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Friday, January 23rd, 2009

Soup, It’s What’s For Dinner

Dinner… every. single. night.  It plagues me.  I have not successfully managed to be consistent about planning.  It makes it so very hard to get through the week.  I find thinking of what to make for dinner way more exhausting than anything that happens at the office.  I even find it exhausting on the days when I’m not in the office.  Like today.  All I did today was take the kids to the library, the playground and out for a snack.  That’s it.  The rest of the day was spent around the house and still at 5pm I had no idea what we’d be having for dinner.  

And all of that wouldn’t be a problem if I could just reach into the freezer and find something to too into the oven to bake until hot.  Don’t get my wrong, that happens from time to time especially when things get really hairy but I don’t like to keep processed foods in the house.  We always have ingredients but never anything to eat in a hurry.  I try to keep some extras or other meals I’ve prepared ahead of time in the freezer but I can never seem to stay ahead of the game.  Anyway, back to tonight’s dinner.  

I thought and thought and thought about it and around 5:15 it came to me.  Out of nowhere.  Soup!  Tomato soup!  A quick search turned up a few possibilities.  My criteria were simply that it be quick and consist of pantry items I had on hand to wit, Rachael Ray’s Quick Creamy Tomato Soup.  It’s consists of virtually nothing.  I even fancied it up by tossing a crushed clove of garlic in with some olive oil before the tomatoes and broth.  Of course then I unfancied it by adding 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil instead of fresh but you know, whatever.  I didn’t make true toppers either but we used some dinner rolls we had on hand to make quick garlic toasts.  All in all a really satisfying dinner for 30 minutes worth of thought and work, combined that is.  I still need to be better about planning.  The chest freezer is almost empty it’s almost time to place another order for meat.  I can’t remember anymore when our last order was but I believe we were wearing t-shirts when we picked it up.  Apparently 100 lbs of meat lasts a long time.  

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Sunday, November 9th, 2008

Quick Skillet Lasagne

I made this for dinner tonight.  It’s based on a recipe from a source you might recognize but that I won’t mention here.  From what I hear they’ll come heavy if they hear you’ve made one of their recipes and, god forbid, told anybody about it.  

We really enjoyed this and thought it was as satisfying as a traditionally baked lasagne but really quick and simple to throw together.  The only tricky part is in the simmering.  You must stir it occasionally and keep it over a low flame to prevent the noodles from sticking and scorching.  

Here’s how it goes.  

  • 1lb lean ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes drained, plus enough water to make 2 1/2 cups.
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 lb lasagne noodles broken into 1″ pieces
  • 1 1/2 c shredded fresh mozzarella
  • 8 oz ricotta cheese

Brown the beef in a deep skillet, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste over high heat.  You can season the meat any way you’d like, however you would season it for making spaghetti sauce etc. (I added a little garlic powder for good measure).  Remove from pan and set aside.  You’ll need about a tablespoon of drippings in the pan to cook the onions and garlic, if you have any more than that you can discard it.  

Turn the heat down to medium high and add the onion, garlic and a pinch of salt.  Stir, scraping up any loosened bits for 3-5 minutes until the onions soften slightly.  

Add the tomatoes, reserving their juices in a measuring cup and adding enough water to make 2 1/2 cups and add that too.  Add a hefty pinch of salt for the pasta, the oregano and stir in the broken noodles.  Brink the pot to a simmer, cover and turn heat to low.  Continue to simmer the mixture of 20 minutes or until noodles are cooked.   

When the noodles are cooked through turn off the heat, adjust the seasoning, add the cooked beef and stir in the mozzarella cheese.  Dollop the ricotta over top by heaping tablespoonful, cover and let sit for 3 minutes.  

Serve and enjoy!  We ate this with a salad of baby spinach on the side.  I’ll be eating it for lunch tomorrow, I’m sure it will make good leftovers.  It makes at least enough for 4, but maybe 6 smallish portions served with a good salad and bread.  

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Wednesday, November 5th, 2008

The Anti Foodie Patty Melt

Well I totally blew it already.  I was so wrapped up in the election returns that I alternately remembered and forgot and then ultimately went to bed without posting.  So much for everyday for the month of November.  In any event, things are good around these parts.  Ben was out of bed yesterday at 6am to make sure he was first in line to cast his vote.  I didn’t get to the polls until 12 hours later but I did my part too.  We were glued to our tv (and sadly the computer too) the whole night.  So much excitement and now anticipation oh what’s to come.  

I’ve just got word from a friend that used to live in the neighborhood that she’s opened a shop on etsy.  I’ve checked it out and her stuff is super cute.  I want to introduce you to her soon… like just in time for Christmas.  I can’t do it now though because I’m stupid tired and have to be at work again tomorrow at the crack of dawn.  I should really be in bed right now.  Work is good too.  I’m doing lots of stuff that sounds important, is new to me, but specially reserved for those of us waaaay at the bottom of the totem pole.  When I get home I throw around words like oral exam, confessed judgment and stipulation.  Ben likes it.  

About those anti foodie patty melts.  Another planless dinner.  I had ground turkey in the fridge as well as some fresh mozzarella.  I ran into Trader Joe’s and picked up some of the ricotta that Erin recommended (although I now realize that I forgot the frickin prosciutto.)  I was thinking I would make a quick skillet lasagne from cook’s illustrated but remembered that we had pasta last night.  Plan b?  Burgers!  But why oh why hadn’t I just thought of that in the first place and bought buns when I was at the market?  Plan c, patty melts, because I have toast bread (that’s what we call sandwich bread at our house).  I seasoned the meat simply and made large flatish patties.  When the patties were cooked through I removed them from the pan.  Then I buttered several slices of bread and put a slice of provolone on one half and a slice of cheddar on the other.  Then, and this is the real anti foodie part, I put a squirt of ketchup on the provolone and put the patty back in the middle.  Then I toasted the whole mess like a grilled cheese.  I served it with steamed broccoli (sans tiny green worms thank you very much) and french fries from the freezer.  Chase ate exactly one bite of turkey burger but the grown folks cleaned their plates.  

 

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Wednesday, October 29th, 2008

Make Your Leftovers Work for You

That’s my motto most of the time.  I’m on a big campaign to curb the amount of food that gets wasted around here.  It most often happens because I prefer to have a hot lunch of leftovers at work rather than a sandwich or other typical lunch foods.  Which is fine except I only work part time which means that more than half of the week I have to make enough leftovers for a second meal or suffer the consequences of the food going potentially uneaten.  The whole thing is complicated by the fact that Ben’s views on lunch are the exact opposite of mine (although lately his view is shifting).

As a side note, my other big problem is my failure to plan meals ahead.  I just can’t seem to get it done reliably.  It’s a big problem because it means that if I’m feeling too tired or harried that we end up eating out (like we did on Monday) or ordering in.  I like going out as much as the next person but it’s a treat I don’t like using it as a crutch.  

Which all leads me to tonight’s dinner.  Around 3 I started complaining to Erin that I had again forgotten to plan our dinner in advance.  I complained a little more and then I thought and thought and thought about it.  I ended up having to stop at the grocery store on the way home to pick up some reinforcements but I did manage to turn one and a half leftover pork chops into three servings and have it on the table in 20(ok, maybe 25) minutes.  A quick stroganoff is one of my go tos for using  up leftover meat.  It makes for a quick and satisfying meal.  Maybe one day I’ll write down a recipe but for now I’ll just tell you how it goes.  Maybe you’ll try it one day when you’re scrambling for dinner ideas.  

First I sliced a medium onion into half moons and browned them in a little olive oil over medium or medium high heat.  Next I cranked the heat to high and added a package of button mushrooms sliced and seasoned with salt and pepper.  While the mushrooms and onions were cooking I sliced the meat and tossed it into the pan to heat through.  Then I added a few dashes of worcestershire and a good tablespoonful of dijon mustard and stirred that in.  Next goes in about 1/4 cup of chicken broth.  I let the mixture bubble for a minute or two until I’m happy with the amount of sauce that’s left in the pan.  Turn of the heat, stir in a good dollop of sour cream and serve over egg noodles or rice.  

I defy you to take a picture of this dish that leaves your mouth watering but all the same it was hot and homemade and pretty dang tasty if I do say so myself.  What do you do with your leftovers?

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Sunday, October 26th, 2008

New Shoes and Art Blast

Chase got a pair of new shoes today.  When I’m not in the market for new baby shoes I see tons of cute styles in all the stores but as soon as I’m actually ready to shell out for them I can’t seem to find anything that will do.  We tried Nordtrom yesterday they had a couple of different styles but they had might as well have just had two pairs of loafers, one in brown and one in black in terms of available cuteness.  I ended up buying an ok looking pair for way more than I wanted to spend because any price is too much to pay for something you don’t actually want.  I feel the same way about buying stuff you don’t need because you have coupon.  Anyway, they’re super cute and what I was looking for, I’m happy, she’s happy.  

I’ve been buying Stride Rite shoes for her since she started walking and I’m really happy with them.  The shoes, while not fabulously cute, strike a good balance between appearance and comfort.  The shoes are both sensible and durable and I haven’t heard any complaints from the wee one yet.  They make all of their shoes in wide widths that accommodate her fat little feet.  In spite of all that I still sometimes, as I do in all similar circumstance, question whether or not it’s really worth the extra money.  I have decided that it is.

I base my conclusion on a pair of patent leather mary janes that I picked up at Target.  The shoes are cute but they’re the first and only pair that gave her a blister.  The shoes are the right size but as soon as they were on she started complaining that she didn’t want to walk.  Sure enough, there was a blister on her foot by the end of the day.  That was enough to satisfy me, particularly since I discovered the Stride Right outlet at Arundel Mills.  Lots of good deals there and plenty of selection. 

Our neighborhood has many faults BUT today I was extra happy to be here.  We stumbled upon Art Blast at the BMA which ended up being a totally awesome way to spend an absolutely beautiful fall Sunday afternoon.  It was nice so we walked over to the playground.  We could hear loud music that sounded like a concert.  After swinging for about 2 minutes she decided it had to be investigated.  Of course, by the time we got down and up the other side of the park the band was playing their last number but no matter; the whole street was closed off and set up for big art projects to celebrate the museum’s newest installation.  We ran into some friends, did a little sidewalk chalk and then a big drawing that we turned into a button.  Have I mentioned that I’m really big on having fun for free?  

I haven’t posted a recipe in eons but I have one, maybe two in the works.  In the meantime, I made this fake trifle.  There’s no recipe for it.  It’s just a quick way to use up leftover cake.  I had intended to make a luscious version that I saw on Everyday Food but when it came down to it I just needed something sweet and quick.  I just cut the cake into small pieces and layered it in the cup with whipped cream, topped with berries and a little more cream and ate.  It was good though and looked really nice… made Ben jealous that I didn’t make him one, hee.  

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Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

I Don’t Care What They’re Saying About HFCS

You’ve seen the new ad campaign right?  I think I take the position on HFCS that a lot of home cooks take which is simply that if I can’t procure HFCS to use an an ingredient as a home cook I’m going to be highly suspicious… highly.  But this isn’t really a post about HFCS, this is a post about snacks.  HFCS comes into play because the ones that ben likes to eat unfortunately contain it and Chase loves to have bites whenever she sees him eating one.  All of my feeble attempts to offer her a store bought substitute also failed so as a last resort I decided to try my own.  Not to mention that dad agreed to give up his faves if the experiment was any good. 

I used a lot of different sources for inspiration including this, this and this.  I used a little big of each of the recipes and the result was a success.  I think that next time I would mix a double batch because 2c of oats comes out looking kinda puny but the taste and texture was right on.  They kept perfectly well stored on the counter in a tupperware container.  

They flipped out nicely and in one piece.  I meant to take a picture of them cut… but I forgot.  It was almost too late but I got a shot of Chase nibbling on one. 

So they were good, the thing is now I have to make them… like all the time.  

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Wednesday, September 24th, 2008

Weekly Menu Planning

I’ve been really thinking about menu planning.  Well, thinking about thinking about it.  It’s not something I do or something that I’ve ever done before but I can definitely see how putting in the time could really be beneficial.  I tried this week, I scrawled out some notes on a scrap of paper and called it a menu plan, if you can even call it a menu plan.

Here’s where I started.  We picked up some supplies at Costco this weekend and they had nice wild caught salmon so I bought some.  I also picked up a container of fresh buffalo mozzarella for no particular reason.  So really, this whole week was built around those two items.

On monday, I cut the filet into smaller steaks and prepared them with simple boiled potatoes and blanched peas.  There was a little of everything leftover so that’s where I started.  My plan looks something like this:

Tuesday: creamy pasta with salmon and peas.

Wednesday: pizza (theoretically using the mozzarella)

Thursday: chicken soup (from a frozen carcass tossed in the freezer before leaving for the wedding and whatever veg is on hand)

Friday: ?

Pretty good no?  I thought I would use the last of the bread dough in the fridge for the pizza but when they say use within 2 weeks they don’t mean 2 weeks and 3 days.  Oh, and I didn’t have any tomatoes or tomato sauce.  So, I had to improvise I superheated the oven with the pizza stone inside and spread some sun-dried tomato tapenade onto huge flour tortillas, topped with the cheese and popped them onto the pizza stone until the tortilla was crispy and the cheese was melted.  I made a nice little salad with some boston lettuce and  lemony vinaigrette and put it right on top of the crisp pizza.  Eat with fork and knife… and done.  I thought it was extremely tasty for 10 minutes of effort.  

The creamy salmon pasta was really good too and really easy.  I just sweated some onions in a little olive oil, tossed in a crushed clove of garlic and then added plenty of half and half with a splash of skim for good measure.  I simmered the cream while the pasta cooked, pulled the noodles out a minute or two early and finished them in the cream with the peas and salmon.  I cut the noodles up for Chase and she loved it, even ate the peas.  

Friday is still up in the air, maybe a certain someone will treat me to dinner out.. if I’m lucky.  Tomorrow: the unauthorized report of the day before Chelsea’s wedding (with pictures!). 

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Monday, June 30th, 2008

Sugaring Off

This could very well be the single most money-saving post ever for us hairy gals.  I remembered my mother having a friend that made a homemade wax concoction for waxing legs.  This is the information age right?  You bet, everything you need to know about the home hair removal process called sugaring is right there at the tip of your fingers… I mean fingertips, honestly, who writes like that?  

If you Google sugaring you’ll get lots of hits but this page has some good tips.  I had to make it twice before getting it right.  I think that the key, like this person says, is to not let it boil too hard.  I got impatient the first time and cranked the heat and it was hot, like molten hot right up until the time it turned rock hard and unusable.  I didn’t end up using a thermometer so you can do this without it.  The one I have ended up going off way before the mixture even started to color so I knew it was off.  I did use a glass of water to see if the sugar would hold together when dropped in.  If you search sugaring on youtube you’ll find yet more info about it.  It will look about like this:

It totally worked and I am happy to have 42 more bucks in my pocket every month.  I didn’t even wax my eyebrows off.  

My second sugary topic is about jam.  We went back to Shaw’s and picked blueberries and cherries.  You HAVE to make this jam.  This jam is out of this world.  I found it poking around the internet for recipes.  It really delivers.  I increased the lemon juice by a tablespoon and decreased the vinegar accordingly.  Obviously I didn’t use frozen berries and it didn’t make a difference.  Now for all the cherries.  The trees were just dripping with fruit.  They were so easy to pick that even Chase filled a bucket.  You just put your hands up into the leaves and you would come back with a handful of ripe red cherries.  It was my first time picking cherries but by far the easiest of the fruits we’ve tried recently and by far the most fun.. you know, cause you can get dad up on a ladder.    That’s always good for a few laughs.  

I did proper canning this time but I did make one serving for immediate consumption.  I was sitting around last night complaining that my back was sore, that I felt bruised and then later realized that my underwear was too tight.  So tight that it made my back hurt?  You think it’s because I ate almost a whole loaf of bread slathered in jam?  It was worth it!

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Tuesday, June 10th, 2008

Cooking From the Farmer’s Market- Kohlrabi

It was hot hot hot today.  Everyone’s talking about beating the heat.  Except me.  Sometimes when the AC is on I forget that I don’t want to heat up the entire house baking two stuffing muffins.  I thought my idea was pure genius.  I had cornbread crumbs leftover from some smashed muffins that I made a few days ago.  I was going to bake stuffing muffins as a side for pork chops so that they didn’t go to waste.  Brilliant, for November or December.  I devised plan B to avoid the oven.  I soaked the pork chops in a ‘brine’ of milk and kosher salt, a technique I learned from the Magnolia Kitchen cookbook.  Well, I didn’t actually ‘learn’ it, I just followed the recipe and then returned the book before I remembered to do any further investigation, sigh.  Dipped in egg and then coated in the cornbread crumbs that I seasoned with salt and pepper.  I pan fried them in a little olive oil.  I thought that they came out looking pretty tasty if nothing else but they tasted pretty good too.  

Growing up I remember my grandmother talking about, growing and picking kohlrabi but I do not remember eating it.  I don’t know what made me ask the lady to put it in my bag when all I needed were the spring onions and basil, I guess I was feeling dangerous.  I have a copy of Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.  It’s been re-released for its 10th anniversary so the library copy is all new and sleek.  I’m going to have to invest in this one.  Not only are the recipes reliable and delicious but the information about obscure veg, like kohlrabi, is useful too.  I prepared the kohlrabi following the directions in the book.  Remove leaves, peel, cut the bulb part into matchsticks and steam for 5-7 minutes.  I shocked them to stop the cooking and then dressed them with a dollop of sour cream, a teaspoon of horseradish, a sprinkle of dill and salt and pepper… voila kohlrabi with horseradish, from page 384.  

Served with a salad the whole shebang took about 30 minutes to prepare (not including brining time).  To get the timing right, I started the kohlrabi, prepped the chops while it cooked, put the chops on to cook and finished the kohlrabi in the meantime and then tossed together a quick salad.  Done!

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Monday, June 2nd, 2008

Short and Sweet

A-ha!

Water, measuring spoons and a paint brush occupied Chase painting and measuring on the deck while I made dinner.  

Cleaning out the cupboards

We’re still out of AP flour.  I made the same old shortbread but subbed in 3/4 of a cup of oat flour and 1/2 a cup of cake flour to rave reviews.  Here’s how they looked packed up for my mid-class snack.

Cooking from the farmer’s market

I hate beets but my resolve to cook and eat fresh had me buy a bunch in spite of this.  I used a recipe from Deborah Madison’s book Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone that I borrowed from the library.  This is the second time that I’ve borrowed it I think I’m going to invest.  Super simple… grate three pounds of beets on a box grater (they will dye your hands, I learned the hard way).  Melt on tbsp butter in a skillet, add beets and cook briefly, stirring.  Season with S and P, add 1/4 water cover and cook over medium heat for another 3-5 minutes.  Remove lid and cook out any remaining liquid (I didn’t have any)  Stir in a tbsp balsamic vinegar (you could also use red wine vin or lemon juice).  Taste for seasoning and stir in 2 tbsp chopped parsley.  This might be a little off the original but is pretty much how I made it.  I will definitely make them this way again if for no other reason than to change up the veg every now and again, even Chase ate it. 

 

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