Combine salsa, broth, beans, chilis, and seasonings in slow cooker stoneware.
-Mix together thoroughly and add the chicken

-Cook on high for 4 hours

-After 4 hours, remove chicken and shred
-Return chicken to slow cooker and cook an additional 2 hours on low

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos

2009-12-18T12:26:00.000-05:00

Our friends just bought Bean a Skippyjon Jones book for Christmas.

Reading it made me crave burritos.

I loved these, and they're a great quick and healthy addition to the week's menu. They skip the rice, which is my least favorite part of a traditional burrito. This was a great sweet and savory combo, with a crunchy tortilla. Delicious served with peach salsa.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos (Source: Chick in the Kitchen; the recipe below reflects the slight variation we made)

-3 medium sweet potatoes (or in our case two enormous ones)
-Salt and pepper

-1 Tbsp. olive oil
-1 container sliced baby bella mushrooms
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 15-oz. can black beans

-1 can chili beans

-1 tsp. cumin
-8 large tortillas
-2 cups reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

-Preheat oven to 350

-Nuke sweet potatoes on high 15 mins

-Scoop flesh out of skins, mash, and season with salt and pepper

-Heat oil in a large pan and saute mushrooms and garlic. Stir in rinsed black beans and chili beans with sauce

-Season and simmer uncovered until liquid is reduced, about 15 minutes.

-Layer sweet potato, beans, and shredded cheddar in tortillas and roll up as burritos

-Place seam side down in 13x9 pan and cook about 20 mins or until browned and filling is bubbly

Pork Lo Mein

2009-12-18T12:07:00.000-05:00

When I was about ten, my parents bought a wok, and suddenly Saturday nights became homemade Chinese food nights. This is a tradition I can't wait to implement in our house when the kids are older. Friday night pizza and movies, Saturday night Chinese food and games . . .

Lo mein is my favorite Chinese takeout item, and this was the first time I have ever made it. I combined a few recipes and made it my own.

Pork Lo Mein
-3 eggs
-5 thin cut boneless pork chops, sliced into thin strips
-3/4 lb linguine fini
-1/2 bag brocolli slaw mix
-1/2 bag shredded red cabbage
-1 red pepper, julienned
-3 sticks celery, thinly sliced
-1 can sliced water chestnuts
-Minced garlic
-4 tsbsp oyster sauce
-4 tbsp tamari
-1/4 cup chicken broth
-Ground ginger

-Cook pasta according to directions on package (linguine fini cooks fast because it's so fine)
-Heat a tbsp or so of oil (I used olive, but would be great with sesame) over high heat in a deep sided skillet or wok
-Beat the eggs, add them to the pan, scramble, and set aside
-Add a little more oil to the pan and saute the pork until browned and fully cooked, then remove from pan
-Add oil as necessary to the pan and stir fry the vegetables until crisp-tender
-Drain the noodles and toss with a tiny amount of oil to keep from sticking.
-Add the noodles to the vegetable mixture
-In a small bowl, mix the broth, oyster sauce, and tamari
-Pour over noodles and vegetables and heat until bubbling
-Return eggs and pork to the mix and serve

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

2009-12-18T11:43:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been storing bananas and avocados in the same bowl in my hanging fruit basket. It helps ripen the avocados, but sometimes sends the bananas over the edge.

Such was the case this weekend, when I had three rapidly-blackening bananas.

Time to make banana bread.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (Adapted with a few changes from: Pink of Perfection, based on a Cooking Light recipe)

-2 cups all purpose flour
-¾ tsp baking soda
-½ tsp salt
-1 cup sugar
-1/2 stick butter, softened
-2 large eggs
-3 bananas, mashed
-1/3 cup plain fat free yogurt
-1 tsp vanilla

-Preheat oven to 350

-Mix flour, baking soda, and salt

-In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until well blended

-Add eggs and beat well

-Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla, mixing until well blended

-Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and stir until just combined

-Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for an hour or until a cake tester comes out clean

Naptime Nosh: Rolo Turtles

2009-12-18T11:29:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite baking discoveries was that sometimes, in the baking aisle, you can find bags of non-wrapped Hershey Kisses. This saves mass amounts of time when making Peanut Butter Blossoms.

Sadly, the same cannot be said for rolos.

And when you unwrap candy, it seems you need to be paid for the job. In candy. One for me . . . one for the recipe. . .

Or maybe that's just me.

Another quick and easy, make-during-naptime holiday treat.

Pretzel Turtles (Source: Teta Elena)
-Bag of rolos
-Bag of pretzel snaps (the square ones with a grid pattern)
-Bag of pecan halves

-Line a cookie sheet with foil
-Lay out the pretzels; about 50 will allow you to sneak a few rolos from the bag and still have anough
-Unwrap rolos and top each pretzel with a rolo

-Bake at 250 for about 4 minutes until the rolos look shiny, but before they lose their consistency
-Remove from the oven and immediately top each candy with a pecan half, pushing down to smush the rolo

Of course, you will find uses for the remaining pretzels . . .

Naptime Nosh: Two-Ingredient Fudge - Cookies & Cream Variation

2009-12-18T11:21:00.000-05:00

This is the most insanely easy fudge. EVER.

It takes approximately seven minutes, start to finish.

When you heat the frosting it's a little creepy. Makes you realize that some foods are not really foods at all . . . but a few food additives never hurt anyone . . . right?

My coworker said this was so sweet it made his teeth stand on end.

Two Ingredient Fudge (Source: Suzie Homemaker)
-One bag white chocolate chips (I recommend Ghirardelli)
-One can vanilla frosting
-Oreos, crushed

-Place chocolate chips in a casserole and microwave for 90 seconds
-Spread frosting on top and microwave for an additional 90 seconds
-Mix melted chips and frosting together. The frosting will be separated, but will come back together with mixing
-Stir in the oreos - the mix will be thick.
-Line an 8x8 pan with foil for easy removal
-Spread the fudge mix into the 8x8 pan. It leaves the casserole practically clean (again: strange food chemistry)
-Refrigerate until hardened, cut into squares, and serve

Menu Plan - Week of December 14, 2009

2009-12-18T11:04:00.000-05:00

oops . . . missed Menu Planning Monday by a few days.
Here's what's cooking in our house anyway:

Dinners:
-Pork Lo Mein
-Jambalaya
-Tortellini, butter beans, and spinach
-Sweet potato and black bean burritos
-White chicken chili
-Ellie Krieger Macaroni and Four Cheeses

Lunches:
-Leftovers

Breakfasts:
-Eggs
-Cereal bars
-French toast
-Bagels with peanut butter

Snacks:
-Fruit
-Yogurt
-Holiday treats (in mass quantities)

Tot in the Kitchen: It's Beginning to Smell a Lot Like Christmas Part II: Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments

2009-12-09T20:37:00.000-05:00

These smell insanely good. And they're super cute.

They're not technically a food, but they are made with all food ingredients, so I figure they count.

I had a little challenge with the ratio of applesauce to cinnamon. Not enough applesauce. Too much applesauce. Grrr . . .

Bean loved mushing the dough in a bag

Apple Cinnamon Dough Ornaments (Based on recipe from: Homemaking Fun)
-6 tbsp applesauce
-10 tbsp cinnamon
-1 tbsp ground cloves

-Add all ingredients to zip and seal bag
-Mush around to mix
(I needed to add extra applesauce to make it form a dough)
-Roll out dough and cut into shapes with cookie cutters
-Make a hole in the top large enough to thread a ribbon through it
-Bake at 150 or lowest oven setting for 2 hours
-Turn off oven and leave to dry overnight

Pictures to come . . . they are still drying . . .

When the Stars Make You Drool: Pasta Fagioli

2009-12-09T20:13:00.000-05:00

I needed a toddler-friendly, preschooler-friendly, nursing-friendly, big-family friendly lunch for getting together with siblings to shoot Christmas pictures of the cousins.

I made the perfect choice. Except for the fact that all the kids were wearing white shirts. Oops.

Enjoy - while wearing dark colors.

Pasta Fagioli (this has been adapted through various sites, but I found it on Christine's Cuisine) - I changed it slightly so the recipbe below reflects what I used
-2 tbsp olive oil
-20 ozs bulk sweet Italian sausage
-1/2 container sliced mushrooms
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 bag julienne carrot
-4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 14.5 ozs can petite diced tomatoes
-1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
-1 can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
-32 oz. chicken broth
-1 28 ozs can tomato sauce
-Italian seasoning
-1 lb. small dry pasta (I used mini wagon wheels)
-Parmesan for serving

-Brown sausage in a large stockpot
-Remove it from the pot with a slotted spoon
-Saute mushrooms, garlic, carrot and celery, over medium heat until vegetables are soft ( 8-10 minutes)
-Return the sausage to the pot, add the diced tomatoes and juice, stir, and simmer 10 minutes.
-Add beans, chicken broth, tomato sauce, and seasoning and bring to a boil
-Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer at least 30 minutes.
-Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions
-Drain and toss with olive oil to prevent sticking
-Serve with pasta at bottom of bowl and soup ladled ontop
-Add parmesan at table

No picture. Too busy taking pictures of the kids.

Snow Day Crockpot Chicken Chowder

2009-12-09T19:53:00.000-05:00

It was our first big snow this morning and so I holed up at home and telecommuted. Mishke and Bean braved the elements to make snow angels and dig out the car to head out the store and buy ingredients for dinner. It was the perfect day for a long, slow soup. Although making this in the crockpot when home is bad because this recipe smells delicious and you just want to eat all day long . . .

The original recipe calls for onion and chive cream cheese, but we don't like onions or chives, so we substituted spinach artichoke (who knew that even existed?)

Chicken Chowder (Source: Land o' Lakes, found on Crockpot Tuesdays)
-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
-8 small red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
-1 cup onion, diced (we omitted)
-2 14 oz. cans chicken broth
-1 16 oz. package frozen mixed vegetables
-Seasoning (used liberal amounts of tarragon and table blend)
-1 cup half and half
-2 tbsp. cornstarch
-1 8 oz. container spinach and artichoke cream cheese

-Combine chicken, potatoes, broth, frozen veg, and seasoning in crockpot

-Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

-After it is cooked, mix half-and-half and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth

-Stir into mixture in crockpot

-Re-cover and cook on high 30 minutes until thickened

-Turn off heat and stir in cream cheese until melted

Photo to come

Tot in the Kitchen: Pancakes

2009-12-09T19:25:00.000-05:00

We are definitely a breakfast family. We love going out for it, making it, and eating it. The first meal I ever made for Mishke was French Toast (my SIL has me way beat on French toast though and swears it is how she will woo her future spouse.) And I make a pretty mean omelette, because when I spent the summer in Paris my roommate was really homesick for her boyfriend who used to make omelettes all the time, so I had to step up to the plate.

However - I can't make a pancake to save my life. Mix or from scratch, my creations have a place in the NHL. So I didn't have high hopes for anything un-puck-like when I decided to make pancakes with Bean this weekend. The post with the recipe I used raved about how light the pancakes were but I was still skeptical.

Things turned from bad to worse when I realized not only did I not have the cake flour the recipe called for, but I was almost out of All Purpose. So the pancakes had to be mostly wholewheat. I love wholewheat flour, but it's kind of the kiss of death when it comes to airy baked goods.

But I've got to tell you. These somehow came out vaguely fluffy; and I would be willing to bet that, made with cake flour, they would be about as perfect as the name suggests.

I'm a believer . . .

Perfect Pancakes (Source: originally from The Pioneer Woman Cooks, found through Mommy's Kitchen)
-3 cups + 2 tbsp Cake Flour (NOT wholewheat, but if you happen to have to substitute you won't screw it up as epically as you think you might)
-½ tsp Salt
-3 tbsp Baking Powder
-2 tbsp Sugar
-2 cups Milk
-2 eggs
-3 tbsp vanilla (or more if you're heavy handed like me
-1/2 stick of butter

-Find willing toddler
-Have them mix together dry ingredients in large bowl (Bean gleefully yells "dump!" every time we measure something in.)
-Mix milk, eggs, and vanilla in a separate bowl.
-Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring very gently until just combined
-Take bowl away to chagrine of toddler
-Melt butter and add it to the batter, stirring gently to combine.
-Cook on a greased skillet on medium-low until golden brown, adding whatever fun things you like in your pancakes (we did my favorite - bananas and chocolate chips)
-Devour

Skillet Lasagna - Veering from the Menu

2009-12-05T19:18:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I plan meals for the week and religiously go through all of them. And sometimes all of a sudden none of them sound appealing, but I have meat hanging out in the fridge that needs to be cooked somehow.

Today I had this problem with about twenty minutes to figure out and make something so we could eat dinner as a family before Bean needed to hit the tub. Additionally, we were all vaguely hypoglycemic because the only thing we'd eaten since brunch at Auntie B's Place (go now if you are within a 100 mile radius - don't forget to bring cash) were treats from Sugar.

Google Reader starred items to the rescue!

I had starred this recipe partly because it was billed as an easy weeknight option (and partly because it just sounded delicious.) It totally proved to be both - about 5 minutes of active prep and 25 minutes of it hanging out while I unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher.

Slight fail on my part - I misread the directions (I blame it on hunger-induced blindness) and did not stir the noodles in when cooking. Some of them welded together into a pretty crispy sheet that, as Mishke said, was a tad reminiscent of rawhide. Totally my screw-up though - the recipe is delicious and will definitely go into the regular rotation.

Skillet Lasagna (Source: Found on Christine's Cuisine, originally from Cook's Illustrated)
-28 ozs can diced tomatoes
-1/3 jar pasta sauce
-1 tbsp. olive oil
-1/2 container mushrooms
-1 tbsp garlic
-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
-1lb extra lean ground beef
-10 lasagna noodles, broken into 2 inch pieces
-4 cups baby spinach
-1/2 cup shredded parmesan
-1 cup part-skim ricotta
-3 tbsp chopped fresh basil

-Pour tomatoes with (including juice) into liquid measure and add water to make 4 cups. Add 1/3 jar pasta sauce and set aside
-Saute mushrooms, garlic, and red pepper flakes until mushrooms are browned in a deep skillet
-Add ground beef and cook until browned
-Scatter pasta over meat - do not stir in.
-Pour tomato mixture over pasta, cover pan and bring to a simmer Scatter the pasta over the meat but do not stir. Pour the diced tomatoes with their juices and the tomato sauce over the pasta. Cover and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes
-Add spinach and cook an additional 5 mins or so until pasta is al dente (I left the spinach on top to steam and then stirred in at the end.)
-Turn off heat and stir in parmesan
-Spoon ricotta over top, cover, and leave for 5 minutes
-Sprinkle with basil before serving

Picture to come

It's Beginning to Smell a Lot Like Christmas Part I: Cranberry Beef

2009-12-03T22:36:00.001-05:00

I have no idea where I copied this recipe down from. If it's your recipe, please tell me, and I'll share the love!

It smells seriously amazing cooking. Just like Christmas! Well, beefy Christmas . . .

We served it with wholewheat couscous and steamed carrots

Cranberry Beef
-1lb ground beef
-1/2 container sliced mushrooms
-1 cup tomato sauce
-Ginger, cinnamon, and ground cloves to taste
-1 cup fresh cranberries

-Saute ground beef and mushrooms (original recipe called for onions, but we don't really dig them) over lowish heat for about fifteen minutes
-Season with spices (original recipe called for chili powder too, but we seem to be out of it.)
-Add cranberries and tomato sauce and simmer 15 further minutes.
-Enjoy eating and how good it smells!
Disregard the crummy picture. Camera battery is dead, so this is a cellphone picture.

As a post-eating modification: the cranberries are pretty naturally tart in this dish. I'm a cranberry wimp, so next time I make this, I would probably add a little balsamic and some agave to knock the edge off them.

Millionaire's Shortbread Repro

2009-11-30T20:04:00.000-05:00

When we lived in England we were lucky enough to live near this amazing place. We used to go there every Saturday morning and my favorite treat was their Millionaire's Shortbread - rich buttery shortbread base with a layer of toffee and a thick chocolate topping.

This is the closest thing I've found to it, but it includes nuts. I'm a firm believer that adding protein makes anything a balanced meal!

The recipe says it makes 36 bars. That seemed like a staggering amount from a 13X9 pan, but this is seriously rich, so definitely cut small pieces.

Pretend not to notice how much butter is in these.

No pictures because I made it at my parents' and forgot my camera.

Chocolate Toffee Bars (I found them at Macaroni & Cheesecake, but they seem to be a well-traveled Hershey's recipe.)

Bar Ingredients

-2 cups all-purpose flour

-1 cup packed light brown sugar

-1 stick butter

-1 cup pecan pieces

-1 cup chocolate chips

Topping Ingredients

-2/3 cup butter

-1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

-Pre-heat oven to 350
-Combine flour and brown sugar, then rub in butter until it forms crumbs
-Line a 9x13 baking pan with foil and spray foil with cooking spray
-Press mixture onto bottom of baking pan
-Sprinkle pecans over crust
-Prepare topping and pour over pecans and crust.

-Bake 20 to 22 minutes until topping is bubbly
-Remove from oven and gently spread chocolate chips over topping

-Cool completely in pan before cutting into bars (makes about 36 bars.)

Toffee Topping:

Combine the 2/3 cup butter and 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar in small saucepan.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil.

Continue boiling, stirring constantly, 30 seconds. Use immediately.

Menu Planning Monday - November 30, 2009

2009-11-30T19:37:00.000-05:00

Finally back to full weeks and real meal planning. I just dug up a bunch of recipes I'd saved that I wanted to try, so lots of new things in the rotation this week. Sadly I can't seem to figure out where some of them came from:

Dinners:
-Cranberry beef, maple glazed carrots, and couscous
-African chicken peanut soup
-Chicken curry and peas
-Greek lemon chicken thighs and potatoes with green beans
-Tortellini, white bean & spinach soup
-Eggplant Pasta
-Pregnancy Pizza (Anchovies and pineapple . . . mmmm)

Lunches:
-Leftovers

Breakfasts:
-Cereal bars and clementines
-Oatmeal
-Waffles with peanut butter and banana
-Muesli with yogurt and applesauce

Snacks:
-Apples
-Clementines
-Yogurt
-Babybel
-Granola bars

Make Ahead Thanksgiving

2009-11-21T19:06:00.000-05:00

What better way to show gratitude than with food?

We shared a Thanksgiving potluck with some special people in our lives and while the food was yummy, the company was the sweetest part.

(sending love to the folks who weren't able to join us, and wishing you guys much nourishment in the days ahead.)

The Menu
The post-turkey tryptophan-induced coma has made me too lazy to copy over the recipes from these fabulous links. Besides, you should visit all these sites anyway - there are way more goodies where these came from.

With the exception of the green beans and mashed potatoes, everything was made ahead and reheated. It made for a mess-free, stress-free morning.

If only we'd used that time to figure out where everybody was going to sit . . . :)

The Bird:
-Turkey (Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade - Put the tablescapes aside in your mind, her turkey suggestions are awesome.)

Sides:
-Spiced Cranberry Sauce (Eating Well - This is a doctored up version of canned cranberry sauce. It makes it taste like something new altogether. I'd highly recommend making it a day ahead for full-on flavor melding to occur)
-Mashed potatoes
-Pan gravy
-Savory Bread Pudding with Mushrooms and Parmesan Cheese (Epicurious - Bon Appetit November 2006 - this can be fully cooked the day before or stopped right before cooking and refrigerated overnight before cooking the following day)
-Maple Glazed Yams with Pecan Topping (Simply Recipes - I think this gets better every time it's reheated. It is sweet, but in a baked, nutty way rather than some of the candied recipes I've had. We made it with regular sweet potatoes.)
-Green Bean Salad with Walnuts (Serious Eats - originally from New Classic Family Dinners - skipped the walnuts and forget to tell people about the dressing, but I enjoyed it!)
-Scandinavian Slaw ("Moosewood Restaurant New Classics" cookbook- This is the only recipe I wouldn't make again. I've never been steered wrong by Moosewood - I have tons of their cookbooks and use them all the time - but I think the fact that I found a container of carraway seeds in the pantry made me think I liked them. Wrong - and they were a pretty key ingredient in this recipe.)
-Guests brought - baked sweet potatoes and spinach salad with sharp cheese, apples, and craisins . . . yumm!

Desserts:
-Devil's Food Pound Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting (Vintage Victuals - DO. NOT. PASS. GO. MAKE. THIS. NOW! We had a little challenge with the frosting - when I heated it, it sort of separated into melted butter and the other stuff - kind of the texture of peanut butter cup filling swimming in butter. I was ready to throw it out and start again, but Mishke made a total husband save with the addition of some milk. So glad he did. I can't stop eating it.)
-Guests brought - Tiramisu, pumpkin cheesecake, apple crumb pie from Petsi Pies . . . all amazing!!

Tot in the Kitchen: Brownie Macaroons

2009-11-21T18:46:00.000-05:00

Some recipes are so easy a toddler could make them.

This one did.

(and then went to bed, and the grownups decimated the results. Nannan and Dandan, who were visiting, gave this one two chocolate-covered thumbs up.)

(so the epic mess in our kitchen is not the normal state of affairs - which tends toward chaos at the best of times - this baking adventure occurred in the middle of some majorly disruptive renovations . . .)

Brownie Macaroons
Source: Taste and Tell (originally found in "Best of the Bakeoff")
-1 package brownie mix
-2 cups flaked coconut
-4 tbsp water
-2 tablespoons canola oil
-1 egg

-Heat oven to 350F
-Lightly grease cookie sheets
-In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; beat 50 strokes with spoon
-Shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls (icecream scoop worked perfectly.)
-Place 3 inches apart on greased cookie sheet; flatten slightly. -Bake at for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are set. (Centers will be soft)

mmm . . . angel flake . . .

Squash and Black Bean Chili

2009-11-20T22:17:00.000-05:00

We try to eat three meatless meals a week; one fish and two fully vegetarian/vegan. It's good for our health, our budget, and our tastebuds!

This recipe fits all the above categories, and it's fast to prepare.

Mishke made it while I was stuck at a very late meeting, and it was amazing to come home to in my semi-delirious state. I was drooling as soon as I got out of the car.

He made a couple tiny edits based on what we had in the pantry, which are reflected in the recipe below. For the unedited version, which I'm sure is equally delicious, see the link.

We served it (as suggested) with honey cornbread and Harpoon Octoberfest. It made way more than four servings for us. And we eat a lot.

Squash & Black Bean Chili
Source: Love At First Bite (this blog is beautiful. I wish I could take food pics like that!)
Squash and Black Bean Chili

-1 tbsp olive oil
-1 red pepper
-1 medium onion, chopped
-1 stalk celery, chopped
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-Dash Frank's Red Hot Sauce
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1 15ozs can black beans
-1 25ozs can refried black beans with jalapenos
-1.5lbs butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
-1 14.5 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
14 oz. can vegetable broth

-In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pepper, onion, and celery, and cook 5 to 8 minutes or just until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and hot sauce and cook 30 seconds or until fragrant, stirring.
-Stir beans, squash, tomatoes, salt and broth into mixture in Dutch oven; cover and heat to boiling.
-Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until squash is tender

Feta Pork Chop Skillet

2009-11-20T22:04:00.000-05:00

I like boneless pork chops because they are tender and lean, but I tend not to cook much pork because it's often pretty full of hormones and nasty additives.

(or maybe it's because in high school my best friend used to call me "the other white meat" because of how unfortunately pale I am.)

This recipe is really yummy. Salty, but yummy. Sodiyummy.

We served it with couscous and cherry tomatoes. And several glasses of water.

Feta Pork Chop Skillet
Source: What's On My Menu (originally from Sisters Cafe) - this version reflects my couple mini-adaptations
-2 tbsp Greek Seasoning
-1 tsp minced garlic
-1 pinch black pepper
-1 tbsp olive oil
-5 think cut boneless pork chops
-¼ cup lemon juice
-4 ozs feta cheese with basil and sun-dried tomatoes
-1 summer squash and two zucchini

Directions:
-Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat
-Dip pork chops in lemon juice, and spread both sides with seasoning
-Place pork chops in skillet, drizzle with some of remaining lemon juice, and sear both sides, about 7 minutes per side.
-Remove pork and add squash to pan, cook until caramelized and tender
-Sprinkle feta on top of chops; cover skillet, and cook until cheese begins to melt, about 5 minutes

Shake Your Bean-Beans

2009-11-11T21:34:00.000-05:00

I have no idea if Ricky Martin has anything to do with these beans. But if I were him I wouldn't complain about having my name associated with them. They're so easy, and it's way too easy to eat too many of them.

Ricky Martin's Beans & Rice
Source: On My Menu (tweaked ever so slightly)

-2 tbsp olive oil
-1 chopped onion
-1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
-4 garlic cloves, minced
-1/4 cup tomato sauce
-3/4 cup water
-1/4 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
-1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
-White rice

-In a large saucepan, saute onion, pepper, and garlic in oil until softened
-Stir in water, tomato sauce, and oregano and bring to a boil
-Stir in beans
-Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
-Serve with rice.

Baked Ham Rigatoni

2009-11-11T20:53:00.000-05:00

Before Mishke and I got married, I didn't eat leftovers. No matter how good something was the night before, it just never seemed appetizing the next day. (I also hate watching movies more than once. I love waking up next to the same man every day of my life, though. Some things are perfect when repeated!)

So Mishke has not only gotten me over my leftover-phobia, but I've discovered some things even taste good cold. Witness: the leftovers to this dish, eaten with a fork straight out of the fridge.

This is so, so good. And this from someone who doesn't love mac and cheese.

Baked Ham Rigatoni
Source: Real Mom Kitchen (I tweaked the recipe slightly and the recipe below reflects the way I made it.)

-16ozs package rigatoni
-1/2 cup butter
-1/2 cup flour
-4 cups
-1.25 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
-8ozs ham steak, chopped into small cubes
-Nutmeg and crushed red pepper
-Butter

-Preheat oven to 425
-Put water on to boil for pasta
-Melt butter in a deep skillet, then whisk in flour with a flat whisk until it forms a paste
-Add milk slowly, whisking continuously until thickened. This takes forever, but don't walk away or you'll bugger up the sauce.
-Cook pasta
-Season sauce; add ham and 1 cup of cheese and stir thoroughly
-Mix drained pasta into sauce, and pour into a greased 9x13 pan and sprinkle with cheese
-Top with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese, and bake for 25 minutes or until bubbling and browned

"Fusion" Cottage Pie

2009-11-11T20:15:00.000-05:00

I've lived in the States for fifteen years, but when it comes to comfort food, I revert back to my Brit roots. And for comfort, English-style, nothing beats Cottage Pie (Shepherd's Pie - cow-style.) I used to love the way mum made it with top-of-the-milk in the mashed potatoes when we had milk delivery.

My mother-in-law makes a similar comfort food - American-style. Her hamburger pie has a pastry crust and tomato soup rather than brown gravy. Equally delicious!

So here's the combined version:

"Fusion" Cottage Pie
Source: Our Families

-1.25lb lean ground beef
-3/4 bag or so of frozen vegetables
-1 can condensed tomato soup
-Heavy dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
-6 potatoes
-Liberal glug of heavy cream (first choice) or whole milk (second best.)

-Preheat oven to 350
-Peel (if desired - I never bother), and chop potatoes. Boil until soft.
-While potatoes are boiling, saute ground beef in a deep skillet until browned, draining grease if needed
-While still over heat, add frozen vegetables, soup and Worcestershire Sauce, and warm through
-Mash potatoes with cream
-Decant beef and veggie mixture into 9x11ish baking pan
-Top with mashed potatoes
-Cook until top is browned and meat mixture is bubbling; pop under broiler for a few minutes to speed up the browning process if desired.
Yummy!

Ambrosia (is not a salad)

2009-11-11T17:03:00.000-05:00

I mean, it's just not.

I don't know who has managed to convince themselves that whipped topping is a salad ingredient, but I think that state is called denial.

That being said - God bless whoever invented Ambrosia. I don't care what part of a meal it falls under, I love it and I love it some more. Especially when pregnant.

There's some irony to this. I just drove a 1.5 hour round trip today to get my hair colored at a salon that uses all natural products to try to avoid exposing our unborn to unnecessary chemicals. And yet I'm readily contemplating an evening cuddled up with a serving bowl of whipped topping-infused salad, a spoon (heck, I'll take a ladle) and Glee.

Polysorbate 60, anyone? On second thoughts, no. I'm not sharing . . .

Ambrosia
Source: Mishmosh of different versions

-8ozs container low fat whipped topping
-2.5 cups dessicated coconut
-1 can each mandarins, fruit cocktail, pineapple chunks
-3 cups mini marshmallows
-1 jar maraschino cherries, drained

-Mix it all up, refrigerate if you can handle the wait, and consume in mass quantities.

No picture. This is just ugly food.

Menu Planning Monday - November 9, 2009

2009-11-08T20:35:00.000-05:00

Success! We made five out of six of our planned meals last week! Headed out of town this weekend, so it's a short week.

Dinners:
-Easy dinner - fish, chips, and peas
-Feta Pork Chop Skillet, couscous and tomatoes
-Turkey Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats and spinach salad
-Squash and Black Bean Chili with Cornbread
-Soba Noodles with Peanut Sauce, Chicken, and Veggies

Lunches:
-Leftovers

Breakfasts:
-Cereal with milk and bananas
-French toast and strawberries
-Toast and honey
-Yogurt and granola

Snacks and Treats:
-Fruit and jello
-String cheese
-Yogurt
-Apples
-Brownie Macaroons

Menu Planning Monday - November 2, 2009

2009-11-03T16:31:00.001-05:00

I've been trying to be good about planning meals ahead so as not to waste food, and so that I don't come home from work wondering what to throw together, desperately ravenous to the point that I can convince myself that a jar of applesauce, a handful of chocolate chips, and some dry cornflakes is actually a balanced meal. I've been following several bloggers on Orgjunkie's Menu Planning Monday for a while now and decided to join starting this month. Here goes:

Dinners:

-Black bean quesadillas, avocado, and green beans

-Shepherd's pie and peas

-A1 Stew

-Laughing Cow chicken, applesauce, baked sweet potatoes, and broccoli

-Ricky Martin's beans and rice, broccoli

-Baked ham rigatoni and spinach salad

-Pizza night

Lunches:

-Leftovers

Breakfasts:

-Waffles and banana

-Cereal bar and yogurt

-Rice cakes with peanut butter and apples

-Oatmeal with nuts

-Cold cereal and milk

-Pop tarts