This has to be the easiest and yummiest pork in the world! Seriously, it contains two items, a crock pot, and a knife. That's all.
A month or so ago, I posted a great way to save a few bucks and stretch a pork loin into several meals. For this recipe, I use one of the pork loin ends. You can use any pork roast, country style boneless ribs, chops, or whatever. It doesn't hurt to keep a little fat, but I recommend trimming most of it off before cubing your pork.
Although this is sweet chili pork, it is not spicy at all.
Sweet Chili Pork
1 1/2 to 2 pounds lean pork, cubed
Bottle of Chili Sauce (I've used Heinz and the "Homemade" kind from Safeway, which is really good and chunky)
Put cubed pork in the bottom of the slow cooker, stir in chili sauce, and let 'er rip for 8 hours on low. Stir occassionally.
This pork can be served over rice, on a bun, as a taco meat, etc. It is really good!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Burn and Blue Burgers
It's no secret that we are a cheeseburger-loving family. My 21-month old can eat a whole Sonic burger by himself, for goodness sake! So, anytime we hear about a different burger, we try it ASAP! Last night, we saw a burger on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives with Guy Fieri on Food Network that we knew we absolutely had to have.
My husband was not a fan of blue cheese until just recently, when he started eating it melted on red meat. It totally changes flavors when combined with the juices from a good steak or juicy burger. I've always loved blue cheese, but especially with meat.
This burger combines the spiciness of buffalo sauce and the richness of blue cheese, along with the heartiness of beef. I prefer to use Louisiana brand Wing Sauce, but it's a little warm. Crumbled blue cheese can usually be found in the deli section of the grocery store. If you want to make a super juicy and even more flavorful burger, look down in my archives at the stuffed burger recipe. There are so many flavors going on top of these burgers, I chose to just season them with Montreal.
Buffalo Blue Burgers
1-1/2 lb. 80/20 ground beef
Montreal steak or hamburger seasoning
Buffalo wing sauce
Crumbled blue cheese
4 good sized sesame hamburger buns
Combine all ground beef in a large square loaf, then score into four even quarters. Pat each quarter into a round patty, pushing a little indentation in the center (it will puff up when cooked and you want them to puff evenly). Season the top sides of each patty. Throw them in a heavy grill pan, or on the BBQ, seasoned side DOWN. Now season the non-cooking sides. Cook on each side until desired doneness, turning only once (turning more than once can make for tough burgers). Remove from the grill to a baking sheet (if you are using an oven-safe grill pan, you don't need to move them to a sheet). Pour wing sauce on top of each patty, then top each with heaping helpings of blue cheese. Put the patties under the broiler just until the blue cheese starts to melt. While the patties are under the broiler, put bun halves on the grill to warm up (you can grill them with a little butter on each half for extra greasiness and flavor!). Remove the burgers with a spatula onto the warm buns. Enjoy!
My husband was not a fan of blue cheese until just recently, when he started eating it melted on red meat. It totally changes flavors when combined with the juices from a good steak or juicy burger. I've always loved blue cheese, but especially with meat.
This burger combines the spiciness of buffalo sauce and the richness of blue cheese, along with the heartiness of beef. I prefer to use Louisiana brand Wing Sauce, but it's a little warm. Crumbled blue cheese can usually be found in the deli section of the grocery store. If you want to make a super juicy and even more flavorful burger, look down in my archives at the stuffed burger recipe. There are so many flavors going on top of these burgers, I chose to just season them with Montreal.
Buffalo Blue Burgers
1-1/2 lb. 80/20 ground beef
Montreal steak or hamburger seasoning
Buffalo wing sauce
Crumbled blue cheese
4 good sized sesame hamburger buns
Combine all ground beef in a large square loaf, then score into four even quarters. Pat each quarter into a round patty, pushing a little indentation in the center (it will puff up when cooked and you want them to puff evenly). Season the top sides of each patty. Throw them in a heavy grill pan, or on the BBQ, seasoned side DOWN. Now season the non-cooking sides. Cook on each side until desired doneness, turning only once (turning more than once can make for tough burgers). Remove from the grill to a baking sheet (if you are using an oven-safe grill pan, you don't need to move them to a sheet). Pour wing sauce on top of each patty, then top each with heaping helpings of blue cheese. Put the patties under the broiler just until the blue cheese starts to melt. While the patties are under the broiler, put bun halves on the grill to warm up (you can grill them with a little butter on each half for extra greasiness and flavor!). Remove the burgers with a spatula onto the warm buns. Enjoy!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Turkey Stuffed Shrooms
Last week, I was rifling through the fridge at 6:00 looking for something that would be ready to eat by 7. I found some ground turkey and a package of 4 portabello mushroom caps that needed to be used ASAP or risk being tossed to the goats. Here's what I pulled out of my hat, and had dinner on the table at 6:30!
Turkey Stuffed Shrooms
4 Portabello Mushroom Caps, wiped clean, gills scraped out, and stem removed
1 lb. ground turkey
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1/4 c. french fried onions
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. (or so) plain bread crumbs (I measured by a heaping handful)
1/2 c. shredded cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray baking sheet with cooking spray. In large skillet, brown turkey, then add butter, bell pepper, and garlic and allow to cook for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add onions, bread crumbs, and cheese and remove from heat. Stir until cheese melts and mixture forms a ball in the skillet. You may need to add either more bread crumbs or cheese to reach desired consistency--you need it all to "stick" together. Spoon turkey mixture into the inside of mushrooms until heaping full. Sprinkle with a little extra cheese, and bake for 20 minutes or until stuffing is nicely browned and mushrooms are tender.
Turkey Stuffed Shrooms
4 Portabello Mushroom Caps, wiped clean, gills scraped out, and stem removed
1 lb. ground turkey
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1/4 c. french fried onions
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. (or so) plain bread crumbs (I measured by a heaping handful)
1/2 c. shredded cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray baking sheet with cooking spray. In large skillet, brown turkey, then add butter, bell pepper, and garlic and allow to cook for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add onions, bread crumbs, and cheese and remove from heat. Stir until cheese melts and mixture forms a ball in the skillet. You may need to add either more bread crumbs or cheese to reach desired consistency--you need it all to "stick" together. Spoon turkey mixture into the inside of mushrooms until heaping full. Sprinkle with a little extra cheese, and bake for 20 minutes or until stuffing is nicely browned and mushrooms are tender.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Super Easy Wraps
I'm still up to my neck in Santa Barbara Bay dip goodness, and I've loved everything I've tried so far. Here's a super simple turkey wrap that uses short-cuts from the grocery store to make a very fast and hearty lunch.
Onion and Garlic Turkey Wraps
Wrap tortillas (I like the oblong whole wheat tortillas especially made for wraps, as they're easier to roll)
Deli turkey (Safeway has Friday specials with $5/lb deli meats; I stock up then)
Santa Barbara Bay Carmelized Onion and Garlic dip (can be found in most Walmart and some other deli salad sections)
Provolone cheese slices
Spinach leaves, washed and stems cut (again, take a shortcut and use the prewashed and cut bags of spinach)
Tomato slices, cut in half
Red onion slices, cut in half and rings separated
Salt and pepper
Spread onion and garlic dip all over tortillas, then layer the rest of the ingredients, season with salt and pepper, roll them up, and enjoy! Does it get much easier than this?
Onion and Garlic Turkey Wraps
Wrap tortillas (I like the oblong whole wheat tortillas especially made for wraps, as they're easier to roll)
Deli turkey (Safeway has Friday specials with $5/lb deli meats; I stock up then)
Santa Barbara Bay Carmelized Onion and Garlic dip (can be found in most Walmart and some other deli salad sections)
Provolone cheese slices
Spinach leaves, washed and stems cut (again, take a shortcut and use the prewashed and cut bags of spinach)
Tomato slices, cut in half
Red onion slices, cut in half and rings separated
Salt and pepper
Spread onion and garlic dip all over tortillas, then layer the rest of the ingredients, season with salt and pepper, roll them up, and enjoy! Does it get much easier than this?
Carnitas to Die For!
This recipe is a variation of the Salsa Brava Cocina book's carnitas recipe. In the recipe, they advertise that the carnitas has a "hint of orange", but in their recipe book, there is no orange to be found. So I changed it up just a bit, and it's pretty darn good!
Great for tacos and burritos, carnitas is pretty much just shredded pork that's been slow-roasted. Carnitas is usually made from a "pork butt", which is actually a pork shoulder roast. For my recipe, I use a pork loin end. You get a lot more meat from a loin, instead of all the fat. I make mine in the slow cooker instead of the oven, so I add extra liquid to keep it moist since there isn't as much fat.
Carnitas
4 pounds pork butt (some of the fat removed) or loin end (as cut in previous post), cubed into 2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, quartered
5 large garlic cloves, skinned and coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp liquid smoke
1 cup orange juice
Zest from 1/2 an orange
1 cup water
Cumin
Salt
Pepper
Granulated sugar
Generally season pork with cumin, salt, pepper, and sugar. Place onion and garlic in bottom of slow cooker. Put pork on top of vegetables, fat side up. Combine orange juice, zest, liquid smoke, and water, then pour over pork. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until pork easily shreds with a fork.
If you prefer to roast this in the oven, you can cut your liquids in half and put your pork on a grate in a roaster and cover with onion and garlic, then pour liquids over everything. Roast at 350 degrees for 2 hours with the lid on, then 1 hour with the lid off. The outside will get a little crispier than when cooked in a slow cooker.
Either way you make it, you should shred the meat with 2 forks, then incorporate a little bit of the cooking liquid back into the meat until it's nice and moist and juicy. Enjoy with tortillas and rice and beans, or make them into some tacos with cabbage and cheese!
Great for tacos and burritos, carnitas is pretty much just shredded pork that's been slow-roasted. Carnitas is usually made from a "pork butt", which is actually a pork shoulder roast. For my recipe, I use a pork loin end. You get a lot more meat from a loin, instead of all the fat. I make mine in the slow cooker instead of the oven, so I add extra liquid to keep it moist since there isn't as much fat.
Carnitas
4 pounds pork butt (some of the fat removed) or loin end (as cut in previous post), cubed into 2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, quartered
5 large garlic cloves, skinned and coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp liquid smoke
1 cup orange juice
Zest from 1/2 an orange
1 cup water
Cumin
Salt
Pepper
Granulated sugar
Generally season pork with cumin, salt, pepper, and sugar. Place onion and garlic in bottom of slow cooker. Put pork on top of vegetables, fat side up. Combine orange juice, zest, liquid smoke, and water, then pour over pork. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until pork easily shreds with a fork.
If you prefer to roast this in the oven, you can cut your liquids in half and put your pork on a grate in a roaster and cover with onion and garlic, then pour liquids over everything. Roast at 350 degrees for 2 hours with the lid on, then 1 hour with the lid off. The outside will get a little crispier than when cooked in a slow cooker.
Either way you make it, you should shred the meat with 2 forks, then incorporate a little bit of the cooking liquid back into the meat until it's nice and moist and juicy. Enjoy with tortillas and rice and beans, or make them into some tacos with cabbage and cheese!
Cheap Meat
Well, once again I've fallen behind in my blog entries. I have a list of entries I need to post, but just can't make the time to do it. I'll try to catch up with 3 posts today.
This post is just a short note about pork. As I've mentioned before, we raise our own beef, and I only buy pork when it's on sale in loin form. Well, this little piggy went to the market (Safeway) the other day and found pork loins on sale for $1.99 a pound. Although Sam's Club is usually cheaper at $1.88 a pound, I'd rather save my gas and buy one locally while I can. Even though I still have one in the deep freeze, it doesn't hurt to stockpile while it's on sale. By the way, they're on sale at Safeway until the end of Tuesday!
I bought a 7 3/4 pound loin, so it was almost $16. That $16 will make roughly 10 meals for my family. For a larger family, you should get at least 5 or 6 meals. From each loin, you can cut 2 roasts and 8-12 loin chops from the middle. The ends are your roasts. Here's what the whole loin looks like in the package:
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Here's how to cut it:
After washing your whole loin, gently squeeze from each end working toward the middle. While "massaging" the meat, you'll feel a change in the firmness when you get to the tenderloin (which will become your chops). When you feel the meat becoming a little more tender, stop and cut. A good clue to where the tenderloin begins is where the meat becomes more narrow. Repeat this step on the other end. The ends are your roasts. Once you have your tenderloin separated, you can begin cutting your chops. I usually cut mine at least an inch thick, but it depends on what you will be cooking them for. Really thick chops aren't usually great for grilling because the outsides get way too done before the middle does, so I'd cut them a little thinner for grilling.
Here's what my loin looked like after cutting (roast ends are on top):
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From your roast ends, you can make a large variety of things. Throw it in the smoker, or in the slow cooker, or in a roaster in the oven with some veggies. I usually put them in the slow cooker with a little bit of liquid smoke and a quartered onion. Once they're cooked, I shred them and can add different things to change the taste for different dishes. For instance, one night we'll have shredded pork tacos (see Carnitas recipe in next post), and another night we'll have pulled pork sandwiches with BBQ sauce.
A great investment for your small appliance collection is a Food Saver, or other vacuum sealer. It takes about 10 minutes to wash, cut, and package an entire loin for freezing. It will last a lot longer in the freezer if it's vaccum sealed. You can also vacuum seal leftover cooked and shredded meat, for a quick warm-up meal later.
Check out the next post for an awesome Carnitas recipe!
This post is just a short note about pork. As I've mentioned before, we raise our own beef, and I only buy pork when it's on sale in loin form. Well, this little piggy went to the market (Safeway) the other day and found pork loins on sale for $1.99 a pound. Although Sam's Club is usually cheaper at $1.88 a pound, I'd rather save my gas and buy one locally while I can. Even though I still have one in the deep freeze, it doesn't hurt to stockpile while it's on sale. By the way, they're on sale at Safeway until the end of Tuesday!
I bought a 7 3/4 pound loin, so it was almost $16. That $16 will make roughly 10 meals for my family. For a larger family, you should get at least 5 or 6 meals. From each loin, you can cut 2 roasts and 8-12 loin chops from the middle. The ends are your roasts. Here's what the whole loin looks like in the package:
Here's how to cut it:
After washing your whole loin, gently squeeze from each end working toward the middle. While "massaging" the meat, you'll feel a change in the firmness when you get to the tenderloin (which will become your chops). When you feel the meat becoming a little more tender, stop and cut. A good clue to where the tenderloin begins is where the meat becomes more narrow. Repeat this step on the other end. The ends are your roasts. Once you have your tenderloin separated, you can begin cutting your chops. I usually cut mine at least an inch thick, but it depends on what you will be cooking them for. Really thick chops aren't usually great for grilling because the outsides get way too done before the middle does, so I'd cut them a little thinner for grilling.
Here's what my loin looked like after cutting (roast ends are on top):
From your roast ends, you can make a large variety of things. Throw it in the smoker, or in the slow cooker, or in a roaster in the oven with some veggies. I usually put them in the slow cooker with a little bit of liquid smoke and a quartered onion. Once they're cooked, I shred them and can add different things to change the taste for different dishes. For instance, one night we'll have shredded pork tacos (see Carnitas recipe in next post), and another night we'll have pulled pork sandwiches with BBQ sauce.
A great investment for your small appliance collection is a Food Saver, or other vacuum sealer. It takes about 10 minutes to wash, cut, and package an entire loin for freezing. It will last a lot longer in the freezer if it's vaccum sealed. You can also vacuum seal leftover cooked and shredded meat, for a quick warm-up meal later.
Check out the next post for an awesome Carnitas recipe!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Future Foods
I was presented with an awesome opportunity a few weeks ago by my old college roommate. Her husband is the president of Future Food brands, and asked if I would be willing to blog about their products and write some new recipes. The two brands I was asked to write about are Santa Barbara Bay and Salads of the Sea. Of course, I jumped at the proposition! What a great incentive to eat!
I recieved two boxes full of dips, salads, and tater toppers the day before we left for vacation. It just so happened that I had let my cupboards and fridge run empty in preparation for vacation; we got lucky to get food in the mail so we didn't have to starve!
I was totally unprepared for how delicious everything looked once I got it! The packages are all BPA free, and freezer and microwave safe, and reusable with tight-fitting lids.
The company's website is very easy to use, and has a great list of recipes for many of their products. There is also a 'Where to Buy' search engine. Most Walmart stores carry some of the products in their deli section (around the containers of potato salads). Check out http://www.futurefoodbrands.com/ and click on 'Our Brands' or go to http://santabarbarabay.com/ or http://saladsofthesea.com/.
Through a little bit of preliminary research, I knew what the different products were. Santa Barbara Bay offers an array of dips, including Spinach, Chunky Artichoke, Creamy Dill and more. Their best seller for several years running has been the Cajun Krab Dip. They also introduced new lines of Greek Yogurt-based dips, and Tater Toppers. We tried the super creamy Bacon Ranch Tater Topper last night on a couple baked potatoes, and it was AWESOME! We could have eaten it right out of the container with a spoon!
Salads of the Sea also produces dips, but I'm in love with their Seafood Salad! I accidentally ate a whole container of it for lunch the day we left for vacation! The Seafood Salad and Italian Seafood Salad (pictured in wrap below) are both super quick and easy on a piece of flatbread or a tortilla with some spinach, rolled up in an easy and healthy wrap. The salads are full of huge chunks of imitation crabmeat, as well as a variety of vegetables. You can eat them by themselves, or as a sandwich, or as a cracker topper. The possibilities are endless (and there are great recipes on their website).
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Because some of my shipment of dips is getting ready to expire, I'm trying to use as many as possible this week. Last night, I also tried the Santa Barbara Bay Chunky Artichoke dip as a sauce on our vegetables. I warmed up a California Mix (asparagus, mushrooms, carrots, brocolli, cauliflower) and stirred in a couple heaping spoonfuls of Chunky Artichoke dip. It is full of chunks of artichoke and shredded parmesan cheese. My husband was a little skeptical at first (warm dip on veggies?), but after one bite, he was taken. It was way better than any cheese sauce! I've never seen him eat so many vegetables at once!
Tonight, I'll be using a Greek Yogurt Creamy Dill dip on chicken in Greek-style pitas. I'll let you all know how we fare!
I recieved two boxes full of dips, salads, and tater toppers the day before we left for vacation. It just so happened that I had let my cupboards and fridge run empty in preparation for vacation; we got lucky to get food in the mail so we didn't have to starve!
I was totally unprepared for how delicious everything looked once I got it! The packages are all BPA free, and freezer and microwave safe, and reusable with tight-fitting lids.
The company's website is very easy to use, and has a great list of recipes for many of their products. There is also a 'Where to Buy' search engine. Most Walmart stores carry some of the products in their deli section (around the containers of potato salads). Check out http://www.futurefoodbrands.com/ and click on 'Our Brands' or go to http://santabarbarabay.com/ or http://saladsofthesea.com/.
Through a little bit of preliminary research, I knew what the different products were. Santa Barbara Bay offers an array of dips, including Spinach, Chunky Artichoke, Creamy Dill and more. Their best seller for several years running has been the Cajun Krab Dip. They also introduced new lines of Greek Yogurt-based dips, and Tater Toppers. We tried the super creamy Bacon Ranch Tater Topper last night on a couple baked potatoes, and it was AWESOME! We could have eaten it right out of the container with a spoon!
Salads of the Sea also produces dips, but I'm in love with their Seafood Salad! I accidentally ate a whole container of it for lunch the day we left for vacation! The Seafood Salad and Italian Seafood Salad (pictured in wrap below) are both super quick and easy on a piece of flatbread or a tortilla with some spinach, rolled up in an easy and healthy wrap. The salads are full of huge chunks of imitation crabmeat, as well as a variety of vegetables. You can eat them by themselves, or as a sandwich, or as a cracker topper. The possibilities are endless (and there are great recipes on their website).
Tonight, I'll be using a Greek Yogurt Creamy Dill dip on chicken in Greek-style pitas. I'll let you all know how we fare!
It's Been A Long Time Baby!
My family just returned from vacation in Montana. While on vacation, we didn't have phone or internet service for the first 2 days. By the third day, I was enjoying myself so much, I forgot what the internet was! By the seventh day, I missed my faithful 5 and decided to post a report on the fantastic foods we had eaten so far on our trip. I was almost done with my post when I hit a wrong button and wiped it all out! I was pretty disgusted at first, but it turned out to be a good thing because we ended up eating awesome Mexican food about as far from Mexico as you can get!
We started our trip in Pony, Montana, with a family potluck for Father's Day. There were two outstanding dishes that I couldn't get enough of, and will be making at home. First was Cheesy Potato O'Brien casserole. When I asked how to make it, I was told to "throw frozen O'Brien potatoes, cheese, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup in a dish and bake it". So there you go....I'm going to try it with some chopped up ham inside. The other dish was shredded BBQ elk. It was awesome! I like most big game (except venison), but grass-fed game is the best. Northern meat has such a richer flavor than the weed-fed stuff we get down here.
On to Helena we went, by way of the 3 Forks cafe' in Three Forks, MT. The four of us each had something different, and each plate was fabulous. The special of the day included pea salad, which is my husband's favorite. It was pretty good, but was a little runny and not as tasty as mine! To make it, thaw some frozen peas, and mix with chopped red onion, grated cheddar cheese, crumbled feta, chopped hardboiled egg, chopped ham, and equal parts mayo and ranch. We eat it as an entree with some bread!
My husband's aunt has celiac disease, so every year we get a taste of a gluten-free diet. I really like the breads, as they have a dense, moister consistency than regular bread with wheat. This year, she made a homemade gluten-free strawberry cake that was delectable! As much as I love bread, it really is easy to substitute with other grains and roots. Instead of biscuits and gravy, we had hash browns and gravy, which was just as good.
One of my favorite places on earth is Marysville, MT. It is an old mining town, nearly abandoned except for a dozen or so people and the Marysville House. The Marysville House is a wonderful restaurant and bar that is the only public building still open in town among the many buildings that were boarded up and left to rot along main street after the mines ran dry. You can check out the place at http://www.marysvillemontana.com/. Ten years ago, the kitchen was screened in outside, and you had to walk through it to get to the back patio and horseshoe pits. Every night, the bonfire out back is lit, and you can roast marshmallows for dessert. Now, the horseshoe pits and bonfire are still there, but the health department put the kabosh on the outdoors cooking so the owners had to build a new kitchen inside. The dining room is small and dark, except for gas lanterns on the walls and oil candles on the tables. The walls have been etched and written on by countless guests (my name is still legible from 10 years ago), and the tables are handmade wooden picnic tables with benches. Our family took up three tables this trip, which was half of the seating in the entire restaurant. Ten years ago, the menu was very basic and was posted on the wall: steak, lobster, or trout. This year, the menu was quite extensive (as compared to last time) with two cuts of steak, pork loin, shrimp scampi, 1/2 chicken, crab, lobster and an oyster skillet. You don't get a salad, but you don't need one either. The portions are huge-20 to 24 ounce steaks, lobsters, and pork loins, double-scoop of beans, whole corn on the cob, about a pound of sauteed mushrooms, and endless bread. I had the pork loin, and boy was it delicious! It was barbecue charred on the outside and super juicy and tender inside. Prices are a little high, but you're paying for the atmosphere, experience, and a huge hunk o' meat! I highly recommend a stop there, and don't forget to put a tack in your hometown on the map! There are two from Winslow......wonder who the other Winslonian is?
It's really hard to beat Marysville, but a little Mexican restaurant called Melaques in downtown Helena tried pretty hard to come close. The owners of the place are from Melaques, Mexico, and have a done a pretty good job in bringing decent Mexican food to the gates of the Rockies. I had a shredded beef chimichanga that boasted a nice hint of cinnamon in the meat that was quite surprising. To add to the cinnamon, which I love, the red sauce on top of the chimi had a small dose of peanut butter that added some sweetness and extra flavor.
Of course, there's no place like home. As soon as we got home, we had to get a filling of our favorite Mexican food at the E & O Kitchen at the airport in Winslow, AZ. I love the hearty, savory flavors of the north country foods that I grew up on, but I LOVE the burn of good Mexican food even more!
We started our trip in Pony, Montana, with a family potluck for Father's Day. There were two outstanding dishes that I couldn't get enough of, and will be making at home. First was Cheesy Potato O'Brien casserole. When I asked how to make it, I was told to "throw frozen O'Brien potatoes, cheese, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup in a dish and bake it". So there you go....I'm going to try it with some chopped up ham inside. The other dish was shredded BBQ elk. It was awesome! I like most big game (except venison), but grass-fed game is the best. Northern meat has such a richer flavor than the weed-fed stuff we get down here.
On to Helena we went, by way of the 3 Forks cafe' in Three Forks, MT. The four of us each had something different, and each plate was fabulous. The special of the day included pea salad, which is my husband's favorite. It was pretty good, but was a little runny and not as tasty as mine! To make it, thaw some frozen peas, and mix with chopped red onion, grated cheddar cheese, crumbled feta, chopped hardboiled egg, chopped ham, and equal parts mayo and ranch. We eat it as an entree with some bread!
My husband's aunt has celiac disease, so every year we get a taste of a gluten-free diet. I really like the breads, as they have a dense, moister consistency than regular bread with wheat. This year, she made a homemade gluten-free strawberry cake that was delectable! As much as I love bread, it really is easy to substitute with other grains and roots. Instead of biscuits and gravy, we had hash browns and gravy, which was just as good.
One of my favorite places on earth is Marysville, MT. It is an old mining town, nearly abandoned except for a dozen or so people and the Marysville House. The Marysville House is a wonderful restaurant and bar that is the only public building still open in town among the many buildings that were boarded up and left to rot along main street after the mines ran dry. You can check out the place at http://www.marysvillemontana.com/. Ten years ago, the kitchen was screened in outside, and you had to walk through it to get to the back patio and horseshoe pits. Every night, the bonfire out back is lit, and you can roast marshmallows for dessert. Now, the horseshoe pits and bonfire are still there, but the health department put the kabosh on the outdoors cooking so the owners had to build a new kitchen inside. The dining room is small and dark, except for gas lanterns on the walls and oil candles on the tables. The walls have been etched and written on by countless guests (my name is still legible from 10 years ago), and the tables are handmade wooden picnic tables with benches. Our family took up three tables this trip, which was half of the seating in the entire restaurant. Ten years ago, the menu was very basic and was posted on the wall: steak, lobster, or trout. This year, the menu was quite extensive (as compared to last time) with two cuts of steak, pork loin, shrimp scampi, 1/2 chicken, crab, lobster and an oyster skillet. You don't get a salad, but you don't need one either. The portions are huge-20 to 24 ounce steaks, lobsters, and pork loins, double-scoop of beans, whole corn on the cob, about a pound of sauteed mushrooms, and endless bread. I had the pork loin, and boy was it delicious! It was barbecue charred on the outside and super juicy and tender inside. Prices are a little high, but you're paying for the atmosphere, experience, and a huge hunk o' meat! I highly recommend a stop there, and don't forget to put a tack in your hometown on the map! There are two from Winslow......wonder who the other Winslonian is?
It's really hard to beat Marysville, but a little Mexican restaurant called Melaques in downtown Helena tried pretty hard to come close. The owners of the place are from Melaques, Mexico, and have a done a pretty good job in bringing decent Mexican food to the gates of the Rockies. I had a shredded beef chimichanga that boasted a nice hint of cinnamon in the meat that was quite surprising. To add to the cinnamon, which I love, the red sauce on top of the chimi had a small dose of peanut butter that added some sweetness and extra flavor.
Of course, there's no place like home. As soon as we got home, we had to get a filling of our favorite Mexican food at the E & O Kitchen at the airport in Winslow, AZ. I love the hearty, savory flavors of the north country foods that I grew up on, but I LOVE the burn of good Mexican food even more!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The Best BBQ Corn EVER!
I feel like such a let-down. I haven't posted in nearly a week! I'm so sorry if I let any of my faithful 5 down! It's been a busy week, getting ready for vacation while still plugging away on the daily grind.
Anyways, it's been so hot that I'm trying to get all my best barbecue recipes out there for you all to enjoy. This corn recipe comes from Paula Deen. I saw a variation of it this morning on the Today show, but it just didn't look as good.
Mayonnaise is the main ingredient in this. The first time I made it, my husband was quite skeptical. But he loved it upon first bite! The first time we made it for friends while camping, we didn't tell anyone how it was made. Everyone loved it, then were absolutely amazed when we told them it had mayo on it. The mayo cooks down and makes the seasonings stick to the super plump and crispy corn.
It is very helpful to have an extra pair of hands to prepare the corn for grilling. It can get a little messy. I also suggest taking off any rings so the mayo doesn't goop them up.
BBQ Red Chili Mayo Corn
Corn on the cob
Mayonnaise
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Chili powder
Shuck corn and remove the silk, then wash. Slather each cob with plenty of mayo. Sprinkle each cob with desired seasonings, while turning cobs so that seasonings distribute evenly. Rub seasonings into each cob, then roll up each cob in foil. Grill corn on low (about 300 degrees) over direct heat for 20 minutes, turning cobs every 5 minutes.
Happy grilling!
Anyways, it's been so hot that I'm trying to get all my best barbecue recipes out there for you all to enjoy. This corn recipe comes from Paula Deen. I saw a variation of it this morning on the Today show, but it just didn't look as good.
Mayonnaise is the main ingredient in this. The first time I made it, my husband was quite skeptical. But he loved it upon first bite! The first time we made it for friends while camping, we didn't tell anyone how it was made. Everyone loved it, then were absolutely amazed when we told them it had mayo on it. The mayo cooks down and makes the seasonings stick to the super plump and crispy corn.
It is very helpful to have an extra pair of hands to prepare the corn for grilling. It can get a little messy. I also suggest taking off any rings so the mayo doesn't goop them up.
BBQ Red Chili Mayo Corn
Corn on the cob
Mayonnaise
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Chili powder
Shuck corn and remove the silk, then wash. Slather each cob with plenty of mayo. Sprinkle each cob with desired seasonings, while turning cobs so that seasonings distribute evenly. Rub seasonings into each cob, then roll up each cob in foil. Grill corn on low (about 300 degrees) over direct heat for 20 minutes, turning cobs every 5 minutes.
Happy grilling!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Panny Cake, Panny Cake, Not a Baker Girl
I've been making pancakes from scratch since I was about 8 years old. In fact, I had the recipe (from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book) memorized. It was the first thing I learned how to make on my own, and I was so proud that I made them for everyone who would eat them.
Since then, I've learned that you can add fun things to your pancakes and they can add some nutrition or just another dimension of flavor. I've also started using wheat flour instead of all purpose flour.
Some of the things I add are mashed banana, applesauce, chocolate chips, berries, and corn. Yes, I said CORN! If I make them as "corn fritters", I also add a little cornmeal. You can also use a can of cream style corn; you'll have to decrease the milk and delete the sugar so as not to make corn soup. I also use a little more oil in my electric skillet, so that they fry a little crisper than regular pancakes.
The recipe below is doubled. I have a large electric griddle on which I can make at least four 5" pancakes at a time. I allow leftovers to cool completely, then stagger them (spread them out, not stack one on top of each other) in a gallon freezer bag. Squeeze as much air out as possible, then lay flat in the freezer. If you stagger them, they easily come apart for reheating. A 5" pancake takes about 45 seconds to heat in the microwave.
Whole Wheat Pancakes
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 beaten eggs
2+ c. milk
2 Tbsp. canola oil + some for skillet if you want crispy edges
Mix all dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Make a well in center, then add all wet ingredients and mix them in the well before mixing entire batter. If you are using applesauce or any other "wet" addition (like cream corn), don't add the oil to the batter. You may have to add more milk to make batter the right consistency, which is smooth and slightly pourable, but not soupy.
If you are using an electric skillet or griddle, 325 is about the right temperature. To test if your skillet is the right temperature, sprinkle a few drops of water on the skillet. They should "dance" across the skillet. To test if your pancakes are ready to turn, the bubbles that form on the uncooked side should be starting to pop. To test if the pancake is done on both sides, lightly press on the puffy center. If it falls, it's not done. If it holds its puffiness, it should be done!
There you have it. The ins and outs of pancakes. I seriously never thought I could write an entire long post about pancakes. Of course, you can always just use a whole wheat pancake mix, and add some good stuff, but it's just not the same as homemade!
Since then, I've learned that you can add fun things to your pancakes and they can add some nutrition or just another dimension of flavor. I've also started using wheat flour instead of all purpose flour.
Some of the things I add are mashed banana, applesauce, chocolate chips, berries, and corn. Yes, I said CORN! If I make them as "corn fritters", I also add a little cornmeal. You can also use a can of cream style corn; you'll have to decrease the milk and delete the sugar so as not to make corn soup. I also use a little more oil in my electric skillet, so that they fry a little crisper than regular pancakes.
The recipe below is doubled. I have a large electric griddle on which I can make at least four 5" pancakes at a time. I allow leftovers to cool completely, then stagger them (spread them out, not stack one on top of each other) in a gallon freezer bag. Squeeze as much air out as possible, then lay flat in the freezer. If you stagger them, they easily come apart for reheating. A 5" pancake takes about 45 seconds to heat in the microwave.
Whole Wheat Pancakes
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 beaten eggs
2+ c. milk
2 Tbsp. canola oil + some for skillet if you want crispy edges
Mix all dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Make a well in center, then add all wet ingredients and mix them in the well before mixing entire batter. If you are using applesauce or any other "wet" addition (like cream corn), don't add the oil to the batter. You may have to add more milk to make batter the right consistency, which is smooth and slightly pourable, but not soupy.
If you are using an electric skillet or griddle, 325 is about the right temperature. To test if your skillet is the right temperature, sprinkle a few drops of water on the skillet. They should "dance" across the skillet. To test if your pancakes are ready to turn, the bubbles that form on the uncooked side should be starting to pop. To test if the pancake is done on both sides, lightly press on the puffy center. If it falls, it's not done. If it holds its puffiness, it should be done!
There you have it. The ins and outs of pancakes. I seriously never thought I could write an entire long post about pancakes. Of course, you can always just use a whole wheat pancake mix, and add some good stuff, but it's just not the same as homemade!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Mexican Barbecue and *TOP SECRET* Steak Marinade
This recipe is really easy, and can be made entirely on the grill. If you like steak and green chiles, you'll love it! There are a couple ways you can make the steaks, depending on how thick you want your slices and how many people you are serving.
You can take a shortcut from the grocery store butcher, and have a boneless rump roast sliced super thin. In our grocery store, we ask for "asada" style. If your butcher isn't familiar with that, ask for very thin, like sandwich thin.
We usually eat a lot of Mexican BBQ when London Broils are on sale. I marinate them, grill them, slice what we need for that meal, then freeze the rest already cooked.
I'm about to release a very valuable secret family recipe. This recipe is for the best steak marinade known to man. It will tenderize any steak; it's been known to turn a round steak into filet mignon. The marinade is so secret, you don't even have to write it down. Seriously, it's so simple (only two ingredients) that you don't have to write it down!
Steak Marinade
Can of Coke (yep, that's right....Coca Cola)
Can of El Pato (the tomato sauce in the yellow can)
That's all folks! If you've ever dropped a penny in a can of coke, then pulled it out the next day, you've seen the disintigrating power of the stuff. It breaks down the proteins in the steak so that you can almost cut it with a fork after marinating over night. The El Pato adds a great flavor. It doesn't lend its spiciness overwhelmingly, but the acid in the tomato sauce counteracts the sweetness of the Coke. I actually don't recommend marinating thinner steaks overnight in it. It just turns into mush. I would only do it for a maximum of 6 hours.
Back to the Mexican BBQ. You can use flour tortillas or corn, whatever you prefer. If you use corn, you should butter one side of it (and grill butter-side-down). I highly recommend using fresh roasted green chiles (or even frozen fresh ones). You can use canned whole chiles, but they're just not as good. As far as cheese goes, anything goes. We've used colby-jack, Mexican blend, pepper-jack, and gouda. They're all good. This recipe is so versatile, which makes it easier and pleases just about everyone.
Everything cooks so quickly on the grill, that it is essential to have everything prepared and ready to go on the grill. The meat is best to go first. It can rest under a foil tent when done, while grilling the chiles and tortillas.
Mexican BBQ (recipe for 4-6 people)
2 pounds boneless rump roast, sliced very thin, or London Broil
4-6 large whole green chiles
18 corn or small flour tortillas
1/2 pound shredded or sliced cheese
Butter
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Marinate steak (if using sliced steak, only need to marinate for 30 minutes or so) then season with Montreal Steak seasoning or other favorite steak seasoning. On a large tray or baking sheet, lay out several tortillas (don't forget to butter one side of the corn tortillas) and spread cheese on half of each tortilla (like a half-moon). On another plate, drizzle olive oil on chiles then season chiles with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Preheat grill to 300 degrees. Grill steak over medium-low heat until desired done-ness. Remove from grill or place on warming rack. Place chiles and tortillas on the grill (butter side down, cheese side up of course). Turn chiles after just a minute. Remove from grill when cheese is melted and bubbly and chiles have grill lines and are hot. Place one whole chile and at least one slice of steak on half of each tortilla, then fold the other side over (like a taco).
These are a meal by themselves. However, if you want a little side dish, ghetto corn is always good (see previous post), or some pinto beans with green chiles, onions and bacon, or some rice with corn, peas, diced carrots, and diced green chiles. You get the idea.....anything with chiles is good!
You can take a shortcut from the grocery store butcher, and have a boneless rump roast sliced super thin. In our grocery store, we ask for "asada" style. If your butcher isn't familiar with that, ask for very thin, like sandwich thin.
We usually eat a lot of Mexican BBQ when London Broils are on sale. I marinate them, grill them, slice what we need for that meal, then freeze the rest already cooked.
I'm about to release a very valuable secret family recipe. This recipe is for the best steak marinade known to man. It will tenderize any steak; it's been known to turn a round steak into filet mignon. The marinade is so secret, you don't even have to write it down. Seriously, it's so simple (only two ingredients) that you don't have to write it down!
Steak Marinade
Can of Coke (yep, that's right....Coca Cola)
Can of El Pato (the tomato sauce in the yellow can)
That's all folks! If you've ever dropped a penny in a can of coke, then pulled it out the next day, you've seen the disintigrating power of the stuff. It breaks down the proteins in the steak so that you can almost cut it with a fork after marinating over night. The El Pato adds a great flavor. It doesn't lend its spiciness overwhelmingly, but the acid in the tomato sauce counteracts the sweetness of the Coke. I actually don't recommend marinating thinner steaks overnight in it. It just turns into mush. I would only do it for a maximum of 6 hours.
Back to the Mexican BBQ. You can use flour tortillas or corn, whatever you prefer. If you use corn, you should butter one side of it (and grill butter-side-down). I highly recommend using fresh roasted green chiles (or even frozen fresh ones). You can use canned whole chiles, but they're just not as good. As far as cheese goes, anything goes. We've used colby-jack, Mexican blend, pepper-jack, and gouda. They're all good. This recipe is so versatile, which makes it easier and pleases just about everyone.
Everything cooks so quickly on the grill, that it is essential to have everything prepared and ready to go on the grill. The meat is best to go first. It can rest under a foil tent when done, while grilling the chiles and tortillas.
Mexican BBQ (recipe for 4-6 people)
2 pounds boneless rump roast, sliced very thin, or London Broil
4-6 large whole green chiles
18 corn or small flour tortillas
1/2 pound shredded or sliced cheese
Butter
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Marinate steak (if using sliced steak, only need to marinate for 30 minutes or so) then season with Montreal Steak seasoning or other favorite steak seasoning. On a large tray or baking sheet, lay out several tortillas (don't forget to butter one side of the corn tortillas) and spread cheese on half of each tortilla (like a half-moon). On another plate, drizzle olive oil on chiles then season chiles with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Preheat grill to 300 degrees. Grill steak over medium-low heat until desired done-ness. Remove from grill or place on warming rack. Place chiles and tortillas on the grill (butter side down, cheese side up of course). Turn chiles after just a minute. Remove from grill when cheese is melted and bubbly and chiles have grill lines and are hot. Place one whole chile and at least one slice of steak on half of each tortilla, then fold the other side over (like a taco).
These are a meal by themselves. However, if you want a little side dish, ghetto corn is always good (see previous post), or some pinto beans with green chiles, onions and bacon, or some rice with corn, peas, diced carrots, and diced green chiles. You get the idea.....anything with chiles is good!
Today's Magic Word is "Substitutions"
Here's the scenario: it's 8 pm and I find out I need to take cupcakes to tomorrow's daycare party. No problem, I have a box of cake mix and a can of frosting, eggs, and oil.........OH MY GOSH, I'M OUT OF OIL! What to do now? I'm sure as heck not driving to the grocery store at 8 pm, and I have no neighbors from which to borrow oil, but I have applesauce!
See, if you know the purpose for a missing ingredient, it's usually quite simple to find a substitution. Oil, for example, is primarily used for moisture. Applesauce doesn't cook out, and you can't taste it once cooked. I usually use applesauce instead of oil for pancakes, waffles, cakes, etc. Honey is usually used to add a chewy constitency to a baked good. If you're lacking honey, try a 5:1 ratio of granulated sugar and water (1 cup honey=1 1/4 c sugar+1/4 c water). Baking powder is a leavening agent. When the Clabber Girl is gone, use 1/4 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (equals 1 tsp baking powder). One substitution that I use frequently is for cream. This is only to be used for cooking or baking a recipe calling for heavy cream, not for whipping cream. I use this most often for a cream sauce or scalloped potatoes. 1 c. heavy cream=3/4 c. whole milk+1/4 cup melted butter. There are many more substitutions that can be found online or in the reference section of a basic cookbook (like Better Homes and Gardens or McCalls Cooking School).
Some substitutions can be used as an added ingredient to sneak a little more nutrition into an empty-calorie food. Spinach, mushrooms, tofu and squash are easy to hide and take on the flavor of whatever it is they're cooked with. I always make my brownies with zucchini. Shhhhh....my picky husband and toddler don't know! Using a good grater or microplane, finely shred your squash and add it, along with a enough water to make the batter moist, in place of the oil. The brownies will bake up really high, thick, dense, moist and fudgy (ie. a little chewy). Once baked, you can't see, taste, or feel a difference at all. They'll keep for a week or so in a ziploc in the fridge. Same goes for pancakes with fruits or vegetables. It's really easy to mash up a banana very well, and sneak it into pancakes with a little applesauce and milk. Wilted and blended spinach can be added to pancakes also. The pancakes will turn green, but the kids might like the change. Just tell them you added a little "food coloring" to them. Spinach is a food, and it has color, so you're not really lying, right?!?
I hope some of you can find help in these suggestions. Later tonight, I'll post a Mexican BBQ recipe, made entirely on the grill. Really fast, cheap, easy and soooo yummy!
See, if you know the purpose for a missing ingredient, it's usually quite simple to find a substitution. Oil, for example, is primarily used for moisture. Applesauce doesn't cook out, and you can't taste it once cooked. I usually use applesauce instead of oil for pancakes, waffles, cakes, etc. Honey is usually used to add a chewy constitency to a baked good. If you're lacking honey, try a 5:1 ratio of granulated sugar and water (1 cup honey=1 1/4 c sugar+1/4 c water). Baking powder is a leavening agent. When the Clabber Girl is gone, use 1/4 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (equals 1 tsp baking powder). One substitution that I use frequently is for cream. This is only to be used for cooking or baking a recipe calling for heavy cream, not for whipping cream. I use this most often for a cream sauce or scalloped potatoes. 1 c. heavy cream=3/4 c. whole milk+1/4 cup melted butter. There are many more substitutions that can be found online or in the reference section of a basic cookbook (like Better Homes and Gardens or McCalls Cooking School).
Some substitutions can be used as an added ingredient to sneak a little more nutrition into an empty-calorie food. Spinach, mushrooms, tofu and squash are easy to hide and take on the flavor of whatever it is they're cooked with. I always make my brownies with zucchini. Shhhhh....my picky husband and toddler don't know! Using a good grater or microplane, finely shred your squash and add it, along with a enough water to make the batter moist, in place of the oil. The brownies will bake up really high, thick, dense, moist and fudgy (ie. a little chewy). Once baked, you can't see, taste, or feel a difference at all. They'll keep for a week or so in a ziploc in the fridge. Same goes for pancakes with fruits or vegetables. It's really easy to mash up a banana very well, and sneak it into pancakes with a little applesauce and milk. Wilted and blended spinach can be added to pancakes also. The pancakes will turn green, but the kids might like the change. Just tell them you added a little "food coloring" to them. Spinach is a food, and it has color, so you're not really lying, right?!?
I hope some of you can find help in these suggestions. Later tonight, I'll post a Mexican BBQ recipe, made entirely on the grill. Really fast, cheap, easy and soooo yummy!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Daddy's Night to Cook
So sorry to my faithful 5 for being MIA since Friday. It's been a long, busy, sick weekend. I didn't feel too hot yesterday, and the last thing I wanted to think about was food. Thanks to my loyal (and very hungry) hubby, he and the boy didn't starve. I had everything on stock for a super easy Daddy Gourmet meal.
Ham, like bacon, is a great thing to keep on hand, because it lasts quite a long time in the fridge. If you keep it in the freezer, it thaws quickly due to its high water content. And since it's already cooked, it's so fast to prepare. Pasta is another quick and easy ingredient. Now that some good whole wheat pastas are sold everywhere, I don't feel so bad giving it to my kiddo often.
This dish takes about 20 minutes from start to finish, and only requires 5 simple ingredients. It is much like a spaghetti carbonara, but we used leftover ham instead of the bacon or prosciutto in carbonara. Oh, and we didn't use spaghetti, we used whole wheat rotini. So maybe it's really not like carbonara because we took a shortcut from the dairy case and used a tub of cream cheese for the sauce. But it's a little smoky, cheesy, and has veggies and pasta, like carbonara!
Creamy Ham Rotini
1 lb. box whole wheat rotini or other corkscrew pasta
2 c. frozen Italian-style vegetables with asparagus
1/2 lb. cooked, diced ham or bacon
1 small container cream cheese with onions and chives
1/4 c. milk
Boil pasta for half the time directed on package. Halfway through cooking, add frozen veggies. Continue at low boil until pasta and vegetables are tender, then drain and return to low heat. Add ham, cream cheese, and milk. Stir constantly until cheese is completely melted and hot.
Ham, like bacon, is a great thing to keep on hand, because it lasts quite a long time in the fridge. If you keep it in the freezer, it thaws quickly due to its high water content. And since it's already cooked, it's so fast to prepare. Pasta is another quick and easy ingredient. Now that some good whole wheat pastas are sold everywhere, I don't feel so bad giving it to my kiddo often.
This dish takes about 20 minutes from start to finish, and only requires 5 simple ingredients. It is much like a spaghetti carbonara, but we used leftover ham instead of the bacon or prosciutto in carbonara. Oh, and we didn't use spaghetti, we used whole wheat rotini. So maybe it's really not like carbonara because we took a shortcut from the dairy case and used a tub of cream cheese for the sauce. But it's a little smoky, cheesy, and has veggies and pasta, like carbonara!
Creamy Ham Rotini
1 lb. box whole wheat rotini or other corkscrew pasta
2 c. frozen Italian-style vegetables with asparagus
1/2 lb. cooked, diced ham or bacon
1 small container cream cheese with onions and chives
1/4 c. milk
Boil pasta for half the time directed on package. Halfway through cooking, add frozen veggies. Continue at low boil until pasta and vegetables are tender, then drain and return to low heat. Add ham, cream cheese, and milk. Stir constantly until cheese is completely melted and hot.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Better Than Delivery BBQ Chicken Pizza
I admit, there's nothing like a good ol' pepperoni pizza. Unless you've ever had a barbecue chicken pizza. I love the smoky goodness of creamy gouda and barbecue sauce, and the lightness of grilled chicken and red onion.
I prefer my pizzas on a nice, thick crust. However, bread making just does not run in my family. (Right MOM?) I usually make any pizzas we eat at home. That way, I can control the amount of sauce and cheese and other toppings. It never fails, that if we order pizza out, we either get too much sauce or two little cheese. We like a little sauce and A LOT of cheese and meat!
If you're really ambitious, you can make your own crust from scratch. There are also yeast-based mixes (ie Jiffy Pizza Crust mix) that you just add hot water to, let rise, then knead and stretch. That is what I used last night. It just didn't rise as much as I'd have liked. Pillsbury pop-can crusts are also ok, but don't get rise much either. They're great if you like a thin, crispy crust. Of course, you can also use a Boboli, or other such pre-made, crust. They're super easy, thick and bready. The biggest disadvantage is that I put my cheese on the bottom, right on top of the crust. That way, when the crust cooks, the cheese melts into it, and adds a whole new dimension of flavor. With a pre-made crust, you don't get that melding of flavors because the crust is already cooked.
The chicken is best two different ways. I like to take a shortcut from the grocery store deli, and grab a rotisserie chicken. We never eat a chicken the way it's meant to be eaten; I usually tear it apart as soon as it's cool enough to handle, and use it for either pizza or enchiladas. You can also season some boneless skinless chicken breasts with Montreal steak season (I use it for everything in case you haven't noticed) and throw them on the grill until they're done, then cut them up (which is what I used for the pizza pictured below).
BBQ Chicken Pizza
Pizza crust (whatever you prefer to use)
Sliced smoked gouda cheese
Barbecue sauce (your favorite brand, we love Sweet Baby Rays original)
1 lb. chopped grilled chicken
1/4 large diced red onion
1/4 c. finely chopped parsely or cilantro
1/2 shredded provolone cheese, if desired
Top crust in exactly the order listed above, covering the crust with the slices of gouda. You can top the whole pizza with provolone if you want even more cheese. Bake according to crust directions.
I prefer my pizzas on a nice, thick crust. However, bread making just does not run in my family. (Right MOM?) I usually make any pizzas we eat at home. That way, I can control the amount of sauce and cheese and other toppings. It never fails, that if we order pizza out, we either get too much sauce or two little cheese. We like a little sauce and A LOT of cheese and meat!
If you're really ambitious, you can make your own crust from scratch. There are also yeast-based mixes (ie Jiffy Pizza Crust mix) that you just add hot water to, let rise, then knead and stretch. That is what I used last night. It just didn't rise as much as I'd have liked. Pillsbury pop-can crusts are also ok, but don't get rise much either. They're great if you like a thin, crispy crust. Of course, you can also use a Boboli, or other such pre-made, crust. They're super easy, thick and bready. The biggest disadvantage is that I put my cheese on the bottom, right on top of the crust. That way, when the crust cooks, the cheese melts into it, and adds a whole new dimension of flavor. With a pre-made crust, you don't get that melding of flavors because the crust is already cooked.
The chicken is best two different ways. I like to take a shortcut from the grocery store deli, and grab a rotisserie chicken. We never eat a chicken the way it's meant to be eaten; I usually tear it apart as soon as it's cool enough to handle, and use it for either pizza or enchiladas. You can also season some boneless skinless chicken breasts with Montreal steak season (I use it for everything in case you haven't noticed) and throw them on the grill until they're done, then cut them up (which is what I used for the pizza pictured below).
BBQ Chicken Pizza
Pizza crust (whatever you prefer to use)
Sliced smoked gouda cheese
Barbecue sauce (your favorite brand, we love Sweet Baby Rays original)
1 lb. chopped grilled chicken
1/4 large diced red onion
1/4 c. finely chopped parsely or cilantro
1/2 shredded provolone cheese, if desired
Top crust in exactly the order listed above, covering the crust with the slices of gouda. You can top the whole pizza with provolone if you want even more cheese. Bake according to crust directions.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Prune Juice Chicken.....or pork
We all know that Dr. Pepper is really carbonated prune juice, right? Well, originally it may have been a little something like that, but over the years it's changed a bit. It's still my vice, though; I am a Dr. Pepper addict. If you've never cooked with it, you're missing out. It's especially good with pork or chicken, as white meats tend to soak up more of the sweet flavor and some pretty color.
This is a super easy dish, but it's not super quick. It's best in a slow cooker or roasted in a dutch oven in the oven or over a campfire. I've cooked it on the stovetop, too, but it tends to cook too quickly and just isn't the same.
There are so many variations and so many ways to serve them. If you use a pork roast, it can be shredded and used for pulled pork sandwiches with some BBQ sauce (my preference is Sweet Baby Ray's Raspberry Chipotle). If you use pork chops or chicken pieces (either thighs or breasts), you can top them with some BBQ sauce and dish them up with some potato salad and/or cole slaw, baked beans and biscuits. Any way you do it, the tasty and juicy meat just falls apart.
Dr. Pepper Chicken or Pork
Pork-butt (shoulder roast) or thick chops or loin roast
Chicken-boneless, skinless breasts or thighs or breasts (bone-in)
Dr. Pepper (depending on how much meat you are making, I'd use a 2-liter bottle so you make sure you have enough)
Pepper
Place meat in bottom of the pot, crock, or dutch oven, folding thin edges under to make uniform thickness. Season with pepper (don't really need salt, as the soda has enough), then cover with Dr. Pepper. Simmer low and slow until the juices are clear and the meat falls apart. The meat will soak up all the color. If you shred a pork roast after cooking, drain the fat off the leftover liquid then add some of the liquid back in with the meat to keep it moist.
This is a super easy dish, but it's not super quick. It's best in a slow cooker or roasted in a dutch oven in the oven or over a campfire. I've cooked it on the stovetop, too, but it tends to cook too quickly and just isn't the same.
There are so many variations and so many ways to serve them. If you use a pork roast, it can be shredded and used for pulled pork sandwiches with some BBQ sauce (my preference is Sweet Baby Ray's Raspberry Chipotle). If you use pork chops or chicken pieces (either thighs or breasts), you can top them with some BBQ sauce and dish them up with some potato salad and/or cole slaw, baked beans and biscuits. Any way you do it, the tasty and juicy meat just falls apart.
Dr. Pepper Chicken or Pork
Pork-butt (shoulder roast) or thick chops or loin roast
Chicken-boneless, skinless breasts or thighs or breasts (bone-in)
Dr. Pepper (depending on how much meat you are making, I'd use a 2-liter bottle so you make sure you have enough)
Pepper
Place meat in bottom of the pot, crock, or dutch oven, folding thin edges under to make uniform thickness. Season with pepper (don't really need salt, as the soda has enough), then cover with Dr. Pepper. Simmer low and slow until the juices are clear and the meat falls apart. The meat will soak up all the color. If you shred a pork roast after cooking, drain the fat off the leftover liquid then add some of the liquid back in with the meat to keep it moist.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
I am a Slacker
So sorry for those of you waiting for the BBQ Chicken Pizza recipe. I won't post it now until Thursday or Friday. It requires a rotisserie chicken, which I forgot. I know, I know, how could I ever forget it? Because it was a last-minute addition to my weekly menu, thanks to an idea from the frozen foods section (though I have made it before). See previous post to find out what in the heck I was doing in the frozen food section in the first place.
Until tomorrow for Dr. Pepper chicken, my faithful 5.......signing off.
Katie J
Until tomorrow for Dr. Pepper chicken, my faithful 5.......signing off.
Katie J
Inspirations
If ever you are wandering around the grocery store looking for inspiration, just take a stroll down the frozen entree section! Most frozen meals have all the components of a healthy meal, but are full of preservatives and added flavors. I'm not suggesting that you buy the different meals that sound good, but instead maybe write down the names and main ingredients of ones that sound good. Then go home and look up recipes to make them yourself.
Safeway's eating right brand and Lean Cuisine offer choices such as these: linguine carbonara, chicken poblano, bacon alfredo pizza, spinach artichoke and chicken panini, butternut squash ravioli, and fajita chicken spring rolls. These are really easy to make, and can be very healthy if made at home with the right ingredients!
FYI- BBQ Chicken Pizza is what's for din-din tonight, complete with pictures!
Katie J
Safeway's eating right brand and Lean Cuisine offer choices such as these: linguine carbonara, chicken poblano, bacon alfredo pizza, spinach artichoke and chicken panini, butternut squash ravioli, and fajita chicken spring rolls. These are really easy to make, and can be very healthy if made at home with the right ingredients!
FYI- BBQ Chicken Pizza is what's for din-din tonight, complete with pictures!
Katie J
Monday, May 30, 2011
Better Late than Never
I feel like a total slacker, like I've let all 5 of my faithful readers down. Sorry for posting this fabulous recipe of the day so late; I was busy eating at our favorite Frozen From Atlanta Steakhouse, which shall remain nameless. I know, I know, what in the world were we doing eating at a restaurant on our favorite holiday, National Beef Day? (No offense to past and present military who we are ever so thankful for. I do know today is Memorial Day, and I'm constantly aware of the service to our country that these faithful men and women have provided.) But really, more beef is eaten on Memorial Day than any other day of the year. And what better way to celebrate, than with a totally NON-BEEF recipe!
Since today also kicked off the official start to grilling season, and I already gave my best grilled burger recipe to the world, today we'll celebrate brats. No, not the curtain-climbing, screaming, rugrat brats. I'm talking bratwurst! Beer and brats, to be exact. There is nothing better than a juicy, crispy bratwurst with some yummy beer-soaked veggies on a soft, doughy bakery bun! Add a can of Ranch Style beans with some jalepenos and cheese thrown in, and dinner is served!
Beer 'n Brats
2 cans beer (I just use whatever is in the fridge that day-aka what's on sale)
1 c. water
1 package original Johnsonville brats (yes, we only use Johnsonville here in Johnsonville)
2 bell peppers, cut in strips
1 large white onion, cut in half, then sliced into thin half-rings
Brat buns (I think WalMart bakery Brat Buns are the best, but if unavailable, Francisco buns are good too)
Ketchup
Mustard
Mayo
Salt and pepper
You have two options when choosing how to start this. You can either use a deep metal (like a cake pan) or disposable aluminum pan (like a lasagna pan) that can be put over direct heat on the BBQ grill. Or you can start with a pot on the stove top, then move to the grill. Either way, toss the peppers and onions around in the pan, lay the brats on top of the veggies. Pour 1 can of beer and 1 cup of water over all. Open other can of beer, and place in front of lips. Take one sip. Stir everything in the pan and season with salt and pepper. The liquid should cover veggies and brats. If not, take another sip of the beer. You can add a little more beer and water if necessary, but keep in mind that the veggies will cook down and drown pretty quickly. Bring to a slow boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, turning brats once after 10 minutes. Remove the brats, and brown on the grill for a minute or two per side. Put the brats back in the tub of veggies and beer for a quick soak, then serve with tongs. Brat goes in bun first, dress with condiments, then lay veggies on top.
Since today also kicked off the official start to grilling season, and I already gave my best grilled burger recipe to the world, today we'll celebrate brats. No, not the curtain-climbing, screaming, rugrat brats. I'm talking bratwurst! Beer and brats, to be exact. There is nothing better than a juicy, crispy bratwurst with some yummy beer-soaked veggies on a soft, doughy bakery bun! Add a can of Ranch Style beans with some jalepenos and cheese thrown in, and dinner is served!
Beer 'n Brats
2 cans beer (I just use whatever is in the fridge that day-aka what's on sale)
1 c. water
1 package original Johnsonville brats (yes, we only use Johnsonville here in Johnsonville)
2 bell peppers, cut in strips
1 large white onion, cut in half, then sliced into thin half-rings
Brat buns (I think WalMart bakery Brat Buns are the best, but if unavailable, Francisco buns are good too)
Ketchup
Mustard
Mayo
Salt and pepper
You have two options when choosing how to start this. You can either use a deep metal (like a cake pan) or disposable aluminum pan (like a lasagna pan) that can be put over direct heat on the BBQ grill. Or you can start with a pot on the stove top, then move to the grill. Either way, toss the peppers and onions around in the pan, lay the brats on top of the veggies. Pour 1 can of beer and 1 cup of water over all. Open other can of beer, and place in front of lips. Take one sip. Stir everything in the pan and season with salt and pepper. The liquid should cover veggies and brats. If not, take another sip of the beer. You can add a little more beer and water if necessary, but keep in mind that the veggies will cook down and drown pretty quickly. Bring to a slow boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, turning brats once after 10 minutes. Remove the brats, and brown on the grill for a minute or two per side. Put the brats back in the tub of veggies and beer for a quick soak, then serve with tongs. Brat goes in bun first, dress with condiments, then lay veggies on top.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
A Square Plate
Eating at the table every night as a family was a very important part of my childhood, and is one aspect that I have implemented in my own family. My son is only one and a half, and we still sit at the table for every meal and eat together, whether daddy is home or not (which he is for dinner every night). I wish every family had the opportunity to sit down as a family and eat meals together, but I understand that every family's dynamics are different.
Almost as important as the company I kept at the dinner table, were the fantastic meals my mom put on that table. We always had a "square meal", with protein (meat or poultry), fruit and/or vegetable, starch (rice, pasta or potato), and some kind of bread with butter (yep, more starch). Oftentimes, we'd have a small salad in addition to the main course. If you put everything on a plate without anything touching, it makes a square, hence "square meal". If you're familiar with the food pyramid, you'll notice that the square meal also follows the concept of the pyramid.
Being raised this way has ingrained in me an almost obsessive need to have all four food groups (although we all know that there haven't been 4 food groups since 1987) on my plate for every meal. However, it also takes a lot of dishes, pots, and pans to make all of the separate food items to serve. Lots of dishes, pots, and pans means lots of washing for mommy. Though I love to cook, I hate doing dishes.
There are so many ways to take those separate food items, and change it up and combine them in one pot or casserole, and still get everything you need without the surplus of dishes!
Southwest Chicken Casserole
1 lb. cooked, cut up chicken breast (or 2 cans white meat chicken, drained and rinsed)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can green chiles
1 can whole kernel corn (drained)
2 cups cooked rice
2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
Grease a round casserole, combine chicken, tomatoes, chiles, corn, rice, half of the cheese, then season with cumin, salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake covered for 30 mins at 350, then uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes until bubbly all over.
This hotdish is good on its own, as it combines all of the food groups. However, you can serve a nice spinach salad with some corn and black beans with ranch dressing, also.
Almost as important as the company I kept at the dinner table, were the fantastic meals my mom put on that table. We always had a "square meal", with protein (meat or poultry), fruit and/or vegetable, starch (rice, pasta or potato), and some kind of bread with butter (yep, more starch). Oftentimes, we'd have a small salad in addition to the main course. If you put everything on a plate without anything touching, it makes a square, hence "square meal". If you're familiar with the food pyramid, you'll notice that the square meal also follows the concept of the pyramid.
Being raised this way has ingrained in me an almost obsessive need to have all four food groups (although we all know that there haven't been 4 food groups since 1987) on my plate for every meal. However, it also takes a lot of dishes, pots, and pans to make all of the separate food items to serve. Lots of dishes, pots, and pans means lots of washing for mommy. Though I love to cook, I hate doing dishes.
There are so many ways to take those separate food items, and change it up and combine them in one pot or casserole, and still get everything you need without the surplus of dishes!
Southwest Chicken Casserole
1 lb. cooked, cut up chicken breast (or 2 cans white meat chicken, drained and rinsed)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can green chiles
1 can whole kernel corn (drained)
2 cups cooked rice
2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
Grease a round casserole, combine chicken, tomatoes, chiles, corn, rice, half of the cheese, then season with cumin, salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake covered for 30 mins at 350, then uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes until bubbly all over.
This hotdish is good on its own, as it combines all of the food groups. However, you can serve a nice spinach salad with some corn and black beans with ranch dressing, also.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Stuff Your Burger!
I totally did not intend for the title to sound mean, but I think next time someone makes me mad, I'll tell them to "stuff their burger" and see what reaction I get! Then I'll hand them a Clever Connoisseur business card, and walk away!
In all seriousness, Memorial Day is two days away, and I just can't stop thinking about the deliciocity (there my new-fangled word is again-it just keeps slipping out!) of a great BURGER! My husband asks me all the time to make "greasy cheeseburgers". I understand that there's nothing like a tasty homemade burger, dripping with seasoned juices. Especially when you compare that homemade patty to a 'fast-food piece of ketchup- and mustard-coated cardboard on a bun'. I just hate the thought of serving a heartattack on a plate to my beloved family. All things in moderation, though, and I believe that a healthy serving of animal fat isn't too bad once in awhile.
I prefer my burgers on a grill. However, in the kind of wind like we're having today (50+ mph gusts), grilling isn't always feasible. In those cases, a good-quality cast iron or heavy non-stick (ie Calphalon) grill pan is a great choice.
Also, I choose a higher fat content in the ground beef used for stuffed burgers. Although the higher the fat, the more the shrinkage, I think those yummy juices mix well with the stuffings, and give you a moister, tastier burger. So, look for ground beef that is no leaner than 80/20 (I'd go for the 70/30.....yeah I like my burger a little on the chubby side). If all you have on hand is something super lean, you can throw a pat of butter in the middle. Heck, I've been known to only stuff my burgers with butter, nothing else just butter. It's soooo good!
There are so many things you can stuff your burgers with. Here are a few examples, not including the plethora of cheeses you can use:
mushrooms (sauteed)
bacon (cooked and crumbled)
green chiles
jalepenos
onion (sauteed)
bell pepper (sauteed)
chipotles
bleu cheese
butter
pretty much anything you can think of that is good on top (except avocado, it doesn't cook well inside)
My personal favorite of all time is a bleu cheese stuffed burger with barbeque sauce on top. I pat the patties in a little extra ground black pepper.
Creating these burgers is really simple. For each burger, you'll need two patties. After you pat each patty out, press a little well in the middle with your thumbs, taking care not to dig it all out or your goodies will leak out. You just want to shape them like a pizza crust. Put whatever it is you're stuffing the burgers with, heaped up inside the little well. Put the other patty on top (well facing inside) and seal the edges. Simple dimple!
As if the flavor explosion in your mouth from the stuffed up goodness isn't enough, I always season my beef before patting it out. This gives another dimension of flavor, after you've swallowed up the insides. The following is my basic hamburger recipe. Feel free to try it without stuffing it.
Tasty Burgers
1 lb ground beef for 3 burgers
1/4 c. ketchup (or steak sauce, whatever you prefer)
3 or 4 dashes worchestershire sauce
Montreal steak seasoning (or just salt and pepper)
1 Tbsp garlic powder
Mix well, but be careful not to overmix the meat or it will get tough.
Here's to happy grilling and holiday weekends!
In all seriousness, Memorial Day is two days away, and I just can't stop thinking about the deliciocity (there my new-fangled word is again-it just keeps slipping out!) of a great BURGER! My husband asks me all the time to make "greasy cheeseburgers". I understand that there's nothing like a tasty homemade burger, dripping with seasoned juices. Especially when you compare that homemade patty to a 'fast-food piece of ketchup- and mustard-coated cardboard on a bun'. I just hate the thought of serving a heartattack on a plate to my beloved family. All things in moderation, though, and I believe that a healthy serving of animal fat isn't too bad once in awhile.
I prefer my burgers on a grill. However, in the kind of wind like we're having today (50+ mph gusts), grilling isn't always feasible. In those cases, a good-quality cast iron or heavy non-stick (ie Calphalon) grill pan is a great choice.
Also, I choose a higher fat content in the ground beef used for stuffed burgers. Although the higher the fat, the more the shrinkage, I think those yummy juices mix well with the stuffings, and give you a moister, tastier burger. So, look for ground beef that is no leaner than 80/20 (I'd go for the 70/30.....yeah I like my burger a little on the chubby side). If all you have on hand is something super lean, you can throw a pat of butter in the middle. Heck, I've been known to only stuff my burgers with butter, nothing else just butter. It's soooo good!
There are so many things you can stuff your burgers with. Here are a few examples, not including the plethora of cheeses you can use:
mushrooms (sauteed)
bacon (cooked and crumbled)
green chiles
jalepenos
onion (sauteed)
bell pepper (sauteed)
chipotles
bleu cheese
butter
pretty much anything you can think of that is good on top (except avocado, it doesn't cook well inside)
My personal favorite of all time is a bleu cheese stuffed burger with barbeque sauce on top. I pat the patties in a little extra ground black pepper.
Creating these burgers is really simple. For each burger, you'll need two patties. After you pat each patty out, press a little well in the middle with your thumbs, taking care not to dig it all out or your goodies will leak out. You just want to shape them like a pizza crust. Put whatever it is you're stuffing the burgers with, heaped up inside the little well. Put the other patty on top (well facing inside) and seal the edges. Simple dimple!
As if the flavor explosion in your mouth from the stuffed up goodness isn't enough, I always season my beef before patting it out. This gives another dimension of flavor, after you've swallowed up the insides. The following is my basic hamburger recipe. Feel free to try it without stuffing it.
Tasty Burgers
1 lb ground beef for 3 burgers
1/4 c. ketchup (or steak sauce, whatever you prefer)
3 or 4 dashes worchestershire sauce
Montreal steak seasoning (or just salt and pepper)
1 Tbsp garlic powder
Mix well, but be careful not to overmix the meat or it will get tough.
Here's to happy grilling and holiday weekends!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Spaghetti with Meat(loaf)balls
Spaghetti is always a crowd pleaser, and it's even easier to make a well-balanced spaghetti and meatball dinner if you take a shortcut and use leftover meatloaf for the meatballs. If you use the meatloaf recipe I posted 2 days ago, you get a couple extra veggies thrown in for good measure. Below is a great recipe for super healthy tomato-based pasta sauce. The recipe batch will give you enough sauce to freeze a bunch. I found these great Ball (like the canning jar maker) freezer jars that are plastic. They have screw tops, and are microwavable.
The method for making meatballs out of meatloaf is pretty self-explanatory. Cook and drain whole wheat spaghetti, add enough sauce to coat, and chopped-up slices of meatloaf. Heat thoroughly, and you're done. Enjoy. You're welcome!
Tomato Pasta Sauce
1/4 c. Extra virgin olive oil
Small bunch of carrots (6-8 medium carrots), diced
Small bunch of celery (6-8 stalks), diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
5 or 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
1 can (14 oz) tomato sauce
Palmful of Italian seasoning (oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme, etc)
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
Heat oil in large stock pot. Add carrots and celery and saute for about 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic, and cook until onion is translucent. Add all tomatoes, sauce, and seasoning. Simmer for at least 30 minutes (I usually cook mine for about an hour). Remove from heat and stir in sugar. To make a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender or puree in a blender in batches. Allow to cool completely before refrigerating or freezing. This should make enough sauce for about 6 meals.
The method for making meatballs out of meatloaf is pretty self-explanatory. Cook and drain whole wheat spaghetti, add enough sauce to coat, and chopped-up slices of meatloaf. Heat thoroughly, and you're done. Enjoy. You're welcome!
Tomato Pasta Sauce
1/4 c. Extra virgin olive oil
Small bunch of carrots (6-8 medium carrots), diced
Small bunch of celery (6-8 stalks), diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
5 or 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
1 can (14 oz) tomato sauce
Palmful of Italian seasoning (oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme, etc)
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
Heat oil in large stock pot. Add carrots and celery and saute for about 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic, and cook until onion is translucent. Add all tomatoes, sauce, and seasoning. Simmer for at least 30 minutes (I usually cook mine for about an hour). Remove from heat and stir in sugar. To make a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender or puree in a blender in batches. Allow to cool completely before refrigerating or freezing. This should make enough sauce for about 6 meals.
Finding my Niche
I've been reading some of the other million cooking-related blogs on the internet, and trying to figure out what makes mine different and enticing to readers. It is so hard to find my niche, when I have so many things to write about!
As I was introducing my blog to my Rotary club yesterday, I said that in my household we don't do low-calorie, we do low-ingredient. Low-ingredient meals are usually super easy and quick. However, most 4 or 5 ingredient recipes use processed foods. I try to use as few processed foods as possible, so my 4 or 5 ingredient recipe might turn into 7 or 8 ingredients, though still quick and easy.
I love to find shortcuts in as many ways as possible. I don't want to contradict myself, but I always try to find a substitution for several ingredients in a single prepared ingredient. For instance, why shred two blocks of cheese, when you can buy one bag of an already shredded cheese blend? Or why use a bunch of different spices, when you can find a spice blend like Montreal Steak Seasoning or poultry seasoning?
Washing dishes and loading the dishwasher take up more time than cooking a meal in my house, usually. To minimize the number of preparation dishes, pots and pans, I always read a recipe first, then re-format it with as few ingredients and dishes as possible. Again, any shortcuts I can find, I will pass along.
Lastly, I always try to keep meals as healthy as possible. As I mentioned earlier, I don't use a lot of processed foods. Some foods that our generation believes are unhealthy, are actually healthier than processed foods. Butter, for instance, has been used for roughly 4500 years. I will be posting the benefits of butter in a later post. Personally, I would rather feed my family something that has been used for centuries than something that was created in a lab with the same ingredients as plastic. Thanks to my Norwegian stepdad, I really appreciate the creamy deliciousness of butter in so many ways that I never thought I would (like on top of a steak!).
So, to sum up my current ramblings, I guess you could say my niche is low-ingredient, healthy, shortcut cooking!
As I was introducing my blog to my Rotary club yesterday, I said that in my household we don't do low-calorie, we do low-ingredient. Low-ingredient meals are usually super easy and quick. However, most 4 or 5 ingredient recipes use processed foods. I try to use as few processed foods as possible, so my 4 or 5 ingredient recipe might turn into 7 or 8 ingredients, though still quick and easy.
I love to find shortcuts in as many ways as possible. I don't want to contradict myself, but I always try to find a substitution for several ingredients in a single prepared ingredient. For instance, why shred two blocks of cheese, when you can buy one bag of an already shredded cheese blend? Or why use a bunch of different spices, when you can find a spice blend like Montreal Steak Seasoning or poultry seasoning?
Washing dishes and loading the dishwasher take up more time than cooking a meal in my house, usually. To minimize the number of preparation dishes, pots and pans, I always read a recipe first, then re-format it with as few ingredients and dishes as possible. Again, any shortcuts I can find, I will pass along.
Lastly, I always try to keep meals as healthy as possible. As I mentioned earlier, I don't use a lot of processed foods. Some foods that our generation believes are unhealthy, are actually healthier than processed foods. Butter, for instance, has been used for roughly 4500 years. I will be posting the benefits of butter in a later post. Personally, I would rather feed my family something that has been used for centuries than something that was created in a lab with the same ingredients as plastic. Thanks to my Norwegian stepdad, I really appreciate the creamy deliciousness of butter in so many ways that I never thought I would (like on top of a steak!).
So, to sum up my current ramblings, I guess you could say my niche is low-ingredient, healthy, shortcut cooking!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Slop, Sloppy Joes
From Adam Sandler's Lunch Lady song: Yesterday's meatloaf is today's sloppy joes, slop, sloppy joes......!
If you doubled the meatloaf recipe from yesterday, you should have plenty for sloppy joes. A couple extra ingredients, about 10 minutes, and dinner's done! I like to serve them with oven fries, sweet potato fries, or potato salad.
Meatloaf Sloppy Joes
Leftover meatloaf (or about 4-1 1/2" slices for 4 sandwiches, or 1 lb browned and crumbled ground beef)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Green bell pepper, diced
1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. barbeque sauce
1 Tbsp yellow prepared mustard
Palmful (or about 2 Tbsp) Montreal steak seasoning
Hamburger buns
4 slices sharp cheddar cheese (pepper jack is good too)
Heat oil in large non-stick skillet, add bell pepper and cook for just a couple minutes. Add meatloaf, and crumble it a little with a spatula. Combine ketchup, brown sugar, bbq sauce, and mustard in small bowl, then stir into meat mixture. Sprinkle with steak seasoning, and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Place a heaping spoonful on each bun bottom, then top with a slice of cheese and bun top.
If you doubled the meatloaf recipe from yesterday, you should have plenty for sloppy joes. A couple extra ingredients, about 10 minutes, and dinner's done! I like to serve them with oven fries, sweet potato fries, or potato salad.
Meatloaf Sloppy Joes
Leftover meatloaf (or about 4-1 1/2" slices for 4 sandwiches, or 1 lb browned and crumbled ground beef)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Green bell pepper, diced
1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. barbeque sauce
1 Tbsp yellow prepared mustard
Palmful (or about 2 Tbsp) Montreal steak seasoning
Hamburger buns
4 slices sharp cheddar cheese (pepper jack is good too)
Heat oil in large non-stick skillet, add bell pepper and cook for just a couple minutes. Add meatloaf, and crumble it a little with a spatula. Combine ketchup, brown sugar, bbq sauce, and mustard in small bowl, then stir into meat mixture. Sprinkle with steak seasoning, and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Place a heaping spoonful on each bun bottom, then top with a slice of cheese and bun top.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
It's Okay to Let Your Meat Loaf
As comedian Adam Sandler's hilarious Lunch Lady song suggests, there are tons of ways to use yesterday's meatloaf. I always make a double-batch of my special "secret recipe" meatloaf, so that I can use it for other meals during the week. Even though you're changing it up and it usually doesn't get old after two or three meals, it does freeze well.
Today, I'll just give the meatloaf recipe. Craig says this is the best meatloaf on Earth, and nothing compares to it. I hope you all find it the same. For the first night, it's great with some gravy (if you don't know how to make homemade gravy, message me) and cream cheese smashed taters (boil and smash potatoes reserving skin and lots of lumps, then add milk, butter, and cream cheese and stir till creamy, season to taste).
Tomorrow, it's sloppy joes (yes, just like the song-yesterday's meatloaf is today's sloppy joes!). And on Thursday, we'll do some spaghetti and meatloaf-balls and homemade sauce.
KJ's Meatloaf (recipe is for just one batch, I suggest doubling)
1 lb ground beef
1/2 white onion, chopped and sauteed in bacon grease
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped (canned or fresh, sauteed)
1/2 cup crumbled bacon (I use 1/2 lb, cut it up, then cook it)
1/4-1/2 c. ketchup
5 dashes Worchestershire
3-4 pieces fresh, cubed bread (I use the ends of a loaf of sandwich bread, plus one extra slice)
1/2 c. milk
1 egg
salt
pepper
garlic powder
1/4 c. ketchup and 1/4 c. brown sugar mixed for topping
Cook bacon till crisp, add onion and sautee till translucent. If using fresh mushrooms, add and sautee until tender. Put ground beef in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Drop the egg in the well, and beat slightly. Add ketchup, 1/4 c. milk, worchestershire, mushrooms, seasonings and bread. When bacon and onion are cool enough to handle, add to mix. Mix well, but be careful not to overmix, or meat will become tough. Mixture should have a firm, yet wet consistency. If it feels a little dry and crumbling when formed into a ball, add more milk. Put in loaf pan (I prefer an actual meatloaf pan with a rack on top that allows fat to drain) and bake for about an hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees. If desired, spread ketchup/brown sugar sauce on top during last 15 minutes of baking.
Today, I'll just give the meatloaf recipe. Craig says this is the best meatloaf on Earth, and nothing compares to it. I hope you all find it the same. For the first night, it's great with some gravy (if you don't know how to make homemade gravy, message me) and cream cheese smashed taters (boil and smash potatoes reserving skin and lots of lumps, then add milk, butter, and cream cheese and stir till creamy, season to taste).
Tomorrow, it's sloppy joes (yes, just like the song-yesterday's meatloaf is today's sloppy joes!). And on Thursday, we'll do some spaghetti and meatloaf-balls and homemade sauce.
KJ's Meatloaf (recipe is for just one batch, I suggest doubling)
1 lb ground beef
1/2 white onion, chopped and sauteed in bacon grease
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped (canned or fresh, sauteed)
1/2 cup crumbled bacon (I use 1/2 lb, cut it up, then cook it)
1/4-1/2 c. ketchup
5 dashes Worchestershire
3-4 pieces fresh, cubed bread (I use the ends of a loaf of sandwich bread, plus one extra slice)
1/2 c. milk
1 egg
salt
pepper
garlic powder
1/4 c. ketchup and 1/4 c. brown sugar mixed for topping
Cook bacon till crisp, add onion and sautee till translucent. If using fresh mushrooms, add and sautee until tender. Put ground beef in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Drop the egg in the well, and beat slightly. Add ketchup, 1/4 c. milk, worchestershire, mushrooms, seasonings and bread. When bacon and onion are cool enough to handle, add to mix. Mix well, but be careful not to overmix, or meat will become tough. Mixture should have a firm, yet wet consistency. If it feels a little dry and crumbling when formed into a ball, add more milk. Put in loaf pan (I prefer an actual meatloaf pan with a rack on top that allows fat to drain) and bake for about an hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees. If desired, spread ketchup/brown sugar sauce on top during last 15 minutes of baking.
The Search for a Great Recipe
As I've mentioned in previous posts, I have a library of cookbooks from which to plan menus at my disposal right here in my kitchen. I believe this cookbook hoarding tendency is genetic, passed down from my mother, who might need to start using the Dewey Decimal system to catalog her collection soon.
I love to read cookbooks, and get really excited when I get a new one. The best cookbooks, in my opinion, are those sold as fundraisers by different organizations. They are put together with a collection of recipes from either the public or members of those organizations. They are easy to read, use simple language and ingredients, and the recipes are usually pretty quick. Most of the recipes have been passed down through generations, and have become favorites of family and friends. I have one book with a recipe from my husband's grandmother. Without this cookbook, I probably never would have known the recipe existed!
This leads to my next suggestion. Don't be afraid to ask your family and friends for great recipes. Most people aren't like the Bush Beans guy-they will share that secret family recipe if you just ask!
If you aren't willing to spend a lot of money on cookbooks, or just don't have the time to read a myriad of cookbooks looking for one good dish, the internet is a great resource. A few websites that I use frequently are http://www.allrecipes.com/, http://www.cooks.com/, http://www.foodnetwork.com/, and http://www.food.com/. On allrecipes.com, there is an ingredient search. If your pantry is full and it's time to raid it, type in ingredients you want to use, and all recipes with those ingredients in common will come up.
Another great place to look for free recipes is in your grocery store. In most grocery stores, there is some sort of a rack with tons of free recipe cards. Most times, they are located in the produce department. Just today, I made wonderful black bean and spinach quesadillas for lunch-recipe compliments of Safeway!
Lastly, I just want to remind readers to look on the packaging of products in your pantry, fridge, and freezer for recipes. There are usually awesome recipes right at our fingertips that are often overlooked!
I love to read cookbooks, and get really excited when I get a new one. The best cookbooks, in my opinion, are those sold as fundraisers by different organizations. They are put together with a collection of recipes from either the public or members of those organizations. They are easy to read, use simple language and ingredients, and the recipes are usually pretty quick. Most of the recipes have been passed down through generations, and have become favorites of family and friends. I have one book with a recipe from my husband's grandmother. Without this cookbook, I probably never would have known the recipe existed!
This leads to my next suggestion. Don't be afraid to ask your family and friends for great recipes. Most people aren't like the Bush Beans guy-they will share that secret family recipe if you just ask!
If you aren't willing to spend a lot of money on cookbooks, or just don't have the time to read a myriad of cookbooks looking for one good dish, the internet is a great resource. A few websites that I use frequently are http://www.allrecipes.com/, http://www.cooks.com/, http://www.foodnetwork.com/, and http://www.food.com/. On allrecipes.com, there is an ingredient search. If your pantry is full and it's time to raid it, type in ingredients you want to use, and all recipes with those ingredients in common will come up.
Another great place to look for free recipes is in your grocery store. In most grocery stores, there is some sort of a rack with tons of free recipe cards. Most times, they are located in the produce department. Just today, I made wonderful black bean and spinach quesadillas for lunch-recipe compliments of Safeway!
Lastly, I just want to remind readers to look on the packaging of products in your pantry, fridge, and freezer for recipes. There are usually awesome recipes right at our fingertips that are often overlooked!
Monday, May 23, 2011
It's All in the Roux
A roux is a thickening agent for sauces and gravies, usually made with flour and fat (butter). There are two secrets to making a good roux: using equal parts flour and fat, and allowing your flour to cook for a minute before adding the liquids. I usually use 1 tablespoon of each, fat and flour, for every 1/2 cup of liquid. You can always add more liquid if the sauce gets too thick. I use a lot of rouxs for a variety of dishes. Some get a little more complicated, and may not use butter, but they all follow the same rules. The following recipe is a great beginners' roux for a bechamel (white cheese sauce) that you can pour over whole wheat pasta, cover with shredded cheese, and throw under the broiler for an easy homemade mac 'n cheese.
Bechamel for Mac 'n Cheese
3 Tbsp. flour (wheat flour is best)
3 Tbsp. butter
1 cup milk (might need more if sauce thickens too much when cheese is added)
1/2 cup heavy cream (can just use milk and a little extra butter added at the same time as the milk if you don't have cream)
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend (or 1/2 cup mozarella, 1/4 cup parmesan/regiano, and 1/4 asiago or any combination of white cheeses)
Dash of nutmeg
Salt
Pepper
Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Allow to cook over low heat for about a minute. While whisking, slowly add milk and cream. Turn heat to medium-high. Continue stirring until sauce becomes thicker and bubbly. When sauce is a smooth gravy-like consistency, add cheese and continue to stir until melted and bubbly. Sauce will thicken considerably when cheese is added. Season sauce with a dash of nutmeg (or one grate on the microplane), and salt and pepper to taste.
This simple sauce can be changed easily to a yellow cheese sauce just by changing the cheese, and deleting the nutmeg (it's not too good in cheddar sauce). Pour over cooked and drained whole wheat pasta in a casserole dish, stir, top with extra shredded cheese, and bake for 20 minutes at 350.
Toss some bacon and green onion on top of each serving, and voila! Dinner is served!
Bechamel for Mac 'n Cheese
3 Tbsp. flour (wheat flour is best)
3 Tbsp. butter
1 cup milk (might need more if sauce thickens too much when cheese is added)
1/2 cup heavy cream (can just use milk and a little extra butter added at the same time as the milk if you don't have cream)
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend (or 1/2 cup mozarella, 1/4 cup parmesan/regiano, and 1/4 asiago or any combination of white cheeses)
Dash of nutmeg
Salt
Pepper
Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Allow to cook over low heat for about a minute. While whisking, slowly add milk and cream. Turn heat to medium-high. Continue stirring until sauce becomes thicker and bubbly. When sauce is a smooth gravy-like consistency, add cheese and continue to stir until melted and bubbly. Sauce will thicken considerably when cheese is added. Season sauce with a dash of nutmeg (or one grate on the microplane), and salt and pepper to taste.
This simple sauce can be changed easily to a yellow cheese sauce just by changing the cheese, and deleting the nutmeg (it's not too good in cheddar sauce). Pour over cooked and drained whole wheat pasta in a casserole dish, stir, top with extra shredded cheese, and bake for 20 minutes at 350.
Toss some bacon and green onion on top of each serving, and voila! Dinner is served!
The picture included in this post is of Craig's actual meal before he dug in. His mouth was watering as he waited rather impatiently for me to take the picture. The crown jewel of the platter is an adovada burrito, enchilada style with red chili sauce. It's surrounded by super creamy refried beans and tasty, yet mild, Mexican-style rice.
I agree with Craig that the adovada (pork marinated in red chile) can't be beat. I prefer red chile over green, so I've tried my share of adovada at every restaurant at which we've found it. I've also tried to make my own, following the recipe in the Salsa Brava Cocina cookbook. It was so hot we could barely eat it, and we DO HOT! Nothing compares to the tender, flavorful pork and not overbearing nor overly spicy sauce of the meat at E & O.
Prices also can't be beat. I had an adovada quesadilla, which comes on a cafeteria tray because it's too big to fit on a plate, and Craig had the burrito plate. With drinks, our bill was less than $20!
E & O just expanded their hours to stay open a little later. They open at 11 am Monday through Saturday, and close at 7 or 8 depending on the day. Call with any questions 928-289-5352.
Katie J
Saturday, May 21, 2011
It's Getting Hot in Here!
I chose to post the following recipe for two reasons:
1. I finally figured out the dressing, and 2. It's getting hot outside, and there's nothing like a refreshing salad to cool you down!
I always love a good cobb salad, and this is kind of a variation. It incorporates fall-like ingredients with spring greens. This is one of my favorite salads, introduced to me by DJ's Restaurant and Lounge in Winslow. The main ingredients are the same, but since Chef Georgie won't share his secret vinaigrette recipe (wink wink), I came up with this one, that is pretty darn good.
Nutty Bleu Apple Salad (aka Harvest Salad aka DJ's Restaurant)
Salad:
Fresh spring greens
Granny Smith apple slices
Bleu cheese crumbles
Craisins (or other small dried fruit)
Pecans (DJ's uses glazed walnuts, but I really like the taste of pecans and apples together)
Apple Cider Vinaigrette:
2 c. Apple Cider
1/4 c. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. salad oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine first 4 ingredients, then drizzle in oil. Store in a shakeable container in the fridge.
1. I finally figured out the dressing, and 2. It's getting hot outside, and there's nothing like a refreshing salad to cool you down!
I always love a good cobb salad, and this is kind of a variation. It incorporates fall-like ingredients with spring greens. This is one of my favorite salads, introduced to me by DJ's Restaurant and Lounge in Winslow. The main ingredients are the same, but since Chef Georgie won't share his secret vinaigrette recipe (wink wink), I came up with this one, that is pretty darn good.
Nutty Bleu Apple Salad (aka Harvest Salad aka DJ's Restaurant)
Salad:
Fresh spring greens
Granny Smith apple slices
Bleu cheese crumbles
Craisins (or other small dried fruit)
Pecans (DJ's uses glazed walnuts, but I really like the taste of pecans and apples together)
Apple Cider Vinaigrette:
2 c. Apple Cider
1/4 c. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. salad oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine first 4 ingredients, then drizzle in oil. Store in a shakeable container in the fridge.
Friday, May 20, 2011
You just can't beat the price, amount of food, and flavor. For $10.95 you get 2 ribs, 3 or 4 slices of brisket, and a couple prices of smoked sausage, all smoked right there by owners Gabe Ribera and his mom Helen. You also get a salad and your choice of two sides, including potato wedges, whole pinto beans, and cole slaw. We always bring about half of our food home! The bbq sauce on the brisket is tangy, yet sweet with a little spice.
Brianna is our usual evening server. She's been working there with her mom, Vera, since she was really young. She does it all-waits tables, busses tables, cooks, dishes up plates, and has probably had to do dishes a time or two.
On this busy evening, Brianna was helping the servers, Anissa and Vera. She proudly brought me my plate, saying she "made it herself, so it should be good". She didn't disappoint! I understand the delicate balance involved in reheating smoked meats. If you heat it too fast or keep it in a warmer, it gets too dry, tough, and over cooked. Yet, you can't serve cold food. My meat tonight wasn't as warm as it could have been; but hey, I was lucky to get it and I'm not complaining!
Casa Blanca's BBQ plate is a welcome reprieve from the usual all you can eat fish Friday night special (which they also offer), usually found at all Winslow restaurants. I highly recommend that you come early (we got there before 6:30)!
Casa Blanca Mexican restaurant is located at 1201 E. 2nd St., Winslow, AZ. 928-289-4191. Open 7 days a week at 11 am.
Katie J
Fire and Ice
I made some delicious Pineapple Habanero salsa today, and I was looking for something to put the fire in my mouth out after eating a heaping cup of it. I've had a hankering for Cold Stone ice cream lately (even been dreaming about it!), but it's just not the same since they quit making their amaretto flavored sweet cream. Here's the closest thing I can come up with. If you eat enough of it, you'll be too hammered to feel your burning tongue!
Fire: Pineapple Habanero Salsa
4 vine tomatoes
1/4 large sweet onion (or 1/2 onion if medium)
3 or 4 jalepenos, de-stemmed (depending on size and desired heat level)
1 or 2 habaneros, de-stemmed (depending on desired heat level)
1 20 oz can pinapple tidbits with juice
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup packed cilantro, chopped finely
Roast the whole tomatoes, quartered onion, and jalepenos about 4 inches under broiler on a baking sheet for about 8 minutes, or until tomatoes are blistered and jalepenos are browned with black spots appearing. Turn vegetables over with tongs and broil for another 6 minutes or so, until the vegetables are cooked through. If you want even hotter salsa, you can also broil the habaneros. This will intensify the chiles' oils and add another dimension of heat. They don't take nearly as long to roast as the other vegetables. Cool the vegetables for at least 10 minutes.
Gently move the vegetables to a blender or food processor, being careful not to squeeze out any juices. Add the habaneros, both cans of pineapple with juices, and cilantro. Pulse until desired consistency. Refrigerate until cold. Salsa will thicken slightly upon chilling. If it becomes too thick, stir in enough water to reach desired consistency.
Ice: Amaretto Ice Cream
1 tub whipped topping or 8 oz whipping cream, whipped
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened (can soften in microwave for 20 seconds at a time)
1/3 cup amaretto
1/3 cup chopped, toasted almonds
Fold all ingredients until well-mixed, then freeze until ready to serve. (Can freeze in individual sundae cups.)
Fire: Pineapple Habanero Salsa
4 vine tomatoes
1/4 large sweet onion (or 1/2 onion if medium)
3 or 4 jalepenos, de-stemmed (depending on size and desired heat level)
1 or 2 habaneros, de-stemmed (depending on desired heat level)
1 20 oz can pinapple tidbits with juice
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup packed cilantro, chopped finely
Roast the whole tomatoes, quartered onion, and jalepenos about 4 inches under broiler on a baking sheet for about 8 minutes, or until tomatoes are blistered and jalepenos are browned with black spots appearing. Turn vegetables over with tongs and broil for another 6 minutes or so, until the vegetables are cooked through. If you want even hotter salsa, you can also broil the habaneros. This will intensify the chiles' oils and add another dimension of heat. They don't take nearly as long to roast as the other vegetables. Cool the vegetables for at least 10 minutes.
Gently move the vegetables to a blender or food processor, being careful not to squeeze out any juices. Add the habaneros, both cans of pineapple with juices, and cilantro. Pulse until desired consistency. Refrigerate until cold. Salsa will thicken slightly upon chilling. If it becomes too thick, stir in enough water to reach desired consistency.
Ice: Amaretto Ice Cream
1 tub whipped topping or 8 oz whipping cream, whipped
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened (can soften in microwave for 20 seconds at a time)
1/3 cup amaretto
1/3 cup chopped, toasted almonds
Fold all ingredients until well-mixed, then freeze until ready to serve. (Can freeze in individual sundae cups.)
Men-You!
I only go to the grocery store every 7-10 days, and it absolutely kills me to have to make a special trip for some ridiculous forgotten item. Those weekly trips are usually limited to perishables and quickly-consumed items, like dairy, produce, and bread. We raise our own beef, so thankfully I don't have to buy that. I only buy other poultry or meat if it's on sale. Then I buy it in bulk and freeze it. If you don't have a Food Saver or other brand vacuum sealer, I highly recommend investing in one.
There are a few things that we use A LOT, and I've found these items are way cheaper to buy at Sam's Club. These items include tomato sauce, green chiles, and pork. I will explain how we can make a $15 pork loin stretch for at least 10 meals in a later post. Other "staples" that I always keep on hand are canned mushrooms, crushed pineapple, bacon (I always keep at least 2 lbs in the freezer and one in the fridge), and as I mentioned in a previous post, a fresh bell pepper.
I know for a fact that 3 things would occur if I didn't make a weekly menu:
1. I would waste a ton of food
2. My family would probably starve, because we don't do much canned or boxed food, and my husband refuses to eat anything that was bought frozen (if I make it and freeze it, he'll eat it...usually).
3. We'd eat meat and bread for every meal.
I'll get into couponing in a later post, but first I want to talk about menus. It never fails that at about 5 pm, I'll hear someone say that they just don't know what to make for dinner that night. I very rarely, if ever, have that problem. And I have the grocery store's weekly flyer to thank for that! All of the answers to your weekly menu dilemma are right there in that little flyer!
Every Friday morning I sit down at the table with the Safeway flyer (our only grocery store), a pen, two pieces of paper, and two or three cookbooks that I have pre-selected based on a quick preview of the grocery flyer. I flip through it, see what's on sale, and pull out a couple books based on what sounds good. (I have most of my 50 or so cookbooks memorized and still only use about 10.) If you just don't feel like reading through cookbooks, you can go to http://www.allrecipes.com/ and use their recipe finder based on ingredients that you want to use.
Based on ingredients that are on sale, I choose recipes that have those ingredients in common. On one piece of paper, I make my grocery list (in order of aisle in the store of course). My menu, complete with page numbers and cookbook names, is on the other piece of paper. The menu goes on the fridge for the week.
Next, I take out anything from the freezer that is necessary in that week's menu. Don't wait to get something out of the freezer, or you will forget until you need it and then you won't have a meal. If you get everything out at once, it will not go bad within a week.
If you plan your meals right, you really don't get tired of eating the same common ingredients all week long. You can use one item as the main ingredient one night, and the next night use it in a side dish. Another way to change it up is to do meals from different world regions (i.e. Mexican, Italian, etc.).
You also won't waste nearly as much food as you would if you bought a whole jar of something for one meal, when you only needed a tablespoon.
I hope this helps those of you searching for an easier way to plan your meals so that you're next left hanging at dinner time with no dinner! On this note, guess I better go see what's cooking tonight!
There are a few things that we use A LOT, and I've found these items are way cheaper to buy at Sam's Club. These items include tomato sauce, green chiles, and pork. I will explain how we can make a $15 pork loin stretch for at least 10 meals in a later post. Other "staples" that I always keep on hand are canned mushrooms, crushed pineapple, bacon (I always keep at least 2 lbs in the freezer and one in the fridge), and as I mentioned in a previous post, a fresh bell pepper.
I know for a fact that 3 things would occur if I didn't make a weekly menu:
1. I would waste a ton of food
2. My family would probably starve, because we don't do much canned or boxed food, and my husband refuses to eat anything that was bought frozen (if I make it and freeze it, he'll eat it...usually).
3. We'd eat meat and bread for every meal.
I'll get into couponing in a later post, but first I want to talk about menus. It never fails that at about 5 pm, I'll hear someone say that they just don't know what to make for dinner that night. I very rarely, if ever, have that problem. And I have the grocery store's weekly flyer to thank for that! All of the answers to your weekly menu dilemma are right there in that little flyer!
Every Friday morning I sit down at the table with the Safeway flyer (our only grocery store), a pen, two pieces of paper, and two or three cookbooks that I have pre-selected based on a quick preview of the grocery flyer. I flip through it, see what's on sale, and pull out a couple books based on what sounds good. (I have most of my 50 or so cookbooks memorized and still only use about 10.) If you just don't feel like reading through cookbooks, you can go to http://www.allrecipes.com/ and use their recipe finder based on ingredients that you want to use.
Based on ingredients that are on sale, I choose recipes that have those ingredients in common. On one piece of paper, I make my grocery list (in order of aisle in the store of course). My menu, complete with page numbers and cookbook names, is on the other piece of paper. The menu goes on the fridge for the week.
Next, I take out anything from the freezer that is necessary in that week's menu. Don't wait to get something out of the freezer, or you will forget until you need it and then you won't have a meal. If you get everything out at once, it will not go bad within a week.
If you plan your meals right, you really don't get tired of eating the same common ingredients all week long. You can use one item as the main ingredient one night, and the next night use it in a side dish. Another way to change it up is to do meals from different world regions (i.e. Mexican, Italian, etc.).
You also won't waste nearly as much food as you would if you bought a whole jar of something for one meal, when you only needed a tablespoon.
I hope this helps those of you searching for an easier way to plan your meals so that you're next left hanging at dinner time with no dinner! On this note, guess I better go see what's cooking tonight!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
KISS-Keep it Simple Stupid
Today's recipe is super easy, and awesome when you're in a hurry. Of course, potatoes and onions should be staples on hand all the time. I also always keep a bell pepper on hand in the fridge. They're pretty cheap (always buy the biggest, nicest one you can find since you pay per unit not by the lb), and they can add a ton of flavor to the simplest dish. Most grocery stores will have special sales on smoked sausage or kielbasa for buy one, get one free or super discounted prices. These sales usually happen every 4 months or so. Anyways, you should always buy the max allowed when they're really cheap, and freeze them. They freeze well in their original vacuum-sealed packages, or you can throw them in a ziploc.
With all that said, the recipe o' the day is a sausage skillet.
KISS Sausage and Taters
2 lbs sliced smoked sausage
3 lbs (about 6 med) cubed potatoes
1 diced onion
2 diced bell peppers
Cooking oil (I use canola for this)
In a large, deep skillet, brown your sausage until most of the fat is rendered. Remove the sausage to drain on paper towels. Add a little bit of oil (about 2 Tbsp.-enough to cook your potatoes) to the sausage fat in the skillet. When oil is hot, add potatoes and stir to coat with oil. Season with pepper. Depending on how salty the sausage is, you might not need any salt, but you can salt to taste. When potatoes are almost done, add the peppers and onion. Continue to cook and stir until potatoes are brown and tender, and the vegetables are done (about 5 mins). Put the sausage back in the skillet, stir until warm.
You can turn this into a breakfast dish by adding some beaten eggs in to scramble right before the peppers and onion.
Enjoy!
With all that said, the recipe o' the day is a sausage skillet.
KISS Sausage and Taters
2 lbs sliced smoked sausage
3 lbs (about 6 med) cubed potatoes
1 diced onion
2 diced bell peppers
Cooking oil (I use canola for this)
In a large, deep skillet, brown your sausage until most of the fat is rendered. Remove the sausage to drain on paper towels. Add a little bit of oil (about 2 Tbsp.-enough to cook your potatoes) to the sausage fat in the skillet. When oil is hot, add potatoes and stir to coat with oil. Season with pepper. Depending on how salty the sausage is, you might not need any salt, but you can salt to taste. When potatoes are almost done, add the peppers and onion. Continue to cook and stir until potatoes are brown and tender, and the vegetables are done (about 5 mins). Put the sausage back in the skillet, stir until warm.
You can turn this into a breakfast dish by adding some beaten eggs in to scramble right before the peppers and onion.
Enjoy!
Devine Intervention
When I schedule trips out of town, usually to the next largest city of Flagstaff an hour away, I try to always schedule arrival times at my destinations around eating times. For example, today I had to take my son to Flagstaff for a doctor's appointment. I left a half hour early, so I'd get to town with just enough time for what else? LUNCH! Because I didn't have a lot of time, I considered all of the quick options on the side of town to which I was going. I love the iced tea at Quizno's, and their sandwiches usually aren't too bad. I pulled in to the parking lot, tummy rumbling, only to find that the restaurant has gone out of business on that side of town!
Time was running out, I was starving, and I started to panic. Then I remembered that there was a new barbeque "shack" a couple miles down the road. I LOVE BARBEQUE! A pulled pork sandwich with slaw on top (Slaw Burger) is next to heaven! As my stomach continued to make its presence known, I pulled up to the drive-through window of Big Star Texas BBQ, only to find a big sign on the window that says, "CASH ONLY, NO DEBIT OR CREDIT". AHHHHHH, I only had $2 in my wallet! Seriously, who doesn't take debit anymore?!? Debit IS the new cash!
Just as I was losing hope of eating before Landen's appointment, I looked up and found my new best friend John. Big John's Texas BBQ, that is! That's right, in the same parking lot as the No Debit BBQ Shack is a huge, shiny, black beacon of smoky goodness. And guess what? They take debit!!! The Big Star people with no line watched as I joined a group of 4 other BBQ lovers willing to brave the cold and snow to get our barbie on.
As I wolfed my delicious pulled pork sandwich (no slaw today), I realized that this was the same trailer parked at a gas station in Winslow that has been open on weekends. I kept forgetting that they were there, and never got a chance to try it out. Very ironic that after two failed attempts to eat at other places, I practically drove right into the best BBQ I've had in a long time!
I highly recommend trying out Big John's Texas BBQ if you have a chance. The prices are reasonable, and the pork was exceptional-tender with just the right amount of smoke ring and sweet, tangy sauce. Everything is smoked to perfection right there on the trailer. I sure hope they come back to Winslow soon, as the man in front of me said their sausage links were to die for!
Time was running out, I was starving, and I started to panic. Then I remembered that there was a new barbeque "shack" a couple miles down the road. I LOVE BARBEQUE! A pulled pork sandwich with slaw on top (Slaw Burger) is next to heaven! As my stomach continued to make its presence known, I pulled up to the drive-through window of Big Star Texas BBQ, only to find a big sign on the window that says, "CASH ONLY, NO DEBIT OR CREDIT". AHHHHHH, I only had $2 in my wallet! Seriously, who doesn't take debit anymore?!? Debit IS the new cash!
Just as I was losing hope of eating before Landen's appointment, I looked up and found my new best friend John. Big John's Texas BBQ, that is! That's right, in the same parking lot as the No Debit BBQ Shack is a huge, shiny, black beacon of smoky goodness. And guess what? They take debit!!! The Big Star people with no line watched as I joined a group of 4 other BBQ lovers willing to brave the cold and snow to get our barbie on.
As I wolfed my delicious pulled pork sandwich (no slaw today), I realized that this was the same trailer parked at a gas station in Winslow that has been open on weekends. I kept forgetting that they were there, and never got a chance to try it out. Very ironic that after two failed attempts to eat at other places, I practically drove right into the best BBQ I've had in a long time!
I highly recommend trying out Big John's Texas BBQ if you have a chance. The prices are reasonable, and the pork was exceptional-tender with just the right amount of smoke ring and sweet, tangy sauce. Everything is smoked to perfection right there on the trailer. I sure hope they come back to Winslow soon, as the man in front of me said their sausage links were to die for!
I'm not the only Connoisseur who is a Cowgirl? What?
I kind of missed a small step while creating a catchy name for my blog.....googling! Apparantly, I'm not the only one who thought it was a cute name. There is a gal in the valley who uses that same phrase as a pseudoname to write restaurant reviews under for local magazines. In order to get top spots in search engines, and not be a "copy-cat", I cleverly changed my blog name.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Straight from the ghetto of Winslow, AZ
Last night, I posted on Facebook that we had "Freddie's Tacos" (recipe to come later) and Ghetto Corn. I had so many questions about what each thing was, and ended up putting the ghetto corn recipe on FB. Hence this blog idea!
I had never heard of this savory corn dish until a couple years ago, but apparently it's a Winslow staple. I got the recipe from Lorey Thomas, who I'm sure got it from someone who got it from someone......and so forth. I'm sure everyone makes it a little differently. So here goes:
Ghetto Corn
2 cans drained whole kernel corn
8 oz cream cheese, cut into chunks
1 4 oz can green chiles or jalepenos, depending on the desired heat level
There are two ways you can make this, quick or not-quite-as-quick. I usually forget to make my sides until the main dish is almost done, so you can make this on the stovetop. Throw it all in a saucepan and let 'er rip till bubbly. Don't cook too high or the cheese will scorch (or even worse, separate). If you plan a little better than I do, you can make it the right way, in the oven. Throw it all in a 8 x 8 pan with the cream cheese chunks on top. Bake for 10 mins at 350, or until the cheese is melted and stirs easily. Stir it all up until corn and chiles are coated. Then back in the oven it goes for another 20 mins until it becomes super bubbly deliciosity. (Yes, I just made that word up.) Enjoy!
I had never heard of this savory corn dish until a couple years ago, but apparently it's a Winslow staple. I got the recipe from Lorey Thomas, who I'm sure got it from someone who got it from someone......and so forth. I'm sure everyone makes it a little differently. So here goes:
Ghetto Corn
2 cans drained whole kernel corn
8 oz cream cheese, cut into chunks
1 4 oz can green chiles or jalepenos, depending on the desired heat level
There are two ways you can make this, quick or not-quite-as-quick. I usually forget to make my sides until the main dish is almost done, so you can make this on the stovetop. Throw it all in a saucepan and let 'er rip till bubbly. Don't cook too high or the cheese will scorch (or even worse, separate). If you plan a little better than I do, you can make it the right way, in the oven. Throw it all in a 8 x 8 pan with the cream cheese chunks on top. Bake for 10 mins at 350, or until the cheese is melted and stirs easily. Stir it all up until corn and chiles are coated. Then back in the oven it goes for another 20 mins until it becomes super bubbly deliciosity. (Yes, I just made that word up.) Enjoy!
Welcome, fellow foodies!
I started cooking full meals from the age of about 12. I've always thought my mom was the best cook ever, and I'm thankful that she taught me pretty much all she knew. That knowledge from such a young age is what I believe, has made me want to keep learning and perfecting my kitchen skills, as well as everything it takes to prepare for a meal.
My mom now tells me that I'm a better cook than she is, but I will still argue that there is nothing like Mom's cooking! I will never dispute that she is a much better baker than I am. If you continue to follow my blog, you won't see much baking going on in my kitchen! I'm a cook. I'm not adverse to baking, but I just don't do much of it.
The goal of this blog is to share my favorite recipes (hopefully I can keep up on a daily basis), as well as the methods I use to plan my weekly menus. Not all of the recipes are my own, personal, inventions. If I ever post a recipe that is not mine, I will always cite the source. Don't be surprised to see anything food-related on here!
I welcome any comments, questions, ideas, suggestions and experiences that my readers have. Thanks for reading, and HAPPY EATING!
My mom now tells me that I'm a better cook than she is, but I will still argue that there is nothing like Mom's cooking! I will never dispute that she is a much better baker than I am. If you continue to follow my blog, you won't see much baking going on in my kitchen! I'm a cook. I'm not adverse to baking, but I just don't do much of it.
The goal of this blog is to share my favorite recipes (hopefully I can keep up on a daily basis), as well as the methods I use to plan my weekly menus. Not all of the recipes are my own, personal, inventions. If I ever post a recipe that is not mine, I will always cite the source. Don't be surprised to see anything food-related on here!
I welcome any comments, questions, ideas, suggestions and experiences that my readers have. Thanks for reading, and HAPPY EATING!
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